Diary
May 15, 1906
The San Francisco Earthquake!!!
I was somewhat relieved when I found the plaster walls of the parlor, the ornaments, large old-fashioned mantle mirrors, furniture and heavy family portraits not in the least disturbed … the earthquake showed many strange, unaccountable, tantalizing freaks. In Ocean View, houses intact were moved several feet in the direction of San Francisco. In the cemeteries crosses were moved from their bases and yet are standing, Angels have lost their wings and Saints their heads.
… It was a warm, bright, sunny morning, but toward the east a great, dense, white cloud was rising and spreading over the blue sky. It was strange, and so I informed my Brother-in-law, whom I found lighting a cigar and ready to start on a day's trip to the country for business. He thought the earthquake and cloud an explosion of the powder works.
It all seemed so probable and reassuring that I put on my long black coat and thought I would offer a Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Dominic's Church.
I had four or five blocks to walk, and it was really astonishing to see very nice looking, neat houses standing minus their chimneys. … The people of the Western Addition seemed very amiable and we were all inclined to salute each other, though strangers, and quite stiff-necked on other occasions.
… But at the bottom of the hill, how different -- the great, massive door of St. Dominic's Church was completely barricaded by rubbish of all kinds to its highest point.
… One solitary figure sat by the window of the abandoned Fathers' House, though most of its roof was sunken in. He was bent over and trying with tear dimmed eyes to read his Morning Office.
… The people here seemed in a very different mood from those in my part of town. They were seated on their stoops , disheveled and hatless, half dressed and excited. We felt a short, jerky, ugly shock. The people all screamed and jumped. An automobile, a horse started to run. I hurried home in the center of the street. Men cried out: "Lady, be careful of electric wires overhead." It was all very disagreeable and I was glad to get home.
… The Boss (Polk) then made the announcement that we would have to leave the city as by night the fire would be on us.
… I tried to pack all the old clothes, for our best would have been impractical in case of sleeping out of doors or in tents or the Lord knows where. For ten minutes we were working hard in all directions and trying to be clever when suddenly the Boss cried out: "All aboard, only yourselves, no baggage!"
Hurriedly I put on two black cloth skirts, one short and one long coat, and stuck myself with purses, pins, hairpins, safety-pins, needles, spools of cotton, tape, and a belt bag. Mamma had on her long crepe veil, her most shabby black skirt, light cloth coat, rubbers and umbrella. My Sister, her best $60 tailor-made suit, Napoleon felt hat and lorgnette, looking as usual chic and lovely.
It was so suffocatingly hot and, though all large-sized women, we had to cram in, knees all meeting, causing many irritable jerks and grunts and resentment on the part of all.
[NOTE - this is an actual diary excerpt from a 1906 earthquake survivor. See http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/04/10/MNGQ10DIARIES.DTL
The San Francisco Earthquake!!!
I was somewhat relieved when I found the plaster walls of the parlor, the ornaments, large old-fashioned mantle mirrors, furniture and heavy family portraits not in the least disturbed … the earthquake showed many strange, unaccountable, tantalizing freaks. In Ocean View, houses intact were moved several feet in the direction of San Francisco. In the cemeteries crosses were moved from their bases and yet are standing, Angels have lost their wings and Saints their heads.
… It was a warm, bright, sunny morning, but toward the east a great, dense, white cloud was rising and spreading over the blue sky. It was strange, and so I informed my Brother-in-law, whom I found lighting a cigar and ready to start on a day's trip to the country for business. He thought the earthquake and cloud an explosion of the powder works.
It all seemed so probable and reassuring that I put on my long black coat and thought I would offer a Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Dominic's Church.
I had four or five blocks to walk, and it was really astonishing to see very nice looking, neat houses standing minus their chimneys. … The people of the Western Addition seemed very amiable and we were all inclined to salute each other, though strangers, and quite stiff-necked on other occasions.
… But at the bottom of the hill, how different -- the great, massive door of St. Dominic's Church was completely barricaded by rubbish of all kinds to its highest point.
… One solitary figure sat by the window of the abandoned Fathers' House, though most of its roof was sunken in. He was bent over and trying with tear dimmed eyes to read his Morning Office.
… The people here seemed in a very different mood from those in my part of town. They were seated on their stoops , disheveled and hatless, half dressed and excited. We felt a short, jerky, ugly shock. The people all screamed and jumped. An automobile, a horse started to run. I hurried home in the center of the street. Men cried out: "Lady, be careful of electric wires overhead." It was all very disagreeable and I was glad to get home.
… The Boss (Polk) then made the announcement that we would have to leave the city as by night the fire would be on us.
… I tried to pack all the old clothes, for our best would have been impractical in case of sleeping out of doors or in tents or the Lord knows where. For ten minutes we were working hard in all directions and trying to be clever when suddenly the Boss cried out: "All aboard, only yourselves, no baggage!"
Hurriedly I put on two black cloth skirts, one short and one long coat, and stuck myself with purses, pins, hairpins, safety-pins, needles, spools of cotton, tape, and a belt bag. Mamma had on her long crepe veil, her most shabby black skirt, light cloth coat, rubbers and umbrella. My Sister, her best $60 tailor-made suit, Napoleon felt hat and lorgnette, looking as usual chic and lovely.
It was so suffocatingly hot and, though all large-sized women, we had to cram in, knees all meeting, causing many irritable jerks and grunts and resentment on the part of all.
[NOTE - this is an actual diary excerpt from a 1906 earthquake survivor. See http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/04/10/MNGQ10DIARIES.DTL
posted by Branzburg at 4:37 AM
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