The San Francisco call., 1899-07-16
HEAVY LOSS BY
FIRE At FRESNO
Number of Buildings Go.
Up in Flames.
ONE MAN FATALLY INJURED
ELECTRIC COMPANY LINEMAN
FALLS FROM A POLE.
Two Large Stables Are Among the
Structures Burnel and Several
Valuable Racehorsss Are
Incinerated.
ONE MAN FATALLY INJURED
Special Dispatch to The Call.

FRESNO, July 15.-One of the most dis
astrous fires in the history of Fresno
broke out shortly after 9 o'clock last
night in small wooden shed a few feet
north of the City Livery Stables. con-
Quoted by c. w Pearson A few min
utes previous the volunteer fire depart
ment had been summoned to another part
of the city by a false alarm, and when
it reached the scene of the real confla-
grafton the livery stable was a mass of
flames. All hope of saving the stable
was given up and the department devoted
it's efforts toward saving the surrounding
buildings.
The fire shot across the street and with
in few minutes another large stable, be-
longing to Dorsey & Parker, was abIaze.
By this time the fire had created a
draught, which carried sparks from the
burning buildings in all directions, and it
was not long before a half-dozen smaller
buildings in the block were burning The
firemen were confused at first, but they
finally got control of the conflagrauon
within two hours from the time the alarm
was turned in.
The chief losses. aside from the build
ings, were several fine racehorses be-
longing to Jerrold & Ketchum and white
Hat Hat Mccarthy Ss one OF these vas Trade
Lord Talbot Clifton. Trade Wind was
purchased In San Francisco seven or eight
years ago for $28,000
were burned. These included two colts
belonging to F. A. Jerrold and c. +
Ketchum, a pacing mare belonging to A
A BlaSingame, another mare and a sorrel
running horse belonging to Gus Eisen of.
the Eisen vineyard. The loss in horses
alone will probably exceed $50 Goo
The buildings We're both frame struct
ureS, but very large, and contained hay
buggfeS, harness, etc. valued at several
thousand dollars. The City Livery Stables
were the property of the German SAVINGS
and Loan Society of San Francisco and
were partly insured. though the amount of
the insurance is not known. The con-
tents belonged to the lessee, G.. w Pear
son, who carried no insurance Dorsey ~
Parker's stable was insured Their loss
Will probably not exceed $4,000. The other
buildings destroyed were small strtlcttIt.-
and of no great value.
While the fire was in progress George
Anderson q lneman in the employ of the
San Joaquin Electric COMPANY assembled
a pole near the seat Of the conflagration
to repair an electric light wire which had
become looSened from its fast eniurs No
was suddenly seen to fall strilling tbe
pavement on his left side. He was nicSed
up In an unconscious condition and taken
to the hospital, where he received medical
attendance. 1t is not thought that he can
recover. Inc supposition is that he re:
ceived shock while repairing the wire
which caused him to fail. The attending
physician gave 1t as his opinion that the
man had been fatally injured internally.
Durlng the ire several of the main wires
OF the San Joaquin Electric Company's
plant were burned off. leaving the town
IN total darkness for several hours.
TO the origin of the fire. Many persons
think 1t was incendiary. The fact that
the fire department was decoyed to a
distant part of the town by a false alarm