The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1906-05-11
LETTER FROM F. C0ULS0N
Formerly of Cbanute But Now Of
California Writes a Very Inter
eSting Letter to His Son
Here
From the Chanute Tribune May 4.

tell you that we had terrible earth
quake, but to describe it IS hard
task, and one that makas me shudder
every time l think of it. About Sis
on the morning of Wednesday, April
10, we were awakened by the greatest
roaring noise, the house cracking and
swaying back and forth aud jumping
up and down. Our beds and the other
furniture we're jumping around in a
frantic way, and we couldn't get out
of bed as it was bobbing around so.
THOUGHT TRAIN HAD STRUCK HOUSE
"Our first thought was that some
one had left the round house switch
wrong, and that train had run into
it and overturned and struck the
house. We saw that was not the case,
and your mother said: ooh, my it's
dn earthquake" She grabbed Willie,
and I grabbed Fred and there we sat,
in awful suspense and fear expecting
every minute that the houses would
collapse and crush US to death.
"That was the most trying time Of
my life. To be compelled to sit there,
perfectly helpless, and see my loved
ones liable at any time to be crushed
or perhaps be pinned underneath the
wrecked building and suffer an awful
dsath by fire.
NOTHING IN RAILRoADING LIKE IT
During my thirtythree years Of
running an engine, l met with lots of
accidents, and was in lots of wrecks
hurt once so that 1 was laid up for two
months; but In all these adventures, l
never had the least fear. for 1 knew
that as soon as l got out on the
ground, was safe. But, this case,
one was not safe anywhere, for the
ground was rolling and weaving just
like waves of water, and liable to open
I'D anywhere and swallow us all, as
it did open in lots of places. I tell
you, that was the longest forty-eight
seconds l ever saw.
after it stopped, we ran out as
quickly as possible, and such sight
as we saw! People were running In
every direction, apparently not know
ing what they were doing. Their
neartrending cries-mingled with the
noises or the dumb brutes-dogs, cats,
cows, horses, and the like, were some
thing terrible.
WATER TANK FLOODED STREET
The end wall of the brick Southern
Pacific roundhouse, right across the
street, was knocked down, also the
large steel water tank that stood on
40-feet iron columns. The latter had
fallen with a crash, and the street
was a running river for few min
utes,
Fire broke out in the city in four
places. The shock had broken the
water mains, so that there was no
water, and it looked as If the city was
doomed to the fate which befell San
Francisco, but the fire companins man
aged to get water from Coyote creek,
and saved the city.
"CHANUTE" CUP WAS UNBROKEN
sour return into the house, dilap-
dated outfit met our gaze. In the
front room the stove and all Of the
pipe was down, and SCOT had been
thrown all over the carpet, running it,.
My desk was overturned, aud every
thing thrown out of il. The couch
was in the middle Of the floor and
chair were strewn miscellaneously
about the room,
I'm our sleeping room. the dresser
was overturned, and the S-day clock
was thrown over into my bed. The
door OF the china closet was mashed
open, aud the china broken. Out of
all that we brought with US one lone
'Cnanute' cup is left.
DOWNSTAIRS in the restaurant, the
range was upset, throwing the vituals
out of the pots upon the floor, Dishes
from under the counter, aud pies,
fruits, cakes, canned goods aud Uoeac-
co from the shelves, were all heaped
together, in one solid mass. 1t was d
queer looking set. Half of the dishes
we're broken, and it took US about two
days TO get cleaned up.
FEEDING 800 DAY
viii Slough sent for us to bring
cooks and walters and come up there
and help him out. 1t keep him busy
getting provisions, aud L could do
nothing but take care of the cash
register. For four days he fed over
l 500 people, and is still doing so. The
crowd was awful, but the best behaved
1 ever met. It's members didn't seem
to care for their losses, but we're
thankful that they escaped.