In an earlier post, the writer Gertrude Atherton wrote of the inconvenience of being cashless. She was luckier than most, as she had a New York banker to help her out of a desperate situation. Unfortunately, not everyone had her resources, not even someone as affluent as Eleanor Watkins 
, wife of prominent San Francisco physician James T. Watkins. She wrote a lengthy letter to relatives in Virginia a week after the quake:
Two telegrams came today – one from Aunt Virginia for $500 and one from the Bank of Marion telling me to draw on the Bank of California for $300. You are all very generous. We do not want to tax your generosity any more than we must, and we simply cannot say what we shall need. Neither of these telegrams is available in cash just now. In the first place, all the banks are burned, and the vaults may not be opened for weeks, lest their contents burst into a blaze. This happened to one vault which was opened today. In the second place, the Governor has declared legal holiday for a month, at least, and no California Bank can pay out any money. This is to prevent a run of the Banks, protesting of notes, and other legal complications, until a little order is brought out of our chaos. This lack of ready money is one of the people’s chief troubles. The others are lack of water, and lack of the necessities of life which cannot be bought here...
The only way to transmit money, as yet, is to send currency by Wells Fargo, or to send post-office order, which the post-office authorities will pay. This, I believe is different from a postal note, which is limited to twenty dollars... This is an unprecedented situation, and there are no rules to go by. Each day has new developments, and no day is like the last.
Q: Who uses the Archives? Is it open to the public?
A: The Archives has the original records of Wells Fargo from when it was established in 1852.
As a 
It's certainly worth a visit. My only nit with the show is that the museum doesn't provide a means of enjoying the 
Knowing that I’ve been on the lookout for 
Downey Office Manager David Cooley was at the office when the quake struck.
August 26th, 2005 was a Friday, the end of the work week. My trainees talked of the hurricane coming to New Orleans. They asked for my cell phone number in case work was cancelled on Monday. I nonchalantly gave it to them, along with the 
The fire of ’06 burned 28,000 buildings and left over 200,000 San Francisco residents homeless—half the city’s population. Another 70,000-90,000 were without shelter in surrounding communities. People took refuge in any open space, in parks and vacant lots. Episcopal Bishop William E. Nichols witnessed the destruction of 
All night these tens of thousands fled before the flames. Many of them, the poor people from the labor ghetto, had fled all day as well. They had left their homes burdened with possessions. Now and again they lightened up, flinging out upon the street clothing and treasures they had dragged for miles. They held on longest to their trunks, and over these trunks many a strong man broke his heart that night. The hills of San Francisco are steep, and up these hills, mile after mile, were the trunks dragged.
Official camps were constructed in short order in 
Thanks to our excellent designer/blogger—and "all things San Francisco"—
One could compare the creation and installation of an exhibit to many things: redecorating a house (lots of design work and runs to Home Depot), preparing a presentation for the big boss (lots of research and after-hours work)... maybe even giving birth (I’d have to ask some experts to verify this one). San Francisco Is In Ashes came together through the hard work, directly or indirectly, of the entire Historical Services Department. The installation process, lasting a few weeks, gave our Team the chance to find out how many coffee places are open on weekends in the San Francisco Financial District (few on Saturdays; even fewer on Sundays).
A hefty mass of melted and misshapen “stuff," now cooled and fused together, is awfully fascinating: “What is it?” (coins and other metal objects in the Wells Fargo Express building); “How much would that have been worth?” (impossible to say accurately); “Where is it now?” (unknown, but surely melted down. People of 1906 had no idea how interesting it would be 100 years later).
In looking through our vast collections on the ’06 earthquake, I was surprised and horrified to see one statistic that stood out for me: Over 15,000 horses were estimated to have died in the catastrophe. In a time when horse power drove the economic strength of San Francisco, that was a huge impact on the city and its ability to 
An hour after the earthquake, Dr. Edward Topham, chief surgeon of St. Mary’s Hospital at First and Bryant Streets climbed to the hospital’s roof and observed a dozen fires burning all around the downtown. As injured citizens streamed into the hospital, he and another doctor walked north on Second Street to Mission to the headquarters of Wells Fargo & Co.’s Express. They had three hundred horses and nearly as many wagons housed in large stables on Folsom Street.
Patients were carried downstairs and hefted on mattresses into the wagons. The Wells Fargo wagons hauled the injured to the foot of Brannan Street, where the captain of the old Sacramento River steamer Modoc had been persuaded to tie up at the Pacific Mail Dock. By 5 pm, about the time the overladen Modoc landed the refugees in Oakland, St. Mary’s Hospital and surrounding blocks had been obliterated by fire.
Sharing a stove must have also been a problem for the refugee cook. Take, for example, a dish called 
An interesting but sometimes unexpected feature of the 
Now that things have been settled for over 90 decades, thinking about 
For weeks after the quake, guards watched over the sealed cash and record vaults of Wells Fargo Nevada National Bank on Montgomery Street. Finally, when it was determined that the vaults were cool enough to handle, workers were brought in to open them and retrieve their contents. Frederick Lipman, the cashier, had been waiting anxiously for this. Previously, he was told by the bank’s vice-president that all the books were destroyed:
Ledgers that had been stacked tightly merely charred around the edges, their pages so dense and so heavy that the superheated air could not penetrate them. The books and about $3,000,000 in gold and silver were carried out of the vaults and transferred to the new operating quarters a few blocks down Montgomery in the Union Trust Building.
BTW, I did try out that "aluminum foil" blanket I found in my "Disaster Shack" kit with my dog, Gracie. We sat in the garage for a bit—where it was about 40 degrees—and it really did keep me quite warm. I was surprised. Gracie didn't care for the crackling sound it made, and we looked like we were sitting in a Jiffy Pop Popcorn bag—but it worked! I have a feeling we'll learn there are some 
Before the Fire Department became pro in the 1860s, it was all volunteer. Despite overblown legends, there WERE 
In Lilly Coit’s time, as modern methods were in development, fire fighters used glass orbs called fire grenades. Firemen would come barreling into the structure armed with these grenades and lob them into the flames. The enclosed salt water solution would ostensibly smother the blaze. Or people bought them and kept them around the house as an antique version of the fire extinguisher—in a 
The 
As part of the 
The Walk Through the Ruins has over 75 images, all from the Wells Fargo archives. The originals range in size from Brownie snapshots to professional 8”x10” photographs. Seeing these photographs blown up onto a large flat screen, scrolling by as you sit in front of them, feels amazingly different than having the small originals resting motionless on a table-top. I have noticed visitors sitting in front of the exhibit for more than an hour at a time, practically hypnotized. Visitors can really take in the whole scene: the smoke in the air, the debris on the ground, the neatly arranged tents that now take the place of home and hearth… and the people.
Structural deficiencies, from ruptured gas lines to falling pieces of furniture, are a major cause of injuries during earthquakes. To address this, 
As with most days in the spring, around 10 AM, fourth grade students arrive ready for a guided tour of the 
I wonder how the people walking past the unnoticed camera in September 1905 would feel if they knew they would someday be "online." Maybe we’ll add a post-tour, creative writing option for the students. They could pick someone from the film and imagine what the day must have been like for these passersby from the past... maybe even pick up up seven months later to how they experienced the Great Quake.
Six days after the quake, a consortium of banks known as the San Francisco Clearing House came up with a plan of action. In order to pay out depositors, member banks of the Clearing House had to unite with the 
Observing and interacting with visitors experiencing the Make-A-Quake (MAQ) is certainly the most playful and infectious part of the new San Francisco Is In Ashes exhibit for Museum staff and other visitors alike. We have visitors, frequently in groups, for which the MAQ becomes the basis for competitive games, and an opportunity to prove one’s strength. Some building passersby have built the MAQ into their daily routine, jumping on for a moment of play every time they walk through. Other visitors step onto the platform tentatively, trying to determine what it’s all about and steel themselves for whatever is to come. I really think a psychology undergrad could use the MAQ as a tool for 
In the midst of the devastation that followed the quake, Wells Fargo Cashier Frederick Lipman wired Wells Fargo’s New York correspondents and instructed them to send $3 million and have the money credited to the bank’s account with the Mint. The next day, he telegraphed the bank’s correspondents in New York, London and Paris: "Building destroyed—vaults intact—credit unaffected."
Final item: "One week supply of non-perishable food and a manual can opener." Being a kitchen goddess wannabe, I said, "Come on!" Got the can opener. And I do have a well-stocked liquor cabinet. Vodka doesn't go bad.
"A terrible thing has happened. San Francisco is no more. There was a frightful shock on Wednesday morning at 5:13 – buildings fell right and left... but worst of all was the fire. The whole city is destroyed – from the Ferry Building to the Presidio and from the Beach to the Potrero. Every street went up in flames... The Nevada Bank was blown up by the soldiers, who came from all parts of the state. There was “martial law” in town and when we went to the bank they denied us entrance... Thank God that we are still alive. Much love and kisses to you all,
But there was no martial law. Because of the looting and chaos that followed, Mayor Eugene Schmitz issued a proclamation stating,
Dear Lucy: I know you thought of us. We got out without a scratch but well shaken. It was horrible but we are so thankful not to be maimed. We are with Ina. She & Mr. Wells are so good to us. This part of the city stood the shake well & escaped the fire. We have all our best clothes here & are well fed. We were among the lucky ones. Lucy, you will never know how dreadful it was. We are all standing it well. Our house still stands but unsafe to live in.
Guess we can save all our things. The lower flats worse off than us. Going to see Mats folks. Have heard from no one. Write us.
1906 started off with an economic bang. On January 12, the Dow closed above 100 for the first time, and with affluence came signs that the country was on the cusp of modernity. While a broad middle class had not yet emerged, 
The social scene was far more vibrant. Prosperity was in the air. Opera and theater luminaries were performing in town. Matrons from high society upstaged each other. In prominent San Francisco columnist Herb Caen's words (from the San Francisco Chronicle), "The day before, in the memory of those who survive (sic), had been unforgettably brilliant. Spring was in the air and all San Francisco, poised unknowingly on the brink of destruction, was dizzy with pleasure."
This note, written on a scrap of paper the day of the earthquake, says more about the desperation of people in San Francisco in April 1906 than I could get from reading a dozen history books on the earthquake. It inspired my colleagues and me to tell the story of the average person caught up in a disaster of epic proportions as we designed and built our earthquake exhibit for 
In planning our exhibit, it helped that Wells Fargo itself is an earthquake survivor. Although the building burned, Wells Fargo’s bank resumed business, and like the city of St. Francis, rose from the ruins. The exhibit title, “San Francisco is in Ashes—The Great Earthquake and Fire of 1906” comes from a letter written by Wells Fargo Bank President I.W. Hellman one day after the quake. “San Francisco is in Ashes - every building of consequence is demolished,” Hellman wrote.
When we got on the boat we could see smoke rising in San Francisco, not in one place but in a number of places. The boat landed [at the Ferry Building foot of Market Street] I got off, carried my suitcase... and we could see that the fire was spreading. I came up California Street and you could see where the fire was burning in places, but there was nothing in the way to keep me from getting through, although there were fires not so very far away...
Since starting on this blog, I've been wondering: "Am I ready for a disaster?" Like many of you, I'm busy! I'm juggling consulting work, 
Here's what I found: 5 cans of tuna fish, 4 boxes of chili, a can opener (good!), and 2 empty tequila bottles (huh?). "Honey, why are there two empty tequila bottles in our supermarket-paper-bag disaster kits?" Answer (with annoyance): "To store water!" Interesting. Of course, from reading the historic accounts, I know now that the water mains into San Francisco burst during the quake—which is why they couldn't fight the fires... with water. Sadly, in a disaster, those bottles will probably remain empty. But I remain hopeful. The garden shed, safe harbor for our "main disaster kit", must be bursting with supplies!
Does your garage or garden shed look like this? Let's see, old luggage; a bicycle with two flat tires (we won't be pedaling to the 7-Eleven for supplies ;-); golf clubs (who golfed while Rome was burning?); and other... you know... stuff you don't need, but are afraid to throw out.
That was not to be. It was a big box, yes, but 90% empty! The kit did have some sensible things: an unopened first aid kit; a can of votives marked "emergency candles"; another can opener; two matchbooks; a flashlight; and two "emergency blankets," which were just some kind of weird aluminum foil paper. Somehow this kit doesn't seem...complete.
