Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-26
A HEAP OF RUINS
Burning of the Cliff House Near
San Francisco.
DESTRUCTION OF A LANDMARK
Ex-Police Captain Stephenson
Sentenced.
HE IS SENT TO SING SING

SAN FRANCISCO, December 26.-Two
tottering chimneys, the carved lion that
stood guard 1T the stairway descending
to the lower floor, charred timbers and
ashes are all that remains OF the Cliff
House, owned by Mayor-elect Sutro. The
remainder is reminiscent, for the Cliff
House is thing of the past.
A million-dollar structure of steel and
stone will be erected on it's site. Fire de-
-stroyed everything except few souvenirs
the mirrors and easily movable furniture
the silver ware, choice vintages and liquors
and a part of the bar fixtures.
The fire was a hidden one, between cell
ings and walls. 1t started from defect
i've fiue, and when the flames found a'vent
there was a rush and a roar of fire that
could not be controlled.
A sharp, steady breeze from the north.
east drove the flames and smoke directly
across the seal rocks. AS the wind In
creased. the flames spread oceanward in q
tinuo usly on the breakers. The seals has
tily betook themselves from the rocks and
sought refuge in the sea.
Sutro's magnificent baths, the finest In
the world, adjoin the Cliff House, and IL
was feared they. too, would be demolished
Fortunately, the wind was in the opposite
direction and the baths were saved.
II am sorry, of course, that the building
burned, Salu AQOipn L mao
become on" # the landmarks OF the Pacific
coast, anu many prominent people have
been entertained there.
Three of Americas Presidents have
watched the seals sport on the rocks. and
each of them spent many hours on the bal
comics that have disappeared with the
flames.
Grant was the first of the trio, and
after him came Hayes, who thought his
visit not complete without watching the
n "a Pacific q hOnSR
next was Harrison. and he became so en-
amored with the place thAt he spent many
hours on the balconies
Besides these celebrities, there have
been a number of titled people from Eu-
rope, among them the Marquis of Lorne,
who when he visited San Francisco was
governor general of Canada. Each carried
away many mementos of the place, and
they have frequently referred to 1t in heir
letters and public utterances.
Now that it is gone, it's destruction will
probably hasten the erection of the pro-
posed hotel on Point Lobos Just when the
work will begin 1T is impossible to say.
The hotel has not fully matured.
1T has been my intention to build the
hotel further out on the point and a few
hundred feet nearer the Golden. Gate, but
now Ii may go on the site Of The old Cliff
House. That will depend on the size of the
building
"a hotel of very large proportions could
not very we'll be built on the location of
the house just burned, but there Is room
for a good-siZed building that will answer
all purposes. A feature of the new house
will be an elevator, which will take the
visitors from the walk on the reach up to
the top Of the cliff and save the climb up
the steep grade"
There were no means for fighting the fire.
and the nearest fire engine was four miles
away. The fire commenced at about $50
o'clock last night, end at o'clock about
half of the hotel had been destroyed. The
Cliff House has a worldwide reputation.
The buildings were frame structures, and
were used as restaurants, saloons and Gu
rio shops. In addition, there were wide
balconies, from which the seals could be
viewed. About 100 feet to the north are
the new salt water baths. and connecting
the two buildings were row of sheds and
fences. The baths are immense structures.
capable Of holding 5000 people. and are
the largest in the world.