The San Francisco call., 1910-04-18
MYSTERIOUS FIRE
Ruins LANDMARK
Spanish Consul and Countess de
Salazar Lose HeirlOoms
and Costly Gowns
Woman Burned Rescuing Child ;
Property of Bull Fighters
Also Destroyed

by nre yesterday afternoon on the eve
of the fourth anniversary of the dis
aster. The building at the southwest
corner of Van Ness avenue and Eddy
street, first known as the Judge Will
liam T. Wallace residence, and more
recently as Tait's restaurant and Pom
peiian garden, was gutted by a mys-
terious fire which started in Ell Figaro
club rooms and rapidly spread to the
boarding house in the Wallace resi-
dence, kept by Jose Castro and occu-
pied by the Spanish consulate. This
was the third fire the building had suf-
fered since it escaped the wrath of
April, 1906.
HEIRLOOMS LOST
In the building at the time were the
Spanish consul. Count Vale de Salazar
and countess de Salazar. All the papers
of the consulate were ruined and the
countess de SaIazar lost Partisan gowns
valued at $4,000 and collection of rare
laces, many of the pieces being heir
looms, valued at $4,000.
The building was owned by the Wal
lace estate and was valued at about
SIS, 200. 1t carried an insurance of
$4,000. John TAFT held it under a lease
which had year and half to run.
Mrs. Frank Raymond and the G
| months old child of Jose Castro had a
| narrow escape from death in the fire.
| The baby was in Mrs. Raymond's room
when the alarm was given. She grabbed
| the child and rushed for the corridor
and found that it was filed with smoke
and the flames were leaping over the
| banister. Burying the child's head
in her shawl, Mrs. Raymond rushed
through the smoke and flame, down
the stairway into the street. She was
painfully burned about the face, but
the babe escaped unharmed.
MATADORs' PROPERTY DESTROYED
Among the dodgers in the Castro
place were two Spanish bull lighters
matadors-Tomas Ivarra and Constan-
ito Quilez. They were in their room
on the top floor when the alarm was
given. Quilez rushed down with
his shoes on, but Ivarra, who was en-
joying his siesta, was in his bare feet.
He pulled on his matador slippers and
| sockless rushed into the street.
Smoking cigarette, as BELTS a mata-
dor. Ivarra told his troubles:
I'VE lost all our swords and capes
and bull fighting clothes-and our rec
ords,' he said. The two men valued
their property at S400, uncovered by
| insurance.
The first alarm for the fire was
turned in at 4:10 in the afternoon from
| box 655 at Eddy street and Van Ness
avenue. Three alarms were sent from
| that box and one each from boxes IS
and 1T.
1t was the first big fire since Chief
Murphy has been in charge of the de-
partment, and the ability of the young
chief to handle the blaze was highly
commended. He held the blaze in close
bounds after the apparatus arrived and.
although the buildings on fire were of
wood. the fire was confined largely to
the old Pompeiian garden, which was
completely destroyed. and the south
half and top of the main building.
SULLIVAN PRAISES MURPHY
President Joseph F. Sullivan of the
board of fire commissioners warmly
praised Murphy for his work.
The tenants of Jose Castro at 799
Van Ness avenue were Count and Count
ess Vale de Salazar. Mr.. and Mrs.
Frank Raymond and child, Mrs. ]. w.
Garrison, Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph Ras,
Senor Riencho, PaZien Diez; Tomas
| Ivarra and Constantio Quilez, the bull
| fighters; Alderico Marcelle, the violin
| list, and his wife and mother, an aged
| woman; Joseph CockerriI, wife and
daughter; Castro, his wife and three
| children, Jose, Henri and Stephen.
| were also in the building at the time.
| All of the dodgers lost practically
everything they had. Castro estimated
his loss at $500. covered by $1,000
| insurance.
CLUB Loss Is $4,000
The Spanish club. Ell Figaro. was
| closed, but its property, including stage
scenery, furniture and other effects,
was in the building. Members place
| it's loss at $4,000.
! Prof. JOAQUIN Wanrell, the teacher
| of music, had his studio in the build
! ing, and lost heavily. others who suf-
| fered in the fire were Charles F. Hutch
| ings, a palnist and astrologer, and his
wife who occupied apartments in Van
Ness avenue. His loss he puts at
| $500, no insurance The stock of the
shop of J. Harrison. ladies' and men s
tailor, was ruined by smoke and water.
r. r. Wallace, son of the late Judge
Wallace, said that the building was
erected about As years ago and cost,
with the lot, $4,000 when Judge Wal
lace purchased it 35 years ago. He
estimated It's present value at $4,000,
insurance $4,000. It will not be rebuilt
John TAFT said that he lost nothing
by the fire, but on the contrary was
renewed VI dL
TWO PREVIOUS FIRES
While TAFT occupied it as a restau.
rant there were two fires in the build
| ing-one in December, 1906, in a saloon
at the corner. and another in Decem-
Der, 1907, when the cupola was badly
| burned.
The Pacific States telephone COM
pony recently discontinued the station
! it had in the Eddy street side of the
building.
The fire was witnessed by an i'm
mense throng of people and was a
spectacular blaze. The Turk and Eddy
car lines were tied up by the fire.
Fire Chief Murphy said that the fire
started in or about the rooms of the
Figaro club. He could not say what
was the cause. Mrs. Garrison, one of
Castros dodgers, thought that it started
| in the Castro kitchen, but others say
| 1t did not