USA > California > San Francisco County > San Francisco > The annals of San Francisco; containing a summary of the history of California, and a complete history of its great city: to which are added, biographical memoirs of some prominent citizens > Part 50
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To those who had leisure, and a position suitable to take a view of the whole sea of flame, and who could divest themselves of the sensations of pain incident to the occasion, it was a grand, a sublime sight. The entire city was illuminated with a fierce glow of light, and the surrounding hills sent back again its re- flective brilliancy, accompanied by ten thousand echoes of crack- ling timbers, rushing flames, the quick strokes of the engines, rattling of carts and wagons, the wrenching of falling houses, the roar and the tumult of thousands upon thousands struggling almost hopelessly against their dread enemy, which swayed to and fro in terrible mockery of human effort. The greedy flames shot forth their dry, forked, snake-like tongues, lapping at every thing within their reach, as if conscious of their own malignity
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
and power ; licking at the windows and walls and house-tops ; darting out horizontally through jaws of black smoke and teeth of sparkling cinders ; rushing across alleys and streets and vacant lots ; twisting or writhing in agony or delight, anon, as if bear- ing an expression of their joy and mighty vengeance, shooting upwards to the stars, those clear eyes which looked down so quietly from their azure thrones.
Soon came the broad light of day, giving a still more strange and gorgeous mantle to the hill-sides, crowded with busy, or gazing, or shocked human beings, and mingling its heavenly rays with those that held their revel dance amid the halls and household gods, and wrapped themselves about the works of labor and genius, like so many scarlet mantles. Through a sea of blood the sun seemed to rise and gaze upon the work, his great Titan eye glowering down upon the devoted city as if red with anger and offended majesty. Yet few saw it. The little things about, and near and dear to the brave struggling hearts, were of much greater importance than the great ones far away.
When at length dwellings and chattels were in the dust, and smoking embers, and ashes, and occasional jets of not yet glutted flame alone indicated the sites of recent homes and busy marts, it was painful to see the cjected sufferers, men, women, and children, sad and tearful, clinging to the relics of late for- tunes and firesides. The public square was literally crowded with whatever could be snatched from the hungry fire. Up to a late hour at night many persons were still there with the few remnants left from their former property and comforts.
But the enterprise which had built the city from a barren waste, had smoothed its hills of sand, and filled up the valleys between, and covered with habitations the places where so long and so recently had prowled the Indian, and the cayote had howled, now rose up, as the flames had risen, mighty and effect- ive, and begun re-creating what these had destroyed. The pa- tience which had endured a weary trip around Cape Horn ; the perseverance that had pushed its way over the plains between Missouri and the land of gold, plains dreadful in their desolation of wild sage ; the daring which had traversed the hills, moun - tains, and valleys of Mexico, undaunted by thirst, hunger, the
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pitiless thrust of the cactus, the chapparal's thorn, the stealthy wile of the Apache, and the fierce wrath of the Camanche ; these were not consumed with the cloth partitions and iron warehouses, but arose with new energy, as they had before done, from the bivouac or the hammock.
So the rejuvenated giant grew and progressed. Above the ashes new dwellings arose. Where the flames had scarce ceased crackling, the hammer and the saw were heard, answering back to the stone-cutter's chisel and the earnest ring of the mason's trowel. Like the structures of the coral insect, the islands which rise from the ocean's depths, San Francisco grew upwards from her own ashes, supplanting the frosts of destruction with a crop of success. Fine buildings succeeded piles of rubbish, charred wood, and tottering walls. The appearance of the conflagration passed away, commerce spread her white wings, and came and went like the eagles ; trade changed and exchanged its commo- dities ; gold dust flowed like a river from its mountain homes when the spring sun shines and the snows melt ; immigration grew to a great wave, and rolled in a rapid population ; and prosperity smiled in all the streets.
But amid all this there lingered in the minds and memories of the people a feverishness and sensitive chord of apprehension that thrilled at the slightest alarm, like a spider's web when struck by an insect. The sound of the first stroke of a fire-bell was enough to clear church or theatre, or drowsy bed, in an instant. The dreadful scenes witnessed had inscribed their history deep and dark, and could not be erased. This proclivity to alarm had soon an ample cause of new exercise. The anniversary of the fire of May 4th, 1850, approached. Threats had been made, it was said, that it was to be signalized by a similar spectacle. These rumors existed, whether the threats had been made or not. They were discussed upon the streets, and in places of business and pleasure. The infamous gang, which infested the city, was known to be desperate, and wicked enough to do this, or any other heinous thing.
The sun had gone down over the western hills, and the dying sea-breeze wasted its last breath against the brow of night. The curtain had fallen upon the last scene of the last play, the lec-
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turer had retired from the stand, the clergyman from the pulpit. The lawyer was dozing over his brief, and weary limbs had laid down on the sleeper's couch. The editor had put the last period to his leader, and turned from his flagging duties to tremble at the shrill outcry of " Fire !" That dreadful word in a moment found an echo on a hundred tongues, and the pealing bells and rushing engines answered back to the sound. It was nearly midnight on the eve of May 4th, 1851. The flame when first seen was in a paint-shop, on the south side of the plaza, and was not larger than a man's hand ; but in five minutes, the whole upper story was one entire blaze.
At first, the wind was but a breath ; but it had scarcely lapped · the flames, ere, like a tiger, after his first taste of blood, its whole nature awoke to the fiery carnival, and became an avenging and malicious spirit. It caught the black clouds of smoke and the flashing streams of flame, and with a living skill twisted them into wreaths and festoons fit to adorn the brow of crumbling Sodom. As if its prison-bars had snapped with the first flame, and the doors of its cells had burst open, from every point of the compass its dread ministers poured forth, and joined the banquet in one general whirlwind, turning hotel and store, office and dwelling, into a fiery and dizzying waltz of conflagra- tion. Nothing could stay the fury and progress of the united wind and flame. On, and still onward, through the hours of that dreadful night, it marched and rushed, and devoured, greedy and remorseless, while food could be found for the gnawing hun- ger of the destroyer. Over the marts of commerce and trade, over the altars of home, the desk, the bar, the bench ; over the white bed of the maiden and the crimson couch of the creature ; over the parlor and the public hall ; the mart of luxury and the dépôt of comforts, it rolled its red tongues, licking up to the very cinders every thing which had been brought or made to sustain, to embellish, or to beautify. There are occasionally events in the history of our lives, so unexpected and appalling in their nature, that the heart almost ceases its functions, and the brain, confused and stupefied, makes thought and expression difficult and uncertain. Such was the condition of the citizens of San Francisco as this dreadful conflagration broke in all its
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terrors upon their view, and the smoke from two-thirds of the city's foundations dimmed the light of hope as it veiled with black the bright face of heaven.
The tornado of fire in its devouring path over the city, fur- nished a scene of more grandeur, terror and sublimity, and, de- void of one's sympathies, of more beauty, than any other event which had transpired in our nation during the present century. And yet all of one's sensibilities were inevitably interested, and were necessary in order that this awful exhibition of nature in her wildest and most pitiless mood, should duly and perhaps pro- fitably affect man through his more kindly qualities. The com- mencement of the fire was like the flash of gunpowder, so almost instantaneous was its spread. For a few moments, hope, fear and dread balanced upon the brakes of the engines. As those gallant philanthropists, the firemen, bent every thought, and strained each muscle, in a death contest with the common ene- my, hope for an instant spoke of triumph. But physical exer- tions and prayers were equally unavailing-the city's doom had come.
Many persons inhabiting or owning buildings which appeared to be out of the possible range of destruction, looked upon its commencement without a thought of themselves, actuated only by their sympathies for others. How suddenly ended their dreams of security ! In a few hours, or minutes, they too were wanderers in the streets, houseless, homeless, hopeless, stripped of every thing. As the first faint hope of stopping the flames at the place of origin, died out, the city's terrible impending fate became more and more manifest. And yet no one could antici- pate to its full extent the scope and completeness of the eventual ruin. The winds from the north-west soon increased to whirl- winds around the flaming piles ; the heated air, loaded with smoke, cinders and flames, rushed up towards heaven, crackling and roaring like a tornado, while fresh gusts and gales came rushing in from every side to fill the melting vacuum with new ministers of destruction.
The sight was sad, afflictive, awful. Great masses of smoke ascended and rolled away, loaded with the wealth of men, the rewards of toil and danger, bearing far above the crumbling city
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great flocks and sheets of burning cinders, and forming huge clouds touched with every tint, from clear white light to the darkness of night. Frame houses faded away like frost work. Brick structures became batteries of flame, and poured forth im- mense jets from their windows and doors. Iron and zinc curled up like scorched leaves, and sent forth their brilliant flames of green, blue and yellow tints, mingling with, and modifying the glare of the great red tongues of fire which flashed upwards from a thousand burning houses. The hill-sides were lighted as if the sun were above the eastern mountains, and their trees, shrubs, herbage, houses and people were as distinguishable in the bright light, as if it were noon. But darkness hung over a large portion of the shipping, where the broad and heavy ocean of smoke lay down in impenetrable gloom over the bay.
People became paralyzed. Many removed their stocks of goods four or five times, and had them overtaken and destroyed by the flames at last. The streets were crammed with masses of human beings and rushing teams, only giving way before the advance of the elements, as the smoke, and heat, and crashing walls pushed them back. Men became mad. Some rushed headlong into the flames. Weeping women and prattling infan- cy were wandering amid ashes and destruction. Every few mo- ments the earth and air trembled, as great buildings were torn into fragments by explosions of gunpowder, and the atmosphere was filled with shattered timbers, bricks and mortar. The mul- titude hung upon the borders of this "vast sea of flame," few, comparatively, knowing what were the dangers and exertions of those who were within the range of the stifling smoke and scorch- ing heat. In less than nine hours from the beginning, more than twenty squares existed only in memory, and in the ascending columns of smoke and flame which covered the site of the city.
The Union Hotel burned like a furnace until the woodwork was nearly destroyed, when the huge walls, five stories high, pitched headlong into the street, and over the wrecks of neigh- boring dwellings, long before they reached the earth, completely lost in the flames and smoke which ascended from below. So intense was the heat that jets of water poured from the hose became instantly converted into steam, or were licked up by the
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thirsty flames. Nothing less than a river of water could have quenched them. But the saddest sight of all was the destruction of brave but bewildered men, who, finding themselves suddenly surrounded by fire, rushed, staggering and uncertain, from flame to flame, in hopeless efforts to escape, until strangled and scorched, they withered and fell in full view of thousands who were entire- ly powerless to save them. Others, after battling the remorseless demon inside of what they considered fire-proofs, finding their efforts to save the buildings vain, endeavored to escape, but too late. The doors and window blinds were red hot, and in some instances could not be opened, and the last chance of safety failed. The sensations excited by gazing upon the blackened remains of poor humanity, as they burned amid the coals in the cellars, the next day after the fire, still beyond the reach of all who viewed them, are indescribable, and such as none could de- sire to experience for the second time.
People could not speak their thoughts. Feeling predomi- nated over thought. Within eighteen months, they had seen the finest part of the city sink away four times before the destroying angel, leaving only ashes behind. But with all the experience which they had given, the people were not prepared for the fifth terrific visitation which laid the city once more in the dust. The grandeur of the scene was beyond belief. Descriptions by the pen would be but dark lines, and the painter has not found the colors, nor the light and shade which could do it justice. The result, when a few hours had passed, was before all eyes, except those which the dreadful devastation had burned into silence for ever, amid the cinders, rubbish and smouldering heaps of broken walls. The dead alone were blind to the desolation which reigned where joyousness had so lately run riot. A few hours before, the moon and stars had looked down from their tranquil heaven upon beautiful edifices and thronging men, upon gorgeous saloons and hopeful occupants, brilliantly illuminated resorts of bright faces and happy hearts. Now, the wreaths of smoke rising upwards from cinders and dust, told wealth had turned to rubbish, and hope to ashes. It was a terrible blow upon the city. Its progress seemed stopped, its prosperity paralyzed. The destruc- tion had been greater than that of all the previous fires combined.
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
Immense amounts of goods were destroyed, and many anticipated that for years the effects would be painfully apparent. But even then there were those who thought differently, and they were of the majority. One thus expressed the general sentiment the day after the fire : "So great is our confidence in the natural location and advantages of this place, and in the recuperating energies of our fellow citizens, that we do not for a moment hesitate to say that San Francisco will rise again and occupy the position which nature evidently intended her to fill and adorn. Our recovery will not be as rapid as heretofore, perhaps, but it will be. Of this fact, neither our own citizens nor our friends abroad need doubt. There is hope enough, energy enough, determination enough among us to do it. California possesses in her resources the in- herent ability, and San Francisco has in her position, that which, aided by the labor and indomitable perseverance of the American people, will bring her out of even this last and most crippling misfortune. It will take time and energy, bold hearts and will- ing hands, hopefulness and patience to do it, but it will be done." The spirit which could exist and speak thus after twenty squares of a city which was not two years old were but a mass of smoking ruins, and those squares constituting nearly all the settled portion of the city, was equal to any contingency. And it proved itself so, and fully substantiated the confidence and expression of the writer.
As a complete calamity there was scarcely a parallel. There had probably never been another so entire a destruction of a city since the burning of Moscow. More than three quarters of it had been blotted out. The destruction of property, the loss of life, the suffering, the privation, the ruin-complete a picture of so much misery as makes the heart ache to think of it. The loss could scarcely be exaggerated. One had to speak of millions. It was the greatest by far of any which had visited the city, and it was the more disheartening because of its following so closely upon the track of the others. Almost the entire city had been the product of Californian industry. Very little foreign capital had been employed in erecting the buildings and improving the streets. It was the result of labor performed in one shape or another within the country itself. And it was a painful and
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disheartening circumstance to have all this blotted out in a sin- gle night.
DUPONT ST.
PORTSMOUTH SQUARE
KEARNEY ST.
SUMMER
ST.
sr.
ST.
MONTGOMERY ST.
PINE ST.
CALIFORNIA
LUIDESDORF
CLAY ST.
WASHINGTON
JACKSON ST.
PACIFIC ST.
BROADWAY
VALLEJO ST.
SAN SOME ST.
BATTERY ST.
WHARF
ONG WHARF
WHARF
WHARF
WHARF
Diagram of the burnt district, May 4th, 1851.
The rewards of such patient industry, of such active enter- prise, of such unremitting toil, had been accumulated within the short space of three years. San Francisco had been the world's wonder. There is no similar instance, perhaps, in the history of civilized society where so much had been accomplished, in so short a space of time. But the same causes which existed in the beginning were existent still. There were the same rich and ex- haustless mines, and the same trade which had made San Fran- cisco, in consequence of the gold, what she had been. So when the people reflected that human labor had done all this in three years, they were not cast down, but, like the apostle, thanked God, and took courage. It required even a greater calamity to defeat the progress of the city. It postponed, but did not pre- vent her commercial importance.
Her citizens met the disaster like men. The first shock naturally seemed to paralyze and drive them almost to despair. But when they reflected upon the causes which had made them, and remembered that they still existed, they resolved, and at once, to meet the calamity with fortitude, and to remedy it.
29
2
SACRAMENTO ST.
COMMERCIAL
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
True, there was something paralyzing in the array of twelve millions of dollars destroyed in one night. When one reckons up the columns of that sum, and reflects what a vast amount of human labor it represents, he is appalled at the idea of its sud- den destruction. But then it was recollected that not all this immense loss fell upon San Francisco and her citizens. The buildings destroyed had been theirs, but a large portion of the goods belonged elsewhere. This was one of the chances of trade, and however regretted, it was only just that they who had shared in the profits of the most lucrative trade in the world, should also share in its reverses.
The greatest misfortunes often bring a breath of consolation on their wings. So of this dreadful conflagration. The city had been crowded with goods. The enormous profits which the adventurers had realized, had induced many others to make large shipments. Thus a vast amount of goods filled the stores and storehouses, and the market was, as a natural consequence, dor- mant and ruinous. The fire came and furnished a market for a great portion of the stock, and although the returns for it made no very flattering balance in the ledger, still the enhanced value of what remained partially compensated for what had been lost. Consequently, business soon revived. Some had been ruined, many had lost every thing. But generally each one again buckled on his armor, and commenced the battle anew. And soon the city once more commenced arising from ashes and dust.
Within ten days, between two and three hundred buildings had been completed, or were in a fair state of progression, within the burnt district. About fifteen hundred buildings had been destroyed within ten hours. At nine o'clock, on the morning of May 4th, the last of that number was a bed of ruins ; but, by the 14th of the same month, fully one-fifth of the whole number destroyed was again fit for habitation and business, or were fast approaching that condition. Such determination, energy and perseverance soon swept out nearly all traces of the fire from the face of the city. And people with buoyant hearts hoped and trusted that the city had passed through her last great affliction. But another trial still awaited her and them. Still another fire anniversary approached. The 14th of June of the previous year
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THE GREAT FIRES.
had been signalized by a very disastrous conflagration, and the citizens feared a repetition of the frightful anniversary of the 4th of the preceding May.
Again it was whispered that the lawless gang of desperadoes who still infested the city had threatened to keep the anniversary of the fire of June 14th, 1850, in a manner suitable to the scenes of that day, and their own sentiments of hatred and revenge. Two days before, one of their number-Jenkins-had been hanged on the plaza by the enraged populace ; and that class of villains to which he belonged, it was said, had sworn vengeance. But great vigilance prevented the consummation of the fiendish attempt, if such was intended. However, this state of security was not to last long. Sunday, June 22d, came, with its winning call to peace, quiet and devotion. The bells were ringing out their invitation to prayer and praise, and the streets were filled with people on their way to public worship. Just then the bells changed their tone, and terror succeeded all feel- ings of devotion. The sixth great fire had commenced, and the buildings of nearly fifteen squares had felt the sun's light for the last time. People forgot the church and rushed to the scene of conflagration on the corner of Pacific and Powell streets. The prayer-book, the altar and the Bible, psalm, hymn and sermon, passed by unheeded, and the dreaded devastator's court took precedence of pew and pulpit, prayer and exhortation. An im- mense crowd was at once at the scene of disaster. The firemen were there, too, but no reservoirs were near, and the element had its will. Like Hercules it rose superior to all opposition. The flames were too rapid, and the heat in a short time became so intense that every person was driven from the vicinity. Build- ings were blown up, but that availed nothing. The shattered wreck was soon in a blaze, and burned with all the more intensity. Men contended with the flames until they could not breathe, and then left their offices and dwellings, and rushed into the streets, or upon the plaza. There, most melancholy sights met the view. Large portions of the goods removed there for safety, caught fire and were totally consumed. But the most horrible sight of all was that of two or three corpses, one of a man who, being sick, was removed in his bed to the plaza, and there died
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ANNALS OF SAN FRANCISCO.
while the fire was raging. Another was the trunk of a man burned to death, and partly consumed. The scene here was singular and terrific. Goods had been moved to it from all parts of the city, but they caught fire from the intense heat and cinders, and a third part of them were destroyed. Patients from the hospital, women and children, were gathered there, or hurried thence as from certain destruction.
BROADWAY
PACIFIC ST.
VIRGINIA ST.
JACKSON ST.
MASON ST
POWELL ST.
STOCKTON ST.
DUPONT
PORTSMOUTH SQUARE
KEARNEY ST.
MERCHANT ..
ST.
CLAY
ST.
PIKE
SACRAMENTO ST.
CALIFORNIA ST.
-
Diagram of the burnt district, June 22d, 1851.
There was no doubt that the fire was the work of an incendiary. No fire had been used about the house in which it commenced for any purpose whatever. As it progressed, the flames would suddenly start up in advance, and in one or more instances persons were de- tected in applying fire. It was any thing rather than a consoling thought that three or four millions of dollars should be destroyed, and thousands of people turned houseless into the streets, merely to gratify the hatred or love of robbery of a few scoundrels. In three or four hours all this sad work was done. Calculations, plans, comforts, hopes, people, were all sent a-begging. The burden, although it did not so much affect the mercantile por- tion of the community, fell heavily upon the middle classes and poor, and drove them in great numbers from the city. Some
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