L. W. Currey, Inc.

(California; San Francisco; 1906 Earthquake and Fire) Emmons, Rosie A. (?). DEAR FRIEND: / SO MANY OF MY FRIENDS HAVE ASKED ME FOR MY PERSENAL [sic] EXPERIENCES DURING THE DREADFUL CALAMITY THAT / BEFELL OUR CITY. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO WRITE EACH ONE A PERSONAL LETTER, SO I CONCLUDED TO WRITE IT OUT, AS A FRIEND / HAD GENEROUSLY OFFERED TO HAVE IT PRINTED FOR ME, AND THEN I COULD SEND YOU ALL ONE ... [caption title]. San Francisco, Calif., May 18, 1906. Single sheet, 35.5x21.5 cm (14 x 8 1/2 inches), printed on recto only. First edition. Printed letter, headed "1792 Sutter St., San Francisco, Calif., May 18, 1906," describing the experiences of a resourceful San Francisco resident during and after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. Rosie, a fire insurance agent, lived in a house owned by her friend Dr. Alice Goss. The morning after the earthquake Rosie, Dr. Goss, her servant Maggie Greene, and two boarders, the Misses Cowley, evacuated, carrying some clothing and bedding, "as the fire was fast coming to us." They fled by foot "to a vacant lot near Golden Gate Park, remaining there until Sunday, doing our cooking on an improvised stove made from a five gallon oil can." Rosie, the only member of the household with a bicycle carried "a clock, two bottles of port wine, a satchel filled with important papers, a cane and umbrella, and two novels" on the handlebars and on her "back was strung two stew pans and a frying pan ..." When the foundation of the house was examined and found safe, they returned home. All the cooking "had to be done in the gutter kitchen for three weeks, or until gas could be safely used in the house ... Amid all our destruction one seldom saw a sorry face; everybody seeming to think that they must look glad so as to cheer the other fellow. If anybody sheds tears I think it is when they stand alone on some elevation and view the fallen city -- the awfulness of it can never be told -- it must be seen, and even then I feel as if we did not fully comprehend it. All our parks are filled with tents, and there thousands are existing, as best they can -- homeless and all they have gone ... I escaped with my life and clothing, but my business is a wreck ... all my clients were in the burned district, and it will be a long time before they can insure again ..." Signature at conclusion in green ink, perhaps Rosie A. Emmons. Old horizontal mailing folds, mild edge tears, a very good copy. No copies recorded by OCLC. (#166777).

Price: $550.00