I70 ELDORADO 



pound and all who were able to leave did so, thus leav- 

 ing the provisions for those who were unable to find 

 their way through the snow to the valleys. In some 

 places cabins were entirely covered with snow and 

 the roofs of many have been crushed in, thus cutting 

 off the last chance of protection. It is not improbable 

 that some may perish by starvation. A few days since 

 we were visited with a terrible southeast gale which 

 prevailed for two days. Several light tenements were 

 blown down and some injury done to the shipping in 

 the harbor. For a day or two communication by stage 

 with San Jose was cut off owing to the sudden rise in 

 the intermediate streams." 



In 1852 destructive fires occurred in various parts of 

 California. The greater portion of the City of Sacra- 

 mento was laid in ashes by a conflagration on the 

 night of November 2, 1852. The San Francisco Her- 

 ald gave, at the time, the following account. "At 11 

 o'clock in the evening, a fire broke out on "J" street, 

 near the corner of Fourth. The inspectors were count- 

 ing the votes for the Presidential electors and State 

 officials, while a numerous crowd were awaiting the de- 

 cision of the Judges, so that no time was lost in de- 

 lay. With astonishing rapidity the fire spread from 

 building to building, up, down and across the street in 

 five minutes. The Crescent City Hotel, on the oppo- 

 site side of the street, was in flames, and being of in- 

 flammable material and of large size, sent the fiery tor- 

 rent in every direction. The fire swept clean both 

 sides the street until it reached Eighth. For a time 

 the superhuman exertions put forth seemed to check, 

 and it was hoped would entirely subdue the fire. The 

 boom of the powder like artillery that was deposited 



