Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-04-26
Was Destroyed simultaneously
With San Francisco I9 Dead,
Hundreds Injured.
5000 ARE HOMELESS.
Whole City in a Panic Rushed to the
Strects-Building After Building
Came Tumbling Down, Crushing
People Under Them-Business
Places Completely Ruined in Ca
tastrophe-NIartial Law Declared.

san JOSE. Cal. April 26.-Simul-
taneously with San Francisco at 5:12
on Wednesday morning the city of San
Jose was practically destroyed in the
business center, and more than one
half Of the homes i'll the residence sec
ton We're so damaged or destroyed
that repairing will be beyond question.
The property loss is more than
SS000,UUO, but the horror Of it all is
thar nineteen persons were killed and
more than 300 injured. Five thousand
persons We're rendered homeless and
destitute. and many rich and pros
porous mercantile firms We're reduced
to beggary. The destruction came
without warning or premonition.
Suddenly, there was roaring in the
air that came from nowhere i'll par
ticular and seemed to ill all space.
A second afterward came a rocking of
the earth that sent buildings swayng
and crashing to the ground as if they
were children's houses of sand and an
instant later this was followed by a
shock, more severe than the first.
which practically completed the de-
struction begun by the first shock.
People rudely hurled from their beds
ran into the streets in their night
clothes. Men, women and children
huddled on the streets in a rain of
brick and stone. Building after build
ing came crashing TO the ground under
the successive tremors of the earth
until three-fourths of the business
blocks in the heart Of the city We're
down or SO badly wrenched that they
have since had to be torn down. Fire
added its hotror to the calamity and
swept the Martin, Liberty, Black and
Guppy buildings, four Of the finest
business offices in San Jose.
Every street in the city was by this
time filled with screaming crying peo-
pie, who dashed from swaying and
broken dwellings, rooming houses and
hotels to escape the almost certain
death of remaining. Even the worst
earthquake shock has its end, and in
few moments those who We're calm
enough TO think realized that the shock
was over and they were safe for the
time being at least.
Collecting their senses and mastering
their courage. as many as could do so
returned to their homes and clothed
themselves and again sought the
streets to try to estimate the disaster
that had befallen the city.
Martial law was declared. Directly
all of the saloons were closed, and 200
special policemen and deputy sheriffs
were sworn in to assist the regular
police and military in preserving law
and order.
In the business part of the town the
worst destruction was wrought. Even
before one reached the main streets of
the city the extent of the calamity be-
gan to be realized. The handsome and
massive brick building of the Roman
Catholic Church of st. Patrick, costing
more than S150.000. situated at Santa
Clara and Ninth streets, was a ruin.
The Martin. Liberty and Louise build
ings were wrecked by the shock, and
then the ruins were burned by fire
starting from lights burning therein.
In the wreck of the Hotel Costa, in
Market street, five dead bodies We're
found and seven guests We're taken out
seriously hurt.
Two thousand dollars damage was
sustained from the earthquake at the
Soldiers home at Yountville. Cal.