The Hawaiian star., 1906-04-18


may mean that for a brief period the
cable was interrupted, but it is more
probable that the time was necessary
to gather the news.
Among the larger buildings which
may be presumed to have suffered are
the great st. Francis Hotel the Palace
Hotel, Merchants Association and
Mills buildings. The tall Can building
is likely to have toppled over and the
Chronicle building near by must also
have suffered. The raging fires, with
out water to stay them, are likely to-
wipe out the city. There win be thou
sands of people made homeless
There are hundreds of relatives and
friends of Honolulu people in San
Francisco, and the keenest anxiety will
exist regarding their fate until later
cables bring details. With the newspa-
per offices wrecked, the gathering of
authentic reports of the disaster is
likely to be slow.
If the disaster proves as great as is
indicated by the first report, traffic
with San Francisco is likely to be in
terrupted for some time. Commerce
will be paralyzed and it may be some
time before steamers are able to leave.
With the water of the harbor at hand,
however, it may be possible to stop
Hundreds of local people are sending
messages of inquiry, but it is probable
that it will be difficult to get answers
for some time. In fact, If the fires
are not stopped it may be expected
that communication with the city will
be cut off. The cable offices are on
Market street in the center of the city
and in building which would not on
ly suffer from the earthquake but
would also very likely be in the burn
ing district In any event it will be
impossible for the telegraph companies.
to deliver messages, or find the per-
sons to whom they are addressed. hence
/ those who send inquiries may expect
delay.
As the news of the terrible san
Francisco disaster spreads about the
city, with rumor. piled on rumor, the
abandoning of the san Francisco cable
office adding to the fearful uncertain
ty, the local cable office is being fairly
besieged with people anxious for their
relatives. Women i'm tears are con-
stantly pleading with the operators for
news, and reams of useless messages
are on file. No one knows what is left
of the city in the face of an appalling
report of rising water. Perhaps the
most comforting feature of the situa-
ton Is the language of the first As
sociated Press message. The fact that
it does not give much prominence to
the loss of life, may be taken as indi-
eating that at that time it was not
regarded as very large. But no one
can tell what scores of unopposed fires
have done.
The Call building has gone, the Pal
ace Hotel is destroyed and the ferry
building a wreck, and the water is
coming up Market street These are
the awful details showed by the last
messages which came through from
San Francisco this morning. before the
cable operators in that city had to
leave their building altogether and fly
for safety. For an hour they had been
declining work, saying they were busy
getting instruments ready to move
Then the instruments were got ready,
and the news came that no wagon
could be obtained to put them in.
Lastly came the hurried cable that the
/ operators had to quit, and then the
communications closed.
superintendent Gaines OF the cable
ONCE mere IeCelNeQ private IDeSSdBeS
! from the San Francisco Office. The first
was Terrible earthquake at 6.15 this
morning, enormous damage done.
Land lines demoralized. Unable to
deliver"
Then came a message sent at $40 a.
m:
1--WE are preparing to move. Have
got instruments ready but cannot get
team. Expect to be ordered out at
any minute. The city on fire all round
us"
BY this time, as shown by cable Oper-
atOrs' conversations" over the wire,
the splendid Call building had gone,
and the Palace Hotel was destroyed,
by fire, It was presumed
The most appalling detail was the
report of the destruction of the ferry
building and the rise of water up Mar
ket street This. seeming to indicate
that the earth was sinking and fore
casting disaster piled on disaster, led
to the widest rumors in Honolulu.
The following messages passed be-
tween the San Francisco and Honolulu
operators before the cable was shut on
this morning:
'"The Call building is wrapped up IN
flames. Everything going to blazes.
Grand. Palace, going.
call building is now on FIRE. Fire