Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1906-04-23
RESIDENTS ABANDON DOOMED
HOMES TO SAVE LIVES.
NO HYSTERIA PRESENT
People Drag Packs of Property and
Provisions in Great Procession
From Before Sweep of Devouring
Flames, But There Is no Panic
Heroic Dynamiting.

San Francisco April 20.-Thousands
upon thousands of people are fleeing
from the fire. They are tiocking to
the ferries, parks, military reservation
and suburbs. Residents of the hill
sides in the central portion of the
city seemingly were safe from the
roaring furnace consuming the bust
ness section. They watched the
towering mounds of flames and spec
ulated as to the extent of the terri
tory doomed Suddenly there was a
whispered alarm up and down along
the line of watchers and then they
hurried away to get dry clothing,
cooking utensils and scant provisions
through the streets. From Grand
avenue the procession moved west
ward Men and women dragged
trunks, packed huge bundles of
blankets, boxes of provisions-every
thing. Wagons could not be hired
except by paying most extortionate
rates. But there was no panic.
Stunned, But Not HystericaI.
The people are calm, stunned. They
seem not to realize the extent of the
calamity. They hear that the city is
destroyed in so far as business plants
are concerned; they tell each other
| in the most natural tone that their
residences were destroyed by flames,
! but there is no hysteria, no cutlery, no
! criticism.
| Mayor Schmitz and Chief of Police
Oman have been forced from place
| to place by the Onrushing flames.
Daybreak found them directing the
municipal council, which is the com
mittee of safety, from the Fairmont
hotel, the beautiful structure that
| stood on the top of Mob hill But
that caught fire, and they retreated to
| the Cushing, at Larkin and Suffer
| streets, then to the north end police
station in Sacramento street. Here
| the council, composed of financial
! leaders of the city, met yesterday
morning and decided to resort to the
most heroic measures yet undertaken
since the city has been in the path
| of devastation. This decision was to
| lombard the entire section of the city
! lying along the east side of Vanness
avenue from Golden Gate avenue to
Pacific avenue, 16 blocks in ALL con-
tanning the homes of many million
aires and apartment houses.
People Turned From Doomed Homes.
The military was notified and bar
| rels of gunpowder, the only remain
ing explosive in the city, were taken
from the Preside, Fort Mcdowell, Al
catraz and other nearby posts Hun
dreds of police, regiments of soldiers
and scores of volunteers were sent
into the doomed district to warn the
people to fee. These heroically re
sponded to the demand Of the law
and went bravely on their way,
trudging painfully over the pavements
with the little they could get togeth-
er. Every available wagon was talk
en- by the military to carry powder
"kiII All MaIefactors"
General Funston is cooperating witn
officers are to kin without warning
all maIefactors. When men have
been needed to carry out the plans o.
rescue. they have been pressed into
service. In only few instances
was it necessary to resort to the
cooked revolver and drawn sword
after which there was no hesitancy
The Preside reservation, the vast
Richmond district of thousands OF
acres. Golden Gate park and the sur
rounding hills, resemble one vast pic
nc grounds. Tents and improvised
coverings have been erected every
where, freplaces built in the streets.
and beds and mattresses thrown
down all over the section. The PEG
pie thus situated are philosophical.
Troops Seize Provisions.
There is only one danger, and thai