Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-05-23

original starting place BY Thursday
noon we Werc satisfied that our homes
would be saved the fire having been
stopped in one direction by dynam'tmg
be buildings distance OF only two
squares on Page street. and IN another
direction distance Of only two squares,
where an ample supply Of water was
ound BY tins time every one IN the
party was completely exhausted ana
worn ont with the excitement Of the past
36 hours
"ln the meantime Mr. Madden had
arrived az my residence with the COM
pany's team We fixed il MP for the
women and children and sent them all
to the magazine. the men following IN
the large wagons, with the trunks and
personal belongings In this way we
travelled over 10 miles from the house 10
the magazine property along the edge |
Of the FIRE, where we could see hundreds |
of people huddled in and under anything |
that would give them temporary shelter |
"Ihe next morning | went back TO our
lome and found that the fire was raging
lercely and was then menacing our home
from another direction All OF Friday
we watched this new danger, but by
night we were again assured that our home
in packing up my belongings and moving
them to Bav View. In the meantime /
was uable to get ia touch with any Of the
officers Of the company, and 1t was not
until late Saturday that we had
any word from across the bay There
was a very strict law in force that no one
could get into the city without O pass
| from the governor OF Gen. Funston, who
was and still is the military governor OF
| the city. | was unable to get across the
| bay. where all the officers of the company
reside. as / could not leave my family,
and had L gone across / was not sure OF
/ being able TO get back On Saturday
afternoon Mr. Penniman an officer OF
the du Pont Co., sent two Of the men to
find me.
TEMPORARY OFFICES
"In the meantime / had opened tenn
porary Offices or headquarters at my
house, where employees OF the company
who were so unfortunate as to have re-
sided in San Francisco reported each
| day. Among these were several who
he'd lost their homes and many who were
sleeping in the parks or any place they
oouldsfnd Several OF the men stayed
at nv house one or two nights until /
could arrange TO have them sent across
to Berkeley where Mr. Penniman, with
his usual activity and foresight, had estab-
lished temporary headquarters. You can
very readily imagine the anxiety of those
living in Berkeley, and particularly our
associates in the office when all day
Wednesday and Thursday they knew
of and could see the frightful calamity
chat had befallen San Francisco, and were
unable in any way to help or communicate
with their friends and relatives.
"On Monday | got in touch with the
company boat, the Alviso, and had Il
come to the Bay View magazine and take
me to Berkeley where for the first time
in FIVE days ] saw Mr.. Penniman anc
Mr. Webster and got in touch with com
pany affairs Mr.. Penniman had Located
temporary Offices at 2l7l Shattuok avenue
the main business street of Berkeley, les
,, than one-hah block from the prineipa
] railroad station. We were very fortunate
: to get such quarters, and since that tim
have secured additional room at 2O4
! Center street, which we have made ou
E headquarters, and where Mr.. Penniman
? | Mr. Webster and myself are located. tn
=. accounting department occupying th
rooms at 2l7l Shattuek avenue.
PREPARING FOR NEW oTFIcEs
"4Ir. Wallace, our purchasing agent
/ has his headquarters in Sacramento sine
= the result OF the fre in San Francisc
was learned, and there has been doin
! most excellent service, buying desk
office supplies and necessities for ou
\ plants. He has practically cornere
: the market on office furniture and nc
: knowing that the typewriters had bee
Y saved bought every machine IN the cit
. of Sacramento. These we have sinC
" distributed to our business friends at III
same price paid for them, notwitt
!. standing the fact that typewriters 81
bringing as high as 5000 apiece.
Tuesday ! returned to San Francisco f
3 my mother and wife and brought the
Z in company with several of the cor
II pany employees to Berkeley. Mr. Penn
man had very kindly offered me shelf
J. at his home for myself and family and
y took care Of us most Hospitality f
Y several DAYS until we could secure
i house or board, this being made We
]. difficult from the fact that at least 1OC
y 600 people had left San Francisco al
y poured into the Bay Shore towns.
y has naturally made conditions very bi
q for a few days. All OF my person
effects household furniture, &c, is nc
9 stored at Bay View magazine propert
~ where / shall leave il until / can secur'
~ house or until we decide definitely j.
!; y what we are going to do.
=. MANY RECORDS DESTROYED.
1v "On Tuesday following the FIRE
as were surprised at the arrival Of Mr.. G.
ce Petze, an employe OF the company, W
or left Philadelphia the day Of the eari
NJ quake On last Tuesday, in compa
nd with Mr. Penniman and Mr.. Sharple
went to San Francisco to see what col
ns be done in regard to opening the sa
Cd and vaults in the Wells-Fargo Buildii
g The building was completely quit
ier The floors, roof and wall, however,
ge manned intact, and we were able, withS
81 difficulty TO make our way through
building TO the fourth floor, where {
s offices were located. Here we fou
"a complete destruction. There was not
r. piece Of furniture, in fact, not a piece
~ wood in the building as big as your hai
no The destruction from the fire had b.
~ most complete. It destroyed, entire
'be steel cabinets in my room in which W
.a,, stored records Of different kinds.
ali SAFE CONTENTS INTACT.
we "On opening the safes we found
nd contents intact, which was most graft
The ing as it placed us in a position afte
de- delay Of two weeks to get our beari
on I ,.,e,yaf boxraxyar that the vaults