HEADQUARTERS FIRE DEPARTMENT,
OLD CITY HALL,

SAN FRANCISCO, July 1, 1886.

To the Honorable Board of Fire Commissioners of the City and County of San Francisco :

GENTLEMEN : In accordance with the law of the Department, I respectfully present my report of the operations and condition of the Department under my charge for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886.

The Department has responded to 266 bell alarms (including 6 second alarms), and 217 still or verbal alarms, making a total of 483 actual fires extinguished by the Department during the year.
            Number of buildings totally destroyed 92
            Number of buildings badly damaged 85
            Number of buildings slightly damaged 355
            Fires confined to one building 230
            Fires and no damage to buildings 55
                        Total loss by fires during the year $2,280,977 00

NOTABLE FIRES.
July 9th, Station 32; time, 8:17 P. M., fire on Market and Spear streets. The fire was discovered in the rear of White Bros, lumber yard, Nos. 14 and 16 Spear street. It soon communicated to Allen & Tuggle's lumber yard, Nos. 18 and 20, and to Starbird & Goldstone's lumber sheds, corner of Market and Spear streets. The highly inflammable character of the lumber furnished food for the flames, which the district force found considerable difficulty in preventing from extending to property adjacent. The fire was under control in two hours, and required the services of six engines, one hose company, two truck companies and the fire-boat. Loss estimated at $70,000.

September 2, 1885; Station 63; time, 8:44 o'clock p. M., -  a fire was discovered in the large four-story frame building on the southeast corner of Fourth and Bryant streets, and extending on Fourth street 175 feet, and known as the Kimball Manufacturing Company's building, occupied as a wagon and furniture manufactory. The building contained a large quantity of very dry lumber, paints, oils, turpentine and other inflammable material. The fire started in the boiler room on the ground floor, and spread with great rapidity, and extended to a number of dwellings on Bryant and Silver streets. The district force not being sufficient, a second alarm was sounded for additional engines. The fire was under control in three hours, and required the services of eleven engines, four hose companies and three truck companies. Estimated loss, $116,000.

October 8, 1885; Station 37; time, 2:08 o'clock A. M. -  Fire in the large five-story brick building, .Nos. 215, 217 and 219 Bush street, known as the Crocker building, occupied by H. S. Crocker & Co., Loss estimated at $500,000.

March 7, 1886; Station 135; time, 1:51 o'clock A. M. -  Fire was discovered in the center of the large two-story frame building on Polk street between Bush and Austin streets, and known as the Grand Western Market. On the upper floor was Lunt's Dancing Academy, and on the ground floor, Bush street side, a restaurant, in which the fire broke out. The fire spread with great rapidity, all the buildings being entirely of wood, and endangered so much property that I deemed it best to send in a second alarm for more engines. The Market building, Railroad Hotel and several dwellings were destroyed. The fire was under control in three hours, and required the services of ten engines, three hose and two truck companies. Loss estimated at $65,000.

April 30, 1886; Station 48; time 3:55 o'clock p. M. -  Fire was discovered in the basement of the large five- story brick building fronting seventy-five feet on Market, and extending one hundred and sixty feet to Stevenson street, in the rear, occupied by A. L. Bancroft & Co., booksellers, stationers, printers and lithographers, and L. & E. Emanuel, furniture dealers. The fire broke out in the basement of the portion occupied by Emanuel, and quickly communicated with the upper part of the building through the elevator shaft, and spread so rapidly that a second alarm was sent in, and brought the entire available force of the Department. The walls of the building falling, the fire spread to wooden dwellings on Stevenson street, in the rear, and by great exertion was prevented from spreading to the Grand Opera House and other buildings. The fire was under control in four hours, and required the services of twelve engines, five hose and three truck companies. Loss estimated at $850,000.

This fire being of such magnitude and so threatening, and the entire department being in active service, I deemed it advisable to telephone to the Chief of the Oakland Fire Department for engines to be on hand in case of need at any other fire that might occur in any other part of the city. The Oakland Department responded promptly, and was on hand with two engines for duty. Two alarms were sent in during the progress of the Ban- croft fire, but fortunately services of the reserve were not required.

May 24, 1886; Station 153; time, 10:45 o'clock p. M. Fire on Brannan street, between Sixth and Seventh streets. This fire occurred in a thickly settled portion of the city, all wooden buildings and of a highly inflammable character. The fire broke out in a saloon on the northeast corner of Brannan and Gilbert streets, and in a very short time involved some forty buildings, principally dwellings fronting on Brannan, Gilbert, Sixth and Geneva streets. The fire was of such magnitude that a second alarm was sent in, which brought the entire available force of the Department in service. The fire was under control in four hours, and required the services of eleven engines, six hose and three truck companies. Loss estimated at $66,000.

June 17, 1886; Station 43; time, 3:45 A. M. Fire in the four-story brick building No. 26 Ellis street, occupied by T. M. Antisell & Co. as a piano manufactory. The fire was confined to the two lower floors of the building in which it originated, and was exceedingly difficult of access on account of the dense smoke. The fire was under control in two hours, and required the services of nine engines, three hose and three truck companies. At this fire one of the Hayes trucks was improvised into a water tower, and the experiment demonstrated that had a water tower been at the command of the department, the fire would have been checked much sooner. Loss estimated at $90,000.

June 20, 1886; Station 32; time, 4:33 A. M. Fire in the three-story and basement brick building, Nos. 25 to 31 Main street, occupied by Tatum & Bowen and the Schmidt lithographing establishment. This fire, through the faulty construction of the building and the inflammable nature of its contents, made such rapid headway that the district force was inadequate, and additional engines were summoned. This fire required the services of eleven engines, five hose companies and three truck companies and the fire-boat, and was under control in three hours. Loss estimated at $210,000.

ACCIDENTS.
            Following is a record of accidents which befell members of the Department while in the discharge of their duty :
            John E. Chapman, Driver of Engine No. 1, was injured while responding to an alarm three fingers cut off.
            Joseph Burnett, Hoseman Engine No. 4, was asphyxiated and injured on the back at the fire July 13, 1885.
            Patrick Curran, Foreman Engine Co. No. 4 leg broken at the fire in Bancroft Building.
            Phillip McMahan, Hoseman Engine Co. No. 5, was badly burned and injured at the fire in the Crocker Building.
            Nicolas Barbetta, Hoseman Engine No. 12 burned and injured at the Crocker Building.
            Charles Quigley, Hoseman Engine Co. No. 10 face and hands burned by explosion of coal-oil and badly cut by falling glass at the Antisell fire.
            George E. Burr, Hoseman Hose Co. .No. 1 badly burned and injured internally at the fire in the Crocker Building.
            James L. Ward, Driver Hose No. 3 was badly burned in the face and hands at the fire April 19, 1886, corner Twenty-second and York streets.
            J. Comisky, Truckman Truck No. 2, was seriously injured by falling down stairs at a fire in Chinatown, December 5, 1885.
            J. Fleming, Truckman Truck No. 2 ankle sprained by falling from the roof of a building in Chinatown, and injured at the fire in the Bancroft Building by falling from a ladder.
            P. H. Fleming, Tillerman Truck No. 2 badly injured in going to a fire by being thrown from the tiller, May 24, 1886. ;

MORTALITY.
October 8,/1885, Martin H. Hannan,  Engine Co. No. 4,  Crocker Building  
October 8,/1885, Peter F. Healy Engine Co. No. 4,  Crocker Building
October 20, 1885, William Ellison, Hoseman Hose Co. No. 1, died of consumption.
December 19, 1885, William T. Redmond, Hoseman Engine Co. No. 4, was killed by falling from a derrick.
January 2, 1886, Richard Hammond, Hoseman Hose Co. No. 1, committed suicide while temporarily insane.
February 9, 1886, William Fitzgerald, Hoseman Engine Co. No. 7, died of consumption.
May 1, 1886, John P. Fleming, Truckman of Hook and Ladder Co. No. 2, found dead in bed ; his death was attributed to over exertion at the "Ban- croft fire."
June 11, 1886, William B. Ludlow,  Hoseman Hose Co. No, 3, died from lockjaw, the result of injuries received in falling from a ladder of Truck Co. No. 3 while at drill.

CORPORATION YARD.
The relief apparatus contained in the corporation yard and store-house (recently built) consists of five relief steam engines, three relief trucks, one four-wheeled hose-carriage, four relief hose-carts, seventeen relief horses in corporation yard stables.

HYDRANTS.
During the past year fifteen hydrants (new locations) have been set, forty- one reset. Total number of hydrants in use June 30, 1886, 1,470.           

During the year nineteen horses have been purchased, two transferred to the -Almshouse, three died, one killed, one sold by order of his Honor the Mayor. There was also 9,650 pounds of old iron sold for $86 50, and the proceeds paid into the City Treasury.

RECOMMENDATIONS ,
During the past year I have at various times laid before your Honorable Body what I considered the requirements of the Department. I now take this opportunity to reiterate the same, knowing that so far as lay in your power you have co-operated with me in all the demands made. I trust by a judicious expenditure of the appropriation allowed for the ensuing year the following recommendations can be carried out by your Honorable Body.

First I recommend a lot of sufficient size be purchased in the vicinity of the block bounded by Market, Powell and Ellis streets, to locate one or two engine companies (one steam and one chemical) thereon. That portion of the city is remote from any engine location, and being composed of most valuable buildings I deem it of the utmost importance that the above recommendation be at once complied with.

Second That the house now occupied by Hose Company No. 2, situated on Post street near Fillmore, be enlarged and a truck company organized and located therein in company with No. 2 Hose. The lot is of sufficient size to accommodate two companies by an enlargement of the building.

Third The setting of additional hydrants on the line of large water mains The hydrants are now located too far apart and engines work to a great disadvantage in forcing water through long lines of hose.

Fourth I recommend the purchase of three steam fire engines, also a chemical engine (as I have in my former reports), and also a water tower such as is used in the large cities of the East.

Water towers require from two to four engines to operate successfully, and our limited number of engines could /not be spared without detriment or weakening the effective force engaged at a fire.

The wants of the Department as at present organized are numerous; funds being limited it would be useless to enumerate all the Department requires to place it on an equal footing as compared with the permanent paid departments in the large cities of the East.

I take this occasion to extend my thanks to Chief Engineer Moffat and the officers and men of the Oakland Fire Department, for their promptness in responding to my request for engines, to be ready in case of necessity on April 30, 1886, at the Bancroft fire.

Also to the officers and men of this Department for the prompt and energetic efforts made by them to save life and property.

To Captain Russell White, of the Underwriters' Fire Patrol ; to John L. Durkee, Fire Marshal ; to P. Crowley, Chief of Police, and the Police" Department ; to Superintendent John Curran, of the Fire Alarm office, and to your Honorable Board of Commissioners in according to me all the requisitions made to keep the Department in proper condition for effective service.

Respectfully submitted,
DAVID SCANNELL,

Chief of Fire Department.

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