Los Angeles herald., 1905-11-25

e. Frank clothing department store,
at the corner of Franklin and Spring
streets, was burned last night and
stock valued at more than 100000 was
destroyed.
How or where the fire originated no
one has yet been able to determine,
but when q still alarm was turned in
by A. L. Tourmoux at 9:55 the entire
lower floor of the two story building
was blazing furiously and the flremen
were dashed back by the burst of
flame when they attempted to break in
the doors of the lower floor.
First witnesses at the fire stated last
night that the flames originated from
the pressing room of the suiting de-
partment, and it is supposed that some
fragment Of glowing waste may nave
been left unnoticed and thus started
the conflagration.
Capt Steve Querola of department
five was the first to reach the building
and at the head of his string of fire
lads he broke down the rear door of
the building on Franklin street. Like
a flash the captain dashed through the
wall of flame, only to be beaten back as
he reached the foot of the stairs lead
ing to the second floor. Again and again
he rushed toward the stairs followed
by his men, and at last, nearly eX-
hausted, he managed to gain the first
landing and from there sent his men
to work shutting doors to prevent
draughts and tearing down fire eaten
woodwork.
Police Experience Difficulty
Departments three and four arrived
a few seconds later and with them
came Fire Chief Walter Lipps and AS
sistant Chief Mcdonald. Lines of hose
were carried to the building, but the
firemen were unable to enter from the
first floor.
At that time the entire first floor
was on fire and the heavy smoke from
the burning suits choked the flremen
and blinded them as they attempted
to enter the building.
Almost with the start of the fire
the policemen arrived under the charge
of Sergeant Murray. With great diff
ficulty the fire ropes were stretched
and the mob beaten back. The police
men had as much as they could handle,
and on the south fire line on Spring
street Detective Sargeant Kelly was
put In charge. In trying to force the
crowd back beyond the fire line num-
ber of young men in the crowd at
tempted to get rough. Kelly gave one
glance toward the building, and seeing
the flames rapidly spreading toward
the building, and seeing that the fire
men were being crowded for room, he
gave the men one last chance to move.
They refused and some Of them struck
at the officer and attempted to knock
him down. whereupon he drew his night
stick and forced the crowd back. Z
Flames Are Stubborn
Before the fire had been burning fif-
teen minutes Mayor McAleer arrived
and assisted in the direction of the
companies.
In spite of the desperate efforts of
the firemen the flames surged upward
toward the second floor, and with
heavy detonations the fuses of the
lighting wires exploded. But the cleo
tricians from the Los Angeles Lighting
company were on hand and all electric
wires leading to the building were cut.
Inch by inch the flames worked to-
ward the front of the lower floor while
the flremen fought desperately in an ef-
fort to keep them in the building. Hose
lines from fifteen engines were going at
full rate at that time and great masses
of plaster came tumbling down from
the ceiling, bruising the firemen and
almost binding them.
Up and up went the flames, cutting
the entire first floor and causing the
great window panes to burst with q
crash, sending glass in the faces of the
firemen.
On the second floor Chief Lipps, with
ten men, came from the rear of the
building, while his assistants attempted
to get in from the front. But the fire
seemed to have taken headway from
the front of the upper floor and the
windows and castings were the first to
go. Next went consignment of dress
suits that would have stocked the
young men of Los Angeles society for
the next generation to come.
The flames tore across the floor eat
ing through the supports of the roof
and spreading to the northern windows.
Then it was seen that a wind was
carrying the flames directly toward the
Hamburger building, and firemen were
hurried to Franklin street to stem the
tide. But the firemen were able to
keep the flames in check until freshet
from the east sent Ine lldihes SIdiBhI
skyward and then back toward the
Westland building and Empire lodging
house.
Women Panic-Strlcken
Then there was a furry, and dodgers.
chiefly women, ran to the windows,
throwing trunks to the street below
Several of these burst open and lingerie
was strewed up and down the sidewalk.
After the fire had spread to the ROOF,
the men were ordered from the build
ing as the ceiling was being rapidly
eaten away. Three minutes after the
last man had left the rear part Of the
building the west section of the
ceiling gave way and crashed through
to the second hoor, carrying away the
rear stairway above the office.
in the front part of the building one
lone fireman remained fighting val
iantly against the oncoming flames
and giving bacl, loot by foot until a
superior officer dragged him to the
window. Even then he fought to re-
tain his hold on the hose and that, tear
ing from his hands, sent the water fly
ing promiseuously about the room,
Knocking the globes from a dozen
great incandescent lights.