Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-05-07
LIKE A PICTURE OF HELL.
Women Describe Scenes of Horror
Following the Earthquake.

Women Describe Scenes OF HOrror
Following the Earthquake.
Mrs. Maria A. Wilcox, Mrs. Mary
IIongstreet, Mrs. Frank Hicks and Al
fred Wilcox, who recently arrived at
Los Angeles from San Francisco, had
been Quartered on the eighth floor or
the San Francisco hotel and found the
hotel rocking like n ship. Mrs. Long
street told the story thus:
Suddenly, as we We're standing
there, the entire city seemed to catch
fire. In all directions and as far as
we could see the great tongues or
flame leaped into the air. Terrified as
we We're, we stood by the window, and
in less time than 1t takes to tell it the
entire part OF the city between us and
the ferry was ablaZe. 1t was beauti-
full vet terrible sight. We remained In
the hotel till 10 o'clock, and at that
time Mr. Wilcox succeeded in getting
Il carriage and an automobile. We then
left the hotel and drove to the home of
a friend a mile away. When we got
there we found the house in ruins.
1--WE then went to the home of the
Tevises and remained there until we
found refuge at the residence of J. F.
Winslow on Mob hill. We slept on the
floor that night. but they had no food,
and after securing the city over my
brother managed to purchase ten ships
biscuits and four boxes Of sardines,
| and after eating these we made beds
on the floor and tried to sleep. We had
a little candle in our room and that we
did not need.
"The hundreds of fires made the city
light as day, but it was CHASTITY sick
| ening glow that made one tremble
with fear. Words cannot describe hui
man emotions ut such Il time as that,
and l wish l could shake off that feel
ing that has chung to me ever since
the first shock of that earthquake
aroused me from my slumber.
Il saved some things-three pairs of
shoes, 1 believe. l put the shoes In a
grip and brought them along. My
diamonds and money 1 left in the no.
tel But we all did that. No one at
such times cares for personal effects.
We expected death at any minute and
were surprised that it did not come.
Can you wonder that l saved the shoes
instead of my valuables?
THAT night vas awful. We could
hear the cries Of the suffering people
and the crash of falling buildings all
night long. Van Ness avenue was
crowded from side to side with people
mothers carrying babies, men and
women packing on their backs what
few things they had managed to save.
oil nd
shelter 1 cannot imagine. We had no
| water and almost died from thirst.
"You would never know San Fran
cisco now. 1t Is nothing but ruins.
Did you ever see a child build house
! with blocks and then knock it down?
Well, that is the way buildings fell all
| over the city during the earthquake"
81 cannot describe it." said Mrs. Will
COX when asked for her experience.
| IT woke at the first tremble, and. oh,
| what terrible sensation! Plaster fell
from the walls, and I expected at any
second to see the st. Francis hotel
crumble to the earth. With the earth
quake came that horrible roar. II
sounded like thousands of violins be-
ing played on the bass strings and all
at q discord.
"Did you ever see the picture of hell
| which hangs In the Santa Barbara
mission? 1t was something like that.
only q thousand times worse. We had
q hard time getting to Oakland, where
we caught a train. The railroad peo-
pie deserve great credit. Once on the
train we were shown every courtesy.
| If people did not have money they
were taken along just the same. Mon
ey was no object at that time"