Collection: Books and Periodicals

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Title: 1895 Pictorial History of Nevada County, California (979.437 COM (622.342 NEV, PH 1-4))(2000) Collection Type: Books and Periodicals Catalog #: 979.437 COM (622.342 NEV, PH 1-4) Author: W. F. Prisk, J. E. Poingdestre, and Samuel Butler. Foreword and index by David A. and Ardis H. Comstock. Publisher: Grass Valley: Comstock Bonanza Press Related Items: Directories > Nevada County Mining Review (622.342.NEV)(1895) Pamphlets > Grass Valley and Vicinity (PH 1-4)(Circa 1895) Published: 2000 Copyright: In the public domain or published before 1925 Subjects: Nevada County, Grass Valley, Nevada City, Mines, Mining Industry, Who's Who, 19th Century, 1890s Notes: Full title: 1895 Pictorial History of Nevada County, California: Reissue of "Nevada County Mining Review" compiled by William Frederick Prisk Jr. and the staff of the Grass Valley Daily Morning Union and "Grass Valley and Vicinity" compiled by J. E. Poingdestre with an historical sketch by Samuel Butler: To which has been appended a new foreword and a comprehensive index compiled by David A. and Ardis H. Comstock. vi, 186 pages. # of Pages: 194 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Metadata By: Bill Wetherall Printed or handwritten: All printed text Date Scanned: 2024-07-21 19:24:05 Scanning Equipment: CZUR Book Scanner Item Sourced From: TIFs First Created: 2024-08-07 22:21:34 Last Updated: 2024-12-07 05:53:36

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

Page: of 194  

NEVADA COUNTY MINING REVIEW Grass Valley had its full share of destructive fires in the early days of its existence. Of late years, however, but few big fires have occurred, the chief reasons being the splendid work done by our fire department and the excellence of our water system. ‘The first big fire, and the most destructive one in the history of the town, occurred on the night of September 13, 1855. About 11 o’clock of that night a fire was discovered in the United States Hotel on lower Main Street, which rapidly spread to the adjoining buildings. Despite the heroic efforts of the citizens, the fire swept over thirty acres of ground, destroying three hundred buildings and causing a loss of $400,000. The citizens fought all night and never ceased until the flames were subdued for want of material to live upon. In the business portion of town only two buildings escaped, the store of H. Silvester on Main Street and a block of three stores on Mill Street. The churches and Temperance Hall were saved by reason of their being just beyond the limits of the fire. But the great loss did not dishearten the pioneers, and the work of rebuilding was commenced ere the ground had become cold. A. Delano (Old Block) the agent for Wells, Fargo & Co., whose vault had withstood the intense heat, had a building moved onto the location of the burnt one and in eight hours after the alarm had been sounded, ‘‘Old Block’’ was at his counter, ready for business. On August 9, 1860, the town was visited by another destructive fire, causing a loss of $40,000. The fire started on lower Main Street about 9 P.M. in an unoccupied bowling alley and spread rapidly. Nevada Hose Co. No. 2, saw the light of the flames and arrived with their cart just as the local department had gained control of the flames. Almost all of the buildings on Main Street below Loutzenheiser’s store, including the Commercial and the Wisconsin Hotels, were destroyed. The fire was supposed to be of incendiary origin, several arrests were made, but no convictions resulted. One of the early fires which deserves mention was the burning of the Washington Hotel in Boston Ravine, in September, 1852. The fire ARTHUR POWELL CHIgF ENGINEER GRASS VALLEY FIRE DEPARTMENT 5 stes occurred in the night and a woman named Mury Mahoney and her daughter were burned to death. This fire was also supposed to have been an incendiary one. Patrick Mooney was suspected of the crime, arrested, tried for arson, but was acquitted. About 4 o’clock in the afternoon of June 11, 1862, a fire was discovered in Schultz’s carpenter shop, adjoining the office of the old Grass Valley National on Main Street. A number of wooden buildings were consumed and the loss was estimated at $24,000. On August 15, 1862, about two months after the previous conflagration, a fire broke out in the Center Market, on the north side of Main Street, and spread with great rapidity to the adjoining wooden buildings. Protection Hose Co., assisted by a large number of volunteers, finally subdued the flames. The Exchange Hotel (at present the Holbrooke House), then but partly finished, was on fire several times, but wassaved. The loss at this fire was $40,000. For several years Grass Valley was almost free from fires of any extent, but about 2 o’clock of the morning of July 5, 1873, a fire broke out among the wooden buildings at the corner of Main and Church Streets, opposite the Holbrooke House, and destroyed all the buildings down Main Street for a distance of one hundred feet, from the corner of Church Street. The loss was $14,000. On September 17, 1877, Chinatown was almost totally destroyed by fire, but the loss was not very great, as the buildings were of the cheapest character. Since that time but few fires of any magnitude have occurred, and the loss from fire during the year is very light as shown by the annual reports of the Fire Marshals for the past fifteen years. The property in this city is well insured at low rates, and the loss to the companies carrying the insurance has been proportionately small. Hydrants are stationed at convenient distances throughout the city, the companies are well equipped with carts, hose, etc., the fire laddies are active young men, and the city is indeed fortunate in having so good a fire department.