EAETHQUAKES ON THE PACIFIC COAST 175 



neys, which went by the run when the memorable temblor 

 struck the town. 



The worst cases of damage oif Main Street were sustained by W. J. 

 Dobbins, who lived in a two-story brick building about 300 yards 

 north from Vacaville, and by Garland Gates, who lived in a sim- 

 ilar structure 3 miles west of the city. Both of the houses were 

 totallj^ wrecked and several persons who were sleeping in them 

 at the time were injured. 



On entering the town from the direction of the railroad depot the 

 first demolished building met with on the south or brick side of 

 Main Street is H. Chittenden's grocery store. It is a complete 

 wreck. Next to it is F. H. Hacke's hardware shop, split and rent 

 asunder, and held together only by wooden props leaning in from 

 the street. The bank of Vacaville, a one-storj'' brick structiire, 

 did not suffer as extensively as its neighbors. The Odd Fellows' 

 building, which stands next, was badly wrecked; the upper story 

 is thoroughly destroyed, and those who had offices there are 

 heavy losers. 



Going west, the one-story brick buildings which adjoined one an- 

 other were all more or less damaged. Mr. Plates's building at 

 the western extremity of Main Street is in a deplorable condi- 

 tion. It is a one-story brick building. The walls, both front and 

 rear, were knocked out, and the building may be said to be a 

 total wreck. The buildings which suffered most are the Bruns- 

 wick hotel and the Presbyterian Church. They are wooden struc- 

 tures and are pretty badly damaged. 



The total loss in and around Vacaville is variously estimated at 

 from $70,000 to $150,000. There is not a brick building on the 

 south side of the street which was not more or less wrecked, 

 and some of them are a total loss. The shock struck the town at 

 just 2.49 o'clock, and lasted fully three-quarters of a minute. The 

 vibrations were at first from southwest to northeast and then 

 changed suddenly to north and south. Fronts of buildings tum- 

 bled into the street, chimneys were twisted and torn as if struck 

 by a Kansas cyclone, and the entire population rushed into the 

 streets. That there were no fatalities is little short of miracu- 

 lous, though there were a number of very narrow escapes. 



Vacaville seems to have been headquarters for the quake. Several 

 have heretofore been felt here, but none ever approached this in 

 severity. The aggregate loss in the town and township will foot 

 up fully $100,000. 



Probably the first person in Vacaville to notice the approach of 

 the earthquake was S. N. Bettis, the night watchman of the town. 

 He reports that the morning was clear and starlit and that a cold 

 breeze was blowing. He was walking down Main Street, from 

 west to east, when his attention was attracted by a rumbling 

 sound which came from the hills west of the town. The noise 



