The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-05-19
HUMAN KINDNESS came
NATURAL IN FRISCO
Editor of Journal of Seamen's
Union Gives Some Expe-
riences During Fire.
Tells of Acts of Human Kind
ness Which Were Shown
Almost Involuntarily.

In the Coast Seamen's Journal, the
first issue since the fire, which arrived
here this week is a story Of human
kindness which came to the observ-
ance of the editor during the excite
ment. 1t reads:
I'm the wreck of San Francisco the
sions in kindness. The minds Of the
survivors are yet a little numb. The
picture fails to reveal itself as
whole; 1t comes to US detached, brok-
en-; the perspective is all away. We
are so close to 1t that vision seems
to have reversed ands we are miles and
miles removed. San Francisco Is fight
ing her way back to her budding in
the yet steaming ruins of Lower South
Of Market street; the resonant music
of hammer and nails is heard near the
Ferry building; already, before the
smoke has cleared, the stimulus of re-
construction is in the air.
And fragments Of the picture come
back to the survivors. the reconstruct
tors. It Is only natural that they
has story in his breast, a raw, incom-
plete narrative Of terror. That is the
splash of red on the canvas, and con-
Germs so much man as the elements.
That was revealed in a single shock,
and at best imperfect understood,
for the sedentary intellect of the twen-
tieth century Is hardly equipped to
cope with anything so direct, so un-
complicated, so unsubtle, so brutal.
The modern intellect has less difficulty
grasping the kindness Of man for man.
Human conduct was put to ter
rible test, and survived it. Out Of
my own experience recall only kind
ness. None was so hard sput as not to
help another, even though the help
went no farther than word. Let me
be more specific.
when the ceiling came down on the
floor Of the Occidental Hotel we fed
with barely enough clothes for panic
modesty. Among the absent articles
were one pair Of shoes. 1 barefooted
it up Bush street towards Grant
avenue, for the overhead trolley and
telegraph wires In Montgomery and
Kearny streets were falling. Near
Kearny steet an all-night cab-man
stood at his horses head. He hailed
me. His eyes glazed with terror, he
said; Let me drive your wife and
you somewhere. 1t won't cost you g.
cent. You know me-honest, too bad,
1t won't cost you a cent! Let me drive
you somewhere. Let me drive you to
the cemetery
LAT Grant avenue we were Joined bv
stranger, completely clad, save for
collar. My bare feet troubled him
more than they did me.
"Here, he said. Here's a shoe
store. Break a window and take a
pair. You can pay for them later
If there is any later
"'Not yet,' said I.
"I guess you're right 1t might
start the looting.'
1--WE were walking Grant avenue,
making for Portland square, Here
he cried suddenly. There is Jap
store and the fellows just opening it.
Get pair of slippers
Il started for the shop; my hand
went mechanically for my pocket-it
was empty. The stranger read nv
face.
You forgot your money. Help
yourself to mine
Three gold twenties and five
dollar piece were on his palm.
His thumb projected one Of the
twenties. He was forcing 1t as
slight-of- hand men force card.
Il took the IS piece, gave it to the
Jap and put on a pair of upperless
hot a1i
change-s4.65. He could not have been
cooler had the earthquake been merely
Russian army. I turned to give the
change to the stranger.
Put 1t in your pocket he said
and I wish you'd take some more I,
may come in handy this day.
"'You don't know me, I said.
"'You don't know me, he answered
and there's no time for exchanging
cards.
After five minutes Of argument or
my part the stranger gave me his
name and address.
In that fragment Of the picture his
kindness is very vivid.
MY next helpful brother is a China.
man. We met him in Portsmouth
square, where hundreds on hundreds
of his countrymen were gathered. OF
all OF them he alone wore the product
or the American clothing store,
fancied that cigarette might 20 with
the tWeeds. I was itching for 8
smoke, and asked him for one, anc
got, 1T, and more than it.
"A pair Of socks will warm vor
feet. and I've got another, pair for
the lady, said my Chinese stranger
Come with me. It's only over the way
to Sacramento street. I own the DRUG
store next door to Chinese Doctor
Yes, be was kind.
$50 was the gentle old ladv that
found seat with US on a. bench
in the square and opened her te1e.
scope basket and gave to the ladv Of
my itinerant household a pair Of leath-
er slippers. Those slippers are still
In commission. They shall be precious
souvenirs when the city is rich again
but just now they are blessedly use-
full as my own shoes, which they were
the means of restoring to the origin al
np-nar