The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-04-26
AT TER THE SHOCK.
Letter Written by Hilda Broder-
sen Telling OF Earthquake
UNIVERSITY WAS DESTROYED
Denison Girls Have Narrow Escape
vividIy Protray the Scene of the
Terrible Disaster

The Review is greatly indebted to
Mr.. B. Brodersen for permission to
publish the letters received from
Miss Hilda, one written on the day
Of the earth quake, and one the day
later. The letters are vivid in their
simple story of the disatser and show
the excitement and nervous strain UNI
der which all must have labored. We
know they will be of great interest
to Review readers.
Wednesday.
Dear Folks at Home:
l suppose by this time you will
have heard of the terrible earth quake
we had here this A. M. about $50.
1t was the weirdest, most awful feel
ing / ever experienced in my life.
woke up and saw the room just
dancing around. Californians say that
it was the worst one they have had
here since they can remember. And
it certainly was terrible. l surely
thought my last hour had come. But
it hadn't and l got out safe. I had
been awake short time before but
went to sleep again. There was a
little shock about an hour before the
big one and guess that is what woke
me although l don't know and the
second shock woke me up for sure and
l sat up in bed. The whole room
seemed to be dancing around; the
plaster was falling, the bookcase and
the desk fell over into the middle of
the room with all the bricabrac.
Sophia got up, and just then lot of
plaster came down on her bed. She
came over and sat down by me until
it was over. don't imagine it last
ed more than two minutes altogether.
When it was over Mr.. Hogue knocked
at cur door and asked if we were all
right and we tried to open the door
but it would not open. We had not
locked it in the evening so that scared
US pretty badly. We dressed and Mr..
H. chopped the door open. Everybody
was out in night gowns and bath
robes, barefooted and every way We
were dressed because we hadn't been
able to get out of our room Then
Sophia and went down to the Quad
and everything is in ruins there. The
beautiful church, the new library and
gymnasium and the new bookstore in
TO which they just moved during va
cation are just heaps Of stone. Every
thing is just torn to pieces. The
damage is worse than any fire or any
storm could do. Just think how in
,wo or three minutes so much property
vas destroyed. And the earth quake
S spread all about a good deal of ter
'itory. We can't get any news from
San Francisco and Los Angeles and
San Jose. All wires are down and
there is great depression be-
tween there and the city. When we
came back from the Quad our door had
locked again and we had to climb IN
through the window. We cleaned up
our room a little and Mr.. Hogue
chopped the door open again, this
time so it was broken so it would not
close again Just as we got things
Strengthened up little there was
another shock and we hustled out
doors where we would be safe but it
wasn't much and didn' t hurt anvtaing
except knock over pile of books. So
we just camped out of doors all A. M.
We had breakfast of eggs, bread and
coffee which had been cooked over
bonfire out in the yard. The chimney
is down so we cannot cook in the
house and we have our kitchen in the
back yard. Nobody can cook in the
house so you can see campfres in
every back yard. We had good
lunch of salmon but couldn't eat for
L wasn't hungry. wanted to write
sooner but l was too nervous but /
began this right after lunch and have
been writing at odd times ever since.
We have been down to Paly this
afternoon and every thing there is in
ruins. The entrance to the University
is entirely destroyed. Looks like
heap of chalk. DR.. Jordan saws that
school will begin again Monday but 1
doubt if we can. AS soon as school
lets out you can just see me make
hike for home. hope they decide
to let out school for the rest of the
semester, then would go home soon,
if l had money, but if worst comes
to worst think can borrow of Sophia
for she she has about 5000. in the
bank.
We are going to sleep out of doors
tonight, won't that be picnic? 1t
seems awfully funny to see everybody
sitting out on their lawns waiting for
another shock. don't think there
will be another shock like the big one
SO don't worry. Don't worry anyway
for nobody much is hurt here. There