The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1906-04-20


San Francisco, April 19.-San Fran
cisco tonight is a city desolate 1t
seemed that the acme of it's misery
was reached at dusk, when flames
burst from all sides of the beautiful
Hotel Fairmont, the palace that above
every other structure was apparently
the most strongly entrenched against
the attack of the all consuming fire.
And surrounding that Lofty pinnacle of
flame, as far as the eye could see to
the south, to the east and far out to
the west lay in cruel, fantastic heaps,
charred and smoking, all that remains
of prosperous city.
Tonight there is hope that the worst
has been nearly reached and that
when tomorrow dawns the end will be
in sight. But the hope is faint. II
the flames can he halted IN their de-
vastation of the Western addition,
then "finis" will be written to the
great disaster.
But San Francisco is not discourag-
ed. Itss5est and highest citizens have
already begun to plan it's restoration
and to care for the stricken ones, and
relief will be immediate and effective.
Total subscriptions of 100000 were
announced and arrangements made for
the immediate succor of the needy.
Baking of $4,000 loaves of bread daily
will begin tomorrow. Free transpor-
tation will be provided by the South
ern Pacific to destitute persons desir-
ing to go to interior points.
Water Is Promised.
Major McKeever has been appointed
commandant of the camps of the
homeless. 1t was announced that to-
morrow daily delivery of into the city
of 100000 gallons of water will be-
gin. Tonight for the first time tele-
graphic communication was re-estab-
lished with the outside world and this
message is the first to be sent BY
energetic efforts the Postal Telegraph
company succeeded in restoring one
of its lines and it's manager hopes to
bring the service back to normal in
day or two. The Postal office is
in little wooden structure erected
on piles at the water front.
Fires are now burning in three dis
tricts. One is in that portion that
extends from Mob hill easterly toward
the water front. 1t is travelling slowly
northward toward the Telegraph hill
section. 1t may die out from lack of
material or may again sweep toward
the extreme water front. The second |
center is the Mission district. Here
the fire has reached Eighteenth street, |
but it is making little headway toward |
the hills to the west. where thousands
of people are camped. The third and |
most dangerous fire is that threaten
ing the western section. This is really |
a continuation of the Mob hill fire. 1t
is wedge shaped, with the apex push
Ah5 lO1 w oi d' <ASotA5I II uICl1Su dIS
bending their greatest efforts. Dyna-
mite has been used for backfring
with only moderate success. Many
blocks will be blown up before dawn.
Chief of Police Duan estimates the
dead at $50. About so corpses have
thus far been found. There was con-
siderable shooting at looters today,
but the offenders were fortunate
enough to escape witG wounds.
Old Landmarks Gone.
Old land marks, associated with the
early history of California, as we'll as
the new monuments to the CONNER
cial prosperity of California's metrop.
oils have been razed by the dreadful
conflagration. One of the first to fall
a prey to the flames was the Palace
hotel. built in the seventies by James
at cost of $6,000,000. 1t
was owned by the Sharon estate.
Many Of San Franciseo's wealthiest
families lived there and personal prop
erty losses in art treasure have been
very great. Hopkins Art institute,
located on Mob hill, owned by the