The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-05-10

Inc following letter, descriptive OF
the desoiation of San Francisco after
the IRE, was written to a well known
sugar man of Hawaii by Brooke Rose,
of 3543 Sacramento street, San Fran
cisco. 1t gives a most pathetic picture
of the city as it is now, but it also
breathes the spirit of hope:
Enough has been given to the world
in detail of the great earthquake and
fire of San Francisco, of April 18th,
1906, and now it may interest those
who have visited our city to know
how the lives of 100000 people have
been changed, in twenty seconds, and
how we have suddenly become one
great fraternity.
l took a walk yesterday down Cali
fOrnia street as far as Kearney, where
once stood the proud homes of the
richest families of San Francisco; on
Mob Hill, that represented the "mush-
room prosperity of 40 and 50
Stanford, Croker, Hopkins and Flood,
all is now such a scene of devastation
and ruin, such naked, bleached bones
of a dead city, that to try to describe
the sorrow and awfulness of it all,
would be useless. People going up and
down the hill, some carrying bags and
baskets on their way to the ferries,
pass along mournfully gazing with
awed faces about them and talking in
hushed voices, as though they were
looking their last on the faces of their
dead 1t is sight that, once seen,
can never be forgotten.
Standing ON the corner of Powell
and California, and looking over this
frightful ruin across the calm blue
waters of the bay to the peace and
nestled against the hills, is pathetic
brings to mind the thought that he
who holds his head the highest is often
cast into the dust. Surely no heavier
blow than this could visit the city
that had become the nucleus for all
others of the Pacific slope.
Grace church, where so many of the
rich sang praises to Him who knows
no cast, is now like one of the old
ruined abbeys of England, the inside
completely demolished, the altar a
wreck and the beautiful stained glass
windows, nothing more than melted
bits of broken glass;
DYNAMITED SECTION.
1t was through all this section that |
the most strenuous efforts were made !
to prevent the onrush of flames by |
dynamiting. A charge of twenty-five |
or thirty pounds was put into a cellar |
and in less than FIVE minutes the home |
that had taken months to build, and
was filed with the art treasures OF |
Europe and the Orient, was just heap
of plaster and brick, casting its own
ers On the hospitality of the world,
along with laborers of all nationalities,
Portuguese. Chinese and Italian.
One well known woman, the wife of
one of the richest men in the city,
left her home, after the earthquake,
seeking friends out of town, and feel
ing confident that the fire could not
reach California street hill. When she
returned, the next day, she found her
home had been dynamited, absolutely
nothing saved, and all she possessed
were the clothes on her back! A little
later on someone saw her in the bread
line. awaiting her chances with the
rest, and seeking no favoritism. She
made the remark that she was glad
to be there and glad to get her loaf!
Such courage as this is born of
noble spirit and this is only one ex-
ample of the fortitude displayed by
those who have been for years aecus-
toned to luxury, and freedom from
cares. On these heroic wo-
men will the blow fall the hardest,
as a sudden step from wealth to
oenury means to begin and retrace the
life of some hard worker, step by
step. [ saw sad-faced women, picking
their way through the ashes, seeking
for some memento of all that Is lost
20 them forever, and of all that re-
mains of brighter, happier day.
Aye, sympathy for the rich! the
poor are used to labor, but there is
40 aristocracy now, and all are lending
/ shoulder to the wheel.
And it will turn, and turn, and turn
again, until our lost fortunes are re
rieved, our homes built up, our bust
less restored. and San Francisco made
nto such city of commerce, beauty ]
md integrity that she will again lift
Ter proud head and call to all nations
o come and visit her and know her
people who are dauntless, fearless, {
trong and filled with a spirit of eour- :
.ge that will rise superior to any fu- ,
WORK FOR ALL
There is work for men and women c
n plenty, in behalf of the homeless c
mes who have taken refuge in Golden l
iate Park and the Preside. Nearly :,
90 births have occurred in these two
laces, and most of these babies are
,ithout sufficient clothing. The Red e
ross with its corps of willing workers h
, sewing day and night for the re-
eff of the waits. The War Depart
lent and VIM. Hearst of New York Il
ave sent some 5000 tents and the f
thousands who were burned out are +
ow being made comfortable. Food
given daily at the Relief stations, :
nr which lines are formed, sometimes