A BIG BLAZE -- SAN FRANCISCO HAS A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLAR FIRE.

San Francisco, November 13. -- A large fire broke out at the corner of Davis and Sacramento streets about 10:30 this evening. About 15 minutes after, a general alarm was sounded and all the engines in the city, including the water tower, went to the scene. The fire was in a large four-story building on the corner, owned by S. WAGENHEIM and occupied by H. DUTARD, a commission merchant, SARONI & Co's., candy manufactury, and H. LEIBES & Co's., cigar factory. The building was destroyed, the roof and floors falling in in rapid succession. The entire front of the upper stairs fell out in the street. Fortunately no one was hurt. The flames are now under contorl. The loss is estimated at $100,000.
The latest estimate places the loss on the building at $125,000, making a total of $225,000.
The building was known as the WERTHEIMER building and was four stories high. It was practically two buildings with a partition of brick between. It had 92 feet front and a depth of 137 1/2 feet. The flames had gained great headway before they were discovered and when the alarm was sounded they were leaping through the roof thirty feet into the air. The second alarm was sounded shortly after Chief SCANNEL arrived when the roof fell in and then the floors, which were filled with heavy machinery, followed in quick succession, leaving only the four walls standing. The building stood practically by itself, so luckily the fire did not spread. At 10 o'clock the entire Sacramento street wall fell out in the street with a crash. The fireman with the water tower were on the opposite side of the street.
The men only saved themselves from being crushed by plunging through glass doors and windows of the store opposite the burning building. The huge water tank at one corner of the building also fell, but lickily no one was injured. One more wall and part of others also fell out. This gave the fireman a chance to work, and they got the fire under control. No accurate estimate of the loss can be made, but it is known that it is heavy -- probably a quarter of a million of dollars. LIEBES Bros. carried a heavy and expansive stock as did SARONI & Son and H. DUTARD & Co. There was also much expensive machinery in the building and the stacks are a total loss.

The Fresno Weekly Republican California 1890-11-14
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!