The San Francisco call., 1903-09-12
FREIGHT
SHEDS ARE
DESTROYED
Southern Pacific Com
pany Loses Heav-
lily by Fire.
Cars Loaded With Merchan-
disc Are Totally Destroy
ed by Flames.
Watchman McConchie and Truckman
Brinkerhoff Narrowly Escape
Death During Progress
Of Conf1agration.

Freight cars and freight sheds of the
Southern Pacific Company were destroyed
by fire shortly before midnight. The long
shed on Townsend street, between Fifth
and Sixth, was a total loss, and more
than fifty freight cars were burned. The
fire was difficult one to handle, but Act
ing Chief Dougherty and his men had the
conf1agration under control in quick or
der.
An alarm was turned in by one Of the
brakemen employed in the yard. When
he discovered the blaze 1t was in the CEN
ter of shed /. which contains the southern
overland freight He rushed to the fire
alarm box at Sixth and Townsend streets
and turned in box 1872. When the district
chief arrived the entire shed was envel-
oped in flames and freight cars on the
side tracks were also ablaze.
A second alarm was turned in and more
engines rushed to the scene. Two bat
teries operated on Townsend street and
several streams played on the burning
structure. During the height of the fire
the brakemen employed in the Southern
Pacific yards moved their locomotives on
the sidings and hauled the burning freight
cars farther up the track. Streams were
then turned on the cars and the flames
were extinguished.
Cmef Dougherty saw that it was impos-
sible to save the shed, and he devoted
the energies of the department to pre-
venting the fire from spreading. In this
he was successful, as the fire was confined
to shed 1. Had the wind been blowing
there is every probability that the entire
freight sheds of the railroad company
would have been destroyed.
The loss is heavy. The shed was loaded
with merchandise for Southern points as
far as New Orleans. What the loss is
will not be ascertained until the bills of
lading are examined. The building was
simply long shed and can be quickly
replaced. The freight cars were loaded
with merchandise and hay. Many were
destroyed and the others were so badly
damaged that they will have to be re-
built.
James McConchie. a watchman, who
lives at 1746 Ellis street, had a narrow es-
cape from death. He was in the shed
when the fire started and his exit was
cut off by the flames. He rushed to the
lower end of the shed at Fifth and
Townsend and his outcries were heard by
Policemen P. Hammond, Coleman and
Hynes.
The trio rushed across to the burning
structure and tried to break in the heavy
door Their united efforts were unsuc-
cessful and an ak was hurriedly brought
from engine No. 10 and an opening was
made. McConchie was dragged forth in a
semi-conscious condition. His hands
were burned and he was suffering from
inhaling the smoke. He was sent to the
Emergency Hospital and was attended by
physicians and put to bed. While his in
juries are painful, he Is in no danger.
George Brinkerhoff Of Truck No. 1
was also affected by smoke and was sent
to the hospital for treatment
Some of the wires of the train Dispatch
er's department were destroyed by the
fire and the train service was handi-
capped until they were replaced.