, 1906-04-21
MR.. AND MRS. JOHN w. CONNOR
REACH CITY AT EARLY HOUR
THIS MORNING DIRECT
FROM SCENE.
Were in Hotel Hamilton at Time of the
Earthquake and Felt Building
Sway Like Boat in Storm-Forced
to Leave Hotel and spend Night
on open Lot, Leaving for Home
Thursday Morning.

Mr.. and Mrs. John w. Conner re
turned at 6:3O this morning from San
francisco, having lett that city at
o'clock Thursday morning, twenty.
eight hours after the hTsC shock and
the starting OF the awful lire which
swept over more than half the city.
They were in the Hotel Hamilton at the
time, having apartments on the fifth
tioor OF the tweIve-story building, and
distinctly telt the shock, the building
swayIng as a boat on the waves. The
Hamilton is built of steel, loosely joint
ed, and on either side was supported
TO the fifth story with other buildings.
The upper stories were full OF guests.
Saw the Starting of the Fire.
we had rooms on the fifth floor"
said Mr.. Conner, and felt the shock
plainly. We were not long in getting
out of our rooms, but it was much lat
er in the day that the building was
burned. l went TO the roof OF the no
tel with the owner and we watched the
fire, little thinking that it would extend
lar beyond the blocks in which it
started, and did not realize that be-
fore the flames were stopped they
would have swept half across the city
and destroyed some of the finest build
ings and most profitable business en-
terprises ON the Pacific coast. The
scene was grand while we thought Of
the small consequences OF the fire and
it became immense and awful as hour
after hour passed and the flames de,
voured everything in their path.
Spent Night in the open.
"Wednesday night Mrs. Conner and |
spent in a vacant lot away from the
center of the disaster. Hundreds OF
other people found safety in vacant
lots and in parks away from the fire, but
the night was 1ull OF terror and soon
the cry of hunger and thirst was added
to that of fright. Stores were burned
by the score and with them thousands
OF tons of the necessities of life-a
whole city's supply, almost. We saw
rushes made 70: provisions and saw
the crowds beaten back.
"On some of the streets we had
great difficulty in making Roadway at
all. The streets were Uttered for
blocks, and We wendell our way up the
centers of the thoroughfares. There
were thousands of people-literally
Notwithstanding as we wandered,
seeking a point OF vantage here, a place
of safety there, as we watched the con.
f~agration. The military had the stu,
alton in charge and soldiers more than
once drove crowds from places of dang,
er against the wishes of the crowds.
Sick at Awful Sight.
1T was al awful sight, one | shall
never want to see again and M many
of whose features We should be glad to
forget. The buildings toppled over
like houses of cards, and what the
quake did not damage the fire licked
up in its pitiless march across the
proud city. Buildings with bullying
sides were found everywhere; glass by
the ~trainload was broken and filed the
streets; iron pillars were twisted like
reeds and there was pandemonium. Ele-
vators in the hotels were put Il of
commission with the first shock and
street car lines were blocked, the cars
burning as the motormen and con
ductors deserted them in their flight
to safety. 1t is hard to estimate the
loss of life and destruction of property.
The sight was pitiful and the sounds
filed ones ears in tones never to be
forgotten.
True Facts Will Never Be Known.
I'VE left the city as soon as we could.
1 collected our baggage and delivered
it to a transfer company across the
street from the hotel, arranging with
the superintendent for transportation
for myself and wife and a few friends
to places of safety. The Lord knows
what became of some of the trunks
turned over to that company. We
were left to walk to the suburbs, and
the walk was one never to be forgotten.
The loss of life will never be fully
known. Scores of bodies were no
doubt reduced to ashes in the hell OF
fire that followed the demon of the
earthquake, and thousands of friends
will MOURN as those without hope OF
meeting again on earth. The scene
was sad and solemn, the crash of the
city merciless in its immensely and in
tensity."