SAN FRANCISCO'S DISASTER

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1801, 6 July 1906, Page 3

SAN FRANCISCO'S DISASTER

EXPERIENCES )OF DR SYKES,

A GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION,

Dr A. E. Sylcos, writing to liii brother, Mr Joseph Sykos, of Auckland, from San Francisco, gives n graphic description of his own personal exporioncos of tho groat calamity. Iu tho course of his lottor ho says : “ About an hour before tho show started, I was not too well, and was just dozing off, when I felt tho hotel givo a suddon lift, liko a boat struck by a big sea, and it then commoncod to sway backwards and forwards, the motion increasing in intensity until it seomod impossible for tho building to stand another second. Everything on shelves came tumbling down, plaster

from tho sides and coiling came oil in great ilakes, and after being hit with a big vase, some ceiling, and a brick, I put a pillow over my hoad and waited. The din was awful and deafening, and the vibrations increased until with a final lungo the worst was over. It took 3S seconds to roach this item, and I held just one breath during that time, for I really did not know when I should get another. I was on the seventh floor of the ’California,’ in an end room. Tho earth shook for about two minutes longer, and then I got up to notice things. My room was looking at its best. The piano, chest of drawers, etc , were together for the first time in the middle of the room, the floor was strewn with books, bric-a-brac, broken pictures, etc., and over all plaster, cement, and

bricks. I shaved (fancy that) anc dressed, and went out to see how others had fared, and when I opened my door, I saw that I had been favored The halls were full of brick and mortar, and everything was so awfully quiet, that I felt a strange sensation creeping over me, and I suddenly realised tho extent of the damage and probable loss of life. I scrambled over a heap of debris, to the other end of the hall, and saw a lady with blood streaming down her face. I did what I could for her. Then looking through the windows, saw the city on fire in six different places. The fire station next door to tho hotel was wrecked by the hotel chimney falling through the roof, killing the fire' chief and his wife. Part of this chimney killed Dr Stinson in the hotel. We took about a ton of bricks off him. I lost about a dosen friends that day I say nothing of the ghastly details, thev are batter loft unsaid

1 “I went below to the office, and all was subdued excitement, and news of death and destruction came in continuously. I thought of some of my friends in different parts of the city, perhaps needing assistance, and I started off. The city was a wreck, every plateglass window smashed, the front of the large buildings fallen out into the middle of the streets, wooden buildings collapsed, and the wounded and dead being carried to an improvised hospital, only to be moved again and again, as the fire ate its way from three directions into the heart of the city, I found my friends after 2J hours walking, and then returned to the hotel, and to my office. It was a case of saving life now, and personal effects were a second consideration. The dynamiting of the buildings, the shower of ashes, and the roar of the flames made things unpleasant, and at half-past seven p.m. 1 gathered up

a lew tnings and started out tor the park, more dead than alive, for the exertions of the day and the sorrow for departed friends were beginning to tell on me. The city was doomed and I saw it was impossible to save anything beyond what I could carry. People were payiDg as much as £2O for a waggon, and as I was short of cash, and no waggon was in sight, J walked out and left my belongings to suffer the same fate as other people’s.

“ The fire raged two days, and unless you were present, it is impossible to realise what took place Big iron buildings just softened and sank, and there are only about 20 buildings that did not go down completely. Quite a number of buildings sank from Ift to 20ft during the earthquake. The number killed will never be known, as the authorities are keeping quiet. I don’t think 3000 is an exaggeration. Insurance companies have not started to pay out yet. and we are all wondering if we shall get paid in full. lam now practising at Oakland, over the harbor—three hours’ travel a day. For a year Oakland will be the place for business and professional men. The college in which I am, professor went with the rest.

“There were many strange sights during the scramble of 300,000 people for places of safety, and I guess I helped in this line. The fortitude of the people was wonderful—nearly all helped others, forgetting themselves and their own predicament ; all trying to be brave, and smiling faces were common, though the owners had lost all. It will be a long time before things straighten out, and we shall feel a pinch when the final reaction sets in.

“ The first night of the fire I slept on a doorstep, and though I was throe miles from the fire line, and behind a hill, it was light as day, and every few minutes the house would tremble from the force of the explosions. Later on I got into a house, and found some friends, and I rested on a real bed, and took some egg-nog, which tasted good. Next day it seemed as if the fire would reach us before night, and we carried about two tons of bedding and eatables to the top of Twin Peaks. However, the fire was checked about five p.m., and we went back to the house.. The omnipresent glare, and the sound of explosives and other things kept sleep away, though seven miles away from it. Your cable of April 19 reached me on May 4. lam backwards and forwards almost daily. It is a depressing sight. All those fine buildings gone—bricks, bricks, nothing but bricks, stone, and bent iron. Big steel buildings softened.and collapsed; only one quarter of the safes stood the heat; the bank vaults stood the best.

“ The city is beginning to look better • the cars are running again, and the work of cleaning up is going on at astonishing rato. Two tnousand onestorey buildings have boen erected on tho ruins since April 22, and all the large class of buildings that were gutted are being refitted. The sewers, water mains, etc., are all repaired, and the houses have the gas and the electric lightingjagain. Within six weeks from this, 200,000,000 dollars will be ready for reconstruction works. Insurances amount to 175,000,000 dollars, and Eastern financiers have formed a syndicate, with 100,000,000 dollars, capitalisation for 4 per cent mortgage loans. We are still uncertain what we are going to get out of our insurances ”

Sfoaking oi' a walkthrougliaporlicn of the city ou tlio niglit ol the groat tiro, wliilo in search of his luggage, Dr Sykos says:— “ Thero wore two things only any snno person could do with baggago — check it right on tlio ferry, or return it to starting point. Apparently it was Dot at tho ferry, and 1 decided to go back. I almost funnod it, knowing tho dangers. In the way of protection, I had a sabro (ono I wore ia tho Britisli-American Ditto Company), an umbrella, walking stick, and a police whistle, and started for a milo tramp through tho burning city. It was dark oxcept for tho glare, tho. wind blowing a hurricane, and a blinding storm of cinders. Tho water front was ou tiro in three places, tho people huddling together like frightened sheep. I wont on and on, the little | knots of people growing less and less, and then 1 came to see that my surroundings woro becoming a bit serious. “Figures wore movmg amo'g the stacks of fallen timbers nnl debris ; a shot boro and a shot there. Xbo soldiers wero shooting lootors and tho desperate charrotors oporalirg in their desperate ways, I) was no mote serious to go on than to ro'.urn. I turned a oorncr, and was ohallorgcd by a sentry, but when ho saw aide a m?, be presented, and I saluted and passed on, I carried on this bluff through the lines, and they must have taken me for tho tOiccr of tho day in civilian dress. 11 After about thrro miles, I reached the first camp, and found tho oorporal in charge of our baggage, but got little information, except that it had gone on. I asked for a pass to get through the lines to my friends, but he oould not get one, and told me to remain in camp, or go on my own, and I went. I got past three sentries, and entered tho onpatrolled area, and here I got mixed up. Saw three or four men moving about mysteriously in front, and took the centre of the road. Boturn was out of the question, as the fire hal orossed behind me. I had gone about 50yds, when one made a beelino for mo, and I gripped tho hilt of my sword, but ho was ou me beforo 1 oould free it from tho sheath. I got him under ibo obin with tho hilt, and got back, and drew the blade aoroas his neck. Ho came on again, but 1 was on guard. Then I heard a shot, and tho imago in front fell ovor, end a soldier carno up and took me about 100yds further on, and told me to stay there till he returned. I thanked him for shooting straight. I waited about five minutes, and heard his rifle crack twice, Bnd deoided to movo od. Things looked serious, and I did not feci too plucky ; I wanted to run. I saw' the lire creeping along the waterfront to the ferry buildings at a tremendous rate, and I must get that last boat, and I doubled. Furtive figures were sneaking about, but the sword caught the gleam of the fire, and they kept clear. Cold steel is nasty. At last I got to the boat, and [ was mighty glad to put my foot on that steamer. Over 200 were burned, and 20 shot on the waterfront that night, and I am glad I didn’t swell the number.”