The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1906-06-07
Stricken San Francisco.
Lieutenant John S. E. Young Visits
Golden Gate City and Writes Of
Ruin Wrought by Earthquake
and Fire.--Beyond Power of
Pen to Describe.
Jefferson Barracks, Mo-,
Nav oath, 1906.

May Oath, 1906
EDIsOR GOLD LEAF: You have, no
doubt, heard and seen many reports
OF the San Francisco disas ter, all to
the effect that it was awful and q
catastrophe that is unsurpassed by
any other sudden, violent change of
recent years. There is no paper re-
port, nor one rendered from mouth
to ear that can fully and graphically
describe the horrors of this great ca
lamity. There is only one way of
realizing what has happened to San
Francisco, and that is by seeing it in
all of it's nakedness, buildings razed
to the ground, in it's dependency, ,and
just released from the twisting, with
ing grasp OF some unknown power
that terrOrizes human beings to the
extent of rendering them absolutely
helpless and freezes the marrow in
ones bones.
On the 18th of April last, orders
were received at this depot to send to
the Presidio of Monterey, California,
a number of recruits, aggregating
u, to the goth Infantry and Troop
F., 14tn Cavalry, stationed thereat,
and recently from the Philippines for
q soiourn of few yeras in their ma
tive country, and as they thought,
away from all unseen, seismic forces;
but hardly had they arrived at this
new station ere this dreadful shaking
up took place, causing so much dam
age, not only to San Francisco but
to many other sections of California
The railroads in the Southern part
OF the State were put in unservicea-
bic condition by having a number of
bridges and tretsles thrown from their
piers and in some places the rotary
motion had its effect upon the track
and steel.
After this detachment of recruits
had been gotten ready to leave JET
ferson Barracks, and on the 18th of
April. the day of the earthquake, we
again received instructions to sus-
pend the Monterey movement until
further orders Soon after this it
was very evident why such orders
had been sent as many of the FEEDER
al troops from California and adjoin-
ing States had been ordered to San
Francisco to assist in fighting the
raging fire and to protect the people
and their premises.
Finally telegraphic orders came di-
rectlng that the movement OF April
10th be executed to take effect May
18th, 1906. This was very good
news for me as it fell to my duty to
take charge of the movement, and it
afforded me the opportunity of see.
ing the stricken city.
Our trip as far as Sacramento was
uneventful; it was very pleasant,
however, owing to splendid connec,
tions and a most delightful route oil
travel-the Chicago & Alton from ST.
Louis to Kansas City, the Union Pa.
cific and Central Pacific from Kansas
City to Monterey. This route is
most urgently recommended to those
who wish to cross the continent COM
fortahly, avoiding dirt, dust and ex.
cessively warm weather. There is
especially beautiful scenery along the
entire route, as we'll as most wonder.
full pieces of railroad engineering
through the Rockies, winding around
them, tunneling through them and
finally emerging from forty miles O
snOwsheds into the beautiful sun
shine and balmy climate of the city
of Sacramento. Having two hours
stop over, | unloaded my two car
loads OF soldiers and marched over q
portion OF the city, giving us good
exercise-the first that we had taker
since leaving st. Louis four days be
fore, owing to the fact that our con
nections were made so rapidly that
no time was afforded for taking thu
troops off.
From Sacramento we went to Niles
Cal, and thence to San Jose, one o
the most beautiful towns in the Santa
Clara Valley, and in passing through
this valley you see truly a garder
spot on earth. l have, until taking
this trip through Southern Califor
MIA, contended that there was NJ
scenery more beautiful than tha
around Eastern Tennessee and West
ern North Carolina, but now / an
compelled to yield to the superiorit,
of that section of California.
San Jose was very badly damaged
by the earthquake; a number OF th
buildings were thrown down, the tol
| floors of these crushing through an(
telescoping those underneath. Th
city hall was shaken down and tn
steel frame supporting the dom
twisted as though caught in a whir
wind. There was no fire damage il
this town. The loss of life was con
siderable.
On the morning of May 10th, 1906
arrived in San Francisco from Mon
terey. leaving the Southern Pacifi
train at Valencia street and taking
car which carried me to the E'err,
building. | was tcld that no car
were running from what is known a
the Third and Townsend depot AM
that if | did not leave the train a
Valencia would have to walk quit
a number Of blocks to the Ferry as NJ
cars were running from that point t.
the waterfront.
Having been in San Francisco sew
eral times felt that there would b
no trouble in getting about from
place to place and finding localitie
formerly familiar to me, but on m
arrival this time l could not orien
myself, everything was so radicall
changed, until some kind, young lad
gave me the points of the compass
She told me that misfortune had bee
her lot; that all that her family pos
sessed-and believe from her dress
carriage and breeding she was at on
time wealthy-was swept away by th
unabating storm OF fire and destrut
tion. She is only one of many thou
sands who were reduced from a CON
Portable livelihood to penury.