The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-05-08
NO ONE FROM THE
ISLANDS IS DEAD

or two others escaping.
! What the earthquakes damage to
San Francisco was will never be
known for hardly had the shock SUBJ
sided before fire broke out In dozen
different places.
The fire department responded but
! the horrible condition of no water con-
! fronted them. The earthquake had
broken the mains and now the city was
at the mercy of the flames.
TERRIBLE CONFEDERATION
DESTROYS THE CITY.
The fire started south of Market
street among the shacks already level
{ ed to the ground and soon the entire
district bounded by Mission and Bry-
ant and from Second to Sixth was
burning. In the wholesale district the
( first fire started at Pine and Battery
streets and spread rapidly.
The first bank to go was the private
/ establishment of Daniel Meyer. Then
followed the Anglo California. The
wind shifting back and forth carried
the flames in all directions and build
ing after building, and block after
block gave way to the rapacious nav
of the fiery demon.
BY noon every one realized that the
city was doomed and then began the
exodus. From every direction came
people carrying what few belongings
they could save hurrying westward to-
ward the parks. The streets were
crowded with a frantic people, convey
ances were sought for at fabulous
prices, confusion was everywhere and
with it looting and plunder. When
down Market street from the Preside
came the steady tramp of the regulars,
martial law was proclaimed and in
stantly Uncle Sans boys took their
positions.
Lines were drawn and semblance
of order brought out of the chaos.
The soldiers had strict orders, and men
caught looting were shot down in their
tracks. A refusal to obey military or
ders meant instant death.
BY this time the ambulances were
dashing to and fro. Every vehicle that
could be utilized was confiscated all
the automobiles were pressed into SER
vice and they were certainly a God
send. The dead and injured were haul
/ tu away W HdSlily lulIIONiStu ioSpi-
tails. Mechanics Pavilion was turned
into a hospital and soon that immense
building was full of the dead and dying,
the manned and the injured. Later,
when the flames threatened the pavi-
lion they came so fast there was barely
time to remove the living, the dead had
to be left behind to be cremated.
In the afternoon the retail district
was reached. Big stores with their
magnificent stocks of new spring goods
were consumed like chaff.
The first hotel of note to catch fire
was the Palace, but it was put out and
for time it looked as though that
grand old hostelry would be saved but
1t was not to be, for the fire. after pass
ing 1t. as though recollecting that 1t
had forgotten something came back
and now 1t is charred ruin. Then
on Montgomery street the old Occi-
dental, dear to all Hawaiians, went the
way of others. The Russ House and
the Lick, the latter already partially
destroyed by the earthquake, were wip-
ed out within few minutes of each
other.
Then followed all the immense ROOM
downtown district, and 10000 strangers
and tourists in San Francisco found
themselves added to 100000 from south
of Market fleeing for safety toward
Golden Gate Park and the Preside.
The fire took many strange courses,
but when night came the line of fire
extended over the entire south of Mar
ket, bounded by the water front on the
east to Eleventh street west, and Mar
ket south to Folsom. North of Mar
ket to north beach and the water
front to Stockton street. AS the night
advanced the fire seemed to take in
creased impetus.
In addition to the hotels all the news
paper buildings. The Call, Chronicle
and Examiner. had gone up in smoke,
and now it was up to the residence
portion of the city, wherein is also
found the many family hotels and
apartment houses for which Frisco was
famous. Mob Hill with it's historic
mansions, the homes of the Crockers,
the Stantons. Hopkins and others were
the first to go.
The magnificent new Fairmont Ho-
tel, unfinished and standing isolated in
Z y n n n - n y ~ ~ u - n ~