' 99 



Birt)5 ill the Great Jfire wtMcb 

 3ev>a6tateD San fraiictsco, aprtl 1906. 



By Dr. F. W. D'Evei^yn, F.G.S. Cal. 



In the midst of every tragedy there is a dash of 

 comedy, and the above calamity was no exception. 

 The earthquake struck the city just at dawn, 5.13 

 a.m. The immediate results were many and serious. 

 Scarcely had the rumble of the temblor and the 

 crash of falling masonry passed away ere a general 

 fire alarm made known to the citizens that a new, and 

 as it ultimately proved to be, a more disastrous agent 

 had intruded its unwelcome presence. From a dozen 

 centres at once flames burst forth, and present!}- the 

 van-guard of what was soon to become a general 

 exodus appeared, the fleeing householders retreating 

 in sullen reluctance before the advancing flames, 

 which were destined to lay waste one tenth of the 

 city's area and almost seven-eights of the residences. 



This cavalcade was a sad sight — smoke-begrimed, 

 fire-scorched, nerve- wrecked ; the sad procession, 

 almost at times shut in by the flames, made for the 

 wider streets and parks. My hotel faced one of these 

 latter, and the late occupants and refugees soon 

 crowded it to its utmost capacity. 



Canaries in cages, parrots on broom-handles, 

 cockatoos in gilded aviaries from the wealthy homes 

 already claimed space among the palms and semi- 

 tropical foliage plants. But when the stream of 

 humbler folk joined the current one saw demonstra- 

 tions of nature study and "out door life" in the pets 

 of all varieties lugged along — precious but serious 

 impedimenta in the struggle to save the bits o' things 

 that went to make up worldly effects. 



