The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-08-06
Letter from San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO, July 18th, 1917.
ED. INTELLIGENCER - The times
here are full of excitement precipitated
by the strikes and riots in the east.
On the evening of the 25th, when the
general fire alarm was sounded at few
minutes past eight o'clock, aud which
was reported to be at the Pacific Nail
Company's docks. the excitement and
alarm was intense. The blaze light
ened up the sky. over Which were drift
ing clouds of fog driven in from the
sea by a brisk wind, and the police
force hurrying toward the scene, with
sturdy tread and determination stamped
in every movement. the hoeting and
cursing of the hoodlum element. led in
many cases by cid and hardened Grim
inals, the anxiety plainly visible on the
countenances OF business men as they
hurried by, and the general air of dis
trust and alarm, predicted an ugly
night Rumors went flying in every
direction, and the almost continual
claugiug of the fire alarm, blauched
many cheek with fear, which in Or
binary times and under ordinary cir
cumstances would have failed to show
any signs OF excitement and distrust.
At about eleven o'clock it became an
assured fact, generally known through
out the city. that the fire was not at
the Pacific Mail Company's docks, but
in ITS Immediate vicinity. and this
coupled with the fact that the fire was
then under control and in no danger of
spreading further. gave rise to Il sense
of partial relief. But the night was
only an index of what might be ex-
pected, if the authorities should fail to
suppress the riotous exhibitions of crime
an threatened incendiarism. This con-
ciousness thoroughly aroused by the
following morning the old spirit of de-
termination which has proven on former
occasions SO effective III the pr"serva-
ton of law and order in this city.
Men rallied without distinction Of char
acter, class or avocation, laborlng. bus
mess and professional men, to the sup
port of the authorities. A. committee
of safety was rapidly and effectually
organized, not for show but for work
The police force was strengthened III
numbers and effectiveness. The mill
tary armed and equipped were placed
in convenient localities ready to render
aid. The naval force in the bay placed
themselves in the most exposed locali-
ties on the water front-resolutioas of
aid and moral support and, last though
not least. the donations of money by
the people to cover unavoidable and
necessary expenses have now re-estab-
lished confidence, and the crisis for the
present is felt to be past.
San Francisco never does anything
by the halves. If it is for display. they
give with lavish hand. II it is for
defense. they rally to the front en- mase
II it is for expense in maintaining the
supremacy of the law, the gold rattles
like the armor Of the mailed warrior.
If it is for charity, they open their cof-
fers and bid the needy help themselves.
Thank God for the noble, ready. gene
rous.hearted citizens of San Francisco,
the city in the sand hills by the sea.
Over and beyond all this there still
remains the ugly question of Chinese
importation and labor as u disturbing
element ia this community The
Cooley hordes are still flocking to this
city by thousands. and enigmatical as
this question is ut the present, it is be-
coming fearfully more SO with lapse of
time and constantly accelerating num-
bcrs. Even the better class Of citizens,
those who deprecate lawlessness. and
whose influence is always with the or
derby and lawful, acknowledge that the
Chinese question is fast assuming COM
plicated aud threatening proportions.
Men who would die in their tracks in
defense of unlawful assaults upon the
Chinese, would themselves bold up both
hands in support of any constitutional
" lawful method which would send
every pig-tail in Californis and on the
Pacific coast back to the historic land
of his fathers. where his dust should
repsse peacefully hereafter with his
chop-sticks and rice bowl forever and q
day after.
This question is the really serious one
of the future There is no use in trying
tn persuade ourselves that there is no
danger. The deep smothered volcano
of public opinion 'eil Be heard sooner or
later. mildly or forcibly, and God help
this city. this whole coast. if the volca-
no shall ever break into open rupture
belching forth its burning lava of in
dignation and hate. L. b. A.