Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-07-08
SANTA BARBARA
RAZED BY QUAKE
Twelve Killed, $50 Injured
in California City
$40, OOO,O 600 Loss.

esqpe city by the sea, playground Of
millionaires, took toll of the earth
quake which swept in from the ocean.
leaving death and destruction in it's
wake
The number of those killed by the
quake may not go above twelve. This
is due largely to the fact that the
most severe shock occurred so early
in the morning when the business dis
trict, the section hit the hardest, was
almost deserted. One hundred and
fifty persons were injured. Such sub
urban regions as Montesito, center of
colony of wealthy people from Chi
cago and elsewhere escaped loss Of
life and serious property damage.
The property damage is estimated
at $40,000,000.
List of Dead.
Following is the list Of dead In the
earthquake: Mrs. Charles e. Perkins,
Burlington, Iowa, widow of the former
president of the c., B. & Q. railroad;
Patrick Shea; Bertram B. Hancock,
millionaire realty man of Los Ange-
les; J. Mostiero, William Matthews,
Demitrias Saintor, James Starview, H.
Hazard, DR.. James c. Angle, dentist;
three unidentified, two of whom are
Mexicans.
Great Reservoir Collapses.
The Sheffield reservoir, the city's
main source of water supply, collapsed
after the first two great shocks, and
Its released waters swept bridges,
buildings, trees and acres of soil down
to the sea. The water leaped over the
main bridge, concrete structure at
Carrillo boulevard, but this bridge
held and saved the city from being
cut off from the outside world.
Although the residential section OF
the city escaped the worst of the dis
aster, 10000 of the inhabitants of the
city are sleeping in tents. Many e
them are not homeless, but they re-
fuse to re-enter their houses while the
earth still trembles.
Citizens whose homes had caved in
are being fed at Red Cross food de-
pots
Many Of the last remaining vestiges
of the old Spanish regime at Santa
Barbara-the adobe houses-were de-
stroyed.
Historic Sites Destroyed.
El Patio, an adobe structure of
Spanish architecture, which figured
prominently in the colorful days of
Governor Pho Pioc, was the only one
to remain near intact.
De la Guerra, with a history equal
to Eel Patio, is in dusty ruins. The
faded green shutters were broken and
twisted in the heap of gray clay
once the social gathering place of
SPANS gay bellies and caballeros.
Another ruin was the old Santa Bar
bara mission, relic Of the DAYS Of the
padres along the historic Canine Real
(King's highway.
The shades Of evening found the
stricken residents of the ruin-strewn
city making ready for the night. Wom-
en- and children In all parts of the
city carried out bedding couches, and
even bedsteads and prepared for slum-
Der, If possible, in the tropical warmth
Of the out of doors.
Ole Hanson, former mayor Of Seattle,
gave the following eyewitness account
Of the earthquake:
1T was about 6 "A a. M, the air was
sultry. Everything was very quiet. I
noticed as l lay on my bed that quite
large wave dashed against the beach.
The ground seemed to raise up with a
crunch something like million dogs
gnawing a bone. 1 leaped out Of bed
and the floor seemed to rise up and hit
me. l stepped again and it seemed as
II l could not reacn the floor.
Il dashed for the open air and be-
gan to bang on the neighboring bunga-
lows to rouse the occupants and gel
them out in the open park.
"Then l heard an explosion like
great fuse and | saw tho walls of the
power plant block away fall, then a
bright blue flame, such as they use
in movies at night, lit up the heavens
and then flashed out. Right behind
me | heard a rending. Two blocks
away l saw the walls of the new Cali
fornia hotel lean over gradually and
collapse, leaving the occupants lying
in bed, some covered and some uncov-
Lred.
THE ground rolled like a canoe hit
by a wave. There was no excitement.
Crash after crash from the business
district! The man sweeping the streets
on the water front never quit sweep
Ing. He shOveled and swept.
1--WE built a fire. The gas was gone,
so the bonfire sufticed. We cooked
coffee and ate our breakfast.
"The damage on State street was
great. A mile on both sides was prac-
tically destroyed. Within a week we
will start rebuilding the town. 1t will
be built larger and better than ever"
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