The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-08-09

After the fire reached Washington street, the
California Restaurant, which adjoined the Alta
California office, was blown up, bot it did not
stop the flames The Jackson House and La.
Myette Restaurant and buildings in the rear,
were all on fire at once, AMI the flames were
at the same time enfolding the wooden build
ing formerly called the st. Charles, which stood
between the Alta Office and the fire-proof Bella
Union. Thus surrounded and enveloped in
flames, all our efforts to beat back the de
stroyer were in vain. With plentiful supply
of water and fire engine, in addition to two
force pumps, of our own, We were perfectly
powerless. Yet dozen men contended man.
fully riskng their very lives, and doing all that
men could do, but in van-Then, and not till
then, they left when they could no longer
breathe within the building, and rushed through
cinders, sheeel flame, and dense smoke, to the
Plaza. Here most melancholy sights met the
view. A large portion of the goods removed
there for safety were on fire and were totally
consumed. Among them was much of our
own stock of stationery and material But
more horrible than all, two or three corpses,
one of a rnaa who was moved on account of
sickness
Another was the trunk of man burned to
death and partly consumed. The new Parker
house nearly finished outside, containing the
new Jenny Lind theatre, which had been
built since the fire of May 4th, when the fourth
Parker house was burned, went with the rest
This was the fifth burn down since December
oath, l849. Our own office is merely ruins,
only a portion of the walls remaining. For
tunately the amphitheatre or circus on the west
aide of the square had been torn down a few
days before, which was the means partially of
saving the old zinc custom-house building on
Clay street, and few adjoining small wooden
houses, and preventing the fire crossing Clay
street above the plaza. The old adobe on the
plaza, in which was the office of Burgoyne a.
Co., and others, shared the fate of the rest-it
was completely burned Thus about the last
relic Of the feudal age of San Francisco has
been bIotted out Althou I'll but few heavy
stocks of goods or fine buildings have been con-
surned, yet TIE blow is felt very severely, for
most of t,e buildings were occupied as dwell
ings and lodgings. Thousands of our people
are homeless.
The Alta California of the same day remarks
The excitement caused by the vilainous con-
duet of the desperadoes among us, has resulted
in a determination, on the part of our citizens
to prevent, as far as possible, the landing of per
ions from the penal colonies, unless they pro-
duce tesllnonlals OF good character Another
determination is to send out of the country as
many rs possible of the abandoned gang who
infest our city.
In the city of Sonoro worthy citizen. Capt
Snow, having been brutally murdered, and two
Of the assassins having been taken few days
afterwards, were tried and hung by the popu-
lace, and buried in the grave which they had dug
for their victim.
A terrible row occurred at n new town called
Melones, near Carson's digging about two aban-
doned women, in which one or two Americans,
and three or four Mexicans, were killed
There is prospect that Mr., Hotang's prop
ri ion for supplying the city with salt water will
q ION be commenced.
A party which left Trinidad, to explore the
Shasta country, have arrived at Trinidad
Several days during the past week were hotter
than any experienced for long time. The heat
has been extremely severe in the interior.
The prospect through the country for good
crops is excellent and vast amount of vegeta-
bIes will undoubtedly be produc d.
Our city is being built up again very fast
some two hundred buildings have been erected,
and many of them finished, during the past week.