The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-04-24


stood the Mutual Life Building, a mod
ern structure of architectural beauty,
| to which the flames were soon com
municated An attempt was made to
save it. but the fire was irrepressible.
The flames gained, and in a few mo-
ments the big building was beyond
hope. The Anglo California Bank was
swept by the flames and came down
in a rush.
Time and again attempts were made
with dynamite to clear a space which
| should prevent the flames from spread
| ing to other buildings, but freely as the
| explosive was used the fire crept and
climbed from one structure to another.
An unusually loudreport showed that
gas house at Eighteenth and Market
streets had blown up. The fire caused
| by the explosion quickly communicated
| in various directions. AS the gas house
exploded a feeling of despair overcame
the men who were performing the
rescue work.
The PARROT Building, in which was
located the chambers of the State Su-
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 further down Market street,
the Academy of Sciences and the Jen-
ME Flood Building and the History
Building kindled and burned like so,
much finder. Sparks carried across
the wide street ignited the Phelan
Building, and the army headquarters
of California, General Funston COM
manding were burned.
Still nearing the bay, the waters of
which did the firemen good service
along the docks, the fire took the Rialto
Building. q handsome skyscraper, and
converted scores of solid business
blocks into smoldering piles of bricks
Banks and commercial houses, sup
posed to be fireproof, though not of
modern build, burned quickly, and the
roar of the flames could be heard even
on the hills, which were out of the
danger zone. Here many thousands of
people congregated and viewed the aw-
full scene.
One of the first orders issued by
Chief of Police Oman was for the clos
ing of every saloon in the city. This
step is taken to prevent drink-crazed
men from rioting in the streets.
Mayor Schmitz sent out word to the
bakeries and milk stations throughout
the city that their food supplies must
be harbored for the homeless. Provis-
ions were made to place tents in every
park in the city, and those who have
lost all will be given food and shelter.
Early in the morning the prisoners
confined in the city prison on the fifth
floor of the Hall of Justice were trans
ferred in irons to the basement Of the
structure. Later they were removed to
the Broadway jail.
The Mayor also established base
of rescue, and soon had forces out
where they could accomplish most.
Many men were sent down to the lodg-
ing house district near Market street.
There it was found that many frame
buildings, packed with people, had col
lapsed, burying their occupants in the
ruins.
The reseuers jumped into the wrecks
and pulled out the dead, the dying and
the injured. Practically every physi-
clan in the city Immediately volun
teered his assistance, and soon there
was a well equipped medical corps or
ganized which began ministering TO
the injured.
For hours bodies were taken out in
the lodging house district, and hun
dreds of men volunteered to go into
the ruins TO get more.
The pretentious City Hall, costing
100000, bounded by Larkin and Nc
AIlister streets and City Hall avenue,
was badly shattered by the earthquake,
and the ruins later were burned. 1t
took twenty years to build the City
Hall, the pride of the coast. An alarm
was turned in and the firemen respond
ed. Chief Sullivan, awakened by the
shock at his quarters in a firehouse,
FASTENED to put on his clothes. AS he
reached for them the tower of the Cali
fornia Hotel dropped upon his building
and crushing through the roof killed
him.
The firemen arrived at the City Hall,
but were helpless. They hitched their
hose to the fire plugs, but there was no
water supply.
Every possible preeaution has been
taken to guard property. Immediately
after the destructive shocks the police
turned out on guard, and the Governor
and General Funston, commanding the
Pacific Division of the United States
Army, were asked to send troops.
A thousand men from tho Preside,
sent by General Funston, arrived down
town at o'clock to patrol the streets.
The Thirteenth Infantry, 1000 strong,
arrived from Angel Island little later
and went on patrol duty at once.
The soldiers were ordered to shoot
down vandals caught robbing the dead
and to guard with their lives the mill
ions of dollars worth of property placed
in the streets to escape the flames.
The city is under martial law, and all
the downtown streets are patrolled by
cavalry and infantry. Details of troops
are also guarding the banks.
On Portsmouth square the panic was
beyond description. This, the old Plaza
about which the early city was built,
is bordered now by Chinatown, by the
Italian district and by the "Barbary
Coast" lower Tenderloin. A spur of
the quake ran up the hill upon which
Chinatown is situated and shook down
part of the crazy little buildings on the
southern edge. 1t tore down, too, some
of the italian tenements. The rush
to Portsmouth square went on almost
unchecked by the police, who had more
business elsewhere.
The Chinese came out Of their under
ground burrows like rats and tumhled
into the square, beating such gongs
and playing such noise instruments as
they had snatched up. They We're met
on the other side by the refugees of
the italian quarter. The panic became
a madness. Several Cinnamon were
squandered $500, 900; Ends Life