The Semi-weekly Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 1923-19??, 1933-03-24
TELLS OF QUAKE
EX PERlEN c +.
Miss Virginia WebhMrites Her
Mother Here of Marrow Es-
cape at Long Beach of
Sister and Husband
Couple in Hotel as Quake
Wrecks Buildings All Around
-Summerford Mother
Hears oil DAUGHTER

ftNoi y VI S0oNttNSt
Miss Virginia Webb. of London,
who is spending the winter in San
Diego, California, with her sister,
Mrs. Allen Koonce, the former Miss
Betty Webb, of London, has written
a letter to her parents, Mr.. and Mrs.
William Webb, sr., of London, de-
scribing the earthquake and the ex
periences of Lieut. and Mrs. Koonce
in Long Beach, the night of the
terrible disaster of two weeks ago.
Lieut.. Koonce, who is son of Dr.
and Mrs. M. E. Koonce, Of South
Charleston, is an officer in the air
division Of the u. S. Marine Corps,
and is attached to the Pacific fleet.
The letter, in part, is reprinted
herewith:
Things seem to be pretty much of
mess at Long Beach, although Los
Angeles escaped serious damage.
I'VE were pretty well shaken here
in San Diego. The house was rocked
enough to splash water over the edge
of pan on the table.
"My first sensation was that was
going to faint, and | held to the
table an instant before | realized
what was happening. The shock
lasted for several seconds, but that
was the only shock felt in San Diego
] believe.
Betty and Allen came back Sun
day. Betty went to Long Beach on
Friday (the night of the quake) to
meet Allen, and spend the week end.
They registered at the Lafayette ho-
tel and were just going in to dinner
when everything began to tumble.
They rushed out just in time to see
a brick wall crash across the street.
Things were pretty thick for lit
tie while and there were shocks ev-
cry few minutes all Friday night,
which they spent in the auto. They
came home Saturday. Betty was
pretty nervous over it. 1t was
narrowing experience and the city is
a sight.
eve took. Allen back to his shop
today Sunday. Had some Difficult
ty getting through the lines because
of police regulations, but got through
all right. We went to the ship, the
Saratoga (airplane carrier) and had
lunch.
1--WE had to take the inland road
as the coast road is closed because OF
bad bridges.
You can't. imagine the, sight un-
less you've seen it. The brick build
irles are the hardest hit. The stucco
ones are badly cracked and the small
frame houses just pushed on their
foundations as though giant hand
had pressed them back. The least
hurt are the big modern concrete
buildings which have been well built
The bricks caused the most trouble
and loss of life.
awe were glad that we could get
up to see it for one hopes there will
not be cause to witness another.
There were slight shocks today al
though we could not feel anything
aboard ship. The boys on the ship
said the big shock felt to them as
though the ship had struck against
something"
Mf. and Mrs. Cecil Murphy, OF
ssiflmerford have received word from
their daughter, Miss Juanita Murphy,
OF Los Angeles, that she was not in
jafed in the quake of some days ago.
A part of her letter is reprinted as
follows:
II was standing in my room when
the terrible weaving of the buildings
started. 1t only lasted Is seconds
by official report, but to me it was
hours. Some people rushed out OF
the buildings into vacant lots. some
cried, some prayed. All night peo-
pie walked up and down corridors,
and people were in panic, expect
ing the building to collapse at any
time. 1t was terrible experience,
Al. x.,ax. rox., hoard