The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-04-24
SAN FRANCISCO IS STILL
AT MERCYOF THE FLAMES

From the Pacific Mail dock to
Vallego street, on the west side, a dis
lance Of two miles, wreckage and ruin
is the rule. Although the fire did not
jump East street, the damage has
been enormous. The filled-in land,
facing the ferry building. is a success
sion Of little valleys, some four, others
six feet deep. The ferry tower itself
is out of plumb, and the big building
is much twisted by the earthquake.
Looking up Market street. from the
ferry building. the city in a smouldea-
ing mass of ruins. Great manufac-
tories, mercantile houses, banks, and
office buildings are nowhere TO be seen,
and only in spots is there so much as
a tower, the monument of he burned
structure.
NO WATER TO RELIEVE THE
SUFFERING
Tonight was bright and warm. The
sun beat down on the tired workers
and There is scarcely any
water t relieve the suffering. The
dead in many instances, are lying in
the streets and in the ruins. The au-
thorities are doing all In their power
TO remove the bodies, in order that a
pestilence may be prevented. 1t has
been necessary repeatedly to move the
injured from places where they had
sought refuge, for the fire kept In
creasing with alarming rapidity. Water
is the incessant cry Of the firemen,
and the people: n wants it to fight.
the other to drink, but there is only
a Scant drinking supply.
The committee Of safety, consisting
of fifty prominent citizens, met with
| Mayor SchmitZ this morning and of
fered a finance committee composed OF
| James n. Phelan, F. W.Hellman, Claus
Spreckles, J. Downey Harvey, Thomas
| MCGEE. J. L. Flood, William T. Bah
cock, W. F. Herrin, NJ II. Deyoung
and Robert ]. Tobin. Before the
meeting had been organized Claus
Spreckles gave $4,000: Rudolph
Spreckles $4,000; Harry Tevis $4,000
Gordon Banding $4,000; Eleanor
Martin 5000; ]. l.. Flood $1,000, witt
a promise of more.
SUPPLY OF WATER PROMISED
Mayor Schmitz announced that the
water company promised a supply o.
! w dtSl lI1o dlCCl lIOol III LIN -
addition, and in the mission tomorrow
Committees were appointed to take
charge Of the relief of the destitute
and this work has already begun, ane
assumed some system.
Golden Gate park is the main refuge
and supplies will be sent there. Boats
are being provided to take people
across the bay and thousands are avail
ing themselves of the privilege. Thu
University of California at Berkley ha:
volunteered to take care OF two thous'
and.
Mayor Schmitz has appointed his
committee of fifty special officers
with full power to represent him ant
with power to r~equisition men, sup
plies, vehicles and boats for public use
Unless supplies are rushed and ar
engagements made for their distribution
trouble is feared within a few days
Even men of wealth cannot obtair
food with all their money. Generals
Funston and Sumner, in command O.
the federal troops, are rendering grea
service. Refugees who go to the pre-
: sidio are being taken care of, but tn
number that can be accommodated /
limited.
Except for an occasional accident
there has been no additional loss of lit
reported since yesterday. People
have had time to leave the burning
districts, though most of them hav
lost all their belongings.