The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-05-08
BY ERNEST N. SMITH.

FIANFbftt lENi EiAElA - AillN 80
Hardly had the earthquake done its
work and IRE taken posscmon Of san
Francisco before tile night OF the rcfu-
gees commenced. In the next % hours
thousands left the doomed city. either
by way OF the ferries and river steam
ers. or along the county road leading
from San Francisco to san Jose.
on Thursday morning. the day after
the earthquake drove up the county
road towards San Francisco. and be-
fore reaching the heights near Colma
overlooking the city must have pass
ed over five thousand people, either
camping alongside the road or hurry
ing southwark. The majority were on
the move. and their one desire SEEM
ed to be to put as much space as pos
sible between themselves and the city.
Automobiles seemed to be used the
most by the refugees, and they were run
at top speed. 1t was miracle that
no one was hurt, for II was case cf
everyone for himself, and there was no
limit to the speed maintained. From u
distance the road looked like long
trail of smoke, the dust was so thick.
II was question with us for a while
as to whether we would be able to
make our way up to the city against
this onrushing well-nigh resistless tide
of humanity which whirled past us in
a never-ending stream.
At times we could not see two
hundred yards ahead and then sud
denly out of the smoke would come
rushing down upon us a huge car.
There would be sometimes a dozen peo-
pie aboard, clnging to the steps and
on the side. / saw finely dressed wom-
en- sitting on the steps of the cars hold
ing on to those inside. The chauffeur
could hardly be distinguished he was
so covered with dust. He was gener-
ally bending over the wheel. his eyes
glued on the road ahead, and nothing
on earth could have distracted his
gaze. 1t is safe to say that many of
the machines were going thirty miles
an hour and that on a bad road.
Once we passed runabout driven by
a woman. The man beside her, evil
IDENTIFY her husband, was utterly ex-
hausted and lay half on the seat, nal,
on the floor of the machine. He had
one arm around her and was holding
on as best he could. They were by us
in an instant, and were followed by
CicStu Will At lOOllitiil III NV
ry, his silk hat gray with the dust We
caught a glimpse of the inside as they
went slowly by There was an old
priest or a bishop supported by two
men. He wore a peculiar three corn
cred hat and had on black robes. HIS
face was strangely distorted and color
less, and as he was a large man. his
attendants seemed to be having some
difficulty holding him on the seat.
Farther up the road we passed a road
wagon, evidently the equipage of some
wealthy San Franciscan. The coach
man was partly in livery, and beside
him sat lady in silk dress and
carrying a muff. On the rear seat was
an old lady of about sixty and also
a nurse taking care of child. The
husband was evidently left behind to
fight the flames.
At the sides of the road there We're
hundreds of people on foot, of all kinds
and conditions. We passed an Italian
family among the rest, mother, father
wife, and child. The latter was a tiny
tot of about five years. She was dress
or entirely in white, even to shoes and
stockings. The family had gone ten
miles already and the poor little mite
was utterly exhausted. Her eyes were
closed and every few steps she would
lose her footing and drag for several
yards until her father would jerk her
upright again.
Further up the road we overlook
four-horse outfit that had passed us
sometime before on its way to the
city wealthy man had stopped the
driver and was trying to purchase the
whole outfit for $500, but the driver had
relatives in the city> whom he was
seeking and refused to sell.
LIKE A GREAT BATTLE.
The nearer We came to the city the
greater became the stream of humanity
fleeing southwards, until at last we had
to abandon the carriage, and leaving
a man in change make our way to-
wards the city on foot BY this time
the smoke from the burning city was
all around us and shut everything from
view. At short intervals We could hear
the deep muffed roar of a dynamite
explosion in the distance, and this with
the smoke swirling about us gave one
the impression that a great battle was
being fought short distance away.
AS we entered the city we came upon
women and men running hither and
thither frantic with grief or excite
ment, searching for lost ones or for
household goods. There was no order,
nothing but chaos and ruin on all
sides Finally we came upon the
soldiers who We're rapidly extending
the limits of their control and doing