ENGINE NO. 28, STATIONED AT STOCKTON AND FRANCISCO STREETS On the morning April 18th our company had just returned to quarters after being on duty most all night, when the earthquake occurred. All letgoes dropped to the floor, and the horses ran out of their stalls; while we were adjusting things to their places, we received a still alarm and reported at once to the Gray Brick Yard, corner, Bay and Powell streets, where a fire had started, caused by a tall brick chimney falling on the brick kilns. I ordered Lieutenant J. McGowan to pull box #629 corner Stockton and Bay streets, but received no answer; he then tried box #197, Bay and Mason streets, and box 352 near Dupont [now Grant Ave.] and Bay streets, with the same results. The telephone at our quarters was tried but was out of order as we could get no reply.
Driver J. Sweeney then went to the quarters of Engine Co. No. 5 and Chemical
No. 5 to notify them of this fire. Engineer J. Pendergast was sent to notify
engines # 3-
While returning I tried the hydrant at Merchant and
Sansome streets, but received no encouragement as no water could be
obtained. Under orders of Acting Chief Dougherty our company, with Engines
No. 2 and 31, connected to the hydrant at California and Kearny streets, but
could find no water. We then connected to the cistern at California and
Dupont streets, and pumped same to the cistern at Montgomery and California
streets, and pumped all the water out of these cisterns. We also tried the
cisterns at Commercial and Montgomery and led to [the] cistern at California
and Montgomery streets and pumped water to California and Montgomery but
without success.
Battalion Chief M. O'Brien ordered us to detail three men to assist
Lieutenant [Raymond] Briggs of the Presidio, in dynamiting. I detailed
Lieutenant McGowan, A. Stoffer and A Bernstein; these men assisted in the
dynamiting which occurred on the south side of Clay St., along Leidestorff;
Commercial east of Montgomery along Leidesdorff; Sacramento east of
Montgomery along Leidesdorff to Halleck streets.
Battalion Chief O'Brien ordered out company to take up our hose, and stand
fast at Pine and Montgomery streets; we then received orders to go in line
at Sacramento and Dupont streets, and late Wednesday afternoon by leading
from Sacramento and Powell to Commercial and Kearny streets, we checked the
fire from spreading west until our water gave out We next reported to Acting
Chief Dougherty and were ordered to Bush and Dupont streets, where we
connected to the hydrant on the Northwest corner. We were able to obtain a
supply of water and led our line to the alley back of the California
Theatre. The northwest corner of Pine and Kearny streets was on fire, there
was also a couple of small fires back of the California Theatre. The wind
was blowing so hard that the fire spread very rapidly and we were forced to
move backward. It was here we lost some of our hose an came near losing our
engine. We took up the remainder of our hose and moved to Sutter and
Stockton streets, an after being ordered to move several times finally
arrived at the quarters of Engine No. 5 at about 2 a.m. April 19th.
After a short time we received orders from A. Ruef [Abraham Ruef, political
boss of San Francisco] to go to the cistern at Pacific and Kearny streets,
we led our line down Montgomery Ave. [now Columbus Ave.], and assisted by
Hose Co. No. 1 of Oakland and Chemical No. 3 put up a hard fight and saved
the Montgomery Block. About 7 a.m. Thursday, April 19th, A. Ruef returned
and ordered all hose taken off the wagon but one tier, with a detail of two
men he sent the wagon to the Lombard St. wharf to report to John Bermingham
of the Cal. Power Works. The men detailed to haul this
powder were acting Lieutenant J. McGowan and Hoseman A. Bernstein and they
were on duty until 9 p.m.
Our Engine was next ordered to Pacific and Stockton streets where a fire was
raging at the same time. While we were in this vicinity the southeast corner
of Jackson and Stockton streets was dynamited. Battalion Chief McClusky
ordered Hose Co. No. 1 of Oakland, with us, after we had pumped all the
water from the cistern, to proceed to Stockton and Broadway. Here we did
good work, and were able to stop the fire on the East side of Stockton at
the Nymphia [half-buried Gold Rush-era ship used as a house of
prostitution]. While here our Engine pumps gave out and we had to obtain a
relief engine from the Ferry Building [the Fire Department's Corporation Yard at Drumm and
Sacramento], and worked in this vicinity.
After the Prescott House was dynamited we stopped the fire from crossing to
the East side of Montgomery Ave. Under orders of Battalion Chief McClusky we
next connected with a saltwater line running from a fire tug stationed at
the foot of Stockton St., fourteen blocks to Broadway and Mason streets;
through three engines, obtaining our fresh water [for the engine's boiler]
from a cistern at Broadway and Stockton streets, but after J. Bermingham had
dynamited the southwest corner of Broadway and Stockton streets, the fire
crossed to the east side of Stockton St., and the north side of Broadway. We
left this vicinity about 9 p.m. April 19th.
About 2 a.m. Friday April 20th we received orders from Battalion Chief
McClusky to lead a line from the foot of Mason St., through three engines a
distance of eleven blocks to Taylor and Filbert streets. we were able to
obtain the necessary supply of fresh water and worked in this district until
driven out by the fire.
About 2 p.m. on Friday we received word from the Colonel of the 22nd
Infantry to lead a line from the foot of Powell St. to Chestnut St. We were
soon forced to abandon this position; the fire was spreading in our
direction very rapidly.
Battalion Chief McClusky at about 3 p.m. had ordered our Company to the
Presidio. The following day, Saturday [the] 21st I reported to Acting Chief
Dougherty that I was at the Presidio, and we remained there for several
days.
Act. Lieutenant J. McGowan Return to 1906 Earthquake and Fire Report. |