The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-06-01

ashes and smothering smoke Of perish
ing Pompeii or Hercuaneum. Let him
imagine the tide of refugees, stripped of
all human attributes but the primal in
stinct Of self-preservatiOn, madly hur
rying along the avenues Of their
doomed city. ferociously struggling
with each other 20 make their way
through the narrow streets. Then
imagine the iostling mass suddenly cleft
by column of khaki-clad troopers,
blue-shirted sentinels flung out on
every corner, skirmish lines intercept
ing with bayonets the human tide to
keep it from flowing down the most
perilous streets and byways. Think Of
the United States army, through its
signal sorps. its quartermaster depart
ment and medical service. rushing
the frantic Pompeiians, in tugs,
launches. ferry boats. automobiles, es-
corr wagons. Doughertys and ambu-
lsnces, out from the smother and foul
gases. away from the toJ=ring walls.
the burying ash. into the green, unde-
vastated fields of the countryside.
across friendly arms Of the sea. keep
ing up the Samaritan work, day and
night. until after a week Of such battle
as even the defenders Of Badajos might
be proud Of, the soldiers. who had never
changed their clothes, never unlaced
their leggings during the whole terrible
time. hardly had snatched one hours
sleep In As or stopped even to wipe the
sweat from their grimy faces, saw old
Vesuvius stand smoking in sullen,
malignant but futile wrath, cheated Of
all but a few hundred-perhaps
Observation-Disclosures, instead OF the tens
OF thousands whom the demon of the
earth caverns had hoped TO claim.
Imagine not only this, but the Amer
lean forces. by desperate feats of dy-
namiting imperiled palaces and blow
Ing down menaced villas. checking the
onward rush of confagration, and
finally defeating parent Nature in
her work of destroying her children.
Let one picture all this to himself,
and then, with a slight change in the
setting Of the scene he will have an
adequate idea of how the United States
regulars fought to save the people OF
San Francisco and the remnant OF
their city.
The shocks began 70 heave The
foundations OF the city at precisely
5:13 on the morning OF April Is. II
was 1871 years ago that night that Paul
Revere started on his ride that reused
the minute men OF Sandy Middlesex.
LongfelIow was a prophet when he
wrote:
-ln hour OF darkness and peril and need
the people shall waken. and listen
90 hear
The hurrying hoof-beats OF that stoed
and the midnight message OF Paul
Revere"
Soldiers Presence a Blessing.
1t was a Godsend to the people OF
San Francisco that 1000 soldiers were
quartered at the Preside. so near at
hand. No human police force, OF any
city, no matter how brave and eff
Client its personnel, how splendid its
discipline and organization, could have
COPIED alone with such a situation. The
work Of Ehouls and hooters had TO be
anticipated and reckoned with. Be-
fore the day OF disaster had grown
hardly three hours older plunderers
and despoilers OF the dead met sud-
den death at the hands OF the soldiers.
No questions were asked. no chance
Tor an explanation we're given. Judg-
ment was grim and summary. II was
only by resolute sternness that loss
OF lie could be curtailed. People
would rush into the very core OF fire In