The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-04-19

Scnu news ana Othef messages IN spite
of great personal danger.
The operators and officials Of the
Postal Telegraph company remained
in the main office Of the company. at
the corner Of Market aud Montgomery
streets. opposite the Palace hotel UNI
III they were ordered out Of the build
ing because of the danger from the dy-
Mantle explosions In the immediate vi
entity
The men at once proceeded to this
place across the bay, and took posses
sion Of the Office there. The company
Is operating seven wires from Oak
land. All messages from the city must
be taken across the bay in boats W.
G. Swain, an electrical engineer in the
service OF the Postal company, return
ed several times to the main building
in San Francisco and got in cOmmuni-
cation east. He said he was surround
ed by severe explosions Of Illuminating
and sewer gas.
The Postal building was not wholly
destroyed. It was surrounded by fire
on three sides The cable apparatus Of
the Postal company was moved TO the
cable hut on the beach, near the Cliff
House The cable service is working
al right
The destruction of The Telephone
building in San Francisco has broken
telephone communication with this
city.
The Southern Pacific is doing its ut
most TO get people ont OF the city and
is not charging refugees for transpor-
tatiOn.
The sheds over the Southern Pacihc's
long wharf on San Francisco bay have
completely collapsed Many of the
bunkers fell into the bay, carrying
with them thousands Of tons of coal.
The long wharf was one of the most
important shipping points about the
bay and freight traffic Will be inter
rupted considerably.
As result of the breaking Of the
mains of the Spring Valley Water
company the town of San Mateo was
flooded 1t WAS owing to the broken
mains that the fire gained such head
way i'm San Francisco The town Of
San Rafael, despite it's own troubles,
dispatched fire 1ghting apparatus to
San Francisco.
From early morning the offices Of the
Western Union and Postal Telegraph
companies in Oakland have been filed
with people in all walks of life filing
messages of inquiry as to the condi-
ton of friends and interests IN other
cities of California which suffered
from the earthquake shock.
The fire swept down the streets so
rapidly that it was practically impos-
sIble to save anything in it's way. 1t
reached the Grand Opera House, on
Mission street, and in moment had
burned through the roof. The Metro
poitau opera company from New York
had just opened its season there, and
all the expensive scenery and cos
tunes were soon reduced to ashes
From the opera house the fire leaped
from building to building, leveling
them almost to the ground in quick
succession.
The Calls editorial and mechanical
departments We're totally destroyed in
few minutes. and the Asmes leaped
across Stevenson street toward the fine
fifteen story stone and iron Sprsckels
building, which. with It's lofty dome,
is the most notable edifice In San
Francisco. Two small wooden build
ings furnished fuel to ignite the SPLEEN
did pile Thousands of people watched
the hungry tongues Of flames licking
the stone walls At first no impress
sion was made, but suddenly there was
a cracking Of glass, and an entrance
was effected The inner furnishings
Of the fourth floor were the first to go.
Then. as If by magic, smoke issued
from the top of the dome. This WAS fol
lowed by most spectacular illumina
tion. The round windows of the dome
Shone like so many full moons, then
burst and gave vent TO long, waving
streamers of flames. The crowd
watched the spectacle with bated
breaths One woman wrung her
hands and burst into a torrent Of tears,
1T is so TERRIBLE she said The tall
and slender structure which had with
stood the forces OF the earth appeared
TO be doomed TO fall prey TO fire
After awhile. however, the light grew
less intense, and the flames. finding
nothing to consume, gradually went
ont, leaving the building standing. but
completely Quilted.
The PARROT building, in which were
located the chambers Of the state SUI
preme court, the lower floors being de
voted to an immense department store,
was ruined, though its massive walls
were not all destroyed A little fur
Their down Market street the Academy
Of Sciences and the Jennie Flood build
ing and the History building kindled
aud burned like so much finder.
NUtTkS 'dIIleu "'IpSs tue Niue street
ignted the Phean building, and the
army headquarters of the department
OF California, General Funston com
handing, were burned
still nearing the bay, the waters of
which did the tlremen good service
along the docks, the fire took the Rial
tO buildmw handsome SkVarranpr
and converted scores OF solid business
blocks into smoldering piles of bricks.
A. W. Hussey came TO the police
station at the Hall of Justice and told
how. at the direction of policeman
whom he did not know. but whose star
number he gave as 6l5 he had cut the
arteries in the wrists Of n man pinioned
under timbers al the ST. katherine no
tuI -. 40 a