Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-10-28
VIRGINIA CITY.
Over Seven Million Dollars Worth of
Property Destroyed by the Fire
Several Lives Lost by Expos
ure Fuller Particulars.
Names Of the INSURANCE. Companies that
are the Heaviest Losers - Wild
Scenes and Heart t-Rending
Incidents.

EAN FRANCISCO, Octoter 27.-A
special a!SPltch 10 tue CdlL, from Nirgi mia
{ CITY, says that the destruction OF tee cIfv
was owing 10 the bad management OF the en-
glueer OF the fire department. At the begin
ming OF the cOndagratiOn which started ffl an
un eTfakiDg cs ablishmenJ on B street
't.Ltf,SLlL5 70 an ADJOINING livery stable.
. streams were tnrned upon the stable, allow
! ing the fla ei 10 communicate to the CouD
/ - uUiIuSS aCJoinlng, AMI the fire depart
lnenL lost It's hold. The wind, which was
blowing briskly from the west carried the
flames through the town. The water supply Y
/ gave out, and the engines and hose were
/ zeus, aud the ire swept on through Virginia
: California and Ophlr streets, destroying every
| hing Ia its course.
BY good fortune the wind shifted
ana the south end OF the town was saved; but
the fire still swept on north westerly The
town presented the widest confusion and
panic; the streets were blOckaded with goo Is
: ana household furniture The re-
CEN scourge of typhoid fever caused the ex-
poSurc Of many helpless invalids who were
being carried TO places OF safety by friends
The eXtoruorate demands of the owners of
Eel4ctes, IN one case at least, caused a muir
der. man OF b street endeavoTed to engage
a teamster, and being unable 10 comply with
ms demands, in des Grafton drew pistol and
shot the driver dead.
The approximate figures from insurance
companies place the losses sustained by them
N the neighborhOod of twelve hundred thou
sald doilaIS. Among the heaviest losers ale
Tina Ihpeflal, Queen and Commercial
Union about 20 600 each, North British and
Meicaullle SOOLOO each, London Assurance
and Underwriters gency $4,000 each, Hart
iold, Phu'ntX and Home S55, 900 Other eastern
and foreign companies for Amaller amounts
Among the local companies, the Commercial
i ses s.OyOOJ, Home Mutual $4,000 or more,
FHeme1 : Fund $50 coo. None of the COM
palios admit that they are at all embarrassed
by their losses. \ dispatch from Los Angeles
promises liberal subscriptions in money and
supplies.
OF lie. Two men were killed on street bv
the falling of wall. NumbeTless rumors of
other casu ltieS and of hundreds of families
home less and friendless ale afloat. The school
houses are the only public buildings left and
they are open to them, but If immediate aid
Is not extended great suffering Will ensue
there Is utter demoralizatiOn in the city.
Men, women and children wander about the
str cts SEEKING shelter, aud The surrounding
hills are dotted with csmp-fres. Few saloons
remain, but the supply OF liquor has not been
lacking, and the streets are alive with q
drunken mob The military are patrolling
the city fog The protection OF property.
The Keeling on the street this morning was
better than yestelday, with less disposition to |
magnify the diSas ter. Contradictory reports
sill float about concerning the FIRE in the |
Ophlr shaIt' some protesting 10 believe the |
damage is known by the insiders TO be much |
greater than admitted. The most authentic |
Information, however, is that the shaft has |
apparently good authority that the new hoist. |
ing works OF the Mary Washington mi e. |
which are similar in power and pattern 10 |
IN 3se of the Consolidated Virginia, viii be set |
up in the latter mine without delay. The |
WCTks are now On the Lady Washington |
grounds, but can be made available on the
tOGECllo ated Virginia in a short time Wei
informed parties say thRt the Consolidated
Virginia will pay five dollars dividend for two
or three mCnths until In full headway again
No definite advice has been received yet as
TO The extent of the damage to the several !
mi ing properties involved. The total loss |
dollars.
Dispatches received to-day give further par
uculsrs OF the Virginia confagrstion and
previous pf |
the calamity. The Scene during the progress |
OF the fire is beg ond description. The wind
blsw gale, driving the cinders and flames
far in advance of the burning buildings rem
dering all attempts to cheek the progress of |
me hTe lutlie. Giant powder was freely sed |
To oloW up the buildings, and frequent heavy |
shook The earth. The roof of the |
C'thollc church was blown one hundred fcet |
30 the air. leaving the hare walls standing. |
BY eight o'clock am. the excitement was at |
us hlght-streets filled with people, teamsters
struggling Through the fire and fighting at
cries OF despair; the curses Of enTa2ed men |
and the roar of the flames; dull reports of ell-
blossoms, as building after building took fire;
ne htaEy Jnuu ana crash OF falling walls; the
map OF bursting iron bars aud doors, and the
now OF The gale, ell went to make up the
scene of Undesirable horror. BY ten am
he Consolidated Virginia ho.stlng-wogkS
building and mill were wrapped in flames
and soon fell The new California stamp mill
hen fell prey TO the fire, which swept TO
Nllhln few rods of the e. and c. hOisting-
works, when the YeeTiug OF he wind turned the
Ialnes ana carried u EN- TO the Ophir works, |
which soon iell in. The shaft and timbeIS |
,Ought lire, but were extiuguished without |
ioing much damage. By eleven am. the |
lanes rad spent their fury, aud the wind died
way, leaving bed OF smOldering ruins
vide. T
A special to the Gall this evening, from !
Iirginia Clty, Slys the best business men esti-
nate the loss at seven milIIoa five hundred |
houSand dollars, one-thiId of which is in |
olelgn oupanleS, the rest in local cOmpa- |
lies. n large number OF women and children |
ave been sent to Carson, Goldhill and cali |
9rnia To-day there is a light wind, and |
hOWeTy weather is threatened. Hundreds |
re ia the ruins Sc .rching for articles of value.
afes are being pulled out of vaults and burst |
pSD. he vault OF the Bank of California is |
carload OF provision ioT twenty-five hun
red persons, and they are being dealt out
I the fiTst-ward schoolhouse.