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THE
Mr. Stewart, all 01 them very cool and preparing
to remove as much of the stock as could be
removed at short notice, if the fire made it neces-
sary. George Chase was very much worried
about his father, Quincy A. Chase, who was re-
ported to have left his home at six o'clock in the
morning, and whom Mr. Chase, Jr., expected to
have gone to the wholesale department of the
firm on Mission street, which was already in
flames. However, I told Mr. Chase that in all
likelihood his father was safe, as it would have
been impossible to get near the wholesale de-
partment, even at that hour. (Later I found out
that Mr. Chase left home at six o'clock, but as
he lived in Oakland he could not get to San
Francisco, as all boats had been stopped.)
WILEY 15. ALLEN CO - S NEW HEADQUAK'lKltS ON VAX XESS
MUSIC TRADE! REVIEW
of the refugees. It was a sad sight. Everyone
looked miserable, but there was not one com-
plaint nor did I see one of the many women in
tears. There was a hush over everything; hardly
anyone said a word.
For about an hour we stood there looking at
the fire, seeing it approach the famous Palace
Hotel, until some time during the middle of the
afternoon the roof began to smoke and at last
the flames began to break out in different places.
The Call and Examiner building had burned
down earlier in the day. We then walked down
toward O'Farrell street, where the Delmonico
Restaurant was a complete wreck; the theatres,
however, like the Alcazar and the Orpheum, were
still intact. Further down we found that the
Tivoli was still standing,
although a brick wall
seemed to have fallen in
the back. I then went back
home to get a rest and to
find out how some of my
friends fared. Toward even-
ing I again went down-
town, and by eight o'clock
it was pretty well known
that the downtown section
was doomed to destruction.
Kohler & Chase and Sher-
man, Clay & Co. were in
immediate danger. The
wholesale department of
Kohler & Chase, Wiley B.
Allen and Eilers had al-
ready burned down. Dur-
ing the afternoon I met H.
J. Curtaz on Polk street,
and he was still certain
that his store was saved.
Next morning the entire
AVE., NEAR Sl'Vl'EK ST.
At this time no one thought that the fire would
ever cross Market street. Nevertheless George
Chase began to remove some pianos and small
goods, and also all the books. I walked up the
street and stopped in Sherman, Clay & Co.'s.
There were assembled Fred R. Sherman and
Andy McCarthy and some of the clerks. Mr.
Stevenson and Mr. Georges also came arouna
later on. Mr. Sherman and Mr. Georges imme-
diately proceeded to save the books and bury
them in the back yard of Mr. George's house.
This done, everyone hunted up some express men,
but it was impossible to engage anyone except
at prohibitive prices. The prices ranged all the
way from $25 to $100 an hour. About eleven
o'clock the rumor was spread that the fire was
under coijtrol and this side of Market street was
safe. 1 tried to get some lunch, but it was im-
possible to get in any restaurant, everything be-
ing closed. At last I reached a German restau-
rant, where I was in the habit of lunching, and
here I was enabled to get a glass of milk and a
roll. This is all they had.
Going up the street I met Thomas Garrett,
editor of the Evening Post, and found that the
fire had again broken out, this time in the whole-
sale district from the water front up to Sansome
and Sacramento streets. Still no one believed
that the fire would ever touch Kearny street.
Walking up Kearny toward Market, I met Byron
Mauzy looking for an express man, whom he
wanted to remove at least some stock, if it be-
came necessary. However, Mr. Mauzy did not
think it likely that such measures were needed.
Going still further up town, I met Giulio Minetti,
concert master of the symphony orchestra at the
University, with some friends. They were all
watching the fire, and no one at that time thought
for a moment that on the next day they would
be without a home. I joined this company, being
glad to find someone to talk to, and we went
toward Union Square, where we found Byron
Mauzy, Clark Wise & Co. and The Heine Piano
Co. still intact, although the Heine place was
pretty badly wrecked. The St. Francis Hotel was
still standing, although there were a few cracks
in it. Union Square was crowded with refugees
from the south of Market street, who were com-
pelled to leave their homes, and the beautiful
lawns were now downtrodden and crowded with
trunks, boxes and other material saved by some
downtown section was destroyed, and the fire
came rapidly toward the residence district, and
people were warned to leave their houses. I
packed up a few belongings, not too heavy to
carry, and joined the procession of homeless wan-
derers in the midst of what was once a great city.
The fire was finally checked on Van Ness
avenue on Thursday evening, April 19, but other
fires kept burning during the entire night, and
the following day and even on Saturday some
fires could be seen on Russian Hill. However,
it became now certain that the city west of Van
Ness avenue and west of Twentieth street was
11
ner Broadway and Fourteenth street, and found
Philip Clay with beaming countenance already
planning for the future. Fred R. Sherman, who
had not slept a wink for three days and nights,
was at home resting. Mr. Clay was anxiously
awaiting an answer from L. S. Sherman, who
was in the East, being rather nervous about
carrying all responsibility. The next morning
when I returned there were already desks occu-
pied by Mr. Georges, Mr. McCarthy, Fred R. Sher-
man, S. M. Barrus and some of the sheet music
clerks were already waiting on customers. I
then went over to Kohler & Chase's Oakland store
and found Mr. Mitchel and Quincey Chase read-
ing letters and telegrams of condolence, and con-
taining offers for assistance and planning for
the future. On the street I met Hy Eilers, smil-
ing as usual and proclaiming that he is still
after business. O. Heine I met at the postoffice,
stating he had removed his business to Oakland,
and at Wiley B. Allen's I found that the firm
had opened its San Francisco office at Mr. Anry's
residence. So everyone was working hard to-
ward re-establishment while the country was in
mourning for beautiful San Francisco. The next
day L. S. Sherman arrived from the East, and
his appearance at the Oakland store caused an
immediate rising of spirits, and everyone was
ready to talk business. It was announced that
Sherman, Clay & Co. would rebuild an eight-story
steel-frame building on the same old corner, and
the next day the papers had announcements from
Wiley B. Allen, Benj. Curtaz & Sons, Byron Mauzy,
Eilers, and Kohler & Chase that they would have
their San Francisco offices established immediate-
ly and buildings erected as soon as possible. This
was the spirit throughout—an undaunted spirit
which will assist more in making San Francisco
a great city than all the money that can be
poured into the ruined town.
Notwithstanding reports to the contrary, com-
paratively few people left San Francisco. Most
of the homeless refugees settled in Oakland,
Berkeley and Alameda, while those whose homes
were not destroyed remained in San Francisco.
Arrangments were immediately begun to remove
the debris, and at the time of this writing the
cleaning process is going on rapidly. The accom-
panying pictures will show more than words the
energetic spirit of the piano and music dealers.
The inscription on the signs stuck in the old lots
tell their own story. To-day the dealers are
ordering their stock for the fall season, and when
JOHN F. SALYER LOOKING TOWAKD LOS ANGELES AND I'HOBAULY HAYING: " W H A T ' S THE AIATXEH
WITH THE BAKTLETT -MUSIC CO.
saved. In the meantime all public squares in the
saved district, and the Park as well as the mili-
tary reservations, like the Presidio, were crowded
with homeless people. All the hospitals were
crowded with the sick and wounded. I t was a
heart-breaking scene, and the horrors of i t can
not be overdrawn. I was one of the few for-
tunates who found shelter with friends, L. F. B.
Sawyer having been kind enough to give me
hospitality.
As soon as it was possible I went over to
Oakland to seek as many of the trade people as
I could find and interview them on their future
plans. I first went to Sherman, Clay & Co., cor-
once the music dealers do business—then look
out for a boom!
The accompanying pictures were taken by John
F. Salyer, secretary of the Bartlett Music Co., of
Los Angeles, during his recent trip to San Fran-
cisco.
H. S. Saul has opened a very attractive new
store at 12 Maple street, Pine Grove, Pa. He has
a very fine line of instruments on exhibition.
G. J. Lawrence, a manufacturer's agent, has
opened a piano store at 73 South Broadway,
Nyack, N. Y.