Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1906-05-16
INTERESTING LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
=. N. BaIwln Writes Interestingly OF the Pacific
50 Earthquake Promises Another Letter.


tors Keowee Courier : SO many of
our kind friends in the East have
written US concerning our safety in
the great and awful earthquake near
here, l take this method to let them
know that we and the other Oconee
people in and around this city are all
right.
Los Angeles was not damaged at
all, but we felt two severe shocks
end they gave us a pretty good
scare.
All the big daily papers were is
sued hourly during the week of the
shake.up.
Those witnessing the awful wreck
of the ruined city of San Francisco
will never forget the sights or horror.
Many of our citizens were in the
doomed city at the time, an' but few,
very few, lived D come back and tell
their experiences.
This city opene ride her gates,
and contributed 'ishly to the
refugees of her strio sister city.
Twelve thousand of the homeless are
being taken care of here. Some are
in tents, others in churches. Differ
ent secret orders are also housing
them. All are fed daily by the Red
Gross Society and city funds. Hun
dreds of noble women sent clothing,
bedding,iand nearly all kinds of wear.
ing apparel, made by their own hands.
Societies sewed day and night.
1t was sad sight, indeed, to see
the different trains unloading their
cargo of human freight from the
quaking and burning town. At the
depots there was one long surging
mass OF humanity, with hundreds of
white, anxious faces, watching for
loved ones, or tidings from some
absentl one. Some would light up
with radiant joy at me sight of the
safe return of loved ones; others
would turn away with look of un-
ntterable misery. remember one
woman, with baby in her arms,
anxiously awaiting the arrival of the
train. Her husband and father were
among the missing. The father
came. "Where is my husband P"
was the anxious question. "He
couldn't get aboard this train; will
probably come on the next train,"
tenderly answered the father. She
tainted and was borne out of the
crowd by gentle hands. She knew,
as many others, that he would never
board the next car. Hundreds of
such incidents took place every hour.
Many cars of only women and or
phan children, even little babies,
were among the refugees. The chill
dren were given to any kind person
who would take and care for them
until something could be done with
them.
A large number of nurses and doc.
tors left on every boat and train. At
San Pedro, the shipping point for
Los Angeles, twenty miles out,
part of the Pacific squadron lay at
anchor. The soldiers did noble WORK
loading boats and unloading cars that
were packed with provisions, tents
and clothing for survivors in the
stricken city. Among the passen-
gers was a carload of nurses and
doctors. They were wildly cheered
by the four or FIVE hundred people
on the wharf.
The newspapers will never tell half
the sad story of ruin and destruction.
Where once stood the proud and
rich city only charred and dread
ful-looking vacant space meets the
eye. Visitors are now allowed to 90
into the city, where, a week ago,
only nurses and doctors could enter.
The city has already begun to
build up. The business men say
they can't restore life, but the city's
wealth can be restored and made
more beautiful.
We feel perfectly safe az to shake.