Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1906-04-20

Sacramento, Cal, April 1S.-Hun'
dreds, perhaps thousands, OF persons,
are believed to be dead as a result Q:
an earthquake which devastated San
Francisco early Wednesday morn
ing. 1t is reported that hun
dreds of buildings in the city have
fallen and that fires are destroying the
city, which Is without protection, ow-
ing to the destruction of the water
mains by the earthquake.
The earthquake is believed to equal
or approach in destruction that which
destroyed Charleston years ago. Many
coast cities also suffered, but it will
be hours before the full extent OF the
disaster can be realized.
All communication with the stricken
city is absolutely cut off, the only
news Of the disaster coming just after
the final crash, before the full extent
of the disaster was known. Another
and minor shock minute later sew
cred the wires.
Almost the last word from the
stricken city came in message from
the San Francisco manager of the
Postal Telegraph company, who wired
t. the manager here:
Our building has been destroyed by
earthquake. Loss of life is heavy. 1t
began at 5:13 a. m. and shocks con-
tinued every few minutes for half an
hour. Many fires started in wreckage.
No water. They are carrying out the
dead now"
The damage in Sacramento also was
great, many buildings being wrecked
and a large number Of persons in
jured. The death list is not known,
but it is not believed many persons
were killed in this city.
First Shock Just at Dawn.
The first shock was felt, it was re-
ported, at 5:13 o'clock, just as it was
growing light, and the disturbances
continued for several minutes. . The
earlier demonstrations were mild, bus
as they continued the trembling OF the
earth became so violent that the
whole population OF the city was. dis
turbed and large proportion turned
into the streets.
The communication with the out
side world quickly was cut off. Be-
fore the wires across the bay had been
severed it was reported that the Postal
Telegraph building had fallen with a
crash and that score OF other large
buildings appeared to DE wrecked.
The bay front was inundated at an
early hour, it was said, and the falling
stones and bricks from buildings had
caused the serious injury, If not the
death, of many persons.
Fire Starts in Wreckage.
Fires started in the wreckage and
many buildings, but it was impossible
for the fire department to act in saw
ing the standing buildings, because the
water supply had been entirely cut off
at the first disturbance.
One of the largest buildings to fall
in the earlier disturbance was the
Postal Telegraph block, one of the pre-
tentious structures in the city. The
telegraph operators at work in the
building at the early hour in the morn
ing were few, but it is believed that
they went down to their death in the
wreckage.
The wires from the building were
"lost" to outside receiving operators
at 5:13 o'clock, San Francisco time.
ne last communication at Chicago
from the western metropolis was at
8:12 o'clock.
That portion Of San Francisco in
which the Postal Telegraph building
is located Is the principal business sec
ton of the city. The Great Call
(newspaper) building, skyscraper, is
stones throw away, and so Is the
high Chronicle building.
Big Buildings Thrown Down.
The district is the line between the
wholesale business section and in
cludes practically all the largest blocks
of the city. The huge Ferry Railroad
building is less than mile away. The
beautiful public fountain on Market
street, given to the city by the Actress
Lotto, is close neighbor of the Postal
building. But two or three blocks
away Is Union square, In which is To-
Gated the great Dewey monument,