The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-20
J. P. Anthony Makes Trip in an
Automobile.
Saw a Score or More People
Killed.
MR.. WILLIAMS STORY.
Bodies of Dead Being Carried
Through Streets.
Many of BuiIdingsB Began to Burn
in Upper Stories.

Salinas. Cal, April 20.@(By long
distance telephone to Los Angeles. -
J. P. Anthony, a business man of Pa
cific Grove, has arrived in this city,
having made the trip from San Fran
cisco by automobile. He left there at
6 o'clock Wednesday evening Mr..
Anthony is the first eye witness to
bring direct information from San
Francisco. His story is graphic and
complete. Mr.. Anthony says that he
was sleeping in his room at the RAJ
mona hotel on Ellis street near Macon
and was suddenly awakened at SIS
Wednesday morning. The first shock
that brought him out of bed he says,
was appalling in its terrible force.
The whole earth seemed to heave and
fall The building where he was
housed, which is six stories high, was
lifted from its foundation and the roof
caved in. A score or more of guests,
men and women, Immediately made
their way to the street, which was
soon filed with people and a perfect
panic ensued. Debris showered into
the street from buildings on every
side.
AS a result Mr.. Anthony says he saw
a score or more of people killed. Wo-
men became hysterical and prayed in
the streets While men sat on the curb
ing appearing to be dazed 1t was 20
realize the enormity Of the catastrophe.
The crowds became larger and in the
public squares of the city and in
empty lots thousands of people gath
cred.
It was o'clock before the police
were in control OF the situation. When
they finally resumed charge the of
f1cers directed their energy toward
warning the people in the streets away
from dangerous buildings which were
on the brink of topping over.
MI Anthony says he was walking
on Market street near the Emporium
about a. M, when a severe shock |
was felt. At once the street filled
again with excited persons and thou
sands were soon gathered in the vicin-
ity paralyzed with fear Before the |
spectators could realize what had hap |
pened, the walls of the building swayed !
a distance of three feet. The thou
sands of byStanderS stood as if |
parayzed, expecting every moment
that they would be crushed but an
other trem0r seemed to restore the big
building to its natural position. Mr. !
Anthony said that he momentarily
expected that with thousands of others
who were in the neigh borhood he
would be crushed to death in a few
moments He made his way down
Market street as far as the Call build
ing, from which flames were issuing a
every window, with the blaze shooting
out through the roof
A similar condition prevailed in the
Examiner building across the street. He
then started for the depot al Third and
Townsend streets, determined to leave
the city. He found a procession Of sew
eral thousand other persons headed in
the same direction. All south of Market
at that time was a cracking mass of
flames. He made his way to Eighth and
Market hence down Eighth to Towns
end and to Third street and the streets
W he a fro aIrfr
it impossible for him to reach his des-
tination. He attempted to back track,
but found that his retreat had been cut
off by the flames. He then went to
Twelfth street and reached Market
again by the city hall
San Franciscos magnificent building
had conceived like an egg shell. The
steel dome was still standing but the
rest of the 100000 structure was
mass of charred ruins
It was not yet noon but the city's hos
pitfalls were already filled with dead and
injured and all available store rooms
were being pressed into service. Dead
bodies were being carried from the
streets in garbage wagons. In every
direction hySterical women were seen.
I Men walked through the streets weep
I ing and others with blanched faces.
I Transfer men were being offered fab
ulous sums to remove household goods,
even for block distant. Horses had
/
large to prevent their being incinerated
in the burning buildings Women had
/ loaded their personal belongings on
! carts and We're pulling them through
the city. the property being huddled in
\ the public squares.
A Conductors Story.
George F. Williams. a Pullman car
/ conductor on the second train to ar
rive in Los Angeles from San Francis
co, was one of those who witnessed
/ the work of the fire. Mr.. Williams, who
lives at 316 Maple avenue, Fruitvale,
was not in San Francisco at the time
of the first shock, but reached the city
shortly afterward.
He says at that time there was little
rush at the ferry station. The people
were both coming and going. He was
in the stricken city from then until 2
o'clock During the time 1 was there, =
says Mr. williams. the work of res
cue and fighting of the flames was go
ing on without intermittence. The
bodies of the dead were being carried
through the streets in every manner of
conveyance. In many places the streets