The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-06-20

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i The eallSeFnla Fire.
The disastrous news which we received yestsr
day from San Francisco, by the steamer Ala
bama ut New Orleans, has naturally produced I
very profound impression. The hope that tn
report might BE- incorrect is now dispelsd, sns
there can be no doubt that the metropolis o
California has just experienced the heaviest blow
which has yet befallen her. The delay In th'
transmission of the Intelligence, to which w
alluded yesterday, il fully explained in the fol
lowing note sent us by MesseFs Abbot ant
!, Winans, our Geographic correspondents:
OfflcE HANOVER. STREET, :
New York, Juae 10, 1851.
10 the Editors Of the Epsning Post
4 Gentlemen We beg to correct your state
ment Of yesterday, in reference to there being .
mistake in the date of the dispach from New
Orleans containing California news
\ There was no mistake in the date whatever
ths Alabama reached New Orleans on the 18th
and synopsis of her news was put immediately
on the wires for us. This was sent as far as
Jackson, Miss, where it was delayed by a
break in the wires, but as soon as they had
been repaired the dispatch was forwarded to its
destination. and reached this city yesterday
| forenoon.
! This dispatch, although forr days on the
road, was received by US fs0clue aours 10 advance
Of all others, and was the only dispatch received
by any one We sent it back South as for as
Charleston, dropping it in all the intermediate
cities, and also to the Eastern, Western and
Northern press.
Some of the morning papers in "cabbagng'
the news say, it is but four days later. This
is incorrect. The Alabama was four days in
making the run from Vera Cruz, and the news
she brought is down to the 18th of May, two
weeks later.
ABBOT & WIHArs,
Telegraphic Agents,
for the Evening Associated Press
BY the aid Of a gentleman who had long re-
sided in California, and is perfectly familiar
with its topography, we have endeavored to form
some more definite estimate of the nature and
extent of the loss than we were able to give in
the brief space left us yesterday for editorial
analys and commentary.
Our dispatch settles the fact TINT Delmonico's
hotel, the Custom house, and all the interme-
date buildings on Montgomery street, are
burned, that Clay street is heap of ruins, and
that the Union and Parker's hotels, on the Plaza,
are destroyed. If so, it is not difficult to ascer-
tain many Of the most prominent sufferers.
The fire commemorate Clay street, and seems
to have spread up and down Montgomery sts,
from Washington to California Streets because
Delmonico's building is next to the corner of
Washington, and the Custom house is on the
corner of California, and Clay street is about
half way between, and as both those buildings
are consumed, the presumption is that the inter
mediate buildings are consumed, covering four
blocks, namely: from Washington to CLAW.
Clay to Commercial, Commercial to Sacrament
to, and Sacramento to California streets. Be-
tween these points on Montgomery street, the
following were the most prominent establish
ments:
BurgoyDe a. Co.'S banking house, on the cor
ner OF Washington, and next to Delm onico's,
on the south, is fire proof building and has sur
yived three fires before this which consumed
every thing else in its vicinity. From its mode
of structure, and the tenor of the dispatch, it is
presumed, to have escaped. Next to this is Del
monico's large hotel, which, with its lot cost
$4,000. This, the dispatch says, is burned.
Next it was the only wooden building on that
block; it was occupied by CROWN g. Markley
as clothing store. Farther down were Gregg
ry's Express offices Wards court; the banking
houses of Naglee & Co.; Wells and Co.. Ar
GENT, agent of Brown Brothers. in this city !;
Davidson, the agent of the Rothschilds; James
King, the son Of William King, Of Washington;
Harris d. Pantop, druggists Taaffe & McCahill,
dry goods, dealers; Cannons auction store );
Page, Baker a. Co, and ID. ]. Tallant g. Co.,
both bankers; and the Custom house. The Cal.
Jornia Courier was published in the building
next to the Custom-house
The buildings we have enumerated cover the
the west side of Montgomery On the opposite
side of the same street are Rosss buildings.
which are stated by the dispath to have been
destroyed. That building was occupied by the
Merchants Exchange the Chamber of Com
merce, Adams e. Co.'S Express, and by the mer-
camille houses of Bows a. Co., formerly of this
city, Riddle a. Co., and Kendig, Wainwright &
Co., both auctioneers, the Revere house, and
Maynard a. Co. The California Herald was
published lower down on the corner of Clay
street. AS the second dispatch alleges that
every newspaper establishment in the city but
the Ala California was burned, and as the fire
commenced at Clay street, it must have burned
everything clear up to and including Ross
building near the corner Of Washington
The dispatch atates that the fire also con-
sumed Parkers Hotel, the Union and the Ex-
change. These establishments are on the west
side of the block occupied by Delmonico, and
his rear. They front on the Plaza. Their des-
truction implies that the whole block, front and
rear, must have been pretty much DESTROYED
The block was full 600 fees deep from Mont
gomery, and is bounded on the north by Clay
street, where the fire. originated. This street
was filled with wealthy silk, jewelry and fancy
stores, wholesale and retail. like Broadway be-
tween Wall and Canal streets, and the destruc.
ton ofproperty there must have been prodiglous
CUBA.-The "Intendente" is an officer of
great Importance in the government of Cuba
lie has more power than our Secretary of the
Treasury, and to him the government looks for
the means--to be raised in some way--when
wanted for ordinary and extra occasions. The
present incumbent, Count Villanueva, who is
about to leave Havana for Spain, quits Office
contrary to the urgent wishes Of the ministry,
and we learn that they will not probably name
successor until he arrives in Span in the
hope of inducing him to return. The fact that
such government as that of Spain, notorious
for its crowd % hungry hangers on" at the
treasury skirts, urges an officer seventy five
venrs old In retain bis poct ic fnll IF r,,oonr :,