Danville intelligencer. [volume] (Danville, Pa.) 1859-1907, 1906-05-18
II. M. Saunders Tells of
The Terrible Holocaust
at the Golden Gate.

doors from the houses Wee held in
front of the laddics to keep them
from burning. So you can Just pie
ture this fight. All this happened
along Van Ness avenue for eighteen
blocks and all at one time. 1t was Il
beautiful sight to sit on the hills and
witness this hell of flame. But oh
how distressing and horrifying. The
flames kept driving the homeless from
one place to another, and about all
they had was little roll of some
thing unGer their arms or trunk
with sti g through the handle pull
ing it alorg ahead of the flames - ali
that was left OF beautiful homes prior
TO April 18th. Thousands of people
were driven from their homes with
nothing but their night clothes on,
and they were only too glad to get out
that way. Things are in very bad
shape here just now, and it will be
some time before they will be able to
do much of anything, Ore thing
must say, the people of the United
States have been very prompt in send
ing supplies to us, thus relieving the
suffering to great extent. For sew
eral days it was very hard to get any
thing to eat all. We are under mar
tial law, the United States having
about 10000 regulars and marines
guarding the property, and if it was
not for them being here it would be
terrible indeed. The first thing they
do is to shoot all who disobey the law.
Our parks are full of tented people.
Golden Gate has about $50, 600 tent
ed people, and the other parks and
hills are full to overlooking. There
was about 800, 900 left homeless by
the fire and earthquake; so you can
see the situation was serious. The
authorities do not allow fires of any
kinds in the buildings, the occupants
are only permitted to burn candles up
to 10 O. clock, then all lights must be
extinguished, cooking is done on the
streets, and that only until and after
8 Z. NJ. The houses that are left
standing are in such bad condition
that they will not allow fire in them
until they are repaired and inspected
by municipal and United States au-
thorities. So you see how we are liv-
ing.
will send you a couple of papers.
They are all printed over at Oakland,
and are getting their work done under
difficulties, but it is better than none.
We had quite another heavy shock
yesterday; in fact we have been hav-
ing light shocks ever since the heavy
one on April 18th. But this one of
Yesterday made the bricks fly again.
One never feeling an earthquake can
not imagine the sensation and per-
son experiencing a shock cannot des-
cribe the feelings. Some of my friends
that 90 out to work early in the morn
ing were unable to walk on the pave
ments. They were thrown to the ground
and when they stood upon their feet
had to hold fast to fence to stand
up. They say they could see the
buildings rocking all around them
and were powerless to move from the
spot they were in. My own expert
ences those for few second were
many, and varied still. | am not able
to describe them, nor will | try. Take
it all in all, it was the worst the world
has ever experienced. The burnt dis
trict covers about six times the ground
of the Chicago fire. [ will send you
paper, giving the comparison of the
area. So you can see the difference.
The world thought the Chicago fire a
great disaster, but with all the prop
erty loss in Frisco, leaving $50, 900
homless and the business all gone, and
somewhere over 2, 900 people killed
and burned, makes it the greatest
calamity on record.
N. B:-Since | have been writing
there has been another very hard
shake, but do not know of the damage
done.
Richard, | will close for this time,
trusting you are well. Kindly re-
member me to all my friends. With
best wishes, | am as ever, your
friend,
III. M. SANDERS,
General Delivery,
San Francisco, Cal.