{"id":34,"date":"2026-04-11T03:47:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T03:47:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/?p=34"},"modified":"2026-04-18T17:41:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T17:41:09","slug":"letter-from-san-francisco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/2026\/04\/11\/letter-from-san-francisco\/","title":{"rendered":"Dispatches from the aftermath"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery .kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-34_f776b8-e9{margin:-5px;}.kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-34_f776b8-e9 .kadence-blocks-gallery-item{padding:5px;}.kb-gallery-id-34_f776b8-e9 .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kb-gal-image-radius, .kb-gallery-id-34_f776b8-e9 .kb-slide-item .kb-gal-image-radius img{border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;;}.kb-gallery-caption-style-cover-hover.kb-gallery-id-34_f776b8-e9 .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner .kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption, .kb-gallery-caption-style-below.kb-gallery-id-34_f776b8-e9 .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner .kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption{background:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);}<\/style><div class=\"kb-gallery-wrap-id-34_f776b8-e9 alignnone wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery\"><ul class=\"kb-gallery-ul kb-gallery-non-static kb-gallery-type-masonry kb-masonry-init kb-gallery-id-34_f776b8-e9 kb-gallery-caption-style-below kb-gallery-filter-none\" data-image-filter=\"none\" data-item-selector=\".kadence-blocks-gallery-item\" data-lightbox-caption=\"true\" data-columns-xxl=\"1\" data-columns-xl=\"1\" data-columns-md=\"1\" data-columns-sm=\"1\" data-columns-xs=\"1\" data-columns-ss=\"1\"><li class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-has-caption\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain kadence-blocks-gallery-intrinsic\" style=\"padding-bottom:39%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3-1024x402.png\" width=\"1024\" height=\"402\" alt=\"San Francisco in ruins, waterfront in foreground, with sunset over Golden Gate in background, looking from 2,000 feet (610 m) above San Francisco Bay, by George R. Lawrence using kite aerial photography. Copyright May 28, 1906. Market Street leads directly away from Ferry Building tower, center foreground, towards Twin Peaks, center-left background. Source: Wikipedia https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1906_San_Francisco_earthquake\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3-scaled.png\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3-scaled.png\" data-id=\"48\" class=\"wp-image-48\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3-1024x402.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3-300x118.png 300w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3-768x301.png 768w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3-1536x603.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3-2048x804.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3-500x196.png 500w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3-800x314.png 800w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3-1280x502.png 1280w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-3-1920x754.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption\">San Francisco in ruins, waterfront in foreground, with sunset over Golden Gate in background, looking from 2,000 feet (610 m) above San Francisco Bay, by George R. Lawrence using kite aerial photography. Copyright May 28, 1906. Market Street leads directly away from Ferry Building tower, center foreground, towards Twin Peaks, center-left background. Source: Wikipedia https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1906_San_Francisco_earthquake<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Stella Heller wrote this letter following the 1906 earthquake. At the time, she and her family were living at 1903 California Street, at Gough.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My dear Esther,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I am going to start in right from the time of the awful calamity but won&#8217;t promise to finish the letter now. The shock was the least \u2014 it was the terrible fire which followed it. The earthquake immediately stopped all telephone connection, made all the chimneys fall down which stopped us from making fires in our stoves \u2014 and all the water disappeared a few hours after the quake. People told us to run all the water we could and fill everything available which we did fortunately, because by noon there wasn&#8217;t anymore water to be drawn. All that day was misery not alone for us but for everybody: People lived on the front door stoops afraid to remain indoors but when afternoon came I was brave enough to allow Laura Jane to have her usual rest in her little bed. Our kitchen girl remained in with her while I was outside with Winifred who was asleep in her buggy. Kate, Joe&#8217;s wife was with us as she came at seven o&#8217;clock in the morning afraid to be in her cozy little flat alone which was badly demolished by the quake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When night came on it was horrifying as everything always looks so black at night. Sam remained at his home with Leah and Henry and also Leah&#8217;s parents whose home was blown up and they saved so little as they did not have plenty of warning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobody slept nor undressed that night as the fire was making continual headway. I undressed the baby as always but put Laura Jane to bed with her clothes on. It was a long night, we were in and out of the house continually, everybody was on the streets and the fire lighted up the city. It was a very sad sight to see the people who lived downtown or near there coming up our way with all they could possibly carry.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery .kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-34_ac7a6b-5b{margin:-5px;}.kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-34_ac7a6b-5b .kadence-blocks-gallery-item{padding:5px;}.kb-gallery-id-34_ac7a6b-5b .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kb-gal-image-radius, .kb-gallery-id-34_ac7a6b-5b .kb-slide-item .kb-gal-image-radius img{border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;;}.kb-gallery-caption-style-cover-hover.kb-gallery-id-34_ac7a6b-5b .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner .kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption, .kb-gallery-caption-style-below.kb-gallery-id-34_ac7a6b-5b .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner .kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption{background:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);}<\/style><div class=\"kb-gallery-wrap-id-34_ac7a6b-5b alignnone wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery\"><ul class=\"kb-gallery-ul kb-gallery-non-static kb-gallery-type-masonry kb-masonry-init kb-gallery-id-34_ac7a6b-5b kb-gallery-caption-style-below kb-gallery-filter-none\" data-image-filter=\"none\" data-item-selector=\".kadence-blocks-gallery-item\" data-lightbox-caption=\"true\" data-columns-xxl=\"1\" data-columns-xl=\"1\" data-columns-md=\"1\" data-columns-sm=\"1\" data-columns-xs=\"1\" data-columns-ss=\"1\"><li class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-has-caption\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain kadence-blocks-gallery-intrinsic\" style=\"padding-bottom:70%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-2-1024x719.png\" width=\"1024\" height=\"719\" alt=\"\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-2.png\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-2.png\" data-id=\"45\" class=\"wp-image-45\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-2-1024x719.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-2-300x211.png 300w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-2-768x539.png 768w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-2-1536x1078.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-2-500x351.png 500w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-2-800x561.png 800w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-2-1280x898.png 1280w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-2-1920x1348.png 1920w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-2.png 1972w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Ruins in the vicinity of Post and Grant Avenue. Source: Wikipedia https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/1906_San_Francisco_earthquake<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next morning, Thursday, dawned anything but encouraging. In fact so bad did the city look that at once I started to pack the most necessary articles and clothes, some bedding and all the food and drink we had in the house out to Joe&#8217;s flat even if it was in a poor condition. We were very fortunate in having Father&#8217;s wagons which were worth all the way from five to a hundred dollars that day as no cars were running and everything in the vehicle line was taken and asked exorbitant prices for them. Ian and family packed as we did to Joe&#8217;s house also while at Kate&#8217;s, people were continually moving outward, really, it all looked like a moving picture. By two o&#8217;clock we thought it best to get out of town especially having the children so again we collected our necessities and started off. Father, our kitchen girl and their bundles in one wagon, Joe &amp; Kate had a wagon. Sam, Leah &amp; Henry in one, Leah&#8217;s family in another and lastly Ease, babies, bundles and Ian in another. The boys were anxious to get father and we ladies out of town but I would not go without Ease and he without me. Our poor horse who was worn out from packing back and forth all day was very slow and everybody who we asked which way to go directed us the same way. We had to go to the Presidio to get to the boat. Well it seems Father and the boys knew of a way to get to the ferry by way of Lombard Street which route they had taken but we went through the Presidio to Meiggs Wharf. <\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery .kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-34_8b5efe-17{margin:-5px;}.kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-34_8b5efe-17 .kadence-blocks-gallery-item{padding:5px;}.kb-gallery-id-34_8b5efe-17 .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kb-gal-image-radius, .kb-gallery-id-34_8b5efe-17 .kb-slide-item .kb-gal-image-radius img{border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;;}.kb-gallery-caption-style-cover-hover.kb-gallery-id-34_8b5efe-17 .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner .kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption, .kb-gallery-caption-style-below.kb-gallery-id-34_8b5efe-17 .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner .kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption{background:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);}<\/style><div class=\"kb-gallery-wrap-id-34_8b5efe-17 alignnone wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery\"><ul class=\"kb-gallery-ul kb-gallery-non-static kb-gallery-type-masonry kb-masonry-init kb-gallery-id-34_8b5efe-17 kb-gallery-caption-style-below kb-gallery-filter-none\" data-image-filter=\"none\" data-item-selector=\".kadence-blocks-gallery-item\" data-lightbox-caption=\"true\" data-columns-xxl=\"1\" data-columns-xl=\"1\" data-columns-md=\"1\" data-columns-sm=\"1\" data-columns-xs=\"1\" data-columns-ss=\"1\"><li class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-has-caption\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain kadence-blocks-gallery-intrinsic\" style=\"padding-bottom:97%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-1-1024x1003.png\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1003\" alt=\"\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-1.png\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-1.png\" data-id=\"35\" class=\"wp-image-35\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-1-1024x1003.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-1-300x294.png 300w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-1-768x752.png 768w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-1.png 1148w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Meiggs Wharf as seen from Russian Hill. Source: wikipedia<br>https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Meiggs_Wharf<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When we got there Ease got out of the wagon to look for the folks and saw them not\u2014 can you imagine our disappointment? There was only one thing for us to do in that awful moment and that was to move on so the poor horse and wagon was left at the Presidio. Now let me tell what I had on my back and in my hands (It was a very warm day too, cinders flying) extra underwear, a silk lined waist \u2014 a woolen dress skirt \u2014&nbsp; a sweater,&nbsp; a red cloth tallor suit, a long tan coat and my fur carrying Winnifred&nbsp; with her heavy coat on, Laura Jane by the hand and our darling boy over my shoulder filled with clothes. Ease carried two dress suit cases, a grip, and my separate sheets filled with clothes. Ease had to drop one of the sheets in order to get to me in the mob, and while we were in Oakland he met the Swedish woman who stood next to us at Meiggs Wharf. and she told Ease that she took his bundle and if he came to Fruitvale he could have them \u2014 wasn&#8217;t that lucky? Surely such people should be rewarded.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery .kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-34_838274-fd{margin:-5px;}.kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-34_838274-fd .kadence-blocks-gallery-item{padding:5px;}.kb-gallery-id-34_838274-fd .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kb-gal-image-radius, .kb-gallery-id-34_838274-fd .kb-slide-item .kb-gal-image-radius img{border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;;}.kb-gallery-caption-style-cover-hover.kb-gallery-id-34_838274-fd .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner .kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption, .kb-gallery-caption-style-below.kb-gallery-id-34_838274-fd .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner .kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption{background:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);}<\/style><div class=\"kb-gallery-wrap-id-34_838274-fd alignnone wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery\"><ul class=\"kb-gallery-ul kb-gallery-non-static kb-gallery-type-masonry kb-masonry-init kb-gallery-id-34_838274-fd kb-gallery-caption-style-below kb-gallery-filter-none\" data-image-filter=\"none\" data-item-selector=\".kadence-blocks-gallery-item\" data-lightbox-caption=\"true\" data-columns-xxl=\"1\" data-columns-xl=\"1\" data-columns-md=\"1\" data-columns-sm=\"1\" data-columns-xs=\"1\" data-columns-ss=\"1\"><li class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-has-caption\" style=\"max-width:822px;\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\" style=\"max-width:822px;\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain kadence-blocks-gallery-intrinsic\" style=\"padding-bottom:124%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-8-822x1024.png\" width=\"822\" height=\"1024\" alt=\"the letter\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-8.png\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-8.png\" data-id=\"76\" class=\"wp-image-76\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-8-822x1024.png 822w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-8-241x300.png 241w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-8-768x957.png 768w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-8-1233x1536.png 1233w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-8-500x623.png 500w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-8-800x997.png 800w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-8-1280x1595.png 1280w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-8.png 1330w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 822px) 100vw, 822px\" \/><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Photocopy of the original letter<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Well to go back we managed to get on the boat after a great struggle through the crowd and then we had to get on another boat. I was pretty well worn out by that time but had to keep up as others did \u2014 it was a very warm day and the cinders were flying every which way. We couldn&#8217;t have water all day but the Red Cross Hospital at the ferry were giving away milk for women and children and maybe I didn&#8217;t sit down on a piece of lumber and drink with Laura Jane. Poor Ease \u2014 who was parched \u2014 stole a swallow. when we arrived in Oakland we saw nobody belonging to us. A gentleman from the Relief Committee came up to us and wanted to give us space in the tents but as he said that a perfect stranger felt so sorry for us with the babies that she asked us to come to her home. I was perfectly astounded by such hospitality. We accepted her kindness and there remained in her home from Thursday evening until the following Wednesday. Our trouble was that we could not locate Father and the others, the anxiety was indescribable and I never want to live through another week like what I experienced. On Tuesday for the first time Ease went to the city to see if he couldn&#8217;t find some news or locate somebody. He never wanted to leave Oakland for fear of the family coming as we had advertised our whereabouts in the paper and registered at different places downtown. That morning while getting Winnifred&#8217;s bottle ready in the kitchen I heard somebody say &#8220;Here is your father.&#8221; I was just stunned, really I could not speak \u2014 Poor little Laura Jane cried with delight and Father kept her company. He said what he worried about mostly was that we couldn&#8217;t get water, he didn&#8217;t know the conditions or where we were.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery .kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-34_0b65c5-af{margin:-5px;}.kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-34_0b65c5-af .kadence-blocks-gallery-item{padding:5px;}.kb-gallery-id-34_0b65c5-af .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kb-gal-image-radius, .kb-gallery-id-34_0b65c5-af .kb-slide-item .kb-gal-image-radius img{border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;;}.kb-gallery-caption-style-cover-hover.kb-gallery-id-34_0b65c5-af .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner .kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption, .kb-gallery-caption-style-below.kb-gallery-id-34_0b65c5-af .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner .kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption{background:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);}<\/style><div class=\"kb-gallery-wrap-id-34_0b65c5-af alignnone wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery\"><ul class=\"kb-gallery-ul kb-gallery-non-static kb-gallery-type-masonry kb-masonry-init kb-gallery-id-34_0b65c5-af kb-gallery-caption-style-below kb-gallery-filter-none\" data-image-filter=\"none\" data-item-selector=\".kadence-blocks-gallery-item\" data-lightbox-caption=\"true\" data-columns-xxl=\"1\" data-columns-xl=\"1\" data-columns-md=\"1\" data-columns-sm=\"1\" data-columns-xs=\"1\" data-columns-ss=\"1\"><li class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-has-caption\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain kadence-blocks-gallery-intrinsic\" style=\"padding-bottom:68%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-4-e1775847204449-1024x705.png\" width=\"1024\" height=\"705\" alt=\"https:\/\/africanlit.org\/ala-oral-history-project\/commemorations\/about-nawal-el-saadawi\/\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-4-e1775847204449.png\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-4-e1775847204449.png\" data-id=\"51\" class=\"wp-image-51\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-4-e1775847204449-1024x705.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-4-e1775847204449-300x207.png 300w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-4-e1775847204449-768x529.png 768w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-4-e1775847204449-500x344.png 500w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-4-e1775847204449-800x551.png 800w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-4-e1775847204449-1280x882.png 1280w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-4-e1775847204449.png 1356w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption\">People gather in City Hall Park in Oakland, California, following the April 18, 1906 earthquake. Damage to the Central Bank building on the northeast corner of Broadway and 14th Street visible in the background.\n\npublisher: Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Room and Maps Division (Oakland, Calif.) Source: https:\/\/oakland.access.preservica.com\/file\/sdb:digitalFile%7C88ceebae-71d8-4a74-8567-5f0828aec061\/<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Thursday \u2014 I told you that I didn&#8217;t think I could finish this letter at one time. To go back from where I left off \u2014 After seeing Father he told me to go to Portland with the children that the girls had written many urgent letters all of which I hadn&#8217;t received so when Ease came back to Oakland that evening we decided that I should leave next night for Portland provided I could get accommodations which I did and here I am. I came up on the train all alone with the two babies and managed all right. Everybody on the train was so very kind to me and as the two babies slept all the night through without any disturbances, it made things easy for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Letters from home now say that in our house, the telephone is in running order and they once again cook on the stove in the house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Father has given out the contract to have a new shop built on the old site, in fact I believe work has already begun but the law will only allow a one story structure for the present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ease has opened a clothing store on Fillmore Street (the downtown of today) and is very well satisfied but when night comes he writes that he is worn out as he rises at six o&#8217;clock and keeps the store open every night \u2014 until ten. Max has gone down to San Francisco. Dorothy is very well, simply enormous and as today is the last of May prospects are for a June baby or maybe babies.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery .kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-34_b8da8c-7f{margin:-5px;}.kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-34_b8da8c-7f .kadence-blocks-gallery-item{padding:5px;}.kb-gallery-id-34_b8da8c-7f .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kb-gal-image-radius, .kb-gallery-id-34_b8da8c-7f .kb-slide-item .kb-gal-image-radius img{border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;;}.kb-gallery-caption-style-cover-hover.kb-gallery-id-34_b8da8c-7f .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner .kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption, .kb-gallery-caption-style-below.kb-gallery-id-34_b8da8c-7f .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner .kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption{background:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);}<\/style><div class=\"kb-gallery-wrap-id-34_b8da8c-7f alignnone wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery\"><ul class=\"kb-gallery-ul kb-gallery-non-static kb-gallery-type-masonry kb-masonry-init kb-gallery-id-34_b8da8c-7f kb-gallery-caption-style-below kb-gallery-filter-none\" data-image-filter=\"none\" data-item-selector=\".kadence-blocks-gallery-item\" data-lightbox-caption=\"true\" data-columns-xxl=\"1\" data-columns-xl=\"1\" data-columns-md=\"1\" data-columns-sm=\"1\" data-columns-xs=\"1\" data-columns-ss=\"1\"><li class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-has-caption\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\" style=\"max-width:1024px;\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain kadence-blocks-gallery-intrinsic\" style=\"padding-bottom:38%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-5-1024x398.png\" width=\"1024\" height=\"398\" alt=\"ad for Ease&#039;s business, 1907\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-5.png\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-5.png\" data-id=\"53\" class=\"wp-image-53\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-5-1024x398.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-5-300x117.png 300w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-5-768x299.png 768w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-5-1536x597.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-5-2048x796.png 2048w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-5-500x194.png 500w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-5-800x311.png 800w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-5-1280x498.png 1280w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-5-1920x747.png 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Ad for Charles Keilus &amp; Co, which Ease Heller helped run, in the January 11, 1907 issue of Temple Emanu-El&#8217;s newsletter<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let me offer my heartiest thanks dear Esther to you, always are you so kind and thoughtful. We are among the fortunate ones and need little assistance as we have our homes and all are settled in business again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">with love, believe me, as ever, in all sincerity yours,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stella Hermann Heller<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Forgot to say that Elise Techeimer is married to Dr. Harold Bruhor [spelling?] and is living in Los Angeles. He got Dr. J. Land&#8217;s house practice the while the latter is away.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery .kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-34_5d3be7-aa{margin:-5px;}.kb-gallery-type-masonry.kb-gallery-id-34_5d3be7-aa .kadence-blocks-gallery-item{padding:5px;}.kb-gallery-id-34_5d3be7-aa .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kb-gal-image-radius, .kb-gallery-id-34_5d3be7-aa .kb-slide-item .kb-gal-image-radius img{border-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;;}.kb-gallery-caption-style-cover-hover.kb-gallery-id-34_5d3be7-aa .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner .kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption, .kb-gallery-caption-style-below.kb-gallery-id-34_5d3be7-aa .kadence-blocks-gallery-item .kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner .kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption{background:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);}<\/style><div class=\"kb-gallery-wrap-id-34_5d3be7-aa alignnone wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery\"><ul class=\"kb-gallery-ul kb-gallery-non-static kb-gallery-type-masonry kb-masonry-init kb-gallery-id-34_5d3be7-aa kb-gallery-caption-style-below kb-gallery-filter-none\" data-image-filter=\"none\" data-item-selector=\".kadence-blocks-gallery-item\" data-lightbox-caption=\"true\" data-columns-xxl=\"1\" data-columns-xl=\"1\" data-columns-md=\"1\" data-columns-sm=\"1\" data-columns-xs=\"1\" data-columns-ss=\"1\"><li class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item\"><div class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item-inner\"><figure class=\"kb-gallery-figure kadence-blocks-gallery-item-has-caption\" style=\"max-width:768px;\"><div class=\"kb-gal-image-radius\" style=\"max-width:768px;\"><div class=\"kb-gallery-image-contain kadence-blocks-gallery-intrinsic\" style=\"padding-bottom:133%;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-6-768x1024.png\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" alt=\"Arthur Hermann with Bertha Bernstein. Arthur was born after the 1906 earthquake.\" data-full-image=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-6.png\" data-light-image=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-6.png\" data-id=\"66\" class=\"wp-image-66\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-6-768x1024.png 768w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-6-225x300.png 225w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-6-1152x1536.png 1152w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-6-500x666.png 500w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-6-800x1066.png 800w, https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/image-6.png 1166w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/div><\/div><figcaption class=\"kadence-blocks-gallery-item__caption\">Arthur Hermann with Bertha Bernstein. Arthur was born after the 1906 earthquake.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stella Heller wrote this letter following the 1906 earthquake. At the time, she and her family were living at 1903 California Street, at Gough. My dear Esther, I am going to start in right from the time of the awful calamity but won&#8217;t promise to finish the letter now. The shock was the least \u2014&hellip;&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":45,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-34","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78,"href":"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34\/revisions\/78"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/45"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.womeninit.net\/lore\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}