The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-07-04

FEARFUL SoEHE.--A gentleman from Halo
well, who was in Wells * Co.'s banking- house
during the great fire at San Francisco, writes the
following graphic sketch of the hair breadth escape
Of the inmates
III came near losing my life in the fire, and lost
every thing else. The reason was our trusting
implicitly in Wellss fre-pro0f block, which
doubted was fire proof against all external fire,
though finished inside with wood. The walls
were BRICK two feet thick, the roof covered with
cement foot thick, the window shutters OF
boted iron, and the wood frames at least eighteen
inches inside OF the shutters. People even moved
Jewelry and valuable papers into il during the
hire for security. Mr.. Wells, Gen James Wilson,
the two Whitcombs, Messrs Norton and Sattalee,
Mr. r. u Austin, (the last five being lawyers III
the Dulldlng,l one or two clerks OF Wells, Capt.
William l.. Howard, Formerly resident in Halo
well,) Wheeler, and myself, shut ourselves up in
the building alter the fire had reached its neigh
borhood, with much water as could be got from
the we'll in the yard outside, in buckets, tubs Sc,
intending to stick it out. There were wooden
buildings nearly around the block Dr. Rabies,
large three story frame adjoining Wells (within
four feet) on the rear. When this last got on fire
the heat tremendous, and the flames roared
around the north end of the building, down Clay
street, in continuous sheet in the direction Of
the gale, enveloping the whole OF that end OF
Wels's building in one sheet, in one roaring Nj
agara cataract of flame. 1t was awful to behold.
All the iron window and door shutters on that side
became heated to white heat, almost melted and
warped into emi-circles. The building became
filled with smoke We thoughewe should suiiocate.
The flames licked in through the window and door
shutters in long tongues, setting lire to the wood
work inside. We fought like tigers Our
water gave out. We were forced down stairs,
and into the banking room in the basement below,
in the northeast corner. The building was sur
rounded by fire. The great wooden block ON Mont
gomery street, opposite, was in flames. The scut-
tie roof took fire. The staircase was all on
fire. We sought the only possible avenue for
cape, the bank door on Montgomery street, which
was closed and boted on the inside. Horrible to
relate, the doors were expanded with heat that
the bolts could not be started. For moment our
fate seemed ineyitable--we must be roasted alive
when some one found an iron bar. 1t was Norton.
Sattalee had already burnt his hands horribly on
the iron door in his frantic attempts TO open it
"With the aid of the bar the door forced,
and the appalling scene outside presented itself to
our view. A sea of fire opposite US, extending
a long distance up and down Montgomery street
on both sides, and roaring around the corner OF
Clay street. The heat was whitening.
"Then commenced the race for life. Through
flames and smoke, binding, suffocatng, and
scorching, we rushed at the top of our speed. My
hands and face benumbed My strength
seemed falling, but struggled and staggered on
in the only possible direction for escape, up Mont
gomery street, until at last i passed the fiery
DEAL and, half dead and blind, at last reached
men and engines, and was bathed with oil in an
apothecary's shop, and finally got off to Tewks-
bury 3, in the extreme north of the city, where
have been since. i am now able TO be about the
| street. My wounds are healing finely. They are
not very deep Every one, excepting Wheeler,
was worse burned than l. Wheeler saved himself
with blanket, Wells is frightfully burned; SO 10
Gen. James Wilson. Whitcomb and Austin fell
down in the fire, and are SO horribly burned that
neither expected to live. They are both deli
rious, and the flesh hangs in shreds to their bones.
Six seven in neighboring building were
burned up in the came way that we came 30 near to-
"This banking house waserected by Wells Co.,
under the superintendent of Boston mechanic,
at cost of $ll6,000, including the land, and was
owned, two-thirds by Willis Co, of Boston,
| late special partners in the house, and one
third by Wells Co. 1t was the best building
in the city. 1t was intended most thorough
fire proof structure, with ample vaults and deep
well, with force-pump, &c. The books of Wells
& Co. were burnt, the book keeper being engaged
them, making up the bank book of their deposit
tors on the night of the fire. The gold dust and
treasure in vaults and saved. The
building will, learn, be Immediately rebuilt,
at much less expense than the original cost, labor
being much cheaper. 1t should also be added that
at the last accounts all the sufferers who were in
the building doing well, though they will
bear the marks of this frghtful adventure the
mainder of their lives '-Boston Courier.