Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1906-05-18

pulled up the nils by ropes. lii
one instance 500 men with rop
pulled the engine out of the fire 10
the top of hill
There were many cases of eX-
tortion, but in the main the people
all worked like brothers. The au-
thorities aided by the Soldiery kept
The situation we'll in hand. Those
who refused TO help were forced to
do SO at the point OF the bayonet,
wagons and automobiles were re-
q lisitioned to carry the wounded,
tcod and clothing and thieves, hu-
man vuitures. ghouls and other
icnds were shot in their unholy acts.
One prominent firm of groCers.
Goldberg. Bowen & Co.. trlpled
heir prices on the second dav of
the calamity in San Francisco,
Oakland and Berkeley. The mill
tary swept the owners out of the
ores and conhScated the whole
stock, which will be paid for at the
regular wholesale rates by the
| finance committee. In con
trast to the attempted highway
robbery of this firm. one small gro
Gerry firm cut down the prices one
third, in many instances selling be-
low cost.
One expressman was offered ST..
all the money the man had. to take
sickwife, hid and a few par
GELS to the ferry thirty minutes
drive. Seeing the plight of the
man the jehu demanded fiftv dol
lars. Another expressman pass
ing with his rickety, old wagon
carrying his own furniture away,
hearing of this. unloaded his
wagon on the street. left his be-
longiugs i'll charge Of some straug-
ers, and took the man S wife and
child to the ferry, for which ser
vice he refused to take any pay
whatever.
AS soon as any act of extortion
was reported to the authorities the
military stepped in and contiscated
the goods or the conveyances for
the benefit of the people. The
third day of the fire a baker from
Oak Gland took away load of fresh
baked bread to the CITY, ostenSibly
for the relief committee, the only
way he could get pass. Once on
the other side he begen selling his
bread at IS and so cents loaf.
A soldier soon stepped upon the
- q L.
of his revolver compelled the bak Ell
to give away every loaf to the hun
cry. The people who charged or
binary prices we've not interfered
with.
The fourth day I went over from
Alameda as one of the relief com.
miitee to bring refugees across, and
the sight that met my gaze going
up Market street amid that vast
eXpanse Of ruins wa heart-render-
ing By thousands the people were
,ramping down toward the ieriy in
order to escape the doomed city.
People of all conditions, in all sorts
of costumes, rich once and poor,
now all are poor. and homeless,
were tramping over the hot bricks
towards the country. All sorts of
conveyances were requisitioned to
carry those wounded we'll enough
10 leave the city and the few be-
longings which they saved. which
consisted mostly of bundles wrap
ped up in sheets, conforters, blank
cts, few had valises, some were
dragging their trunks for blocks.
Here and there parrot, canary
bird. pet dog, with few bits O
furniture on trucks, buggies, bar
ouches, express wagons, automo-
biles, hand carts, wheelbarrows,
etc. Here a woman with a silk
lress, diamonds, on her fingers, a
mans hat, her husbands slippers,
another with a skirt. pair of mans
boots, mans over-coat and a
fancy hat with floating plumes.
The Italian woman whose dollar
hat was ever luxury was walk
ing side by side with a womln of
wealth and fashion, both grim.
black with smoke and dirt, silent.
resigned, all on the same level now
Strange to say did not see any
one in despair or in tears The peo-
pie took their misfortune philo-
sOphicallv without whining or com
plant; they We're cool headed and
courageous. Many stayed, camping
m the streets or marks who rn,,Id