Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-26
THE FIRE OF 80.
COLONEL ANDREWS WAS IN IT AND
NOW TELLS ABOUT IT.
One Of the Memorable Incidents in the
History of sacramento-A Costly
Christmas Dinner.

Many of the present residents of Sacra.
mento were here in 1852, when great fire
swept out of existence the greater portion
of the city, and they will no doubt read
with interest the following brief recital OF
incidents connected Herewith. Colonel A.
Andrews, of San Francisco-like MANY
others of the prominent and wealthy men
of that city-wes then resident of Sacra-
mento, and he thus relates bis experiences
of thai time through the columns of the
Examiner:
While everyone else is describing his
first Christmas in California, | will pass
over to what some people would say was
my worst Christmas in the State. This
was in 1852, inst after the great Sscra-
menio fire, and just before the great Sacra.
mento food of 1858
November 2, 1852. l was in Placerviyle.
where had gone into business. NV part.
ner, Mr.. Hitler, and had large jewelry
store in Sacramento. We were very proud
of it and of our success. Money came in
by the carload and our credit in the State
was unlimited. AS / left P,acerville on
November % in the stage for Sacramento,
/ was filled with the confidence and hap.
piness that success gives to man who has
tried hard to earn it. reached Sacramento
the evening of November I'd, and after a
mild dinner went to bed, weary with the
DAYS ride.
| think it must have been about II
O'Clock when ! was awakened from sound
slumber by the sound of hurrsing feet, of
wild commotion, of shouts from people in
the street-and with il ell frightful roar,
as if the city had become volcano sud-
denly.
It was as bright as day. l rubbed nv
eyes and rushed to the window. 1t was hot
with the scorching flames without. Hurry
ing on my clothes, dashed down stairs to
the street.
The fire had started in the millinery
shop of Mrs. Milness, and~~as rushing like
plague through the town. | rushed to
the aid of the firemen, who were trying to
stay its course. Ny partner and helped
others to save their effects, and kept at
work till all of sudden the fire became
thoroughly uncomfortable and swept away
the town in an hour. Our own establish
nothing. This was the Overton Block,
then the largest and finest building in the
State.
We were penniless, with a $50 600 debt
in New York. The day following the FIRE.
left for San Francisco and bought $50 600
worth Of goods on credit. Instant action
was necessary, for l had a family on its
way to California.
l took my goods back to Sacramento,
where my partner and established store
in the middle of the street Lots of other
people did the same thing, for the town
was like plain. You could not trace the
old blocks and streets, tried to find our
old store. in the hope that the safe might
no tharp Int 1ooGitry for
needle in q haystack.
Among the first TO begin building were
Haggin e. Tevis. They put up block and
rented us store at 5000 month on
lease for four years. You couldn't get SIS
month for the same store now.
! had hardly got started in the new
quarters when my wife and family arrived
from the East They came ON the Tonnes
see, which, by the way, went ashore at
the time on The Sausali,o shore and was
lost.
1t wss nearly Christmas when they got
to Sacramento, and I resolved to make
things as bright as possible by giving a
grand Christmas dinner. | had rented a
little shanty from Page & Bacon, the bank.
ers, for 81 500 year, and hired servant at
$50 per month.
The Christ mas dinner was q wonder, so
yerybody said, and it cost time aDd
money. | managed to buy two turkeys at
$50 piece. / found four chickens at $40
each. Then l had potatoes and cabbage,
aud managed TO get a dozen BOTTLES of
Mumm, which was the champagne drank
in those days, al $40 bottle.
The guests were:
John A. Collins, since dead; ex Mayor
HGrdeDburg, who is dead; Sheriff David
Hunt; William Nicely johnson; now dead:
VIM. Hoge, low the weli-known capital.
Isl; Colonel Hall aud his daughter; ex-Gov-
ernor John B. Weller nov dead, and other
well-known people of the city.
Our dessert was crownirg triumph, for
| had secured some apples at five dollars
apiece
This Christmas feast made great talk at
the time. and every one who hndn't b. en-
there asked for invitations next year.
The Haggin & Teyis building was almost
COMPLETED We began to get our sioek of
goods in shape and Mr.. A. A. Bennett,
who died a week or two ago, was looking
after the fixtures, etc. All of sudden the
river began to rise, and presently swept
down On the place till the water was even
with the upper windows. Instead of look
ing after fixtures, Mr.. Bennett constructed
a boat in our store and sailed out through
the upper window. Then he started resu.
lar ferry business, and made as high as
SIS day in Transporting people from one
houss-top to another.
Taking one thing with another, Secra-
mento had as hard time to get started as
any city l ever heard of. First, the cholera
of 1851; second, the fire of 1852; third, the
food of 1858.
Somebody has tried to circulate rumors
about the continued presence of State
Legislature there, but the statement is en-
tirely irrelevant ard malicious.
When the waters subsidized my partner
add / resumed business. This meant that
within twenty months we had paid of a
debt of $50 600, aud had put up bailding
at the corner Of Third and J streets that
brought in rental IN those days of 81 SAB
q month