consequential at having a little brief authority, and I was afraid they
would not hesitate to shoot on slight provocation. I felt provoked and
disgusted that I had to take such a risk to enter my own house. When I
returned, Mr. Merrill's house had been dynamited, and the two churches,
St. Luke's and the First Presbyterian, the Bradbury house at the corner
of Van Ness and California Street, and the Knickerbocker Hotel
adjoining, and the Gunn house, corner of Clay and Franklin, had shared
the same fate.

On getting into my house again, I saw that the Neustadter house, at the
corner of Sacramento and Van Ness, was half-consumed, but it had not set
on fire the Spreckels residence, and as at this time Mr. Merrill's
house, which had been dynamited the second time, was so demolished, I
felt that I could consider that my house had passed the critical time,
for I hoped that Mr. Merrill's house in burning would not endanger the
west side of Van Ness.

But now a new danger threatened. The range of blocks from the north side
of Washington Street to the south side of Jackson were on fire at Hyde
Street, and the flames coming toward Van Ness Avenue, with the
possibility of crossing. The Spreckels stable on Sacramento and also the
houses back of the Neustadter residence were now on fire. This, I knew,
would set fire to the three Gorovan cottages, two other two-story
houses, and the dynamited house of Mr. Gunn, all fronting on Clay
Street, between Van Ness and Franklin. So I watched from my front
window, the fire approach Van Ness between Washington and Jackson, then
going to my back window to see the threatened danger from Clay Street.
The Wenban residence, at the corner of Jackson and Van Ness, was well on
fire at 6:15; at 6:55 it fell in. The Clay-Street danger began at about
7:30 P. M.. At 8:15 the whole front as here described was blazing and at