Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-04-19
FLAMES SPREAD
Continued from Page -

One Of the first orders issued by
Chlef of Police Oman was the closing
OF every saloon in the city. This step
Is taken TO prevent drink crazed men
IRON riotlng in the city streets.
mat the country and the world have
received news of the San Francisco
disaster Is due in part to the courage
of the telegraph operators there. who
stuck to their posts and continued to
send news and other messages in spite
of great personal danger.
The operators and officials of the
Postal Telegraph company remained
in the main Office of the company. ut
the corner of Market and Montgomery
streets, opposite the Palace hotel. IN
til they were ordered out of the build
ing because of the danger from the dy-
Mantle explosions in the immediate vi
entity.
The men at once proceeded to this
place, across the bay, and took posses
sion of the Office there. The company
is operating seven wires from Oak
land. All messages from the city must
he taken across the bay in boats. w.
G. Swain, an electrical engineer in the
service of the Postal company, return
ed Several times to the main building
in San Francisco and got in communi-
cation east. He said he was surround
ed by severe explosions of Illuminating
and sewer gas.
The Postal building was not wholly
Q IaettnvnJ II u+ar c,prnnnIA1 byr fro
on three sides. The cable apparatus Of
the Postal company was moved to the
cable hut or the beach, near the Cliff
House. The cable service is working
all right.
The destruction of the Telephone
building in San Francisco has broken
telephone communication with this
city.
The Southern Pacific is doing its ut
most to get people out of the city and
is not charging refugees for transpor-
tation.
The sheds over the Southern Pacific's
long wharf on San Francisco bay have
completely collapsed. Many of the
bunkers fell into the bay, carrying
with them thousands of tons of coal.
The long wharf was II of the most
important shipping points about the
bay. and freight traffic will be inter
rupted considerably.
AS a result of the breaking of the
mains of the Spring Valley Water
company the town of San Mateo was
flooded. 1t was owing to the broken
mains that the fire gained such head
way in San Francisco. The town of
San Rafael, despite its own troubles.
dispatched fire fighting apparatus to
San Francisco.
The fire swept down the streets so
rapidly that it was practically impos-
sible to save anything in its way. 1t
reached the Grand Opera House, Oh
Mission street. and in a moment had
burned through the roof. The Metro
politan opera company from New York
had just opened its season there. and
all the expensive scenery and COS
tunes were soon reduced to ashes.
From the opera house the fire leaped
from building TO building, leveling
them almost to the ground in quick
succession.
With the New York Opera company
playing at the theater were Mines.
Sembrick, Ames. Abott, Alien and
Wedd and NIessrs. Caruso. Plancon
and Rossi. The stars We're forced to
flee from their beds in the Palace ho-
tel, and none of them was able to save
their personal baggage, rich stage cos
tunes or iewelry.
The fate of the chorus, of the stage
mechanics, of the members of the or
chestra and of others. to the number
of 200. cannot be learned.
The Calls editorial and mechanical
departments were totally destroyed III
a few minutes, and the flames leaped
across Stevenson street toward the fine
fifteen story tone and iron SpreckelS
building. which, with its lofty dome.
IS the most notable edifice in San
Francisco. Two small wooden build
ingS furnished fuel to ignite the splen-
did pile. Thousands of people watched
the hungry tongues of flames licking
the stone walls. At first no impress
sion was made. but suddenly there was
n cracking of glass. and an entrance
was effected. The inner furnishings
Of the fourth floor We're the first to go.
Then, as if by magic. smoke issued
from the top Of the dome. This was fol
lowed by a most spectacular illumina-
tibn. The round windows of thed lone
shone like so many full Moons then
burst and CAV vent to long. waving
streamers OF flames. The crowd
watched the spectacle with Dated
hrcaths. one OMc wrung her
hands and burst into q torrent of tears.
at Is 30 Terrible she said. The tall
AMI Slender structure which had with
stool tIlr fsr.cs OF the earth appeared
to be doJa:el % fan a prey to FIRE,
After awhile. however. the Hight grew
less intense. and the flames. finding
nothing 10 consume, gradually went
out. leaving The building standing. hut
completely Quilted.
The parrntt building. in which were