The Washington times., 1906-05-02
A WOAAN'S STORY
OF EARTHQUAKE
Got Her Baby Charges Safe
ly Through Raging Fires.
RECROSSED BAY For FATHER
Miss Powers, in Letter to Sister, De-
scribes Terrible Scenes at
Frisco.

The family of c. E Grunsky. former
ly OF San Francisco, but now OF Wash
ington, is in daily receipt of letters
from relatives in the stricken city. Miss
Jennie Powers. a sister of Mrs. Grunsky,
has written a letter containing many
interesting things In one letter Miss
Powers says:
AT last all reforrners should be re-
joiced. San Francisco is cleaned out.
Chinatown is as clean as fire can make
it. We have had a shaking up in the
truest sense of the word l believe that
to General Funston belongs the credit
for the admirable way in which this
catastrophe has been overcome.
"Wednesday l was awakened about
Sis by the earthquake. AS II increased
and could see the walls move and hear
the breaking of glass the thought came
to me that the roof would fall in and
the wisest thing 10 do would be 10 get
the babies to the street. Frank and
Jane are both out OF town and 1 am in
charge OF the house and children as well
as father who. of course, in a way,
shares the cares with me.
4 rushed into fathers room and
asked what it would be best TO do. Be
fore we had decided there was a les
sering in the quake and then complete
cessation.
Il think you will realize the sense
OF the responsibility / was carrying with
the two babies in the house. Upon go
Ing into the nursery Katie, the nurse
girl, was just getting up from her knees
after saving a prayer. She was not
at all excited. We had our regular
breakfast. but not until after breakfast
cid L realize that San Francisco was
afire. The sun had become obscured
by smoke which 1 had mistaken for
clouds. Father expressed a desire to
get a rig and take a drive in order to
sec what was going on and I covered
an area of more than two miles trying
TO hire one for him, hut everywhere
was refused.
When L reached Washington and
Van Ness streets and turned toward
Polk passed Judge Netherlands house
which has since been burned. Jennie
was on the front steps. the picture OF
woe. The interior of their house was a
complete wreck Only a few things in
the dining room had been saved. She
counseled me to lay in a supply Of pro-
visions. 1 then learned some of the
many rumors afioat. The Palace Hotel
was then being gutted by flames and
no water was to be had.
Il began TO fear for the babies and
decided that 1 must get them to Mon
terey to their mother. l learned that
no ferries were running ana that no
trains were going out as the upheavaiS
had been so great that the tracks lead
ing from the CITY had been crippled.
/ returned home and we had a good hot
lunch. About 4:30 the cook was getting
dinner when police officer came in and
informed US thu nc fires would be al
lowed and he must put the fire out.
Chinese Dumb With Terror.
THAT night we could see from Alta
plaza, on Pacific Heights, the boiling,
seething mass of fire sending out
tongues of flame toward the heavens.
It was a terrible sight While we were
at the plaza the chinese began to stream
in Chinatown was on fire One heard
no iabbering as il usual with excited
Chinese. Not sound came from them.
Their faces were stolid and emotionless-
They took notice of nothing. not even
of each other. Their baggage was car
ried upon poles, the ends resting on the
shoulders of two Of them, one trotting
ahead of the other.
There was also a continuous process
sion of Latins from the 'Dago' quarter.
Their baggage was very light-too many
children and old people among them 10
think of clothes or anything else but
their lives. They stopped at Alta plaza,
heralding IL as a place of safety which
it proved to be- In addition TO these