Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-04-13
THIRTY YEARS ago.
INTERESTING INCIDENTS OF THE BIG
FIRE ON SEVENTH STREET
The stone-Bell ARRAY in the Legislature,
Ending in the Death of Bell
Minor Notes.

~ SouPio Vi "eehs dRO, uuuer the uedu-
ing Thirty Years Ago." we published
brief account of an incendiary fire that
occurred in the basement of Weston's
building, on Seventh street, between K and
L (now portion of the Capital Hotel site),
on the 4th of March, 1860, and which de-
stroyed property to the amount of $50 900.
P. ]. Toll, Searles & Bragg, DR.. Morgan, J.
W. Reeves, Robert Lynch proprietor of
the Monongahela House), and Messrs.
Blunt, Thomas Hill, Captain F. G. Smith,
81. NJ. Bernard, Juan de Efaseta, ]. w.
Stewart and Mr.. Stevenson were the chief
sufferers. The fact was also mentioned
that three sons of Captain Smith barely
escaped with their lives, the eldest bearing
his younger brother through the smoke
and flames from the second story to the
sidewalk.
An old resident of the city, who remem-
bers the event, and it's thrilling scenes,
relates several incidents that occurred dur.
ing and after the fire. The livery and sale
stable occupied a greater portion of the
property referred to, and was kent by P. J
Toll and Captain F. c. Smith, both we'll
known in the early history of the State.
The family of Captain Smith had their
rooms in the second story, and at the time
of the fire were soundly sleeping. Owing to
the inflammable material contained in the
basement, which was occupied by horse
stalls, hay, ETC., the fire spread rapidly, and
it was only by the most untiring efforts of
all the help available that the animals in
the basement were saved
An amusing incident of chagrin on the
part of one of the owners of q team of
eight white mules which were the envy of
all the teamsters to Washoe valley in those
days, occurred after the fire. 1t is charged
against one of the two of our present towns
men JAS. Kaseberg and W. L. Pritchard)
both OF whom were proudly possessed of
spanking eight and ten mule teams at that
period. The team of white mules, eight in
number, were stabbed in the basement and
the proud owner had only the day before
purchased handsome new red-web halter
for each animal, and in the fight for life"
it was necessary TO cut the halters and drive
the animals from the building as it is we'll
known that mule would rather run di-
rectly into fire than away from it. The
next day the owner was very busy looking
for the ''gol-darned fool that cut them hall
tiers" and it was only after much guying
that ne realized his luck in saving the
mules.
III tuc II WAS Seuerally sup
posed that all persons in the second story
of the building had escaped but, when al
most TOO late, 1t was found that the three
sons of Captain Smith, who roomed in
remote part of the building, had not been
seen at window, and some one hero
1cally undertook to 60 after them, when
the boys appeared at one of the windows,
with faces blanched with fear and crying
tor help, telling those below that the stair
cases were gone and their chances of
escape cut off. There being no ladders at
hand, they were told to jump on some
bales of hay that had been rolled out
One of the boys, Alphonso, leaped first and
landed safely. The next son, George,
grasped his younger brother in his arms
and jumped, just as the wall fell in. The
engines played their streams on the
youngsters, who luckily escaped with but
a ducking. The younger son referred to
was Edwin F. Smith, still a resident of
this city and Secretary of the State Agri-
cultural Society. At that time he was but
eight years old. Being asked recently if
he could recall the incident, he said he
could, and that he well remembers hisreply
to one of his playmates, who, meeting him
as he was being carried out, asked him if
he was injured. when he replied Yes,
I'm drowned"
.& ....,At noon on the 11th of April John
c. Bell, q member of the Legislature from Ell
Dorado county, was shot at and stabbed by
DIR. w. H. Stone. The affair occurred in
the office of the Sergeant alarms of the
Assembly, and the trouble grew out of the
attempt to divide the county of Ell Dorado.
Bell accused Stone of defeating the Demo-
cratic ticket in that county, and Stone
called him a liar. Further hot words
passed, and Bell struck at Stone with a
roll of paper that he held in his hand
Stone then drew pistol with his left hand
and shot at Bell, the latter continuing to ad-
vance. Stone then drew a dirk-knife and
stabbed Bell several times. H. L. Robey
and others interfered and separated the
men. Bell was taken to the residence of
William Mara, where he died four days
later. The witnesses at the Coroner's in
quest were w. B. Carr, Charles P. Wilkins
and John Conness.
......... Before the Assembly passed the
bulkhead bill it was amended, on motion
of Mr.. CoDness, so as to provide that per
cent. of the gross receipts of the company
should be paid to the State school fund
This said the UNION, in referring to the
passage of the bill, lis about the only re.
deeming feature of the bill"
........ Philip Smith, indicted for the mur-
der of Thomas Rice, was acquitted on the
9th of April, 1860, in Jackson, Amador
county, whittier the case was sent from
Sacramento on change of venue Frank
Hereford, n. Greene Curtis and G. L.
Waters, of this city, assisted in the prose.
cution, and Briggs, Axtell and Farley, OF
Amador, conducted the defense.
.........Owing to great storm which had
blockaded the route from Placerville to
Carson, -four had gone up in Virginia City
to so cents a por.Id; sugar, 81; hay sc
cents, and barle; so cents. Many houses
had been blown down in that city, and the
place was oyer-crowded with people
......... Father Waugh, the anti-tobacco
anti.swearing, anti-drinking agitator, q
good-natured old gentleman, who did a
great deal of good and no harm, was then
orusadng about the State. He generally
confined his efforts 10 keeping children in
the right path.
....... United States Senator Latham
grey carriage team INDUCED in a runaway
one day on K street, and dumped the Sen
ator's brother and coachman out in front
of the Golden Eagle Hotel. The men were
severely injured, and the horses and We
hicle damaged by the runaway.
.Assemblyman Conness of Ell Do
RADIO county made vigorous and able fgh
against the formation of the proposed new
county of Marshall out of portion of E
Dorado and won the day.
......... Walter Leman, the veteran actor
so well known here and in San Francisco
where he now resides, was then a membe
of a company playing at the metropolitan
Theater.
Robert c. Clark, Senator from Sac
ramento county. was one of the advocate
of the Parsons bulkhead bill in the Legisla
ture, and made long and able speech in it
favor.
......... Colonel E. J. C. Kewen, formerly o
Sacramento, had trouble at Los Angelo
with lawyer named Sims. He shot a
the latter and hit Mexican in the leg.
The first pony express news wa
received by telegraph from Carson on tn
18th of April, 1860, nine days from 81
Joseph, Mo.
The first Republican Convention
ever held in slave State convened in 81
Louis, and was presided over by b. Grat
Brown.
RECOVERED PLUMBER.
Burglar Murray Returns Stolen Goods