Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-04-24
THE San FRANCISCO DISASTER
Work of the Earthquake, Fire and
Disease,
SAD PLIGHT OF A STRICKEN PEOPLE.

the Parks and In Great Destitutior
Large Numbers of Dead, But nc
Exact Figures obtainabIe-Entire
Country Responds With contribu-
tions.
The story Of the San Francisco
earthquake as published last Friday
though necessarily incomplete as to
details, contained no material exagger-
ations as to the extent of that appall-
ing disaster, except possibly as to the
number of people who lost their lives
and as to this 1t Is not yet possible to
even satisfactorily approximate the
probable figures. So great has been the
wreck and ruin, and so acute has been
the personal anxiety and distress i'm
mediately following the inception OF
the calamity, and without appreciable
relief even until now, that correct data
is out Of the question. Before the peo-
pie of the devoted city had been
granted an opportunity to take an
inventory of the damage that had
been wrought by the earthquake
and while the rumbling of the
mighty convulsion was still grating In
their ears, the indicative fire fiend
set out with malicious eagerness to
show the near resemblance Of the
previous night performance to the
merest child play and now grim dis
10, fn oh
as to the safety Of his fell supremacy
Surely in all America there has never
before been witnessed such a gigantic
tragedy.
AS has already been noted, the
earthquake came at about o'clock In
the morning. The city was asleep
Rudely awakened by the falling plas-
tering and that peculiar rumbling roar
that once heard will always afterward
be remembered as inseparable from an
earthquake, they rushed in panic to
the streets. Men and women were In
their night clothes. In many instances
they had their younger children in their
arms, and In other cases a few val
uables. Most Of them however, sought
safety as they were, without thought
OF any other consideration. What hap
pened after they got out depended on
their location. Along the streets that
were bordered by tall houses, they had
to dodge falling copings and crumbling
walls. For the whole brick front Of a
house to come crashing down on the
street was a common occurrence, and
many people were thus mashed to q
pulp. In other quarters where the
houses were of wood, and not so high
the immediate danger was not so great
After the first frenZied panic was over
people who had not already done SC
went back and dressed themselves
Most Of them began to calculate that
the worst was already past, and there
was no need for any further foresight
But 1t was not a great while before
fires began to break out in every d.
rection, and as 1t developed that these
could not be controlled anywhere for
lack of water, the great mass OF the
population was forced toward the parks
and other open places, which soon be-
came crowded with thousands OF
men, women and children. But few OF
the refugees had left their homes until
these homes had been practically de-
stroyed and all that most Of them had
saved was what they could carry In
their arms. This salvage included va
rious articles; but it was only the ex-
ception where cooking utensils, bed
clothes and food, the things that were
soon to come In the greatest demand
had been saved In preference to silver
plate, costly trinkets and household
idols.
Before the construction of its model
water plant, San Francisco had been
accustomed to draw her water supply
from innumerable wells and cisterns
They were scattered all over the city
1t has been noted on the occasion OF
previous earthquakes that the water
receded from these wells and cisterns
This phenomenon was noted again last
Wednesday. The water mains were
broken in scores of places by the earth
quake and not only was there no water
with which to fight fire; but none to
drink. AS time wore on people who
had become reconciled to despair at the
hope of saving their property from the
devouring flames, began to suffer ago
MES from increasing thirst. Limited
supplies of more or less pure water
were to be had at various points
Wherever advised of such supplies, the
authorities at once assumed supervis-
ion, and saw that the people were fur
nished in proportion to their needs
But there was not enough, and there
were numerous cases where men sold
water to their distressed fellows at 81
81 and even $5 a quart. This condition
lasted until about Friday when the
situation began to improve somewhat
not only from a partial repair Of the
city system; but from returning flow
in the wells and cisterns.
The fire that Immediately followed
the earthquake spread rapidly In every
direction, and burned steadily. There
being no water with which to fight It.
the firemen and the military had re-
course to dynamite. They got posses
sion of al the dynamite and other high
explosives in the city and kept up an
incessant battle almost against hope
Whole blocks Of buildings were blown
down ahead Of consuming fires In
the hope Of making gaps that could not
be crossed; but so far as reports have
been received, 1t does not appear that
the dynamite idea was very effective.
The debris could not be removed for
one thing and the flames followed the
pile of twisted timbers until they
reached the fresh and as yet unimpair-
ed fuel. Then again, new fires broke
out among the trash and splinters left
by the dynamite, and the destruction
was thus carried merrily on. AS al
ready stated there was reason for a
time to hope that the famous palaces
erected at different times by Califor-
MIA millionaires on Mob Hill would be
saved. They We're not seriously dam
aged by the earthquake shock, and as
they were so high above the surround
ing country and some of them suppos-
ed to be practically fireproof, 1t was
thought that they might escape. But
the hope was vain. The buildings be-
low carried the flames up and up until
soon the top of the hill was swept and
practically all Of the magnificent piles
representing an aggregate expenditure
of many millions of dollars were de-
stroyed. Some of the buildings were
unoccupied, the occupants of the 9TH
ers were forced to join the indiscrimi-
nate throngs Of humanity In the parks
There are quite a number Of parks
i'm San Francisco. The largest and
most noted IS known as the Golden
Gate. This great playground Is many
acres i'm "Ytcnt Previous to last Wed
nesday. it's most striking characteris-
tics were beautiful walks and drives,
various kids Of rare Shrubbery
pleasure pavi1ions. grass plots. etc.
1t is now described as hei 'g crowded
with people. including whOle'and parts
Of families. some under canvas tents
furnished hv the army, som" under