The Republican journal., 1906-05-03

trying to secure their valuables from the
safe They were unable to get their trunk,
as the building was rocking in danger
GUS manner. Rushing to the street they
found it filled with people frantic with lear,
and all hurrying toward the ferry. Miss
Parsons had her grip with her, but Miss
Ross had left hers behind. Reaching the
ferry they found t was not running, so
they turned back up town again. They
stopped in restaurant, but the proprietor
refused to sell them food but gave them a
glass of water. Walking on up the street
they saw scenes that fairly frOze their
hearts. One woman was carrying her
baby in one arm and leading her small
boy with the other when an avalanche
of rock and brick from large building
fell and completely buried them. After
wandering around until ! O'Clock they
got ferry to Oakland, but We're unable tu
get train out of there until the next day:
They had no trouble in securing food and
lodging in Oakland, and were treated with
great courtesy both there and on their way
to Portland. Being well supplied with
money they experienced no unusual hard
ship They are now here on their way back
to their homes.
Miss Ross is daughter of the late Capt
Andrew J. Ross and sister of Capt. A. NJ
Ross of Searsport. She had been travelling
with her friend through Mexico and were
on their way home.
We are indebted to Mrs. Laura Nj. Perry
for the following copy of letter from Miss
Isabel Curtis of Alameda, Cal, to her aunt
Miss Laura h. Curtis at Washington, y: T.
Miss Isabel is the daughter OF lapt. Eoen
Curtis, we'll known Searsport shlpmastel
now a resident of Alameda, Cal. ana port
captain of the American Hawaiian ). 5. CO.
at San Francisco. The "Clfton" spoken OF
is Capt. Clifton Curtis of the steamer Barra.
couta AMI Everett" his brother, resident
of Challis, Idaho are natives of Searsport
and brothers Of Capt. Henry 6. Curtis OF
this town
ALAMEDA, CALF, April 20, 1906.
Dear Aunt Laura:
know you are wondering if we are alive
and uninjured. The telegraph lines are all
| held by the Government and it is Impossible
| to get IA private message East.
| We've lived weeks in these last two days
since the earthquake. Over here the frame
houses are in pretty good shape. Al the
chimneys went at the first shock, in many
cases tearing holes in the roofs and pouring
| load, of bricks and mortar down upon the
bedrooms below. Our little flat is really i'll
| liveable shape. We don't mind crack ed or
| lop-sided walls or roof. 1t is so warm we
don't need to build fire. There is scarcely
| any such thing in town as a regular fire
They are strictly forbidden.
| w ou tndt lolTlDIe pluuS Ing, sway lHs
earthquake left US and we crawled back
| into the house and began sorting out the
ornaments out of the tumbled rooms we
| didn't dream of the horrors beginning
across the bay Seventeen huge fires sprang
up simultaneously with the explosions in
| San Francisco. Leb was spending the
| night at the home of his friends on Russian
Hill, the highest point In San Francisco
| They rushed out on the porch that over.
| hangs the city and watched the flames
| spread. Last night they abandoned the
| Hill, after bringing what valuables they
| could, and walked miles to the bay at
| o'clock this morning, carrying heavy
| bundles Elsie had been very i'll and they
hestated to move her, even if conveyance
| could have been found-as it was she stag
gered along with Betsy and Leb, over un.
| recognizable streets, choked with debris
and smoke.
Every man any where round here is ut
| terly ruined financially. The banks went
early in the day. But we don't care. We
are alive and unnjured Papa has his
| business, which is a rare case. Leb has
his 20 ition, too. We have SIS in the
world now, and food for several days
| We are richer than nearly all the million
aires OF two days ago. 1t IS Incredible, you
can't know how queer and horrible every
| thing is. No one is allowed to go back tC
| san Francisco. The troops are urging
people to leave the city, for everybody is
! starving
Papa came home sick with cramps last
| night, just from nausea at seeing such pitt
! full sights, dead, dying and starving.
| That horrible steady d! namting goes on
| the city is still burning, sweeping on witt
the afternoon breeze, and not drop vi
/ water. OF. those pool thirsty people
| There are ten thousand around here in the
vacant lots They have staggered by al
day like drunken people, clutching theil
| all, generally Il rag containing something
! dear to them. sometimes Just loose clothing
We are ali short of food as IA town, bul
| beds and food are found somehow for al
these people. 1t is wonderful.
Clifton came in last night. He saw the
! fire forty miles up the coast at sea. His
home is safely outside san Francisco
Clifton tramped six awful miles to know
that his wife was safe, then back to his
ship at once, then over here to get WORD
of Everett, who happened to be in San
Francisco for few days and lodged in the
fire center; where it started, | mean.
Everett looked as if he had lived years in
the two nights when he reached us, Wort
out getting away from the fire. You SET
they had to go miles around to get to the
water front He had eaten nothing ant
! seemed dazed. But his is common case
This is all incoherent enough, but know
you are anxious to hear from us,
| Aifectionately,
| Isabel.