Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-04-21
The California Earthquake.

The FIRE which threatened the total de-
struc,ion of San. Francisco was under
control yesterday, and one quarter OF
the city living west of Franklin street
and northward to the Presidio was
thought 10 be safe. A gale from the
south west set in later, and the lire has
started slresh in the northwest. Fire
was also ra ing around Oakland ferry
house. Tugs we're trying 20 keep hre
away from the wharyes, but the result
looked dubious at 9 O'Clock last night.
Three-quarters of the Improvements
on real estate arr gone. The only build
ings of importance to escape are certain
fine residences along Pacific helgnIs'
The rest of the standing buildings are
IN the scattered suburbs.
Fear ol iamins alone prevents the
city taking on an air Of hope. Water
as we'll as food is scarce in many OF the
parks where the people have taken re-
fuge.
Food supplies in Oakland and other
suburbs are nearly exhausted. Whether
they will hold out until enough relief
arrives is grave question. Furthermore,
the problem OF distributing the relief TO
the scattered sufferers is yet unsolved.
The restitution and suffering among
the refugees is indescribable.
Fearing pestilence from the number
of bodies which had been exposed TO the
elements since Tuesday, Gen. Funston
ord, red them all buried So far as the
bodies have been found this has been
done. Civilians were compelled, in some
cases at the point of soldiers guns, to
do the work OF burial.
Now that the terrible couhagration is
under control the destitute homeless peo-
pie face another grave danger An cpl
demic, and. worse than all, an outbreak
of the dread bnbonic plague is feared.
While there have been no official re-
ports of plague for several years, China
Town with its crowded thousands, con-
sianlly augmented By new arrivals, has
| hlMdlb DtCu bpCh w PiN'N- ~
ing the dreaded pestience.
When The plague was almost epidemic
10 1900, 1901 and 1902 the local news
papers agreed am eng themselves to pub
lish no news of it. so the outside world
was kept in ignorance of its existence,
despite the fact that the city health
boards statistics we're open to al. The
air is tainted with the ehluyia from
dead bodies. Millions OF rats, which
are supposed 10 be the chief carriers oil
the pestilence, driven from the ioul
rookeries of the Chinese quarter and
the "Barbsry Coast" have scattered
far and vide.
Thelowesl class of Cbinese-those who
living 10 cellars, inclosed opium dens anC
similar pesliIence- breeding nests, seldom
ever see the light OF day are herdet
with the whites in the parks and OF
the benches, sleeping shoulder to shoul
der with them drinking from the same
pools, seeking their food from the same
sources of supply. The most ordinary
decences of sanitation are as yet impossi
BILE. Should single Chinaman afflicted
with the disease be herded among thu
refugees there is every likelihood of hi
importing the msIady to them.
Once started among the great 0peI
camps, there would be nothing TO checl
the pestilence aud everything to aid IL
spread. Every effort, however, is BENZ
put forth for sanitary measures that viii
help to pre-, ent disease.
Eleven postal clerks, all alive, were
taken from The debris oil the San Francisco
postoffice yesterday.
All st first were thought to be dead
but it was found that, although they wer
buried in the stone, every one was alive
They had been for three days withou
food or water. All the mail in the post
Office was saved.
Fourteen men were killed Thursda'
night by soldiers guarding the Mint
and Policeman Joseph NJ. Myers wa
bayoneted and killed by National Guar
man over a dispute as to authority
The men killed at the Mint had at
tempted robbery. Two men we're sho
aud killed yesterday morning. Police
, men Flood on entering his home en-
cQunlered stranger, who attacked him
Flood shot him dead. Special Police
. man Snyder killed a man, but the de
, tails are not known.
} Chinatown Is destroyed completely
; II is estimated that nj least 20 Chinese
opium fiends aud DRINKS, we're blown "a
with dynamite.
SMALLPOX AND TYPHOID.
Oakland, Gala April 2l.-A news
paper man who left San Francisco a
late hour last night, says that small
pox aud typhoid fever have broken on
in Jefferson Squsre and Park Pan1andl
aud that the conditions are CROWN
something awful. 1t liz very probable
he said, that the whole city of Sa
Francisco will be placed under quaran
tine today, aud those who failed To re
away last night will be compelled {
stay 10 the fever in fected diSlricts unit
the quarantine has been raised.
RELIEF TRAIN.