The Bancroft Library
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PERSONAL EXPERIENCES FROM APRIL 18, to JUNE 10, 1906.
WEDNESDAY 18 APRIL, 1906.
2507 CLAY ST., SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.
Something roused me from sleep- a beam of light across the eyelids or a sound- the premonitory "whir" of the little clock by my side, that forthwith sounded the hour- one, two, three, four, five- a minute later the clock in the kitchen below, like an echo, repeated the strokes- "keeping good time" I thought, "but too early to begin the day's work"- and I lay sleepily noticing the growing light and the unwonted stir. Was it street car milk cart- that hollow rumble, creaking, crashing- Ah, I know, the convulsive upheaval of Mother Earth, rocking, twisting, wrenching, as if torn from her moorings. I sprang up, or was thrown out, catching a woolen garment, made for the door- tables and chairs moving out of the way as I steadied myself on the rocking floor. The door unlocked and opened, I stood aghast- bewildered- midway the narrow corridor that led to the front staircase- the side wall seemed to have sprung from the roof- light poured in from above- and plaster, lathes, brick- was falling through the opening. I saw Mrs. Wilson standing at the head of the staircase holding to the railing- a young girl kneeling near her. The front door was open and above the confusion of noise, of falling brick, &c [sic]. I heard Mrs. Wilson's voice calling from the street She had rushed out at first shock — "come out, come out"- "What to do" I thought rapidly I swayed back and forth- The door at the foot of the narrow back stairs, leading to the kitchen was locked, always hard to open. Better to risk the falling bricks than to be caught in a trap- and, steadying myself as best I could, I made my way to the front unharmed, and stood by the kneeling girl. She was praying aloud for her dear ones- awaiting with the calmness of perfect faith what might come to her. Shock succeeded shock, none so violent as the first two, until there came at last a lull- I thought the end. Mrs. Wilson made her way down the steps to her daughter.
[Handwritten note] I have not seen illegible since save a chance meeting with Mrs. Wilson in the street illegible days after five —
The view from the windows of broken chimneys, crushed roofage [sic], fallen steeples,- the great Cathedral, St. Dominics [sic], in ruins, showed the violence of the shock. But the new Synagogue and Lane College and Hospital stood. Certain tall landmarks in the distance seemed missing- I was not sure. Crowds of people were hurrying through the street, bearing man, woman and child each some burden. Ominous columns of smoke rose in the south and cries of fire dominated other sounds. I set myself resolutely to put myself and belongings in order for whatever might come. At eight o'clock another shock. I could no longer remain alone, and being fully dressed, locked my door and started out. . I found the Chinaman, Ah Loon, in the lower hall lacking somewhat his usual dignity of bearing, though he was faithfully restoring order and cleanliness to the halls.
In the streets was confusion, people bearing all sorts of burdens, hurrying forward, many to the Alta Plaza. I went to my nearest neighbor,- Miss May Foulkes [sic], Vice President of your Club. Found her with her invalid mother- all safe- then further on to Mrs. Swezy-Coult-Johnson's. Four generations in the family- great-grandmother calmest of all- all safe-returned to my room, feeling more utterly alone than ever in my life before. Chinaman not in evidence. Parrot and canary with myself were the sole occupants. Friends had come during my absence. Flora's sister Messenger from Maud North and others. The new owner of the property called in the afternoon to see what damage had been done. #Later a Spanishfamily [sic], friends of the Wilsons, established themselves in the yard, afraid of the walls. # House had been sold, possession to be given May 11th. My trunks partly packed for removal.
The family did not return. I arranged my room, locked the door and went to Addie Ghirardelli's for the night- passing the Alta Plaza, growing fuller and fuller with refugees from the fire. Addie's house was well filled, but she found a corner for me. The City was now under military rule. The patrol's cry of "ten O'clock and all's well on precinct" was a
Returning to my room, I found the yard well filled with women and children, and an elderly Spanish gentleman who announced himself as "friend of the family" established in the lower front hall. He had been burned out, came here, and finding the Wilsons absent, had taken possession to protect the house- all open- from looters, he said. Right glad was I of his presence and protection. Many friends called offering aid. Mr. Wilkins and Susie. Maud North- in the faternoon [sic] May Foulke came- helped me pack and herslef [sic] carried baskets to the lower floor. Still no word from the Wilsons. At 3 P.M. Ah Looncame [sic] to me saying "Go Mrs. Poston, see fire is coming" in a frenzied manner. That was the last I saw of him. The parrot called plaintively from time to time. .
Thursday A.M.- Went again to Mrs. Foulke's to lunch. And then wandered away in search of friends- Katherine Wheeler's children, Mrs. Romer Mrs. Rideout- all safe. Cooking in the streets- smoke shifting, flying cinders falling. The fire had reached Van Ness Avenue- no water. No dynamite. Fillmore street in danger. Dear May mixed a composing draught for her mother-offered it to me- I refused. "You must drink it" she said. "You do not know what you will have to face before another day. She then told me of the nearness of the danger. "We will do what we can for you." "No" I said, You have already too many." I returned to Addie's. There everything valuable was packed and brought down to the lower floor, ready for removal to the factory,- almost on the water's edge- considered beyond danger-teams were ready. I supposed my belongings would burn with others, but could not feel troubled for myself- the general disaster was too great. Edwin Ghirardelli said to me "I think we can get your trunks, give me your key, I will try and take them with ours to the factory- considered out of
We thought the factory safe, but the wind changed. The flames began to circle around the two hills- a two-headed fire dragon thrusting its forked tongues in opposite directions to meet as in a fury, circle around the city, nearing rapidly our refuge- the factory. I stood with my friends as they saw it closing in, facing calmly the loss of not only their own property, but the ability of helping others, in that trying hour that tested men's and woman's souls, they thought of others- for me-. I cannot express my feelings. When hope was almost gone the wind turned, the fire tugs brought water- dynamite came from somewhere- we were saved- the fire was checked.
Food was scarce, water lacking and my girls thoughtful of my comfort urged me to leave the city, but I could not bear the thought of going away to material comforts, while so many dear to me were suffering and while there was a chance of my helping someone- by even a simple word in kindness spoken, a motion or a tear. So I stayed on and went my daily rounds with my bag full of chocolate- my heart full of sympathy. May Foulke helped me pack the books and papers left in my room. And her brother, Dr. Bruce Foulkes [sic] and Mr. Robinson, who had been burned out himself and seemed to find
Water and food conditions continuing the same, yielded to necessity and on Sunday, April 29th, Lyle Ghirardelli went with me to the Hudson home in Oakland. In driving to the Ferry, we passed through and in view of the greater part of the burned district. Four square miles of desert with oasis few and far between. Dwellings, work-shops, the very tools of life were gone. Nothing left but the will and strength, the hands and heads and hearts of primeval man and woman with which to rebuild the City. It will suffice. Gigantic skeletons of pinnacle and dome, roofless walls, long lines of columns, supporting nothing, scorched trees, blackened statues showed the ruins of the great houses on one side, on another a blackened waste of ashes crossed by what had been car rails, twisting wormlike under the wheels of the buggy, was all that remained of the Mission District. Words fail. The Hudsons were crowded but had food and water in plenty and bade me kindly welcome, as did all my girls in my wanderings- whatever the inconvenience consequent on my presence. A few days later I went to Mrs. Redfield's in Berkeley. Irresistible attraction and convenient escort led me to San Francisco Tuesday, May 2nd, (I tried to attend meeting as appointed for May 2nd, but the anticipated hostess was not at home) With Bowman son of our dearly loved member who left us for the beyond a short month since. Mrs. Rideout invited me to her hospitable home and I spent eleven days there as happy as I could be under the circumstances, noting our Crocker Home friends, hunting up my girls and finding many of them. All have lost, - some, everything, and are bravely nerving themselves to begin life again. I returned to Oakland, tried to find a permanent (for a few weeks) room,- failed. Visited in Berkeley, spent a week with Mrs. Jewett (Mrs. J. is one of ours) in their lovely restful home in Wildwood. They were burned out in the City, losing their rich collection, but thankful, as Mrs. Jewett wrote me, to have a country home left which they could ask a friend to share with them- and so the weeks have passed since April the 18th. Everyone kindly careful of me and urging the expediency of my leaving the vicinity of this disastrous
Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-6000; http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
http://content.cdlib.org/view?docId=hb0t1n99vv&brand=oac4
Title: Personal experiences from Apr. 18 to June 10, 1906: signed and amended typescript
By: Poston, Eugenia C.
Date: April 18-June 10 1906
Contributing Institution: The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-6000; http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
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