Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-04-25
HOW FIRE WAS STAYED.
Three Heroes Given Credit
For Saving What Is Left OF
San Francisco
GUNcoTToN THEIR WEAPON
Millions of Dollars Worth of Property
Blown to Atoms in Work of Clearing
Path Against the Fire Along Van
Ness Misunderstanding Squad Is
Praised.

San Francisco, April 25.-1Three he
roes saved San Francisco--what is left
of 1t. They were the dynamite squad
that threw back the fire demon at Van
| Ness avenue.
When the burning city seemed DOOM
| ed and the flames lit the sky further
and further to the west, Admiral Nc
| Gala sent trio of his most trusted
men from Mare Island with orders to
check the contagration at any cost OF
life or property. With them they
brought a ton and half of guncotton.
The terrific power of The explosive
was equal to the maniac determination
of the trc
Captain Mcbride was in cnarge of
the squad. Chief Gunner A'iamson
placed the charges and the third gum
ner set them off. The thundefous de-
donations to which the terrified city
listened all that dreadful Friday night
meant the salvation of 100000 lives.
A million dollars worth OF property,
noble residences and worthless shacks
were blown to drifting dust, but that
destruction broke the fire and sent the
raging flames back over their charred
path
The whole east side of Van Ness
avenue, from Golden Gate to Green
witch, was dynamited block deep, tho
most Of the structures stood untouched
by spark or cinder. Not one charge
failed Not one building stood on Its
foundations
Unless some malicious miracle OF
nature reversed the direction OF the
wind the whole populous district t. the
west blocked with fleeing refugees acd
unilluminated except by the disastrous
glare on the water front, seeme1 SAFE
by 9 O'Clock.
Van Ness avenue is fiat as the earth
on the east side. Every pound OF gun
cotton did it's work and tho tho ruins
burned, it was but feebly. From Gold
en- Gate avenue north the fire crossed
the wide street In but one place That
was the Claus Spreckles pllse on the
corner of California street. There the
flames were writhing up the wallis be-
fore the dynamiters could reach II. Yet
they made their way to the founda-
tons, carrying their explosives lesp'te
the furnace like heat. The charge had
to be placed so swiftly and the fuse
lit in such a hurry that the explosion
was not quite successful from the
trained viewpoint of the gunners. But
tho the walls stood still it was only
an empty victory for the fire, as bare
brick and smoking ruins are poor food
for flames.
Captain MacBride's dynamiting
squad realized that a stand was hope
less except on Van Ness avenue They
could have forced their explosives fur
Their in the burning section, but not a
pound of gun cotton could be or was
wasted. In the ruined block that met
the fire the wide thoroughfare formed
n trench thru the clustered structures
that the conhagration. wild as it was,
could not leap. Engines pumping brine
thru Fort Mason from the bay COM
pleted the little work that the gun cot
ton had left, but for three days the
haggard eyed firemen guarded the
Pickering ruins.
The desolate waste straight thru the
heart of the city is mute witness to
the most heroic and effective work of
the whole calamity. Three men did
this and when their work was over
and what stood of the city rested
quietly for the first time, they depart
ed as modestly as they had come. They
were ordered to save San Francisco
and they obeyed orders, and Captain
MacBride and his two gunners made
history on that dreadful night.