The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-05-16

earthquake ever recorded in this coun'
try, followed by a fire which has swept
over eight square miles of the very
heart Of San Francisco, caused the
loss of from 500 to 1000 lives and
swept away 500, 900, 5000 worth of the
most valuable property in the city.
With San Francisco as its heart and
centre, the earthquake has spread ruin
and disaster through a region having q
radius of nearly a hundred miles.
San Jose, nearly sixty miles to the
south, has been wrecked, and villages
even farther south have been partially
destroyed, while inland for a n
miles and ninety miles to the north
loss of life and great property damage
have been caused.
CALIFORNIA; two great centres OF
learning, the University Of California
and the Leland Stanford University,
have been wrecked. Great buildings
of the Leland Stanford University are
reported to have been toppled to the
ground by three shocks Of the earth
quake, and the University of California
has been partially ruined. The Insane
Asylum at Agnews is a ruin II the
inmates have escaped. d.
The loss of life outside of San Fran
cisco has not even been estimated
Wires are down in all directions out
side of the city, and only the most
meagre details are to be obtained.
Nearly 100000 people are homeless
and many are huddled in the parks
and public squares beside the house
hold goods they were able to save.
The city is under martial law. and all
the downtown streets are patrollec
hy cavalry and infantry. Details OF
troops are also guarding the banks
Almost all the principal buildings have
been destroyed, and others are IN I'M
minent danger.
Over all the scene of desolation hangs
a dense pail of smoke. In Oakland
FIVE persons were killed. San Jose
and Sacramento, Berkeley, Alameda
and other places heard from suffered
severely. but report no loss OF life.
It was 5.13 a. m. when q terrlnc
earthquake shock shook the whole city
and surrounding country. One shocK
Apparently lasted two minutes. and
there was almost immediate collapse
of fimsy structures all over the city.
The water supply was cut off, and
when fires started in various sections
there was nothing to do but let the
buildings burn. Telegraph and tele-
phone communication was cut of for
q time.
The Western Union was out com.
pletely out of business and the Postal
Company was the only one that man
aged to get a wire out Of the city.
About 10 o'clock even the Postal was
forced to suspend. ,
Electric power was stopped and
street cars did not run, railroads n
ferryboats also ceased operations. the
various fires ragged all day and the fire
department has been powerless to do
anything except dynamite buildings
threatened. All day long EXPLOSIONS
have shaken the city and added to the
terror Of the inhabitants.
Following the first shock there was
another within five minutes. but moi
nearly so severe. Three hours later
there was another slight quake.
Most of the people of San Francisco
were asleep at 5.13 o'clock when the
terrible earthquake came without
warning.
The motion of the disturbance an
parently was from east to west. at
first the upheaval of the earth was
gradual, but in a few seconds it in
creased in intensity. Chimneys began
to fall and buildings to crack, totter-
ing on their foundations.
The people became panic-stricken.
and rushed into the streets. most or
them in their night attire. They were
met by showers of falling bricks, cor
nices and walls of buildings.
Many were crushed to death, while
others were badly mangled. Those
who remained indoors generally es-
capped with their lives. though scores
were hit by detached plaster. pictures
and articles thrown to the floor by the
shock. It is believed that more or
less loss was sustained by nearly every
family in the city.
The tall. steel-frame structures stood
the strain better than brick buildings,
few Of them being badly damaged.
The big ~eleven-story Monadnock office
building, in course of construction. adj
joining the Palace Hotel. was an e.
ception, however. it's rear wall col
lapsing and many cracks being made
across its front.
Some of the docks and freight sheds
along the water front slid into the
bay. Deep assures opened in the filled
in ground near the shore, and the
Union Ferry Station was badly in
iured. Its high tower still stands, but
will have to be torn down.
A portion Of the new City Hall,
which cost more than 100000 col