Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-12-31
TOTAL LOSS is $14O, 900
Firemen, Handicapped by
Scarcity of Water,
Fight NObly
SAVERAILWAYSTOCK
Inflammable Contents OF
Structure Make Case
Hopeless

The Los Angeles plant of the Pacific
Coast Syrup company, located at izS
Antonio street, valued at $l5OOOO ana
insured for $60,000 was completely de-
stroved by fire at 6:25 o'clock last
night ,rhe origin of the fire is un-
known. but it probably was caused by
an overheated syrup kettle or crossed
electric wires in the basement near the
engine room.
The building was a frame structure
covered with corrugated lront iour
stories i'm height, with basement eN-
tending from Antonio street TO Lamar
street along the Southern racine rali-
road right of way.
The fire was first discovered by en-
Moves of the Southern Pacific round
house and their cries aroused be-
lated workman of the syrup plant on
his way home. He hurried back ana
turned i'm an alarm over the private
alarm box of the Los Angeles Fire
Alarm conipany. At almost the same
time the flames then mounting high IN
the air. were observed by people on
Main street six blocks away, and
alarms were turned in from boxes at
Lamar and Main streets and Moulton
and Main streets.
From the start the fire was spec
taclllar one When first observed py
Ire railroad workmen it seemed to fill
The whole of the great building, which
hsa become a twisting, squirmlng
mass of blood-red flame that choked
and packed the shell of the building
from foundation to roof. An instant
later it burst through the roof ana sent
its message of destruction clear to the
heavens. Then came the bursting OF
nolasses barrels under the intense
heat. and as they went off in ones and
twos and entire salvos the vari-colored
flashes of fire, vivid as lightning bolts,
shot upward and outward and spread
sparks and bits of burning wood in all
directions.
Railroad Roofs Ablaze
dozen times the roofs of the build
ines composing the million dollar
nlant of the Southern Pacific company
across the railroad tracks from the
burning structure, were atlame from
these burning bits of timber, but under
the direction of Fred Winsor, chief OF
the Southern Pacific fire fighting force,
each Of these incipient blazes was ex-
tinguished before foothold enough to
create damage was found.
Meanwhile the first relay of engines
had arrived, and Battalion Chlef
charles Casey had turned in three
twos." which called another lot of fire
fighters to the spot to aid those VINO
were already battling with the he'll OF
From the start the firemen found
themselves handicapped. In all the
great district in which was located tne
syrup factory there were but two hre
hvdrants within reaching distance. One
a. at Main and Moulton streets, six
blocks away, and 1t is three blocks TO
the other
chief Casey at once stationed big
engine at Main and Moulton streets
and through Va thousand feet of nose
pumped water to another engine sta-
toned only two blocks from the hre.
Through this latter three streams were
RIM to the burning building. From the
nearest fireplug two engines pumped
four streams Of water, and then the
southern Pacific company came to the
rescue OF the firemen and stretched a
big line of hose from its fire pumps In
the roundhouse across the tracks.
Thus while tons of water We're
poured into the rapidly corroding mass,
the fate Of the place was settled before
the plucky fire fighters had got warmed
up to their work.
Lasts Three Hours
The fire burned three hours before
II was under control, and in that time
destroved $4,000 in finished products
Of the factory, all ready for the market;
S24 900 in machinery, $4,000 in raw
products and $4,000 in the value of the
building and accessories not enumer-
ated above.
Against this loss the company has a
credit of 100000 in insurance with
leading companies, and it had contem-
plated taking out 100000 more January
TO cover the excess value of finished
stock of goods.
The Pacific Coast Syrup company
formerly a Los Angeles concern, re-
Gently moved its main office to San
Francisco. The local plant, however
was one of the largest controlled by
the company. There are branches III
Seattle and Portland, but the main
plant is now located in San Francisco
E. A. Garrison is the local manager OF
the company and G. A. Schirm the SUI
perintendent The destroyed plant will
be rebuilt at once. At the present time
only forty hands were employed in the
works. but ia the fruit season the num-
Der is increased to $50.
maa named Crawford, residing
near ID and Alessandro streets in Eden
dale saw the reflection in the sky from
the syrup company fire and turned IN
an alarm from his home. The firemer
on reserve had a long run for nothing
An exploding lamp globe in room 2ll
Henne building caused an alarm OF
fire from Third and Spring streets al
7:15 o'clock There was no damage
done