Mohave County miner., 1906-04-21
Awful Destruction of San Francisco.

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has ever occurred in the west is the
almost total destruction of the great
city of San Francisco, and it is doubt
full if any people have ever suffered
such a succession of horrors in the
same period of time, as have been
bourn by the people of that former
metropolis. Since the first earth
quake shock on the morning of April
18th, at 5:15, disaster has followed dis
aster and horror has piled upon hor-
ror, until the human mind can scarce
ly conceive the magnitude of the
peril and suffering crowded into such
brief space of time.
First came the earthquake shock
rousing the great mass of the people
from sleep, succeeded by other and
heavier quakes, that toppled high
buildings from their foundations and
caused such widespread damage, that
if other and worse misfortunes had
not followed. would have been such a
catastrophe as marks period in the
histories of nations.
While the earthquake was the cause
of great damage and considerable loss
of life to nearly all the cities, towns,
villages and settlements, for a dis
lance of about two hundred miles up
and down the coast, and extending in
land for considerable distance, and
wrought incalculable havoc to bust
nest interests and industrial enter
prises, wrecking houses, business
houses and public institutions, des-
troying property the value of which
will run into the millions, and in
many places, bringing death to a
large portion of the inhabitants, yet
to San Francisco, the earthquake was
but an event in the series of teri bic
happenings.
Almost Immediately, before any one
could at all realize or calculate the
extent of loss and damage caused by
the earthquake, innumerable fires
broke forth: then it was found that nc
water could be had to fight this foe,
and in spite of the most heroic efforts
and the constant use of every appli-
ance procurable, the fire has finished
the work of destruction that was but
begun by the earthquake, until at this
writing San Francisco is practically a
ruin. the whole business portion of the
city is absolutely consumed, with the
exception of the government mint and
one other building, and a great eX
panse of the resident portion OF
the city has been destroyed.
As though earthquakes and fire were
not enough and more than enough,
but a short time elapsed before the
whole people were confronted with
the new danger that had met the fire,
men in their attempts to subdue the
confagration, viz: Want of water, tc
which was very soon added another
want. that of food. Think of 100000
human beings, not knowing what mo,
ment they might be swallowed up by
a terrible upheaval of the earth, OF
possibly sunk into the depths of the
ocean by the SubmersiOn of the whole
peninsular by other and more severe
shocks than those already experienced
for at such a moment it would not be
surprising that the fear of such fate
would be in the minds of most people
then think what would be felt by then
as they saw what up to that time
; might have been saved in the way o
homes and property, as those thing.
went to feed the flames: then ado
thirst and hunger, to say nothing o
the nakedness of many.
On top of all this comes the
lates news that is to be obtained a
this writing, to the effect that small
pox and typhoid is making its appear
ance, and that the spread of disease
owing to unsanitary conditions cannot
be avoided, and what will be the re
suit cannot be foreseen.
All things considered, the proper
tion of deaths reported up to this time
has been surprisingly small compared
to loss of property. The human SUI
fering and agony of the people is be
yond the power of words to describe
and is almost impossible to conceive.