Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-05-10

Washington May 9.-In dispatch
to the navy department from Admiral
Goodrich at San Francisco. high
praise is bestowed on Lieut. F. N.
Freeman, Ensign Beetherlof and Mid
shipman Pond of the navy for efforts
they made, at imminent risk of their
lives, in fighting flames and prevent
ing the spread of the fire on the San
Francisco water front
In this connection is also published
"a letter from Arthur H. Dutton,
editor of the San Francisco News
Letter, in which Mr.. Dutton says it
is his firm opinion that the naval
force under command of Lieutenant
Freeman saved the water front of
San Francisco from destruction.
II was unable to account for the
salvation of the water front until
this afternoon, April 49, says Mr.. Dut
ton, when l went there in person and
saw the navy in charge. Although
one of the worst sections of the city,
lined with low groggeries and peopled
with beach combers and criminals, per-
feet order prevailed. 1t was patrolled
from end to end in manner simply
perfect.
81 did not see a building on fire
the whole length Of East street. Some
had been damaged, but the fire had
been confined to the west side of the
street. Ferries, wharves, the ferry
building, the branch postoffice, the
harbor hospital and the coal docks
were safe, and to the navy, and to the
navy alone, was their safety due.
Another Naval Hero.
Secretary Shaw in transmitting es
Inmates for the repair of buildings in
California also presented letter from
Captain r. o. Crisp of the revenue
cutter McCullock, who makes special
reference to the heroic conduct of a
second assistant engineer, Lieutenant
G. G. Mcmillan of the revenue cutter
Bear, who, assisted by squad of
men from the Bear and Thetis, un
doubtedly saved the appraisers build
ing in San Francisco. Mcmillan took
a gang of mtrderers from the peniten
tary at the request of the authorities
and turned them over to the army at
Fort Mason. He impressed all who
came around the Fairmont hotel and
put them to work on the fire appa
ratus in a vain attempt to save the
i e ~, la,
able paintings in the Mark Hopkins
institute OF art and when they were
about to be burned on account of the
irresistible rush of the flames he had
the paintings cut out from the
frames. rolled up and carried away
city fire engine was abandoned,
which he took charge of and with it
made a heroic fight against the flames
He broke into several grocery stores
that were about to be burned and fed
thousands of people who were crying
for something to eat. When ne
could no longer fight the fire he pro
ceeded in advance of the flames and
destroyed hundreds of barrels OF
whiskey ard in that manner prevent
ed much footing and kept the liquor
from the lawless element When he
could no longer save property he re-
treated to the Bears steam launch
and rendered all possible aid along
the water front and when the launch
broke down he secured the loan of an
old tug, fixed her up and reported to
Captain Hamlet for duty on the wa
ter front
Relief Fund Near S4,5ooo 900.
San Francisco, May 9.--The finance
committee reported that the amount
of relief subscriptions confirmed was
s4,406,24S.
Necessity Best Law.
Washington, May 9--The following
is quoted from a personal letter re.
ceived from General Funston by one
of his friends among the officers at
the war department:
"In taking the action ! did on the
morning of the earthquake, march
ing troops into the city for the pur.
pose of aiding the police and fire de-
partments, ! knew | was acting with.
ont warrant of law; but the constitu-
ton and laws were not framed for
the purpose of dealing with conditions
arising from earthquakes and tremen-
dous CONGREGATIONS Fortunately. we
had level-headed lot of city officials
to deal with. The swift and efficient
work OF the army during the terrible
three days and nights Of fire have
made a great impression on the peo-
pie here. Orders to the troops we're
transmitted by mounted messengers.
all telegraphs and telephones being
out of business, but in an hour and
half we had them patrolling the down.