Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-23
HEARS FROM OAKLAND
VISITOR TO THIS CITY RECEIVES
DESCRIPTIVE LETTERS.

roncarning the recent earthquake M
Alex Graydon of Oakland, Cal, wno IS
,epistered at the New Willard, said TO-DAY
that he hoped that things in his home Cd
were not so bad at first reported MI
Graydon who has extensive mining IA
terests in Mexico. was IN the east at the
time of the quake, ana was HiucH CON,
cerned about the safety of his wife am
family Shortly after the news OF the as
aster reached here Mrs. Graydon wirea
her husband that though their nome was
badly shaken one was hurt: Mr.. Cry
don was also much disturbed about the
safety of his parents, who resided IN San
Francisco and day later received anolher
telegram stating that they We're uainJured
During the past several days he mas alSo
received kilograms from his wife telling of
the immense amount of damage done 10
the city OF Oakland. He received Two let
ters this morning from Mrs. Graydon,
which told definitely OF the earthquake.
The communications state that in the early
morning quakes began and that the people
of the city fed to the streets for safety.
Mr.. Graydon's home is of frame construc-
tioa, and In her letters his wife says that
all of the plastering has been shaken from
the walls and ceiling and that he would
hardly recognize the home he left short
time ago. She also says that the people
are afraid to again occupy their houses In
fear of being buried in the debris in the
event of another and severer quake.
Wrote While on Pavement.
MRS. Graydon wrote the letters while on
the pavement in front of their residence,
and says that the streets Were completely
Uttered with the remains of horses killed
during the earthquake; many by flying
debris from the residences demolished and
others by the live electric wires that cover
ed the streets in every direction.
In many places in the city of Oakland the
ground has settled several feet and In sew
eral places on 18th street, Mrs. Graydcu
says. the street is about six feet lower than
It's former position. This was particularly
so In several places where the buildings
were upon made ground. which gave away
more readily than the natural earth In
one place in the section of Oakland where
Mr. (.Taydon lives, his wife explains there
is fisslre In the street near the pavement
about three feet wide that Is so deep that
one cannot see the bottom of the crevice
Graydon states that the quakes continued
during the greater part OF the day and on
account of the disturbances there was so
much excitement among the people OF the
city who had never been so suddenly
driven from their homes, in fear OF possible
severe quakes to follow. At the writing of
the communications. Mrs. Graydon said
that people were coming from San Fran
cisco by the ferry, distance OF about six
miles across the bay and that the officials
of the ferry company had given orders that
no one was to be taken back to the burning
city.
The condition OF some of the prominent
buildings of the city of Oakland came In
for attention in the letters and manv of
the larger buildings. including those OF the
business and residence portions of the city,
were said to be badly damaged and in
many cases in an apparently unsafe con-
dHion. as far as their future occupancy
WAS concerned.