Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-04-28
THE FIERY FURNACE.

l am Doctor Harris, residing in
Twelfth street, and enjoying a remun-
erative practice. When l was some
what younger than I am now, an ad-
venture happened to me which never
had, and hope never will have paral-
lei The recollection of it fills me with
horror, and it seems incredible that l
should have survived it.
One evening | went to superintend
the bathing of.one of my patients whose
case was to me an object of peculiar in-
terest. AS 1 was returning about elev
en- o'clock at night, the glare of light
reflected by the clouds in the northwest
attracted my attention, and l joined the
crowd of people who were fastening that
way. We soon ascertained that Ben
sons distillery was on fire. 1t was a
long structure, supported by an old
building forming two wings, and at the
other by similar, but perfectly new
building not yet finished. On my ar
rival the scene was fearfully grand
Several engines played torrents of water
over the roofs and through the windows
from which the roaring flames were
leaping into the air. The hoarse shout
ing of the fremen, the pumping of the
engines, the engineers bawling through
their trumpets to those stationed on the
roofs, the pillows of smoke rolling up
into the illuminated sky, excited me,
and l could not remain inactive. Twas
soon at work, and in few minutes
found myself drenched with water and
perspiration.
One of the duties in which I took
part was rolling the barrels of spirits
from the warehouse, which, it was fear
ed, would take fire and render tenfold
the destruction and extent of the con-
fagration. To do this it was necessary
to pass over a platform of mason-work
which encased vast copper boiler, the
mouth or opening of which was on q
level with the platform, and of five or
six feet diameter. At some eight or ten
feet above our heads was floor, the
beams Of which rested on and extended
through the wall which, alone, protected
US from the flames
After I had made two or three turns
of this platform, one of the spectators
who had witnessed my exertions direct
ed my attention to the ends of the joists
which were just taking fire; the floor
would undoubtedly soon fall, and, per-
haps, drag down with it the opposite
wall, the mortar of which was still wet.
l retreated few steps. At this mo-
ment I saw at the other side of the
platform a man belonging to one of the
insurance companies, who made sign
to me to give him assistance. Casting
my eyes upwards to the floor above and
believing there was no immediate dan
ger of its falling, l ran to the ladder on
the other side, and was scarcely mount
ed on it when a mass of mason-work
fell upon US. I know not how I es-
capped being killed; the ladder was bro
ken in pieces wbirlwind of smoke,
ashes and fame encirled me. l was
lost. I could not find the place l had
left. became bewildered. Iattempt-
ed to run; a rush of fame stopped me
Suddenly my footing gave way and my
ears were greeted by the souorous sound
of striking metal. 1 had fallen into the
large copper boiler. Well, thought 1,
when my first fears had vanished. after
all I am in greater safety here than
above amid falling timbers aud sur
rounding fame!
After this l could hear nothing but
the falling timbers and bricks, which
seemed to strike, rebound and descend
again in rapid succession. I thought
at one time the boiler was going to be
crushed, but the surrounding mason
work protected it. A considerable
quantity of rubbish fell into the boiler
through the opening. To this rubbish
I it will be seen owed my life. In the
midst of the roise which the concavity
of INV natal prison rendered perhans