davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-03-08
TORNADO in SOUTH.
Meridian Mississippi Severity Dam
aged by Wind Friday Night.
FIRE IN DEVASTATED DISTRICT.
City in Darkness Owing 70 Destruc-
tlon Of Lighting Transatlantic
DetaiIs Not ObtainabIe, Wires
Being An Down.

Mobile, Ala., March ga lOub-uAS-
lance message to the Item, Of Meri-
dian, Miss, says q tornado, acc9mpa-
MED by a heavy rainstorm, struck
that city Friday evening at $50
o'clock. The storm center was in tho
southern portion Of the city and par
ticularlv heavy along Front street, one
Of the principal business streets OF the
town. Nearly every house on Front
street Is reported to have, been de-
molished. The Armour Packing com
pany plant is the only building loft
standing and the roof Of that Is gone.
Fire broke out in the ruins and de-
spite the heavy rain the flames were
burning fercely when this report was
filed. A number Of bodies are report
ed to be in the ruins. The city Is In
total darkness, the electric light plant
having been badly damaged. The tor
NADIA did severe damage at other
points adjacent to Meridian and all
trains entering Meridian are delayed.
The Western Union Telegraph com
pany reported having lost Is miles OF
wire and the Postal Telegraph COM
pany also suffered great damage.
A long distance message to the Item
from Meridian gives details Of the tor
nado that struck that city at $3.50 FRI
day evening as follows:
During a heavy rain storm at $3.50
o'clock storm cloud developed in the
south and moved on the city, striking
Front street, the business center, with
lulI force. The wind was probably
blowing Is miles an hour. The tor
lado passed over in about two min
ties and during that period three or
our whole squares were devastated.
conservative estimate places the
lumber Of buildings blown down at
,etween 80 and 40.
A. private long-distance message re-
;eived from Meridian at $50 pm.
avs the fire is raging In the devastated
district. The work Of the rescuers is
,oing on bravely but owing to all
lights being out lanterns and candles
re being used and the work Is neces-
arily slow. 1t is thought that $50
odies are in the wreckage. The UNI
On depot is one Of the buildings blown
way. The telegraph wires are still
own between Meridian. Mobile and
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27
BURIAL Of DEAD
At RIFLE POINT
RICH MAN AND POOR MAN ARE
FORCED TO WORK SIDE BY
SIDE IN GREwsoME TASK

Says a dispatch from Oakland, Cal,
on the bay opposite San Francisco:
Acting under orders from Gen.
Funston to bury the dead any
where and at any cost, soldiers
in San Francisco are impress
ing everybody in sight into the grew
some service. Millionaires and work
ingmen alike are marched from
morgue to morgue, and at the point Of
the bayonet, are forced to carry out
the bodies and drop them into the
hastily-dug graves. Scores Of bodies,
most Of them unidentified, had been
piled on the grass in Portsmouth
square, and the corpses had accumu-
lated until the spectacle was sicken-
ing. as well as a menace to health. AT
the point Of rifles, in the hands Of the
determined militiamen, rich man and
pauper are laboring side by side, dig
ging trenches in the sand for the
sepulcher of those who fell in the W.
full catastrophe.
The number killed In thia stupeu-
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

San Jose, Cal, April 2L.-Ninetee0
people were killed in San Jose and the
entire bus section wrecked esti-
mated damage, $1,000, 900, One hun
bred and ten killed and 20 injured,
mostly patients, at Agnew's asylum,
building completely ruined
Stanford university, memorial church
and other buildings down, damage S.
000, 900. One student named Hanna and
one other man killed there.
Damage to Pacific Milling Co, at
Santa Clara. $l50,0O0; total loss there
half a million; no loss Of life.
At KI'roy, about same amount dam
age: no dead:
At Salinas, the Spreckels sugar re-
fnery, valued at 81, 500, 900, is complete
~ destroyed.
Reports from Delmonte, HOLSTER,
jacksonville, Monterey. Pacific Grove,
Santa Cruz and other southern coast
points show slight damage in compari-
son.
At HOLSTER, one man killed, $10O,0 900
damage was done.
Narrow-guage tunnel at WrIght's
three-quarter5 of n mile bong cayed in.
In belmont hotel a bridal couple from
Benson, Ariz., Mr., and Mrs. Rouser.
killed in bed by chimneys falling.
Hundreds Of people streaming into
Santa Clara county from San Francisco.
Company o. Fifth national guard,
in charge of the city. Strlctest martial
law. Mayor Worsick has asked Gov.
Pardee for more soldiers to maintain or
der.
A Vigilance Committee Organized,
A vigilance committee has been or
ganized and placards have been posted
throughout the city warning that any
person found stealing, pilferiDg OF com
hitting any act Of lawless violence Will
he summarily hanged.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

The Moroland academy, q Catholic in
stitution at Watsonville was badly dam
aged, but no lives lost.
Special trains have passed through
here from Los Angeles with physicians
and necessities for sufferers in San
Francisco. -Four companies Of regulars
from Monterey and Troop c, N. G. c.,
from Salinas, are on their way to San
Francisco. No person is allowed on the
streets here after 1880 p. m,
Santa Clara college and Notre Dame
converts here practically destroyed.
Bridges between Pajaro and Santa Cruz
are badly out.
Provisions Running Short.
This cIty's provisions are running
short and the people are greatly ex.
cited over stories that thousands Of
half starving and homeless from San
Francisco are on their way here. SO
far the greatest order has been main.
talned.
Among the churches wrecked In
San Jose are st. Patrick's church,
First Presbyterian church, CentelIa
NJ. z. church, Central Christian and
South Methodist church badly dam.
aged.
Every building on the west side OF
the street from st. James Park to
San Fernand street are either down,
topping or badly cracked, and every
one of them will have to be rebuilt
The Auzerias building, EIks club.
Unique theatre and many other build
ings on Santa Clara street are down
on the ground.
On Second street the sIx-story
Dougherty building and several ad,
joining blocks were destroyed by fire,
The new high school building In Nor.
NAL park is a complete wreck. The
Nevada and Porter building on Sec.
ond street, Rucker building on Third
and Santa Clara street are also
The annex to the Vendome hotel
was completely wrecked, Thomas g..
O"Toole being the only one killed
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27
RELIEF PROBLEM
A GIGANTIC ONE
OVER THREE HUNDRED THOU
SAND PEOPLE TO FEED IN
SAN FRANCISCO.

San Francisco, April 21.-The prob
lem now confronting the city govern.
ment and federal authorities Is how
to feed the multitude OF destitute,
Supplies are coming in by the train
load, but as yet the system of dlstri.
button Is not in complete working
order. At the Preside. where $4,000
people are Camped, affairs are con.
Quoted with military precision, Water
is plentiful, and rations are dealt ous
all day long. The refugees stand pa
tiently in line, and there Is not a muir
muir. This characteristic Is obseEv.
able all over the city. The people
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

are brave and patient, and the o
derful order preserved by them has
been of great assistance,
In Golden Gate Park are encamped
100000 people. They are being taken
care Of. A huge supply station has
been established there and provisions
are being dealt out. Probably 100 900
more people are camped in vacant lots
and squares scattered about the city,
and there are u~nfortunates that are
hard to reach. The banks have NOT
yet decided what to do. In all cases
vaults are intact, and as soon as quar-.
ters can be provided business will be
resumed. Six hundred men from the
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

dous tragedy can not be even approx
imately told, and perhaps will never
be known. Estimates vary from min
imums Of 1000 to maXimums OF TO-
900. 1t is not a human possibility to
do more than submit a h~aphazard
guess, based upon ones own observa-
ton as he makes the rounds of the
devastated city.
Relieve o Dead in One Ruin.
For instance, there was a lodging
house-the New BrunswiCk-at Sixth
and Mission streets. 1t collapsed from
the first earthquake. One man init
mately acquainted with that lodging
house and its business, asserts that 600
persons were within its walls when
the structure collapsed, and that those
900 persons now lie dead in the cell
lar.
Down in the tenement district, where
crowded houses collapsed like egg
shells, there may be hundreds of I'M
found dead. There may be thousands.
Their death was relatively unimport-
ant, as were their lives, and just as
they we're comparatively unknown
among the living there will be little
inquiry for them among the dead. I'm
doubtedly many persisted there
whom no names will ever be supplied,
and who will not be counted as among
the victims of the awful calamity.
Stanford Fortune in Wrecked Bank
1t is reported that in the vaults OF
the Union Trust Co, which was blown
up by dynamite, was, in all %probabili-
ty, the sum of 3d. 0 900, representing
the residue of the estate of Mrs. Le-
land Stanford, the widow of Senator
Stanford.
The executors of Mrs. Stanford's
will, on April 6, turned over to the
trust company $1,000, 900 to hold as
trustees for the legatees until suit in
the courts, which will decide the
amount of inheritance tax to be paid,
shall have been settled.
There are several heirs, relatives OF
Mrs. Stanford, and they are now Won
dering if their inheritance has been
lost to them,
~ArtilIerymen Blow Up Palaces.
Fashionable Van Ness avenue, lined
with the mansions Of the wealthy, has
been added to San Francisco's ruins.
1t was destroyed with dynamite by the
frantic fire-fghters. The destruction
was necessary, but a most pitiable ex-
pedient. Unfortunately, it proved Of
no avail. Artillerymen, police and fire.
men demolished these splendid homes
on the e~asterly side of the broad ave-
nue. with dynamite and black powder.
They carried the devastation for a dis
lance of one mile, under order from
Mayor Schmitz and Gen. Funston.
Huge cannon were drawn to the ave
nue. to aid the dynamiters i'm blowing
UP the mansions of the ~millionaires,
Every available pound Of dynamite was
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

Four hundred miles of the Califor-
MIA coast, extending eastward for one
hundred miles, was shaken by an
earthquake on the morning of Wednes-
day, April IS, that for destructiveneSs
of property has probably never been
equaled in the history Of modern times.
TIE loss of life is great, probably run
ming into the thousands. The exact
number will never be known, and it
will be days before an intelligent esti-
mate can be made.
Three quarters of the city of San
Francisco was destroyed by the effects
of the disturbance and fire that fol-
lowed. Never in the history of the
United States has such a confiagration
ragged. The amount Of property de-
stroyed, the number of houses burned,
and the number of people made desti-
tute, was greater than the Chicago fire.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

of the week there had been millions
donated. Congress gave a million, and
prominent members announced that
they stood ready to vote more. Presi-
dent Roosevelt issued a proclamation
calling on the American people to give
generously, and gave $1,000 himself.
Rich men opened their purses. Carne-
gle gave $780, 600, John D. Rockefeller
500, 900; rich men in Boston pledged
the city for $4,000, 900; rich men Of
Chicago pledged their city for a mil
lion; in n day st. Louis raised $780,
900; cities on the Pacific coast gave
many hundreds of thousands; CONNER
cial bodies in all the cities and towns
were forwarding money, and even
while the fire was raging, the proper
authorities in San Francisco received
hundreds of thousands by telegraph.
The Canadian government telegraphed
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27
Request From Gov. Pardee.

Oakland, April 2l-Gov, Pardee
wired President Roosevelt asking him
to send the Pacific squadron to San
Francisco with all possible speed. in
order that the marines may help the I'M
fortunate sufferers, and also that the
supplies Of the "quadrOn rlay be used
tnr The relief Of The needy.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

who kept working for As hours with
out sleep and scarcely any food, may
have been killed while making this last
desperate stand.
The steady boom Of the artillery and
| the roar Of the dynamite above the
| cracking of the flames continued for
hours.
Buildings we're still topping under
the dynamite when the flames leaped
across the sea of destruction, and the
district that a million dollars worth of
property had been destroyed to save,
was doomed. In a few minutes the
wTeCkage was aire, and the flames were
sweeping on through the residences
across the avenue.
Prices of Food.
At best the city never carried nor
than three days supply Of provisions
and food, and now, with the wholesale
districts and warehouses wiped out, the
supply of food is short.
Prices are, in most instances, mor
than treble. A sufferer was obliged to
pay Is cents for a small glass of min
eral water in the Hayes Vallery district,
That part of the city was laid waste,
and not a drop of water was to be had,
except bottled mineral water.
Policemen were stationed at some Of
the retail shops left standing and reg
ulated the sale Of food, permitting only
a small portion of goods to be delivered
to each purchaser, the idea being to
prevent a few persons from gathering
large quantities Of supplies. Before thi.
was done soda crackers were sold at ten
cents each.
4 City of DesOlntion.
Looking up Market street from the
Ferry building, the city Is a smolder-
ing mass of ruins. Great manufactures
mercantile houses, everything, is de-
stroyed. The dead in many instances
are lying in the streets and in the ruins
The authorities have done all in their
power to remove the bodies in order
that a pestilence might be averted. II
has been necessary repeatedly to move
the injured from places where they
sought refuge as the fire changed.
Water! Water!" is the incessant cry
Of the fremen and the people. But
there Is only a scant drinking supply.
Five hundred cadets Of the Univer-
sity of California have entered the city
to aid in the enforcing Of martial law.
The young Collegians have orders to
shoot without warning those caught
looting. In many parts Of the town,
where the crowds Of survivors are the
widest, it is almost impossible to get
around save at the point Of a pistol
The soldiers are disarming every per
son c with a weapon.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27
THE PRESIDENTS APPEAL.
Issued a Proclamation Urging Amer
lean People 10 Give
Literally.

Washington, April 21.--President
Roosevelt, after a conference with Miss
Mabel Boardman, Of the American Ma
tionaI Red Cross, issued IN the form Of
a proclamation an appeal to the Amer.
icsn people for aid for the people Of
San Francisco. He asked that all CON
tributlons be made through the officials
bf the American National Red Cross,
who have effected svstemaUe arrange
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

hauled to this point, and the sight was
one of s%tupendous and appalling havoc
as the cannon were trained On the pal
aces, and the shot tore into the walls
and toppled the buildings in crashing
ruins.
At other points dynamite was used,
and house after house, the dwellings
Of millionaires, were lifted into the air
by the blasts and dropped to the earth
a mass Of dust and debris. The work
was dangerous. and many Of the men
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27
EARTHQUAKE AND FIRE
Observation-Disclosures
The City at the Golden Gate a City of Ashes--
Quarter Of a Million People Homeless.
HUNDREDS, PERHAPS THOUSANDS, DEAD IN RUINS.

Other Cities and Towns in the State We're Destroyed or DAM
aaea--One of the Greatest Disasters of Modern Times--Ty-
phoid Fever and Smallpox Threaten to Become Epidemic
in Rescue Camps, Where Thousands Are Sheltered and Fed,
and Where the Sanitary Conditions Are Unavoidably Bad
The American People Are Responding Eobly to the Cry for
Aid, and 1t Is Believed That Twenty Million Dollars Will
Be Raised.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

Joseph NJ. Meyers, a local police
man, disputed the authority OF a ma
tional guardsman, who had told him
to o on. There was a brief alter.
cation. Then the soldier ran Meyers
through with his bayonet and killed
him.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

From 5000. to 100000 people were
made homeless in San Francisco-noC
only homeless, but destitute and hun
CRY, The value of the property loss Is
estimated as high as $780, OO, 900. When
It is considered that the taxable valua-
tion of the city was over $780, 00, 900,
ard that three quarters of the city IS
in ashes. this estimate of loss is not
exaggerated. There is no business
district left, no hotels, no theaters, no
bank buildings, no great stores, all
ashes. Many of the palatial residences
were burned, or destroyed by the tire
men who blew them up with high eX-
plosives in their efforts to stay the
flames.
No fire department ever fought hard
er, drawer or better. The ~upheaVals OF
the earth broke the water mains, and
there was no water with which to fight
the element. The chief died at his
post: others gave up their lives, n
when the battle ended, nearly every
member of the department was dead.
No person can ever describe the hor-
rors of those days and nights, when
the earth trembled, buildings fell, and
the fire 'fiend ragged. The people fed
before the advancing flames. They
poured into the parks, the open places,
to the hills, and watched the city
burn. The roar of the explosions of
dynamite, used to blow up buildings in
vain efforts to stay the flames; the
smoke, and the knowledge that their
homes were gone, that loved ones were
missing; that people were in the ruins,
was too much for many, and they be-
came crazed. Hunger and thirst and
despair everywhere.
United States soldiers were sent
from the Preside and guarded the city.
Soon ghouls appeared, and began TO
rob the dead, the wounded, and to loot
wrecked homes. When caught, the
soldiers shot them down. Never did
soldiers do duty nobler. Day and night
they remained on duty. And when re-
lief came, they stood guard over the
food and water, and saw that the weak
as well as the strong were relieved.
=. H. lt---A-
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27
At SAN JOSE AND
SOUTHERN POINTS
THE PEOPLE OF SAN FRANCISCO
NOT ALONE IN THEIR
SUFFERINGS.

sam Jose "a city of Ruins-NumerouS
cisco suffered ScNcrciS-L"ss of
Life at st. AgncW's As Ium Was
Appalling.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

Reports of babes being born in the
refugee camps were frequently re.
Five women became mothers
in Golden Gate park Friday night.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

When the greatness of the disaster
that had befallen San Francisco be-
came known-when the American peo-
pie began to realize its vastness--the
suffering, and the need Of relief, there
was a generous response. By the end
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

LOOKING UP MONTGOMERY STREET
Ocean Shore railway bavgI arrived
with wagons and implements, and will
commence immediate work on the
sewer system. Inspectors are going
from house to house examining chin.
neys and will issue permits to re-
build fires.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

Gen. Funston, in charge of the res
cue camps, fears that much sickness is
inevitable. Typhoid fever is liable to
become prevalent, owing to the bad
sanitary conditions, which are una
voidable. Several cases of typhoid and
smallpox were reported.
Other cities and towns suffered. The
entire business section of San Jose
was destroyed. The calamity in San
Francisco was SO great that the con
ditions outside of that city were at
first overlooked.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27

The cabinet at Washington decided
that Secretary Metcalf should go to
San Francisco to superintend the gov
eminent relief work.
The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-04-27
100000.

500, 900.
Relief trains, loaded with food and
clothing, were hastily dispatched, and
by Friday morning we're speeding
across plain and through the noun
tains toward the city Of ashes by the
Golden Gate.
The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1906-06-04
HEhEY BACK
FROM NORTH
ST. HUNDRED MEN ARE NOW
AT WORK ON THE NEW RAIL.
ROAD AND TIE NUMBER IS
INCREASING.

At. iteuey head ~ the new rail-
raad upw hcina eonafrutfed from
CarfoYa 20 fhe Interior 81 Alaska.
returned fram the north this morn
na o. she Steamer jefferson Mr.
titnua went north nith the different
construction crews ana has been ate
usHainF TIE preliminary arrange
nissts fnr fWo months
AZ his office lu the Colman block
the mofuiHe AT Honey stated that
ne affsirs ~ fhe failruud were proc
<fessiug moat Satisfactorily At
ufasent There afo 500 men at work.
~ 10 end 81 The month 4 paw mill
viii b. iH operation and ties VIII be
furnished MntafiHl Wui be- sent
1aoFfa on the different steamers and
hF fall o. splendid showing win have
lseen made SIR Bency expects To-
~ east this week to arrange eer-
Tails mattefa pertaining to the road.
The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1906-06-04
BATTLE
WITH WAVES
raRgE OCCUPANTS or sAiL.
SCAT HAVE EXCITING tx.
REHlgNsE DURING STORM
ON LAKE WASHINGTON.

Three young men baftled for 20
minutes with the waves during a
sale GA Lake Washington yesterday
Afternoon. hhd were exhausted when
rescued hY boats whlgh we're sent
out from shore whom their Hatlbnut
was fret upset
The three Victims 81 the accident
we're Res and Chester rulisu aud
I~e Fufsat The three had been
cruising All morning in a schooner
fiaKed fHiibnat and wsts opposite
taipn bay when the sale csme up
suadsnlg.
Tbs Wind soon kicked mp a tfo-
msndous hea and the boys tried 20
reach the protection 81 lee shore
~ tarkiia A. the Hallboat was
brought around. however. heavy
gust struck the sail. and the craft
turned turtle,
H9ffvsi wore a heavy mnchluh w
caaf. bot managed to throw ii orr
Al lhfes elunE to the keel ~ che
luiurned boat until help reached
thsfn ffnm the shore A launch fin.
aliy towed ihe overturned saiiboat
q thg Madison Park beathonas and
lie three half drowned bogp were
huHsiedls sent hume, where Mey OBJ
tanned dry clothing They appeared
e es little The vofne fof the acct
aaHl
the two pulieu boys are brothers
- Dan Hulisn. tie well known uni
vstsitf feethsil uiayer and rover,
atai are sNnsfe - the boat
The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1906-06-04

whsa an Investigation Nas threat.
eHed Il burned rs bousa and sent
it* criminal agents Gus ~ the nuun
tFs In The commercial world q
vas q iuzksruaat car. Il nlped oai
thousands - businesses esefF rear.
u firwve men go natinaaa and ani
eide Il had forced the price Of eat.
tie - loe ~ e. destroy fhs stock
raising industry. an occupation
uf@sn Nhleh whole states existed. "a
htd rulned thousands ~ hufchsra
Who had refused 10 baadie iia
products
Enormous Tribute Paid.
IT divided Ire couuffY into dis
triess Aua had fixed The price of
meat tn all of them, Rua N u~ ned
at the refriEeFator cars and levied
aa snoFMpaa tFfbutc lyon an paal
Try enKs. fruit and Vegetables
With The millions nf dollars 4 wnrk
that poured IN upon 81 Il vas reach
IN out Tor the epatrnl ~ other in.
T. eHts. IAiiroaaa. ~ lieY Hines. eas
aud electric light franchises & ~.
ready owned The leather AMI thn
gfatn business nf the country
Sinclair Meets President
titsf slBcisifa hook appeared q
eame &C. fhe attention al President
Roosevelt. aud senator uesefidge
ieok the author 10 met the pfuai.
dent "a the isiteta request AFTER
the two had iuuebed together and
discussed the work. Roosevelt or.
isred the Investigation. the results
% ahich are nos made public