davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-03
WAR DEPARTMENT
EXTENDED RELIEF
THE WAR DEPARTMENT IMME-
DIATELY TOOK STEPS TO ASSIST
STRICKEN CITY IN EVERY WAY
BY S. S. OLYMPIA.

WASHINGTON, Thursday, April 49,
Prompt action has been taken by the
War Department in. extending to the
earthquake sufferers of San Francisco
all available resources at its command
to relieve the wants of the distressed
and to provide shelter for the home
less Two hundred thousand rations
have been directed to be sent from
Vancouver Barracks to San Francisco
and a large number of tents from Van
couver and other military posts. The
supplies will be forwarded with all eX-
petition possible so that they may be
at the disposition of the authorities at
the earliest date practicable.
General Funston. who is in command
of the troops at San Francisco, has
been asked whether he needs additional
troops to assist him in his work and
if so, Secretary Taft will give orders
that they be sent to him. Secretary
Taft was awakened after midnight to
receive General Funston's first report
and then held an early morning con-
ference with General Bell, the chief
of staff and Commissary General
Sharpe. General Bell remained on duty
all night, making his headquarters at
the White House offices, and sending
orders in various directions for the
dispatch of supplies to San Francisco.
For the present it is the hope of the
officials here that the supplies to be
sent to General Funston will relieve
all immediate necessities. They will
be followed by more if emergency de-
mands it.
The War Department today received
the following telegram from General
Fusion, dated San Francisco, April 10:
TELEGRAM FROM FUNSTON.
Your dispatches received. Have al
ready filed several for you. 1t is inn
possible now to inform you as to the
full extent of the disaster. City prac-
tically destroyed. Troops have been
aiding police in patrolling and main
tanning order. Martial law has not
been declared. Working in conjunction
with civil authorities. Have not inter-
fered with the sending of any dis
| patches.
You cannot send too many tents or
rations. About 100000 people home
! ltss. Food very scarce. Provision
houses all destroyed. All government
! buildings in city gone"
The first message received from
Funston arrived here at 11:4O O'Clock
last night. 1t was addressed to Secre-
tary Taft, who had already retired
The message follows:
Secretary of War, washington:
I'VE need thousands of tents and al
The rations that can be sent. The bust
ness portion of the city destroyed anC
about 100000 people homeless. Fire still
raging Troops all on duty assisting
TIE police. Loss of life probably 1,OOC
Best part of residence district not We
burned.
FUNSTON"
Orders will go forward from the Wa
Department this morning to the ada
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-03

.Hu Emma Sprcrkols buildings, sheets
Uf fire 200 feet high licked up the I'M
'orycung houses on Mint avenue. Aug
mautcd boy these finder boxes the blast
ur fire burst ON the northwest corner
uf the Mint like the breath of second
Mount Pelee.
FIGHTERS DRIVEN AWAY.
"a few desperate fighters under chief
Kennedy of Oakland were driven from
between the lettering chimneys, under
whose twin terrors they had struggled
to the last throwing buckets Of water
upon the blazing roof over the refinery
IL is largely due to the experience Of
former Chief Kennedy that this tar
covered roof, the weakest SPOT Of all,
was satuprated with sufficient water to
stay the flames.
"Whcn the fire leaped Mint avenue
i'm solid masses of flame the refinery
men stuck to their windows as long as
the glass remained i'm the frames.
Seventy-five feet of an inch hose play
ed slender stream upon the blazing
window sill, while the floor was awash
with diluted sulphuric acvid Ankle
deep i'm this soldiers and employees stuck
to the floor Until the windows were
smashed
Binding AND SUFFOCATING.
with a roar the tongues of fire licked
greedily the inner walls. Binding and
suffocating smoke necessitated the
abandonment of the hose and the fight
ers retreated to the floor below. The
roar of falling walls, the thunder of
bursting blocks of stone, the din of
crashing glass swelled to an unearth-
ly diapasOn.
IF thirteen-inch shells were crashing
against the mint walls, the deafening
detonations and the fury of the impact
woupld scarcely have exceeded the
ferceness of the attack. Down in the
deeps, where untold wealth is so well
safeguarded, artillerymen, ringed with
blanket rolls and leaning on their
rifles, coughed in the strangling smoke
SUPT. LEACH LEADS FIGHT.
"Then came lull; the walls of brick
buildings across the street had fallen.
There was yet a fighting chance so
back to the supper story the tire-fight-
crs returned, led by Superintendent
each, who, by example and words,
encouraged his men to eXtinguish the
blazing inner wood work of the refinery
"The roof was next swept by hose,
cooling the unprecedented surface I'M
til it became passable for wet acid
soaked feet. An army officer AK in
hand, tore up sections of blazing tar
roof beneath which a stream of water
was directed. At length as o'clock
! drew near and a handful of exhausted
but exultant employees stumbled out on
the hot cobble stones to learn the fate
of some of their homes.
1.-The mint presents a scorched and
| glassless front on the north and west
and the towering smokestacks are to
be torn down, bu 1.-THE building is in
| tact and the plant is unframed and
ready fOr a re sumption of work"
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-03

uUn0rl Jo clothc themselves. but
hardly AMY attention was paid to- amy
uf them. % looked like everyone for
himself AFTER the first few minutes
everyone was apparently aware of
what bad happened and the widest
confusion followed
WORKS TOWARD FERRY.
"At many places ] had to pick my
way over heaps OF rubbish over up
rooted poles and around live wires bon
order to get To the ferry. | reached
the ferry when the third and last load
Of passengers were crossing To oak
land
81 learned that the first boat that
crossed contained not more than fifty
persons. the second not more than 200
but the third and last boat that was
allowed by the authorities to leave for
Oakland was loaded to the rails when
the extent of the catastrophe was real
lied people by the hundreds tried
to get out of the city, but their escape
was shut off
Before ] left the city l believe
could have counted more than a score
of fires which seemed to break out i'm
every direction. A small blaze not
larger than "a hat would appear i'm the
lower floor of a frame building and in
an instant the structure would be a
tower of fire. Hell don't describe it,"
GEORGE MOONY'S STORY.
George Moony, of Seattle. was the
Winchester hotel on Market street
near Fourth, and describes his expert
ence as follows:
1T was simply terrible. one can
hardly do justice to the terrorizing
events which happened one on top Of
the other in such a short space of
time. l was awakened somewhere
about $3.50 on Wednesday morning TO
hear the guests of the hotel rushing
around panic stricken and clad only
in their night clothes, some wringing
their hands and appealing to the
'merciful God to save them.
without the hotel came sounds of
falling buildings, which I have been
told was caused by the collapse of
the Monadnock building which occur
red only a short distance from the
Winchester. l secured my clothing
and belongings and made my escape to
the other side of the bay How l
reached the ferry 1 hardly know, for
the town was threatened with a con-
Migration, several of the large build
ings having caught fire. While cross
ing the bay the scene was a grand
one from spectacular point of view,
for many of the large buildings were
masses of flames, which seemed to
gain Roadway all the time.
First you would see the flames
break through windows and in an in
credibly short space of time a whole
structure of from eight to fifteen
stories in height would be like a giant
pyramid of flame. 1t was a scene never
to be forgotten, and 1 sincerely hope
to escape anything of the kind in the
future"
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-03

cent posts to carry out General Funs-
toms recommendation
The following dispatch was sent to
General Funston by Secretary Taft at
= O'Clock this mornings
Your dispatch calling for tents and
ratlons for 100000 people received.
Have directed sending Of 100000 rations
from Vancouver Barracks. the nearest
available point WIN give orders con-
corning tents Immediately and advise
you within an hour DO you need
more troops?
INSTRUCTED TO HELP.
"Of course, do everything possible to
assist in keeping order, in saving life
and property and i'm relieving suffering
and hunger by use of troops, material
and supplies under your orders. House
passed enabling resolutions today and
Senate will tomorrow. All railway and
Geographic facilities surrounding san
francisco reported badly damaged and
demoralized. Officers will accompany
rations where necessary i'm order to in
sure as prompt forwarding and deliv-
cry as possible with orders to keep in
touch with you when practicable"
President Roosevelt last night re-
ceived telegram from Governor Par
dee of California i'm response to the
Presidents telegraphic inquiry sent
early in the day. The governors mes
sage follows:
Sacramento, April 1S.-To the Pres
ident, Washington: Owing to the in
| terruption of Geographic communica-
ton, the extent of the disaster in San
Francisco is not well known here, but
| no doubt the calamity is very serious
The people of California appreciate
your prompt inquiry and offer of as
sistance. state troops doing patrol
| duty and if federal assistance is need.
| ed will call on you.
GEO. c. PARDEE,
Governor"
A private telegram from Oakland
| forwarded to Secretary Metcalf tonight
says the principal damage done in Oak
| land was caused by falling chimneys.
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-03
SEATTLE SEES
HER OPPORTUNITY
BELIEVES THAT SHE WILL BE
THE DISTRIBUTING POINT FOR
THE ORIENTAL MAIL.
BY S. $. OLYMPIA.

SEATTLE, April 2O.-Seattle has ris-
en- to the call for help from California.
Aroused by the repeated stories of
death and suffering in San Francisco
and surrounding communities, this city
yesterday subscribed more than $70,-
COO, with pledges through the Chamber
of Commerce, which will be used in the
purchase of supplies for the destitute
and homeless in California.
Organization for the work of imme-
date relief was carried forward yes
terday by the Chamber of Commerce
so vigorously that when the third
meeting of the day adjourned last
night a practically complete plan of
action had been mapped out, commit
tees appointed to look after the relief
details, and arrangements already per-
fected for the shipment of hundreds of
tons of supplies to San Francisco and
the other needy towns.
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-03
FIGHT FOR MINT
IN SEA Of FIRE
CUT OFF FROM RETREAT MEN
STRUGGLE TO SAVE NATIONS
MILLIONS.
BY S. S. OLYMPIA.

SAN FRANCISCO, April pa land
mark of San Francisco that escaped de-
struction though every building sur
rounding it was destroyed is the United
States mint, at the corner of Fifth and
Mission streets. Harold French an
employe of the mint, gave graphic
account of how the flames were sue
cessfully fought. He said:
Nearly two hundred million dollars
in coin and bullion are stored in the
vaults of the mint and for the preser-
walton of this prize a devoted band of
employees reinforced by regular soldiers
fought until the baffied flames fled to
the conquest of stately blocks of So
called fire-proof buildings.
"A SEA OF FIRE"
For seven hours a sea of fire surged
around this grand old federal edifice,
attacking it on all sides with waves of
fierce heat. Its little garrison was cut
off from retreat for hours at a time,
had such course been thought of by
these II guard.
1.-The United States mint was con-
structed in 1879 of granite and sand
stone blocks massive monOlyths well
calculated to resist the fire from with
out Within, however were enough
inhammable materials to feed lively
conhagration,
Iron shutters shielded the lower
floors, but the windows of the upper
story on which are located the refinery
and essay office, were exposed. Also
tarred roof over the refinery constituted
weak spot in the defense. Tanks of
wood and other infiammable material
scattered about Che roof and upper
story were a serious menace.
THROW TIMBERS FROM ROOF.
After the fire had swept past the Mis-
sion street side and the certainty of its
returning from the north became APP
parent, Captain of the Watch Haws or
dered everything on the roof that would
burn thrown into the yard
Soldiers and mint employees worked
with the utmost haste, throwing great
| timbers and tank slaves into the court
Here are located some thirty tanks of
| blue Vitriol, the surfaces of which soon
were covered with debris into which
increasing showers of cinders fell.
Fortunately, the mint possessed a
good well, and everybody at his post
pumped water to the fire-ighters as
scembled in the roof OF these, forty
were mint employees and they We're aid
ed by a company of coast artillery.
BECOMES ROARING FURNACE.
"As the fire swept up Fifth street
the heat increased to a dangerous de-
gree, as one by one the Metropolitan
hail and the historic lincoln schoo
burst into flame, re-enforced by thu
roaring furnace of the Emporium. Or
the west the block bounded by Sixth
and Market street on the north CAV
the gravest concern, for from thi
quarter the fire was certain to rage il
its fury.
Famed by a roaring northerly win
the flames rioted through the structure
> stretching from the Windsor hotel
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-03
THE SHOCK At
SANTA ROSA
TEN THOUSAND PEOPLE REPORT
ED HOMELESS-STORY OF AN
EYEWITNESS.
BY S. S. OLYMPIA.

OAKLAND, Cal, April &c. A.
Duffy, of greensboro, KY, who has
been in Santa Rosa since last October,
was the only one out of several score
to escape from the floor in which he
was quartered in the St. Rose hotel at
Santa Rosa.
He came to Oakland on his motor
cycle after he was released and tells
a thrilling story of his rescue and the
conditions of affairs in general at Santa
Rosa.
Mr.. Duffy says when the shock came
he rushed for the stairway, but the
building was swaying and shaking so
that he could make no Roadway and
turned back.
IMPRISONED FIVE HOURS.
He threw himself in front of the
dresser in his room, trusting to that
object to protect him from the falling
timbers. This move saved his life.
The dresser held up the beams which
tumbled over him and these in turn
protected him somewhat from the fall
ing mass of debris.
II was imprisoned five hours" said
Mr.. Duffy, before finally being res
cued. Three times / tried to call and
the rescuers heard me, but could not
locate my position from the sound OF
my voice and 1 could hear them going
away after getting close to me.
Finally 1 got hold of a lath from the
ruins behind me, poked it through a
hole left by the falling of steam pipe
and by waving it and yelling at the
same time finally managed to show the
people where / was.
BUSINESS SECTION COLLAPSED.
"There were about 800 people killed
in the destruction of the three hotels
and not less than 500 in the whole
town. The business section of the place
collapsed to the ground almost inside
of, five minutes. Then the fire started
and burned Fourth street from one end
to the other, starting at each end and
meeting IN the middle, thus sweeping
over the ruins and burning the i'm
prisoned people.
IT saw two arms protruding from
one part of the debris and waving fran
tically. There was so much noise, how
ever, that the screams could not be
heard Just then as looked the flames
swept over them and cruelty finished
the work begun by the earthquake
The sight sickened me and l turned
away"
Ten thousand people are reported
homeless in Santa Rosa.
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-03
MEN
TELL OF DISASTER
H. X DENT AND GEORGE MOONY
TION IN SAN FRANCISCO.
BY S. S. OLYMPIA.

PORTLAND, April 19.-H. K. Dent,
a travelling man of Seattle, occupied
room in the now destroyed Palace
hotel, and was among those fortunate
enough to escape.
He said: Il was awakened from
sound sleep by a terrible shock and
plaster fell from the ceiling like rain,
and it seemed as if the entire building
would collapse.
The entire scene beggars descrip-
ton" he continued. People rushed
down the great corridor below, some
scantily attired, some in pajamas and
others even not that well clothed. In
the lobby everything was confusion.
Women and children who carried
wearing apparel in their arms com
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-03
HOW THE
BUILDINGS
BURNED
BY s. S. OLYMPIA.

The fire swept down the streets so
rapidly that it was practically impos-
sible to save anything in it's way 1t
reached the Grand Opera House on
Mission street and in a moment had
burned through the roof.
The Metropolitan Opera Company
from New York had just opened its
season there and all the expensive
scenery and Costumes We're soon re-
duced to ashes
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-03
WHARYEs ARE SOUND.

when we left San Francisco on
Thursday night the wharves south of
the ferry building, except Mission No.
2, were all intact and there was little
chance of their being destroyed, as the
fire had burned all around them and
they had been fully protected by the
streams of the fireboats.
THE larger part of the fires, in my
opinion, We're caused by the failure Of
the electric light and power companies
to turn off the current Immediately
after the earthquake. l know that
this was not done, as I saw wires cross,
and sparkling fully half an hour after
the first shock. If the power had been
turned off this would not have happen
ed.
THE worst accident that I saw was
in the case of the new Majestic theater,
which was shaken down by the earth
quake and fell on the next building, a
lodging house. All the occupants must
have been crushed to death without
any warning whatever There was
only one brick building i'm the city
which I saw that was not in ruins"
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-03

SEATTLE, April 21.-"When we were
escaping through the ruins of the San
Francisco earthquake" said w. w.
Wilson last night, my wife and were
horror-stricken to see several bodies
of people charred and blackened by the
fire lying in our path.
I'VE were compelled to get out of
the city by way of Golden Gate Park.
During the excitement of the people
several rutiians busted themselves
robbing the helpless"
Mr.. and Mrs. Wilson had their home
in San Francisco, but they decided to
come to this city which they reached
last night.
The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-05-03
UNFINISHED SHIPS
THROWN FROM WAYS
MEN WORK IN SPRECKLES ST.
GAR PLANT DAY AFTER EARTH
QUAKE.
BY S. $. OLYMPIA.

SEATTLE, April 23-Capt c. j..
Jorgensen of the President Lihterage
Company, of Nome, reached Seattle
late Saturday night from san Fran
cisco, accompanied by his wife In
speaking Of the experiences they went
through in that city as the result of
the earthquake, Capt. Jorgensen said:
I'VE were living in a new apartment
house near the corner of Ninth and
Howard streets when the earthquake
occurred, and the shock seemed to
break the building almost off at the
first story, so much that it leaned to-
ward the street at decided angle.
I'VE ran out on the street in our
night clothes. Later we returned
packed all our belongings and prepared
to leave the city. As I had some
men who were working for me living
near the Union Iron Works in the
Potrero. we made a trip out in that
direction.
IRON WORKS DAMAGED
THE Union Iron Works plant was
badly damaged. Two large ships
which have being built and were near
ly finished, fell from the docks and
were lying on their sides Another
steamer, which was i'm the dry dock
also was thrown on her side and the
dry dock itself was badly damaged.
THE Risdon Iron Works seemed to
have suffered much less. and, outside
of the falling of some of the smaller
structures. was almost intact
THE big Spreckels sugar refinery
was i'm such good condition that there
was steam coming from the plant on
Wednesday, and l was told that they
were running almost the same as usual.
The dry dock at Hunters Point the
largest in San Francisco. was lucky in
escaping from the shock with little
damage This is particularly fortu-
nate, as there viii probably be a good
deal Of work to be done at this point
during the coming season.
"The Southern Pacific repair shops
structures that passed through the fire
at Seventeenth street were among the
unscathed. There were three streams
of water at work here and by their aid
the fire, which started from the burn
ing buildings all around, were quickly
eXtinguished.
1.-THE steamermen at Nome will be
bothered to some extent during the
coming season, as the supplies for the
coming year in the line of gasoline
engines, etc, had all been ordered from
San Francisco. and were entirely des-
troyed.
zone case that know of is that of
L. Whitehouse, of Nome, who had or
dered two thirty hoursepower gasoline
engines from a San Francisco, firm for
the tug Mary c., which were destroyed
when the company's shops were burn
ed
Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-09-29
GIVES THE NEWS FRESH.

The EVENING NEWS was the on
ly newspaper in this city to give a
complete and detailed ccoun of the
republican county convention which
was held in New Brunswick yester-
day. Incidentally it might be re-
marked that the NEWS was the only
newspaper to tell about the stabbing
ARRAY at the Perth Amboy Terra Cot
ia yesterday. All this only goes to
uphold the fact that the EVENING
NEWS gives the news when it is
news and people in this section of the
county, VINO want all the news fresh,
have learned to depend upon this
newspaper to furnish it. This partly
explains why the paid circulation OF
the EVENING NEWS is more than
twice that of any other newspaper
published in this vicinity.
Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-09-29
Uncle Sam Mr.. President have put your shack in fine shape for you this summer.
TheW White Ho@ has been completely renovated while the President has mn on his vacation N@e Item

be given by the society will be of the
highest standard. This being so ev-
eryone who cares anything about mu-
sic will want to hear, but as the con
certs will be for members of the So
ciety only, one must help sustain the
organization in order to be among
those who can attend. The member
ship fee, it is announced, will be
nominal, and those who join have the
satisfaction of knowing that they are
not only to hear two or three excel
lent concerts, but they are perpetual
ing the organization for more treats
to come.
Every encouragement should be
given those who are organizing the
symphony that it may be a success.
Perth Amboy can well support it and
the opportunity should not be lost.