Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-12-01
CALIFORNIA INTELLIGENCE.


Burning of the st. Francis Hotel.--About
half past eight o'clock on the morning of the 22d
ult, says the Times and Transcript, the bell of the
Monumental sounded the alarm of fire, and the
smoke and flames were Immediately seen issuing
from the fourth story the large four story wooden
building on the corner ofDupont and Clay streets,
known the ST. Francis Hotel. Before the en-
gines could be brought 10 play upon the house,
the upper part of the building, which was a mere
shell lined with cloth, was mass Of flames, which
was roaring like furnace. The spread of the
flames, in westerly and northery direction, was
stopped by the exertions of several gentlemen by
means Of blankets which they kept wet until they
were relieved by stream from the engines. In
about ten minutes from the time when the fremen
got fairly at work at the building, it was evident
that the rage of the confagraton was abating, and
in ten minutes more nothing but blackened ruins
to be seen where the red fire had been
rioting.
A native Californian by the name of Jose Garcia,
at the commencement of the fire, let himself from
the roof of the building, and dropped upon the
stoop below. He taken up, not very seri-
ously injured, and carried TO an apothecarys store
Several other persons escaped from the windows
uninjured After the fire was got under in the
third story. sufficiently to allow the firemen to
enter, they discovered the body Of man on the
floor, in one of the rooms lying between the bed
and the window II lay upon its right side, with the
left arm upfled as if to keep off the flames There
was no clothing upon it, and portion of the
corpse had been destroyed by fire 1t was stated
that person was seen TO come twice 10 the win
dow near to which the body lay, and look out, APP
parently fearing TO jump. The remains were
taken in charge by Mr.. Duane, chief engineer, and
the coroner duly notified
The building was owned by Messrs. Belleau &
Guillard, and occupied clearinghouse and res
taurant. Their loss will be about $4,000. Some
damage was done in the immediate neighborhood
by removal Of goods. though by far the largest por-
ton of the neighbors preferred to trust to the fire.
men, and they had no cause TO repent of their
fdence After the iremen had left Coroner Whal-
ing summoned a jury, and held an inquest upon
the body, but nothing of importance was elected
as to the origin of the fire. The remains have
since been identified as those of Mr.. James Cole
man. He was once an editor in Maryland and
afterwards employed the Patent Office at Wash
ington He was at one time foreman in the Herald
Office in this city Mr.. Coleman about thirty
eight years OF age, and leaves wife and two chill
dren in Maryland.
From the San Francisco Times Transcript Oct 90
. Steamboats, American Eagle and Stockton
Blown Up. - Yesterday morning intelligence
reached our city of two dreadful accidents on the
San Joaquin river. Through Wells, Fargo a. Co.'S
and Adams az Co.'S expresses and an extra oflhe
San Joaquin Republican, of Tuesday, the 18th
inst, we obtain the following particulars ofthe dis
aster to the steamboat American Eagle. She left
this city on Monday evening at five O'Clock, and
had proceeded 10 within twenty-five miles of
Stockton, when, at twenty minutes past three
o'clock in the morning, her starboard boiler ex-
ploded, shverng the boat forward of the wheel
house almost to atoms. Captain Hardison states
that eight or ten persons were scalded or burned,
and several missing.
Among the wounded is Mr. McCaudle, who is
scalded and cut in the head badly Mr. Higgins,
the clerk, has both hands scalded. p. Downing,
mate, scalded right leg bruised and head cut.
Among the missing is William Gallup Waterman,
and fireman named Frank; another fireman,
name unknown. Several others were slightly
scalded and wounded The berth occupied by
Captain Hardison was cut in two in the middle,
and he was thrown out on deck senseless for some
FIVE minutes, but received no other damage than
a bruse on the leg.
The American Eagle had large freight and
about ffy-three passengers The passengers are
uninlured, with one or two exceptions, far as
known The Sophie, Captain Chadwick, will be
dispatched Immediately and will probably remain
with the wreck this afternoon. The officers and
crew acted in a cool and deliberate manner
throughout the scene of devastation. The boats
were lowered, and three persons picked up by the
crew.
Immediately on the receipt of the news at
Stockton, Captain Chadwick prepared TO go down
with his steamboat, the Sophie TO the scene ofthe
catastrophe. Mr.. Haven, of the firm of Holden
d Co., who was on board the American Eagle,
states that at the dreadful moment he thought
| "creation had broken loose; for such noise of
the crash Of timbers, smash of glasses aud crock
| cry, and Of the explosion itself, he never heard.
The berth Of the captain was at the back of the
pilot house, and was broken in two. The escape
| OF Captain Harrison, who was thrown on the deck
with great force, is miracle. The chief clerk,
Mr.. Rufus Higgins, was in the cabin at the time
the cabin was an utter wreck and still he was un-