Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-04-20


other earthquake shock had been felt
there. While efforts were being made
to obtain more details communication
was suddenly broken off.
Like u toy puzzle railroad, the tracks
from Monterey. CastrOville and Pajar0
are twisted II distorted. The country
Is literally torn wide open. Great de-
presslons from which mud geysers
spout shale colored slime are frequent.
For half mile stretches the roadbed
has dropped four to six feet.
One hundred and twenty bodies have
been taken out Of st. Agnes Insane
asylum near Santa Clara, and there
are probably 100 more corpses in the
ruins. The magnificent structure was
demolished.
Eight dead Italians were taken out
Of the Italian hotel at San Jose. At
that place the Presbyterian church, st.
Patrick's cathedral and the High
school were destroyed.
The new Hall OF Justice at San Jose.
just completed at Il cost of $500, 900,
was demolished.
On the Pacific ocean shore the Cliff
House. at the western end of Golden
Gate park, the famous San Francisco
resort. has been swept into the sea. 1t
is understood that the hotel has been
completely demolished and that not d
stick or Il stone has been left standing.
There is no knowledge to be had. here
of the number of guests in the hotel ut
the time. but the loss of life must
necessarily have been heavy.
The Cliff House was one of the show
places of San Francisco. 1t was a
long. four story building, built of red
wood, and stood upon a high cliff over
looking the Pacific ocean. The entire
building was painted white and was
surrounded by wide verandss.
Because of its unique location it was
Invariably visited by all the tourists
who came to San Francisco. Within
n short distance of the cliff on which
the hotel stood are the famous Seal
rocks, where at certain seasons Of the
year hundreds OF seals can be seen
lazily summing themselves.
On the beach near by We're the Sutro
baths. which are reported also to have
been destroyed. These baths were the
largest in the world. They We're own
ed by the Sutro estate and were pat
termed on the old Roman style of archi.
lecture.
j. b. lie Compile, the Western Union
telegraph operator who was forced to
abandon his post at Pine and Mont
gOmery streets, sent a message here
saying:
"The Western Union and Southern
Pacific are all gone. Fire is burning
rapidly in a diagonal line up the hill,
commencing at McAllister street and
ending at Battery street, and in the
Mission as far as Sixteenth. The wa
ter supply has given out, the dynamite
is exhausted. The wind is rising. Pan
ic reigns. The military authorities
have forbidden any M entering the
city. The military have all they can
handle without admitting any more
people. There is great suffering and
want of food and water. Thousands OF
people lined one of the parks waiting
for the soldiers to distribute food and
water"
The Western Union got this message
from Oakland Point: Seven fire en-
gines from the east going past on fiat
cars oven Southern Pacific to San
Francisco
Later this message vas received
from the same source: Fire engines
returning from Frisco. City practically
doomed. No water
TO the horror OF the earthquake and
fire is now added the fear of famine.
The homeless are numbered by the
scores of thousands. Oakland and 9th
err towns Oh his side of the bay are
full of refugees.
Thousands upon thousands of people
are fleeing from San Francisco. the
fire stricken. They are tiocking to the
ferries. to the parks, to the military
reservations and TO the suburbs.
Mayor Schmitz and Chief of Police
Oman have been forced from place to
place by the flames.
Daybreak found them directing the
municipal council, which is u commit
tee of safety. from the Paramount ho-
tel. the beautiful structure that stood
ON the top of Mob hill. But that caught
fire. and they retreated TO the Gushing
at L.arkin and Suffer streets, then TO
the north end police station in Sacra-
mento street. Here the council. com
posed of the financial leaders of the
city. met and decided TO resort to the
most heroic measures yet undertaken
since the city has been in the path OF
devastation. The decision was to DOM
bard the entire section of the city ly-
ing along the east side of Van Ness
venue from Golden Gate avenue 10
Pacific avenue. sixteen blocks III all,
containing the homes of many million
aires and apartment houses.
The military was notified OF his ac-
ton, and barrels Of gunpowder, the
only remaining explosive in the city,