Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-05-12
THE LION AND THE MOUSE COS
ESCAPE FROM SAN FRANCISCO.


held them IN check We turner
down side street to get out
of the way OF the fallen build
ing and after what seemed an eternity
we got To Third and Townsend street
| saw there was not much nope mere
The agent was appealing 10 his men
tu stand by him u get the books ana
records OUT OF the office. In answer
to my question ns 90 how ] could get
away, he said, ~ would do anything
could for you, Mr. stern, but these are
the circumstances: There IL just one
engine here and there is no water OBJ
tainable to get up steam with. The
tracks are twisted and | don't know
how far wo could run II we had an
engine, Your only hope is to get to
the ferry"
II went back to the wagon and told
the driver we must get back 10 tne
ferry somehow. az that was our only
hope TO get to Oakland, but before we
started I thought best to go on FOOT
myself and see what the chances We're
Of embarkng 1t is about IA mile from
Third and Townsend street To the
ferry but By hiring wagon from an
Italian grocer who was locking up MS
place ready to give Il up to the flames,
I
pie were there, Clamuring. praying,
shouting, begging TO be allowed to get
on the boat There was only one rum
ming, and that took about an hour and
a half to make the round trip. ] saw
the only chance was to get my people
aboard from the baggage room, so
went back. got them together and by
driving at n creeping pace In ziy-Zag
fashion going by circuitous routes TO
avoid the flames. we arrived at last III
the baggage rooms. our faces blister
ed with the heat and smoke. Forum
ately | knew tho baggage men. IL
was now about noon and We were al
most faint especially the ladies' All
the men could offer us was a gulp OF
straight whisky, and | assure you II
braced us up admirably As the boat
camo IN we all got aboard her first,
and we gathered together IN corner
by ourselves TO Withstand the crush
that was bound TO follow as soon as
the gates were opened to the throng,
Never In my life did | see anything
like that rush. Men, women and chill
dren poured aboard In an instant, and
the boat was alive with humanity from
the top deck down into the hold. When
the order was given 10 swing off, and
the gates were closed the scene behind
was one that | shall never forget II
live 1000 years, Men and women
were on their knees praying shouting
and screaming On the boat II was
not much better. Everywhere people
were praying eor their loved ones, or
kneeing down and thanking Jesus for
their own salvation. | pray that l may
never see such "a sight again.
oil 10 LII al
and | conferred with the Southern
Pacific agent about what we ought
to do. | inquired about San Jose.
where we were to play next, but was
told that that town was in ruins. No
matter, ] said, we might az well go
there as anywhere. so we got aboard
q train crowded with refugees and at
length reached San Jose. We took
wagon and went to the theater which
was IN ruins and we found the mana
ger In his back lot oyor little IRE
trying 10 cook meal, We asked him
where we could get something to eat,
md he kindly offered To share with lis
what he had. There was no such
thing as getting food or lodging IN that
town, and we spent the night of that
dreadful day sleeping IN his lot In San
Jose. Next day, Thursday, the 18th,
Ne got TO Niles, and there we saw the
relief trains from Los Angeles coming
NJ, which was the first time we had
any idea that that city was safe. For
We picked up our two missing
members MIR. Parsons and Miss Dix,
" no had had some dreadful expert
ahces Of their own. and we arrived at
Los Angeles intact iillng our time
here in accordance with our original
booking, and giving a benefit for the
san Francisco sufferers.
III was days before we could get any
word 10 our friends IN the east.
Or before they could get word
TO Us. When the kilograms Anal
~ commenced to reach us, It was
pathetic TO read the belated mes
sages. But thank God, we are out of
IT, safe. ana without a scratch. We
were singularly fortunate, too, In the
matter Of cur baggage, for the rail-
ROAD company ran our car out OF San
Francisco. and we were able to get
all our trunks in time for our Los An.
geles opening
Summing up. Mr.. Stern said that no
matter what people might say OF the
earthquake. he believed Il was con-
servative 10 estimate that nine out of
every ten I'm San Francisco, sincerely
thought for the first few minutes on
Wednesday morning, April rs, that the
end of the world had actually arrived.
Mr.. Stern naturally felt on arriving
In Salt Lake like he had reached Il sort
Of Mecca, an onsis I'm the desert. He
has enjoyed himself greatly during his
stay this week, and has taken time 10
catch ny with his accumulated cor
respondence, Among other letters he
"a al. f,Il.
Ing from Mr. Foy of tho Southern Pa
cliic force IN san Francisco, and nat
urally, he feels a managerial pride in
lts contents
San Francisco May :, 1906
Mr.. Ben stern, Manager. Lion and the
Mouse" Co., Salt Lake city, Utah:
Ny Dear Mr. Stern--Now that have
a minutes breathing spell, | want to
drop you a line expressing my con-
on the splendid record you
have made IN holding your company
together and completing your Pacific
coast tour after the san Francisco
and fire. AZ | understand
Il you lost only the two nights at San
Jose, and as the Victory theater in
that city was fiat on the ground, YOU
could not very wei have done otherr
wise.
No one except Is people who are
out here IN the west can realize the
business tact determination, ability
and untlrlng energy necessary to ac-
what you have done under
conditions that have seemed to pre-
sent obstacles absolutely unsurmount-
able.
Just OF hand ! must confess | am
it loss how 20 adequately express
The appreciation which YOU have
nnrned. ] can only repeat that | con-