I went to
California Street, then to Hyde, then to Pine. From Pine and Leavenworth
I could see that the fire was at that hour burning along O'Farrell from
Jones to Mason and on the east side of Mason Street. The St. Francis
Hotel was on fire. I went from Pine and Mason to the Fairmont Hotel at
California and Mason. The hill is very steep between these streets, and
many people, having exhausted themselves, were sleeping in the street on
the paving-stones and on mattresses. I did not think the fire would pass
beyond the Fairmont Hotel, as there was hundreds of feet of space
between the front or eastern side of the hotel, and any other building.
But the fire passed up beyond the hotel on Sacramento Street until it
reached a point where the hotel was at the leeward of the flames. The
hotel was not finished and in the northeast corner were kept the
varnishes and oils, which very much aided in the destruction of the
building. From California and Mason Streets I could see that old St.
Mary's Church, on the corner of California and Dupont Streets and Grace
Cathedral, on the corner of California and Stockton, were on fire. To
the north, Chinatown was in a whirlpool of fire. I returned home on
California Street and Van Ness Avenue. Both streets were thronged with
men, women, and children - some with bundles, packages, and
baby-carriages; but the usual method was to drag a trunk, which made a
harsh, scraping noise on the sidewalk.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25