Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-05-31
/ GRAND SPECTACLE
| u Was the Burning Of Frisco
Letter Professor Flint Brother thescene
AE.EEsH@EE ssE.sESss|

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Professor Albert 8. Flint is In re-
ceipt Of most interesting letter from
his brother. George B. Flint, whose
home Is at Oakland, Cal, but who Is
a wholesale druggist In San Francis
CO. His business was swept away by
the holocaust following the great
earthquake In detailing his observa-
tons under date of April 20, he says:
AZ Seen from Oakland.
Shortly after the shake | went out
to see what damage had been done in
our vicinity, and saw in the direction
OF San Francisco what appeared to be
great column of smoke rising, but
was not sure, as the fog sometimes
takes on such shapes. went In to
breakfast and then started to take
my usual train to the city. AS
glanced toward the city, It was now
evident that q great fire was raging
Arrived at the suburban depot 1t was
reported that the powerhouse had
been wrecked and trains were not
running. The street cars we're not
running and jumped into the back of
a contractors wagon and rode down
town. The farther we went the great
er the damage, the low ground suf-
fering much more than the hills.
Among the dwellings the principal
loss seemed to be the chimneys, hard
ly any standing, and outside chimneys
being demolished completely.
When we got down among the
brick and stone structures the de-
struction was greater. Fire walls
many of them, had fallen, In some
instances crashing through frame
buildings. making complete wrecks OF
the latter. The only loss of life In
Oakland that | have heard OF was a
case of this kind, five persons being
killed In their lodgings.
The Central bank building had two
great gaps In the corners In front
extending down two stories, besides
losing the cornice. 1t has since been
repaired with wood and painted to I'm
itate the red brick, and 1t has been
so skillfully done that stranger
would not discover It. The first story
of the Oakland bank was badly
cracked, while above 1t seemed all
right 1t Is now shored up with heavy
timbers.
The trains on the narrow gauge, So
called. were not running so got the
8 a. m. on the 7th street line. This
was the last train on which passen-
gers got through, as they stopped
travel into the city. When the train
got to the mole so we could see the
city there we're Ave great fires visi.
BILE, the flames reaching high above
the buildings and against back.
ground Of dark smoke that indicated
many other fires back from the city
front The sight was startling and
impressive. 1t was beautiful morn
Ing. The sun had risen clear and
was shining brightly on our side of
the bay, but over toward the city, ex-
cept in the northern part. great
mass Of smoke OF varying colors rose
high In the air forming masses that
could not be distinguished from thun-
der clouds. The smoke drifted away
in a southerly direction as far as
could be seen. covering the PENN
sula. OF course many passengers
crowded to the front of the boat
Others sat down and read the papers
as usual. | got out In front, for l
realized that the sight was one of
life time, and wanted to try and 10.
cate some OF the fires before landing
As We approached we could see
that some of the wharves and freight
sheds had collapsed and fallen into
the bay, but nothing was on fire d.
rectly along the water The tower OF
the ferry building was evidently con-
siderably damaged. as also the build.
ing itself.
As We came out onto the street we
could see that great cracks ran along
the pavement, and In places It had
sunk considerably; but this only at
tracted passing notice. Fires were
raging on both sides of Market street
from the ferry as far up as we could
see through the smoke; and along
East street, for blocks to the north,
almost everything was in blaze
Wudt StIuCh me AT once WAS the an-
sence Of people and fire engines:
great buildings as well as little ones
were furnaces OK FIRE and no effort
apparently being made to stop It,
The largest fires were reported
south of Market; so. in company with
another man. a stranger, started
north. noticed that they had
streams OF water from the fire boats
and possibly pumps wetting down the
sheds and this saved all the wharves,
freight sheds. ETC.. along the front,
and | began TO realize then that the
fire department had so much to cope
with that 1t hadn't got down to the
city front at all. Later was told
that there was no water in the mains
and il looked TO me then as though
the city was doomed. As We walked
along my companion said: There's
my place" II was a five-story brick
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