CALIFORNIA. TERRIBLE CONFLAGRATION ! IMMENSE DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY! LOSS $3,000,000. (From the "San Francisco Herald,"Monday, June 23)

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 559, 23 August 1851, Page 3

CALIFORNIA. TERRIBLE CONFLAGRATION ! IMMENSE DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY! LOSS $3,000,000. (From the "San Francisco Herald," Monday, June 23 )

Our ill-fated city, though just recovering fiotn the disaster of the 3rd of May, was a»ain visited yesterday morning by a tenible conflagration, which swept uuchecked fiom Powel to bansome Street in one direction, and from Broad "vay to Clay in the otlier. The h're broke out about fifteen minutes before eleven, a. m., in a frame bouse on the north side of Pacific, and about twenty yards from Powell Street. It is asserted that it was the work of an incendiary. Alarm was instantly given, and the dread ciy in a few moments drew thousands to the spot. The wind was blowing strongly at the time, but during the pj ogress of the lire, as is always the casa, lose almost to a gale. The first building was soon in flames, which spread like wildfire to those adjoining on Pacific Street. The g.illant firemen were soon upon the giound, but their efforts were powerless before the raging element. 1 n that section of the city, too, there was no water, and the engines weie at th.it point of the course unable to stay the fl-imes. Down Pacific Street sped the fiery storm, stopped not for a second, but on, on it drove beloie the now fast rising winds to Washington, In the meantime, while thus extending south, it was spieading north and east. —'I he hook-and-ladder companies worked like lipioes, while, tearing down tho tiame bouses in advance of the fire to stop its pi ogress —but it was of no use. Such was the feaiful lnpulity of the scouige, that twenty minutes sufficed foi it to pass from one sdeet to another. Moreover, thd buiniug hrandb and spaiks, boms high up into the an, nli»btpd upon bouses a square fiora the scene of the conlLigiatmn, and thus at one time we saw tueetrio'ii different buildings, several hundred yards upurt burning at (lip s.ime time. About half paM twelve o'clock the flames had complete possession of Washington Street on the Plaza. — Despite eveiy eftbrr, it crossed over to the houses at the northwest cornor of the Pla/^.i, consumed the old Adobe, occupied by Uurgoyne & Co., and oihoifa, together with some half-a-dozen houses between that and Dupont Stieet. It v,as stopped on the south side by

untiring industiy, at the County Bitildtti", occupied b\ Justice fwcOJowan and immeioii"? ollicis. it w.is now making feaiful headway tow aids Montgomery Street. The Alia California office withstood the flames for a while, but it too lejl before the fiery blast that swept around ll. — The new Jenny Lind Theatre on the Square was consumed. All the bouses on both sides of Washington between Kearny and Montgomery, except the Verandah, El Dorado, and Burgoyne'a new banking house shared the same fate. The small frame on Montgomery Street upon tho site of Delmonieo's took fire, and the blocic on the opposite side of the street w<is in imminent danger for a long time, but by the trenien - dous exorlions of the citizens it was saved. At this point the fire was stopped, but it extended still further down Washington Street as far as Jones' Alley, consuming Cobb & Co.'a auction house on the east side of that alley. Towards the north every thing went clown before the flames. At Broadway it was stopped. Sansome Stieet seemed doomed, but it too escaped— the fire stopping at its eastern limit about balf a square from that street. The boundaries of the fire are as follows :— beginning at the bouse where the fire started, situated a short distance from the north-east corner of Powell and Pacific streets, it extended along tbe east side of Powell ami Broadway, sparing some half dozen houses at the southeast corner of Powell and Broadway ; down the south side of Broadway to Kearney, destroying every bouse except Tattersall's Livery Stable at the corner of Kearney and Broadway; along the west side of Kearney to a point just opposite the City Hall, where it crossed the street to the Court Exchange ; from that point it extended towards the water by a line about midway between Pacific and Broadway, and parallel with Pacific to Montgomery ; from Montgomeiy, following the same line to Ohio street; along the west side of Ohio to Pacific ; from a point in Pacific, opposite the entrance of Ohio southwardly, to Jackson ; up the north side of Jackson to Jones's alley, sparing Bidleman's warehouse and four frame buildings at the corner of Montgomery and Jackson streets ; along the west side of Jones's alley to Washington, consuming Cobb & Co.'s auction house on the east side of the alley ; up the north side of Washington to Montgomery ; from Washington to Clay, no house on Montgomery was burnt except the small frame before spoken of, on the site of Delmonico's ; on the north side of Clay, fi<om Montgomery to Kearney, all the frame buildings were destroyed between Kelsey, Smith & Risley's and the California Exchange ; from Clay to Washington, og the Plaza the Jenny Lmd Theatre was the only building burnt ; along the north side of Washington, the fire extended to the Baptist Chapel, two doors from Stockton; along the east side of Stockton to Jackson; up the north side of Jackson to Powell ; along the east side of Powell to Pacific, the place of beginning. This space extends six streets from east to west, and five from north to south, including ten entire squares and the major part of six others. The principal buildings that were burnt are the elegant new Piesbyteuan I Church of the Ptev.Mr. Williams, on Stockton street; the large brick building on the corner of Jackson and Dupont streets, occupied on the second floor as the armory of the First California Gaurd ; the Adobe on the Plaza, the " Alta California" office, the Jenny Lind Theatre, City Hall, City Hospital and the fine new four story brick building of Messrs. Markw aid & Casper in Jackson street, near Kearny. Those saved within the burnt district were the Bella Union building.", Custom House, Verandah, El Dorado, California Exchange, all the fire-proof houses on Montgomery street between Wahington and Clay, Bolton, Barrons and Co.'s b uildmgs on Merchant street, Kelsey, Smith & Risley's, and Bidlemau's. On Merchant street, the Union Saloon and the houses opposite, to the astonishment of every body, escaped. It was expected at one time that the Posloffice would go, and a general movement of papers and valuables was made, but fortunately, the fire stopped at the county building. The Armory of the California Guard wis consumed. They succeeded, however, in saving their arms, and accoutrements, which were taking charge of by their commander Captain Howard, and conveyed to a place of safety in his fire-proof building m Montgomery street. The City Hall, towering four stories high and built of combustible materials, burnt like a fieice volcano. The sight presented as the flames obtained possession and shot high up into the air, was grand beyond description. All the officers of the Courts and of the city government, succeeded in saving their records. The piisoners in the Station House were removed. All those who were confined for trivial offencea were put to work removing documents, books, &c, and then released. Offenders of a deeper dye were added to those already in the County Prison. The City Hospital soon after took fire, and here tbe scene of distress as the unfortunate inmates — some ninety in number— were brought out, was harrowing. Many who were burnt in the former fire and the explosion of the steamer New World, were still under treatrapnt. By the untiring exertions of Dr. Chaping, Mr. John Cotter, and a number of other benevolent persons, they were all removed without any serious accident. With a liberality worthy of all praise, Dr. John Baldwin has tendered for the use of the city his extensive buildings on North Beach for ths accommodation of the patients of the Hospital. The Custom House was in great danger at one time, not being furnished with iron window shutters, and the Collector, assisted by his numerous officers, removed all the books and papers. The vaults were so secure that it was not touched. We have heard of but one death by burning — tbe name we could not learn ; several others were slightly burned, but in no case dangerously. One poor fel low who had been sick, was found early in the day lying exhausted in the Plaza. While the benevolent were removing him from the spot upon a mattrass, he turned over and breathed his last. The terror and excitement of the fire added to his previous illness was the cause. lie had been staying at the Stadt Hamburg, and was, it is said, a wealthy man. The destruction of property it is difficult to estimate, but it must range from two to three million dollars. Numerous attempts were made to check the [progress of the flames, by blowing up the houses in advance, but it did no good ; besides, owing to the small siock in the city, it was very difficult to get powder, — the quantity obtained being insufficient lor the purpose. Ihe Mayor and Engineers were on the ground doing their best to exti' guish the iire. Whether the fire originated through accident or design, upon which opinions are divided, it seems that several persons weie apprehended during its progress setting fire to houses which the flames had not yet reached. They were taken off" and deliveted up to the Committee of Vigilance Several also were seized in the act of stpahng, and carried to the rooms of the committee on BattPry street. The committee were in session, engaged in the examination of the cases fiom 12 o'clock, m., until a late hour. A Frenchman emerging from his bouse with a load of vnluables in his arms, saw a man applying; fiie to some shavings; he diopped his load to get at his revolver to shoot the scoundrel, but before he could do so the man had fled.- We are informed that a house in Pacificstieet near Montgomery, was found on fire before the flainea had reached Dupont street. An immense quantity of furniture and valuables was placed on the Plazi: owing to the presence of piles of shavings they caught fire atone time, which threatened, to spread across to the other side of Clay street. One man on Montgomery street became exasperated atMhose around, and drawing a revolver fired three times at different persons. A ball passed through the hat of one, but fortunately injured nobody. As soon as the fire broke out, Burgoyne 6c Co. removed all their papeis and books down to their rault in their new banking house at the corner of Montgomery and Washington streets. — None of the other bankers were burnt out. The "Alta California" was the only newspaper that suffered. A little child about eighteen months old was picked up in the street by a gentlemen and loft at the Napoleon Restaurant, on Kearny Street. 'J he parents are unknown. The child remains at the same jilac . As well as she can be understood, her name is Eliza. Since the above was written, we have heard the names of two peisons who were burnt to death. Mr. Bach, of the firm of Bach, Barnett & Co., and Mi. Lyon, A man was shut dead by an officer in Bush street, for plundering the piopeity placed thci« by the s>ui(eiers in the fire. We understand that after full examination, a man anosted Hnd carried to the room of the Vigilance Committee, for lobbery during the fare, was adjudged " not guilty," and promptly leleased. We are infoim/>d that Mr. Snnchez in Sacramento street, discoveied about '2 o'clock, some villain attempting to set fire to his piemises. He fired at him, but without eftect. The inccndiaiy escaped.