The Greeley tribune., 1906-04-26

In the saying, "That the dead had
awakened, it was to be verified at
the great cemeteries where the last
Ing huge stones and words sculptured
upon them told of the loss Of their
dear ones and how they were loved
and cherished. Complete was the
demolition there rendered, and such
a pitiable sight to behold. But with
steeled nerves l passed along from
this awful sight to leave with me
only the pictures. Fortunately 1
was accommodated with sitting space
by a fast passing automobile that
was on Its way to the city with its
occupants to render what assistance
they could to the living souls in the
burning city. We reeled the miles
off, at what seemed to me a mile a
minute. Dashing here and there
and feeling our way clear of big
cracks in the earth's surface and
lodging thousands of vehicles that
were mad by rushing away from the
awful scene, packed to ever suffocat-
ing space with human lives and what
little bedding and wraps they could
fetch along. Well. this sight then
at once told me the complete story,
that San Francisco was beyond safety
and that the half million souls con-
fined within its borders were on a
stampede for places Of safety to
which there was only one avenue Of
escape, and that was south, down
and out on the mission road, COM
monty called The County Road
I'VE were now upon the city look
ing down into the awful trap Of hell.
The city was in an uproar and like a
ball of fire. The deeper we ventured
into the heart of the city the more
sickening the scenes became.
Women and children, half crazed.
running away, leaving their homes,
with what little wraps and precious
things they could carry, were COM
mon sights. OF course, in all Of
this great tumult and uproar the
unfortunates we're dropped behind
only to be cared for by whom they
could trust, Every kind of vehicle
of any slfEE or description, hearses.
carts, ETC., were being pressed into
service in moving the unfortunate
souls and their household belonging.
but the latter were only to be drop
ped off later along their journey to
land of safety, in order to accom-
modate others that stopped and beg
ged to be picked up and taken along.
I'VE only had to advance little
more upon the burning city to be
halted by a sentry from the q. S.
army, and thus being Informed that
the city was under martha, law and
IN the hands Of the government
troops; that we were not to be al
lowed to go on in the same direction
or within the line that had been
thrown out for miles around. / at
this point decided to vacate my lux
urious position, only to see it pressed
into service at once as an ambulance
to render what assistance 1t could.
For this was the day of all days
when the auto was in absolute need
and owners of fine autos in the city
we're volunteering the services Of the
expensive machines for the poor fire
horses were at this stage of the
crisis completely exhausted and
dropping in their harness. Then it
remained for the huge autos to carry
to and fro the hose and fire appar-
atus. At one stage of the fire 1t
seemed as though the fremen had
the situation we'll under control, but
like so many great fires, the water
had played out and then it was up
to the fire fighters to go to dynamit-
ing. And, oh my, if l could only
picture or pen the thoughts and
scenes to you that we're rendered.
Some of San Francisco's most mag
niticent buildings we're blown up to
prevent the fast devouring fire from
continuing on its awful course. l
stood some distance off and saw what
few sticks of dynamite dld III
moment to undo what took millions
of dollars to build and years of man S
labor and ingenuity to erect. One
by one these were blown up, only to
prove useless sacrifice. l stood
opposite the Palace hotel on Market
street and saw it start and being so
used to seeing other great buildings
being swept down before my eyes,
that I little realized that there went
loss of over seven million dollars.
| moved on, as l was ordered, OF
course, as l cared not to take any
chances of having bayonet run
through my breast, by protesting.
Move on. move on, was the COM
mon order of the day. But one Of
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