Transcription:
Mays. April 18 '06 Dear Papa At five o clock this morning the worst earthquake ever known here, struck Alhambra Valley
and left the houses in it a wreck. Every one of our five chimneys (our own at the big house) is down, the roof is torn up,
all the illegible except the parlour one, are entirely smashed and a great deal of the plastering is down. Nothing else is
much hurt. Your books and papers are alright and so are our pictures. But I never saw such a smash in my life. The whole house
has to be rebuilt. What shall I do? Hadn't I better get back to Arizona as soon as possible and let you come up and see what
has to be done? Mays new house has all the plastering off down stair and both chimneys are down and one side of the porch.
Aunt Margaret's house is moved eight inches off the foundation and the chimney is down 08545