New-York tribune., 1906-04-20
AWFUL SCENES IN CITY.
Another Slight Earthquake Shock
adds to the Terror.

quake at o'clock this morning accentuating
their terrors The ferryboats to adjacent coun-
ties we're crowded to the utmost this forenoon,
and TO the westward portion Of the peninsula
a constant throng of homeless people carrying
their portable household goods are adding to
the colonies In the sand hills and the parks
Golden Gate Park and the unimproved blocks
of the district south and north of the park are
already presenting the appearance of tented
cities. many varieties of shelter being impro-
vised from bedding and blankets
FLAMES REACHING mob HILL.
The wind shifted to the west this morning
and the flames changed their devouring direc-
ton southwark and began eating their wide
swath from the waterfront on the north OF
Market street, up TO what is known Mob
Hill, an eminence that had been selected years
ago by the millionares Of the bonanza days"
which TO erect their mansions. This hill is
surmounted by the Hotel Fairmount, Just fln-
ished at a cost OF over S1.O00OO0 It is a
beautiful structure of white stone visible from
almost every point of the city, and the horror
was universal when its destruction seemed in
evitable. Steadily. but surely. the fire ate it's
way up the slope, consuming the homes Of the
late Mrs. Jane Stanford and the Hopkins Art
Pacific fame. At this writing the hotel could
be seen occasionally, standing in the centre of
huge clouds OF smoke, and, If saved its saliva
ton may be regarded in the light Of supernat-
ural interposition.
From the upward slope the fire also took
direction northwesterly into the district left
untouched last night. This portion of the town
embraces the Latin quarter inhabited by peo-
pie of various nationalities and the houses are
all Of fimsy construction. Once getting foot
hold there the fire would cut its way through as
though going through a forest in the dryest
time of summer.
In the Mission district to the south of Market
street. the zone Of ruin was extended further
westward, toward the extreme southern por-
ton. but was checked at 14th and Mission by
the wholesale use of dynamite At this point
are the Southern Pacific Hospital the st. Fran
els Hospital and the College of Physicians and
Surgeons. In order to save these institutions
the danger threatening them had been averted
up to noon.
In the Hayes Valley district. south Of Nc
Alster and north OF Market. the fire was con-
tined on the west by Octavia street and on the
north by McAlister street. In this region the
destruction complete. Therein were St.
Ignatius School and Church of which only the
the scene Of hundreds of great political. social
and sporting events, not timber remains Op-
posite it was the St Nicholas Hotel and il is
now simply pile OF ruined bricks.
APPALLING SPECTACLE OF RUIN.
From this point down TO the Oakland ferry
an Associated Press man made his way through
the menacing wall frontages and climbing over
hillocks of masonry and junk of all sorts in the
middle of the citys greatest thoroughfare The
journey heartrending; the scene appalling
On each side nothing but ruin. To the
south. in hundreds of blocks, hardly building
remained whole. The United States Mint escaped
almost unscathed on account of its isolated en-
vironment and its peculiar freproof construc-
ton, but the force of the earthquake could be
seen in the cracked walls of the new postofice
building. In front Of the postoffce, at 7th and
Mission streets, the ground had sunk for several
feet.
Across an alley from the postofice stood the
Grant Building containing army headouarters
This was ruined Opposite the Grant Building
in Market street the ruins of the Hibernian
Savings Bank loomed up its former beautiful
frontage transformed into hideous aspect This
the great bank Of the middle and poorer
classes, and tits loss may cause greater sorrow
south of Market street than perhaps the loss Of
any other institution From this point down to
the ferry The same story could be told of each
block
Last night at II o'clock the north side Of the
street had been untouched and hope had baAp
expressed that the great Flood. Crocker, Phelan
and other buildings would be spared, but they
to-day included in the list of destroyed
property. The Palace Hotel still stands a huge
monument 10 the awful disaster of yesterday,
Its blackened walls and empty interior bearing
little resemblance TO the huge hostlery of a
day ago
The handsome gigantic.St. Francis Hotel in
Powell street fronting Union Square. is a ruined
she'll This was one of the high steel structures
that had dehed the terrible shock of yesterday.
but this morning it is another sad tribute to the
completeness OF the devastation that has visited
San Francisco.
Among the other skyscrapers north of Market
street that fell prey to the flames were the
fourteen story Merchants Exchange and the