The San Francisco call., 1906-06-13
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FIRE ARE NOT TAKEN
iNFLAMMABLE RUBBISH
ENDANGERS WATER
FRONT.
BOATMEN EXTINGUISH
BLAZE NEAR TRANS.
PORT WHARF.

The water front was saved from the
big hre. hut that the wharves have not
since furnished food Cor flames is not
because tho State officials charged with
rheir care are taking even ordinary
precautions for their preservation. The
buIKhea6s from Howard to Nair street
are thickly strewn with drA and in
rsnnable rubbish. which takes fire in
numerous places number OF times
every Gay from lighted cigar and
SCI iEsrette ends or blazing matches care
;esSly thrown away BY thoughtless
smokers.
In tais way some OF the most serious
fi'es on the water front have been
caused Tho rubb sh smolders along
until il reacIes a crevtce between two
pianks Into this crevice the red glow
.reeps until eats its way through
gincer the planldng there is always a
strong draugnt, which speedily fans
10 glow into a s4aze Once started
the flames sweep in all directions under
the wharf and a serious conhagration
fs wei under way.
The pianked roadway opposite the
entrance TO the army transport wharf,
directly behind the Office Of tho state
whavhnger at Folsom street. was on
ere yesterday from the western curb of
East street TO more than fsi~ way
across. There was neither wha ringer
EgOr collector on duty and wen
Tasser-by notified the chief wharfln-
sefs. Office by telephone OF the state
- affairs he was advised TO take a
bucket Of water, put out the FIRE him
self and not TO bother them. num-
her OF boatmen organized a bucket bri-
gade and after fifteen minutes hard
work extinguished the fire.
A FIRE started in this same place a
few years ago caused the destruction
- a new wharf located where the army
transport wha n now stands Many fires
have occurred there Of late.
A month or so ago the army trans
port people reported the dan ger to the
chief wharhnger. The transport people
undertook to keep the place wet down
II the State would provide an extra
length of hose. They were informed
that the State had no hose for that
purpose. but that a force OF sweepers
would be sent to clear the roadway Y
OF rubbish and thus reduce the danger.
Up 10 date the sweepers have not put
In an appearance. and every breeze
that blows down Folsom street adds a
iistle more fuel.
The bulkhead between Folsom street
whsrves ! and , is knee deep in
sbavings. swept from a row of newly
constructed Office buildings. These
shavings are also waiting for the
sweepers. Meanwhile passers-by are
discardihg lighted cigars and cigar
cites and dropping blazing matches
without any regard TO where they fall.
Charged With BroachInE Cargo.
John Oliver. a Iongshoreman. who
lives at ia Peralta street was ar
rested yesterday and will be charged
today in the Federal Court with
brOachlng cargo on the Kosmos liner
Nsuplia-
The cargo Of the Nauplia. which ar
rived Monday from Hamburg. included
an assortment of strong waters. There
was Holland gin ia sQuare-t2ced bot
ties from Hamburg; there was YER
mouth, fernet and absinthe from
Genoa and sherry wine from Cadiz-The
Nauplia's manifest in spots reads like
the section Of a wine list in the days
before the FIRE, but il was not by con-
sUlting the manifest that the long
shoremen engaged in discharging the
cargo discovered the nature of some
OF il.
When the stevedores Knocked of
work Monday evening il was noticed
that many Of them showed signs OF
liquor Thirst-stricken water-fronters
who saw the stevedores go by recog-
nized the old familiar flush and in
stantly took the back trail in search
Of what evidently was a free flowing
spring. All trails led 10 Union-street
wharf where an unsympathetic watch
man barred the way.
A watch was set on the men yester-
Gay morning and John Oliver was
caught in the act Of looting a case
Of liquor. Lendal NJ Gray. manager
Of the KOsmOs line, decided TO make
an example OF the man for the sake
Of discoura ging the practice which has
caused shortages on other vessels
owned by the same company.
BrOaching cargo is an Offense which
comes dnder the Jurisdiction OF the
Federal courts. and securing q Federal
warrant takes time. BY the time the
warrant was issued the United States
Alarshals Office was closed, so oliver
was turned over 10 the city police,
who will hold him until this morning,
when Marshal Shine VIII take him into
his custody. oliver was considerably
under the influence Of liquor when ar
rested. de has wife ana three chill
dren.