The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-04-27
LIKE A PICTURE OF HE'LL.
Women Describe scenes of Horror
Following the Earthquake.

Women Describe scenes of Horror
Following the Earthquake.
Mrs Maria \ Wilcox Mrs Mary
Longstreet, Mrs. Frank Hicks and Al
fred WILCOX who recently arrived at
Los Angeles from san Francisco. had
been Quartercd on the eighth floor OF
lhe san Francisco hotel and found the
hotel rocking Ike a ship Mrs Long
ltreet told the story thuS
Suddenly as we were standing
there the entire city seemed TO catch
ire In all directions and as far as
we could see the great tongues Of
flame eaped mo the air Terrified as
we We're, we stood by the window. and
in less time than ii takes 20 tell it the
entire part of the city between us and
The ferry was ahlazc It was heauti-
ful yet terrible sight. We remained in
the hotel till 10 o'clagla aud at that
time Mr.. Wilcox succ, ~,led in getting
carriage and an automobile. We then
left the hotel and drove to the home of
Il friend Il mile away. When we got
there We found the house in ruins.
we then went to the home of the
TeyiScs and remained there until we
were driven out 10y fire. Finally we
found refuge at the residence of J. L.
Winslow ON Mob hill We slept on the
floor that night, but they had no food,
and after securing the city over my
brother managed to purchase ten ships
biscuits and four boxes of Sardines,
and after eating these we made beds
on tie floor and tried to sleep We had
little candle in our room and that we
did not need.
THE hundreds of fires made the city
light rs day but it was n ghastly. sick
ening glow that made one tremble
with fear Words cannot describe hui
man emotions nj such Il time as that,
and | wish could shake off that feel
ing that has clmg to me ever since
the first shock of that earthquake
aroused me from my slumber.
Il saved some things-three pairs of
shoes. | believe. | put the shoes in
grip and brought them along My
diamonds and money | left in the ho-
tel But we all did that No one at
such times cares for personal effects.
We expected death at any minrtc and
We're surprised that it did not come.
Can YOU wonder that saved the shoes
instead OF my valuahlos?
"That night was awful. We could
hear the cries of the suffering people
and the crash of falling buildings all
night long. Van Ness avenue was
crowded from side to side with people
mothers carrying babies, men and
women packing on their backs what
Where all those people found food and
shelter | cannot imagine. We had no
water and almost died from thirst.
You would never know San Fran
cisco now. 1t is nothing but ruins
Did you ever see child build house
with blocks and then knock it down2
Well, that is the way buildings fell all
over the city during the earthquake"
Il cannot describe it," said Mrs. Will
cox when asked for her experience.
II woke at the first trembc and, oh,
what Il terrible sensation, Plaster fell
from the walls, and expected at any
second to see the St Francis hotel
crumble to the earth With the earth
quake came that horrible roar. 1t
sounded like thousands of violins be-
ing played on the bass strings and all
at discord.
did you ever see the picture of hell
which hangs in the Santa Barbara
mission? 1t was something like that,
only Il thousand times worse, We had
a hard time getting to Oakland, where
we caught Il train. The railroad peo-
pie deserve great credit. Once on the
train we were shown every courtesy.
If people did not have money they
were taken along just the same. Mon
ey was no object Mt that time"