The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-05-18

the pavement to a place OF security;
n gentleman. In a night gown and 4
plug hat was praying v~ociferously and
| heard Of a young nan who was hunt
ing enthusiastically for his mother In
law; the general opinion is that that
brother was hunting for trouble. AL
OF which goes 10 prove that a man can
get so scared that he will court rather
than shun danger.
The city is under martial law and is
enjoying the only decent administ:a-
ton since the Vigilants OF 1850. Many
thieves have been shot and our only
fear is that the military will leave
without hanging the city government,
who are already striving 10 regain
their power. For a week we were foT-
hidden 10 use lights in our houses,
and after We were permitted TO do so,
the Sentries: Ten O'Clock, Out with
your lights" placed us in darkness till
morning. All cooking is, of course,
done in the streets and We are Sc
curing food from the relief stations
The parks are monopolized by the
homeless and u city is half wood,
half anvas
The death lists are contradictory; |
believe II thousand is a very eonSer-
vative estimate; perhaps five thou
sand. Yet, our people are light heart
ed and remind me of our own south
ern people by their wondrous kindness
and s~ociability.
The fire broke out about an hour
after the shock and, within f~orty-eight
hours, the fairest city on earth went
up in smoke, leaving about n quar-
ter of the resident part. All the bust
| ness section is a barren waste and as
desolate as Zeke's Island. Over two
hundred thousand have gone away and
thousands are busily engaged clear
ing away the rubbish. Any sentry can
| order anybody to work and the soldier
near our house had all of us, with our
neighbors, digging holes for refuse. For
some cause, to us unknown, he per-
| sisted in standing behind us and, ev
cry time WI lifted a shoveiful We al
| looked behind; the sight of that bayo-
| net acted on us like a raise in salary
| Then he called us you fellers" and one
| old gentleman with white side Whis-
| kers, he persisted in addressing as
cor White Wings | can't but feel
| that a cultivation of politeneSs would
| not be out of place among the RAM
and file Of the regular army. A shor;
| distance from our horny handed son;
| of toll, two men were shot for refus
ing to help clear the streets of rubbis
The sight of a soldier is the signal FOL
! every other man in sight to run foi
shelter, from which it takes a pretty
good shake to him.
Our superb city hall is in ruins; the
girls high school torn to pieces, Wnlie
almost every house has lost its chlm'
ney. Some houses are spread gu Ia
on the ground; others canted half over
some with only one, two or three SIDE
standing. Yet, the earthquake and hr'
have resulted in some good: we shat
have something new to talk about, an
the everlasting "reminiscences OF ~
will die a deserved death-"49" wa
the year in. which gold was discover
ed: and is to an old Californian VIVA
gettysburg" is to an old soldier. In
other effects are questionable. Grea
many of the divorced folks are max
ing up" and those that led ~cat-and-do'
lives, masquerading under that peac
which (for a short time perhaps) pass
eth all understanding" Great man