Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-05-03
A. e. Ritchey Writes Interesting
Letter to Mother, Mrs. z.
Flynn, of This City.
HIS HOME is AT PALO ALTO
Went Into Stricken City on Foot Morn
ing After Quake and Tells
What He Saw.

builder at Palo Alto, Cal, and who,
with his family, went safely through
he earthquake. He describes his SEN
sations most wildly and declares he
received a better shaking than his
mother ever gave him.
After telling of the general destruc-
ton, he adds: But here is the cOun-
try, and right here l stay to help build
it up for another earthquake" That
seems to be the prevailing spirit on
he coast.
In the morning after the earthquake
Mr.. Ritchey, having seen that his fam
lily was safe. set out for San Fran
cisco. The things he saw along the
way and after arriving are graphically
told They were sights that made 4
vivid impression. Going part way by
rail, his train came to a point where
the track was unsafe. and he set out
TO walk the several intervening miles.
He saw places where the earth had
apparently been brought up from a
great depth and others where the sur
face had sunk many feet.
Met Refugees.
Some distance outside of the city he
met the vanguard of the thousands OF
refugees, people in all sorts of con-
veyances driving like mad to get away
from the city. Later, he met people
on foot carrying their belongings. EE
eryone spoken to wanted to stop and
relate his personal experiences. All
$ in oil Wig of n
lions were to be seen going nowhere
IN particular, with the single idea of
getting away from San Francisco. One
old woman was trudging along with
a savings bank under one arm and a
picture of some ancestor under the
other, the tears running down her
cheeks.
AT a cemetery on the outskirts of
the city the tombs were in ruins and
some of the vaults were open and the
collins exposed
In the city Mr. Ritchey as a specta-
tor had opportunity to observe much
that the ordinary refugee could not
or would not have the inclination to
notice. He noted the ruins of the
buildings, saw the dead hauled away,
the battle against the flames
and mingled with the crowds that fill
ed every street moving on and on to
places of safety Late in the after
noon he returned home, having mad an
that will stand out in bold
relief among the events of his life.
Hears From GowIings.
In a letter received this morning by
Lawrence Gowling, 100 First avenue,
from E. E. Peck, the California manag-
er of the Des Moines Insurance COM
pany, is given the first complete state
ment of the experiences of Mr.. and
Mrs GOwling in the earthquake disas-
ter which resulted in severe injuries
TO each. Mr.. Peck's letter is dated
from Palo Alto, Cal, April 2S. 1t is
Of such a personal nature that only
the general facts given in it are
published.
a wall of the building adjoining fell
IN the house in which Mr. and Mrs.
Iowling were staying when the earth
quake occurred. The collapse of the
wall nearly killed both. as they were
unconscious, and Mr.. Gowling
buried under several feet of wreck
ige. They were removed from the
and were taken to the emer
,ncy hospital, but on account of the
fire, had to be moved
w &C. the second time Mrs. Gowlin2
becoming separated from her husband.
b.. recn aIuer much search. finally 10
Gated both, and had Mrs. Gowling re-
moved to the Moreton sanitarium, IT'S
Cole street, San Francisco, where they
ire now confined. They will be re-
moved to Palo Alto as soon as possible.
md when they recover sufficiently, will
'eturn home.
Mr.. Gowling was injured about the
pack and head, and sustained severe
bruises, but is able to be up and walk
about.
Mrs. Gowling's injuries were more
serious, and as a result of injuries TO
me foot, it was necessary to amputate
several toes. She was also injured
about the shoulder, one of the bones
,eing slightly fractured. Both are re
covering nicely.
They lost all of their clothing and
PERSONAL effects, except about $3.50 in
ash and drafts that Mrs. Gowling had
led in a sack about her neck.
Papers Do Big Work.
Copies of Oakland and San Francisco
published since the earth
quake and fire, which have come to
The Argus, are entirely devoted to the |
catastrophe and its results. vast |
mount of matter is printed. The press |
S doing it's full share in recording all |
valuable details of the greatest ais |
ster in American history and in help |
ng the community to recover from its |
fleets. One of the features that aids |
n realizing the great confusion that |
las prevailed is the news wants." of |
which pages are printed daily. These |
onsist of names and addresses of |
hose lost or those who have survived |
nd directions for the reuniting of rel |
tives, friends or business associates. |