Complete Story of the San Francisco HorrorWhite, Trumbull
History
Complete Story of the San Francisco Horror
White, Trumbull
Disasters; Earthquakes; San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906; Vesuvius (Italy) -- Eruption, 1906; Volcanoes
The gymnasium and the library were wholly destroyed, nothing but
skeletons of twisted steel remaining. The loss was half a million
dollars on each. The Memorial church was left merely a frame, the
mosaic work being torn down. The top of the 80-foot high memorial arch
was crashed to the ground a heap of ruins. The original quadrangle was
but little damaged. Many rare specimens from Egypt were lost in the
museum, which was only partly destroyed. The fraternity lodge and Chi
Psi Hall were a total loss. The engineering buildings were partly
demolished. Encina Hall, where 200 boys stayed, was much shaken, and a
large stone chimney crashed through the four floors, burying student
Hanna, of Bradford, Pa. He was the only student killed. About twelve
others were slightly hurt.
Roble Hall, women's dormitory, escaped without a scratch.
The damage at Palo Alto City amounts to $200,000. The damage in the
neighboring towns was also heavy. San Mateo suffered more than Palo
Alto. The Redwood city jail was torn down and all the prisoners
escaped.
There was severe damage at Menlo Park. Burlingame suffered a loss of
fully $100,000. Many houses were torn down there. The only other death
in that vicinity was that of Fireman Otto Gordes, who was buried under
the chimney of the power house at Palo Alto.
All the towns mentioned were left without light or power.
President David Starr Jordan of Stanford University announced that the
university authorities would begin at once to repair the quadrangle,
laboratories and dormitories. The Memorial church was sheltered to
prevent further injury and work in all classes was resumed on April
23.
[Illustration: =CORNER OF A BAPTIST CHURCH.=
A view of a Baptist Church on St. Pablo Avenue, Oakland.]
[Illustration: =KEARNEY STREET, SAN FRANCISCO.=
Looking north from Market Street.]
[Illustration: Copyright 1906 by Tom M. Phillips.
=FERRY BUILDING.=
The clock in tower stopped at 5:15.]
[Illustration: Copyright 1906 by Tom M. Phillips.
=MILITARY QUARTERS.=
A view in Golden Gate Park.]
President Jordan said that it was unlikely any attempt would be
made to restore the Memorial church, the memorial arch, the new
library, the gymnasium or the museum of the university.
The great rival of the Leland Stanford, Jr., University is the
University of California at Berkeley, a suburb of San Francisco. The
effect of the earthquake there is tersely told by Professor Alpheus B.
Streedain of the zoological department. There were eight severe shocks
in succession.
"It all lasted about twenty-five seconds," said Professor Streedain,
"and talk about being frightened, to be more expressive I thought hell
was coming to earth. I rushed down to the street in my pajamas, and
people were almost crazy. Chimneys were down all over. I was safe and
trusted to God for any coming shocks. It was a mighty serious
proposition, and one I shall never forget."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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