The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-08-06
Our California Correspondence.

/ ABOUT Ten MT. J. Bartlett, the newly APP
pointed commissioner, will also sail in few days.
Our California Correspondence.
San Francisco, CAL, June Is, 1850.
The Fire at San Ftaneiseo-7he Tides-Wan Of Water
Progress Of the Flames-How 10 Ertngpish a Fire
uhiie you Roasiing-Der Machine, &c, &c.
! Yesterday morning, getting up, we heard
the cry of fire." Tom, Fred and myself rushed
out 1 saying, We've got it now; look where the
water :" 1t was about 200 yards from shore. At
high water, have about five feet of water under
buildings. The tide here out eight ten twelve
hours, sometimes and in but two three hours
1t goes and when pleases; there no resu-
larty whatever. Sometimes, we have three four
days without any dead lew water; again, have 1t
almost all day. At the other fires, had high water
but this time were in fix. None Of this morning
papers say anything about the water being TAR from
shore The largest and best built houses in the city
have been swept away by this destructive fire. All
those stores that kept the heaviest stock goods have
been swept away. 1t will make the Council adopt
come means Of supplying the engines with water.
twenty feet hole dug at the foot Of Clay street. would
not cost $500. High tide would ill it, and slight
ditch keep full at low water II the engines could
have got suction in such place the fire would have
been conhned within the lower part Of the block In
which 1t originated, although there regularly
engines here, could make some fight against fire. IL
they had water but as things are at present dozen
engines would be OF little such low tide as we
had yesterday All these things suggested to the
Council after the ire of the 4h of May but they have
not done hing worth mentioning, nor do expect
them 60 u do, until We have another FIRE When the
hre hrst broke out went up Sacramento street. and
informed some Of my friends that there water
10 BE- had and that II would be prudent for them to
remove mmediaely although tar to the cewsrd Of
the IRE They were burned out, Next, went to
Mehus, Howard Co.'S large building, and helped
some friends to run their safes down on Long Wharf
The wind, blowing freshly, carried the flames acros
aonts omery street We now began to look about
own premises Soon, the heat from the burning Of
the two, three and four-story Valparaiso fashioned
houses ON Clay street, caused the fire to Clay
street. Then IL came dovn TO the corner of Mont
gomery street with rush, burning out DR. Harris for
the second time These buildings we're all built since
the last IRE, and were an ornament to the street 1t
/ Was question whether the fire could be prevented
| from crossing Montgomery street at this point We
IN common with all the neighbors, sent all our
blankets. scraps, &c, TO nail the building In
the ,antme everything was taken out Of stores
and thrown the docks and rats OF wharf sples
laying on the mud fats These to the back north.
ward Of us contained piles of merchandise, thrown
psll nell together As soon as our stores were ran
strongwent TO tn. aid Of the party to work sher
b. saved also the whole block Nisntoc arehouse
mans building In saving that We ourselves would
Gen. Harrison warehouses'' and, perhaps, the very
shipping in the harbor tor the schooners soops and
train To the whole fleet
The papers OF this morning don't give all the par.
tculars OF this fire, They give enough to make the
most ventursome merchant pause, ere sending con.
tignme nts TO this place unless some immediate means
| are thbsD TO supply W alter for the fire engines.
The Portuguese bark Nueve Parquette took FIRE on
her mainiorgailant yard from aburnipg single As
sistanee was Immediately given by those vessels
by 1t no uncommon thing TO board vessel In this
hsrbor and ind no one ON board But to the subject
Of ray letter We took stand. Tom, Bob, aud my.
tslf5 and q line was formed TO the cock hole wa.
dug 70 DIP up black water and mud which was passed
along 10 US, TO throw on the blankets with which the
building was covered We looked very clean at such
work, Of course. Tbs blankets two three thick
In the most exposed places Jack Hays party at
work on the same building Montgomery street side;
side had the tug Of through On the ohcf side of
the stre.t from u was Tile OF lumber about 30 feet
high aud about - feet distant This pile
OF living coal. We had on sou westers and heavy
ourcests and every nov and then gave each other a
dash Of mud and water to Keep coats from burning
on our backs We eould not begin to face the burn
ing pile. Ny face feels quite sore jus. by the expo
sure OF half turning In throwing the water Some
tin painted signs on the house look to- day like q
plain piece Of tin nailed up-the heat having
pealed the paint clean on This pile Of lumber kept
Us TO work three hours after the ccnnagrstion was
stopped in the other directions. We might as we'll
have tried TO spit IL cut to have tried TO put out
With the Buckets We kept steady on shermsns
building until the tide came mp TO Clay street Wharf
Two engines we're brought from Long Wharf where
ths bad been TAX n at the OF the
the wharf SO the engines idle all morning for
want q water. As soon there was sufficient tide
they we're got on Clay street wharf-then there was
respite for us half roasted fellows. All the time
were at work felt Of saving the building
for hsd the wind veered and brought us little TO
leeward we all should have had to scsmper or be
roasted alive. As IL a tribe to windwsrd
We relieved each other every ave ten minutes for
~ that time coats would get hot tn ct would
have TO ramos. We felt particularly good when the
engines got suction Clay street Wharf 1 vas
pretty we'll exhausted went down on the wharf to
ceol oi there sa~ Tom having hold Of the tongue
81 fngint No. backing and pulling get her In the
nght position Tor suction There n regular Z" foo
100 on The boz trying ts act az foreman, they get
towoik ~ last lot Of Sy dney men happened to
man the breaks rt In hopes getting paid for their
trouble OF course. They commenced see sa sing and
singing Ike sailors heaving sschor. Tom got out
wpsubncsi be Jumped up on ths box. told the sctisg
foreman that he never saw such working Of der ma
chine y a. that vas; that he. 1.-THE foremanO vas a
100 foo TO allow H. Tom then sun out at the tor
Of his voice. " there any New Workers Around
fg yourselves In here. and show these fellows h.w 20
vuIk der machine In a minute she was IN aones nv
Americans aud the noise "a the breaks auic Al, hang
pg against the box Of the engine, made many Of us
think Of Old times That pile Of lumber did not
trouble Ne mrch after that, you know. Toms chum
Dury he'd the pipe ard although vas tired to
death had to surh until my sides ached at his dis
logue with one Of the genus hhoysn I should have
laughed at that scene " II had been my dying mo-
mont.
NIoiENr STORM IN BERKs CouSrY, Ia A
I On Sunday night Two barns were struck hy the
/ electric fluid, aud consumed. with all their con-
/ tents, viz;-The barn e Isaac Koch, in Ami.y
I township. near Baumstown. a large log buildnf.
containing the en- ire hay and grain crops Of M.
n, which were toialy destroyed Also the barn
of David Gilbeft IN Colebiookdale township. near
| Boyersiown, which wss burned 10 the ground.
| with even thing ia It, comprising the crops ~ a
farm Of 20 scres, &c. Three cows which were
standing in the barnyar1 were struck by the ght-
7 ..ars