Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-09
Frisco Demands Justice.

| Frisco Demands Justice.
San Francisco papers have joined in
an appeal to the ether newspapers of
| this country and the world. te fefute
the sensational stories sent broadcast
regarding the earthquake of July l.
1911. An exhaustive investigation has
been made and the verdict of the eem-
mission il seems only fair to Frisco
to publish. The authoritative reports
show that absolutely no damage was
| done by the shock in question to per
son or property in San Francisco. They
show that the only place in the state
| which suffered in any degree from the
quake was the Lick observatory. con
Quoted by the University of California
on Mount Hamilton. Santa Clara coun-
ty. Is miles from San Francisco and
% miles from San Jose. Even there
the damage was nominal, except to
buildings injured by the earthquake of
1906 and not adequately repaired.
1t is not true that any death was
occasioned. even remotely by the
shock of July 1. 1t is not true that
anybody was even slightly injured as
a direct or indirect consequence of the
quake. 1t is not true that San Fran
| cisco was thrown into a panic or that
condition of public terror prevailed. 1t
lis not true that buildings were thrown
out of plumb, that cornices were
thrown down and plaster badly crack
ed 1t is not true that business was
paralyzed and public amusement sus-
nended for the remainder of the day.
II is not true that the shock was OF
long duration.
The quake in San Francisco lasted
perceptibly 20 seconds. 1t was sharp
but it lacked destructive force and IN
tensity. People did run out of crowded
public places. such as stores and thea
| ters. but they went back Immediately
The interruption of business or OF
pleasure did not actually amount to
t0Nb minutes II " as a III Z e'''f -
Tout a fire, thunder without lightning
Absolutely no visible or tangible
physical trace was left by the shock
There was no displacement of ground
Inc distur bance of telephone, telegraph
electric light or gas connections nc
, stoppage of streetcars; no consequent
, ltial or annoying disarrangemtnt OF
even the most unstable goods or fix
lures; no falling of chimneys or plas'
ter; no fractures of masonry of any
kind; no throwing down of corniees
Inc breaking of windows or crockeryi
Inc money loss of any description tc
lany person.
| In these circumstances San Francis
co. which has suffered much in the
past from such calamity as may be
fall any city on earth at any moment
has cause to feel aggrieved at the eX
a ggerated reports of mild visitation
whereby she suffered nothing except il
the damage done her reputation b,
Those reports. The sources that fur
lnished and the newspapers that pub
llished those reports would have don
the city only simple justice If they ha'
used the incident to show how well tn
, work OF rebuilding has been done. /
was not, in truth, severe test of re
construction, but it was the first test
and so might have been given value
news of constructive and helpful
character.
In 1905 the country did not wait fol
San Francisco to ask aid. In 1911 i
ought not to wait-especially the news
papers of the nation ought not to wal
for San Francisco to ask justice.