Appalling Disaster at San Francisco.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 255, 20 April 1906, Page 2

Appalling Disaster at San Francisco.

Wellington, Thursday I9ch. At San Francigco on the evening of the 18tb a severe shock of earthquake was experienced. - Beapple advises unable to obtain any information re Commercial Pacific. All the harbour cables are gone, but the Commercial has been trenched several miles from the beach to the city. Last report at 12.30 p.m. states that the local magnitude of the disaster grows. Fires are raging in all directions. The water mains have burst which are being localised by the authorities using dynamite. The Palace Hotel and Spreekel’s Buildings have been deitriyed. The city is under martial law, oil the troops having been called out. Later. A short bulletin just through states that the whole water front is in ; flames.

The Post Office and Opera House have been destroyed. There is no means of checking the flames. The gas works have blown up, starting many other fires.

It is impossible to estimate the loss of life, which is heaviest in the tenement districts. Wellington, April 20th. The latest report states that the fire ia etill raging and that the entire city is doomed. Every building in the business district and nearly half the residential section has been destroyed. No large building* are left standing. The greatest loss of life wag at South Market Street where GOO bodies have been recovered. St. Agnes Insane Asylum was de strayed with the majority of inmates. Reports from the interior are of au alarming nature. Wellington, April 21st. The fire is still going on and will probably consume the whole city, except streets situated between Golden Gate and Webster Streets, where there is water, thus allowing the Fire Department a chance of success. There are probably 200,000 refugees wtraggling to leave the city and suffering terribly through lack of water.