At 11:30 A. M. of Thursday from my window I could see blazes on Jones
Street at Clay, and southerly as far as Sutter and Leavenworth. About
this hour, although the fire did not reach here until after 3 o'clock,
the soldiers and police drove the people from their stores and houses on
Polk Street. Johnson & Co. were ordered out and not permitted to return
to save books and papers, although they begged permission to do so. I
think the Pleasanton was on fire at about this time. At noon the flames
were continuous from Clay, on Jones, to California. At 1:30 it had
almost reached Hyde and Clay, and was continuous from that point to Polk
and Sutter, the blaze reaching from 50 to 75 feet high. At 2:30 it was
approaching Van Ness at Hyde and Washington, and reaching south as far
as Sutter and Van Ness. I was in my front room watching with my
field-glass, house after house take fire and the long line as I have
just described. I saw many pigeons flying wildly about, seeking some
place of safety. As it approached Van Ness it did not burn north of
Washington Street. The wind being northwest, and Van Ness Avenue 125
feet in width, I felt sure the fire would not cross. While the fire was
thus raging, the thought came to me, How fast in value is property being
consumed? - and as I looked at the line of flame, I remember I thought
it must be as much as a million dollars an hour.
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