ALS signed “W. B. Wallace,” two pages, 8.5 x 11, Superior Court Chambers letterhead, June 7, 1906. Judge Wallace apologizes to Mrs. Wallace M. Bartlett for not answering her letter, due to the circumstances of the earthquake reminding him of his promise to visit his "Kentucky kinsmen." In part, "Since April 18th a day of disaster in this state all plans for the present year had to be re-formed and in many cases abandoned. We have all been living in a state of uncertainty. Every day since April 18th up to last Monday has been a legal holiday. It became necessary for the Governor to declare successive holidays in order that the banks throughout the state could arrange to safely resume business and that the Legislature might be convened in extra session and enact some new laws necessary to protect property rights suddenly imperiled by the great calamity that befell San Francisco and other near by places on that date. A cessation of judicial business for forty five days has left the trial courts with congested dockets rendering it necessary for most of the judges to continue holding court during the usual summer period for vacation. Unhappily I find myself in this situation and I will be unable to leave the state during his year…Fortunately none of us were injured by the great earthquake. The shock here was slight and no property was injured. My daughter Ethel was at Stanford University when it occurred. The University is about sixty miles from San Francisco. It suffered a loss of about $4,000,000 in the destruction and injury of many fine buildings. Two lives were lost one being that of a student and six other students were quite badly injured. Communication with the outside world was immediately interrupted and it was several days before we could get direct news from Ethel. She was not injured though when the shock occurred near 5 o'clock in the morning she and her companions thought the world was coming to an end when the furniture was being tossed about the room and she could see the fine structures of the university falling into shapeless masses of stone. It will be some time for our State to fully recover from the effects of so great a calamity but San Francisco will be rebuilt because of its almost matchless harbor and because it was proven that modern steel structures can stand uninjured after such an earthquake. To many of us who have known that city almost all of our lives it will not probably be the San Francisco of which we were so proud. The loss resulting from the earthquake there has been estimated at not more than $70,000,000 but the great fire with no water to stay its progress, increased the loss to thirty times that.” In fine condition, with intersecting folds, and a uniform shade of mild toning. Accompanied by the original mailing envelope. RRAuction COA.
