SNIPPET: An enormous earthquake on April 18, 1906, followed by four days of fires set off by overturned stoves, fallen lanterns, and broken gas pipes, destroyed much of San Francisco, CA. Hundreds were killed and thousands more injured; 514 city blocks were devastated and more than half of the city's 450,000 residents were left homeless -- an estimated Richter scale reading of 8.3. Frederick H. COLLINS (1869-1922) was co-owner of a women's clothing shop that was burned in the fire. Nellie Alice COLLINS (Fred's sister) was in OR at the time. Robert Knox COLLINS owned a cigar store. Max KOENIG was COLLINS' partner. Floyd McKENNY was a reporter for the "San Francisco Bulletin." April 24, 1906. "My Dears - I don't know when I will get to write again so send this for me to Nell and then you (Nell) send it to mamma -- The pouring rain compels us to stay in at Sadies, and our two trips to what was S. F. made us Thank God! to get back. From the ferry to Van Ness it looks like a gray and black graveyard, as far as you can see, there isn't a home visible until you get within a few blocks of Van Ness. The fire passed way beyond Van Ness on both sides of the City. Rob was wiped out same as Max and I. We haven't heard from nor seen him yet but Floyd McKenny saw him with some of his household goods being driven toward the Park. Max and I stayed out on Buchanan and Sutter with a friend of ours. But what a night. We felt that if we got home here alive again we would stay here, for no lights of any kind are the houses and they take a shot at you if you are out after 8:30 p.m. So you sit in pitch darkness with a gloomy pall of smoke over your heads and a graveyard silence and an occasional earthquake tremor. We never closed our eyes that night an it began to rain and a cold mournful wind began to howl around open chimney holes and busted roofs. At 5 o'clock a rifle shot was heard on the block and some young fellow fell dead who was misprudent enough to venture out to borrow some whiskey for his sick mother. A soldier ordered him to throw it away and shot him for refusing. This is only one of the many cases. When daylight came we helped cook our breakfast in the street where rich and poor alike squat side by side cooking on brick stoves, and then all go stand in line to get their share of provisions. No one is allowed to sell a thing there but every thing left in stores has been distributed, and loads are coming in every day. We tried to find some of our friends but it's almost impossible. We found Mrs. Young. She has joined the red cross forces and is begging clothes to put on the new born babies in the parks. She had 18 to clothe in one day. Soon as they are born they just have to roll them in some old coat or rags until they find clothes. One woman had triplets. Then on top of all yesterday, the rain just poured in torrents soaking bedding, grass and ground and people's clothes. With it a cold wind. People are draggled with mud, and there is hardly a house left that isn't twisted or unsafe. Some are toppled into the streets. Some are leaning over on their next door neighbors, and stone stairs fallen away from front doors. Church towers of stone have crashed and crushed into homes besides them. Many places crushing the occupants. No one will ever know the hundreds that were killed under fallen buildings and then buried. Valencia St. has slid 40 feet out of its course and a hotel on that street and Market collapsed, killed 103 out of 106 that were in it. The earth split open there wide enough for a man to fall in and you can hear a running river or creek under it. Another street a little mound raised up and burst open and a little fountain of regular clear mountain spring water is shooting up out of it....." -- Excerpt, ."America 1900-1999, Letters of the Century," ed. Grunwald and Adler (1999)

On Oct 11, 2008, at 1:25 PM, Jean R. wrote: > An enormous earthquake on April 18, 1906 Thanks for passing this along Jean. We all remember the quake, but we cannot quite imagine how it was for those who lived there. A letter like this adds a bit of understanding. -- Doras Cúil Travel--Your one-stop travel source Do you like to travel? How about wholesale, AND tax-deductible? Ask me how. http://www.dorascuil.com