The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-04-24
THE ESCAPE OF
TRAVELLING MAN
E. w. Strong of Philadelphia,
here En- Route from San
Francisco.
A NARROWING EXPERIENCE
WAS IN PALACE HOTEL WHEN
EARTHQUAKE WRECKED THE
cITY-FoRcED TO FLEE TO
THE HILLS.

W. otiOh6, tiaSSliuS
representing Philadelphia tailoring
goods house, was in Richmond last
reached Indianapolis yesterday after.
noon direct from San Francisco and
was one of the first of the refugees to
get out of the Golden Gate after the
destruction of the city by earth.
quake and fire. From Indianapolis
he came to Richmond and left last
night for Philadelphia.
Il was guest at the Palace ho-
tel said Mr.. Strong at the Arlington
hotel yesterday evening 'and though
that structure was not demolished by
the earthquake 1t was badly wrecked
and rendered in such condition that
it proved easy prey to the flames. The
Palace was filled with guests, per.
haps there was an unusually large
number of people there owing in part
to the presence of the Metropolitan
Grand Opera Company members.
There were many out-of-town visitors
at the hotel also.
Was on the Fifth Floor.
Tuesday night reached San
Francisco from Oakland and it was
midnight when l retired. 1t was 40
Wednesday morning when the shock
came that made the Palace hotel
shake like a leaf. / was on the fifth
floor, an outside room and the crash
ing of the windows caused by the
casing being thrown out of plumb.
awakened me. My bed was swaying
back and forth and pitcher of wa
ter on table In the room was hurled
almost across the apartment. It was,
my first earthquake experience bHt tsf
did not need to be told what had hap
pened. ! rushed into the hall like
nearly every other guest did, and
found that everybody was crazed with
fright. jumped intomy clothing the
best / could and made my way down
stairs with my grip and / still have
it. My trunks, however. were lost.
as they did not reach the hotel the
night before when / arrived.
my greatest trouble on getting
outside the hotel was to get through
the streets. Some buildings were
down and in the street, others were
leaning and ready fo. the crash. The
Spreckles building where the San
Francisco Call was located was one
of these. One could not get transpor-
tation to the ferry house and walking
was positively dangerous besides be-
ing almost impossible. Fires broke
out on every side and the firemen
were handicapped. In fact there was
no apparent system In the work and
there could not have been under the
circumstances. The crowds were driv-
en- back from the business district
and to the hills. I never saw such
spectacle as that on Wednesday af-
ternoon when thousands and thous-
ands of people collected on various
hills to watch the destruction of the
flames. Everybody was finally driven
back from these positions and on
Wednesday night When the city was a.
blazing torment people began to
flock to the preside and to Golden
Gate park where they remained over
night.
Paid $40 for Hack Ride.
Thursday morning about 3 o'clock,
got to Oakland by paying hackman
$40 for the trip to the ferry house.
was aboard one of the first trains
that left for the East. Probably one
hundred other refugees including
twenty opera singers were aboard
that train. In the excitement of get
ting out of San Francisco / don't be-
lieve I was badly frightened. for it
was not until / was some miles away
from the scene Of the disaster that
fully realized what had gone
through. l believe many more might
have escaped from the burning city
had they made the effort but their
minds were concentrated upon the
horror of the terrible affair and their
only thought was to get clear of the
fames-not to leave for the East.
New sample cases which were to have
met me at Indianapolis were sent to
Richmond and tomorrow will begin
business anew. will get back to Calf
fornia in six months and am of the
opinion that by that time San Fran
cisco will be building very rapidly"