FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE FIRE AT SAN FRANCISCO. [From the "Sydney Morning Herald," July 8.]

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 551, 26 July 1851, Page 4

FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE FIRE AT SAN FRANCISCO. [From the " Sydney Morning Herald," July B.]

Br the Creole, we have received intelligence from San Francisco to the 16th of May. San Francisco on the 4th of May was again burnt to ashes. Within the previous eighteen month 3 the finest parts of the city had been four j times destroyed; but this last conflagration was j worse in its results than all the previous fires i combined. The ravages are thus described : — "Commencing on the west Bide of Portsmouth | Square, it extended down Clay Street ; then to the east, I along the south side of Kearny, to Jackson ; down the west side of Jackson to Montgomery; along the south side of Montgomery, to Pacific; down Pacific, to Sansome ; along Sansome, to Broadway ; thence diagonally, over the high ground to Clarks Point, nearly to Vallejo; thence eastward, across Battery, to the Bay j thence, following the shore of the Bn'y, to Battery, leaving the two corners on the north side of Battery and Pacific ; thence westwaid, along the north side of Battery, across Jackson, Washington, and Clay Streets, to Long "Wharf; down that beyond the Whiteball House, about htlf-way to Front Street. From the place of the fire beginning, the boundary runs up Clay nearly to Dupont ; thence west to Sacramento ; down the west side of Sacramento, to Kearny; westward, south side of Kearny, to Summer Street ; down that, to Montgomery; west, along Montgomery, to Pine; down Pine, to Sansome ; east, along Sansome, crossing California — sparing a corner on each side of Sansome ; thence down California, to Battery; eastward, along Battery, to Long Wharf. Nearly every building within this line, a distance of over a mile north-east and southwest, by half a mile from north-west to south-east, was destroyed. Eighteen large squares, excepting a £nw buildings, and large portions of five or six others, have been completely destroyed. The plank-streets are ruined, and in many places entirely impassable, except on foot. Such is this anniversary of the great fire of May 4th, 1850. The loss is estimated at twenty million dollars ; but as a proof of the sanguine temperament of our American friends, we give the following philosophical reflections of oar contemporary the /ilia California ;—

There has jprobably never been so complete a destruction of a city by fire as the destruction of San Francisco, since the burning of Moscow. If one obaerves on the map how wide a space has been swept by the flames, he will see that more than three-quarters of it has 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. It would seem impossible to exaggerate the loss. We must speak of millions when we estimate it. It is the greatest by far of any we have suffered yet, while it is the more disheartening because it has followed in go short a space of time upon the others with which we have been visited — yet when we reflect that human labour accomplished all this in the abort space of three years, we need not be utterly cast down, but, like the good Apostle, " thank God and take courage!" Almost all, if not the entire city, is the product of California industry. 'Yeiy little foreign capital comparatively has been employed in erecting these buildings and improving .these streets. It was the result of labour performed m one shape or another within the country itself. Of course we are speaking of the city, and not of the merchandise contained in ir. Now, it certainly is a most painful circumstance to have all this blotted out in a single night. The rewards of such patient industry, of such active enterprise, of euch unremitting toil, were accumulated here in the short space of three years. San Francisco was tha world's wonder. There is no similar instance in the history of civilized society where so much has been accomplished in so short a period of time. But the same causes still exist which were found here in the beginning. The same rich and inexhaustible mines offer as large returns to the industry of men. The same trade will flow as naturally and -in a constantly augmenting current, to and from Calilornia, as that .which made San Francisco what she has been. It is not even so great and terrible a calamity as that which we have just suffered, that can defeat our destiny. It can only postpone for a few months longer the greatness — the commercial importance, we must inevitably achieve. The citizens of San Francisco will meet this disaster like men. It is natural that the first shock should seem to paralyse their efforts and almost drive them to despair. But when they reflect upon the causes which made them what they were, and remember that theso still exist and are actively at work to replace them in their former condition, they will by no means succumb to misfortune, but meet the fires with a resolute and determined courage. While they have to regret such heavy losses themselves, they are by no means without companions in misfortune; and if "misery loves company," they have it in-almostthe entire commercial world, which has sent such -laige adventures to this port. Suppose the destruction of property to be equal to twenty millions of dollars; all this loss cannot fall upon San Francisco alone, but is shared in — unfortunately for them — by those merchants who have sent merchandise here to be sold upon commission. In a message from the Mayor to the Common Council, the terrible disaster is thus referred to : — The unexampled growth and prosperity of San Francisco are not attributable to accident or fictitious circumstances — they are founded on her -unrivalled commercial position, inexhaustible mineral, metallic, and agricultural resources, and the unparalleled energy, courage, aud business capacity of her population. The causes which have, as it weie, reproduced three cities within the space of twelve months, each on the smoking ruins of Us predecessor, have, during that period, increased almost in a geometrical proportion, and give unquestionable assurance that the ruins by which we are at present surrounded will booh give place to such permanent structures as will meet the wants of our increasing commerce, and give entire security in future. The disasters, therelore, which have befallen our city in, such quick succession, when lightly considered, should be regarded at home and, abroad not as a proof of irreparable misfortune, but as the indubitable evidence of inherent recuperative power, which no similar or ordinary calamity can retard or destroy. The loss of life was very great, but the latest papers do not even give an approximation to the amount. To add to the gloomy account, another most destructive fire had broken out at Stockton, which town, with the exception of three or four buildings, was destroyed by fire on the 30th of April. It is stated that this fire was the work of an incendiary, whose aim was to rescue the prisoners from the county gaol. This design, however, failed •, the wind being unpropitious^ for the diabolical project; but unhappily turning the flames upon the town. The fire, says the Stockton Journal, originated in a new and beautiful house just opened under the name of the Merchant:*' Hotel, formerly known as the Branch, and beyond a doubt was the work of an incendiary, it is supposed that some miscreant intended by this diabolical means, to succeed in releasing the prisoners now confined in the county gaol ; but the purpose failed in its accomplishment, as the winds proved unpropitious, and turned the course of the devastating element'upon more precious and costly fuel to satisfy its long slumbering rage. From the point at which it originated, the fire swept up Levee Street, prostrating Montgomery's stately auction establishment, the large and magnificent El Placer building, tho El Dorado, Hotel de Mejlco, Drs. Clements and Heine's drug store, Dickinson House, and all the buildings on those two central squares. 'From thence it spread across to the Central House, and in three-quarters of an hour from the first alarm, our large threestory building was enveloped in flames. By the most strenuous exertions we succeeded in saving our press and printing material, though in a very damaged condition. The occupants of the Stockton Club lloom succeeded in saving their buildings, though they were in imminent danger. Every mercantile house in Levee Street and Main Street, all in Centre Street, all in El Dorado Street but two, and every house in Hunter Street, save three, was destroyed. In looking carefully through the lists of the sufferers by these fires, we have not seen any names that axe known to us. As an additional proof of the indomitable spirit of the Californians, we quote the following paragraph in reference to the conflagration of San Francisco, penned only four days after its occurrence :—: — Rfcuperative Operations. — The symptoms of recuperation, in the way of clearing the ruins and commencing the work of rebuilding of the city, which met the eye of an observer all over the burnt district yesterday, was as cheering and consolatory as the sight of the first reviving verdure springing from the blackened surface of a burnt [prairie. The ashes were scarcely extinguished, when in some sixty places the ground was cleared, and temporary buildings of greater or less dimensions were in progress of erection; and before night the majority of them were nearly finished. The streets are being repaired. Lumber is abundant, and waggons are crowding every passable thoroughfare with planking, joists, and scantling, in all directions. The city resembles a hive of bees, after it has been wrecked or rifled. The bees at once go to work with perfect order, system, and organization, to clear away the ruins and to re-construct their cellular store-houses and abodes with the utmost precision and indefatigable perseverance. So let it ever be with the hive of American enterprise, and no calamity will ever prostrate its energies, or be deemed insurmountablet