1

Ruins of San Francisco
May 20th 1906

Dear Mother & Sisters Anne & Hannah,

I received Hannah's letter yesterday and was glad to get it but I think it was rather a long while to wait for an answer as I wrote you several letters two or three days after the big times here.

I was sorry you had to pay postage on my letter but the post office was put on the Hinkety Dink with the rest of Frisco & I could not buy any post stamps but I have got some now and am much obliged for those you sent me as they will come in handy just the same but you see what kind of writing paper I am using can't buty a piece in Firsco but it is a case of any old port in a storm just now I will tell you all it has not been a joke by no means. I came out of the hotel in my under shirt & a pair of trousers thank god they had my money & my papers in them. I got a pair of cheap shoes out of a store window in some sheeney's??? place where the earthquake broke he window & I went two days with out a coat & I have not got much better than old rags now. I have got money but all the stores in Oakland - across the bay is sold out & I happened to strike it lucky by running into an old friend of mine Mr. Root & he had a house out here right on the beach & he gave me some clothes & I am supping out here with him in his house & am fairing much better than a good many poor devils, the army have given away thousands of tents and clothes of all kinds & they are issuing rations to everybody & they are building wooden shacks all over down town to get people started in business again & there is plenty of work for everybody but half the people have gone away never to come back to this place again. We have had over a hundred shocks since the big one but some were so slight I did not notice them but we had about a dozen good strong ones & they are mean things I can tell you they have all come in the night I have made several quick moves - getting out of bed I can tell you, & keep my clothes in a bundle on a chair near my bed