The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-03-30
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Some of them had played part in history There
the jack of the Oregon; the rear-admira flag of
the Bennington the jack of the Marblehead while
at Cuba; the launch flag of Dewey's Olympia; and
the walls of this room hung the great banner of
the Stars and Stripes that was to save the house and
all its treasures from destruction
AT the time of the earthquake and fire. April 10.
1906 Mrs. Brndley, daughter of Mr.. Sheppard, was
there awaiting the arrival of her husband to take
steamer for Japan. She had long resided in that
country and had had earthquake experience" so
to speak Accordingly, as the earth had
ceased trembling, she preceded to fill the bathtubs
and all other receptacles in the house with water
She feared that the disturbance of the earth had
broken the supply mains; and hardly had she filled
the last pitcher when her fear was proved we'll
grounded. The water ceased to Aow But the first
step that made it possible for the flag to save the
house had been taken. Mr.. Sheppard and Mr.. Dakin
took the second step. In order that the household
might have supply of drinking water, they brought
home from neighboring grocery dozen
bottles of water charged with carbonc acid gas
the kind of bottles where you press lever at the
top and the water hzzes out in stream under pres
sure. They commonly called "sphons."
At this time thought the house in danger.
1t had sturdiy withstood the earthquake; and the
= fire was many blocks away. But all Wednesday
and Wednesday night and all of Thursday the FIRE
ragged in fury; and at last it came creeping up the
slope of Russian Hill. The flames reached the block
in which the house was situated The heat grew
intense. The sides of the house sent forth smoke.
The veranda- on the east broke into flames and the
under side of the the north and kndled
ITO blaze. -t ~ soa
Mr.. Sheppard and his family had taken one last
49, -
refuge with friends across the bay. Mr.. Dakin had
stayed to the last hoping against hope. But all
hope was gone. The house was burning, and he was
warned away. He determined to hoist his largest
American flag and let the house meet destruction
with the colors flying fair above it. He rushed to
his room of flags, selected his largest Stars and
Stripes mounted to the roof, attached the great
flag to the halyards, and flung it to the breeze Then
with feeling somewhat akin to respect for the
quering power of the great fire king roaring forward
in irresistible ruin, and with spirit somewhat akin
to the unconquerabe pluck that stirred the breasts
of his comrades in the days of the Civil War he
dipped the flag in salute. Three times the glorious
banner and fell; and then, fastening the hall
yards Mr. Dakin descended the stairs, locked the
door, and with heavy heart left the house to its
fate. High in the air. shining bright in the light
of sun and flames above the house of pines that
had grown by the shores of the Atlantic, stream
ing forth on breeze that came fresh from the
Pacific stood cold Glory"
The white stars upon that flag were there as
symbols of the States of the Union. One star was
there for California and one was there for Georgia;
but three blocks away the eastward the corner
of Vallejo Street and Montgomery Avenue at that
moment, there CHANGED to be company of men who
represented all the stars that flags field of blue
a company Of the goth United States Infantry
Under the command of young lieutenant, the
company had been on its way to San Francisco on
the day Of the earthquake and had been delayed on
its journey tWenty-four hours. 1t had entered the
city, Thursday afternoon, by the ferry from Oakland
and, at that moment marching under orders to
go into camp at Washington Square. The lieutenant
and his had the flag rise and fall in salute
and saw it as it streamed forth in beauty amidst
smoke and fame.
Boys shouted the young lieutenant, "a house
that flies flag like that is worth savingl His men
responded with cheer; and as Mr. Dakn was sadly
vending his way down the northern slope Of Russian
HILL soldiers Of the Goth United States Infantry were
dashng up the eastern slope at a double-quicl No
time lost. They tore away the burning wood
work of the veranda; broke open the door and dis
covered the bathtubs filled with water. Some of
them carried earth from the garden; other mixed it
in the bath-tubs to the consistency of wet plaster
and then certain Of their NUMBER stationed them
selves at different windows and as the wet mud
carried to them, they bombarded every spot
that had kindled into flame.
One by one the houses in the block burnt ND
and burnt out until the old house stood alone Every
blaze that had started upon its and sides had
been extinguished save one. There was one spot
under the caves at the northeast corner that could
not be bombarded successfully Unless the FIRE at
that point was put out, all that had been done were
done in vain.
The soldiers were equal to the emergency A
squad mounted to the roof One Of the men lay
fiat upon the edge, and while four of his comrades
the wide old-fashioned caves Others passed to him
bottles of the water charged with carbonc acid gas
And there hanging far the edge Of the roof so
that he might be able to direct the stream OF water
the FIRE burning fercely beneath the caves, he
squirted the fixing contents Of bottle after bottle
until the fame and the last enber were extingushed
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