East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-04-30
DESCRIBES THE FIRE
SISTER OF MRS. c. c. SHARP
WRITES FROM SAN FRANCISCO
Mrs. Ora Messner Gives Graphic Ac-
count of the Terrible Conflagaration
People We're Terror-Stricken at
the First Great Shock-Nlany of
Them Laughed Loud and Long in
Speechlsss Horror.

Mrs. Ora Messner of San Francisco,
sister of Mrs. C. c. Sharp of this
city, and Mrs A. NJ. Gillis of Athena,
has just written the following graphic
description of the great conflagara-
tion in that city, to Mrs. Gilis at
Athena. The letter is such a compre-
hensive account of the fire and its ac-
companying terrors that the East Or
egonian gives it to its readers as fol-
lows:
My house stood the storm, not
window cracked, but hardly piece
of furniture was left whole. Pictures,
vases, etc. with which was we'll sup
Piled We're broken into thousands of
pieces. Gas pipes were broken and
the deadly fumes added to the dam
gers. The very pavements pulsated
like living things. Great buildings
loomed up around me seemed terri
BILE because of the queer dance they
We're performing.
Crash followed crash and resound-
ed on every side. Then there was
short lull then came the awful, inde-
scribable shock which ruined San
Francisco and ruined us all. The
street beds heaved in frightful fash
ion, some elevations as much as six
feet; the buildings tottered. then
trembled a moment, then crashed.
burying all beneath them. The grand
old turrets of the city hall reeled to-
ward us, then crashed in the street.
"The debris blocked every street,
the pavements were lined with dead
worse 1t grew. l returned home to
wait Trembler followed trembler,
shock upon shock. The streets were
thronged with people more than half
crazed in their terror. Some laughed
loud and loug. Then a great light il
lumined the heavens. then another,
then another; then the city was ablaze.
Twas then that we knew our awful
danger.
81 counted II great fires, then went
in and shut the door for a longer
wait Our principal danger lay in
the wholesale district, yet the flames
were raging in other parts of the city
great piles of masonry with their
many stories acting only as furnaces
The roar of the flames, the falling of
buildings, the restless moving of hu-
manity was deafening.
"All our best buildings went first.
The Call, Chronicle. Examiner, Palace
hotel. the Grand, st. Francis. st. Mich
olas. Emporium. Hales, and 100 9TH
ers were down before noon; by 4
o'clock the entire hotel and lodging
house portions We're gone. Hardly an
office building was left standing. The
people were out in the city parks
with their little handsful of belong
ings.
"All day long, all night long, l sat
in the square and watched. The
flames rolled from these large build
| ings and seemed to lick the very
| heavens with their great tongues. On
Thursday and Thursday night all our
most beautiful residence and histori-
cal districts were swept away and the
| Flames went on to North Beach,
where only old ocean has control. Our
| burned district now covers an area of
about I Oblocks in length and so in
width. / stood on Pacific Heights
that evening and as far as the eye can
discern It is but a desoate waste
while below me toward the bay for
a distance of 90 blocks or more II
was but a lake of fire, one of which
hell itself might well be proud.
"Our little 500 policemen proved
inadequate, soon we drew upon the
1900 men of the Preside, who took
control and patroled the small re-
naming portion of the city well
| Upon this portion more than 900. .00C
people are crowded. We are without
water. without food, without shelter
No light no gas, no fuel. Bread yes
terday sold for 81 a loaf, meat Sc
cents per pound. Today the fedora
authorities have taken possession Of
several small groceries in these sub
urbs and are dealing out to the peo.
pie, but we as yet can have no fires
The city has more than 600 unidenti
fled dead for federal burial. Wher
the troops took possession they woulC
consign these bodies once more tC
the flames. In one location the,
came across 26 charred remain
: which the civilians had rescued. AT
ter saving here a watch case, there
, pocketbook, as means of identifi
cation, they consigned the bodies t,
these fiery furnaces.
"ORA MESSNER."