- 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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