Many earthquake shocks were felt
during the three days of the calamity, and for as much as two months we
felt gentle reminders.
The soldiers lacked good sense and judgment, or perhaps it may have been
that some incompetent officers gave senseless orders, - for instance,
the people occupying the stores on Polk Street, between Clay and
Pacific, and the apartments above, were driven out at 8 A. M. of
Thursday, and not permitted to re-enter. As the fire did not reach this
locality until about 4 P. M., there was abundant time to save many
valuable articles which were by this imbecile order lost. Why this was
done, I did not at the time, nor have I since been able to understand.
Being busy in the work of restoration, I forget what a terrible calamity
has befallen the city and the people, but I sometimes realize it, and it
comes like a shock. It is estimated that 28,000 buildings were
destroyed. I find that people lost the power of keeping time and dates,
and if I had not made notes at the time I would be unable to recollect
the events of these three days with any degree of accuracy in point of
time.
I have felt that it was fortunate that this calamity did not happen on a
Friday, or on, the 13th of the month. Had it occurred on either of those
days, superstitious people would have had much to aid them in their
belief.
The feeding of 300,000 people suddenly made destitute is a matter of
great difficulty, but it has been done.
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