The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-09-10
The Great Earthquake
Peculiar Effects Of Frscos Quake Shown by Budings-A
Geological Fault

Shaken as was San Francisco on the
morning of April 18th, she was un-
doubtedly but at the edge of the dis
turbance. Had the main line of the
fault" been directly through the city
(instead of six miles west of it,, little
would have been left to tell the tale.
AS 1t was, that line passed well to the
westward. Oakland people contend
that they were as badly quaked as
were the San Franciscans, but a care
full inspection of their buildings and
other evidences does not support this
contention. Moreover the shock, even
In San Francisco, was more severe
at the west than at the east. True,
the destruction, the terrible fire, was
all to the eastward, but that was mere
ly accident. A much less tremor would
have been sufficient to fracture CHM
neys and otherwise make fires pos
7 sible that, with the absence of water
and proper fire-dghting organization.
might have grown into as disastrous
conflagration.
All evidences point that the trend
of force was northwestward and vir-
tually twisted everything in the city
in the direction of the southeast. Lum-
halves anglewise to their lower halves
that remained stationary, and so with
chimneys and all heavy bodies that
were moved only by the great first
shock. Lighter objects were twisted
and tumbled In every direction by the
succeeding minor tremors and the
final, If we can call it, re-adjustme 1t
of the earth's surface. The buildings
indicate and scientists corroborate that
the first great shock twisted every
thing eastward, as does ferry boat
striking her berth forward and on the
west side. There then followed less
severe tremor or REIMBURSEMENT west
ward and an undulating movement
from south to north, as the wave or
wake left by a boat in the water. Next
there seemed to be distinct uprising
and then an utter and sudden co,lap ;e
to normal, and since that day there
have been thirty or more quite dis
tinct but comparatively Insignificant
shocks as If old Mother Earth were
indeed nervous and fretful after her
wild rampage.
The buildings show some peculiar
and at first sight seemingly freaky eff
feet of the quake. The greater part f
their damage, however, can be more
directly attributed to the stupidity II
carelessness of their erectors than to
the awfulness of the quake. Nothing
but the raukest stupidity or the worst
gambling instinct could prompt man
to an outlay of many hundred thous-
and dollars in building, in a city
subject to earthquakes, resting that
structures on an insecure foundation,
in loosely filled land and with the diff
ferent parts of the structure improper
ly tied together. That earthquake and
subsequent fire laid bare some of the
worst sins of construction that it has
ever been my misfortune to see Pc
sumably there is as much stupidity or
carelessness in construction general
ly throughout the country, in all other
cities, only they have not yet been I'M
covered, pitilessly exposed. One thing
demonstrated beyond cayil is that d
tall, heavy well-built structure upon
perfect foundation. is the least dam
aged in an earthquake. Such buil,l-
ings in San Francisco, in which the
various parts were we'll tied together
and all to the steel frame suffered