I saw that
Holbrook, Merrill & Stetson's store was all on fire, and when I arrived
at Front Street I saw that the Commercial Block on the southeast corner
of Front and California streets (on the fifth floor of which was my
office), was not on fire. So I started to go toward the building. The
fire was then burning fiercely at the southeast corner of California and
Battery. I went to the entrance at 123 California Street and met the
janitor coming out, who said I could not go upstairs, as the building
was on fire on the fifth floor. However, I started slowly up. The sparks
were coming down into the open area in a shower, but there was no smoke
in the building, so I was sure that it was not on fire on the inside. I
got up to my room on the fifth floor and found the door would not come
open. I tried the door in the adjoining office of the American Beet
Sugar Company and found it open. From that room I got into mine. I
raised my shades, and the fire was blazing at Battery Street and
California, fully seventy-five feet high, and not more than three
hundred feet distant from me. I looked through the hall and rooms and
saw no smoke, and was sure that I was safe for a few minutes. As I
turned the combination of my safe to open it another shock of earthquake
came, which confused me a little, but I persevered and opened it. I had
a quantity of souvenirs and presents which had been given me in years
past.
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