Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-31
Buildings and Stock of
Syrup Company
Swept Away
TOTAL LOSS is $40, 900
Firemen, Handicapped by
Scarcity of Water,
Fight Nobly
SAVERAILWAYSTOCK
Inflammable Contents of
Structure Make Case
Hopeless
TOTAL LOSS is $40, 600
SAVERAILWAYSTOCK

The Los Angeles plant Of the Pacific
Coast Syrup company, located at 10
Antonio street, valued at $l5O,0O0 ana
insured for 100000, was completely de-
stroyed by fire at 6:25 o'clock last
night The 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 frame structure
covered with corrugated ironS four
stories in height, with a basement, eN-
tending from Antonio street to Lamar
street along the Southern Pacific rail-
road right of way.
The fire was first discovered by en-
ployes of the Southern Pacific round
house. and their cries aroused be-
lated workman of the syrup plant on
his way home He hurried back and
turned in an alarm over the private
alarm box of the Los Angeles Fire
Alarm company 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
tacular one. When first observed by
the railroad worlxmen it seemed to fill
the whole OF the great DuhulliSs WHICH
had become a twisting, squirming
mass of blood-red flame that choSed
and packed the shell of the building
from foundation to roof. An instant
later it burst through the roof and sent
its message of destruction clear to the
heavens. Then came the bursting OF
molasses 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 AbIaze
A dozen times the roofs of the build
ings composing the million dollar
plant of the Southern Pacific company,
across the railroad tracks from the
burning structure, were aflame 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 Chief
Charles Casey had turned in three
twos" which called another lot of fire
Fighters to the spot to aid those who
We're already battling with the hell OF
flame.
From the start the firemen found
themselves handicapped. In all the
great district in which was located the
syrup factory there were but two fire
hydrants within reaching distance. One
is at Main and Moulton streets, six
blocks away, and it is three blocks to
the other.
Chief Casey at once stationed a big
engine at Main and Moulton streets
nf hose
pumped water to another engine sta
toned only two blocks from the fire.
Through this latter three streams were
run 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
big line of hose from its fire pumps in
the roundhouse across the tracks.
Thus, while tons of water were
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
DESTROYED $4,000 in finished products
of the factory all ready for the market;
$4,000 in machinery, $4,000 in raw
products and 5000 in the value of the
building and accessories not enumer-
ated above.
Against this loss the company has
credit of 100000 in insurance with
Ieading companies, and it had contem-
plated taking out $4,000 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 it's main office to San
Francisco. The local plant, however,
was one Of the largest controlled by
the company. There are branches in
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 su-
perintendent. The destroyed plant viii
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.
A maa named Crawford. residing
near D 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 firemen
on reserve had long run for nothing
An exploding lamp globe in room 210
Henne building caused an alarm Of
IRE from Third and Spring streets at
T:15 o'clock. There was 10 damage
done