Omaha daily bee., 1906-04-20
FAMINE IS
DANGER NOW
San Pranciscos Homeless Thousands Face a
Shortage of Provisions,
SUPPLIES OF ALL SORTS RUNNING SHORT
Starvation is Added to Dangers from
Fire and Earthquake,
POLICE TAKE CHARGE OF FOOD STORES
Authorities Act with Promptness in the
Conservation of Supplies
THIEVES SHOT DOWN IN STREETS
Military Deals Strictly with Vandals When
Caught at Looting.
TERROR OF NIGHT CONTINUES ALL DAY
Daylight Brings Only Better View of the
Disasters Dreadful Extent,
PANIC SPREADS AMONG THE PEOPLE
Flight Of Residents in All Directions
Continues Through the Day,
DYNAMITE USED TO FIGHT THE FIRE
Buildings Blown Up and Debris
Demolished to Prevent Spread of
Flames, but All Efforts
Seem UnavaiIing.
DYNAMITE USED TO FIGHT THE FRI
Buildings blown Up and Debris
Demolished to Prevent Spread of
Flames, but All Efforts
Seem UnavaiIing.

SAN FRANCISCO. April 19.-via oak
has befallen San Francisco became ap-
parent this morning, when a red sun
arose above the horizon and disspated the
pail of darkness that hung over the
stricken districts. Looking eastward from
the heights OF the central portion of the
metropolis everything attested to the
awful havoc wrought by earthquake and
fame. Where once rose noble buildings in
serried column now stand nothing but
frail walls, isolated, tottering chimneys.
heaps of twisted iron and huge piles of
brick and mortar. And to add to the hor-
ror of the situation, the destruction has
not reached it's conclusion.
In several sections the fire was still rag
ing with unabsted vigor, converting into
smoke and ashes everything in the shape of
combustible material and turning into ruin
structures that bad cost millions to erect.
Il was With saddened hearts tluta the com
munity viewed the ruin OF their city, but
the extent of the devastation has not yet
come to be fully realized. Tho people
are aware OF the catastrophe only in a
dazed way and It will not be until the hor-
rors of famine and want are added to
their suffering that they will be impressed
with the awfulness of the destructive work
OF disturbed Nature and the fiery ele-
ment.
Famine Threatens People.
q NNe
hideous face. At best the city never car
ried more than three days supply Of
food and provisions, and now with the
wholesale district warehouse wiped out,
there is already shortage of food and
prices this morning in most instances
were trebled.
An Associated Press man was Obliged 20
pay Is cents for a small glass of mineral
water In the Hayes Valley district. There
IL absolutely not a drop of water in that
half Of the city that has been laid waste.
This morning policemen were stationed at
some OF the retail shops regulating the sale
of foodstufs and permitting only small
portion of goods TO be delivered to each pur-
chaser. the idea being to prevent few per-
sons gathering in large quantities Of sup
plies. Reports were received that numerous
shootings had occurred of men caught in
the act of looting. The military is unusu-
ally strict in observing the enforcement OF
this order. One man on Market street who
was found digging in the ruins of a jewelry
shop was discovered by a naval reserve
Ilan and fired upon three times. The fel-
low sought safety in flight, but the reserve
man brought him down by running his bay
onet through him. The bodies OF three
thieves were lying in the streets on the
South Side this forenoon.
Reports OF widespread looting came to
press representatives from various quar-
ters In fact. concerted action Of any kind
is simply out Of the question. an dalmost
every official is acting on his own respon-
slbility, It being a physical impOssibllity
70 communicate with superior authorities
Yesterday some sort Of systematic com
munication could be had by means OF
automobiles. but today every street is
piled high with ruins and. to add to this
trouble. there is constant danger from
falling walls on miles Of streets the
front walls OF ruined buildings stu stand
swaying with the conclusions OF distant
dynamite explosions and the rising winds