from Kearney Street that it is inaccessible to any kind of vehicle, the
slope being at any angle little short of forty-five degrees. It is as
steep on the south side, and the only approach by carriage is from the
north. To this hill is due the pioneer cable railway, built in the early
'70's.

Here the "big four" of the railroad magnates--Stanford, Hopkins,
Huntington and Crocker--had put millions in their mansions, the Mark
Hopkins residence being said to have cost $2,500,000. These men are all
dead, and the last named edifice has been converted into the Hopkins Art
Institute, and at the time of the fire was well filled with costly art
treasures. The Stanford Museum, which also contains valuable objects of
art, is now the property of the Leland Stanford University. The
Flood mansion, which cost more than $1,000,000, was one of the showy
residences on this hill, west of it being the Huntington home and
farther west the Crocker residence, with its broad lawns and magnificent
stables. Many other beautiful and costly houses stood on this hill, and
opposite the Stanford and Hopkins edifices the great Fairmount Hotel had
for two years past been in process of construction and was practically
completed. On the northeastern slope of this hill stood the famous
Chinatown, through which it was necessary to pass to ascend Nob's Hill
from the principal section of the wholesale district.

This region of palaces was the next to fall a prey to the insatiable
flames. Early Thursday morning a change in the wind sent the fire
westward, eating its way from the water front north of Market Street
toward Nob's Hill. Steadily but surely it climbed the slope, and the
Stanford and Hopkins edifices fell victims to its fury. Others of the
palaces of millionairedom followed. Huge clouds of smoke enveloped the
beautiful white stone Fairmount Hotel, and there was a general feeling