The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-05-08
LEFT PREY
To FLAMES
Red Cross Worker Tells
OF Attempts at
Rescue.

Helpless from drink, taken by starry
ing men and women during the first day
of the holocaust at San Francisco, men
and women had to be left 20 their aw-
full fate among the burning houses OF
the slums. This is the story told by
one who labored with the rescuing par
ties and saw the inside horrors of the
burning of the western capital.
The regular services at the Metho-
dist church Sunday night We're dis
pensed with to hear the personal ex-
periences of two of the earthquake suf-
ferers, Mr.. a. B. Elmer and Mrs Rob-
ert Bemrose, who reached here from
the destroyed city in the Alameda.
Mr.. Elmer, who was a prominent Y.
NJ. c. A. worker in that city and who,
during the days of suffering following
the earthquake, was member of the
Red Cross contingent, spoke at some
length of his experiences. He did so,
not with any desire of pandering to
those who wanted to hear anything SEN
sational, but with a desire to help
those among his hearers who might be
worrying about their friends and rel
atives at the Coast and to give accur
ate information of conditions there.
He wished to assure everyone that none
were suffering for food and shelter.
There was plenty of everything now at
hand and the people were getting
everything necessary. Some people
were faring better at the present time
than ever before in their lives.
One of the most touching sights dur
ing the first days of alarm was the
long strings of supply trains coming
into the city, sent from all the little
towns around, packed with homemade
comforts for the stricken people For
Honolulu he brought message from
Mrs Aerrell, head of the Red Cross
society, telling our people that there
was no cause for worry. Everything
necessary was being done.
What impressed the speaker most
during the great calamity was the ne
eessity of being prepared to face death
at anv time With the walls of his
house rocking. amid the crash of fall
ing buildings and the shrieks and
prayers of the desperate people, he felt ,
that to God alone could he look for aid.
The question of facing death and meet I
ing their God was impressed that night
on everyone in San Francisco, and even
in the slums, which he visited few
minutes after the first shock, he found
many people at prayer.
If the lesson brought home to the city
at that time is remembered the rebuilt
San Francisco viii be new city IN /
deed. For the rebuilding of San Fran |
cisco REQUIRES careful watching. In the
past the people there have not been as
they should, but the fire has purged
the city and if the prayers of the world
are given a city will be rebuilt where
parents may feel safe in sending their
boys and girls, which, much as he
loved the city, it had not been before.
The one thing responsible more than
any other for the loss of many lives !
was the presence of the corner saloons.
To these during the first day of the
fire. the people had free access and the
effect of fntoxicants TO the starving
people was to render them helpless /
fne Red Cross workers dragged many
beyond the reach of the flames but
from their very number it was inn
possible to rescue all and many drunk
,ssen and women had to be left to their
fate.
He was not present to dispute the
lewspa per estimate of the dead, placed
IT 700. but from the number OF drunk
an people left TO the flames in the
Coast district alone he knew
he number given out TO be far below
,ctuality.
The soldiers and the Red Gross saved
and the Salvation Army dld
excellent work. The spirit of the peo-
Die rose to heroism, the women IN
particular showing a bravery almost
,evopd belief. Since the earthquake
10 bes a higher opinion of manhood
han ever before. His work among the
amen in the city had not been Such ]
IS to inspire any great opinion OF
cankiad. but the catastrophe brought
O the surface the hidden qualities OF
acriEace and heroism.
The speaker closed with an earnest
lea TO his hearers to take to heart the
essen taught by the earthquake that
t all times we should be prepared TO
ace death. :
Mrs PeTnrose related her experiences
, the burning city. her flight from the
,recked home and .he trying days ana ,
lights in the park and cemetery where
he sought refuge. The sight of the
babies among the refugees ana
he srief of the mothers was one Oh
he pathetic things related.
In the ruins passed in leaving the
itv the speaker noted the corner stone
f the Y. NJ. c. A building left stand
7r and the words on il standing out
lainlv "The foundations of God stand Q
ire
Scores Of letters were received IN the L
mail from San Francisco Il