The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-04-25
WOMAN TALKS Of
AWFUL ORDEAL
Miss Helen Jones Details Her
Experience in Horror on
the Coast.
DEPARTMENT HOUSE WHERE
SHE LIVED DESTROYED
Witnessed Burning of City;
People Thought End of
World Here.

Miss Helen Jones formerly OF this city but
late ot San Francisco, arrived In Salt Lake
tuesday evening, and is now at the homo OF
afr. and Mrs. Sorcn X Christenscn. Miss
Iones. who Is a strong advocate OF the saying
Zion Is good enough for me- passed through
the terrible ordeal OF the disaster at San
Francisco for hva days. Miss JonoS left the
stricken city Sunday afternoon and went 10
Oakland. where she took the train for Salt
Lake Monday morning at o'clock, arriving
In ths city Mt o'clock last night
Talks of Cataclysm.
In speaking of the earthquake of last We'd
nesday morning. Miss Jones said that she was
living at the Golden Gate apartment house. at
No. 345 Golden Gate avenue and opposite the
city hall When tho nrst shock came at OIL.
IN the morning. NisS Jones was thrown out or
bed and the house wns rocking so that she had
10 crawl uT her hands and knees and unlock
tho door. She succeeded in getting from the
room into tho hol and down the TWO flights OF
stoirs into tho street where there WeTo scoro0
pf men, women and children huddled together
IN fright. clad only In their night robes. one
shock followed the others and the terrorized
people could only stand and look in amaze
ment.
Made Effort to Get Clothing.
Miss Jones went back into the house 10 set
some clothing. but was forced to leave again
the Second shock sent tho bricks and glass
dying through the air. Finally friend
succeeded In getting into the house and get
ling clothing for Niles Jones and number OF
ladies'. who were in the street clad only IN
their night clothes Aftor the people residing
IN the house had got n trunk. some clothing
ana personal effects together the party went
TO Jefferson square. where they made their
homo for the next four days.
Saw Home Topple Over.
AS tho men, and children were drag
cling their trunks and small pieces OF furniture
over tho street 10 the park they saw their
former home. ncw siN-story brick building
topple over in the dust On the way to tho
park at all the residences the people were
carrying valuable paintings and brIc-a b.
from the houses into the street, only to see II
ruined by flying debris.
Watched City Burn.
Inst Wednesday night Miss Jones estimated
that there were fully 5000 people campcd in The
park. many OF them having barely enough
clothing TO protect them from the wind. The
PEOPLE stood thero throughout tho night and and
watched the flames cat their way towards the
buildings facing the park.
Camped in the Park.
days and nights. Miss Jones and her sistcr and
brother In law moved TO their house, close by,
and which hod. with few others escaped the
Farnos. Here they lived until Sunday after
noon. when Miss Jones left tho city,
Cannot Be Described.
The story OF the calamity. the narrator said.
had not been half told and mover would be.
for II IL bard for person to describe the
man shot down for stealing, a cnnHa2 was
thrown him and a Placard reading. shot
for Stealing was fastened on the body an
other man died in the streets from Injuries
received In resculnE his fnmily and his body
removed 10 vacant lot, where IL laid
all day, TO be removed to the morsuc a: night.
Reckless Shooting.
Mas Jones said that one terrible thing OF
The disaster was tho reckless shooting OF peo-
ple, 1t seemed to be the desire OF the cadets
from Berkeley. who we're doing police duty as
we'll as the militia and regulars. to shoot some
carried guns In many cases that were largcr
han Themselves. seemed 10 take great de
light in compelling man who was assisting
his family to make him help remove the debris
from the street or pnrk.
All Had to Work.
Everybody, whether rich or poor. was pressed
into service and had to labor for while in
removing the injured and cleaning UP the
parks. one incident. Miss Jones said. that im-
pressed her wns that OF a number OF women
and children in a wagon being hauled with
their trunks and when about half wny there
tho sxpressmsn dumpe1 their baggage into tho
street and refused TO carry them to the ferry
building unless they paid him $40. This they
said they could not DO they did not have
nny money. The oxpressmnn was on the point
Of driving off and leaving them whom soldier
called a standing by to drive tho ladies
10 tho ferry building. while he took the ex-
H1esSmnn In charge.
People Were Cool.
-. people In general took the awful ordeal
WY coolly. Miss Jones stated but wero very
frantic when the rumor spread thnt wireless
message had been received to the effect thar
New York and Chicago wcro each under eight
feet OF water and that Liverpool and London
were afre, then the people thought truly the
world was coming 10 end. for they could
nothing but flrc and devastation all nround
them
Arrives in Oakland,
On Sunday afternoon Miss Jones and her
sister and husband started for the ferry build
ing with a number Of ladics on foot but sue
cecded in getting q ride most OF tho WY down
Market strcot. which Niles Jones said, looked
likc O series OF wnves II ~as go broken UP.
Oakland was safely reached and Miss Jones
said sho thought phe WINS In Heaven. She
made her way to Tho Tribune bureau, where
she said that she and her party met @r SefrIt
and his assistant, Ben Haywood, and other
representatives OF Tho Tribune, who escorted
the party to the hotel. where they secured for
them n splendid dinner md lodging. also ar
ranging for tho transportation to Utah.