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

even down to Islais Creek and out s far as
Valencia street, is now a snouldering
ain.
Into the western addition and the Pacific
Avenue Heights three broad fingers OF red
ar, feeling their way with a speed thai
~fo-etells the destruction of a major part
Of the palaces of the city before morni ng.
II ere IL no longer a downtown district.
4 blot OF black spreads from East street
r. Oaklavia and is bounded on the south
and north by Broadway and Washington
g.: Gets and Islais Creek respectively.
Jot a bank stands. There are no longer
ary exchanges, insurance offices, real estate
of oes. all that once represented the finan-
ti,l heart of the city and its industrial
strength. Go up Market street from the
Ferry building to Octavia street and moth
ing but the black fingers of Jagged ruins
point to the smoke blanket that presses
low overhead. Visit what was once Cali
io,nia, Sansome and Montgomery streets
anil you must ask a painting fireman to
direct you out of the labyrinth of grim,
biz okened walls.
Chinatown is no more. Union Square is
a barren district. The CAL building stands
proudly erect, lifting its whited head above
tho ruin like some leprous6thing and with
al its windows dead staring eyes that look
ur on nothing hut a wilderness. The great
Food building is Il hollow shell. The st.
Francis Hotel. one time place of luxury.
Is nsught but a box of stone and steel.
FLAMES DANCE IN.
Yet the flames leap on exultantly. They.
d1nce, they roar in bacchanalian glee.
They leap chasms like a waterfall taking a
rrecipice. ,Now they are here. now there,
al5ays passing on. on to the west and
trough to the end of the city.
At 3 O'Clock this morning octavia street
= a. the western zone of the red hot cauldron
a nj in parts of this boundary the fire had
Ieen subdued. But baffled in one spot, the
licking tongues spring out in another and
itsIoSks now as if the red tide, checked
along Golden Gate avenue and Turk street,
lad slipped aroun by Oak and Page and
~ ItdhI - "oHIf wv
addition in a sea of fame, ..
Ats o'clock last night the fire was sup
osei TO have eaten itself out In the whole
sale district below Sansome street, and
lie main body OF the flames was confined
10 the district south Of Market street, where
he oil works, the furniture factories and
--+he vast lumber yards gave fodder into
The mouth Of the fire fend. Yet suddenly,
as II 10y perverse devilishness, a fierce wind
from the west swept over the crest Of Mob
Hill and was answered by Ieaping tongue
'of-famea from ont Of tine very heart Of the
wins.
By $50 o ciocN Montgomery street pad
been jumped and the great Merchants
Exchange Building on California street
Harmed out like the beacon torchof a meteor.
From the dark fringe of humanity watch
ing on the crest of the California street hill
there spranG the noise of a sudden catching
of the breath-not a sign, not a gioan-lust
"a sharp gasp betraying a stress of despair
'uesiT to tie insanity point.
At o O'Clock the great Crocker building
shot sparks and adder tongues of fire to
the heavens. Immediately the fire jumped
Kearney street, licking at the fat provender
that shaped itself for consuming. Then
began the mournful procession of Japanese
and poor whites occupying the rookeries
about Dupont street and along Pine. Tug
ging at heavy ropes. they rasped trunks
up the steep pavements of California and
Pine streets TO places Of temporary safety.
1t WIS ii motley crew. Women laden with
bundles and dragging reluctant children by
the hands ranted UP the steep slope with ter
ror stamped in THEW faces, Men with house
hold furniture heaped camelwise on their
shoulders trudgcd s~toioally over the rough
oobhies with the flames of the fire bronzing
their faces into the outlines of a gargoyle.
One patriotic son of Nippon labored pain
fully up Dupont street with the crayou por-
trait of the Emperor nt Japan ~ III hack.
3PuNI FIGHTS OF nv FIRE ENGiHEs.
Is while this zone Of fra was swiftly gnawing
'its way through Kearney street and up the
hill another and even more terrible seq
mont of the confia traitor was being stub
bornly tough. at the corner Of Colder Gate
avenue and Polk street Here exha listed
hremen directed the feeble streams from
two hoses upon a solid block of streaming
fafhe. The engines pumped the supply
from the sewers. notwithstanding this
desperate stand the flames progressed
until they had reached oc.avia street.
Like a sickle set to a field Of grain the
fiery crescent spread AROUND the southerly
end of the Western Addition up to Oak and
Felf streets. along Octavia. Here one
painy engine pulled a single stream Of water
upon the burning mass, but its efforts were
~ like the stabbing of a pygmy at a giant.
AT 3 o'clock this morning the fire had not
a .,ssed to the west side Of Octavia street,
gald the reopening Of a water main in the
V.,iuity of Page street was experimenting
.Ue meagre supply of water.
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