Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-04-20


city, like San Francisco, is shattered
and ruined, within few moments
time, by earthquake, and is then swept
by the ruthless flames that start stimuli
taneously from many different points,
with the means for subduing them
destroyed by the same mighty power.
But that was the com bination OF ad-
verse circumstances which has viz
tually swept one of the finest cities
from the face OF the Earth.
The affection fell about 5 o'clock
Wednesday morning, when series OF
shocks, lasting about three minutes,
destroyed or damaged thousands OF
buildings. Fire soon sprang from the
Frustrated debris in several parts of
the city, when it was found that the
same shocks had shattered several of
the principal water-mains, leaving the
city at the mercy of the raging ele-
ment. Then dynamite was used, the
last resort in emergencies like that
presented, aud many fine buildings
we're RACED and costly contents sacri-
feed by the powerful explosion, to
open an avenue of protection, in the
vain hope that the progress of the
conhagration then raging might be
stopped by that means. The terror
and confusion had at this time be.
come Undesirable. Buildings, partly
loosened by the first shock, swayed,
crashed and fell and in some instances
on people in the street or burying
occupants in the ruins.
The fire was for time confined to
the buildings south of Market street,
and it was hoped to keep it in that
district, where the cheaper brick and
wood buildings were situated, but the
prevailing breeze at this time OF the
year, arose in the afternoon, and that
| Woo unanswered
All day and night of Wednesday
futile efforts were made to stay the
process of destruction, but at an early
hour yesterday morning, the painful
conviction became impressed upon the
most hopeful minds that the ruin OF
the city would be complete.
Among the many imposing edifces
that have been destroyed, are the U.
S. mint, Call and Hearst buildings,
Palace, Valencia, Occidental, Terminal,
Winchester, California and Lick no.
tells, the Postoffice, Columbia, Or
pheum and the Majestic theaters, and
the Grand Opera House; the Postal
Building, Union Trust building, Union
Ferry building, Phelan building. Claus
Spreckles' house and stables, st. Luks's
Episcopal church, st. Dominico's
church, and the Croker and Upham
buildings. Many other equally costly
and elegant structures have been
burned, shaken down or destroyed.
The loss is estimated ct about
5000, 100000. The distance entirely
swept by fire along the water front
was three miles yesterday, and the
whole commercial section of the
city south of Market street, from the
ferry to Tenth street, has been con.
eumed, while scarcely q building is
standing in the district south OF that
dividing thoroughfare.
Considerable damage is likewise re.
ported in OAKLAND. In San Jose, it is
stated that every business building
has been demolished; at Alameda, sew
eral people are injured and the loss Of
property is stated at 100000; in
Santa Rosa, not . building is left
standing and 500 people are reported
killed; Salinas, is said to have sus.
tanned . property loss of $500. 600;
at Palo Alto, the fine stone buildings
of the Leland Stanford University
we're considerably injured; and the
University of California, at Berkeley,
has suffered some damage. Large
death lists are reported at Santa Cruz
and San Jose, and the State Hospital
is said to be in ruins at Sacramento.
Every big factory has been destroyed.
Many of the supposedly fire and earth.
quake. proof sky-scraper buildings, the
pride Of their architects 90 we'll as
their owners, have been leveled with
the dust, and the worst OF it is, that
the possibility of collecting any in.
surance for losses sustained is quite
remote, as many companies have.
among their saving -clauses, printed
in the smallest of type, claim that
insurance lapses. il fire results from
earthquake, lightning or any unusual
cause. While it is fortunate that the
larger part Of the loss falls upon those
tho best prepared to sustain it, this
peculiar provision may serve, to q
large degree, in retarding the work OF
rebuilding the new San Francisco.
That was the aid which tended 90
speedily for rebuilding Chicago, and
Seattle, and it is noted that local
pride acts as a great incentive in
restoring centers of business activity
when the loss of the old provides
means for reinstatement with the
new. It mayhap, however, that the
courts will construe the policy to
protect from fire, from whatever
source, when it can be clearly shown
that the little JOKER" had been care.
} fully concealed by all the arts of
} printers ink.
1t is Of course, at present, impossible
to make any reliable cstimate of thu