The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-11
[coaassrosDsxcE OF THE NEW YORK rRnuSx.
The Great Fire at sam Frsnoisoo.


The long respected and much dreaded cry of fire
has at length been heard in San Francisco About
thirty OF the best houses and stores in the very
heart Of the city have been swept away Over
Sioo,ooo OF property has been destroyed, among
which has just been opened under very favorable
auspices; and the FL Dorado, the largest building
IN san Francisco, situated the corner Of Ports
mouth square and Washington street, the upper
twostories Of which were rented for Offices and Iodg
ing rooms and the lower for gambling tables /
was aroused by the fearful cry Just as my alarm
watch informed me that il was 6, O'Clock, on the
sotn OF december. sprung to the window TO be-
hold faint light issuing from Dennison's Ex-
change, building in the middle of the square, oc
cupied as gambling establishment, and about half
square from my domicil l saw at glance that
had no time To lose, and forthwith commenced
putting my traps in movable trim. ! commenced
by cutting my own portrait of Captain Suttcr from
its stretching frame and rolling it up, and enclos
ing 1t in a tin case which had made for the pur-
pose. then took my box containing my earnings,
and hurried off across to the windward side Of the
square, and deposited them in the office of c. T..
trunk, which had been previously packed Tor the
steamer. By this time the whole the porter house
was enveloped in flames, and the FL Dorado, which
adjdned II, OF course doomed to the same fate. II
was rumored through the crowd that this large
structure was to be blown up, which caused the
crowd to rush back but it could not be cleared of
persons in time, and in astonishingly short
space OF time 1t was wrapped in the devouring ele
ment.
The fire spread with almost unparalleled rapid
ty, in consequence of the houses being all of wood
and ceiled with chintz Calico The heat from
the I'll Dorado SO intense that was not able to
pass IT to carry my other things to friend Enmetts,
but was obliged to carry them in another direction
and deposit them in an open lot, before had sue
ceeded in taking every thing away, although had
disposed Of almost every thing some days previous.
When Dunbar's Exchange, the fifth building from
the III Dorado, was blown up, was in my room, in
the upper part of a store owned by Loomis Gibbs;
and. hearing the sound of the explosion, made for
the wall thinking To find safer shelter there than
In the middle of the room, in of the fragments
falling upon the slight building. 1t was moment
OF awful suspense; but, fortunately, the quantity of
powder was small that il barely tore the building
to pieces, SO that it fell to the earth The buildings
on our side OF the street several times on fire.
The one in which roomed although protected by
wet blankets and mud in liquid state, which was
dipped up from the Streets and thrown, in the con-
sistency of paste, all the front of the building
Mud was found to be valuable commodity on this
occasion, being very serviceabs in preserving
many Of the buildings; but, at the same time, hun
dreds OF thousands OF dollars worth Of goods were
utterly ruined by being thrown into and otherwise
injured by it. as very few persons had any house to
carry them to after being driven from their own
premises.
The blowing up of the Exchange had no effect in
staying the progress of the fire at that point, and
the experiment was tried again On another building
with like success. II was at last arrested by the
brick wall OF q store which was building on the
corner OF Washington and Montgomery streets.
Its further progress in the square was stopped by
demohshing some low buildings next to Dennison' 8
Exchange as soon the fire was discovered.
There was only one engine in the town. Most of
the wells gave out, and there great difficulty
i'll getting water to drink for considerable dis
lance from the scene Of action, after the fire was
subdued.
Frank Wood, some of whose property narrowly
escaped, with his accustomed Hberalty, presided
at the well furnished tables Of the spacious hotel in
Portsmouth square, just opened, bearing his name,
and invited the public to eat and drink at his ex-
pense during the whole day There were several
persons severely wounded, but heard of no lives
being lost.
With usual Yankee energy and enterprise, many
of those persons who were burned out commenced
business again in tents the next day after the fire,
and many commenced on the same day to build
iron and other houses the sites Of their old storcs
and II is said that contract was entered into to
have Dennison's Exchange rebuilt and completely
finished in sixteen days; and while write, this with
several other buildings, is framed and covered,
and the paper hangers, or rather calico hangers,
are ready with their stuffs to cover the insides.
Considerable gold and silver has been found in a
fused state. Yours, &C., S. s. o.