The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-08-26

foot of Van Ness avenue. I'm writin
by the light of the burning city. TIL
fire is still twenty blocks from m
house, but we came out here 10 spen
the night because we have been afrai'
since the first earthquake shock. Then
the house swayed and creaked ant
trembled; rose and fell like ship in ;
tempest 1 couldn't walk on the foo
at all-had to crawl to the door on MI
hands and knees. Just as opened tn'
door my big plaster cast of The
Winged Victory fell from her pedesta
and smashed on the floor. She made 9
big heap of rubbish. / was too terrified
to think 1 tried to call to the Dixons
but couldn't articulate. They didn't
hear a sound from me throughout those
terrible forty seconds. l thought it was
the end-but neither the beautiful
dreams nor the horrors that are sup
posed to panorama instant death came
to me- My heart beat double quick
somewhere up IN my throat. I felt
topping mirror; saved it while all
other breakable objects in my room
went smash. I held on to it with one
hand and braced myself against the
door frame with the other and watched
the crystal scent bottles slide off and
spill their precious fragrance on the
drunken floor; my statuette of Psyche
fell from her shelf and broke her head
nfP put idol HnifZ-
pochitle took his tumble like a valiant
god-of-war without scratch. He roll
ed about on the floor in an undigni-
fed way but he never changed express
sion. The final jerk almost upset the
bureau on top of me. but after that
my house rocked regularly for awhile
like a swing when you '1et the old cat
die" felt the ease which followed the |
cessation of great pain. When I felt |
quite sure that the floor was firm under
my feet again L went out on the bal |
cony. A cloud of dust rose from the
city as though race of giants were
shaking their great carpet. Almost all
the chimneys were down. Almost in
stantIy columns of smoke began to rise
from the other side of town.
We dressed. When we wanted to
wash we found there was no water.
Next, we hurried down town to see if
Dixon's studio was all right.
On Union street the cable slot looked
As if it had been run through a Chi
aese wash house fiuting machine.
We had to walk, there being no cars.
In the Latin Quarter the streets were
'ull of terrified people all crowding to
xeep in the middle OF the street. 1t
vas the uuietest crowd I was ever in.
Scarcely any one spoke. The children
.idn't cry. The fear of God was upon
Is all. Everyone was afraid of another
mock.
Maynard's studio was in chaos. The,
were uninjured but his
Navajo pottery was sadly smashed and
mingled on the floor with the rest of
lis studio litter. A box of matches had
cen ignited by the shock and extin-
ufshed again by a vase of water spill
ag over it.
From the studio we went down Mont
omery street to the Palace Hotel. 1t
vas uninjured. Things inside seemed :
uiet and in order. There was no brok- ,
n glass, no plaster-everything was
uiet and in place. A Chinese servant ::
4 white linen blouse was calmly
listing the furniture IN the Palm Gar
en-. Men were passing to and fro in
be corridor, others were reading the
ewspapers in the office; the clerks
rere at the desk. The proud boast that :
he Palace was earthquake proof had
cen INDICATED.
From there we went along Market
treet to Lotta's fountain. The old
east of Sansome street were !.
lazing. We saw the cupoia on the
oof of the Fly in the Pudding
estaurant turn into a beautiful "set
iece" and other old wooden buildings
early days catch fire. People in the
treet were kept busy lodging the
peeding automobiles. Suddenly there
ras another earthquake shock. The
rowds scurrIed panic stricken to the :
middle of the street. There they waited
reathless for another disaster. But it
ever came.
By nine the fire had come up to the
srand Opera House. Third street was
mass of people from south of Market
treet trying to escape with their
ousehold goods. There were women
ushing sewing machines in front Of
hem. children carrying monographs,
len dragging trunks. The screening