Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-05-05
FRISCO HORROR INCIDENTS.
Human Interest Scenes and Acts
Many In Ruined City.


Many In Ruined City.
Here are some stories about the
many tragic and strange incidents OF
the great San Francisco disaster which
were printed In the Chicago Record
Herald:
An aged woman, trembling with
fright, stood on q corner at the edge of
the devastated territory the other day.
A man appeared at her side and at
tempted to wrest a ring from her fin
ger, and as they struggled the assail-
ant fell dead at her feet. A soldier had
shot him down. Tie people Of San
Francisco are applauding this merci-
less melting out Of justice to thieves,
which has led to scores Of shoOtings
and many deaths.
J. B. Fiske of Chicago was sleeping
in room ON the third floor of the Ter
minus hotel when the earthquake came.
The second flight of stairs gave way
when he was going down, and he fell
to the hotel lobby. Il have not a scar
to show for the fall of two stories, but
few bruises make my body sore and
tender" he said. Il guess 1 have my
lucky stars to thank that l came
through the Johnstown food and Gal
weston disaster and the San Francisco
earthquake without serious injury"
Scores of weddings have resulted
from the disaster. Women whose
homes have been burned and who are
left destitute have appealed to the men
to whom they We're engaged for imme-
date marriage. and the response has
been prompt. II don't live anywhere.
1 used to live in San Francisco" is the
frequent response to questions at the
marriage license clerks window, the
applicants explaining that their homes
have been destroyed. Since the first
day of the catastrophe County Clerk
Cook has noticed an increase In the
number of licenses, and the increase is
growing steadily. The other day seven
licenses were issued in an hour. No
other business is conducted in the
county clerks Office except the issuing
of marriage licenses.
with straw hat and kid gloves, u young
man was stopped by soldiers and was
put to work In the streets as laborer.
He was ordered to help clear away the
bricks aud other debris from the street
car tracks. He hesitated, but a prod
from behind with a sharp bayonet con-
vinced him that the soldiers We're in
earnest. For the next five hours the
Immediately clad young man. who
had been on the way to Berkeley, Ia
bored among city workmen, volunteers
and many who like himself had been
drafted into service. AS a result of
this system the streets are being clear
ed rapidly.
With his feet wrapped in napkins
borrowed from q Pullman porter, Con-
ductor Vigna of the Metropolitan Opera
company's orchestra left San Fran
cisco, having no stockings. He had
lost all his yaluabaes and most of his
clothing in the ruins of the hotel. The
most disconsolate members of the
whole organizationiwere the members
of the orchestra, who had lost instru-
ments valued at $4,000. Taurino Par
Wis, the baritone, left in felt slippers
three sizes too large and hat several
sizes too small. He had blisters on his
feet and was much bruised. In the
midst of the falling :of the city he es-
capped from the Oak hotel. He is about
the only member of the opera company
who received bodily hurts.