Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1933-03-16
WRITES OF EXPERIENCES IN
THE TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKE

Mrs. Nellie Elliott. who Is society
editor Of the Santa Ana Register
Santa Ana, CAL. in letter here to
her sister, Mrs. ]. A. King, writes OF
the California earthquake, as fol-
lows:
You have had my wire by this
time, and know that the Elliotts are
quite all right. But you probably
are frantic with worry-newspaper
and radio accounts stress the bad
features. and / want to assure you
that things are going along mar
velously. am writing when I'd
rather be tipping, but my typewriter
is at the garage and it Is in the re-
stricted area, go we can't get it. You
will be able to read 1t although 1t
may be ''jerky." There are con-
stantly recurring little temblors
that make writing ragged. I think
I'll just tell you Of my own exper-
fences and reactions-they were not
dramatic, but 1t will give you a pic
ture Of what happened. Friday
happens to be my heaviest day at
the office, and I always work late.
This particular day I ran out to get
some groceries a few minutes after
five O'Clock, and the sky was
strangely misty. The moon-al-
most full-was so peculiar-I said
to myself earthquake weather, .
but thought no more Of it. Got back
to office where my son Vincent had
come in the meantime. wanted
him to wait as I thought I'd get
home in about three-quarters Of an
hour. But he was doing some yard
work, SO decided to come on home
a most fortunate decision as it hap
pened.
Everyone else on the news staff
was gone, and I was alone in my
little Office. No one was on that
floor, but q few men in the radio
department. The night crew had
come on in the press and linotype
rooms downstairs. was hurrying
through the work when the first
shock struck--the building swayed
and groaned and thought the
walls were going to buckle in on
me. Everything began crashing
and the motion was so great / was
thrown furiously from one side to
another-have bruises all over my
body. For minute thought the
worst was over, and meant to hold
my ground, but there was no let up,
SO l dashed for the halls and stair
way The radio boys were only a
few steps behind me, afu like utter
fools we dashed out the first door
way. This is instructive, but it is
the worst thing possible. Had we
gone out in shower Of bricks and
cornices we would have been crush
ed. Fortunately they had already
crashed down, SO we leaped the
wreckage and got to the middle of
the street. I was frantic about my
two boys. So as soon as the shock
passed dashed back into the busi-
ness offices and phoned son-tried
to I mean. Service was cut off. l
forgot to say that lights were gone
all my dashing from the building
had been in darkness.
With no communications with
either son, was nearly crazy, so
started home. Streets were mess,
but I kept right in the middle.
Hadn't taken more than two dozen
steps when I met my son Friedrich.
He had run like a deer to get me.
We no more than exchanged words
when we started home to get Vim
cent-home being a dozen blocks
farther. BY the time we reached
the next corner there he was-hat-
less, breathless and colorless, and
intent on reaching me. Both had
me pictured alone in that Office per-
haps buried under wreckage. We
went back to the Register, and
though the shocks were continuing,
/ left them talking with some of the
men who had gathered-and I slip
ped away and went upstairs, got my
Sunday copy, pressed the switches
so>the current would be of in as
many rooms as I could reach, lock-
ed the doors and fed.
Both the city and telegraph edi-
tors had showed up by that time,
and guess what we did. We got out
an extra. I'll send you a copy for
it was an achievement.
Well then we started out to hunt
Mrs. Cushman, dear. dear friend
who was back in her old home here
on business. DR.. Cushman is head
Of the state hospital up in northern
California, and we knew she was
alone in her big house-two stories
and that 1t would be hot spot. We
found her in her car-the most
forlorn creature you ever saw.
Here away from home and family.
CONTINUED on page four)
= ]>>>>>>>>~~>>>>>>>>>>>>>><