Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-03

relief trains headed west They were long
strings Of refrigerator and box cars, over
which were strung great cloth banners
marked Relief from Denver, Keller from
Chicago" Relief from Boston," and relief
from hundreds of cities and towns. In every
california town along the road to San Fran
cisco relief committees were ministering 10
hungry. grimy, bedraggled refugees Sa-
looms were closed. Nobody spoke of any
thing but the disaster.
smoke hung over the bay like purple
fog TamaIpais. Port Paint, Alcatraz Twin
Peaks and other landmarks were dlmmeo'
The bay, usually as green as sea water near
the coast was yellow with mud. through
the haze smoke could be seen rising from d
score OF places on the Frisco side. The
Oakland Mole was damned with people
Refugees were there IN great NUMBER. All
grades of society were represented, but all
were equally wan and dirty. NO one mao
slept excitement had unstrung many and
all were as soiled coal miners at the
close of a days work Everybody was
blackened by smoke and ash. Inc heu
Cross workers and men and women wearing
badges of this and that relief committee
mingled with the crowd. Food, such as
crackers, bread and pieces of canned meat,
was being distributed and eaten. some OF
the people were cheerful, but most or them
seemed disconsolate. Some women were
weeping Goods saved by the fire victims
were carried in grips and boxes, or were
tied up IN every RlAu OF 4HDiiS, VII ~ LAeaitN
kerchfef towel sheet, quilt, shawl, table
cloth oilcloth and carpet. Some carried
skirts. trousers, shirts and underclothing In
their arms. a few women chung TO cats
birds little dogs, lamps, clocks, vases pic
lures rugs and curtains.
A pass from the governor was required to
admit one to the ferry house. The ferry
boat bumped again and again into masses
OF floating wreckage--charred lumber and
half-burned beams and planks
The pier line and hills of the city be-
came visible through the smoke and dust
Telegraph HILL closely built with small
frame houses, was black with cinders.
Russien Hin was bare of buildings, Mob
Hi was cleared of houses. though the
walls OF the New Paramount and Of the
old Flood house stood. Rincon Hill showed
few chimneys, broken in half. Out of the
long deep valleys between these hills came
chimneys and sections of wall. Along the
pier line could be seen wharf sheds and
freight houses crushed down so that their
broken roofs rested on the piling. The
tower on the ferry house stood. but was
palpably out Of plumb. Much OF the stucco
work was shaken from the bricks, and here
and there seams were visible and some OF
the bricks had been thrown out of the steel
frame. The tower was topped by steel
mast sustaining a gilt time ball, which
would give the noon signal. This mast was
bent 10 the west at an angle OF about 30
degrees.
The ferry plaza was blocked with refu-
gees afOot or in drays. vans and wagons
OF many kinds. There were groups. of SOL
diers on and of guard duty, knots ot relief
committeeman and women, a huIter OF
yellow and white badges. swirls of choking
smoke and dust, the sound OF thousands of
voices and earth shaking conclusions as
dynamite charges went of and walls fell.