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2421 Ridge Road, Berkeley, Cal. 

 April 28, 1906. 

 My dear Dr. Britton : 



I was deeply touched by your ready expression of sympathy 

 and offer of help. While we are not cast down, we need it all. 

 No words can give you an idea of the ruin and desolation of our 

 city. I was over yesterday for the first time since I left April 

 19 late in the afternoon. 



I managed to save most of the types but had very little time, 

 not more than half an hour. Having them in a case by them- 

 selves was their salvation. They, together with the records of 

 the Academy, are at Fort Mason, where I took them for safety. 

 I don't know why it was left to me to take care of these prec- 

 ious relics except that I took the responsibility. 



The earthquake occurred about 5.15 a. m. and I was down 

 before 6.30. The outer door was padlocked and I could not 

 get in but the people in the store next door were there and I 

 knew that there was a door of communication so I had them let 

 me in. It was necessary to climb over a lot of fallen bricks to 

 reach the staircase of the front building but it was not impossible. 

 I went to the sixth floor where the bridge connected the two 

 parts of the building but it was gone and I could not fly across, 

 so as there seemed to be nobody anywhere around I had to go 

 back. Then I walked up and down the street hoping to see 

 some one to help me. A young man, Robert Porter, one of my 

 friends, hailed me and I told him my story. We went back and 

 again went through the store. By this time, Mr. Loomis, the 

 director of the museum, Miss Hyde, the acting librarian, Mrs. 

 Newell, my assistant, had come and they had opened the door of 

 the museum, so we could get in over the wreck of the marble 

 staircase at the main entrance. We had to climb up the stair- 

 case to the sixth floor mainly by the iron banisters which seemed 

 to be firm. I got out the bundles and Porter tied them up. The 

 Harkness types were in boxes labelled alphabetically and I could 

 be sure that I had every box. The case containing them had 

 been thrown down on its face, and the boxes were somewhat 

 scattered. I could not save a book. We lowered the things 

 down by string doubled to the floor of the museum six stories 

 below and I was there to receive them. I remembered the saxi- 

 frage types had not been put away as I had left them out so as 

 to send pieces to you and I went back after them. When we 

 reached the street the building next door was on fire and the 

 soldiers had come to keep people from crossing the street or get- 



