The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-04-19
San Francisco In Ruins
Icontinued from first pagel


walls. At first no impression was
made, but suddenly there was crack
ling Of glass, and an entrance was eff
fected. The interior furnishings of
the fourth floor were the first to go.
Then, as if by magic, smoke issued
from the top of the dome This was
followed by most spectacular illu-
mination. The round windows of the
dome shone like so many full moons;
they burst and gave vent to long, wa
ing streamers of flame. The great
structure, which had withstood the
forces of the earthquake, appeared
doomed to fall prey to fire. After
while the light grew less intense,
and the flames having nothing more to
consume, went out, leaving the build
ing standing, but completely Quilted.
Buildings Burn Like finder.
The Parrott building, in which were
located the chambers of the state SUI
preme court, the lower floors being de-
voted to an immense department
store, was ruined, but it's massive
walls were not all destroyed. A little
farther down Market street the Acad-
envy Of Sciences and the Jennie Flood
buildings and the History building
burned Like SO much finder. Sparks
carried across the wide street, ignited
the Phelan building and the army
headquarters of the Department of
California were burned.
Still nearing the bay, the waters Of
which did the firemen good service,
along the docks, the fire took the
Rialto building, handsome sky
scraper, and converted scores of solid
business blocks into smouldering piles
Of bricks.
Banks and commercial houses, sup
posed to be fireproof, though not of
modern build burned quickly and the
roar of the flames could be heard even
On the hills which were out Of the
danger zone. Here many thousands of
people congregated and witnessed the
awful scene. Great masses of flame
rose high in the heavens or rushed
down some narrow street, joining mid
way between the sidewalks and max
ing horizontal chimney of the form
er ways.
The dense smoke that arose from
the entire business district spread out
like an immense funnel and could
have been seen for miles out at sea.
Occasionally, as some drug house or
place stored with chemicals was
reached, most fantastic effects were
produced by the colored flames and
smoke which rolled out against the
darkened background
Palace and Grand Hotels Gone.
All efforts to prevent the fire from
reaching the Palace and Grand hotels
were unsuccessful, and both were
completely destroyed, together with
all their contents.
All of San Francisco's best play
houses, including the Majestic, Colum-
bia. Orpheum, and Grand opera house,
are a mass of ruins. The earthquake
demolished them for all practical pur-
poses and the fire completed the work
Of destruction. The handsome Rialto
and Casserly buildings were burned
to the ground, as was everything in
that district.
Chinatown Destroyed.
In the northern section of the down
town business section the fire swept
around the Hall OF Justice and com
municated to Chinatown, thence pro
ceeding westward into the heart o
that colony. 1t then began rapid.
eating it's way southwark on boil
sides of Kearney street.
One of the big losses of the day wa
the destruction of st. Ignatius churcl
Hayes street. This was the creates
Jesuitical institution IN the west an,
was built at a cost of a couple of mi
lion dollars.
At D. M the fire had swept iron
the south side of the town across MAJ
Western addition, and was burnin
houses at Golden Gate avenue an
Octavia. This result was reached aft
er almost the southern district, froI
Ninth street to the eastern waite
front, had been converted into
blackened waste. In the section wer
hundreds of factories, wholesal
houses and many business firms, i
addition to thousands of homes.
In the south side district on Rir
con hill, st. Mary's hospital, land
mark, constructed by the Sisters c
Mercy, was reduced to ashes.
The Merchants Exchange building
one of the handsomest and most sui
stantial edifices in the city, is i
flames, as is also the Crocker-Woo
worth bank building The forme
building is fourteen-story structur.
Cliff House Wiped Out.
From the Cliff house comes wor
that the great pleasure resort an
show place of the city, which stoo
upon foundation of solid rock, ma
been swept into the sea. Not a thin
stands to tell where the monster ston
building once stood. 1t has been le'
elled to the foundation, and only tn