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were rearing and plunging； the passengers were pouring out at both ends；
and one fat man had crashed half way through a glass window on one side
of the car； got wedged fast and was squirming and screaming like an
impaled madman。 Every door； of every house； as far as the eye could
reach； was vomiting a stream of human beings； and almost before one could
execute a wink and begin another； there was a massed multitude of people
stretching in endless procession down every street my position commanded。
Never was solemn solitude turned into teeming life quicker。
Of the wonders wrought by 〃the great earthquake；〃 these were all that
came under my eye； but the tricks it did； elsewhere； and far and wide
over the town； made toothsome gossip for nine days。
The destruction of property was triflingthe injury to it was wide…
spread and somewhat serious。
The 〃curiosities〃 of the earthquake were simply endless。 Gentlemen and
ladies who were sick； or were taking a siesta； or had dissipated till a
late hour and were making up lost sleep； thronged into the public streets
in all sorts of queer apparel； and some without any at all。 One woman
who had been washing a naked child； ran down the street holding it by the
ankles as if it were a dressed turkey。 Prominent citizens who were
supposed to keep the Sabbath strictly； rushed out of saloons in their
shirt…sleeves； with billiard cues in their hands。 Dozens of men with
necks swathed in napkins； rushed from barber…shops； lathered to the eyes
or with one cheek clean shaved and the other still bearing a hairy
stubble。 Horses broke from stables； and a frightened dog rushed up a
short attic ladder and out on to a roof； and when his scare was over had
not the nerve to go down again the same way he had gone up。
A prominent editor flew down stairs； in the principal hotel； with nothing
on but one brief undergarmentmet a chambermaid； and exclaimed：
〃Oh； what shall I do！ Where shall I go！〃
She responded with naive serenity：
〃If you have no choice； you might try a clothing…store！〃
A certain foreign consul's lady was the acknowledged leader of fashion；
and every time she appeared in anything new or extraordinary； the ladies
in the vicinity made a raid on their husbands' purses and arrayed
themselves similarly。 One man who had suffered considerably and growled
accordingly； was standing at the window when the shocks came； and the
next instant the consul's wife； just out of the bath； fled by with no
other apology for clothing thana bath…towel！ The sufferer rose
superior to the terrors of the earthquake； and said to his wife：
〃Now that is something like！ Get out your towel my dear！〃
The plastering that fell from ceilings in San Francisco that day； would
have covered several acres of ground。 For some days afterward； groups of
eyeing and pointing men stood about many a building； looking at long zig…
zag cracks that extended from the eaves to the ground。 Four feet of the
tops of three chimneys on one house were broken square off and turned
around in such a way as to completely stop the draft。
A crack a hundred feet long gaped open six inches wide in the middle of
one street and then shut together again with such force； as to ridge up
the meeting earth like a slender grave。 A lady sitting in her rocking
and quaking parlor； saw the wall part at the ceiling； open and shut
twice； like a mouth； and then…drop the end of a brick on the floor like a
tooth。 She was a woman easily disgusted with foolishness； and she arose
and went out of there。 One lady who was coming down stairs was
astonished to see a bronze Hercules lean forward on its pedestal as if to
strike her with its club。 They both reached the bottom of the flight at
the same time；the woman insensible from the fright。 Her child； born
some little time afterward； was club…footed。 Howeveron second
thought；if the reader sees any coincidence in this； he must do it at
his own risk。
The first shock brought down two or three huge organ…pipes in one of the
churches。 The minister； with uplifted hands； was just closing the
services。 He glanced up； hesitated； and said：
〃However； we will omit the benediction！〃and the next instant there was
a vacancy in the atmosphere where he had stood。
After the first shock； an Oakland minister said：
〃Keep your seats！ There is no better place to die than this〃
And added； after the third：
〃But outside is good enough！〃 He then skipped out at the back door。
Such another destruction of mantel ornaments and toilet bottles as the
earthquake created； San Francisco never saw before。 There was hardly a
girl or a matron in the city but suffered losses of this kind。 Suspended
pictures were thrown down； but oftener still； by a curious freak of the
earthquake's humor； they were whirled completely around with their faces
to the wall！ There was great difference of opinion； at first； as to the
course or direction the earthquake traveled； but water that splashed out
of various tanks and buckets settled that。 Thousands of people were made
so sea…sick by the rolling and pitching of floors and streets that they
were weak and bed…ridden for hours； and some few for even days
afterward。Hardly an individual escaped nausea entirely。
The queer earthquakeepisodes that formed the staple of San Francisco
gossip for the next week would fill a much larger book than this； and so
I will diverge from the subject。
By and by； in the due course of things； I picked up a copy of the
Enterprise one day； and fell under this cruel blow：
NEVADA MINES IN NEW YORK。G。 M。 Marshall； Sheba Hurs and Amos H。
Rose； who left San Francisco last July for New York City； with ores
from mines in Pine Wood District； Humboldt County； and on the Reese
River range； have disposed of a mine containing six thousand feet
and called the Pine Mountains Consolidated； for the sum of
3；000；000。 The stamps on the deed； which is now on its way to
Humboldt County； from New York； for record； amounted to 3；000；
which is said to be the largest amount of stamps ever placed on one
document。 A working capital of 1；000；000 has been paid into the
treasury； and machinery has already been purchased for a large
quartz mill； which will be put up as soon as possible。 The stock in
this company is all full paid and entirely unassessable。 The ores
of the mines in this district somewhat resemble those of the Sheba
mine in Humboldt。 Sheba Hurst； the discoverer of the mines； with
his friends corralled all the best leads and all the land and timber
they desired before making public their whereabouts。 Ores from
there； assayed in this city； showed them to be exceedingly rich in
silver and goldsilver predominating。 There is an abundance of
wood and water in the District。 We are glad to know that New York
capital has been enlisted in the development of the mines of this
region。 Having seen the ores and assays； we are satisfied that the
mines of the District are very valuableanything but wild…cat。
Once more native imbecility had carrie