New-York tribune., 1906-04-23
Survivors ell Of Sickening Scenes in First Mad Rush
from City
MEN AND WOMEN FOUGHT FOR FERRY
Wealthy Residents Raced to the Hills Aumobnred Croaned and
Yelled AlOud-Many TrampIed Undcroot

many dead. and the debris was piled up along
Market street
l went to the office of the Palace Hotel and
mere men, women and children were rushing
aoouI crazed and frantic. in their night clothes
ne Arst shock lasted only twenty-eight seconds
but it seemed me two hours
"A Few minutes after I reached the Palace
Hotel office the second shock came. 1t was light
compared with the first. but it brought to the
ground many of the buildings that the first
shock had unsettled
Fires were breaking out in every direction.
Market street had sunk at least four feet. I
started for the ferry. It is only a few blocks
from the Palace Annex TO the ferry, but it took
me from 6 a. m. until 1915 a. m. to cover the
space.
FOUGHT To REACH FERRY.
Men and women fought about the entrance
Vi ule FERRY like a band of infuriated animals
l made my escape-I do not remember how,
Ior was as desperate as any OF them. AS the
ooat pulled over the bay the smoke and fame
rose sky high and the roar of falling buildings
ana the cries OF the people filled the air"
Ihe first 1 remember OF the earthquake
hndlng myself in the middle of the floor. where
with chairs and other bits of furniture, I had
been thrown" said C. F. Burgner. a business
man of Osceola, Wis With his wife and two
daughters he had registered a. the st. Francis
Hotel in San Francisco the night before the
disaster.
With my family ! rushed downstairs. We
pushed our way through the crowded streets
where every one was hurrying here and there
Some were pulling trunks behind them. Bricks.
stones and all sorts of debris filed the roadway
and we had a difficult time making our way to
the waterfront. An electric launch was moored
there. ard on II we escaped to Oakland
The groans and cries Of those pinned under
the tinbers of the collapsing buildings were
pitifui to hear. and the worst of 1t was that
nothing could be done to them"
Mr.. and Mrs. w. r. Hartman of Baltimore
and Otto Kaufman, salesman for Leonhardt &
Co. OF Berlin. Germany, told interesting stories
Mr.. and Mrs Hartman were on the twelfth
floor of the St Francis Hotel when the shock
came.
The room seemed to twist out of shape" said
ranged. The door stuck, and it required all my
strength to open it
FELL OR ROLLED DOWNSTAIRS.
Men were shouting. women screaming hyster-
| ically. and everybody endeavoring to get 10
the elevators and stairways. II dis
covered that the elevators were not running and
the people fell and rolled down the stairs.
My wife and descended. and the first
floor found mass of people, whom the hotel
employees were imporing TO remain there as it
was the safest place, but all seemed determined
! TO get outside
Dressing as we ran my wife and I found
! that had grabbed up enough clothes to pre-
| sent respectable appearance. except that we
| had shoes. We gradually fought our way
| TO the ferries
! "AL along the way bodies Of human
| beings who had met death. Some had been
crushed by falling walls. others had jumped from
! high buildings, while still others had been
| trampIed 10 death by the excited popuIace.
! Horses having broken their hitch reins were
dashing franticaIy along the streets. knocking
! people down.
! I'VE finally got aboard a ferryboat and landed
| on the other side of the bay. We took the first
: train for the East