Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-04-21
ONLY RUINS ARE LEFT


VI h'N - ~ r. NalluNIlfs
On the hills In the western part OF
the city last night thousands gathered
to witness the completion of the de-
struction between brief intervals of
sleep. Throughout Golden Gate park
10000 bivouac fires cleaned. In front
of every remaining residence imprOmp-
tn ireplaces were doing duty as stoves
and for the first time since the earth
quake shock the people sat down on
grass plots or c%urbstones to enjoy a
warm meal.
Chinatown was destroyed complete
ly. It is said that many Chinese stupe.
fed with opium or drink were blown
up with dynamite. Several mangled
bodies have been found. Lieutenant f
NJ. Freeman states that ia one build
ing five or six bodies were thrown IF.
ty feet into the air ana back Into the
flames.
Not less than fifty men have paid
with their lives the penalty either OF
their cupidity or their indiscretion. One
was shot by Al guard for washing his
hands in drinking water, d commodity
that is being husbanded as sacredly as
though it were molten gold.
Extra guards have been placed
around the ruins OF the s%ubtreasury.
| the banks and the safe deposit vaults
in the financial district in anticipation
of raids by thieves.
Policeman Flood on entering his
home after a long tour of duty ell
countered a stranger, who attacked
him. Flood shot him dead. Special
Policeman Snyder also reported that
he had killed u man, but offered no
details.
Eleven postal clerks. all alive. were
taken from the debris of the postotice
last night. All at first were thought
to be dead, but it was found that. al
though they were buried in the ston
building, every one was alive. They
had been for three days without food
or water. All the mail in the post
Office was saved.
Governor Pardee has wired Presi-
dent Roosevelt asking him TO send the
order that the marines may help thu
unfortunate sufferers and also that tn,
supplies of the squadron may be used
for the relief of the needy.
Thousands of people who have lost
their homes and all their belongings
are gathered at concentration camps at
the Preside, Golden Gate park and
other places on the outskirts of the
city and are receiving food and wa
ter. About 300. 600 are homeless. and
every effort is being made to supply
them with tents and shelter tempo
rarily.
The New York opera stars, after two
days in the ruined city, are starting
for their homes. They place their
losses at more than $150,000. Nine.
Sembrich alone had $4,000 in cos
tunes destroyed.
A correspondent here estimates the
fatalities in California, which can be
but guesswork as yet, at from 1000 to
1000. He says some insurance men
say the financial loss may aggregate
$500, 900, 900.
Four thousand infantry soldiers un-
der General Funston's command 0
guard the ruins OF the city.
The fire in the Mission district has
been practically extinguished, and the
spread of the flames toward the west
ern addition, the best part of the city
remaining, has been stayed. The only
portions of the conlagration that de-
mands the attention of the tiremeil is
that extending from the Mob hill seq
ton down to the northwestern Fart Gi
the water front. The western adc...p
danger was averted by the use . s.l
cotton, dynamite and two strea as ="
water. The explosives were hanC!A,
by the chief gunner of the Mare Island
navy yard. aud his accomplishments
proved him to be a master of his pro
fession.
The work of relief has been started,
has increased its ovens and arranged
to bake 1000 loaves of bread night.
With thousands of people in line be-
fore the California street bakery, the
police and military were present to en-
force order and to see that each person
was allowed only Il loaf.
The destitution and suffering are in
describable. Women and children who
had comfortab bic homes a few days ago
slept all night-if sleep came ut all-on
hay on the wharfs, on the sand lots
neal the north beach. some OF them I'M
der the little tents made Of sheeting,
which poorly protected them from the
chilling ocean winds. The people in the
parks are possibly better off in the
matter of shelter. for they left their
homes better prepared. Instructions
were issued by Mayor Schmitz TO
break open every store containing pro
visions and to distribute them TO the
starving people.
The problem now confronting the
city government and federal authori-
ties is how TO feed the multitude of
destitute. Supplies are coming in by
the train load, but as yet the system of
distribution is not in complete working
order.
At the Preside military reservation.