The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-04-20
Food Nearly Exhausted, the
Stricken City Now Faces
Starvation

disaster are closing down on that with
relentless determination.
All OF the city south OF Market street.
even down TO Islais creek and out as far
as Valencia street. is now a smoIderins
ruin
Into the western addition and the Pa
cific avenue heights three broad fingers
OF red are feeding their way with a speed
that foretells the destruction OF a major
part OF the palace sites OF the city before
night
DOWNTOWN DISTRICT
ONLY BLOT OF BLACK
There Is no longer a down town district
a blot OF black spreads from East street
ia Octavia and is bounded on the south
and north by Broadway and Washington
streets and Islais creek respectively.
Not bank stands. There are no longer
any exchanges, insurance offices. broker
ages. real estate offices, all that once rep
resented the financial heart OF the city
and its industrial strength.
90 up Market street from the ferry
building TO Calfra street and nothing but
the black fingers or Jagged ruins point
to the smoke blanket that presses low
overhead.
Visit what was once California. SAN
some and Montgomery streets, and yon
must ask a painting fireman to drec, you
out OF the labyrinth OF grim blackened
walls
Chinatown is no more. Union square IS
a barren district. The Call building stands
proudly erect lifting its whited head
above the ruin like some leprous thing
and with all its windows dead staring
eyes that look upon nothing but a wilder
ness
The proud Flood building is hollow
shell. The ST Francis hotel, one time
plnCp O lnxftrV "a naIIUht hfif n hnN pf
stone and steel. Yet the flames leap on
exultantly. They dance, they roar in bac-
chanalian glee. They leap chasms like a
waterfall taking a precipice.
Now they are here, now there, always
pressing on TO the west and through 90
the end OF the city.
WIND FANS FLAMES
INTO FURY AGAIN
Early in the morning Octavia street was
the western zone of the red-hot cauldron
and In parts OF this boundary the fire mao
been subdued. But. baffed in one spot
the licking tongues spring out In another
Al s o'clock Wednesday night the fire
was supposed TO have eaten Itself out IN
the wholesale district below Sansomc
street and tn main body OF the flames
was confined 10 tho district south OF Mar
ket street where the oil works the furni-
ture factories and the vast lumber yards
gave fodder into the mouth OF the nre
ficnd
Yet suddenly. ms II by perverse devlish-
ness, fierce wind from the west swep,
over the crest OF Mob Hin. and was am
swerod by leaping tongues OF flames from
out OF the very heart OF the ruins.
BY $3.50 o'clock Montgomery street had
been Jumped and the great Merchants
Exchange building on California street
famed out like the beacon torch OF a
falling star.
From. the dark fringe OF humanity.
watching the crest OF tho California
street hill. there sprang the noise OF a
sudden catching OF the broath--not a sigh.
not a groan. just sharp gasp. betraylng
stress OF despair near 10 the insanity
point.
Nine O'Clock and the great Crocker
building shot sparks and added tongues
" ire 90 the high heavens. Immediately
tho fire jumped Kcarney street licking at
the fat provender that shaped Itself for
consuming
MOIRNFII PROCESSION
or JAPs AND POOR WHITES
Then began the nsvurnful procession OF