Historical Story concerning Morgan Hill’s past (1906).
All day Wednesday anxious inquirers sought for news but the telegraph instruments were silent and there was no telephone line working and all that those who had relatives and friends in the Bay cities could do was to wait as patiently as possible.
The loss of property in the Bay cities, especially in San Francisco, was very heavy, estimates placing it as high as $1,000,000,000, while San Jose appears at this writing, Thursday, to be next to San Francisco in point of injury.
The loss of life has also been heavy. The number of dead in San Jose being given at this time as 19. Thos. O’Toole of Morgan Hill was killed in Hotel Ven Dome, and Dr. DeCrow who formerly owned the fine ranch at the foot of El Toro, now owned by A. Brown, was killed in the collapse of the building occupied by T. W. Hobson Co.
Some who tried to keep track of the number of shocks felt here, counted 44 up to 2:30 Thursday. No wonder so many people were sea-sick and almost had nervous prostration.
Several land slides are reported along the canyons of the Uvas in the Santa Cruz mountains.
It is very agreeable news to many in this section, to hear that Paul Shoup is to return to California, and be located at San Francisco, after May 1st. He has been appointed Assistant General Passenger Agent of this portion of the Southern Pacific Company, with headquarters in that city. Mr Shoup is well known in this county and has a host of friends who will be glad to meet him occasionally.
Automobiles were blessed for once, if never before, for they carried news and passengers to and from the wrecked districts.
The earth-quake shock was quite light in Los Angeles and the damage small, but the spirit of helpfulness toward the unfortunate ones was expressed by offers of train loads of provisions, surgeons and nurses.
Morgan Hill was grieving over its damage and loss, until outside reports came in, then there was nothing more to say, for it considered itself fortunate.
