Transcription:
Now York, June 3, 1906. My dear Muir: I hope you do not think mo indifferent to your safety in the matter of the earthquake.
Immediately on hearing the news, knowing that the postal arrangements in California were disturbed, I wrote to the office
for news of you. Do send me a few lines about yourself and the girls, and tell me where you were and whether Martinez suffered.
And was any effect felt at Yosemite? You see, I returned only yesterday from Europe, where I went January 6. Perhaps you
saw in the S.F. papers a despatch of mine to the Associated Press about my visit to the region of the Vesuvius eruption. It
was a grand, if solemn, sight. I wonder if Congress has yet accepted the Valley? Do you know? I'll ask Pinchot. Lordy, what
a terrible experience California has been through. Do you remember that the day we met at the Palace Hotel there were two
distinct shocks of earthquake? I admire the grit of your people and wish I could have your account of those scenes. It is
unbelievable that substantially the whole of the city is gone. How I should like to see you and talk it all over. I left
Mrs. Johnson in Florence recruiting after an illness. We had a lot of cold and rainy weather this trip, both in Sicily and
on the mainland, but I never have anything but a beautiful time in Italy. How does your pen work these days? I hope you are
writing something for us. Tell me about the health of the Muirs of Martinez, and whether you are likely to come East. Faithfully
yours, R. U. Johnson I'm glad to hear that the Stanford Memorial didn't escape. 03758