The weekly Placer herald., 1852-11-13
From the Sacramento Daily Union.
AWFUL CONFEDERATION.
Sacramento i'm Rufms---IIOss of
e---lInEn ense Destruction of
PrGtaytV

-lHS""-A EaA aaEeEesc destruction or
Property.
That terrible destroyer which has here
tofore LAID in ashes every other important
town IN this state, has at last visited our
own fair city of the plains, and in a few
Drlef hours swept almost every vestge of
1t from existence. Amid the excitement
and confusion which prevails it is impos-
sIbe for us to give our readers abroad
more than a brief summary of the painful
thrilling events of the last thirty hours.
At ten minutes past / ! O'Clock, on Tues
day night, the appalling cry of fire was
sounded, and almost Instantly the entire
population rushed into The street, and sat
once perceived that their direst apprehen-
sions were more than fully rea liZed. AT
the time the fire broke out it seemed as
If the elements had conspred for the de-
struction of the city. A Norther had Just
set IN and was blowing stiff breeze from
the Northwest, which, alter the fire
commenced increased almost to a gale.
The point where the fire started, too, was
the very one for sweeping the city, and
before it had been burning five minutes it
became evident that Sacramento was
doomed to destruction. The fire compa-
MES were promptly on the spot; but in the
face of such a wind and sea of fire, it was
seen by all that they were powerless.-
they exhausted the water within reach
but produced not one particle of effect on
the fire. IL had obtained the mastery Of
man, and his puny arm was as little felt
by the raging flames, as it would have
been If directed against an ocean tempest
"a hnr
on the waves of fire as they rolled from
house to house and street to street, bewil-
dered fascinated and apparently para yzed
at the terrible work of destruction going
on before them-whie others were has
tenlng to save their goods and effects, be-
fore the fire should reach them
Then commenced scene on the streets
which beggars descrpton-men, women
and children were seen desperately enga-
ged IN efforts to save something from the
jaws Of the devouring element. But in
most instances their efforts were fruitless,
and hundreds who retired on Tuesday
night with the conciousness of having
plenty +of the comforts of life around
them, were standing the next morning on
the place where Sacramento acas, without
ONE "oU"r IN their pockets and only the
clothes they had on. 1t was an awful
night, and God grant that we may never
be called upon to witness another such.
In the history of past fires, we remem-
Der none so destructive. 1t sweeps away
in three hours fully seven eighths of the
city including every public building except
the Presbyterian Church and G ourt House
Commencing at the Levee on street and
+ Il e n
and southeast in the direction the wind
was blowing so long as a building was
found to burn, bat five or six houses are
left standing. Between and j streets
the most Of eight blocks; between j and
X nine entire blocks; between X and l..
as far as built up nine blocks and several
blocks below l.. strect and between 2d
street and the Levee are included in the
burnt district. Acres, which on Tuesday
last were covered with buildings and a
busy throng of population, are now cov-
cred with cinders, coal, ashes, the re-
mains of goods half consumed. with here
and there an ancient California oak in
tersperSed.
The destruction of goods has been very
heavy; the amount, as near as can be as
certained, we publish in another column
But there are hundreds who have lost
their little all, from whom the public will
never hear. Had the families of one-half
the business men been in the city, we
hardly know what could have been done
with them. AS it is, thousands are left
houseless and homeless, and for two
nights past have slept under the wide can
opy of heaven, many of them without
knowing where they were to obtain bread
to eat the next morning. Goods, fnrni-
ture Sc are scattered all over that portion
of the city north of j street, aud on tie
Levee, their owners standing by them in
the night, with not even canvass tent to
cover them.
This, to some extent, may be remedied
in a few days, as the owners will be com
PEELED to return to first principles and
build tents and cloth houses, as was done
in 1949. Surely terrible confagration
in any other country than California
would destroy hope itself; but such is the
wonderful energy and recuperative power
of the people of California;, that misfor-
tunes only seems to strengthen their de-
termination to 90 ahead in spite Of them:
and as an evidence that this spirit per-
vades the sufferers in this tempest of fire,
we know of instances where men had
houses to begin in again before the old
ones had fairly done burning; others too,
who contracted to have buildings put up
on the lots occupied by those destroyed.