The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-07-14
WASHINGTON
WOMAN TELLS
OF QUAKE
Letter Puts Blame for
Catastrophe on Mortal,
Not Nature
BY JEAN ELIOT.

HE casualness with which Cali
fornia takes its earthquakes
is suggested by q letter from
Mrs. Harley p. Wilson, VINO, with
MIR. Wilson, is visiting at San@
Barbara as calmly, If not as gayiy,
as though there had mot been, a
serious temblor but a little while
ago.
Mrs. Wilson writes: After get.
ting a permit to go on the street
where all the damage. was done
have learned one lesson. Everyone
should be concerned about the build
ing inspectors in his district--or
hers. Only those buildings which
were poorly constructed had any
difficuity-with the exception OF
the chimneys, and, Of course, they
are practically all down..
A casual remark, but It puts the
blame for catastrophe rather up to
man than to nature and serves 10
corroborate the statements of VII.
liam Randolph Hearst, an entnusl-
astic lover of California, who calls
attention to the fact that the col
lapse of one building in Boston
caused. more deaths than the Santa
Barbara earthquake, and that there
have been more losses and casual
ties from storms in the Middle West
than there ever have ben from
earthquake in California.
Mr.. and Mrs. Wilson, who may
register "of Washington" "of New
York" or 'of California" but whose
favorite home is picturesque Holm
Hall in nearby Virginia, have been
In California for several weeks, Mr..
Wilson having large business in
terests there. They spent some
time at Monterey and Del Monte,
then motored down to Santa Bar
bara and have been putting up at
FL Mirasol. which seems to have
escaped the earthquake entirely.
Built by an artist for his mother
and afterward turned into a hotel,
it is set down in beautiful
garden, with small cottages for
guests grouped about. and Is a
very pleasant place. Mrs. Wilson
says there isn't even crack in
the plaster.
There is a note of sadness in
the air." Mrs Wilson's letter con-
tinues'' although everybody is
eager to get to work. Mr.. Doheny
is happily going to rebuild the
beautiful and historic old Santa
Barbara Mission. /"
On leaving Santa Barbara. Mr..
and Mrs Wilson proposed to maize
q visit at Beverly Hills near Los
Angeles, then TO go on to San
Francisco and on their way home
they expected to stop at Portland,
Ore. They are due at Holm Hail,
now at its loveliest with its garden
full of old fashioned flowers, before
Ionr and presumably have started
eastward ere this.
The tri-color is flying above the
French embassy today in recogni-
ton of Bastille Day, the great
French holiday. There win be no
formal celebration at the embassy.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
HOME FROM CRUISE.
The Attorney General. Mr.. Sar-
gent has returned to Washington.
after passing the weekend on the
Potomac on a cruise with the Alien
Property Custodian and Mrs. Fred
erick C. Hicks.
The Secretary of Agriculture, Mr..
Iardine, who has been travelling
through the West on an inspection
trip. will return to Washington to-
day.
The office Of the legation Of the
Irish Free State has been trans
ferred from the Investment Build
ing to Wardman Park Hotel. where
the Minister, Timothy A. Smiddy,
also maintains an apartment.
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