The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-05-01
Mrs. rhomas Heard From.

Mrs. Thomas Heard From.
, Much anxiety was felt in Mount Hol
since the San Francisco earthquake Fl
O Mrs. A. L. Thomas, formerly of Gral
: street, who recently removed to the ives
ern city. On Thursday last the daught'
of Mrs. Thomas. who resides in Camdel
: received the following letter:
- Preside, San Francisco, CAL,
April 90, 1901
g My dear daughter
That l am alive and we'll is owing to m
. health and strength. If had been wea
| should have dropped by the waysid,
a The weak have died by hundreds and pei
haps thousands think that God wante
to blot out this wicked city and the
changed His mind. There was very littl
damage DONE by the earthquake, With
five blocks of where l was stopping, 81
Vannest street. 1t was the fire knocke
us out When the fire started l was mile
away but the wind was toward us and di
not change all day. The lady that wa
stopping with said it would not reach us
| told her it would and packed my things
Well, to go back to the earthquake. /
was half past five. / was up at four blu
went back to bed and to sleep. There wa
! no sign of it then. | was awakened b,
the most terrible shaking and roaring
knew what it was; attempted to get III
and was thrown back on the bed trie(
again and fell back again. Then / KEEP
as still as could. / never heard such
noise in my life, the windows ratified anC
dishes fell. Nothing upset In my room
but the pitcher of water. / set the pitche
on top of my trunk; it was upset but die
not fall off.
had some flowers in a jar on the blu
reau and that never upset. l left then
there just as cute and pretty as when
bought them. then began to dress anC
put on my skirt and dressing sack anC
slippers and went down stairs l had moi
heard a sound; when l got down every
body was in the street in their nightgowns
They all began to say did you take time
to dress or did you sleep in your clothes 2
| told them that l got dressed and told
them to go in the house and get dressed
and they did. l then went in and dressed
myself right and went out and sat on the
steps.
Then Harvey came all covered with
blood. A brick had struck him on the
head but not very badly. That was aftel
he left the Presidio. Their quarters are
condemned and they are all living out
doors cooking, eating and sleeping. ]
slept in Harvey's tent on the ground last
night and was glad to get there. Harvey
had to go back and report for duty. ]
told him to 60 and come back later ON il
he could and if he could not, could look
out for myself. Then l went and packed
my trunk. / had to run out of the house
three or four times before got it packed;
the shocks kept on coming all day and
night. | kept watching the fire. it did
not look as if it would reach US before
night. Then locked my room door and
started on tour of Investigation. I went
down to Clara's and they were all out in
the street. Their house was much shaken
and their things broken to pieces. Clara,
Mrs. Tygert, her sister and Mrs. Boggs
and friend of sisters were there. There
was no sign of fire then. but they are all
burned out do not know where they
are now. don't believe they saved any
thing, for If they could get things out, they
were burned afterwards.
l saw the fire was getting nearer and l
brought my goods down. Then someone
said the gas was turned off and the city
would be in darkness, then started to
hunt some candles. / could get but
one. We did not need any, 1t was light
enough to read all night by the light of
the burning city. Then l tried to get
someone to get my trunk. / made up my
mind that Harvey could not come back.
just as was getting desperate he came
and got it down. The streets were packed
with furniture, beds and everything. We
found bag in the street and made a rope
out of it. tied it to my trunk and he pulled
and pushed and we got it to Jefferson
Park, about four blocks away. 1t was
then late in the afternoon and my party
said we would camp there for the night, if
the fire did not drive us out. Then Har-
vey had to go back and report for duty.
His company was detailed to help guard
the city. He brought me two blankets, a
rubber one and a woollen one. A lady let
me have rocking chair and / sat there all
night 1t was very cold and my feet were
like ice; we we're guarded by soldiers.
was not afraid of anything but the fire.
slept and dozed quite little, however,
and two more of the soldiers came In dur
ing the night and told me what was going
on and have not seen Harvey since. He
had to stay with his company.
Morning came at last You could not
get anything to eat, but / had a loaf of
bread and some;butter and the lady next
to me gave me some coffee and a cup of
milk and l did very well. Then / tried to
get someone to take my trunk to the Pre-
sidio. They wanted $1,000. One of the
soldiers told me to look out for the wagon
from the Preside and it would not cost
me anything, but it was getting late and
the fire was coming toward the park, 80
made one more try with man who had
a small wagon. He did not want to go at
all but begged him SO hard he said he
| xun1xld fol for Ok I he
with my trunk and we started; the fire
was SO near that it burned our faces. l
was afraid the horse would drop out when
he had to climb those hills. The fire
seemed to pursue US on the way. There
are thousands of people camped right out
on the grass, their beds and furniture with
them. Lots Of people are being fed from
the Preside. The soldiers are having q
hard time. l don't see what they will do
for rest, they have no beds. We people
have them.
Harvey has been on guard two days and
nights and they have to take what they
can get in the city. The water is very
scarce. They have to cook ON the side
walks, no fires being allowed in the houses
The people were frying and stewing meat
all along the sidewalks as we came out
The lady that l was with did not have
anything She had beautiful furniture
She had it insured, but not for much. l
feel very thankful to be here. can stay
until l am ready to go. The sergeant
fixed my tent very comfortably. He gave
me three blankets and / have my big
shawl. always fix myself 40 that / can
move quickly, as we did not know what
minute the fire would reach the Presidio
1t was very near once and is burning
| fiarcalv vet heading this Wav
have been reading about earthquakes
ever since could read, but never saw
one before or the effects of one, and
hope / never will again. did not see the
worst in the southern part of the city,
where the houses collapsed and the streets
sunk and there was nothing but great
yawning trenches. Knob Hill, where all
the millionaires live, is laid low by the
fire. The earthquake did not touch it. If
had stayed another week in Almerno ]
would have been out of it, but then
would have felt worse than do now, for
l could not have heard word about Har-
vey, so am glad am over here In spite
of my troubles. They are bringing the
sick and dead out here. The place is filled
and they are burying the dead here as
fast as they find them, but most of them
are burned up. the best thing, suppose,
for no one would have time to bury them
all. We do not know and never will know
how many are dead.
Harvey has just come In. He is all
right, except the bump on his head. He
had to go to the hospital and have ii
dressed. He had five hours off and then
had to 60 back again. l am sleeping in
the little chapel now. Harvey brought
his cot and tent, and there are lots of Ia
dies putting up here in the little chapel.
They are very nice. Some Of them were
quite rich, but have lost their homes and
| everything thew had. Some have money