The San Francisco call., 1899-09-19
Loss Is Roughly Estimated
at a Quarter of a
Million.
THREE MEN INJURED
Property Of Perry Mil and Lumber
Co., Los Angeles MillingCo, and
J. T. HoIbrook Destroyed.
ssec.a D.spa.ea % The Cali.

Los ANGELES, Sept. 1s.-Practically
al entire block bounded by CONNER
CiaI, Alameda, Requena and Whining
ton streets was destroyed by fire this
afternoon The buildings destroyed
were those OF the Los Angeles Farm
ing and Milling Company. the Perry
Nil and Lumber Company. the plant
OF J F HoIbrook, dealer in iron pipe
and oil well castings. in addition 70 e
large amount Of lumber belonging TO
the two lumber firms
Three men were injured IL the fire,
two of them probably fatally. They
GEORGE kNOWLTON, assistant en-
gtnear; fatally burned
JAMES NJ DIETER, engineer; seri-
oUsly burned.
H B. TEBBETTS, overcome by the
heat.
The fire originated in the engine
room Of the Perry Mil and Lumber
Company A spark from the engine
-eu into & pile Of shavings and in q
Jew minutes the whole place was in q
blaze IN struggle 70 put out the
flames knOwltOu and Dieter received
their injuries
As soon as possible an alarm OF fire
was turned in and this was closely fol-
lowed by a second alarm By the time
the engines reached the scene Of the
C0ufagration the big three-story brick
building and the whole yard and the
mill OF the Perry Company were abIaze
Next 10 the Perry Mil on the east
were the frame buildings OF the Los
Angeles Farming and Milling Company.
These and the big Oue-st0ry building
that runs along Alameda street were
soon roaring furnace The dremen
had an almost impossible task in fight
rr--- - h.. IN
tense heat. Even the police had easy
work IN keeping back the crowd, as
the heat did their work for them
TLe ire department realized that IL
could not hope 10 save the buildings
already on fire and therefore directed
nearly all Of its energies TO keep the
buildings across the street from de-
s-ruC-icl- The small shops along Com
uerCIaI street smoked from the heat
and many OF the occupants were in
fear that the hungry flames would drive
rheu from their homes and business.
The hose was kept playing on these
buildings and they were saved.
After the walls Of the warehouse at
Alameda and Commercial streets had
fallen the rCOughs Leading from the
bins In the upper part OF the Farming
and Milling CCnpany'S warehouse were
eaten open by the fire and Z stream
OF wheat ten feet n diameter poured
down on the fire below This served
~ smother One Of the hottest parts OF
the blaze
Al o'clock the fire was under con
troll though the lumber and the milling
companies plants were swept clear,
with the exception OF one warehouse
or Alameda street
Though Of very short duration the
fr= was one Of the most destructive
thai ever occurred in Los Angeles, al
least G. quarter Of million dollars go
Fr-g in f.e
The Los Angeles Farming and Milling
Company had & stock on hand valued
with the expensive machinery, at s120-
600 which Is practically q total loss
An insurance Of nearly 800 600 was car
-ied.
The Perry Lumber and Milling Com
pany carried a stock valued at 1926. 900,
including q large number Of valuable
patterns, which IL will be difficult 10
replace. This company only carried
$4,000 Insurance There ara & number
Or small Individual losses which foot I'D
II the aggregate the amount named
During the progress Of the fire man
three women and & boy were standing
on 2 porch in the rear OF Emil Faure's
saloon when the floor gave way and all
were preCipitated a distance Of twenty
t-er 90 the ground The three women
we're injured, but none, it IS believed,
fatally.
james Dieter. engineer Of the Perry
Milling Company. and George Kno7vl-
ton. his assistant. were both horribly
burned in the fire. The chances for
KacWIton's = recovery are very slight
and Dieter's condition IS scarcely less
serious.
Ward Cunningham. foreman 0f the
Perry Nil and Lumber Company. IS miss
ing. and his family and friends fear that
he Derished in the flames. They have been
searching for him all the afternoon and
evening but not the slightest trace OF