“I threw open the window, and I think I let
out the grandest notes I ever hit in all my life.
I do not know why I did this. I presume I was
too excited to do anything else.”
“Looking out of the window, I saw buildings
all around rocking like the devil had hold of them.
I wondered what was going on. Then I heard Rossi
come scampering into my room. ‘My God, it’s
an earthquake!’ he yelled. ‘Get your
things and run!’ I grabbed what I could lay my
hands on and raced like a madman for the office.
On the way down I shouted as loud as I could so the
others would wake up.
“When I got to the office I thought of my costumes
and sent my valet, Martino, back after them.
He packed things up and carried the trunks down on
his back. I helped him take them to Union Square.”
It is said that ten minutes later he was seen seated
on his valise in the middle of the street. But
to continue his story:
“I walked a few feet away to see how to get
out, and when I came back four Chinamen were lugging
my trunks away. I grabbed one of them by the
ears, and the others jumped on me. I took out
my revolver and pointed it at them. They spit
at me. I was mad, but I hated to kill them, so
I found a soldier, and he made them give up the trunks.
“Ah, that soldier was a fine fellow. He
went up to the Chinamen and slapped them upon the
face, once, twice, three times. They all howled
like the devil and ran away. I put my revolver
back into my pocket, and then I thanked the soldier.
He said: ’Don’t mention it. Them
Chinks would steal the money off a dead man’s
eyes.’”
They say that Rossi, though almost in tears, was heard
trying his voice at a corner near the Palace Hotel.
“I went to Lafayette Square and slept on the
grass. When I tried to get into the square the
soldiers pushed me back. I pleaded with them,
but they would not listen. I had under my arm
a large photograph of Theodore Roosevelt, upon which
was written: ’With kindest regards from
Theodore Roosevelt.’ I showed them this,
and one of them said: ’If you are a friend
of Teddy, come in and make yourself at home.’
“I put my trunks in the cellar of the Hotel
St. Francis and thought they would be safe. The
hotel caught fire, and my trunks were all burned up.
To think I took so much trouble to save them!”
In spite of the news of all the woe and suffering
which we hear, it is cheering to learn also of the
many thousands of heroic deeds by brave men during
the terrible scenes enacted through the four days passing
since the eventful morning when the earth began to
demolish splendid buildings of business and residence
and fire sprang up to complete the city’s destruction.
The Mayor and his forces of police, the troops under
