The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1906-05-18
|key Writes From Frisco.
San Francisco, CAL. Nav z. 1905.

nave SOSl AAOlS 0SVdSlduOu anu ruin
today-more property gone to the demi-
milton bow-wows-than usua ly falls to
boy of my age. came up here with the
boss Yesterday to establish an agency for
compo board. He had me come Just to
back up whatever he might say about it,
and incidentally to lug his samples for
him. They don't need lath and plas-
ter substitute so bad here, in proper
ton, as they do IN San Jose, cause
there's not as many houses as there used
to be. When you take $50 solid blocks
of buildings out Of a town it looks like
there wouldn't be much left, and from
reports in Eastern papers l thought this
place was off the map, but if you had
taken the tramp that did today, you'd
consider there were few left. 1t is esti-
mated that there are still from $4,000 to
10000 buildings that in some way got
missed. San Francisco was good big
burg.
AS we left San Jose the first thing that
attracted my attention was the fields
hundreds of acres-of onions, that we
passed. l couldn't help thinking of
SNOWFALL Johnson. and what a good
time he'd have then. They grow them
for the seed. not the scent. Then they
trade the seed for dollars, which leads to
the conclusion, in my mind, that it pays
better to raise onions for dollars than
scents.
No matter how small the town we
passed through, none were too small to
have their ''rellef headquarters" and
they are working overtime. Our route
lay in the path of the "quake," and the
signs were on every hand. We arrived
here about $50 p. M, in portion of the
saved district, and found the funniest
looking streets you ever saw. In front
of every house was queer little impro-
vised hut, some of them not more than
five feet square and for most part with
only three sides and no roof. This is
where they cook. You will find either
the family cook stove or ''play" stove
of brick and two joints of pipe in every
one, for on no account is fire of any
kind allowed in any house. Talk
about love in cottage! If I had that
red-headed girl out here, I'd be tempted
to set up housekeeping myself on that
basis. There is no gas and few electric
lights, SO most folks use candles.
This morning at we started out to
see the ruins. We walked constantly I'M
til o'clock this afternoon, when came
home so dinged tired that have my
two TRIBES up on pillows, like paw used
to when he had the govt. Such a sight
l never saw before and hope l
never shall again. We walked for miles
and miles, though the streets were filled
with broken brick, burned and twisted
iron work and tangled wires. There
were feW--very tew-buildings, which
were unusually we'll built, whose outer
walls were still standing, but absolutely
nothing but debris on the inside. All
the rest Of the buildings, frame, brick or
stone, were completely demolished to-
gether with their contents. The tall
Call building with its twenty stories
stands in the midst of all the ruins like a
huge monument. In the apartment Sec
ton the frames of pianos and sewing
machines were everywhere present and
the iron portion of many burned trunk
on the walks told stories of vain en-.
beavers to, save a few valuables. We
only came across the in'ards of one
monograph. From the racket around
here l think the rest were all saved.
There were no distinctions of size of
buildings or wealth of owners. All went
alike.
There is so much debris to be moved
that they are laying railroad tracks right
down the streets. just to haul it away.
We passed a winery where the fire had
burned the hoops off from the big wine
casks and let all the wine into the base
ment, and today they had fire engine
and stationary engine pumping it into
vats. wanted to join the fire depart
ment. but they said they were full already.
I told 'em didn't doubt it.
Isaw the people lined up tor about a
block this afternoon getting their rations
for this district. Earlier in the game,
I'm told, the string was three blocks
long, but is gradually getting less. They
haul loaves Of bread in big wagons, like
they used to corn back East. The peo-
pie are going through an experience
that they'll not likely forget. One girl
I was acquainted with said the family
had lost everything they had in the
world. That for two days after they
were driven out BY the fire they lived in
. cemetery and ate their meal Of the
monuments and stones. I though that
was . very grave situation. Yet she was
lucky. Il Is very few people who 60 to
. cemetery 70 sleep that ever leave it.