room to the other, quite across the room, and where the bed had stood
was filled with the broken chimney, to the amount of more than three
tons. Mrs. Tharp remembers having oiled the castors on the bedstead only
a short time before, which she thinks saved their lives. Later in the
day or the beginning of the next, while the fire was still miles away,
some friendly but excited neighbors, came rushing into Mr. Tharp's
chambers commanding him to flee as the house was in danger from the
conflagration. He was at that instant engaged in changing his
undergarments, and had his arms and head nearly through. They shouted
for him to come quick and save himself. He begged for a little more
time, when one of them petulantly exclaimed: "Oh! let him burn up if he
is so slow!" The fire did not come within two miles of this place.

Shortly after the fire and as soon as people began to realize the extent
of the calamity, I listened to many discussions and prophecies
concerning the future in reference to business and rebuilding. It was
the general opinion that the business of jewelry and other luxuries,
would be ruined for many years to come; that Fillmore Street and Van
Ness Avenue would be only used temporarily; that the down-town district
would be restored in two years - many entertained opinions exactly the
reverse, and predicted all sorts of gloomy outlooks. Many theories and
predictions were made, none of which have been verified.

My daughter, Mrs. Oxnard, with her husband was on the way to New York.
At about noon of the 18th they heard, at North Platte, that there had
been a severe shock of earthquake in San Francisco, and that the lower
part of the city south of Market Street was on fire. They thought the
report exaggerated, and at first declined to give it much attention; but
when they met friends at Grand Island at about 3 o'clock they got
information of such a character that it began to give them fear. At