The San Francisco call., 1903-12-07
WOMEN RUN
FROM PERIL
Of FLAMES
Fire Makes Ruin
of Santa Paula
Houses.
Hotel Guests Escape
in Scant Raiment
at Night.
Newly Incorporated Town
Suffers Loss of Many
Documents.
Special Dispatch to The call.


VENTURA, Dec. 6.-The principal
part of the business section Of Santa
Paula was destroyed by fire early this
morning. 1t is estimated that the loss
will be fully $75, 1000, with less than $25,-
900 insurance. Nine large buildings and
their contents were destroyed and
many other buildings were damaged.
Men and women rushed from the fam
ing structures and it is marvel that
the conflagration was not attended by
appalling fatalities.
Night Watchman Sawyer discovered
the fire about 3 o'clock. 1t started in
the rear of T. l.. Cerf's saloon, which
occupied the Hobson frame building
Sawyer gave the alarm by firing his
revolver. Then the church bell was
rung There was a terrific southeast
wind blowing and it famed the flames.
which spread to the west.
INVALID NARROWLY ESCAPES.
The Office of Justice of the Peace ].
B. Titus was soon ablaze and then Odd
Fellows Hall took fire. These frame
buildings were consumed within very
few minutes. Two hours after the fire
was discovered the destruction was
complete. The large Petrolia Hotel was
burned III twenty minuzes. The guests
of the hotel were barely able to escape
with their clothes on. j. G.. Woolley, a
department store merchant of Lafay-
cite, Ind, was carried out on mat
tress. He is an invalid who had just
arrived in Santa Paula. His family es-
capped with difficulty. The mattresses
and servants were the last ones out,
and they did not stop for complete at
tire. Mrs. c. P. Russell, whose hus-
band managed the hotel, rushed out of
the building in her night dress.
c. z. King had $4,000 worth Of surplus
furniture stored in the Odd Fellows
building which was all lost. OF the Nc
MILAN livery stable the brick walls re-
main. The building was completely
gutted. Mcmillan saved nothing but
his horses. The boarding and lodging
house of Mrs. L. S. Kiser was burned
to the ground The dodgers did not
have time to save anything except a
few personal belongings. The Mrs. c.
n. Baker House, occupied by Mrs. Car
ter, dressmaker, was destroyed.
CITY HALL IN FLAMES.
Flying cinders set fire to the City
Hall, on the opposite side of the street.
This building was owned and was for
merly occupied by the Santa Paula Ma
tionaI Bank City Marshal A. J. Baker
opened the vault and removed some of
the city records. He did not close the
vault door and many papers were de-
stroyed. A large hay barn adjoining
the City Hall containing fifty tons. Of
hay was burned. Dr. Hutchinson's res
idence, located within thirty feet of the
barn. was badly scorched. The bucket
brigade saved this building and the
Crowley residence from destruction. In
doing so several men were singed about
the hands and face. The doors and win
dows of Atmore's blacksmith shop were
burned off, Harry Sexton, the village
butcher, lost his lard and sausage
sheds and kettles. Several side rooms
in the upper story of the Goldstone
brick block caught fire and were par
TALLY burned. The wind blew large
cinders as far west as the Blanchard
orange and lemon packing-houses.
These houses are a mile west OF town.
The Youngling barn. one-half mile
west. took fire twice and the roof was
charred.
Every local lodge lost by the fire ex-
cept the Masons. The Odd Fellows
Hall was rented to the various organi-
cations for meeting purposes. All of
their records and paraphernalia were
DESTROYED. Several poles belonging to
the Santa Paula Electric Light Com
pany were burned. There has been no
teIephone service in Santa Paula to-
day. County Manager Browne had sew
eral linemen repairing the damage.
Lineman Ware was accompanied by
his bride. who assisted in the work.
WALLS FALL ON HOSE.
The citizens of the town had no way
to fight the fire. The town was only
Incorporated few months ago and as
vet has purchased no apparatus for
lighting fire. The people had a hose
cart with 200 feet of small hose. Volun-
teers manipulated this, but to no avail
They carried the hose along the Odd
Fellows Hall and the walls fell in on
the hose.
The origin of the fire is a mystery,
and many believe that 1t was incen-
diary. When the night watchman gave
the alarm DR.. Sloan appeared on the
street. He rushed about the neighbor-
hood awakening people. He then rushed
down the alley in the rear Of Cerf's sa-
loon. DR.. Sloan was on the run to no
tify r. E. Davis, one OF the owners of