The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-05-06
WEY TALKS OF
SAN FRANCISCO
Well-Kn0wn Hotel Man Back
From Trip to Ruined
Metropolis.
VISITS FAMILIAR SCENES
OF HIS CHILDHOOD DAYS
Talks Interestingly of Devasta-
tion Wrought by Quake
and Fire.


went on Wednesday. impelled by an over
mastering desire TO see the city they loved
80 well. In her dress OF desolatc condition.
With much feeling for man so reserved
as Mr.. Wey is known TO be. he said:
Saw Desolate City.
"Wifo and daughter and l landed In
Oakland and had quite time TO get 4
place TO stop. but finally secured Two
rooms IL a private home, we slept wen
and crossed to San francisco the next
morning. When L stood at the foot OF
Market street and looked up over that
vast and desolato sea of RUNS. Ielt 80
overcome with an unusual sadness that 1
Year tears were in my eyes, and KNOW
they were in the eyes OF the ladies'. we
walked on. with ditiieulty; un l g9t
abreast OF the once beautiful Palace hotel,
now an eloquent wreck, and as raced IL
and the memories OF other days weiled up
in me. 1 involuntarily lifted my hat TO H.
and knew all the keen grief OF one VINO
finds an old friend In distress and cannot
help him.
Played Marbles There.
You see. sir, 1 played marbles where
that building stands. have played pail
or the vacant lots back of IL have
played 'hooky' on the docks. catching hsh,
(and later, catching something else), and
every blackened rod OF that vast waste
spoke TO me, trumpct-tongued. OF the days
OF boyhood and young manhood Standing
at tho Botta fountain and looking In both
directions, up and down Market street. one
sees nothing but ruins with IN here aHa o1
steel, out from which had gone all that
made II habitablc
Away 10 Van Ness avenue and Off west
TO Folsom street, level sea OF debris
stretches. the full force OF which can
be known only to tho man who looks
upon II.
Drove to Golden Gate.
I'VE hired a carriage for SIS. which was
not so unreasonable, and drove out TO
Golden Gate mark and around TO all the
squares and vacant lots whore people were
camped In the park were rows and rows
of tents Just like military camp. and ii
was touching to sec tho great lines OF men
and women waiting their turn TO get
food.
"A cursory inspection showed excellent
sanitary arrangements. and 30 far as |
could SEQ everybody was cheerful and
seemed to be contented. They have ar
ranged TO deal out food by States now,
and you can see the standards OF Ohio.
Indiana, New York. Pennsylvania, etc.
and at each gathers the people who claim
the State as a former home, thus simplify
ing the work. and bringing IN the quality
OF system so necessary. The improvised
cooking places in the streets are pic
Street cars arc now running, and part
of the city is electrically lighted.
Railroads Are Active.
Tho Santa Fe and Southern Pacific
are busy getting into town with lines OF
road on which to haul away the great
will be cleared and building rapidly will
follow Let II be known that the rail-
roads will haul all this stuff away free OF
charge.
When you find men congrcgated any
where they seem not to know what TO do.
They have dazed look, and conversation
that is, that they really are helpless.
awaiting Moses to direct them in the
way to helpful effort. To get a good idea
OF the deserted appearance of well-known
streets, let me tell you l looked up Cali
fornla street from Market and did not see
a soul at 10 a IN.
1T was just so with sutter and OFer-
rell, and other streets all OF which were
crowded from morning to midnight.
Fierce Heat Of Fire.
lone strange fact attracted me. which
proves tue fierce heat OF the fire. / al
lude to the total absence Of a particle of
that could burn was totally destroyed. l
saw Chicago after the fire there, and
one one could could see wood wood everywhere Here
buildings. but, as in the case OF the Pal
ace hotel. not enough wood to make a
match can be. found in any OF them.
L found no assures In the ground and
was, believe, just a bursted Spring Vate
ley water main and nothing else.
These Attract Attention.
Tho dominican Brothers church. with
Its suspended steeple, and the City hall.
tion, and show how hot must have been
the fires that ate away all but the steel
supports.
''All are getting busy to clear away and
mako ready for building. and 1t is a
blessing 10 them, for the people In gen-
eral need to get out OF themselves or
tension OF the past twenty days. Ordi-
nary wel-to-do men cannot move for
they do not know whether they have
anything TO go on or not 1t was told
among them that the insurance people
VIII not pay for buildings that had been
dynemited. and this Will. II true. begsar
many OF them past redemption
Work of Dynamiting.
Speaking of dynamite reminds me that
they dynamted the buildings They
chose ten officers who. among scores. Of
fered themselves. and equipped each with
each were stored many sticks of dyna-
mite. all with fuses. Tho line for at
tack was along Van Ness avenue and
down Tenth street. The people had been
notified to yacate these houses and at
n given hour the automobiles started at a
nifty mile-an-nour gait. Tho officer who
mite, lighted the fuse. and. standing up
in the vehicle. hurled the lighted destruc-
ton into the open doors OF buildings as
they passed, getting out of range before
the explosion. So sure were these gen-
tlcmen in aim, and cool In action, that
not one accident occurred Among all
VINO arc praised III Olln francisco, tho
army officers come In for "A great share
Force of First Shock.
"An idea OF the power OF the first great
shock Is received from the following.
told TO me by the man who helped the
carrier. A mall carrier had Just emerged
from the Call building when tho shock
came. and was thrown TO tho ground. He
looked up and saw the great pile sway
from, side TO side full twenty feet out
OF plumb. and was so terrified that he
could not get on his feet. The time of
the shock was twenty-eight seconds and
/ took out my watch and counted that
time. and 1 can see how they thought it
an hour.
View From Monument.
IoCn,e.-- nj the Native Sons monument.
CoMRINAT1h street on Market and
- - .''A'<n ~ ahnIc ha,-