The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-20

Park. " was a comparatively sinai oecIon
Of the oity, he said, and was the only one
where they now had any water. Mr., StoreI
said that at that hour it looked as though
this section might be saved.
Mr.. Storer said that the smoke hanging
over the bay and over Oakland was so heavy
that 1t was difficult to see the flames from
the burning city. All of the Postal's e
he reported. had reached Oakland in safety
There is nothing for us to do but to wait
until the city burns up. expect my own
home will be reached by the flames before
midnight" was what he said over the wire
to Mr.. Bradley.
Mr.. Storer said that refugees by the hun
dreds we're still pouring into Oakland, and
that the scenes there we're indescribable
Mr.. Storer reported that all attempts to tap
the cables containing the Postal wires in the
burning city had been abandoned. From
what MIR. Storer said 1t would seem az
though practically every one had had to
fee from the city.
TRIED TO REAcH'FRIsco AROUND THE WORLD
vice-President and General Manager
!. Baker Of the Postal Telegraph. Commercial
Cable Company announced last night that
an ATTEMPT had been made to reach San
Francisco by cable around the globe and
that the Pacific cable did not work this
side OF Hawaii.
Mr. Baker said that the interruption
might be caused by one Of two reasons.
Either the earthquake has changed the
OCEANS bed between Hawaii and this con-
tinent or else there vas not enough power
TO work the cable because Of the d~estruc-
tion Of the batteries in the Office building
at San Francisco.
Mr.. Baker said last night that the cable
officials are not inclined to think that the
cable has been broken by the earthquake,
although they nave no means Of telling
this definitely as yet.
Most of the power for the cable, said Mp
Baker, is supplied by batteries in the Hobart
! Building, which we believe has now been
DESTROYED. It lie possible, We think. hat the
! connection with these batteries has been
broken and there ia, therefore, not enough
current to carry messages from Hawaii 10
the cable hut .
The oompany has asked the assistance OF
the Navy Department to reach the cable hu
and to supply the hut with batteries, rms
answer vas received:
"secreterv Of the Nay has ~ired Com
msudant at Mares Island to furnish all
possible assistance to you in effort to estab-
fish communication
FIFE STILL BEIoSD CONTROL
The Postal operators at oakland sent
this message 70 the officers Of the company
here last evening.
AT 7 o'clock Assistant Fire Chief informs
lie that ;wo-thirds Of the total area Of San
Francisco has been destroyed by the fire
and that the fire is still beyond control,
L. W. Storer. the conpeny's Pacific Coast
suna,intendent sent word that he had been
able to find no trace Of his own family
and that the fire had reached his house.
He reported late last night that some Of
the Postal's men we're back in San Francisco
| and might he able to tap the cable, as the
fire then had pra~ ctioally burned out along
Market street.
Clarence H. Maokay, president OF the
Postal Telegraph Company, sent Mr. storer
this message ast night
Il cannot express adequately 70 you my
feelings regarding the Calamity hat has
befallen san Francisco. | trust sincerely
that all is we'll with you and yours. The
men in your division and all our employees
have done magnificent wor and you may
rest assured that the executive not only
appreciates this but that all concerned VIII
be fully rewa rded. Convey this 10 the
staff. hope you will move heaven and
earth 10 open communication with san
Francisco and thus relieve thousands from
anxiety. DO his at any cost within reas-
! enable bounds"
The telegraph company officials said
last night that they thought communica-
ton would he much facilitated to-day by
rea son Of orders which Secretary Taft
had sent to Gen. Funston at the suggestion
OF both companies. The War Department
notified the Postal people last night thai
this measag e had been sent to Gen. Funston;
Secretary of War directs you to extend
privileges to representatives Of telegraph
companies and of the press associations to
pass between Oakland and San Francisco
no WORD FROM CABLE OPERATORS
The Postal people said Yesterday after
noon that they had not received any word
from the Pacihc cable operators who we're
directed on Wednesday TO fee to the hut
where the cable lands. This hut is a mile
away from the Cliff House, which was de-
stroyed. It. is thought here that the men
undoubtedly got to the hut all right. What
ever messages have come from the East
| over the cable are al ire nut' Dis tutle IL
no way Of getting these messages to the
land wires as yet.
The Postal officials said that the men
at Oakland reported that Market stree
under which the cable carrying the wires
from Oakland into San Francisco runs
was filled With smoking ruins ard hat the
military authorities would not let any OF
the telegraph men who had crossed to
Oakland go back again 10 try to get at the
cable.
OF the damage which the Postal COM
pary hes suffered, the company gave Out
this statement Yesterday afternoon
at is estimated that the Postal Telegraph
Company's loss will not exceed IS 900. They
were merely tenants in the Hobart build
ing. Nearly all the valuable apparatus
and the telegraph instruments were re-
moved to a place Of safety. The Com
mercial Pacific Cable Company also re-
moved most Of its apparatus, m theti
loss is nominal,
THE wires Of the Postal company and
also Of the Pacific Gable Company are al
underground within the city and have not
beer damaged. As soon az the fire sub
sides we expect to be able to tap these
- 49, nAENos "