11

Factories and warehouses south of Market, when
made of brick were just empty half or quarter
shells, tottering. I kept hurrying, and the
hot day, sultry with smoke, and the big overcoat
I carried, helped the perspiration of anticipation,
I dripped from every pore. Guerrero St. at Castro
runs into Laguna - which was the western limit of
the fire as far as Ellis McAllister - then the blaze
was fought back to Octavia, along this to Ellis, and
thence along Van Ness - I dropped over to Gough
at Golden Gate Ave - where that park is - then full
of people, in some shelter of blankets, or without any.
Soldiers everywhere, and the Red Cross badge. -

Looking up Gough from Geary I could see that
Dan'l Meyer's house was safe, and then began to
hope for 1819 - at Bush - lo! the damage had been
extended past Franklin St. and I confess to running
up those hills until the gables of our house came in
view - they had dynamited around Trinity Church,
so there was no telling how we stood until the last
minute - I tore up the front steps and found the
front door fastened with the chain only - back door locked
and side gate open - Here I encountered the piles of
debris from the balcony and conservatory, and for a
minute thought the back of the house was out.