Historical story dated 100 years in the past. Damage described
from the 1906 earthquake.
April 18, 1906, claims the unenviable record of being the Earthquake day and year. Many shocks have been experienced of greater or less intensity, during the past fifty years, but none of them compares to this one in severity and length, nor in the loss of life and property.
A light shcok was felt a little before five in the morning but the heavy shock occurred about a quarter past five and continued from 30 to 40 seconds, the principal damage done in Morgan Hill was to the new stone buildings and the new Union high School building.
The south wall of the bank building above the first story was thrown into the street, the other walls suffering but little injury. At the Bucheister-Issott building, the upper part of the west and south walls were racked and thrown down, and at Mrs. Oldham’s building the south wall was the main part to suffer, the upper part being thrown down and the corners cracked. It will cost considerable to rebuild and repair these injuries. The High School building was severely shaken and slightly moved on the foundation and the plastering was badly cracked and shaken off. It is estimated that it will take about $1500 to repair the damage. Injuries to other buildings was largely confined to the knocking off of the chimney tops, and cracking of the plaster in the case of plastered houses. The top of at least three-fourths of the chimneys were demolished, many being simply shaken to pieces, some appeared to be lifted up, inverted and then stuck down in the roof without being shattered and one we noticed appeared to have been cut off above the roof and turned a quarter way round, otherwise showing no injury.
In the stores considerable loss wstained by the breaking of bottles, dishes, etc., of various kinds, but a few hundred dollars would probably cover all such losses. In private houses, also more or less damage was done to dishes and glassware.
We have heard of but one wind-mill and tank, I. Purcells, being demolished in this immediate vicinity. At Madrone however the tanks and wind-mills suffered more damage. The county tanks and mills along the Monterey Road have suffered more than private ones.
Near Perry Station, we understand that the residence of O.H. Barnhart was demolished.
The railways have been badly tied up, no trains from San Jose south on the S.P. from Wednesday morning until Thursday and no communication from the south, the bridge over the Pajaro river below Chitteden being down and an extensive landslide at Logan. These obstructions will stop traffic for some days.
