The San Francisco call., 1908-09-11
Two Lumber Yards in the Mar.
ket Street District Reduced
to Char and Ashes
Value of Property Destroyed Is
Conservatively Placed at
S25O,OOO
Entire South End of Recon.
structed Territory Was for
Hours id Great Danger
Catholic Priests Brayely Battle
to Save Their Church and
at Last Succeed

Two large lumber yards were re-
duced to char and ashes. a loss Of a
quarter of a million dollars was caused
and the south end OF the south OF
Market street district was in danger
for two hours through fire that
started at Fifth and Brannan streets
shortly after o'clock last evening.
The coniagration broke out in one
OF the planning mills OF Edward F.
Niehaus & Co. 565-5ss Brannan street.
wiped out costly stock of hard wood
spread to the north lumber yard OF The
Van Arsdale- Harris lumber company ar
the northeast corner of Brannan and
Fifth streets. where it left little. The
two other yards Of this company es-
capped the flames, as did their ofices
and barns.
In the face OF the most cruel heat
the IRE department.. ABLY directed BY
Chief Shaushnessey. assailed the flames
from four sides and in two hours con-
quered, although the pile burned
through the night and the district
was in constant jeopardy long after
the blaze was under control
Heavy clouds OF smoke drew large
crowds OF spectators
Fathers Nugent and Mcmahon OF St.
Roses Catholic church. assisted by
faithful parishioners. saved the little
church and parochial residence FROM
the flames.
FIREMEN ARE BURNED
The first firemen who responded to
the alarm. Captain Ellenberg. tempo
rartly in command OF chemical engine
No. 1. and Hoseman T. f. Conran and
A G. Searcy OF that company. had a
narrow escape from the flames that
broke from the mill and ran over the
yard with the haste and ferocity OF un-
damned floods. Chemical l. which Is
housed at 676 Howard street. responded
street. cul de sac terminating In the
rear OF the Niehaus yards. The men
who played on the fire with their
chemical stream until il was exhausted,
found themselves hemmed in by a wall
of roaring hames- In breaking their
way out Searcy was painfully burned
in the hand and Conran and Captain
Efenberg were singed. and although
thus injured they kept at their work
until the alarms tapped out
III. W. Hanley. an employs OF the
Van Arsdale-Harris company was in
the Office of that concern shortly after
o'clock, when he saw flames burst
from the boiler room OF the Niehaus
plant. He turned in an alarm from
box 1s6 at Fifth and Bryant streets
Immediately the flames were seen by
others. and in quick succession alarms
were turned in from box 6s. Fourth
and Brannan streets. and So. Fourth
and Harrison. A third alarm was later
sounded from box 1S6. Eighteen en-
gines and other apparatus were at the
danger point.
CHIEF or POLICE SOAKED
A score OF streams OF water were d.
rected into the blazing piles Battery
No I, monitor apparatus operated
by Barbetta and Meader. fought back
the FIRE foot by foot. moving across the
street as near the blaze as the heat
would permit
While the battery was protecting
property on the south side OF Brannan
street. across from the fire, Chief OF
Police Biggy was drenched with water
The chief and Police Commissioners
Keil and Cutler were watching from
what they thought was safe point.
but the danger OF the spreading flames
made the battery men turn their nozzle
In the direction OF the police officials.
who were effectively sprinkIed.
The frm OF Niehaus & CO. had two
and veneering made. and q dry kiln.
Both of the mills were utterly de-
stroyed- Behind and to the side OF the
buildings lay the lumber yard. piled
with a 100000 stock OF hardwoods.
cedar logs. mahogany. birch. oak. ma
pie and other fine timbers- All went
before the flames. In the Van Arsdale
Harris yard was 100000 feet of native
timber. sugar pine and redwood for the
most part, valued by NJ A Harris. a
member OF the firm. at 100000. 1t Is
partly covered by insurance
CHURCH CATCHES FIRE
Adjoining the Van Arsdale yard ON
the north is the plant OF the Califor-
MIA lumber company. Fifth and Bry-
ant 1t escaped. although the fire
burned to it's walls. On the east OF
the Niehaus property is the Jones 1um-
ber company, which escaped with NOM
inal damage. and the corporation yard
Of the Spring Valley company Far
ther east on Brannan street is ST.
Roses church. Of which Rev. Father
Nugent is pastor The sparks show
cred the little building and The paroch-
iai house in the rear, and Father Nu-
gent and Father Mcmahon. the assist
ant pastor. assisted by William Boyle.
Thomas Palmer. A. Heafy and other
parishioRers. mounted to the roofs OF
the buildings and forming bucket
brigade. prevented the sparks from
catching the structures Several sta
bles were located In the vicinity and
the horses were all taken to places OF