Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-04-25
HERO|SM Of THE
MUSSER FAMILY.
Full Narrative OF the Inferno
Through Which They
Rushed.
~----------------
BRAVE WIFE, COOL HUSBAND.
BRAVE WIFE, COOL HUSBAND.
Story Of Their Rude Awakening
And Fight Against the Dangers
OF Quake and Fire.
The Awful March 10 the Ferry and the
Care Bestowed Upon the Injured
And Helpless.
Special Correspondence.

san FRANCISCO, April E3'-InfOuRnout
the awful week IN San francisco. with
al Its attendant horrors, the one bright
ray has been the courage and almost
superhuman endurance of the women.
For the women. men did noble deeds,
but 1t was the fortltude Of their moth
ers, wives and sisters that spurred
them on to do acts that viii never be
recorded for the simple reason that
out Of thousands Of instances of brave
~ IN the horror Of the situation but
few were noticed.
Side by side with the sternness Of
the firm hand OF martial law stands out
the self-sacrnce Of the women Of eve
~ nationality. In this respect Utah
can hold her own with any.
MORE OF MRS. MUssER.
Last Wednesday morning Farley
Musser, wife and little one, were at el5
Mnna street, San Francisco. Today
they are speeding back 10 their home
city, Salt Lake, as fast as steam can
take them. The full story OF that
already told In a meager dispatch to
the News" as related by Mr.. Musser,
IL one that should stir the heart OF
make him feel proud that he IL
Utahn and can call Mrs. Musser
sister"
CAME FROM SALT LAKE.
The Musser family came to San
Francisco q couple of years ago. Mr.
Musser, who Is n son OF Hon. a. Milton
Musser of Salt Lake, had an ambition
10 study medicine and surgery with tho
t,, x4fatt ~ etuh lcbi n
tise IN Salt Lake ultimately. He moved
10 San Francisco and there rented
large apartment house that was made
the headquarters for number OF Utah
people who visited the Golden Gate
While he studied medicine at the coll
lege here and rose to the head OF his
class, Mrs. Musser stayed home Things
prospered with the family until last
Wednesday.
AWAKENED BY SHOCK.
At Sis on that fateful morning they
were awakened by the earthquake
shock, and the next instant tho sleep
ing fats were the scene of the widest
confusion and panic. While men and
women were racing through the build
ing In their night clothes In order to
reach the street, the Musser family
dressed, or at least donned such at
tire as would make them presentable.
Then and only then did they think OF
leaving that four-story building. con-
tanning 200 rooms, Take the baby"
said Mrs. Musser TO her husband, "and
wait for me outside am coming" An
other shock fastened the steps OF the
family to the exit. Mr., Musser ran
into the middle OF the street with the
child, and then turned 10 find himself
alone, as far as his wife was con-
csrned.
DETECTED THE GAS.
Since the first shock rocked the build
Ing Mrs. Musser had been thinking that
should another occur the gas pipes
would be strained and broken, In fact
already she detected the smell OF gas
escaping Acting on the Impulse she
retraced her steps and calmly searched
for a. monkey wrench. Then without a
light she descended TO the dark base
ment and cody turned on the gas at no
less than 80 meters connecting with the
80 different suites OF rooms in the
building. While thus engaged three
shocks occurred which threatened TO
bring the swaylng building upon her
brave little head In the meantime Mr..
Musser was standing IN the middle OF
the street waiting for what seemed the
Inevitable and frantically calling for
his wife.
I
the throng of excited sem-nude peo-
pie trembling on the street.
But everybody on that street did not
tarry 10 shut of the gas at the meter,
The sequel was that I'm brief space m
time smoke was observed to be lSsu-
ing from several fats IN the vicinity.
In the distance down town could be
heard the clang Of the Are gongs rs
the various departments raced In re-
Spouse 10 a general alarm sent In from
the business district,
COME QUICK" SHE SAID.
Come quick" exclaimed Mrs. Mus
ser, ''let us save our things They
rushed back TO the apartments and
while the flames came nearer they pick
cd out the most valuable OF their ef-
fects. Mr.. Musser had been saving for
years TO collect a valuable medical H.
brary. and he was 10th TO leave II "a
the flames. lie selected the best DO )ks
while his wife picked out the most USE
ful articles Of apparel, dlscardlng any
thing that was not valuable, and never
for moment overlooking the fact that
baby sat growing on the floor ana
would need some things more than pos
sibly they would.
sONGsTERS ALSO SAVED.
Much precious time was spent and
the net result was "A trunk packed 20
the limit and Weighing $50 pounds. and
n bundle OF books wrapped In blankets
which was nearly az heavy As they
were leaving the suite the two pet ca
narles tvittered. "Oh. | cannot let my
birds PERISH she exclaimed so ac-
cordingy the songsterS were added tc
the precious salvage
AN HOUR OF EXCITEMENT.
Outside the street was practically
deserted, for The panic-strtcken people
had fed before the rapidly advancing
flames to higher ground. Then followed
an hour OF hearthreaklng work and eX.
element tho flames leapng alonl
the rows of lumber apartment house,
like forest fire threatened to Overtake
the refugees IN short time, Amid
the drifting smoke Mr.. Musser pulled
that trunk along the streets until III,
casters were worn off and the bottom
began 10 break out But for the book,
he could have made better progres,
without having 10 leave part OF his
burden and return for IL az intervals
Al last an open space was reached Not
mucn of space. but II was on soft
ground, and tin bucket lay In plair
view. Sezing the bucket Mr. Musse,
dug with frenzy and threw up the sand
and dirt a quart al a time. BY IN,
time he had dug a hole deep enough fol
the books and had covered them oyel