Heading: (California Letter Sheets)
Author:
Title: Sn. Fo. The Morning After the Great Fire of May 4th. View Taken From the Corner of Broadway & Sansome Sts.
Place Published: [San Francisco]
Publisher:
Date Published: [c.1851-52]
Description:

Lithographed pictorial lettersheet. 21.5x35.8 cm (8½x14"), printed across a double sheet measuring 27x42 cm (10½x16½"), blue wove paper.

View of the havoc wreaked by the great fire of 1851, a letter sheet issued before March 6, 1852. Looking west, revealing a scene of complete devastation, with only a few brick shells of buildings standing center and right; buildings in right foreground apparently intact. Signs for: DE WITT & HARRISON, EDWARD H. PARKER, Wm. T. COLEMAN & CO., BINGHAM REYNOLDS BARTLE CO. This issue without publisher's imprint below title; J.P. del. in lower left. Baird 250.

"On the night of May 4, 1851, the greatest fire of the Gold Rush period reduced San Francisco to ashes.... By the time the blaze died out for lack of fuel hours later, eighteen entire blocks and portions of five or six others were in ruins. Supposedly 'fire-proof' brick buildings had crumbled from the heat and iron doors and shutters had warped so that the people who had gone inside thinking they would be safe could not get out. More than a thousand buildings burned that night, including almost all the landmarks of Spanish and Mexican days." - Van Nostrand, San Francisco,1806-1906.

Expertly silked on verso, solving a little creasing and wear at centerfold, which is very slightly toned; near fine.