The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-05-25
REPORTS WERE
EXAGGERATED
santa Cruz Not Damaged by
The Earthquake.

~
Dear Sir.-As many OF our Dak-
ota friends have been anxious to
hear that their friends in Santa Cruz
were we'll and not killed by the
earthquake, I take this occasion,
after the excitement has quieted down,
to say that the people here feel that
the minneapolis Tribune, harpers'
Weekly and many other Eastern
papers have done this place great
injury by, their untrue and false
statements.
In the first place. Santa Cruz and
vicinity feel exceedingly fortunate,
having no reason for complaint and
make no complaint SO far as dam
age is concerned. There was no
loss of life, and no one injured
True, that on the morning OF the 18TH
we were all more or less aroused by
the shaking of the houses, which
alarmed great many of the citizens.
In our own home the fall of one
chimney which had been up a num-
Der of years, the spilling OF milk
in the cupboard and general
scare would be the total inventory
of our loss.
While this part of Mission Hill
and some other parts of the city
received no damage whatever, the
main street suffered to some extent,
but more largely from thin walls
poor workmanship. In fact,
had we EXPERIENCED the wind we
| had in Milbank in August, 100, or
some of our March winds, the
damage in Santa Cruz would have
i been ten times as much, for, as the
climate here requires very little strong
material and few thicknesses, the
houses in many cases are put up
very poorly, without a good found
alton, SO that their resistance OF
course, is light.
/ Already many investors are ap-
pearing from other cities to make
this their home, and quite large
number of transfers have been made
| since the earthquake. AS this place
has been SO fortunate, and is such
a desirable place to live, it is gen.
/ orally conceded that a great num-
Der from San Francisco and other
places will make this their future
home.
! | do not wish to convey in this
! letter a false idea as to the horrors
| and effects of the earthquake in
/ San Francisco, San Jose. Santa Rosa
and Salinas, as these places as we
know were severely handled. Yet.
in the various reports that have
been sent out, the newspapers seem
| to delight In making them even be-
/ yond the horrors and mlsfortunes
that actually exist. | will refer to
one Instance as an example.
For instance. the Cliff House was
reported stumbled off into the sea-,
the st. Francis Hotel COLLAPSED"
and the Fairmount Hotel was also
ssdestroyed" while other hotels were
completely sswallowed up', while the
facts are that the Cliff House re-
mains just the same, the ST. Francis
received very little injury and will
open business June 1st, the Fairmount
Hotel is very slightly injured. And
even the Call building is to be
repaired and is not going down.
This could be multiplied by hun
dreds of other instances where false
reports haye gone out.
| Now, people re looking on the
other side as to the future OF San
Francisco and vicinity, and by the
best knowledge that is obtainable,
San Francisco and vicinity within
hundred miles will be the great
est center of activity and improve
ment of any spot on the American
continent. There is something like
a hundred and fifty or two hundred
million dollars in surance coming from
the Old World, the East and other
sections, and with the building of
the big double track Ocean Shore
railroad from Santa Cruz to San
Francisco. with the completing OF the
| Western Pacific and the rebuilding
/ IN
Rosa and other places, this means the
employment of hundreds of thOus ands
of men at big wages, carpenters four
! many thousands of workmen from
other sections will naturally
come here. With the enormous
amount of money that will be paid
out monthly and be put in circula-
ton In this immediate vicinity, we
can have but one hopeful opinion
for the future.
California was in the best condition
to receive such blow. rs it Is in a
high state of prosperity, and the crops
have been large in the last few years.
and with the most excellent prospects
for the present crop. every one seems
!, to feel hopeful
Realities in Santa Cruz and vicinity
! have received no set back and tran
sactions are being made and increas-
ing in number every day. The peo-
| pie here do not look on the blue side
Of the situation whatever, as they are
/ not the kind of people to get scared
over little shaking up early in the
| morning.
j. C. WOOD.