Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-04-26
CALF F0RNIA'S
EARTHQUAKE,
SAN FRANCISCO VIRTUALLY DE,
STROYED BY. SHOCK AND FIRE.


STROTED BY. SHOCK AND FIRE.
Great Buildings Shattered and Fai
Down.--lnmates Rush into Streets
and Face Falling Debris. Many
Fires Break Out at Once. e.--Watel
Fails, and Flames Have Their Way
Sweeping Over Three-Fourths Of the
City.--Peopie Hurry 10 the Parks &c
Escape.--Fire Rases Three Days.
Deaths Were Many.--Stanford Uni
versity Destroyed.--Srest Damage
Outside San Francisco - Millions
Given by America to Relieve Pres
ent pistress.--City will be Rebuilt
Through earthquake and fire last week
three -fourths Of the great city OF San
FraneIseo was land in ruins, while other
cities and towns in Central Californis
suffered severely, some being practically
destroyed. The number OF killed is un-
known, hut reaches into the thousands.
1t is regarded by far the greatest single
calamity that ever befell America. The
property loss in San Francisco is placed
at 100000, 900, toward which there is
available s175,0O0,0OO in insurance. The
business section Of the city was COM
pletely destroyed, and more than half
OF the residence portion. The earthquake
itself, while a severe one, under which
many strong buildings and thousands of
fragile ones suceumbed, did far less
damage than the resulting fires. On ac-
count OF the breaSing OF the water mains
by the earth's disturbance, and the con-
sequent inability OF the firemen TO grapple
with the flames, they ragged almost un-
checked until they burned over eight
square miles OF the best part OF the city.
Most valiant efforts were made to stop
them with such facilities as were at hand,
but without water these efforts amounted
to little.
Three hundred thousand people, driven
from their homes, or made homeless,
took refuge in the open parks, where was
their only safety. Here they still are,
with the military keeping guard, being
fed and ministered 10 BY the generous
outpourIng of a sympathetic spirit that
is world wide, and which has hurried
to their needs trainload after trainload
Of provisions and supplies. The danger
OF famine is past. though hardship and
suffering still continue, and pestilence
may follow the crowding OF so many
persons together under conditions that
encourage the spread OF disease.
The city OF san Francisco occupies a
tongue of land, with the Pacific on the
west, the Golden Gate strait on the ncrth
and the bay on the east, the land exit
being at the south, with boat connection
across the bay to Oakland on the east.
The main business part is Ia the eastern
part, while the docks are along the north
and east water fronts. The residential
portions are to the west and south, mainly,
OF the business section. The total popula-
tion of the city is 100000. 1t had mag
nidcent buildings, beautiful parks and
all that makes a modern city OF the
highest order of intelligence and pros
perity.
Wednesday morning of last week, at
5:13 o'clock, an earthquake shock visited
the city and nearby section. lt was eX-
tremely violent, lasting about three
minutes. Under it. great buildings waved
a bout like reeds, some of them collapsed
and Others were more or less shattered.
Smaller edifices suffered in like degree.
The people Of San Francisco, awakened
about early dawn by the shocks, which
followed each other with rapidity, hurried
ont OF hotels and homes amid great eX
citement and most of them scantily at
tired. Some had already been killed
by falling walls while they slept. Others
were bleeding from wounds. The debris
from the falling and fallen structure
filled the streets. The populace was in
terror, expecting further visitation of the
disturbances. All WAS noise and con-
fusion.
Scarcely had the first alarm passed
when a new one arose. From many parts
of the city flames leaped into the air.
The broken gas mains, the fallen electric
wires and the upset stoves and furnaces
started scores OF fires at once. The fire
chief lay fatally injured in his bed, by the
falling OF wall under the quake To
the alarm, firemen and engines responded
as quickly as they could make their way
through the clogged and crowded streets.
They coupled on. There was but single
spurt of water, then it failed, while in
guysers springing up all about
proclaimed the startling news that the
supply had failed. The earthquake had
twisted and broken the mains. A strong
breeze was blowing in direction to carry
me fires toward the business heart of the
,ity, and they moved to their task by
iozen different routes. Deprived OF water,
il was a hopeless battle against them.
Even the sewers were pumped dry TO
lueIl them. Then, as they moved on, and
he desperate nature Of the conflict was
the firemen and volunteers
lsed dynamite to remove buildings from
he fires path, so as to contine 1t. This
,roved unavaiiing, but being the last .
esort, was continued until the dynamite
rave out. Market street, the principal
business thoroughfare, with its lining OF
handsome business blocks, stores, theatres,
tc., went down in rum and ashes. Every I
newspaper building, cathedrals. churches,
he postoffice, city hall and all else save
he government mint, gave up, one after
mother. The mint contained s2O0,OOO,OO0
n coin and bullion. band OF devoted
yards made a stand for it and at the risk
4 their lives, cut off from all possible
scape. stayed BY it while its heavy stone
fork resisted the flames, aided by such
forts as they were able TO make in the
readful heat. Chinatown. wrecked BY
be quake, went up in the fire like flash.
o did the japanese and Italian quarters.
he wind conspired to compass the city's
ate. shifting about so that no section
as left unthreatened.
From the water fronts westward to the
sgion Of the spsrsely built suburban sec
on and the open parks the fire worked
s way. leaving in ruins almost all Of the