davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
RUINED BUT NOT
DISCONSOLATE
j. o. HAYES, EDITOR. SOUNDS
THE KEYNOTE.
REBUILD AND RESTORE
Believes the District to Be Immune
From Recurrence of Like catas-
trophe--Calls for Strong and Reso-
lutte Rearts-Faces 10 the Fur
ture.

There are few brighter papers pub
iished on the Pacific coast than the
san lose Mercury. owned by j. o.
and E. A. Hayes, formerly of Madison.
BY reason of the complete wreck of
the business portion OF the city on
Wednesday morning The Mercury did
not appear on Thursday the 18th. but
ON Friday it came out with IL pages
OF news and manly courage. The
leading editorial, signed b. the daunt-
less publisher, is good reading. 1t is:
This IS not time for gloomy fore
boding It was not in the power Of
man to prevent what has now hap
pened All damage that will result
has already been suffered No more
viii follow The present duty is to
approach the sutele with strong and
resolute hearts.
After careful Investigation of all
a} ailable authorities on the subject
r4ade since yesterday it may be said
with confidence that san Jose is to-
day safer from danger from earth
quakes than ever before. The rec
ords OF the destructive earthquakes
of the world that have occurred with
if the past five hundred wears show
that except where the disturbances
occurred in the vicinity OF volcanoes
and were directly traceable TO volcan-
&c causes, no destructive earthquake
has ever occurred twice in the same
place Nor have destructive earth
quakes occurred in the same region
except at intervals many years apart.
These intervals are seldom less than
nfieen Years and generally from
twenty-five to two hundred years.
This carefully recorded history Of
these disturbances therefore gives Us
every assurance that san Jose. San
Francisco and the region now visited
hy this teblor is with reasonable GER
tainty exempt for all time from re-
currence of this experience. 1t is al
so reasonably certain that the entire
state of California outside of the re-
gion now affected will be safe from
any serious disturbances for rs to
200 years if any should ever occur
again
There is, therefore, not the slight
est reason for fear Of further dan
ger. Those who have been fright
ened should allay their fears. Let
us all Danish from our minds forebod.
ings Of the future. We are safe
OF this we may feel assured. The
future IS not so dark as some have
pictured. There has been destruc-
ton but the destruction is not as
great us at first stated This can be
repaired This experience should
teach ms to build with more care
and more substantially. No one
should feel that the value of his prop
ar'y mas been destroyed by this ex-
perience. san Jose will be rebuilt.
1t VIII be made more substantial and
more beautiful than ever. We still
have our sunny skies our invigorat-
ing breezes and our fertile soil Ev-
erything Of comfort and beauty that
has made us wish to live in the
Santa Clara valley we still have The
danger Of future serious earthquakes
now being substantially pas. there is
no reason for any one To think Of
leaving this beauty spot Of the earth.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02

part of the public. This was done in
the public interest He said that he
doubted whether there was any profit
realized on excursions. People bear
down upon the road to give encour-
agement to special occasions. conven-
tons, fairs and expositions. by grant
ing special low rates for passengers,
and in the public interest, to encour-
ase these enterprises, the roads have
felt compelled to grant the rates,
even though it result in no profit. Mr..
Kniskern, participating said he
doubted whether there was any profit
in the excursion business at the
fourth of July. He said these excur-
siOns increased the expenses of run
ming the trains and the roads did not
make much money out of the traffic,
if any. He said that the theory of
selling mileage books and credentials
was to meet demand from tn bust
ness world, a demand to assist in the
development of territory and bust
ness, by enabling houses to have a
larber number of travelling represen-
tatiyes on the road
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
TO CURB ENGLISH UNIONS.
Trades Disputes Bill Advanced
House Of Commons

London. April 6.-After a long de-
bate. the trades disputes bill, which
IS designed to define the liability or
trades unions for damages through
their acts and which marks the legal
limitations of persuasion and picket
ing in times of strikes, was passed to
its second reading without opposition
in the house of commons yesterday.
Former Premier Balfour, conservative.
in the course of a speech made it
clear that while he and his colleagues
would not challenge the bill at this
stage they would reserve detailed crit
icism when it reached the committee
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02

number of factories, warehous and
Industrial establishments in that por.
ton OF the city The fire has swept
Telegraph and Russian Hill clean Of
human nabitation The fire on the
western residence section is now IN
der control and some of the homes are
intact The chief suffering is from
want of food and drink. The charg-
ing of a high price for food is no long
CT allowed under penalty of death,
and all that is Obtainable is being
distributed free by the soldiers and
the relief committees. Thousands
are being supplied with food and
water on the university campus at
Berkeley. and bedding is also being
hustled to them,
Heroic Goods.
The university goods are doing
noble work as nurses and cooks and
are saving the lives of many of the
refugees. They are working them
selves out and already many cases of
nervous prostration are reported.
Federal troops from the east arrived
in Oakland today and are forcing
idlers into line and are making them
dig trenches for the dead Drunken
and overauthoritatiye policemen of
the city are being run through with
soldiers bayonets when they refuse to
obey ,leir orders. The chief terror
now is for want of sanitary conditions.
and some way to prevent the spread
of disease"
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
80 60 RaLIroad Traffic.

Tomahawk, Wis, April 2G.-F4re de-
stroyed the bridge Of the Marinette,
Tomahawk and Western railway
across the Wisc. usin river 81 Toma.
hawk. All traGc on the Spirit Falls
and Tomahaw. Junction divisions
road will be lied up for 30 days or
longer, until the bridge is rebuilt.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02

0OO,0O Famine prices prevail
Bread is 75c and a dollar loaf, soda
crackers ten cent each, meat price
less. canned goods 81 a can. Soldiers
are doing excellent work and force the
fire fighters to work at the point Of
their reyolvers, and kin those who
disobey. Thieves are being shot and
killed or hanged in the streets. To
-Friday-nearly half a million
people in Oakland, San Jose and,
what was once Frisco, are homeless
and without food. Probably 1000 per
ished up to date in San Francisco.
Death and Destruction.
SAN Francisco is one hell of death
and destruction. When the calamity
first struck the city people fled from
the burning crumbling buildings. as
they must have done at the time of
the burning Of Rome. All theie
household goods We're tied up in
sheets and blankets. which being TOO
heavy for them to carry. were dragged
by the unfortunate owners along the
street As the friction of the cob
bles and sidewalks wore through the
frail coverings. one by one We're
strewn their earthly belongings be
hind them The terrified owners, in
tent only ON personal safety. did nor
pause for d moment to pick mp tho
fragments.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
BISHOP GOES TO ROME.
Pensioners Give PreIate Big Purse
on Departure.

on Departure.
La Crosse, Wis, April 26.-Bishop
James Schwebach left La Crosse for
a trip to Rome, in accordance with the
rules of the Catholic church. which re-
quires that all bishops confer with the
Pope in Rome once every ten years.
AT a farewell reception given Rev.
Schwebach by the priests of the La
Crosse diocese he was presented with
a purse OF $1,000. During the absence
of the bishop the work viii be in
charge of Vicar General A. p H Kram-
er of Genoa. Bishop Schwebach VIII
be accompanied by Rev. Peter Treir-
wiler of Rochellyille. They will re-
turn about August l.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
BAN PLACED ON
LAWLESS POLICE
THE sELF-APPolNTED VIGILANCE
COMMITTEES MUST STOP.
ANOTHER SEVERE SHOCK
Short Disturbance Causes Walls to-
Fall, One Woman Being Killed
Retail Business Resumes-Educa-
tionaI Convention May Be Held in
Tents.

san Francisco, April 26.-Mayor
Schmitz yesterday took decided
stand or the course of alleged vilig-
ance committees. I wish to speak
OF those so-called vigilance commit
tees, that are taking it upon them
selves to police the city" he said
These men have no authority what
ever. Let them understand that they
must stop this interference with citi-
zens or they will fall under the han
of the law. If they do not cease
their activities they will be treated as
hooters"
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
CLERGYMAN FINED.
Rev. T. W. Sprowles of Green Bay
Tackled Revival Notices.

Tackled Revival Notices.
Green Bay, Wis, April 26.-Rev.
Thomas w. Sprowles of the First
Methodist church was arrested by a
policeman while in the act of placard-
ing telegraph and telephone poles
with announcements of revival serv-
ices at his church. The minister
took the arrest good naturally and
voluntarily appeared at the police sta
ton to pay nominal fine, Mr..
Sprowles is comparatively a stranger
here and said he was ignorant of the
existence OF the ordinance
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
An Old Varsity Friend.

Amid the hustle and hustle / ran
across an old friend who at one time
went to college at the University ot
Earle Toogood He was
Sing To save his papers and some
of the valuable drugs in his pharmacy
located at 500 Gerry street We
threw the things into a desk and
buried the desk AMI all in a vacan;
lot near by, and then escaped TO the
hills Overhead was a sea of flame,
behind wall of fire and, surrounded
ON every side, were shattered,
crumbling walls The scenes were
appalling Death kindly ended the
strugges OF many. More fortunate ia
many instances were they than the
survivors
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
Might Hurt Wisconsin.

Might Hurt Wisconsin.
When asked by the commissioners
TO explain upon what theory these low
rates were given to commercial hous-
es, he said that it was the application
of the wholesale principle TO passen-
ger traffic He also declared it to be
his opinion that to cut off the mileage
books would be a serious hardship to
many business enterprises. and to cut
them off in Wisconsin and not in
other states would be a serious hard
ship to this state. These mileage
to send their men ont on the road at
about two cents a mile or a little less.
Mr.. Kniskern also testified to the in
crease of the service Differed by the
Northwestern road, TO the increase of
the speed of trains, he enlargement
of equipment and the betterment of
accommodations.
He presented some statistics to
show that the road would suffer a
great loss if the twO-cent maximum
rate was established in Wisconsin.
He said the Northwestern local traffic
in Wisconsin would suffer a loss of
$476,20S.92 a year, The loss, taking
into account interstate traffic that
would inevitably be affected. was
stated by Mr. Knisken as S339,000.
A great loss of revenue would result
on some traffic that does not even run
through or touch Wisconsin. The re-
duccion in the revenues from through
traffic would all fall upon the North
western road, as in pro rating the
revenues with other roads, the others
would take nothing less than now,
ard would not bear part of the reduc-
lion resulting from the change on the
Northwestern line in Wisconsin.
MI Kniskern oloced his testimony
with the reading Of a carefully pre-
pared statement TO the effect that
the rates on passenger traffic in Wis
consin were now more than reason
abla, that they were hardly compen-
satory. that the proposed reduction or
establishment of a fiat rate of two
cents a mile would be substantial
confiscation of the railroads, that the
Wisconsin people want good service
and railroad conyeniences more than
they want a reduction that must be
accompanied with reduction of serv.
ice, and that the demand for a two
cent rate was not based on reasonable
propositions, The hearing will be con.
tinued today
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
RAILROAD SIDE
OF TWO-CENT RATE
NORTHWESTERN GIVES REASONS
FOR OPPOSITION.
THE WHOLESALE PRINCIPLE
Question Suggested as to Whether
the Large Patrons Sh~ uld Get Low
L-,ttie-Passenger Manager Doubts
ProfitabieTeS5 Of Excursions.
Madison. April 26.

Madison, April 26.
Commissioner B. H. Meyer in the
two-cent passenger rate hearing yes
terday, suggested one of the most
vital principles which the commission
will take into account in determining
whether or not the people of Wiscon-
sin are 10 have, as the people of Ohio
have, a maximum rate of two cents a
mile for passenger traffic. The sugges-
ton was regarding the objections
being urged against the application
of the wholesale principle to the fix
ing of passenger rates-the principle
that those who travel much should
get lower rates than those who travel
little.
w. B. Kniskern, who was then tes-
tifying, frankly admitted that the
wholesale principle is applied to pas
senger traffic in the making of rates;
that the larger patrons of the roads
get adjusted rates and the small pa
irons pay the maximum fare of three
cents a mile. 1t is apparent from the
testimony offered during the hearing
that the railroad companies look upon
the application of this wholesale prin-
ciple as entirely proper and fair.
In holding TO this theory the rail
road officials look upon the railroad
systems as private rather than public
business enterprises. They believe
thai the same rules of business should
be applied as are used in private en-
lerprlses. Those who object To the
application OF the wholesale principle
to the fixing of railroad rates, believe
that the railroad systems, although
involving the investment of private
capital and operated largely as pri-
vate business enterprises are operat
ed, should be placed al the disposal OF
the public as are such public services
as postoffices. They believe that it is
right that the large parton of the
postoffice system of the country does
not get any better rates than the
small patron; the great mail order
house has to pay the same per letter
on its millions of mail as does the
farmer or tradesman who sends only
few letters in the course of a year
In the hearing yesterday, when the
Northwestern company presented the
reasons why an order by the state
commission to establish maximum
passenger rate of two cents a mile in
Wisconsin ought not to be mades
three witnesses were examined, w.
F. VanBergen, general ticket auditor;
w. B. Kniskern, passenger traffic
manager, and w. A. Gardner, vice
president and general manager.
S. A. Lynde, general counsel Of the
Northwestern road, presented the wit
nesses and asked the questions. The
answers were long and gave evidence
of being carefully prepared. The
witnesses were armed with great ar
rays of figures computed from various
sources
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02

mittee and places all the distribution
of supplies and accounting for con-
tributiOns under the war department.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
An Exceptlonal pay.

For enc day in San Francisco
and guess it was the only day in
the history of the place-there was
no fear of thief or sandb@gging south
of Market street; for where was the
robber 10 find refuge with his plum
der? Fortunate was he to escape
with his life
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
Another Shock Felt.

At 3:15 yesterday afternoon a
shock of earthquake was felt. 1t
lasted nearly a minute and caused
considerable alarm. A number OF
walls of burned buildings We're thrown
down and frame buildings consider
ably shaken up, but the damage was
slight. The shock was also felt in
Oakland and Berkeley, but in these
places it was very slight and of brief
duration.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
Drunkenness Reian no.

SURVIVORS
Drunkenness Reign ng.
Water was not to be- had at AIRY
price Drunkenness reigned in many
sections The wrecked saloons af.
forded free intoxicants to any who
might choose To enter their shattered
doors Those. however. who were
seen carrying liquor from the saloon
had to throw it in the street or he
shot down. Many men anl women OF
the lower classes dropped to the
street in a drunken stupor and did NOT
seem to mind the approaching flames
Several niggers were lined up along
a fence near I.arkin street filled with
gin and ! suppose they persisted. Pc
lcemen and soldiers indiscyiminately
beat back Young and old whenever
they attempted to cross the line that
seemed TO lead to a place Of safety
Mobs Driven Back
"Hemmed in on all sides the mob
was driven from place 10 place in its
hurried attempt to avoid the FIRE.
finally taking d desperate stand in
! some park which might afford a place
Of safety. In these parks an attempt
was made 20 feed the crowd, which,
since the night before. had no tast-
ed food Dreadful were the scenes
that followed 1t was the triumph of
| brute force and the survival Of the fit
test Strong men carrying arms full
OF bread leaving those weakened by
| illness and excitement without succor.
Even in these places of apparent safe
| ty TIE fire broke out simultaneously
on all sides. The heat was suffocat-
| ing and the cry went up-"To the
beach for your lives,' Blndly fol
/ lowing the foremost the paEic strick-
en- crowd, hatless, shoeless and half
clothed again took up the line OF
march that had lasted since daybreak.
borne on by the irresistible law Of
selfpyeseryation,
Fire Sweeps on.
At O'Clock the supposed refuge
was reached. but even there there was
no place of safety, as the fire contin-
ucd TO sweep steadily along tho water
front southwark wiping out wharyes,
shipping and warehouses. Just as
despair had settled down on the
crowd, freight boats and tugs merci-
fully backed up TO the assistance Of
| the sufferers. Free passage but no
baggage was the cry. The few who
had managed 10 drag their baggage to
the waters edge. with a longing look.
left their valuables to the fire. The
boats conveyed them across to Oak
land where temporary provision was
made by the railway authorities for
he refugees.
All Is Over at Last.
At $3.50 a. m Saturday, April ~
Mr. Bird writes again The fire is
practically over. for there isn't much
more to burn in Frisco and there is
no danger Of fire in the other bay
cities. Food is beginning to come
from the east. north and south and
there viii not h. so much SUFFERING
from hunger from now on. The san
itary conditions are awful. People
are diving from disease on an sides in
the parks OF Frisco Cases Of small
pox are breaking out The city is
under quarantine and no one is AL
lowed to leave without being exam
med. Many are being shot by the
federal troops In order to prevent.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
Service Greatly Enlarged.

Mr. Gardner elaborated upon the
good service that the company is Civ
ing in Wisconsin. He said that while
in the last few years tie company
had doubled the train service and
greatly increased the speed of trains
and enlarged and improved the equip
ment, the number of passengers car
,,ed per mile per train and per mile
per car had remained about the same.
The average number of passengers
carried per mile per car is about
seven. The company, he said, can car
ry a loaded train about as cheaply as
it can carry an empty tI2in.
Speed Costly Factor.
Mr. Gardner said that the speed of
trains had been increased in the last
FIVE years from a minimum of five per
cent. to maximum of IS per cent;
that is. the speed of some trains had
been increased % per cent. but there
are no trains the speed Of which has
not been increased at least five per
cent. This is one OF the ways, he
said. in which the company has in
creased the service for the conven-
fence and profit Of the public. The
cost of running a train increases
more rapidly than the proportion of
the increase Of speed. it more than
doubles the expenses to double the
speed of a train. During the last five
years, he said, the average number
of people per mile OF road carried in
Wisconsin had increased from $4,000
to $4,000.
Traffic Comparatively Light.
Mr. Kniske1n's testimony was large
ly devoted to presenting comparisons
between the traffic in Wisconsin with
the traffic in more densely settled
states as in New England and the
middle Atlantic states, and in Ohio.
where a two-cent maximum rate has
recently been established. He gave
figures to show that more than twice
as many passengers We're carried per
mile Of road on the Pennsylvania
lines in Ohio than on the Northwest
ern road in Wisconsin. The density
Of traffic, he showed, is far greater in
Ohio than in Wisconsin Another set
of statistics was presented to show
that the average rate paid by the pas
senger traffic in Wisconsin has stead
iIy tended to decline and that excur-
sious have increased.
Public Demands Excursions.
He said hat the reason for giving
excursion rates was that the company
was forced to DO It by competition
and by the increasing demand on the
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
The Real Tragedies.

Thursday morning pitiable sights
we're everywhere and the real TRACE
dies began Thousands escaped from
the city. Countless thousands re-
NAMED. left the city on a launch Mt
2 am There was then no hope To
save any portion Of the city Water
from here keley--slacked the
thirst Of the people till midnight, and
tin then no real suffering vas known.
Today--Friday--th 4ir is hellish with
aeonized cries for food and water.
Berkeley SIS city of refuge and
thousands are coming here
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
Exceed $500 600 600.

Estimated property loss is with
out limit Il viii easily exceed $780,
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
Public Demands Excursions.

He said hat the reason for giving
excursion rates was that the company
was forced to DO It by competition
and by the increasing demand on the
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02

Washington, April 26.-All chance
Of misunderstanding as to the chan
mel through which relief should be
afforded the San Francisco sufferers
was removed yesterday by a consoli-
dalton of the citizens finance com
mittee with the California branch Of
the Red Cross. This consolidation
assures the active cooperation Of the
Red Cross with the local relief COT
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
Plenty of Food Provisions.

The food committee reported that
al necessary provisions were on hand
and obtainable. Mayor SchmitZ be
lieves the total relief fund to be be
tween four and six millions, but Sec
rotary Metcalf is positive the total is
above six millions The total amount
of the relief fund up to and including
Tuesday, reported by the committee
on finance, is $2,306, 436.
Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-05-02
Woman Killed by Chimney.

The earthquake yesterday caused
the death of Mrs. Annie Whitaker,
aged 25 years. She was at work in
the kitchen of her home when the
shock came The chimney, which
had been left in tottering condition
by the earthquake last Wednesday.
crashed through the roof upon the
woman and fractured her skull.