Lynn, This is really interesting. Thanks for posting. Jim
From: californiadisasters@yahoogroups.com [mailto:californiadisasters@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 2015 8:12 PM
To: Geology2; CaliforniaDisasters; All Things History
Subject: [californiadisasters] 1906 Earthquake saved his life - rare discovered first-hand account
1906 Earthquake saved his life - rare discovered first-hand account
Bob Bragman
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
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Photo: Bob Bragman
"A view of Market Street after the earthquake and before the fire had made its way from Mission street to Market Street. The fire did not leave a building standing for blocks around, except the modern steel skyscrapers." Overland Monthly Magazine 1906
A colleague of mine, who is another passionate collector, told me of a book about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake that she had just gotten. She knows of my love for early San Francisco memorabilia, and asked me to take a look at her latest find. She had a book called "The Earth Shook, The Sky Burned," a first edition published in 1959.
This alone is an OK find. The illustrations are great. But the book is not a rare one.
I started thumbing through it and saw a firsthand account of the 1906 quake, handwritten by the book's owner in 1961. It's not a long account. But it's rare to find new ones after so many decades. It was a little difficult to transcribe the story. I tried to do it as written.
The thing that got me was his recollection of the temblor shaking him out of bed, just in time to avoid having the skylight above come crashing down on him in the very spot he lay. The Napa earthquake that occurred in August of 2014 shook me out of bed. But, luckily nothing came falling down. The other thing that got me was his family being trapped in the apartment. Doors were no longer plumb. A neighbor had to chop a hole in the door with an ax so they could all escape. The building was burnt to the ground within two hours.
Along with the book was a section of an Overland Monthly Magazine, published in 1906, showing the devastation from the quake and fire. I've included photos of the pages where the survivor, John Ashley Tyson, made annotations in the book, although a bit yellowed and worn with age. I've also included several photos and illustrations from the Overland Monthly Magazine.
The following is from inside the flyleaf in the book "The Earth Shook, The Sky Burned," published by Double Day and Company Inc. written by William Bronson:
"To Dad from Mom on his 73rd Birthday. July 12, 1961"
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"The earthquake came at 5:13 a.m. on the morning of Wednesday April 18, 1906 - I was thrown out of bed just as a big glass sky light fell from ceiling and landed on my bed right where I was sleeping. Then I heard a great roar and everything smashing - I called mother and asked her what it was and she said earthquake. I could not get into my clothes so I wrapped a blanket around me and rushed to the front door when Maude & Hazel called me. Saw the Kingsbury Hotel all made of brick (4 stories) fall to the sidewalk. A woman in her night gown was half way out the window four stories high slid down the front wall as it went over and landed at her feet. Arch Heyward and father got an axe and chopped a big hole (and smashed the door down) in the outside door and Mother, Maude & Hazel and we came down the stairs one at a time and went through the hole. We were in an upper flat over some stores at 7th & Howard - between 7th and 8th. The whole building was leaning over just ready to fall. We lost everything we had in the world. (Had Arch not come when he did we would have burned to death.) maybe.
All I has was my pants - shoes & shirt. Mother & sisters had just dress and shoes. Maude forgot her glasses and I took a chance & went up the stairs, got her glasses and a bird that we were taking care of. The fire was already across the street. The Heyward family of 6 and us 4 walked over to a little park. Mr. Heyward worked for a trucking firm. He got a gravel wagon and took us all to the Ferry Bld - We got the only boat out that day 2:30 p.m. and went to my grand mothers ranch at Niles - Dad was doing guard duty at San Quentin - We did not hear from each other for five days. We had light earthquakes every day for weeks after the big shake. I was 18 years old then and am now 77 - Hattie, Heyward - Bill Ida & Arch and myself are the only ones still alive after 59 years ago. Dots mom and Dots father was in the quake in San Jose - Had quite an experience also - but no fire. Our house burned less than an hour after the shake. On page 40 you will see a photo of our house burning. Three houses west between 7th and 8th on Howard on south west corner. John A. Tyson"
33 images can be found at source link below:
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/1906-Earthquake-saved-his-life-a-discovered-6635879.php
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Posted by: "jim rawls" <jazzpiano@ca.rr.com>
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