The Paducah sun., 1906-04-28
Across the City is a Sorry and
Touching Trip.
Misery Is Revealed Everywhere in
Spite of the Statements to the
Contrary.
INCIDENTS OF THE FIRE MANY

San Francisco Cal, April 2S.--In
the endless procession that winds
from the residence districts of San
Francisco along Market and Howard
streets, through the devastated busi-
ness district to the ferry landing, is
to be found the story of the great dis
aster in tragic chapters. Every refu-
gee carries his or her tale of misery.
The loads of misery are heavier than
the loads of property saved from the
wreck.
Starting Vat Van Ness and Golden
Gate avenues this morning. worked
my way ferryward with the slowly
moving throng as far eastward as
Fifth street. from thence to Howard
street and to the water front. As the
procession turns into Howard street.
the unmistakable odor of decaying
human bodies becomes extensively
noticeable. Near here was the ill-fat-
ed Brunswick hotel. According to
the authorities, there is not a body
in the city that has been found and
not buried. either temporarily or
permanently.
There have been no interments of
either kind in this neighborhood and
the conclusion is inevitable that the
debris at this posni coyers many bod
les. Coroner Walsh tsld me that he
adhered to his original estimate of
l,O0O dead. but there are few in San
Francisco in position to make an es-
innate. such as physicians and train
ed nurses. who agree with him. The
tell-tale oGor that is so apparent near
Sixth and Howard streets is TO be
found in many other parts of the city
and especially In various spots south
Of Market street.
The psychological effect Of the
shock a week ago yesterday on many
persons is destined to be responsible
for much of the loss of life which so
far has not been reported. Perfectly
authentic stories by the dozens of
crazed persons who rushed back into
their homes to be burned to death,
after they had escaped from them
once. are to be found in the process
sion of woe. A trained nurse. who had
done a weeks valiant work among
the sick. told me she knew OF several
cases of this kind.
Crazed by the earthquake and the
experience of the oonflagratlon from
one direction, many rushed from
their homes with a few belongings,
and, cut of by flames from other di-
rections. ran instinctively, as a horse
into a burning stable. back to their
homes, and perished. The number of
these probably never will be known.
The unburned section fairly hum
med with activity. All the little shops
in the western addition did a rushing
business.
A prominent engineer, after a care
full survey, has estimated that the
area devastated by the fire is approx
imately 10000 acres, or about Is
square miles. Within this / 5 square
miles were nearly 100 banks, some of
the finest buildings in the world,
thousands of mercantile and manu-
featuring establishments and more
than 250.0OO Inhabitants, beside
some 10000 transients.
The aggregate of fatalities will
probably not exceed 700. and Will
certainly not reach 1000, a striking
proof Of the mastery manner in
which the civil and military authori-
ties handled the situation. Notwlth-
standing the enormous and wide
spread destruction, the homes OF
10000 people are still standing
practically uninjured. There is still
a big city standing In San Francisco.
The soldiers are still. on guard. They
patrol the streets with loaded guns
over their shoulders.