und westerly, almost to the Ferry
building.

This means that nearly a mile of grain sheds, docks and wharves were
added to the general destruction. In the section north of Market
street the ruined district was practically bounded on the west by Van
Ness avenue, although in many blocks the flames destroyed squares to
the west of that thoroughfare. The Van Ness avenue burned line runs
northerly to Greenwich street, which is a few blocks from the bay.
Then the boundary was up over Telegraph Hill and down to that portion
of the shore that faces Oakland. Practically everything included
between Market, Van Ness avenue, Greenwich, and the bay was in ashes.

On the east side of Hyde street hill the fire burned down to Bay
street and Montgomery avenue and stopped at that intersection.

Fort Mason was saved only by the most strenuous efforts of soldiers
and firemen. It stands just north of the edge of the burned district,
the flames having been checked only three blocks away at Greenwich
street.

All south of Market street except in the vicinity of the Pacific Mail
dock, was gone. This section is bounded on the north by Market street
and runs out to Guerrero street, goes out that street two blocks,
turns west to Dolores, runs west six blocks to about Twenty-second,
taking in four blocks on the other side of Dolores. The fire then took
an irregular course southward, spreading out as far as Twenty-fifth
street and went down that way to the southerly bay shore.

Maj. C. A. Devol, depot quartermaster and superintendent of the
transport service, graphically described the conquering of the fire on
the water front, in which he played an important part:

"This fire, which ate its way down to the water front early Friday
afternoon, was the climax of the whole situation.

"We realized at once that were the water front to go, San Francisco
would be shut off from the world, thus paralyzing all transportation
faculties for bringing in food and water to the thousands of refugees
huddled on the hillsides from Fort Mason to Golden Gate Park. It would
have been impossible to either come in or go out of the city save by
row boats and floats, or by the blocked passage overland southward.

"This all-important section of the city first broke into flames in a
hollow near Meiggs wharf, about 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The tugs
of our service were all busy transporting provisions from Oakland, but
the gravity of the situation made it necessary