April 15, marks the anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. With a 7.9 magnitude, it ranks as one of the most significant earthquakes of all time.
Before my venture into family ancestry eight years ago, this date held no particular significance to me.
But now I realize how much it does since not only did we have ancestors who lived through it but who also were a key factor in the survival of it such as Rev. Thomas Filben in helping the Chinese and saving China Town from completely disappearing.
For those of us that live in California, we know what earthquakes are like,especially the last big one of 1989 which had a magnitude of 6.9. But if you have ever wondered what the one of 1906 felt like, then visit the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. Their earthquake exhibit is a literal hands on virtual experience as you will see in the video below.
I have been fortunate enough to experience this exhibit twice and it really gave me a strong sense of what Nell and Charles (along with their siblings, in laws, nieces and nephews) must have experienced back then! The shaking in the above simulation only runs for about 20 seconds but try to imagine it going for nearly a full minute followed by several strong after shocks!
It was felt from Los Angeles to Oregon and Nevada. The earthquake was about a 7.9 on the Richter scale. Around 3,000 people were killed and between 227,000 and 300,000 people were left homeless.
"San Francisco is gone’, wrote Jack London in his first-hand account of the great 1906 earthquake that toppled San Francisco. After the first major quake, the many after shocks that took place and the resulting fires (which lasted for three days) nearly 30,000 buildings were destroyed!. But London was wrong—San Francisco was not completely ‘gone’—it heroically rebuilt itself and over time become the vibrant city it is today!
Not only was the earthquake one of the worst catastrophes in US history, it was the first major natural disaster that had its effects recorded photographically. One of the biggest events happening that week was the performance by Enrico Caruso.
Considered by many to be the best operatic tenor of all time, Enrico was performing an opera on the evening before the earthquake in San Francisco. The following day he was stirred awake by the quaking; he immediately looked out the window and saw a city in ruins—screaming people and collapsing buildings. He vacated his hotel quickly, and somehow made his way to the Oakland Ferry amid the chaos. But he swore never to perform in San Francisco again.
Even though it took nine years to rebuild the city, it is testament to the resilience of San Franciscans that the city was back in business within weeks. Indeed, a couple of weeks following the earthquake, streetcars started running on Market Street (replacing the cable cars). Within six weeks, banks in San Francisco were open again, and by July the Chronicle resumed its headquarters at Kearny, Market and Geary streets. Come August, cable cars were running up Nob Hill again. The City by the Bay had risen from the ashes.
I have written a short fictional story below of what I think may have happened on that fateful day to Charles and Nell. A bit of preliminary research on typical meals of the time, and on Charles job was done to make the story more realistic.
Some of the adjectives and/or descriptions are from former earthquake survivors who have long ago passed on, but I think the feelings they expressed were felt by all.
April 15th -17th 1906
It had seemed rather usually hot over the past few days. Most neighbors agreed, it seemed quite the unseasonable weather even for San Francisco. But as most long term residents knew, the longest a heat wave could last was three days and on the final day, the sea breeze would roll in bringing fog or even rain.
April 17th 1906 , 6 PM.
It has been a long hard 12 hour work day for Charles at his job in the Fulton Iron Works factory. His take home pay per week is $50 which comes to $600 a year. His wife Nell has spent the day cleaning the house, sewing a few buttons on Charles shirts and preparing dinner. They have been a happily married couple for five months.
Charles is almost 25. Although, his parents Frederick and Catherine have passed away, six out of his seven siblings are still alive ranging in age from 36 to 19.
Nell is almost 21. She lost her mother at age 8, but her father Eugene is still alive now at age 61. Only four of her ten siblings are still alive ranging in age from 29 to 23
Charles comes home at 6 pm, kisses his wife Nell and goes to wash up while she brings dinner to the table. The dinner for that night is chicken, spinach with egg sauce and hashed brown potatoes.
As the shadows fall over the hills around 7 PM. Nell cleans the table and does the dishes while Charles reads the evening edition of the San Francisco Call newspaper.
Below are some of the headlines he would have seen in that day’s edition:
Even with the windows open, the air is still quite stifling hot. Soon it is time to go to bed as tomorrow is another early day at the Fulton Iron factory.
April 18th, 1906
Charles and Nell have slept soundly and in the early morning hours they can hear the clip clop of the horse’s hooves as delivery carts move on the cobblestones delivering milk or groceries to families.
Looking at the clock it is still pretty early so Nell and Charles remain in bed. At around 5:11 in the morning, there is a very strange stillness sensation, then two minutes later at 5:13 a massive shaking, growing heavier; rumbles, crackling noises, and falling objects.
Trying to remain calm, Charles and Nell are upright in their bed which is moving back forth between walls as if someone had lifted their home and was shaking it side to side. Then with ever-lessening intensity, the ongoing shaking of nearly a minute finally stops.
Racing over to the other room, Charles and Nell hurriedly get dressed and take extra clothing, bedding and whatever personal belongings they can and get out of their home onto the street. Out of breath, heartbeat accelerating, the sounds of babies, women and children can be heard screaming and crying.
Staggering into the streets residents are confused scared and shocked. Women stunned white as a sheet and shaky. Men are making sure that their neighbors and friends are OK. Cries for help, sounds of bricks falling, chimneys crashing through the roofs or onto the streets, wooden homes that were once strong are falling like a deck of cards. The smell of smoke is in the air. Although most families have lost everything they have come together with others thanking god their lives were spared, sharing whatever food/clothing they could with those who were less fortunate.
