The mirror., 1914-04-02
LEND ASSISTANCE
TO STRICKEN CITY
Grew Of U. S. S. MarbIehead Among First
to Reach San Francisco After Quake,
and Work HeroicaIIy While City Burns.
Another Thrilling Chapter.
PROBING CHINATOWN
By E. III. E.-412S

Continuing his description of the
situation which surrounded stricken
Frisco as result of the earthquake
and fire, Captain Fletcher, the Com
mandante of Mare Island, seated in
tie cabin of U. S. S. Marblehead
said:
Il have about six hundred recruits
at the station, but only few petty
officers and experienced men. The
admirals orders to you are that you
place every man that you can spare
at my disposal; that may use them
as a backbone for my battalions.
We are to land this force and take
charge of the water front tomorrow
morning at six o'clock. The tug
will be alongside shortly to trans
port your men to the Island. You
had better equip at once"
Capt. Bliss touched a bell. An
orderly appeared and received his
orders. Inform the executive Of
fcer I wish to see him." In a very
few moments the First Luff'' was
in attendance. Mr.. Cowl," said
the Capt. equip the battalion in
light marching order, with three
days rations. Stand by to embark
when Umadilla comes alongside"
AS the executive officer withdrew
he turned to Capt. Fletcher. While
we wait, tell me how things are
ashore"
Capt. Fletcher tossed off the re-
mainder of his brandy, of which he
was badly in need. Although not
an old man, his eyes lacked lustre,
his face was haggard and scanned,
and very little of that military car
riage of body. which was his by
right of many years Of service. re-
NAMED. He looked like a tired,
worn out old man.
The Captains Story
Pulling himself together he COM
menced. AS | said when l came
aboard, Hell's to pay ashore! l have
looked on sights today that will be
with me to my death. Have
seen things that have driven many
a man crazy. 1 have aged more to-
day than in the past twenty years.
l landed in Frisco this morning
about two hours after the first shock.
l can't, l don't know how to tell you
what I saw. The fire had just got
ten good start. The streets were
thronged with people, stark raving
mad; fighting, cursing, weeping and
praying. All with the one fixed idea
in their heads; to get to the ferry
station and escape the peril that
threatened them on every side.
Although trucks, wagons, carriages
and seemingly, myriads of human
beings jammed together at the cross
ings, ;adened with pieces of fur
niture. clothing and all kinds of
miscellaneous goods, representing all
the owners had left in the world.
| saw one man snatch a coat
from a wagon. and as he was putting
it around the woman with him. who
was absolutely naked, the driver
leaned over and with scream of
malediction. spattered his brains over
the cobblestones, using a heavy
stove poker he had jerked from the
pile behind him.
1 saw one big, burly negro,
jump into passing auto. encircle
the drivers throat with his hands
and slowly choke the life out of him;
throw the body under the feet of
the crowd and swinging the Car into
less densely packed side street,
dash madly away, knocking people
right and left and running over
old men, women and children.
who could not get out of his way,
leaving their mangled forms to be
trampled under foot.
Golden Gate Park
I took an auto with Major Phil
lips, Gen. Funston's aide, to Golden
Gate Park. Here only in this strick-
en- city of ours, was there any sem
blance of order. Here were all the
people who had been cut off from
the ferries or who had retained pres
ence of mind enough to avoid the
fear maddened hordes in the down.
town districts.
Here l saw things to revive the
belief of good in all mankind, chill
dren and young folks aiding and
comforting the aged and INDECENT;
women from the Barbary Coast and
Commercial street districts. mother
ing lost babies.
l saw men, whose faces bore the