Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-05
RUNS FROM WHIPPING;
STARTS 5000 FIRE
LAD DROPS CANDLE IN PILE OF
CLOTHING
Hides in Shed While Blaze Spreads.
Half Dozen Cottages De-
stroyed-Warehouse
Threatened

Because he was afraid his mother would
whip him little Ciatana Ortiz ran away
and hid after he had dropped lighted
candle into pile of clothing in closet
of his home. The flames spread and be-
fore the fire department had succeeded In
extinguishing the fire property to the
amount of $1,000 had been destroyed on
which there is no insurance.
The buildings destroyed were the wag-
on factory and blacksmith shop Of E. j,
Jaouith at 800 South Alameda street, the
one-story frame store buildings at 1856 and
358 South Alameda street and five one
story cottages in the rear of these num-
bers.
The fire started shortly before 5 o'clock.
Ciatana Ortiz, who is years of age
had gone into the closet to find some
article which he wanted, and he climbed
I'D on a chair to take a lighted candle
from the shelf on the doorway of the
closet which was always open. He let
the candle fall and 1t dropped into
pile of clothing which lay on the floor
of the closet.
In an instant the clothing was afire.
Seeing what he had done and afraid of
the punishment which he felt sure would
follow he, ran from the house and hid
in a shed in the rear of the building.
None of the other members of the Ortiz
the fire gained much Roadway before 1t
was discovered.
The buildings were Of frame, very old
and the fire literally ate it's way through
walls and roof with lightning speed.
When the fire department arrived 1t had
gained such Roadway that 1t was seen
impossible to save any of the buildings
affected.
From the Ortiz residence, which was in
the rear of 1858, the fire caught the walls
| of the Jaquith establishment and this
| building, a long and high frame struc-
ture, was soon one mass of flame. From
here it spread to the warehouse of the
establishment in the rear of which were
stored many new wagon beds and ma
terial.
The frame building adjoining the Ortiz
home on the north caught almost at the
same time, and all but the front Of it
was burned.
Cottage Burns
Immediately in the rear of this build
ing was the home of Joseph Oldani, an
Italian, who is a grading contractor and
held leases on all the other buildings
destroyed except the wagon works. The
Oldani home was a six-room cottage. 1t
caught from sparks and was practically
destroyed with the greater part of the
contents of the building.
Four other frame cottages in the rear
were also destroyed, but nearly all of
the furniture in each was taken out be-
fore the fire reached them.
For a time the large barn of the Bekins
Van and Storage company and the ware
house of the same company were in dan
ger, but by good work the firemen, under
the direction of Chief Lips, kept the fire
from spreading to them.
George E. Stearns is the owner of the
buildings destroyed and the losses are
estimated as follows: Jaquith wagon
works, $500 on building, s4O0 on tools and
$500 on finished and raw material; No.
1858, occupied by l.. Vegas, $500 on. build
ing, $100 on contents; No. 1856, occupied by
A. Rodriguez, $3.50 on building, 500 on
contents; cottage in rear of 1858, occupied
by T. Ortiz, $3.50 on building, $3.50 on con-
tents; cottage in rear of 1856, $3.50 on build
ing, SIS on contents, owned by r. Garlic;
cottage occupied by Joseph Oldani, $500
on building, $3.50 on contents; two frame
sheds used for storage purposes, $75.
Shortly after 7 o'clock sparks which
flew from the burning Jaquith building
started a fire on the roof of the one
story frame dwelling at S16 East Fourth
street, occupied by Peter Keane. The
blaze was extinguished by the chemical.
The loss was nominal.