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The Story of an Eyewitness . By Jack London. Jack London January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916 Author and Journalist Call of the Wild, White Fang and Sea Wolf.
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The Story of an Eyewitness By Jack London
Jack London January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916 Author and Journalist Call of the Wild, White Fang and Sea Wolf
Upon hearing news of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake Collier’s magazine telegraphed London asking him to write an eyewitness account . Eyewitness accounts include the facts plus descriptive writing and elements of human interest. The author’s personal observations and feelings may also be included.
The Great San Francisco Earthquake April 18, 1906 ~ 5:12 a.m.Estimated at 8.3 on the Richter Scale
The quake was caused by shifting along the San Andreas fault line that runs 810 miles through California.
“. . .the conflagrationthat followed [the shock] burned up hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of property.”
“All the shrewd contrivances and safeguards of man had been thrown out of gear by thirty seconds’ twitching of the earth’s crust.”
contrivance – n. something, as a machine, created to do a specific thing Example: A streetcar was a contrivance of modern life in 1906.
“Time and again successful stands were made by the firefighters, and every time the flames flanked around on either side or came up from the rear, and turned to defeat the hard-won victory.”
“Dynamite was lavishly used, and many of San Francisco’s proudest structures were crumbled by man himself into ruins, but there was no withstanding the onrush of the flames.”
“An enumeration of the buildings destroyed would be directory of San Francisco.”
“Others carried bundles of bedding and dear household treasures. . .”
“Baby buggies, toy wagons, and go-carts were used as trucks and every other person was dragging a trunk.”
“One of their [the soldiers’] tasks was to keep the trunk-pullers moving. The exhausted creatures, stirred on by the menace of bayonets would arise and struggle up the steep pavements, pausing from weakness every five or ten feet.”
Soldiers keeping citizens out of the range of the fire
surmount – v. to get to the top of; climb“Often, after surmounting a heart-breaking hill,
. . .they would find another wall of flame advancing upon them at right angles and be compelled to change anew the line of their retreat.” compel – v. to force or drive
refugee – n. one who leaves his or her home in search of protection or shelter elsewhere, as in times of war or trouble
“At eight o’clock Wednesday evening I passed through Union Square. It was packed with refugees. Thousands of them had gone to bed on the grass. Government tents had been set up, supper was being cooked, and the refugees were lining up for free meals.”
A typical bread line in the early stages of relief distribution.
“The government has the situation in hand. . .The bankers and business men have already set about making preparations to rebuild San Francisco.”
conflagration dear enumeration menace refugees Jack London reported that the smoke from the _______________________ could be seen 100 miles away. 2. He could not give an ______________________ of all the buildings destroyed because there were too many to mention. 3. London described how the _________________ fled with as much as they could carry. 4.People carried bedding and anything that was ___________ to them. 5. The __________________ of the fire threatened rich and poor alike.
compelled flanked surmount contrivances 1. With both sides of the street on fire, people were often ______________ by burning buildings. 2. Thousands of people were _____________ against their will to leave their homes and abandon their possessions. 3. People had to ______________ the hills in order to escape. 4. The great earthquake and fire proved that all the clever __________________ of modern life cannot protect us from the forces of nature.
