The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1904-08-01

Of water in them after the fire was
subdued
The Hilbert Mercantile Company oc-
cEpied the ground floor and the first
and second floors of 213-215 Market
street, the place being stocked with
hundreds of cases of Whistles, cham
pagnes, wines, beers and mineral
waters.
The entire stock was destroyed, all
that was left intact being the FIRMS
safe, containing it's books and records.
The swirl and dash of the flames pre-
vented any attempt to save property in
the Hilbert place and the exploding Of
barrels Of whisky and other goods
added picturesque touch to the scene
! The basement and top floor of the
i Hilbert building were occupied by Hol-
| brook. Merrill & Stetson. The top floor
! was stocked with cans and the basement
was filled with iron pipes of all kinds.
/ The Hilbert Mercantile Company also
used the basement for a small stock
of mineral waters and beer. The Tn
derwriters Patrol rendered effective
work, under Captain Comstock, in
spreading rubber covers in the >estab-
ments adjoining the one where the fire
ragged. Many thousands of dollars
worth of goods were thus saved from
damage by smoke and water which en-
tered the building.
EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE.
The fire in the Hilbert Mercantile
Company's building was under control
in about an hour after the alarms were
responded to by the Fire Department,
but the engines and men were kept
busy until after D. m. Few of the
firemen were in their regular working
clothes, as on Sunday they wear their
dress uniforms and the natty blue suits
were soaked with water and tainted by
smoke.
The Arizona block, which is occupied
by the William Cluff Company, the
Deere Implement Company and the Hill
bert Mercantile Company, is owned by
r. r. Thompson Of 1901 Van Ness ave-
nue.. The quarters of the various firms
are separated by heavy fire walls. That
portion of the Arizona block in which
the fire occurred is valued by the owner
at $500 900, the insurance on it being
S12,5O0.
f. H Hilbert secretary of the Hill
bert Mercantile Company, said last
night that his firm carried between
500, 900 and 100000 worth of goods al
of which were destroyed. The loss is
covered by insurance, but Mr.. Hilbert
did not know what company carried
the policies, this matter being left t.
an insurance agent.
H. NJ Holbrook of the firm of Hol.
brook, Merrill & Stetson arrived at the
scene of the fire in the automobile Of
his friend, H. B. Lazelere, word having
been telephoned to him of the fire
They picked up John f. Merrill, vice
president of the firm, on their way
down town and made quick run t
the scene of the confiagration.
LOSSES BY WATER.
Mr.. Holbrook stated that his firms
loss or stock Of cans on the top foo
of the Hilbert building would be be
tween $500 and $4,000, fully covered
by insurance. He estimated that tn
pipes in the cellar of the building wer
valued at $4,000 and that the loss oil
! them would be about fifty per cent
The cellar stock was covered by in
surance.
, The Deere Implement COMPANY a
= 221 Market street, had a stock of good
I in the water-filled cellars of it's build
, ing valued at $4,000. r. B. Wiley
r member Of the firm, estimated thei
: loss at fifty per cent, all covered b.
e insurance
: The William Cluff Company, situate
t at 201 to 207 Market street. had a stoc