Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-22
FALL OF A BULKHEAD.
Sensation on California-Street Hi1-Con
serYatories Demolished.
ISan Francisco Bulletin, April 21s

FALL OF BULkHEAD.
Sensation on California-street Hill-Con-
servatories Demolished.
San Francisco Bulletin, April 21stl
| At about $50 o'clock this morning, the
dwellers on Pine street between Taylor
and Jones were aroused from sleep by a
tremendous noise that seemed to be made
by the eruption Of volcano or by some
other equally great phenomenon of Nature.
At first many thought that an earthquake
was overturning the crest of California
street hill upon them, especially when they
heard the crash OF Conservatives and felt
their houses shiver as they were struck
and crushed in from the rear. Although
the crashing, roaring and tumult dazed
every one at first, it was soon remembered
that the wall in the rear of the houses had
been considered unsafe for some time, and
the correct conclusion was arrived at that
this wall had fallen.
The high stone wall which was built at
the rear of the lot of Robert Sherwood, OPP
posite the residence of Charles Croker, ON
California street, had been considered I'M
safe for some time, and the recent rains
had so undermined it that it gave signs of
soon giving away. Yesterday MIR. Sher-
wood warned the people living on Pine
street of the dangerous condition of the
wall, so that they might be prepared for
its fall at any moment. But the catas-
trophe, coming as it did in the early morn
ing, seemed to the terrified people
startled from sleep like the crash
of doom. The wall was twenty
five feet high, measuring from the
back yards of the houses on Pine
street to its top. 1t was five feet
broad at its base, tapering to two feet at
the top. 1t was built about two years ago
of rough stone and cement. The earth of
the lot was banked up against it to within
about eight feet of the top, where a sort of
terrace was made, and platform about
twenty feet wide built from the top of the
wall to the embankment. Thus there was
left kind of chamber to the north of the
wall covered by the walk. The water
DRAWINGS from the lot collected, it appears,
in this chamber, and working down the in
side of the wall, undermined it. About
60 feet of the wall, beginning at the east
ern corner, fell, leaving about 40 feet of
the western end standing,
The houses on Pine street, towards
which it fell, were situated about so feet
away, but the yards between the houses
and the wall contained Conservatives and
sheds, all of which were covered up by the
falling mass of masonry and earth. The
stones from the top of the falling wall We're
hurled up against the rear of the houses,
crushing in some, and damaging nearly all.
The south end of the wall in falling crushed
in the cow-shed and buried the chicken
Is
street. Some thirty chickens were buried
beneath the debris. The cow-shed was
demolished, but the COW managed to escape
before the building came down upon her,
and received only few slight injuries.
The side OF the stable was crushed in, but
not enough to injure the two valuable
horses therein, although the boards of
their stalls were wrenched out of
place. This end of the wall came
down against the rear of the house
of Robert E. Doyle, No. 1912 Pine street,
but did little damage other than destroy
ing an clubhouse. The next house, the res
idence of William Ashburner did not fare
so well, the falling wall, after destroying
sheds and covering three tons of coal,
struck the end of the L and crushed in
the bottom The hot-house III the rear of
No. 1915 Pine street, belonging to Mat
thew ID. Carr, was destroyed, together
with all the outhouses. The rear of the
house was also broken in, and the stairs
leading to the upper rooms were destroyed.
a lady who was in one of the rooms had
to be taken from her unpleasant position
by means of ladder. The back yard of
James Oglesby, l0lS Pine street. was also
covered, and conservatory demolished.
The house itself was injured slightly. The
conservatory of A. I. Fletcher, 1920 Pine
street, was partially destroyed by the
western end of the falling wall The par
TALLY demolished structure stands Just be-
meath that portion of the wall that still
stands, but as it was proposed to pull
down this wall during the day,
the remaining plants will probably
more serious loss is due to the fact that
the wall was situated so far in the rear of
! the houses. Had the distance from the
wall to the houses been FIVE or six feet less
the rears of nearly all the buildings above
mentioned would have been demolished.
1t is stated that the persons living in the
houses above named protested against the
building of the wall when it was being
erected, some two years ago, deeming it
unsafe. 1t was proposed to procure an in
junction on the work, but the plan was
abandoned on account of the trouble and
expense. Mr.. Sherwood will tear down
the wall that remains standing, and will
terrace his property instead of building an
other wall.
1t was stated that the wall surrounding
Leland Stanford's lot, on Pine and Powell
streets again shows signs OF giving way.
Some of the old cracks have again opened,
the water finding its way through the wall
on the Pine street side. The bullying of
the center of the wall on the Pine street
side is quite marked. This wall, however.
is far more solidly built than that of Mr..
Sherwood, being l6 feet broad at the base
and feet at the top.