Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1906-04-20
HOMES OF THE
RICH. ARE FUEL
FOR FLAMES
tire at San Francisco Enters
Residence District Of
the Wealthy
.OS ANGELES FEELS A SHOCK
I Was a Slight One, But Clerks and
Customers, Already at High Ner-
sous Tension, Rush From Stores
Loss Grows Every Hour.

San Francisco, CAL, April 20.-San
francisco Is the city aesolate. 1t
.eemed that the acme of it's misery
vas reached at dusk last evening
Vhen flames burst from all sides OF
ne beautiful hotel Falrmont, the pal.
zee that above every other structure
vas apparently most strongly en-.
renched against the attack OF the all.
onsumlng fire. And surrounding that
ofty pinnacle Of flame as far as the
'yes could see to the south, to the
:ast and far out to the west, lay in
ruel fantastic heaps, charred ana
'moking, all that remained of pros.
'erous city. The metropolis of the
Western slope was in asnes.
At 4 O'Clock yesterday afternoon
dayor Schmitz and Chief of Police
Oman saw that the only hope of say.
ng the western addition, with its
orest of frame dwellings,, and the
richmond district with its thousands
homes, was to check the cruei
march OF the wall o. fire at Van Ness
venue which crosses the city from
ind fine apartment houses end, and
where the residences begin. This
venue is ninety feet wide and the
Possibilities of checking the march
# flames here looked hopeful to those
Who were figuring ways and means in
he hour Of awful horror. The orders
we're given to concentrate every fire
engine in the city at this avenue, to
MARSHAL troops of soldiers there, the
)olice and all the army workers, and
make one last stand to save the re-
nainder of the city.
The cooperation of the artillery was
iecured and huge cannons were drawn
o the avenue by the military horses
aid the dynamiters in blowing up
he mansions Of the millionaires on
he west side of Van Ness avenue in
rider to prevent the names from leap.
ng across the highway and starting
heir unrestrained sweep across the
western addition.
Every avauable pound Of dynamite
vas hauled to this point and the sight
was one Of stupendous and appalling
havoc, as the cannon were trained on
The palaces, and the shot tore into
he walls and toppied the buildings
n crushing ruins. At other points the
dynamite was used, and, house after
louse, the dwellings OF the millionaires
we're lifted into the air by the power
If the believing blast and dropped to
he earth mass of dust and debris.
In Golden Gate Park the people are
auddled together with. gnawing hun
ger the companion of all.
The greatest suffering among the
thousands of homeless people today
Gas from thirst. Although the earth
quake shocks had broken water mains
N probably hundred places, strange
20 say no water, or very little at least,
appeared on the surface Of the ground.
Pubic fountains located on Market
street gave out no relief to the thirsty
thousands. At the corner Of Powell
and Market streets small stream of
water spurted up through the cobb!.-
stones and formed muddy pool.
From this pool hundreds of people
knelt and drank, women as we'll as
men.
The district on California street
i--om Powell to Jones street, known as
SoD hill, which Is being swept by
fire. contains the most palatial homes
Of San Francisco.
San Francisco, CAL, April 20.-All
efforts to check tue spread of thu
flames at Van Ness avenue by blowing
IN mile of buildings on the east
side of Van Ness avenue have proved
ruthless. The fire has spread across
the broad thoroughtare and from pres
emit Indications the entire western ad.
lition, which contains the homes OF
San Franciscos millionaires and PEG.
ole of the wealthiesu class, Is now
doomed. The destruction of the west
ern addition practically completes the
work of the ravaging flames and marks
the devastation of tie entire city.
Chicago, April 20.-The Postal Tele-
graph last evening received the fol
lowing message from its Oakland, Cal,
office:
"The fire chief marshal of San Fran
cisco advises that more than two
thirds of the area of me city of San
francisco has been destroyed and
there is no possibility OF saving .Ae
balance of the city. The following is
the district north Of Market street
now devastated:
"Sansome to Market street, to Sac
ramento, to Buchanan, thence to Call
rornia, to Hyde, to Eddy, to Larkin, to
Cough and to Market. On the south
side Of Market street the fire extends
plong Market street to Fourteenth and
below the Southern Pacific tracks to
the boundary" a.... -.