f Market
Street west of Fremont Street. We went around to the drug-stores and
hardware-stores to get hot-water bags and oil and alcohol stoves and
surgeons' appliances. We took with us Miss Sarah Fry, a Salvation Army
woman, who was energetic and enthusiastic. When we arrived at a
drug-store under the St. Nicholas she jumped out, and, finding the door
locked, seized a chair and raising it above her head smashed the glass
doors in and helped herself to hot-water bags, bandages, and everything
which would be useful in an emergency hospital. I continued with Harry
for a couple of hours. I then started down Market Street. The fire at
that hour, 10:30 A. M., was raging strong south of Market Street from
about Fifth to Tenth Street. I left Market Street and went up on to
Golden Gate Avenue. At Hyde and Golden Gate Avenue I saw a large
two-story house which had been wrecked by the earthquake. The doors,
windows and all the upright-portion of the first story, were crushed and
stood on an angle of 45 deg.. I enquired of a woman seated on a pile of
rubbish, who said "no one was killed, but what am I to do?" The City
Hall was badly wrecked, great cracks were to be seen and about
two-thirds of the great dome had fallen. On one of our trips we went out
to the Park Emergency Hospital, and at 11 o'clock I found myself in the
Pacific Union Club and was able to get a cup of coffee and a sandwich,
which was the first food I had tasted that day. I went out from the club
and saw the fire raging on Market Street between First and Second. About
this hour a policeman notified me to meet the Mayor at the Hall of
justice, who had called a meeting of citizens for 2 o'clock. Met Mr. J.
E. Tucker--sat down with him on a box in the middle of Market Street,
opposite Lotta's Fountain, and we discussed the situation. We agreed
that the city was doomed to destruction, and that we were unable to do
anything to save it. Crowds of people were about, only looking on--some
looked dazed, and others wildly excited. I walked down to Bush Street
between Sansome and Montgomery, met Mr. Murphy of the First National
Bank, and Herman Oelrichs, and discussed with them as to whether it
would come to his building. The earthquake had thrown the heavy granite
cornice of his bank building into the middle of Bush Street. Murphy,
Grant & Co.'s building was on fire at this time; this was between 1 and
2 P. M.. Went along Montgomery to California Street, and found the fire
ap