Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-04-19
Operator Describes Scene In
Stricken City as Seen From
Tall Building
ocxs WERE CONTINUOUS
Roar of Dynamite Used in Effort to
Clear Path Before the Flames,
Heard Above All Other Activity
Buildings Still Standing Are Menace
to Life.

ANcW IoIh, April IS.--Wltn tele-
graph instrument in the New York Of
flee of the Western Union Company
ment in Oakland, Cal, whose operator
sat looking across the harbor at San
Francisco, a vivid description Of the
appearance of the California metrop-
oils burning rapidly and with it's build
ings now and then tossed into the air
by dynamite charges, was received by
the operator in New York The tele-
graph instrument operated by the New
York man frequently vibrated from
the earthquake shocks which were at
that moment occurring on the other
side of the continent
The roar of dynamite from the 9TH
err side of the harbor Is almost deaf
ening at times" licked the Oakland
operator "They are attempting to
blast out pathways in the city blocks
wherever the fire threatens in order to
check its spread. San Francisco Is at
times enveloped in smoke and when it
lifts we can see the flames of burning
buildings and occasionally the timbers
flying from dynamite explosion. AL
most all activity except that of dyna-
hitting appears to have ceased. The
ferry boats have entirely stopped run
ming between Oakland and San Fran
cisco and no one is allowed to enter
the burning city. Whoever attempts
it is kept back by troops.
Shocks are Continuous.
",rhe shocks here are continuous,
some of them being quite severe. They
have potten on the peoples nerves so
that whenever the earth trembles al
most everyone who is under roof
PUSHES out of doors. Many of the build
;ngs in San Francisco We're so badly
damaged by yesterday mornings shock
that they are a peril to whoever enters
them during the continuance OF the
earthquake shocks.
"sonne time ago a. message was re-
ceived from the Western Union heau-
quarters in San Francisco that they
would have to vacate the building pc
cause it was to be blown UP with dyha-
mite. Immediately after this commune
cation with the office ceased and an
operator who volunteered to go from an
other office to see what the trouble was
has failed to return to his wire. Com
,nrnication was also interrupted with
tha ferry house in which the Western
Union established wires and from Oak
land 1t appeared that the ferry mouse
had been damaged by dynamite ex-
plosion."
The greatest destruction occurred IN
that part of the city which was re-
claimed from San Francisco hay. Much
of the devastated district wasat one time
low marshy ground entirely covered by
water at high tide. AS the city grew 1T
became necessary to fill in many acres
OF this low ground in order to reach
deep water. The Merchants Exchange
building, a fourteen story steel struc-
ture. was situated on the edge of this
reclaimed ground. 1t had just been
completed and the executive offices OF
the Southern Pacific Company occupied
the greater part OF the building.
Residence Portion Not Hurt.
The damage by the earthquake to the
residence portion of the city. the finest
part of which is on Mob hill and Pacific
Heights. seems to have been slight.
On Mob hill are the residences of
many of the millionaires, who in the
early seventies became wealthy thru
mining investments or the construction
of the Central Pacific railroad They
include the Stanfords, Huntingtons,
Hopkins, Crockers, Floods, and others.