The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-19

1 The fire swept down the streets ss
 rapidly that it was practically impos-
 sible to save anything in its way. n
 reached the Grand Opera House on
 Mission Street and in a moment had
 burned through the roof. The Metro
 politan Opera Company from New York
 had just opened It's season there and
 all the expensive scenery and costumes | were soon reduced to ashes.
 From the opera house the fro leap.
 ed from building to building ieveling | them almost to the ground in quick | succession. The Call editorial and me- | chanical departments were totally de- | stroyed fin few minutes and the flames
 leaped across Stevenson Street toward 1 the fine fifteen story Claus Spreckels l building, which with it's lofty dome, is | the most notable edifice in San Fran | cisco.
 SMALL HOUSES TORCH
 TO FIRE SPLENDID PILE. | Two small wooden buildings furnish l ed the fuel to ignite the splendid pile. Thousands of people watched the hun gry tongues of flame licking the stone walls. At first no impression was made, but suddenly there was crack ling of glass and an entrance was ef- fected. The interior furnishings of | tn fourth floor were the first to go. Then as though by magic smoke issued from the top of the dome. This was followed by a most spectacular illu-
 imitation. The round windows of the | dome shone like so many full moons: they burst and gave vent to long way | ing streams of flame.
 The tall and slender structure which had withstood the forces of the earth ! quake appeared 10 be dooned to fall n i prey to Ire. After while the light | grew less intense and the flames finding | nothing more to consume. gradually went out. leaving the building stand- Ing but completely gutted
 | The Palace Hotel, the rear of which l was constantly threatened. was the | scene of much excitement. the guests | leaving In haste. many only with the | clothing they wore. Finding that the hotel. being surrounded on all sides | by streets, was likely to remain i'm | mune. many returned and made ar 1 engagements for the removal of their | belongings though little could be talk | en away owing to the utter absence of | transportation facilities.
 | The Carrott building in which were 1 located the Chambers of the State Su- | preme Court, the lower floors being | devoted to an immense department | store, was ruined through it's massive | walls were not all destroyed. A little | further down Market Street and Acad- emy of Sciences and the Jonnie Flood building and the History building kim l dled and burned like so much tinder. Sparks carried across the wide street | ignited the Phelan building and the army headquarters of the department | of California. General Funston com | mandfng, were burned.
 BUSINESS BLOCKS ARE
 MASSES OF RUINS. still nearer the bay the waters of | | along the docks, the fire took the Rial I to building a handsome sky -scraper | and converted scores of solid business blocks into smouldering piles of brick | The dense smoke that arose from l the entire business district spread out | like an immense funnel and could have | been seen for miles out at sea Occa- | sionalIy as some drug house or place l stored with chemicals was reached.
 most fantastic effects were had by the colored flames and smoke which rolled | out against darker background. ] The greatest destruction occurred in | that part of the city which was re- claimed from San Francisco bay. Much | of the devastated district was at one | time low marshy ground en.irely GOV l cred by water at high tide. As the city grew it became necessary to fin
 in many acres of this low ground in order to reach deep water. The mer-
 
 story steel building. was situated on
 the edge of the ground. This had con
 tained the executive offices of the South
 ern Pacific Railroad.
 The damage of the earthquake to the
 residence portion of the city. the finest
 part of which Is on Mob Hill and Pa- cifc Heights, seems to have -7
 slight. On Nob Hill are the Il ices of many of tho milllonaires who. in the early seventies, became wealthy through mining investments or the construction of the Central Pacific Rail road They include the Stanfords. Hunt ingtons. Hopkins. Csookers. Floods and others. The magnificent Fairmount Hotel. not yet completed. stands on the brink of Mob Hill. overlooking the bay. It was not seriously damaged.
 To the westward on Pacific Heights are many fine new residences, but little injury was done to any of them.
 PALACE HOTEL AND
 NEWSPAPER BUILDINGg.
 The Palace Hotel. a even-story building about 800 feet square. was built thirty years ago by the late Sena- tor sharon whose estate was in the courts for many years. The officers of the three morning R1pers, The Chron- icle The Call and( he Examiner, are located within 100 eet of each other. The Chronicle. sit ted at the corner of Market and KeaS Streets, is a ten- story steel frame Building. and is one of the finest buildings of It's character put up in San Francisco. The Spreckles building, in which werf'.s located tho business offices of The Is sixteen stories high and verf narrow. The editorial rooms, composing room and press room are in small three-story building Immediately in tn rear of the Spreckles building.
 Just across Third street, is ths home of The Examiner. seven stories high, with a frontage of 100 feet on Market street.