THE San Francisco DISASTER.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XXII, Issue 3865, 25 April 1906, Page 4

THE San Francisco DISASTER.

* FIRE UNDER CONTROL, ONE-FOURTH OF THE CITY SAVED. SOME NOBLE GIFTS. New York, April 22. The Snilors’ Home is intact. The docks between Howard and Folson-streets were saved. The Mayor announces that the fire is under control. Except between Nob Hill and the north eastern strip on the water front, the fire is checked. A skilful use of fresh supplies of explosives, saved the western section, stopping the flames in Van Ness’ Avenue and Octavia-street. The Mayor hopes that one-fourth of the city will be saved, chiefly the suburbs. The best and richest sections are destroyed. Great guns bombarded the millionaires’ quarters for hours unsparingly. The destruction wrought eventually stopped the progress of the fire. Police and firemen worked until utterly exhausted. Soldiers acted heroically in averting a pandemonium. The prospects of a water famine are even more serious than that of the food. Furious fighting took place until the military seized and dispensed the wafer. Hundreds wandered to the hills in search of the precious fluid and drank anything. The mains are nearly repaired and it is hoped ten million gallons a day will soon be available. The parks present a piteous aspect at night. All social distinctions have disappeared and rich and poor, criminals and respectable people, Chinese and foreigners, negroes, and society belles and factory girls are all huddled together; yet they are disposed to help one another. Relief stations have been established at Golden Gate Park and the Presidio. Many refugees died from exposure. Frye babies were born in the parks. Many thousands of refugees left the city, and all towns in the vicinity are threatened with shortage of food. Energetic measures have been taken to assist the quarter of a million people vvhoare homeless and famishing. Hundreds of bodies litter the streets, and citizens are compelled by force to assist in the burials. Eleven clerks, apparently dead, were found in the Post Office debris. They bad been without water and food for three days, but are now recovering. The police poured into the gutters all the alcohol from the saloons. Grocers’;; stores were seized and all provisions are being distributed sparingly to long queues of applicants. Trains full of supplies are beginning to arrive. Public kitchens have been opened in church vaults, and the basements of houses. The conduct of the people is generally exemplary. General Funston reports that th e water supply is now g Soldiers guarding the “’'At killed fourteen who were attempting robbsry Forty looters shot. I he Dominion House of Repre . sentatives vote a hundred thousand dollars Q p ranc j Bco< Oarneg l e an( j Standard Oil each contributed a hundred * h ° D '.iand dollars. efforts are being made to restore the sewer system and avert a pestilence. A committee of bankers inspected the banks’ vaults, and report that they are intact and securely guarded. The committee are confident the depositor’s will ba paid in full. Bankers and merchants are conferring at Oakland representing the rebuilding of the city on a greater scale than ever, and the prevention of a financial panic. The latest reports confirm the statement that the progress of the fire is stayed, particularly on the water front. Thr.ee warships that are being built ia the Union Iron Works are safe. Mount Cauplin, which was supposed to be extinct, is emitting smoke from a new fissure in the side. The heat from the fissure is melting the snow at the summit. THE WIND SPRINGS UP. REVIVES THE FIRES. MORE GHOULS. New York, April 22. General Funston reports that the flee is not progressing westward of Van Ness’Avenue. A west wind has arisen, and it ia likely that the city, south of Van Ness’ Avenue will be destroyed. It is impossible to establish sanitary conditions immediately, and ; much sickness is expected. • Other reports ace to the effect that the fire on. the waterfront destroyed many grain sheds before it was stayed. Its progress was stopped by ilis use of sea water and the «■ffoila of the sailors. , The Hal 1 re P cords is unharmed, ’and dispute i ■ h n. titles will, therefore, be avoided. Several men engaged in collecting the bodies of women cut the fingers from the hands and pocketed | the rings. Those who were caught j in the act were shot, j It is intended to ask Congress for 1 additional relief. April 22. In reply to his private communication, the Premier has received the following telegram from Washington : —“ R. J. iSeddon,, Premier, Wellington. The President is deeply touched by New Zealand’s mauitVa tafcion of sorrow and! gratefully appreciates your telegram of sympathy.

Signed, Robert Bacon, Acting-Secre-tary of State.” No reply has yet been received to the official communication sent through his Excellency the Governor. i RELIEVING THE SUFFERERS, j 25 SQUARE MILES BURNT. j CITY TO BE RE-BUILT. , New York, April 23. I Half the ’Frisco population is dis- | tributed elsewhere. _ ' V arious towns are vying in hospitality. There is ample food and water for the remaining half. Sanitation is progressing, and shelters and sleeping quarters are being erected in the parks. The fire is extinguished and only smoking embers remain. Twentyfive square miles were burnt. The most distressing thing in th first few days was the conflicting or ders emanating from Municipal, State, and Federal authorities. Afterwards the officers conferred and agreed that supplies for relief should be placed in the hands of the Federal authorities and be distributed under General Funstnn’s orders. A conspicuous example of the steel framework in modern buildings (V withstanding earthquakes is the *• Cali ” newspaper building, the tallest in the city. It contains every ; floor intact, though the interiors are j greatly damaged. Business in connection with the re-building of the city is transacted there. bteel will be universally used in i the re-construction of the city, which I starts to-day. 1 HThe banks resume business in j tents on Wednesday. 1 Art treasures destroyed include f Millet’s “Man with the Hoe,” be-1 longing to W. Crocker ; also old mas- J ters exhibited at the Bohemian Club, | including works of Rembrant, Diaz, and Muriio. Refugees tell many tales of horror. , In several instances men were pinioned by the wreckage. The Harness reaching them, they pleaded piteously/ to ue put out of their misery, askiag; soldiers or policemen to shoot therm Other narratives show that citizens preparing to flee with, theic families readily responded to; th& fireman’s request, risking their lives in extracting the helpless. Two men were shot in the park" for insulting women. William Waldorf Astor has subscribed twenty thousand sterling. The Dolores Mission Church int ’Frisco, constructed of bricks in 1776 v survived the earthquake and fire. President Roosevelt asks for an additional million and a half of dollars. A statement accompanying the message to Congress shows that the catastrophe is the most appalling in the history of the country. President Roosevelt expresses deep appreciation of the sympathy and prompt and very generous offers of assistance from individuals abroad, which nevertheless he had refused. CLIFF HOUSE SAFE. HIGH-PRICED PROVISIONS. A NEW CITY WITHIN FIVE YEARS. New York, April 23, Admiral McCalla has stationed cruisers at the entrance of the Bay of San Francisco to prevent vessels leaving the city in case they are required to accommodate or convey refugees away. The military authorities believe that the earthquake killed under a thousand people, and that the rest died either from fires, fright or exhaustion. Thousands on Sunday worshipped rude altars in the park. Cliff House, the pleasure resort which was reported to have been swept into the sea, is not seriously damaged. Eggs and loaves were sold for four shillings each in ’Frisco on Friday, and a glass of water brought a Mr Crocker lost £OOO,OOO, He is devoting what money he bus left to the re-building. He and many others predict that a new and greater city will be completed in five years.