DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT SAN FRANCISCO.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 589, 26 March 1851, Page 3

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT SAN FRANCISCO.

[From the Herald, Dec. 16.] A fire broke out in the new iron building if Messrs. Cook, Brothers, and Company, on sacramento-street, between Montgomery and gpLeidesdorff-streets, on Saturday evening, at naif-past eight o’clock, which consumed a Barge number of buildings, and threatened destruction to the whole of this valuable portion |of the city. Jhe firemen and a large numgberof citizens were immediately on the ground, | strenuous exertions were made to confine the flames to the few buildings immediately the one in which the conflagration originated. Fortunately the tide was full, scarcely a breath of wind was stirring, which circumstance prevented a more extenEsive destruction of valuable property. The flames raged furiously, extending either way, gand consumed the large wooden building ocgcupied by Messrs. Butler and Baxter, on the corner of Leidesdorff-street, and that adjoining Messrs. Hawley, Sterling, and Co.’s warehouse, ou the west towards Montgomeryitreet. The building of Messrs. Cook, Brothers, and Co., in which the fire originated, vas unoccupied, although a large quantity of joods had just been stored in it, preparatory ;o occupation. The building occupied by Hawley, Sterling, and Co., and Totten and Eddy, vas on ire several times, but through the greatest txertions was saved. The stocks of these irms, consisting of hardware and groceries, yere very heavy, and may be set down as |||learly a total loss, from the effects of water ind removal. The flames were at this point topped in their progress up Sacramentoitreet, though the remainder of the stores as ar as Montgomery-street were completely mptied of their contents, and the building of )e Long, M'Neil, and Co., was partially raed. On the side towards Leidesdorff-street, be greatest exertions were necessary to preent the .flames from crossing the street. The fine zinc building of Joseph L. Folom, just erected in Leidesdorff-street, in orer to save it from entire destruction, was tartially razed. The flames were finally hemted in, and by half past nine o’clock all danof their further spread whs over* B It is impossible to give a correct estimate »f the individual or aggregate loss by this cagamity.r The buildings destroyed were mostlay wood, though substantial and large. The saguantity of gooda consumed was not large. H®lore damage was done by hurried removal ffian by fire. We think the loss may be estimated at from 100,000 dollars to 120,000 dollars. Messrs. De Long, M‘Nejl, and Co., fire losers to the amount of 10,000 dollars. « during the progress of the fire one or two ghtplosions occurred, and the cry of powder y as raised, which at one time caused considerable consternation. The explosions did damage, however, and were probably cauHed by the ignition of casks of spirits.