Complete Story of the San Francisco Horror

by Richard Linthicum

Rushed into print within weeks of the earthquake and fire that destroyed much of San Francisco in April 1906, this book was compiled by Richard Linthicum and Trumbull White, with an introduction by Bishop Samuel Fallows. It describes the first shock before dawn on April 18, the fires that burned for three days, the dynamiting of buildings to stop the flames, the work of soldiers and relief committees, life in the refugee camps, the damage at Stanford University and in other coast cities, and the explanations offered by scientists. Eyewitness accounts give the narrative its force, and the tone is often sensational. It shows how the disaster was first told to the nation. It is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first chapter is free.