The Newtown bee., 1906-06-01

til after it was all over. The first
thing 1 thought Of was "I'm sorry for
the people near Vesuvius," but about
i've minutes after the shock found
myself trembling like leaf, and felt
as though was freezing. You cannot
imagine how terribly everything shook.
always thought that an earthquake
was rolling motion of the ground, but
that one felt as though you rode a BIZ
cycle down long flight of stairs. The
sensation is terrible, a person feels SO
helpless; in fact you are nearly help
less, as the only thing you can do is to
run to the nearest open place.
At one place 1t moved the streets
from 10 to Is feet to one side. Three
blocks below us it moved. the whole
street and left cracks three or four feet
WIDE At Van Ness avenue, about
seven blocks from here, it bulged the
macadam into ridges two feet high.
On Valencia street for block, where
the ground was ''made," it dropped
about seven feet, and a hotel in that
block sunk two stories out of sight,
and as the large water mains broke
about so people were killed.
AS soon as l could dress l started
down town to see what damage was
done. Some buildings were shaken
down and all were damaged to agreat-
er or less extent. The dome of the city
hall was nearly shaken down, but
number of the large buildings were not
damaged at all by the quake, but the
fire burned them all. The most modern
structures are still standing, although
they are burned inside.
For three days everyone was pack.
ing, where they had time before the
a. nh
was hauling all they could pull out to
the parks and sands. Everything that
had wheels was used to carry away the
most valuable belongings. Some had
two bicycles with wooden frame be-
tween them carrying bedsteads, Morris
chairs, baby carriages, trunks, etc.
There were people with sheets contain
ing their belongings. 1t was sad
sight.
1 was driving the auto all day and
most Of the night, carrying Red Cross
nurses, army officers, fire hose, water
in boilers and about everything.
The night that the fire came to Van
Ness avenue we worked all night, car
the dynamiters. Van Ness avenue is
125 feet wide, and they blew up whole
block wide, the length of the street.
and thus saved the residential part of
the city. Van Ness was the best of
the residential streets in the city and
it looked awful to see those palaces
blown up.
carried the dynamite into the most
beautiful house on the street. We put
it in two cases. Most everyone was
hurrying out of town, but Mr. Magee
had all three of his machines working
One of them was running on a rim
without any tire, but he did not care.
do not care to boast, but with those
three machines and a small squad
about eight of soldiers, we saved this
end of the town. When we saw that
the flames would not cross the avenue
we went home at a. m. At one place
it crossed and it took some fast dyna-
hitting to stop it. You see, the main
trouble was no water, as the earthquake
had broken the mains. While the fire
was burning SO tiercely, the city was
light night and day. The smoke hung
over the city in one vast cloud and the
reflection of the fire on this smoke
made most terrible sight.
They are now blowing down the
dangerous walls that were left stand
ing. A peculiar incident happened to
me. A fellow came and got me to fix
his carburetOr for him, as he could not
make it work. 1t was LocomObile
After l had fixed it, [ looked over the
levers to see bow it worked and took 1t
out to see if could run it. had only
gone few steps when three soldiers
stopped me and told me to take the
machine to headquarters, which was
only block away, to drive a captain
to the Preside. They were ordered to
seize the first auto and / happened to
be the first. l told the captain I had
never run a LOcomobile before and that
be was risking his life. He thought l
was lying, and so he pulled his ''six
shooter" on me, and told me to run the
car and to run it easy, too. knew be
meant it, so thought had better do
the best l could. He said he would
shoot me if l did not 60 easy. l drove
him for four hours. Mr. Magee was
mad and he got me pass signed by
the governor Of the state, the mayor of
the city and the commander of this
division of the army. 1t says: "Do not
detain bearer for any cause whatever.
These ARE the highest passes issued
and only about half dozen we're given
out.
1 heard Mr. Magee tell man that he
had lost about every source of income.
Do not worry about me, as the fire is
out and l will keep out of all danger
Write soon. Love to all from
Percy J. Holmes.