Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-05-11

make any fires in the houses, on
account of the unsafe condition OF
chimneys, so no bread could be baked.
One baker happened to have on hand
fresh supply which he proceeded to
sell at % cents loaf. Soldiers prompt
ly seized bis bread and distributed it
freely to his waiting customers. There
were numerous other instances of
greedy merchants offering their goods
at exorbitant prices, but their stocks
were always confiscated and given
away.
"By the second day. the fire had
devastated all the business part of the
city and was threatening the residence
portion. Householders quickly picked
up their belongings and moved to
parks and vacant lots north. The
residents on Mob Hill and beyond felt
secure, for none of them supposed that
the flames would reach the top of the
hill; or, if they did, they would have
to stop there for it would be impossi-
BILE to burn the Paramount Hotel, or
any other of those massive stone build
ings. 1t was on Mob Hill, that the
Stanford, the Mark Hopkins, the
Flood, the Croker, the Huntington,
and other historic buildings stood.
Alas, for the vanity of human hope!
"The third day the fire ragged the
fiercest. II ate out the Paramount
Hotel; it quickly transformed the
beautiful Hopkins and Stanford resi-
dences into heaps of debris; it left
nothing but q roofiess shell where the
stately Flood residence stood; it de.
voured the palatial Huntington and
Croker homes, and passed on to the
less pretentious ones beyond.
"By night the burning city was
beautiful sight, if one could only elm.
inato the appalling nature of the terri
BILE scene. That third night watched
it for hours from an eminence at safe
distance away. 1t was bright as day,
for, by this time, the confagration
presented a front of q mile and q
half and extended many blocks back.
Writing tongues of flame leaped high
in the air and sent great pillows of
smoke out over tho city. The heat
warmed the atmosphere for . mile
around. Late that night we were told
that the firemen now had all the water
they needed and the fire would soon
be extinguished. Nevertheless the city
continued to burn two days longer.
"What prodigies of valor the fire.
men and police performed! What
tragedies were enacted and what priva.
tions enduredl 1t would take vol
umes to record them. No observer
could see thousandth part of it.
zone Of thAspost pathetic sights OF
the great ~ was to see bed.ridden
invalids compelled to get up and walk
to places OF safety. One poor old
Chinaman died on the street, of con-
sumption. Some people were driven
insane through fright, or loss of friends
or property.
Ten days later 1 returned to the
city. There were fifteen square miles
Of desolation. To ono who had been
familiar with the city the sight was
heart-rending. In the business por-
ton blocks upon blocks of empty
shells of fallen brick walls, and tons OF
debris where costly structures had
been; in the residence portion stately
mansions laid so low that you could
see miles in every direction.
Fillmore, near the center OF the
remaining portion of tho city, is tenn.
porarily the chief business street. II
10 as congested as Market street was
before the FIRE.
Thousands Of homeless are still
tenting in parks and on vacant lots,
and will doubtless continue to do 90
until the rains OF next winter compel
them to seek better shelter. An army
OF men are 1t work clearing away the
ruins. This task may consume several
mont tbs Of sime, aud In probably three
years there will be little trace left of
the city's great disaster, for there is
enormous wealth yet in San Francisco,
and western cities recover quickly
from such misfortunes; but one thing
is quite certain: when San Francisco
RECEIVERS, she will build class OF struc-
lures much better able to withstand
earthquakes and fire "a we'll as oil 9TH
er destroying elements.
L wish you would allow me to give
expression to the sincere gratitude felt
by tho distressed people towards all
who responded so quickly and 80 gen.
erously, in food, clothing and money
for their relief. It was the bright
oasis in the wierd desert of Desolation
and Despair, and il their heart throbs
could go out to each generous giver it
would surely make them well-pleased
with we'll doing.