History of Nevada County, California (979.437 THO)(1880) (384 pages)

to the intense heat from without. What their feelings must have been, when they found the roof above them on fire and the certainty of a horrible death staring them in the face, can better be imagined than deseribed.” These gentlemen entered the building, which stood on Broad street, was owned by Kidd & Knox and was the first brick building erected in the city, to close the iron shutters. With them was ‘I’. E, Beans, who with Mr, Fletcher went up to the second floor to close the shutters there. The fire by this time was burning fiercely on both sides of the building, and Mr. Beans, who feared that retreat was eut off below, calling upon Vletcher to follow him, made a hazardous leap from the window upon @ shed, and escaped, Mr. Fletcher either feared to take the leap or thought the building would withstand the flames, and closed the shutters, The friends of the imprisoned young men inade strenuous efforts to save the building and rescue them, but all hope was ended by the explosion of a number of kegs of powder, that sent the building toppling in ruins to the ground, Several days after the bodies of the unfortunate victims were found in the cellar, buried under the ruins, whither they had probably retreated upon finding all hope of escape cut off from above. A leading merchant, Peter Hendrickson, was burned in his brick store on Broad street, where it is thought he had intentionally remained, considering it fire-proof. John Yates, a member of the firm of Yates & Tallman, was burned in a brick building on Commercial street. Mr. Thomas, a saloon-keeper, and William Wilson, a plasterer, died the following day from the effects of burns, The remains of two unknown men were found amid the ruins, one on Broad and one on Commercial street, William I’, Anderson, editor of the Democrat, and Geo. A. Young were severely burned while escaping from a brick building on Broad street, but finally recovered. A relief committee was immediately organized by the citizens to relieve the necessities and ameliorate the sufferings of the hundreds so suddenly deprived of both house and clothing. . Those who had been so fortunate as to live beyond the reach of the flames generously threw open their houses for the reception . of the houseless, while many in the city and sympathizing . friends from without contributed to a relief fund, which the committee wisely and judiciously expended. Spurred on to some protective measures by the great calamity so recently experienced by the city, the business men formed an organization, in August, 1856, for the protection of the city from fire. A detail of six persons was made each night to patrol the city and guard against fire. J. C. Malbon (King of Pungo) was appointed captain of this watch and devoted his entire attention to it. A committee of superintendence was appointed, of which Isaac Williamson was chairman. Those who joined the association were required to take their turn on HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY. CALIFORNIA. ee el watch once a month or to pay one dollar a month for the salary of the captain and other expenses. As freedom from fires instilled into the minds of the citizens a false sense of security, this excellent organization was allowed to die out from apathy. From this state of lethargy the people were again violently aroused by the dread alarm of fire. On Sunday, May 23, 1858, a fire originated in a Chinese wash house on Broad street near Commercial, and although the alarm was immediately given and strenuous efforts made to subdue the flames, they spread to other buildings. There being no fire department and no facilities whatever for fighting the flames, the fire gradually spread until . nearly all the wooden buildings on Commercial, Main and Broad . streets as far as the bridges were burned. All the fire-proof brick buildings stood the test and preserved their contents. . The progress of the fire was so slow that great quantities of property were conveyed to places of safety. Some of the build. ings burned had good cellars in which merchandise was stored and saved. The progress of the flames up Broad street was arrested by tearing down the building on the corner of Broad and Commercial streets. buckets of water the Methodist church, Union Hotel and some other wooden buildings in the path of the flames were saved. The court house was also preserved by the same means. But few residences were burned and there was consequently much losses were :— Mrs. C. A. Frisbie, theater, American Exchange and other buildings.... $ 15,000 A. Mau, Golden Gate Hotel. . Bsr aos cise s 7,000 J. C. Abbott, MUG SR Bete wage es soe cc 6,000 Mrs. Isabella Waters, building and jewelry. 6,000 Ee Weeissybuildings, ete. ..-.. 6,000 Mi, ISTE S70 IG Tle ae 5,000 DiOWPeNeyHOURGS access. «2.4.-.-. 5,000 cain penteeNe otal 6c. ees es a 4,000 L. Rebori, two houses and oad se aki, Oe. 4,000 M. Chauval, Hotel de France.... 4,000 J. B. Lobdell, livery stable and dwelling. 4,000 Thomas Marsh, five houses.. ... 4,000 J. C. Birdseye, two bldmiog= 2). i oe 4,000 William H. Orr, three houses and stock. . 4,000 Frank Shellhorn, DLE WARNS teers cn 2: 4,000 S. Oates, Monumental Hotel.... 4,000 AGAMA ets ie are is os 3,000 Ozias Walker, Virginia House. .. 3,000 Palmer & Perry, sash factoryiee souls 1,000 S. P. Stiles, Yankee Blade Hotel... 1,500Others Gsspap ere a ers eae oe 112,575 LATTES cag <a ee $207,075 . and T. W. Sigourney was elected Foreman. . Assistant Foreman; I. J. . Treasurer; Ed. Muller, Secretary. ———_——————_ After this lesson the people aroused themselves and did considerable able-bodied talking about a fire department. They even went so far as to informally organize a company. The ladies of Nevada gave a ball at the court house a year later, December 26, 1859, during a temporary revival of interest in this subject, the proceeds of which were to be devoted to the protection of the city from fire. The fund accumulated by the ladies was :— Receipts of Ball Expenses Sarah ens $1,179.00 255.50 $ 923.50 Proceeds of a theatrical benefit.. ., 149,00 Totalie:.cevccce cae tet eee nae $1,072.50 Notwithstanding this sum of money lay idle, no fire company was formed. Karly in 1860 the Nevada Water Company brought water . into the city, laying a pipe to the corner of Broad and Pine By the use of wet blankets and . streets. On May 20, 1860, a fire broke out that would have proved a serious one had it not been for the water just brought in, A piece of leaky hose was procured, and with this and wet blankets the fire was prevented from spreading. The Key. stone Hotel and three other buildings near the corner of Broad less suffering than after the previous fire. Some of the heavy . and Commercial streets, valued at $13,300, were burned, Another fire a few days later was extinguished by sending to Grass Valley for the hose company there. As yet the city had provided not even a piece of hose for fire purposes. The advantages of a hose company, so ably demonstrated by the two last fires, soon led to the formation of a five department. Nevada Hose Company, No. 1, was organized June 12, . 1860, N. E. Wheaton, Foreman; William Barton, Assistant Foreman; H. Hunt, President; W. H. Crawford, Treasurer ; M. H. Funston, Secretary. Wheaton resigned a month later, The company numbered forty-seven members. The next day, June 13, 1860, Eureka Hose Company, No. 2, was organized, W. P. Harrington, Foreman; J. B. Jeffrey, tolfe, President; James Monroe, Thirty-four members composed the company. Company No. 1 raised a subseription among the merchants of Main street, and purchased a four-— wheel hose carriage of a Sacramento company for $400. Company No. 2 raised $1,000 by subscription on Broad street, and purchased a hose cart. William Barton was elected Chief Engineer, June 26, 1860, and one thousand feet of hose were purchased. A Board of Delegates was organized, consisting of three members from each company. Protection Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1, was organized with thirty-seven members, June 23, 1860. Nevada Hose Company located on Main

to the intense heat from without. What their feelings must have been, when they found the roof above them on fire and the certainty of a horrible death staring them in the face, can better be imagined than deseribed.” These gentlemen entered the building, which stood on Broad street, was owned by Kidd & Knox and was the first brick building erected in the city, to close the iron shutters. With them was ‘I’. E, Beans, who with Mr, Fletcher went up to the second floor to close the shutters there. The fire by this time was burning fiercely on both sides of the building, and Mr. Beans, who feared that retreat was eut off below, calling upon Vletcher to follow him, made a hazardous leap from the window upon @ shed, and escaped, Mr. Fletcher either feared to take the leap or thought the building would withstand the flames, and closed the shutters, The friends of the imprisoned young men inade strenuous efforts to save the building and rescue them, but all hope was ended by the explosion of a number of kegs of powder, that sent the building toppling in ruins to the ground, Several days after the bodies of the unfortunate victims were found in the cellar, buried under the ruins, whither they had probably retreated upon finding all hope of escape cut off from above. A leading merchant, Peter Hendrickson, was burned in his brick store on Broad street, where it is thought he had intentionally remained, considering it fire-proof. John Yates, a member of the firm of Yates & Tallman, was burned in a brick building on Commercial street. Mr. Thomas, a saloon-keeper, and William Wilson, a plasterer, died the following day from the effects of burns, The remains of two unknown men were found amid the ruins, one on Broad and one on Commercial street, William I’, Anderson, editor of the Democrat, and Geo. A. Young were severely burned while escaping from a brick building on Broad street, but finally recovered. A relief committee was immediately organized by the citizens to relieve the necessities and ameliorate the sufferings of the hundreds so suddenly deprived of both house and clothing. . Those who had been so fortunate as to live beyond the reach of the flames generously threw open their houses for the reception . of the houseless, while many in the city and sympathizing . friends from without contributed to a relief fund, which the committee wisely and judiciously expended. Spurred on to some protective measures by the great calamity so recently experienced by the city, the business men formed an organization, in August, 1856, for the protection of the city from fire. A detail of six persons was made each night to patrol the city and guard against fire. J. C. Malbon (King of Pungo) was appointed captain of this watch and devoted his entire attention to it. A committee of superintendence was appointed, of which Isaac Williamson was chairman. Those who joined the association were required to take their turn on HISTORY OF NEVADA COUNTY. CALIFORNIA. ee el watch once a month or to pay one dollar a month for the salary of the captain and other expenses. As freedom from fires instilled into the minds of the citizens a false sense of security, this excellent organization was allowed to die out from apathy. From this state of lethargy the people were again violently aroused by the dread alarm of fire. On Sunday, May 23, 1858, a fire originated in a Chinese wash house on Broad street near Commercial, and although the alarm was immediately given and strenuous efforts made to subdue the flames, they spread to other buildings. There being no fire department and no facilities whatever for fighting the flames, the fire gradually spread until . nearly all the wooden buildings on Commercial, Main and Broad . streets as far as the bridges were burned. All the fire-proof brick buildings stood the test and preserved their contents. . The progress of the fire was so slow that great quantities of property were conveyed to places of safety. Some of the build. ings burned had good cellars in which merchandise was stored and saved. The progress of the flames up Broad street was arrested by tearing down the building on the corner of Broad and Commercial streets. buckets of water the Methodist church, Union Hotel and some other wooden buildings in the path of the flames were saved. The court house was also preserved by the same means. But

few residences were burned and there was consequently much losses were :— Mrs. C. A. Frisbie, theater, American Exchange and other buildings....... $ 15,000 A. Mau, Golden Gate Hotel. . Bsr aos cise s 7,000 J. C. Abbott, MUG SR Bete wage es soe cc 6,000 Mrs. Isabella Waters, building and jewelry. 6,000 Ee Weeissybuildings, ete. ....-.... 6,000 Mi, ISTE S70 IG Tle ae 5,000 DiOWPeNeyHOURGS access.. «2.4.-.-. 5,000 cain penteeNe otal 6c. ees es a 4,000 L. Rebori, two houses and oad se aki, Oe. 4,000 M. Chauval, Hotel de France....... 4,000 J. B. Lobdell, livery stable and dwelling.. 4,000 Thomas Marsh, five houses... ..... 4,000 J. C. Birdseye, two bldmiog= 2). i oe 4,000 William H. Orr, three houses and stock.. . 4,000 Frank Shellhorn, DLE WARNS teers cn 2: 4,000 S. Oates, Monumental Hotel....... 4,000 AGAMA ets ie are is os 3,000 Ozias Walker, Virginia House.. .... 3,000 Palmer & Perry, sash factoryiee souls 1,000 S. P. Stiles, Yankee Blade Hotel..... 1,500Others Gsspap ere a ers eae oe 112,575 LATTES cag <a ee $207,075 . and T. W. Sigourney was elected Foreman. . Assistant Foreman; I. J. . Treasurer; Ed. Muller, Secretary. ———_——————_ After this lesson the people aroused themselves and did considerable able-bodied talking about a fire department. They even went so far as to informally organize a company. The ladies of Nevada gave a ball at the court house a year later, December 26, 1859, during a temporary revival of interest in this subject, the proceeds of which were to be devoted to the protection of the city from fire. The fund accumulated by the ladies was :— Receipts of Ball Expenses Sarah ens $1,179.00 255.50 $ 923.50 Proceeds of a theatrical benefit.... ., 149,00 Totalie:.cevccce cae tet eee nae $1,072.50 Notwithstanding this sum of money lay idle, no fire company was formed. Karly in 1860 the Nevada Water Company brought water . into the city, laying a pipe to the corner of Broad and Pine By the use of wet blankets and . streets. On May 20, 1860, a fire broke out that would have proved a serious one had it not been for the water just brought in, A piece of leaky hose was procured, and with this and wet blankets the fire was prevented from spreading. The Key. stone Hotel and three other buildings near the corner of Broad less suffering than after the previous fire. Some of the heavy . and Commercial streets, valued at $13,300, were burned, Another fire a few days later was extinguished by sending to Grass Valley for the hose company there. As yet the city had provided not even a piece of hose for fire purposes. The advantages of a hose company, so ably demonstrated by the two last fires, soon led to the formation of a five department. Nevada Hose Company, No. 1, was organized June 12, . 1860, N. E. Wheaton, Foreman; William Barton, Assistant Foreman; H. Hunt, President; W. H. Crawford, Treasurer ; M. H. Funston, Secretary. Wheaton resigned a month later, The company numbered forty-seven members. The next day, June 13, 1860, Eureka Hose Company, No. 2, was organized, W. P. Harrington, Foreman; J. B. Jeffrey, tolfe, President; James Monroe, Thirty-four members composed the company. Company No. 1 raised a subseription among the merchants of Main street, and purchased a four-— wheel hose carriage of a Sacramento company for $400. Company No. 2 raised $1,000 by subscription on Broad street, and purchased a hose cart. William Barton was elected Chief Engineer, June 26, 1860, and one thousand feet of hose were purchased. A Board of Delegates was organized, consisting of three members from each company. Protection Hook and Ladder Company, No. 1, was organized with thirty-seven members, June 23, 1860. Nevada Hose Company located on Main