1906 San Francisco Earthquake Newspaper

It was early on a Wednesday morning, with most of the residents of San Francisco peacefully sleeping, when disaster of a sudden struck the Urban center by the Bay. At v:thirteen a.one thousand. on 18 April 1906 an earthquake tremor for about 20 seconds was followed by a major 7.9 magnitude convulsion that shook the city for over forty seconds, jolting terrified residents awake as buildings collapsed around them.

photo of the massive flames that engulfed San Francisco during the 1906 earthquake — Photo: massive flames engulf San Francisco during the 1906 earthquake. Credit: Harry Sterling Hooper; Wikipedia.

Earthquake Leaves 80% of San Francisco Destroyed

Worse still, the powerful convulse twisted and broke gas and water lines across San Francisco. Huge fires erupted and burned continuously for three days. Without water, firefighters were helpless to terminate the blazing inferno. In their desperation they resorted to dynamiting buildings to create firebreaks, only these explosions acquired boosted fires, causing more harm than skillful.

photo of the fires raging after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Register Star newspaper article 18 April 2005 — Register Star (Rockford, Illinois), 18 Apr 2005, page three

At the fourth dimension of the disaster San Francisco was the greatest urban center on the West Declension America'south ninth largest with a population of 410,000, a bustling center of commerce and art. Three days after the convulsion of 1906 struck, 500 city blocks—over 25,000 buildings—had been smashed or burned; the earthquake and fire combined to destroy over 80 percent of the city.

Because and so many bodies burned in the fierce, towering flames that leapt from building to building, the actual expiry toll will never exist known, simply information technology is estimated that more than than 3,000 people died in the tragedy. Around 300,000 people, or well-nigh three out of every four residents, were left homeless after the smoke cleared. San Francisco would of grade rebuild, only many beautiful buildings and borough treasures, and thousands of residents, were gone forever.

photo of San Francisco burning after the 1906 earthquake; view from the St. Francis Hotel — Photo: San Francisco burning later the 1906 convulsion, view from the St. Francis Hotel. Credit: Library of Congress.

News of the S.F. Earthquake Hits the Headlines

News of the convulsion flashed over the telegraph wires earlier the city'southward telegraph buildings were destroyed, and made the front pages of newspapers everywhere.

article about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Cincinnati Post newspaper article 19 April 1906 — Cincinnati Post (Cincinnati, Ohio), nineteen Apr 1906, page one

This news report was published past a Rhode Isle newspaper.

Earthquake Levels San Francisco, Evening Times newspaper article 18 April 1906 — Evening Times (Pawtucket, Rhode Isle), eighteen Apr 1906, page 1

As this historical newspaper article reports:

Before long after daylight, while the residence portion of the city was slumbering and the streets were practically deserted relieve for those whose duties required their presence at the break of day, there came a rumbling that startled the sleepers from their beds and in a moment more than the buildings were aging about their heads.

Pandemonium ensued. Half-clad men and women rushed from their houses, many of the latter dragging shrieking children by the arms. In many cases the refugees met death in the streets.

Earthquake Survivors Tell Their Personal Stories

After some of the refugees had gotten safely out of San Francisco their stories started to appear in the press, providing many grim details of the death, devastation and panic acquired by the massive earthquake and fire. This personal account of the convulsion was published by a North Carolina paper.

article about a survivor of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Charlotte Observer newspaper article 20 April 1906 — Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), 20 April 1906, folio 1

This first-person account provides the following details:

I returned to my room and got my habiliment; then walked to the offices of the Western Union in my pajamas and blank feet to telegraph to my married woman in Los Angeles. I institute the telegraphers on duty, but all the wires were down. I sat down on the sidewalk, picked the broken glass out of the soles of my feet and put on my dress. All this I suppose took xx minutes. Inside that time, beneath the Palace Hotel, buildings for more than three blocks were a mass of flames, which spread to other buildings.

People past the thousands were crowded around the ferry station. They clawed at the iron gates like then many maniacs. They sought to intermission the bars, and failing in that turned on each other. Later a maddening delay, we got aboard the boat and crossed the bay.

Looters Pillage the City

This onetime news article reports that, sadly, some unscrupulous people took advantage of the earthquake victims, annexation in the aftermath:

article about looters pillaging San Francisco during the 1906 earthquake, Charlotte Observer newspaper article 20 April 1906 — Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, North Carolina), 20 April 1906, page 3

This newspaper commodity provides these details:

The scene at the Mechanics Pavilion during the early hours and until apex, when the injured and dead were removed because of the threatened devastation of the building by fire, was ane of indescribable sadness. Sisters, brothers, wives and sweethearts searched eagerly for some missing dear ane. Thousands of persons hurriedly went through the building inspecting the cots on which the sufferers lay, in the promise that they would find some loved ane that was missing.

The dead were placed in one portion of the building and the remainder was devoted to hospital purposes. After the burn forced the nurses and physicians to desert the edifice the eager crowds followed them to the Presidio and the children's hospital, where they renewed their search for missing relatives.

Were your ancestors impacted by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fires? Along with news reports of the disaster, another way newspapers tin can help y'all inquiry your ancestors is the steady stream of casualty reports and lists that were published for weeks subsequently the earthquake struck.

Earthquake Casualties

This report, published in a Texas newspaper, tells of the fate of locomotive engineer William Burnip, 55, whose "remains were dug from the ruins of the house past his son."

article about the casualties from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Beaumont Journal newspaper article 22 May 1906 — Beaumont Journal (Beaumont, Texas), 22 May 1906, page ane

Convulsion Survivor Stories Go on to Run

Long after the disaster, newspapers published stories about the survivors. San Francisco long marked the earthquake's anniversary with a dawn ceremony, to which all of the convulsion survivors were invited.

Every bit the following newspaper article reports:

…the annual observance that culminates with a dawn wreath-laying at Lotta'southward Fountain, a landmark that served equally a meeting point for those trying to find families and friends after the disaster.

This commodity shows a motion-picture show of Herbert Hamrol, a survivor of the 1906 earthquake who was 102 years sometime in 2005.

article about the survivors of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Register Star newspaper article 18 April 2005 — Register Star (Rockford, Illinois), 18 April 2005, page 3

If your ancestors were alive during a groovy historical event, tragedy, or natural disaster, old newspapers such every bit GenealogyBank's online Historical Newspaper Athenaeum are a great way to learn more about the times your ancestors lived in—and perchance larn details nigh their actual personal experiences.