The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-05-04
Sweep of the Fire

Sam Franeiaen. The town of san RI.
farl. despite its own troutlos, dispatch.
ed hro Sighting apparatus % san Fran
cisco.
From carly morning tho Offices of the
Western Union aud Postal Telegraph
companies IN Oaklnnd have been hlied
with nearlo iu nil walks of life filing
messages OF inquiry ns 60 the condition
of friends and interests so other cities
in California which suffered from the
: earthquake.
The fire swept down the streets so
RAPIDLY that IL was practically impos'
sille to save anything In its way. IL
reached the Grand Opera House on Mis-
sion street and in moment had burned
through the roof The Metropolitan
Opera Company from New York had
inst opened lis season there and all the
expensive scenery and costumes were
soon reduced 90 ashes. From the opera
house the ere lcapcd from building TO
building. quickly levcling them. The
Gail editorial and mechanical depart
ments were totally destroyed in few
minutes and the flames leaped across
Stevenson street toward the fine fifteen
story stone and iron Claus Spreekels
building which, with its lofty dome, is
the most notable edifce in San Fran
cisco.
Two small wooden buildings furnish
ed fuel to ignite the splendid pile.
Thousands Of people watched the hun
orv tongues of fame licking the stone
= walls. At first no impression Was made
but suddenly there was cracking OF
$ GLASS and an entrance was effected.
J ..1, INN Of
floor were the first to go. Then, as
> though 10y magic, smoke issued from the
top of the dome.
SPLENDID SPECTACLE
PRESENTED BY FIRE.
!. This was followed by most spec.
n tacular illumination. The round WIN
a dovys of the dome showed like so many
l. full moons; they burst and gave vent
f TO long, waving streams of hame Inc
great structure which had withstoo1
', forces of earth, appeared to be doomed
r to fall a prey to fire. AFTER "a Whlle
= however, the light grew less intense
r and the flames, finding nothing more
'. to consume, gradually went out, leav'
e ing the building standing, but complete
r ly gutted.
7 The Palace Hotel, which was con
K. stantlv threatened, was the scene OF
]. much excitement, the guests having II
$. haste, many with only the clothing they
Il. wore, escaped. Finding that the hotel
@. being surrounded on all sides by
t. streets. was likely to remain immune
IS. many returned and made arrangement
o. FOR the removal of their belongings
1 though little could be taken away, ow
* inc to the utter absence of transporta
Y, tion facilities.
I'd The Parrot building, in which wer
located the chambers of the state su
he nreme court the lower floors being dc
Mt voted to an immense department store
st was ruined. though its massive wall
~ were NOT all destroyed. A little furthe
ce down Market street the Academy q
in Sciences. the Flood building and tn
he History building burned like so muc
he finder. Sparks carried across the VIA
he street lighted the Phelan building an
all the army headquarters of the Depar'
he ment of California were burned. ST.
ev nearing the bay, the waters of VINE
all did the fremen good service along tn
be docks, the fire took the Riato building
he a handsome skyscrapper and eonVerte
scores of solid business blocks int
IN smouldering piles of bricks.
dd FIREPROOF BUILDINGS
ad LITERALLY MELTEl
w Banks and commercial houses su
mn m posed to be freproof though not
: modern build, burned quickly and Il
- =" roar of the flames could be heard eve
ar on the hills which were out of the ia
a. a. ger zone Here many thousands of pc
.ho Pile congregated and witnessed the a'
~ full scene. Great masses of flame ro
high in the heavens or rushed dow
some narrow street, joining midway b
tween the sidewalks and making hoi
". zontal chimney of the former passag
ief ways.
the The dense smoke that arose from Il
ty. entire business district spread like
nix immense funnel and could have be-
Its. seen for miles out at sea. OCCASIONAL
in as some drug store or place stored wi
itz chemicals was reached, most fantast
ans effects were produced by the color
am flames and smoke which rolled o
80 against the darker background.
md All efforts to prevent the fire fro
reaching the Palace and Grand Hot'
lies were unsuccessful, and both We're co
ard pletely destroyed together with
their contents.
at All of San Francisco best plf
G / houses. including the Majestic, Colu
at bia, Orpheum and Grand Opera Hou
he are mass of ruins, The earthqua
her demolished them for all practical p
ries poses and the fire completed the We
der of destruction, The handsome Ria
Ac- and Casserly buildings were burned
Ius the ground, as was everything in Il
He'd district.
ms NEWSPAPER EMPLOYEES
.eh' AT RESCUE WOR
rnc. The scene at the Mechanics pavili
.ino during the early hours of the morni
lors and up to noon, when all the injul
"a and dead were removed because of
ora threatened destruction of the build
,ato by fire, was one Of indescribable 5
-a,,,. ness. Sisters, brothers, wives and swe
and hearts searched eagerly for some m
has ing dear one. Thousands of persons h
tion riedly went through the building,
specting the cots on which the suffer
luy. In hone they would find some lO'