The Nevada journal., 1856-08-08

For the Journal


the Grass Valley Telegraph, which pur-
ported to give the principal events of the
fire, entirely omitted to mention the ve-
ry important part which Iperformed du-
ring the conhagration.
NV mate modesty might prevent me
eron now mentioning it, had l not be-
fora r NV ewes the lamentable example OF
onno man in the East, who might
hoye I been President, but for his surplus
modestv and deficient ability. Warned
by his example, have resolved to place
before the people, the prodigious feats
nerformed during the fire, and the i'm
mense losses l sustained therein.
1 am doing, or rather was doing, be-
fore the fire, as heavy a credit business
as any young man in Nevada. In fact
l do not remember to have paid for any
thing in over three years, and do not
think there was clothing or provision
store in the place, which had not some
interesting, if not valuable, evidence of
my patronage.
Thus situated and interested, the cry
of fire struck peculiar terror to nv heart
and rushed frantically to the rescue.
Entirely unaided, by the most SUPER
human efforts, leveled to the ground,
and removed from the burning district,
the houses for about thirty yards around,
working with such expedition, and NOV
ing with such rapidity, as to be most Of
the time invisible to the naked eye. /
now only regret that did not throw the
buildings / demolished into Deer creek,
as apprehended some fragments may
have been burning, and thus communi-
Gated the flames to the town, destroying
the evidence of my tremendous exer-
tions. But when l discovered that the
fire had crossed the space / had thus
cleared, and was advancing in every di-
rection, like two or three other gentle
men of this place, | did not confne my
exertions to any one part of the town,
but spread myself over the entire place,
performing at one and the same time the
most extraordinary exploits upon both
Spring and Main streets, all the records
of which deeds have, l regret to saw,
But it was not to mere property that
my efforts were applied Not having in
my own right any wife or small children
to rescue, | looked anxiously about for
an opportunity to display my gallantry
and courage, prefering, however, to help
some interesting young lady" out Of
the third story Of a burning brick build
ing upon rickety old ladder about one
minute before the roof fell in.
Anxious to approximate as nearly as
possible to this act, l placed ladder
against brick building then burning,
and had assembled about ten feet, when /
heard the cry of powder" and the next
recollection had of myself l was about
four hundred yards from the building, in
no way burnt Or bruised, but very much
out of breath, so peculiar has the ope-
ration of this terrible compound in its
explosion. Some invidious persons indeed
insinuate that while hurled through the
air, l struck the ground often enough to
mako good thirty foot jumps of the
whole distance,-in short maliciously
suggest that was running, and raise a
fallacious argument to support their po-
sition from the fact that there was no
powder in the building, and that the
walls did not fall. But it is, thanks to
science, fully proven that saltpetre will
explode, and | can prove there was a
! quantity of saltpetre cured hams there,
As to the walls not falling, it is none
of my business if they didn't. 1 re-
manned passive spectator of the work
of destruction, although could not see
without regret the burning of buildings
in which notes were deposited bearing
: my signature. My feelings on this SUBJ
ject were the more poignant as | knew
l should never be called upon to renew
those valuable documents.
AS to myself the only articles of val
ue l succeededin preserving were about
thirty new suits of clothing, which by a
judicious system of economy l had ac
cumulased during the last h.ee yea,s-
aninvestment of property perfectly safe
as | noticed several gentlemen of nv
acquaintance, whose houses were de-
stroyed with all their other property.
succeeded in saving several suits and
came out next morning in gorgeous ap-
parcl, like SO many butterflies.
As to my individual loss, like that of
my acquaintances, it is not to be judged
by the assessment roll, nor shall /, like
many others, lump my losses, but shall
, give the different items that the CON.
munity may judge of and realize nv
real misfo1tunes,
REAL EsTATE.-House and lot upon
the eastern part of the town, both EN-.
tirely destraye .S5 1000.
| Increased value of the property when
| the Court House shall be removed 10
Grass Valley y-....$5 $4,000 III
| Increased value of property when he
Pacific Railroad terminates at Grass
| SdHc SlU,UUC
Increased value of property when
Professor Wilson shall establish his uhl-
loon depot there. .... $40, doc
Mortgage upon the same now due and
unPaiu --'-....-.-.-'-----.- 81, 800