Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-20
TOLD BY EYEWITNESS.
First Information Direct From Scene
of Horror.


A dispatch last night from Salinas, Cal.
received by long-distanee telephone TO Los
Angeles. says: J. P. Anthony. a business
man of Pacific Grove, arrived IN this city
this morning, having made the trip from
San Francisco by automobile. He left there
at o'clock last evening. Mr.. Anthony Is
the first eyewitness to bring direct infor-
nation from San Francisco. He says that
he was sleeping In his room at the Ramona
Hotel, on Ellis street near Macon, and was
suddenly awakened at 5:23 yesterday morn
ing. The first shock that brought him out
of bed, he says, was appalling In its force.
The whole earth seemed to heave and fan
The building where he was housed which Is
six stories high was lifted from It's founda-
ton and the roof caved in. A score or
more of guests, men and women. mmedi-
ately made their way to the street, which
was soon filed with people. Panic ensued-
Debris showered into the street from the
building on every side.
Mr. Anthony saws he saw a score or more
of people killed. Women became hysterical
and prayed in the streets, while men sat on
the curbing appearing to be dazed.
Unable to Realize Situation.
TT was twenty minutes before those in
the vicinity seemed able to realize the ex-
tent of the catastrophe The crowds be-
came larger, and in the public squares OF
the city and in the empty lots thousands
of people gathered. 1t was 0 o'clock before
the police were In control of the situation
When they finally resumed charge the OH
GERS directed their energy toward warning
the people in the streets away from DANGER
many buildings being on the point OF top
ping over. Mr.. Anthony says he was walk
ing on Market street near the Emporium
about am, when a severe shock was feb.
At once the street filled again with excited
persons, and thousands were soon gathered
In the vicinity, almost paralyzed from rear.
Before the spectators could realize what
had happened the walls OF the building
swayed a distance of three feet me
thousands of bystanders stood spelpounu'
exnecting every minute that they would De
crushed but another tremor seemed 70 re-
store the big building to its natural posi-
ton Mr., Anthony said he momentarlIy
expected that with thousands OF others
who were In the neighborhood he would be
crushed to death. He made his way down
Market street as far as the Call building
from which flames were Issuing at every
window with the blaze shooting out the
roof A similar condition prevailed in the
Examiner building across the street He
then started for the depot at Sd and Gown
send streets, determined to leave the city
He found several thousand other persons
headed in the same direction.
Cut Off by the Flames.
All south of Market street about that
time was cracking mass OF flames He
made his way to 9Th and Market streets,
thence down 9th TO Townsend street and
to 3D. street, and the entire section which
he traversed was afre. making 1t impossi-
BILE for him to reach his destination. He
attempted to make his way back but found
that he was cut off by the flames. Then
he went to 18th street and reached Market
street again by the city hall. San Fran
cisco's magnificent municipal building had
In the meantime caved In like an eggsheli.
The steel dome was still standing, but the
rest of the So 900. 600 structure was char
red ruin.
It was not yet noon. but the city's hos
pitfalls were already filed with dead and
injured. and all available store rooms were
being pressed. Into service. Dead bodies
were being carried from the streets in gar
bage wagons. In every direction hystericaI
men and women were SEEN Men walked
through the streets, many Of them weep
ing and all with white drawn faces.
Transfer men were being offered fabulous
sums to remove household goods, even for
a block distant. Horses had been turned
loose and were running at large to prevent
their being incfnerated I'm the burning
buildings. Women had loaded their per-
sonal belongings on carts and were pulling
them through the city, the property being
huddIed IN the public squares.