The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-02-04
NEW ORLEANS. MONDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY j. 1885,


Destfucttve Btre in San Francisco.
Same Thirty Housss CoasuDaed--iSeUeraI Ltpss
Lost-Loss Of Property estimated at 81 ,0O0,0 900.
Our citizens were alarmed, Monday morning
about o'clock, by the appalling cry Of fire. The
prevalent rumor is, that 1t originated from spirit
lamp, in the lower bar of Dennisons Exchange.
But 1t is proper to state that the propreors OF the
Exchange called upon us, and wished us to contra
dict this report. They believe it TO have originated
somewhere In the rear of the building.
There was a very slight breeze at the time, from
the northward, and the fire spread rapidly from the
United States Restaurant and the Exchange to the
Parker House, and but few moments elapsed be-
Tore the III Dorado was in sheet of fame. BY
dn however, OF great energy and rapidity Of move
ment the fire was arrested at the southward. A
breach was made between the flames and the hou-
ses at the north OF Clay and Kearny Streets
Dy the tearing down Of the store of Hughes Hoel
o. Crenshaw and by means OF wet blankets and
the application OF water, the Florence Dining Sa
loon, and the new Delmonico on the corner OF Clay
and hearny, were saved Ii is proper to state, for
the Information OF those who have seen city
that all these buildings front on the square-Ke
street forming its eastern Boundary.
As the ire spread from the Ell Dorado down the
south side Of Washington street. which runs at rig
angles with Keany street, wet blankets were ap.
piled successfully to the fronts Of the buildings op
posite, and although the buildings sustained much
damage from the intense heat and from water vet
the hre was by this means stayed, at Washington
street, in its northward course.
The most critical point of time during the conla-
grafton was when the flames had completely en-
veoped the FL Dorado, the large public house at
the corner of Kearny and Washington streets.
There We're but few men working on the buildings
upon the opposite corner, and although the entire
front OF the new building the northwest corner
oil Washington and kearny streets, was covered
with wet blankets and carpets, yet the heat was SO
intense that the men were driven from its roof and
at one time the blankets began to ,scorch Had the
hre crossed Washington street at either Of the two
points, the Veranda or the new building spoken OF
above so compact and wooden is city, that it is
difficult 10 tell where the progress OF the conflagra-
ton could have been stayed. Probably every build
ing on the north side Of Washington street, between
dupont and Montgomery streets, together with the
buildings on each side of Kearny street. between
Washington and jackson streets, would have been
consumed. eev
At this critical juncture however, the wind luled,
the frame OF the FL Dorado fell n and the owners
OF the buildings opposite were enabled to renew
their efforts to save them.
About IL o'clock in the forenoon. the fire was
fairly subdued. The following is list of houses
consumed on Kearny street the store of Messrs.
Hughes, Noel q CTenshaw, the U United States Res
taurant, Dennison's Exchange, the Parker House.
and the III Dorado. Every building on the south
side OF Washington street, between Kearny and
) IOliOWing
list OF them the clothing store Of p Schloss ad-
joining t. =. Durddo, the restaurant called Our
House, The dry goods store of Rosenbaum U Schaf-
fer, together with the Chinese goods sales room on
the second floor, Mr. Hastings variety store the
general merchandise store of Dunbar & Gibbs the
Merchants Exchange Reading Rooms, on the
second floor, the drug store OF Joseph Van Buren,,
the Central House. the merchandise store Of
l. D Moore " Co.. the store OF Schwerin, Garbe u
20, commission merchants, the Spanish house OF
Gina u Diaz public house, called the Boston
Exchange, the store of Earl & Mcintosh, commits
SION merchants, and the general merchandise store
oil M henzle d Thompson. The brick house. at
the corner of Montgomery and Washington streets
which was being erected by Burgoyne u Co., for a
banking house, sustained, understand but little
damage. On the upper side of Montgomery street
south OF ashngton street, the large store of Jew
EFT q Mehado the drug store adjoining, and an un
finished building next TO the drug store were ais,
partially destroyed. Here the timely arrival OF til,
fre-engine of Messrs. Starkey, Janion tS Co., dix
excellent service, and probably contributed largely
to the success OF the efforts to arrest the flames
The Merchants Exchange, owned by MIR. Edw
E. Dunbar, was the first building blown up, b,
order OF the Alcalde, and very little of the stock Of
furniture saved. Mr. Dunbar estimates hi,
own loss at some $4,000. Besides this some
$4,000 worth OF goods also lost, which were
stored in his building. The blowing up of the
building had the effect Of quelling somewhat The
re in that direction, and by this means the build
lngs on the opposite side were saved Another
building, below, owned by Mr. Truebody. was
subsequently blown up, and by the most extraordna.
ry eXertlons the hre Was stopped that many of the
houses on Montgomery, between Clay and Wash
ington streets, are left standing
Ihus 1t will be that the burnt district COM
prises the block Of buildings bounded by Montgo-
mery, Clay, kearny, and Washington streets, ex-
ceptlng the houses fronting Immediately upon Clay,
and about hall of those fronting on Montgomery ;
excepting also the New Delmonco's and the Flor
ence Dining Saloon, which stand at the S. w. cor
ner Of Clay and kearny streets, and fronting on
the Square.
The lowest estimate which we have heard, of
the entire loss Of property caused by the fire, is
placed at million of dollars. We have been ena-
bled to gather only the following rough estimates
OF individual losses. Mr.. McDougal, owner of the
Parker House, loss, 100000 T. J. A. Chambers
owner OF the Ell Dorado, loss, 100000: United
States Restaurant, Burgess & Ames, lessees, loss
10000; Hughes, Noel & Crenshaw grocers, loss,
$4,000; the proprietors Of the Florence Dining
Saloon sustained damages by FIRE and water to the
amount Of $4,000; Rosenbaum & Shaffer abou
$4,000 1t is stated that most of those house.
fronting on the Square, which have been consumed
having been occupied partially as gambling rooms
paid as high rent probably, as any buildings in the
world covering the same area