The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1906-05-31

side walk and await developments.
There were four great fires about ten
OF twelve blocks away. ANY one Of
these fires might possibly reach US, but
we die not care to flee till it was GER
tain that the fire could not be quenched.
The next morning would probably de-
clde this; but nevertheless [ slept not a
wink that night so anxious was for the
safety Of my family. While my daugh-
ter slept soundly on a cot on the side
walk and my good wife sat in chair
beside the cot and caught a few cat
maps, I occasionally went back and
forth to these several fires during the
whole night. 1t was a rare sight to see
what seemed like the whole population
out in the streets and towards morning
the. sidewalks were simply one long bed
as 1t We're where the fatigued were try
ing to sleep. Between twelve and one
O'Clock | walked up California street to
the tOp'of Mob Hill, famous for being
the home Of so many successful '49ers
such as the Standfords, the Fairs, the
Floods, the Searles, the Crockers, etc.
From this point could look away off to
the east and see the beautiful sheet of
water, San Francisco Bay, and the city
burned from the waters edge to the
base Of Mob Hill where the fire was at
that time consuming Chinatown and the
Barbary Coast and hundreds of Chinese,
japanese, and other nationaEties could
be seen coming up the steep hill away
| from the fire. Some were carrying
children, others dragging trunks, 9TH
| ers pushing sewing machines, and now
and then could be seen some poor old
woman being pulled up the hill and
! down the mill on the other side by her
faithful friends who had no conveyance
for her other than q large rocking
chair; away TO the southeast | could
see that the fire had already done its
work to such buildings as the Mills
Building, the Palace Hotel, the Occi-
dental Hotel, the Call building, the Ex-
| aminer and the Chronicle, and was
slowly but surely burning the st. Fran
| els and the large apartment houses and
private mansions against the side of the
hill; and away to the south and the
southwest | could see that all south of
Market street was in ruins and that
another fire was climbing the hill and
| as | stood and watched this fire where
they were plying large streams of wa
ter on it, could hear its mighty roar
| and feel its tremendous heat for sew
eral blocks above the fire, and the
streams OF water seemed to 90 up in
steam and leave the flames raging as
before. Next morning our block was
given just one half hour in which to flee
as the army wanted to dynamite large
building near US with the hope of stay
ing the fire at that point which attempt
was unsuccessful. Our homewas burned
but we escaped with our lives from both
the awful earthquake and the greatest
Of great fires.
am glad that my family, who are
now sojomning in the east for a while
will not need to face the binding dust
and ashes while the work Of removing
the debris and the work of reconstruc-
ton goes on without delay.
Two other custom officials and myself
are now patching in the U. S. Barge
Office where we stand by and see the
great ships pass cut through the Golden
Gate and go down to the sea and where
we watch for their return with their
great cargoes of tea, rice, sugar, cof-
fee, silks, and general merchandise to
be sent all over the United States. Our
Barge Office was saved from the fire
by hard fighting, but we were not so
successful with the earthquake for it
caused our building to sink l6 inches
and to slide Is inches toward the Bay.
If our office shows any more inclination
for sliding we feel sure of safe re-
treat on our beautiful revenue cutter
Golden Gate.
With fond recollections Of my Garrett
county friends, | have always cherished
the hope that | may still be spared to
spend at least part of my life among
them.
Respectfully,
Z. E. ENL0W.
San Francisco, May Is, 1906