California Naval History
The Navy and the Earthquake and Fire of 1906
 
 
Located in the Museum of the City of San Francisco can be found the following report of Lieutenant Frederick Freeman, U.S. Navy, found in the National Archives at San Bruno, and declassified in the 1980's. This treatise details the superb work of the U.S. Navy, with mention of both the Naval Militia and National Guard, in rescue and firefighting work during the Great Earthquake and Fire.

Regrettably, the sketched map items mentioned by Lieutenant Freeman, in paragraph 4, and referenced throughout, were not found with this document in the National Archives, as these references to map positions showed where the various vessels were located, along the waterfront, during firefighting operations.

As the report clearly shows, General Funston usurped local civilian authority. The Navy chose to suppress the report as the United States had not received an official request for Federal assistance from State officials. The following document was classified by the Navy.

 

    A Report by Lieutenant Frederick N. Freeman
    United States Torpedo Boat Destroyer (U.S.T.B.D.) Perry
    Mare Island, California
    April 30, 1906
     
    Sir:
     
    1. In obedience to your order, I respectfully submit the following report of the disposition of the forces under my command during the earthquake and fire in San Francisco, from April 18 until relieved on the 23rd of April.

    2. About 9 a.m. on April 18 I left Mare Island Navy Yard in temporary command of the Destroyer Preble and proceeded to San Francisco under full boiler power, convoying all available surgeons and nurses from the Yard to the assistance of the suffers in the city. I was preceded by the Yard fire boat Leslie, in command of Boatswain Moriarty, U.S. Navy, and the fire tug Active, commanded by Midshipman J. E. Pond, U.S. Navy, of the Perry. On the Preble, Active and Leslie were all the available men of the Perry including the leading petty officers, etc.

    I arrived at San Francisco on board the Preble at about 10:30 a.m., and reported to Lieutenant Commander Lopez, in command of the tug Sotomoyo, who gave me orders to await his return from Goat Island. I immediately sent P.A. Surgeon Smith in charge of the hospital party ashore, to ascertain where his services would be needed, and also sent a messenger to the fire department officials, requesting to know where the Active and Leslie should be placed upon their arrival. The word came back from the fire department officials that the tugs were needed at Pier St. foot of Howard Street. I therefore took them in upon their arrival and berthed them in a spot shown on the chart marked A-I and L-1. The surgeon took command of his party after this, and rendered valuable aid to the injured along the water front, sending his patients to Goat Island. His further actions were not under my observation.
    3. Upon arriving alongside the dock, I immediately sought out a battalion chief of the fire department and informed him that I was to cooperate with the city fire department if needed. He expressed his appreciation of the assistance offered and showed me where he needed streams of water.

    From this time on the Active and Leslie, with their own crews and the crew of the Perry, worked without rest until the fire was under control on April 21; and without exaggeration, the saving of a large portion of the waterfront was due to the efforts of these men. During the fire as witnessed by me, the men of this party were always willing, and at times when the firemen of the city department had to stop in order to look out for their own families, the force under my command, who had no kin to look out for, stuck to their posts until they collapsed.

    4. The following is a sketch of the work done, positions occupied, etc., by the Mare Island fire boats and reference to the chart will show the territory covered. An effort has been made to the direction in which the fire was progressing by arrows, and lines of hose are shown in red on the streets.
    5. The first position occupied was at Pier 8, foot of Howard Street, with lines of hose up Howard Street, and the fire department was aided in every way possible. Fresh water was supplied to the numerous fire engines from the fresh water tanks of the tugs, and more water was obtained from Goat Island, [now Yerba Buena Island] via the Sotoyomo. The fire was gotten under control in the afternoon of April 18 in this section of the city, in the neighborhood of the Sailors' Home. Streams of water from the Active and Leslie and the tug Slocum did this work. By stopping the fire here, such establishments as Folger's Warehouses Howard and Spear Streets; the Mutual Electric Light Co., Spear and Folsom Streets, one of the few remaining power plants in the city, and the Sailors' Home were saved.

    The battalion chief of the fire department in this section of the city was completely exhausted, and I frequently assumed control of the fire department in this neighborhood. The fire at this time was progressing rapidly over Rincon Hill toward Townsend Street and lumber yards in the vicinity of the Pacific Mail docks. I therefore directed the hose lines to be shifted and took up new positions, A-2 and L-2. the Active taking the Santa Fe dock, and the Leslie a berth in the basin beyond the Pacific Mail dock.

    The Slocum took a berth out side the Pacific Mail dock and co-operated with the fire department, as did the Revenue Cutter Golden Gate. These four government tugs supplied the only water the fire department had in this neighborhood, and stopped the flames from coming to the Pacific Mail dock and the waterfront in that vicinity. The Pacific Mail Company made excellent use of a stream of water from their own plant. The fire was checked in this neighborhood at about 10:30 p.m., and having consulted with one of the battalion chiefs in the fire department, who informed me that his fresh water had given out for the engines stationed in the neighborhood of the Mission Creek, I abandoned about 1500 feet of hose the Leslie had been supplying, and went into Mission Creek, followed by the Sotoyomo, securing the tug along side a barge at Fourth Street, in the position marked L-S. The fire department here gave me a hose, [which] was led up to Townsend Street, and by its use the Southern Pacific freight sheds were all saved. The Sotoyomo had about 5000 gallons of water at this time, which was delivered in a lighter on the other side of the bridge, (the latter having been disabled by the earthquake and made in-operative) and turned over to the fire department. About two-hundred gallons of water was also placed in a large cask on the bridge for the use of refugees in this neighborhood, who at this time were piteously crying for water. This section of the city, at this time, was being policed by the regular army. The Sotoyomo was sent to Goat Island for another cargo of water about 12 o'clock, but did not return in time to be of further use in this neighborhood. The Leslie alone and unaided pumped water from this station to Eighth and Townsend Streets. The fire in this locality was under control about 2:30 a.m. April 19th.

    This practically ended the fire on the water front until the afternoon of April 19th.

    6. Throughout this whole day constant trouble had been experienced owing to the large number of drunken people along the waterfront. My force was unarmed with the exception of the officers, who carried revolvers; and the police, of whom I only saw two, were absolutely helpless. The crowds rushed saloon after saloon and looted the stocks becoming intoxicated early in the day. In my opinion great loss of life resulted from men and women becoming stupefied by liquor and being too tired and exhausted to get out of the way of the fire. During this whole day we needed unarmed men to rescue women and children in the neighborhood of Rincon Hill, the fire having made a clean sweep of this poor residence district in about an hour's time. The most heartrending sights were witnessed in this neighborhood, but with my handful of men we could not do as much for the helpless as we wished. Able-bodied men refused to work with the fire department, stating that they would not work for less than forty cents an hour, etc. Men refused to aid old and crippled men and women out of the way of the fire and only thought of themselves. This section of the city was in charge of Ensign Wallace Bertholf and Midshipman J.E. Pond of the Perry. If I had had two hundred men at this time to aid in leading out hose and rescuing invalids and the aged, much more property and a great many more lives would have been saved.

    7. About 3 a.m., April 19, I withdrew from the Mission Station L-3. and made an inspection of the waterfront in the Leslie, leaving the Active in the position A-3, where her crew were obtaining some rest. At this time the fire was sweeping through Chinatown, up toward Nob Hill, and the waterfront was apparently safe for the time being. I therefore, returned to the Active, A-2, and in company with Ensign Bertholf, and one enlisted man, started up the residence section of the city to render what aid I could to members of naval officers in this vicinity. About 4 a.m. the house of Senator Stanford was just catching fire. I noticed in this section of the city, Captain Marx, U.S.M.C., doing patrol duty with the guard from Goat Island. Finding this section of the city deserted, I returned to the Leslie, and together with the Active, got underway and proceeded at 6 a.m. to Goat Island for water and breakfast.

    The water supply at Goat Island at this time was exhausted, and I only succeeded in getting enough for drinking purposes. My men were given breakfast on the Pensacola, and I obtained twenty rifles, ammunition and belts with which to arm stragglers and people available from the fire boats for patrol duty. Returning to Pier 8, I instructed First Lieutenant Smith, U.S.M.C, who had been in charge of a small squad of five men from the Active, to organize a patrol for the waterfront. This he did with excellent results, stopping all looting along the water front, closing all saloons, and assisting the relief work along the waterfront. Supplies in the neighborhood of Harbor Emergency Hospital commenced to arrive at this time from Vallejo and neighboring cities, but the crying need was water. The master of the British ship Henley, Captain G.B. Musson, rendered valuable assistance in starting his evaporators and distilling water for the thirsty. This he continued to do until April 23rd or 24th. At this time there was no water on the waterfront and the suffering was intense.

    8. I had no instructions with regard to my position as far as preserving order was concerned, but from rumors which reached me I learned that the military was in control, and in the absence of police I assumed control of the water front with the handful of men I had, and issued orders to arrest all stragglers in uniform. In this way I obtained a great many good men, who were promptly armed and started policing that part of the city. At this point I noticed that each ferry boat coming in from Oakland brought thousands of people who were sightseers, and I took the responsibility of ordering the Southern Pacific Company to stop bring people from Oakland until word should be received from General Funston to resume. As soon as these people landed, they scattered through the city, where there were no patrols or police, and increased the difficulties we had to contend with a thousand fold.

    I received orders about this time from General Funston to send one tug, if available to Fort Mason; also the General McDowell, Slocum, Mifflin and Lieutenant Geo. M. Morris, all army tugs. This order was carried out as soon as possible. I sent the Fortune to report as ordered above the Sotoyomo having been sent to Mare Island in the early morning. I sent word back by the orderly who brought the order that I needed a guard of men on the waterfront, and in the early afternoon, a detachment of marines, in command of Lieutenant Brewster, U.S.M.C., reported for duty. All stores that were saved in this neighborhood were promptly guarded to prevent looting, and every effort was made to help women and children aboard the ferry boats and other passenger steamers. I proceeded with the Active to Fort Mason about 11 a.m., and reported the conditions of the waterfront to General Funston, and he approved of my order to the Southern Pacific Company, issued in the early morning.

    He also sent an additional guard of marines back with me, and with these forces we soon had matters under control. Part of my force was soon relieved, however, and ordered to guard the Sub-Treasury, Lieutenant Brewster taking with him about twenty men. There were a hundred and fifty freight cars on the spur tracks of the Southern Pacific from Lombard Street to the freight sheds along the waterfront. Those cars were filled with produce, and among them four or five cars of live chickens. Word reached me from one of the railroads officials to liberate these chickens and turn them over to the crowd, as they would soon die. I had neither time nor men to do this at the time.

    Word reached me that the crews of certain German and British ships were looting these cars and filling the holds of their vessels with provisions, but upon an investigation I did not find the statement proven. I talked to the officers of these ships and appealed to them for help, asking them to guard these cars if possible, as this was a very valuable food supply for the city; and one, Captain Sanderson of the ship Martfield, came gallantly to the rescue and did splendid work in saving property and lives from that time on. He used his ship as a refuge for the women and aged, and not that alone, but helped to fight the fire with his men.

    9. About this time 2 p.m., April 19th, I made a further inspection of the waterfront in the neighborhood of Powell Street. The fire was evidently coming in this direction and an inspection of the dock was made, in order that the best use of the few streams of water might be made when the fire came within reach of the fireboats, a large oil bank being located in this vicinity. Returning I proceeded to Goat Island to obtain water if possible from the light house tender Madrona, but found she had a very small supply on board, a small supply of dynamite arriving at this time from Mare Island on the Independence's steam launch, but direction previously received from General Funston, I sent this boat to the foot of Powell Street, with orders to report to the Mayor or Chief of Police at the North-End Police Station.

    Earlier in the day, by order of General Funston, the tug Priscilla was seized and given over to First Lieutenant Briggs, U.S.A. who took her to Pinole Point for dynamite. At this time this was the only tug available in my vicinity, and General Funston's orders were to seize any ship on the water front that was to be used, and the master of the Priscilla worked in complete harmony with the officers of the Service during my period of duty.

    10. After the last inspection of the waterfront the Leslie and Active took up stations A-3 and L-4. After going over the ground thoroughly, and making observations of the progress of the fire from Telegraph Hill, it was decided to lay a line of hose from the Leslie up over the side of Telegraph Hill to Broadway, up Broadway to Montgomery Street, and make a stand there. The Fire Department assisted by letting us have 500 feet of hose, and the line was extended down Montgomery Street from Broadway to New Montgomery Avenue [now Columbus Ave.]. We obtained water here about 7 p.m., April 19th, and under the splendid leadership of Chief Murphy, of the 10th Battalion, S.F. Fire Department, we succeeded in checking the fire at this point and saving a block of buildings bounded on the North and West by Montgomery and Jackson Streets. The Appraisers' Building was in the next block to the Eastward, which was also saved at this time. The best work in my opinion, of the crews under my command, was done at this point. The fire chief had the assistance of but two of his own battalion and had no water. This was the only stream of water that ever reached this section of the city; and in feet this was the longest distance that any saltwater stream was taken from the water front -- the distance to the Leslie being a little over eleven blocks.

    The stream at this point [would reach] building fronts to a height of about two and a half stories, but when taken to the roofs of four-story buildings, gave sufficient protection to keep the fire from spreading. The buildings saved in this neighborhood consisting of two blocks, included the Bank of Italy, Hotaling and Co., wholesale liquor house, and the Appraisers' building.

    An entirely different spirit seemed to pervade people in this section of the city, as every aid was offered the fire fighters by the citizens. A detachment of the 22nd U.S. Infantry was encountered here, under the command of Captain [Daniel G.] Berry, who assisted us in every way possible. The men of my command at this point showed the greatest daring and perseverance, going to the tops of buildings and extinguishing fires in cornices and windows, going through large buildings before the fire reached them and tearing down all inflammable material, such as curtains, awnings, etc., and I have no doubt that this section of the city was saved entirely by their efforts. About 10 p.m., the hose line down Montgomery Street was removed and taken straight out Broadway and led as far as St. Francis Church. This hose line worked entirely by the Leslie, up over Telegraph Hill was about a mile in length, but owing to the dilapidated condition of the hose at this time, owing to the great pressure carried for two days, numerous lengths became porous and a large stream could not be carried.

    At this period of the fire I received two wagon loads of dynamite, and after consultation with a fire department official, Captain Cook, of the 10th Battalion, dynamited four houses in this neighborhood, but without doing any good as the fire was now devastating everything its reach, advancing from the Westward over Telegraph Hill and sweeping the wooden buildings on the eminence at the rate of a block every half hour. Everything possible was done to check the advance of the flames, but without success. When all hope was gone of checking the flames on Broadway, that were coming down the hill, we decided to retreat and save the waterfront if possible, by making a stand on Broadway one block below Montgomery Street.

    Great assistance in removing the hose and dynamite was rendered by the teams of the American Milling Company and the detachment of the 22nd U.S. Infantry before-mentioned. Before retreating, as many wagons as were procurable were loaded with provisions from grocery stores and butcher shops in the neighborhood. I also armed my men with shotguns and revolvers wherever procurable. The new fighting line was established with three lines of hose from the Leslie to three or four blocks from the waterfront, and in the lee of Telegraph Hill, on Vallejo and Fillmore streets. A large number of wooden shacks on top of Telegraph Hill were in danger of falling and setting fire to the large warehouses at the foot of the hill, as soon as the former were aflame.

    The fire would have been communicated by a number of coal sheds and cooper-shops. A detachment of Marines at this time made its appearance, on their way back to Fort Mason, under command of Lieut. Brewster, U.S.M.C., and gave valuable aid in impressing men to assist the firefighters. About three hundred men were impressed into the service, and soon reduced the buildings under the lee of the burning houses on Telegraph Hill to ruins pulling down fences, removing fuel, etc., and when the fire did get through it was easily extinguished with one stream of water. In the meantime two other streams up Vallejo Street had been successful in driving the flames down toward Market Street. It was thought that this whole section of the waterfront would be saved at this time, and one line of hose was taken on board the Active and an effort was made to run it from the Jackson St. Wharf to the Appraisers' building. It was found to be impossible, however, to do this, owing to there being no reducer on the Active and the hose being of a different size.

    The wind at this time, about 3 p.m., commenced to blow a gale from the Northwest and swept the fire around the North Beach end of the waterfront and the Southern end of Telegraph Hill with great velocity. Returning to the scene of the fire, where everything had progressed favorably an hour before, I found my hose lines burning and had to cut the hose to save any part of it. We here lost about 1500 or 2000 feet of hose. The fire now advanced in both directions toward the Filbert Street dock, one fire coming from the neighborhood of the Appraisers' Building up Vallejo Street up the waterfront by the wind driving it around the south base of Telegraph Hill, the other fire advancing from the North in the direction of Meigg's Wharf, devastating the sheds on its way. In order to save any portion of the water front, I deemed it advisable to go to Pier 27 and the grain sheds on Meigg's Wharf and try to stop it in that vicinity from coming down the waterfront.

    I proceeded to this point with the Leslie and Active and tried to save the grain sheds, in the neighborhood of North Point, marked on the chart with a red line, with the Leslie's monitor.

    At this time it seemed that the whole water front was doomed, and word was received that the Marion, Naval Militia vessel of the State of California, had about 2000 refugees on board at the Folsom Street dock, and was in great danger. The Active was immediately sent to her assistance, but finding everything quiet and no danger imminent for some time, returned to the fire, taking up position A-3 about 6 p.m., April 20th, where she remained until April 23rd. Ensign Wallace Berthof, on the Active, succeeded in checking the fire from going up the water front any further and kept control of matters until relieved by Lieutenant Commander C.S. Morgan, U.S.N., and a part of men from the Chicago, about 2 a.m. April 21. The Leslie in the meantime did not succeed in saving the grain sheds, but went alongside the dock in the neighborhood of Belvedere ferry slip, where she secured to the dock and with her monitor and two streams going, succeeded in keeping the fire from going down the waterfront and in saving a number of sheds. The state fire tug Governor Irwin, was also at this spot, and these two boats succeeded in saving the water front.

    There was but one member of the fire department on the scene at this time. This was D.R. Sewell, Captain of Engine Company No. 9, hose, and having been without sleep and very little food except what could be commandeered, for seventy hours.

    Fresh men were needed, and the Active was sent to the Chicago, asking for relief crews, which were furnished by the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Squadron. She then returned, taking up her old position, and the Leslie's crew were relieved by a detachment under Lieut. Comdr. Williams, U.S.N., about 2:30 a.m., April 21. The hardest fight we had during the fire was at this point. A sulfur works was burning, the wind was blowing a gale, and showers of cinders, some three or four inches square, made this spot a purgatory. We succeeded in gaining about ten feet on the fire in half an hour, and then practically had the fire under control.

    Large quantities of waters thrown on the air by the monitors of the fire tugs, were carried as spray down the docks to the roofs of sheds and over piers, and acted as a blanket for the cinders, thus saving the waterfront. The regular crews of the Active, Leslie and Perry returned to duty about 2 p.m. April 21, where they remained until their services were no longer needed. The buildings saved in this section of the waterfront included the Merchants' Cold Storage & Ice Companys, the Gibraltar warehouses, the Italian-Swiss Colony Warehouses, Haslett Bonded Warehouse No. 1 and several others which I fail to remember. There was also saved the whole line of docks and piers from Lombard St. down. Nearly all the freight cars, mentioned earlier in this report as being on a spur of the Southern Pacific tracks, were also saved. Had fresh men been available to man the Active and Leslie on Friday morning, April 20th, there is no doubt in my mind but that more property would have been saved, as my men were thoroughly exhausted from that time on and could not work with stamina.

    During all of that day the men of my command were not only fighting fire, but also policing the territory in which they worked. Great trouble was experienced in controlling matters on East Street. [now The Embarcadero] People hysterically endeavoring to escape the flames drove down East Street at frantic speed over the hose lines, bursting the overworked hose at frequent intervals.

    It was finally necessary to station sentries at all corners with orders to shoot down horses whose owners drove over hose faster than a walk. Among other vessels that assisted materially in Friday, April 20th, may be mentioned the Revenue Cutter Golden Sate, the State fire tug Governor Markham and the private tug Pilot, whose master, Charles Love, formerly an enlisted man in the Navy, deserves the highest praise.

    11. In summing up the work done by the Mare Island fire tugs I particularly lay claim to the work done in saving the waterfront from Howard Street to the Pacific Mail docks, the Southern Pacific freight sheds, and that section of the city: the Folsom warehouses and the Mutual Electric Light Company's plant on Spear and Folsom Street and on the North by Jackson Street, including the Appraisers' building, the Hotaling and Company, the Bank of Italy, which is far from the water front: and the saving of the large storehouses in the lee of Telegraph Hill, including Gibraltar Warehouses, the Haslett Warehouse No.1, the Italian-Swiss Colony Warehouses, etc.; and the stopping of the fire abreast Lombard Street wharf, thereby preventing the fire from sweeping the water front and stopping all traffic, which at this time would have been a terrible calamity. The provisions that were removed from grocery stores, butcher shops, etc., in the neighborhood of Broadway were sent to the wharves of the Pacific Coast Steamship Company where they were issued to the hungry multitude by Ensign Bertholf and Past-Assistant Pay Master N. de F. Mel, U.S.N., ably assisted by the Captain and officers of the City of Topeka.

    12. I respectfully request that this report be sent to the [Navy] Department, and that letters of thanks be sent to the following civilians who rendered great aid to the public during this terrible ordeal:

    1. Charles Love, Master of tug Pilot, Mission Street wharf, San Francisco, Calif., This man placed his tug at the disposal of the Government, together with his crew, made every endeavor to stop the spread of the flames, and never gave up until the fire was stopped.

    2. O.B. Musson, Master of the Steamship Henley, Watts & Co., owners, No. 7 Whittington Avenue, Leadenhall St., London, England. He not only helped the fire party but started his distillers working as soon as possible and thus made water for the thirsty, the only water on the waterfront for a day and a half.

    3. Mr. George Kutz, an employee of the Mare Island Navy Yard, and son of Captain O.F. Kutz, U.S.N. (retired), who rendered valuable aid on April 18, and 19, and saved many lives on Rincon Hill.

    4. Captain Sanderson, of the Ship Hartfield, Balfour Guthrie & Co., San Francisco, Calif. Agents, or J.B. Waimsley 18 Chappell Street, Liverpool, England, owner. He not only helped fight the fire, but also cared for many refugees, whom he fed and clothed.

    5. The Master of the tug Priscilla, whose name is not known to me.

    6. The Chief of the Fire Department was fatally injured the morning of the earthquake, and the department was thoroughly disorganized. It is respectfully requested that something be done in the way of a letter of commendation for the following members of the San Francisco Fire Department:

    1. Battalion Chief Murphy, 10th Battalion, who worked heroically during the fire.

    2. Captain Cook, a chief of the 10th Battalion

    3. Captain Sullivan, 10th Battalion

    4. Captain D.E. Sewell, Engine Company No. 9, 10th Battalion.

    14. The fire party under my command worked with a number of different battalions of the Fire Department, but these men fought to the very last, with a determination to conquer, and deserve great praise for their skill. It was due to their efforts and wise direction that my force accomplished so much. These men will receive no recognition for their services except from this source, as their work came under no other person's observation who was in authority.

    15. In conclusion, I desire to state that cases of life-saving and acts of great bravery and daring were of frequent occurrence. I therefore request that letters of commendation be sent by the Navy Department to the crews of the Perry, the tug Active, and the fire tug Leslie, and to the following officers and men of those and other vessels at the Mare Island Navy Yard, Ensign Wallace Bertholf, Perry; Midshipman J.E. Pond, Perry; Boatswain D. Moriarty, Independence; P.A. Paymaster N. de F. Mel, Independence (Paymaster for Torpedo Boats and Navy Yard Crafts); P. Kugat, Gunner's Mate 1st Class, Perry; J. Taylor, Chief Water-Tender, Perry; W.J. Brown, O.M. 3rd class, Perry; O., Jansen, Chief Boatswain's Mate, Preble; H.T. Johnson, Chief Boatswain's Mate, Farragus; and John Kenny, Fireman lst class, Active. These men frequently risked their lives, especially Kugat and Jansen.

    16. Many men not mentioned here worked with me for a time and then took up some special duty when they were unable to find me to report to. Among the men so employed, the crews of the submarine boats at Mare Island Navy Yard were conspicuous. One of these, J. Curtin, Chief Electrician from the Pike, worked with me one day then while on patrol, was taken up by the First Regiment of California National Guards to do dynamiting for them. He and several others of the Pike's crew successfully dynamited many buildings under the direction of the militia officials in the Mission. After this was finished, Curtin, finding no work at hand, obtained a permit and seized a church in the neighborhood of the Market Street cut and established a hospital. He organized this institution, getting doctors and nurses together, impressed automobiles into the service, and supplied the hospital with medicines and food; and at the end of a day or so had a first class relief station in operation.

    I respectfully call the Department's attention to this wonderful work that an enlisted man of the service did on his own initiative, and recommend that he be given a suitable reward for his conduct on this occasion. The Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Squadron was shown this hospital and from interviews I have had with the officers of the First California and various others, Curtin's conduct was heroic.

    17. Another enlisted man, Private William P. Burton, U.S.M.C., of the Mare Island Guard, did splendid work with my forces by his skill in using dynamite. He was cool and collected and possessed of great bravery, and I recommend that he be commended for his zeal and skill. I respectfully request that the following citizens be interviewed as to what the force under my command did in the way of saving property during the fire; Mr. J.R.A Moore, of Moore & Scott Iron Works, Main and Howard Street; Mr. G.J. Lutgen, of J.A. Folger & Co., Howard & Spear Sts; Mr. Frank Cartwright, Mutual Electric Light Co., Spear and Folsom Streets; Mr. J.C. Christanson, care of A.P. Hotaling & Co., Nos. 427 and 429 Jackson Street; Mr. O.K. Claudman, General Manager in charge, U.S. Customs, Appraiser's Building, Jackson Street, Mr. Sophus Faderspiel, Assistant Manager, Italian-Swiss Colony, Battery and Greenwich Street.
     
    Very Respectfully
     
    (Signed.) Frederick N. Freeman
    Lieutenant, U.S. Navy
    Commanding U.S.T.B.D. Perry
    To Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Squadron

 

 
 
 
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Updated 8 February 2016