Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-04-21


Many other beautiful and costly homes
are situated on the hill, but those
mentioned have been landmarks for
twenty-five years.
Old landmarks, made famous by as
ISOLATION with the early history Of Cal
ifornfa, as we'll as the new monu-
ments to the commercial prosperity Of
the California metropolis, have been
wiped out Of existence by the dreadful
confagration. One OF the first to fall
a prey to the flames after the destruc-
ton OF the business district was the
Palace hotel, known the world over to
travellers. 1t was built in the '7Os by
James Ralston, at cost Of $6,000,000,
and was owned by the Sharon estate.
Many OF San Francisco's wealthiest
families made their homes at the Pal
ace and personal property losses in
art treasures, ETC., have been very
great
Famous Club Destroyed.
Down near the business district, at
the corner of Post street and Grant
avenue, stood the Bohemian club, the
most unique and one of the widest
known social organizations in the
world. It's membership list includes
the names of many men who have
achieved fame IN art, literature, and
the commercial world. It's rooms
were decorated with the works Of ar
tist members, many OF whose names
are known wherever paintings are dis
cussed, and many Of them priceless in
their associations.
Many Of these were saved. The an
nual summer "3inks Of the Bohemian
club, amid sylvan scenes at Redwood
Grove. is the most unique celebration
known among social clubs. There
we're on special exhibition IN the
links" room Of the Bohemian club a
dozen paintings BY the old masters,
including Rembrandt, Diaz, Mu.
rillo, and others, and probably worth
100000. These paintings, which
were loaned for exhibition, were lost.
Many Heavy Individual Losers.
While the property loss In the city
is probably not less than $500, 900 900
at this time, and II constantly grow
ing greater. many persons will suffer
heavy individual losses Some of the
wealthy people Of the city will lose
several million dollars individually.
There will be many cases where the
loss will be more than half a million
The destruction of nearly all of the
bank buildings of the city has given
cause for great anxiety. While all of
these institutions were supplied with
fire proof vaults, it is feared that the
shock Of the earthquake may have so
wrecked these safes as to allow the
flames access to the books and the
currency. If this is the case, it is ev-
ident that much paper currency has
been destroyed, while the records will
be entirely gone.
One of these banks was the Hiber-
MAN Savings bank. perhaps the best
known financial institution on the Pa
icific slope, which is a mass of ruins.
This bank held the deposits of thous-
ands of poor people of the city, and if
the records are destroyed they will
suffer greatly. Other savings banks
are in like plight.
Sharon Estate Loses Heavily.
The Sharon estate, Of which Sena-
tor Francis @. Newlands, of Nevada,
is the executor, is perhaps the largest
loser. This estate owned the Palace
hotel and many buildings and tene-
ments in the manufacturing and bust
ness districts. Practically every
building owned by the estate in these
districts has been destroyed.
Already there is much speculation
as to the position insurance compa-
MES will take with regard to the
losses. Fire insurance policies do not
provide for damage by earthquake, but
an attempt will be made to collect on
buildings and stocks, where, after the
earthquake, fire destroyed what re-
NAMED. Senator Newland's two
daughters by his first wife are the
heirs to the Sharon estate. It is esti-
mated that the loss to this estate
alone will be in the neighborhood Of
from 5000 to $9.O00,00o.
Another $5,o00,O00 loss is that of
the California Wine Growers associa-
ton, of which Percy r. Morgan is
president Mr.. Morgan, who has been
in Washington, left at $40 o'clock yes
terday afternoon to come to San Fran
cisco. In addition to his heavy loss in
the millions Of gallons Of wine stored
In and around San Francisco, Mr.. Nor
60l Auo AOoS LID P1OtVVO AOoloSASOp W
gether with collection of art objects
valued at as much more.
Mrs. Phoebe A. Hearst, the widow
Of the late Senator Hearst, has lost
$1,000,000. She owned the San Fran
cisco Examiner building, valued at
$750,000, and her property losses in
other directions will exceed $3.50,
During recent years Mrs Hearst has
been reducing her holdings in San
Francisco, and is not nearly as great
a loser as she would have been ten or
fifteen years ago, when great part
Of the Hearst fortune was inyyestei
there.
Williams Suffers Big Loss.
Gardiner Williams, who was chief
engineer of the famous De Beers
mines in South Africa and general
manager for Cecil Rhodes, is another
heavy loser. He has lost his magni-
ficent residence in one of the most