The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-06-07

sorrow and ! will not burden the
readers of this with repetition, know
ing and feeling that no one can do
justice to it, still there are some
things of which wish to write think
ing that they may have been over
looked in the beginning of the trou-
BILE.
met young official of the Post
Office Department of the city, who
told me that on the morning of the
quake he had risen about 4 O'Clock
for the purpose of doing some special
work; that upon completion OF this
he returned to the Post Office Build
ing and while waiting for other mail
matter, the shaking commenced, but
at first no one paid any attention
as the city had had for 80 or 40 days
prior to this 3 or 4 slight shoks per
day. Soon it became very noticeable
that some strong power was shaking
things around ''to beat the band;"
that he with others left the building
and upon gaining the street he found
the sidewalks and streets rising and
falling, in wave-like motion, at least
two feet; that all OF the surrounding
buildings seemed to be serenely rid
ing upon the crest of these waves mo-
mentarily, ultimately falling and
scattering debris everywhere.
In front of the Post Office Building
the condition of Mission street is
forcible evidence of how the ground
rose and fell, there being hills and de-
pressions that will measure two feet
high and two to three feet deep. The
! sidewalk is torn away from the build
ing. The building itself, is very bad
ly damaged, both inside and outside
one entire wall on the North side
now supported by timbers. This
building and the U. S. Mint withstood
the upheaval and incident fire better
than any. Others. The Mint is left in
tact.
On Brannan street, that part of the
city situated on reclaimed land, there
is crack in the earth 25 yards long,
II feet across and 20 feet deep. In
! front of the Ferry Building there is a
rise in the ground to the height of
2 and one-halffeet without an appar-
ent break in the asphalt. The Ferry
Building, as [ understand, was saved
from the flames by the sailors and
marines on the waterfront, they be-
ing able to get water after the water
mains broke The spire of the build
ing is leaning a little but not suffi-
cient to fear danger therefrom; it is
completely scaffolded; other parts of
the building are pronounced safe to
accommodate the tremendous crowds
thrOnging the waterfront. Both
floors OF this building are now used
by the railroad companies-the San
ta Fe occupying the ground floor and
the Southern Pacific the 2nd floor.
In riding and walking over the city
you notice such signs as these: 'This
property for lease, time Indefinite, F."
"Will rebuild on this site beginning
July 1st, 1906" This Hotel will
open it's doors to it's patrons on or
about June 2nd, 1906" and others
similar. Tam sorry to say, however,
that you see on nearly every other
burnt sight the first one given you:
This property for lease, time indef-
mite" just stop and think what this
means. What is to become of San
Francisco; are these people afraid to
remain in that section of the country?
| am frank to say that believe that
they are desirous to seek another Sec
tiOn where they can live and not be
disturbed by such. as has visited them
recently. 1t is not so much for this
cause, however, that you see such
signs, but from the fact that Is per
cent. of the citizens who suffered loss
are those who have not sufficient
means to rebuild. Everything they
owned-probably just enough to keep
them during their lives-was swept
away in a very short while. What
can they do toward rehabilitating
the city? All Of them have buoyant
spirits over the building of the New
San Francisco, but where are the
means coming from? 1t is under
stood that the insurance companies
will pay as little1 as they possibly
can. Some OF the poorer people had
, insurance but will reap nothing from
that source as their property was
first shaken down by the quake and
then burned and not burned before
being shaken down and on just such
claims as this the companies refuse
to pay.
met a young who had a business
of about 100000 on Market street
, the principal thoroughfare, who told
me that he was fully insured and
wanted to rebuild but no satisfaction
could be gotten from the insurance
companies, although he had remain
ed in the city a month after the eartl
quake and had finally given up hope
, and was then on his way to st. Louis
!, to open up another establishment
When the trouble commenced he was
, in his boarding house on Hyde street
, a few blocks away from his place o
, business and he Immediately went
| there to see if his store was wrecked
He soon found that oil was lost anc
returned to the hotel to pack his per
sonal effects and upon arriving there
found the place in flames which con
su'ned everything he had There were
, many such cases.
. Although the shock lasted only As
: seconds, it must have been allpower
: full. The car tracks on most every
5 street look as though snake crawl
ing along laid out the design for put
{ ting down the track. Even month
e afterward very little Strengthening
, had been done.
} The day l was there nothing bu
electric cars were running. The cable
: cars and their power houses had beer
2 placed hors de combat. There wa!
4 no activity as far as l could see to
J ward clearing up the remains. Ii
' some places did notice that charret
{ remains were being recovered. Some
' old gentleman told me that it wa
' his belief that 10000 would hardl,
!. cover the loss of lives. At frs
q thought this seems exaggerated, bu