Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-04-26

mains had been burst by the sho6R,
the fire department was helpless. The
flames ate their way along Market
street, and other fires started in differ
ent parts of the city.
AS the earthquake occurred but a
little after o'clock In the morning.
practically the entire population was In
bed. Men and women rushed wildly
forth in their night robes and fed In
panic through the streets. Many were
caught by the falling roofs and walls,
and In the poorer districts the tene-
ments collapsed like eggshells, crush
ing and suffocatlng their inmates be-
fore they had time to escape. In many
cases fire finished the work of death,
catching the victims as they were
pinned still alive under the debris.
To arrest the spread of the fire along
Market street many buildings wero
dynamited.
The track of one railroad was de-
pressed four feet or more for dis
tance of three miles. At one point In
the city the earth cracked open for
distance of six feet, leaving yawning
chasm of fathomless depth.
The destruction of all telegraph wires,
except one belonging to the Postal
union, made 1t almost impossible for
the stricken city to communicate with
the outside world. The severe injury
to the Western Union and Postal Of
fees also the Associated Press, greatly
added to the difficulty.
The practical destruction of six or
eight blocks, coupled with the immense
loss of life and damage to property
throughout San Francisco and the en-
tire coast region makes this the worst
earthquake disaster in American his
tory. exceeding even the historic
Charleston earthquake of a few years
ago.
San Francisco has suffered from
many slight seismic shocks, one OF
them occurring about a year ago. At
that time n long article appeared In
one Of the papers, signed by pro-
fessor IN one of the obSeryatories near
by, stating that there was no partic-
ular danger from these tremors of the
earth's surface. The coast region, ac-
cording to this writer, was newer than
parts OF the country farther east and
was therefore settling. He said peo-
pie should feel no alarm, as nothing
serious was liable to happen.
Evidently the earth's crust In the
Golden Gate region has been doing
some more Settling"
The most severe earthquake San
Francisco has known prior to the pres
ent one was In 1868. Quite a little
damage resulted, though nothing re-
motely comparable to this. It was the
1868 shakeup that was made famous
by Mark Twain. The most surprising
thing the genial Mark saw at that time
was the opening up OF the ceiling OF
his room, the lips OF the orifice work
ing to and fro like mouth and lgick
slipping through and held In suslsen.
sion, like one lone tooth on the Jaw 0f
an old man.
The last earthquake that occurred Ii
San Francisco was In January. 1900.
Several distinct shocks were felt early
IN the morning, causing the vibration
OF buildings all over the city. The
chief building affected was the st.
Nicholas hotel, which was severely
shaken. The walls collapsed In GER
tain parts Of the structure, guests were
thrown out of their beds and furniture
was destroyed.
In 1904 there was severe seismic
disturbance in Los Angeles, which wqs
felt throughout the city and Tor n
radius nc EeYeral miles around. =,