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Show Wed/Thurs/Fri, April 4-6, 2018 W The Park Record A-11 Green Tips AY WE WERE An earth-shaking experience in San Francisco Green spring cleaning MAHALA RUDDELL Park City Museum research coordinator In the pre-dawn hours of April 18, 1906, San Francisco was jolted awake by a violent earthquake. Though the quake preceded the Richter scale by decades, scientists have estimated the magnitude at 7.9 based on eyewitness accounts and geological studies. At the time, San Francisco was the largest city on the West Coast and one of the most important financial and cultural centers in the country. The quake leveled eighty percent of the city and left hundreds dead. In the subsequent days, over thirty fires caused more death and destruction and the city was left reeling. Parkite Carrie Vivian Hodgson had been visiting friends when the quake struck. She returned to Park City nine days later and related the “terrible, almost inconceivable, nerve-wracking experiences” she went through to The JULIA FRIEDMAN Recycle Utah PARK CITY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM, THOMAS F. HANSEN COLLECTION Carrie Vivian Hodgson, pictured, ran a jewelry store in Park City. She was visiting friends in San Francisco at the time of the great 1906 earthquake and upon returning home shared her story with the local paper. Park Record. Though immediately awakened, Hodgson was trapped in her room until the shaking stopped. When she made it to the street, she encountered “frantic men, women, and children in their night-clothes.” Fire broke out almost immediately and the neighborhood was evacuated. The quake had “frightened the fire department horses, causing them to break away,” Hodgson reported, which delayed the firemens’ response to alarms. Furthermore, water mains had broken, cutting off the water supply and leaving firemen “powerless.” Aftershocks plagued the city for days, with a particularly strong one occurring on April 19. Hodgson, standing in the street at the time, witnessed a gas main explosion that threw debris high in the air and scorched her hands and face. Other Parkites or former Parkites directly or indirectly affected by the quake included: Dr. Ward, whose family lived in Berkeley; Will Scranton, whose parents lived in San Francisco; Robert Westwick, a student at Stanford; H.W. Thomas, who survived but lost his business and home; Jack Middour, who lived in Santa Cruz; Mrs. S.W. Platt, whose son lived in San Jose; Mrs. E.P LeCompte, whose sister lost the several homes she owned on Nob Hill; Clarence Horsford and his brothers Myron and Star, who lost their homes and business; and Thomas Hickey, who had moved with his family but returned to Park City after the quake. There were likely others who went unreported. Though some developers in San Francisco tried to use the quake as an opportunity to push out the city’s Chinatown, the Chinese community rallied and rebuilt where they’d been. The Park Record noted that Park City’s Chinese residents made a special donation to San Francisco’s Chinese residents. The local community also “answered many personal calls for help.” It’s likely that many local Chinese residents had friends and family in San Francisco at the time, though the paper did not report their names. The quake’s impact was felt for decades. Several insurance companies went bankrupt after issuing payouts and financial repercussions of the quake contributed to the economic Panic of 1907. Additionally, trade and commerce diverted to Los Angeles, which quickly overtook San Francisco to become the largest and most important city in the West. It’s that time of the year again: the time for spring cleaning! Cleaning products are often filled with numerous chemicals that can harm our water and air. The average home contains as much as 25 pounds of toxic cleaning products. Chemicals such as phosphorus, nitrogen, ammonia and chemicals are considered the worst environmental hazards in household cleaners. In addition, nitrogen, phosphorus, and ammonia can be extremely dangerous water contaminants if released in large quantities. In waterways, these chemicals can cause eutrophication: the rapid acceleration of plant life cycle, which can lead to dense vegetation that clogs waterways as well as crowding out animal life and other important marine plants. When plants die and begin to decay, they de- plete the oxygen in the water and other important animals and plants begin to die off as well. Here are some tips that can help you be more environmentally conscious while cleaning: 1. Stay away from cleaning products that contain sulfates, ethoxylates, synthetic fragrances, colorants or dyes. 2. Purchase products that are BPA-free, phthalate-free, natural and organic. 3. Do research and make sure the brands you’re purchasing do not test on animals. 4. Purchase from companies that are carbon neutral, 100 percent renewable energy, and/ or Zero Waste Platinum Certified. 5. Make sure all packaging is recyclable and/or made out of post-consumer plastics. Recycle Utah, a community nonprofit and drop-off recycling center, provides these weekly tips. Visit recycleutah. org for more information. DON’T GET CAUGHT IN A STORM CHECK THE WEATHER FORECAST AT PARKRECORD.COM YourParkCityAgent.com WHAT MY CLIENTS ARE SAYING “Sheila has gone above and beyond as our real estate agent. We have used her for three real estate transactions and would not hesitate to use her again. She has extensive knowledge of the Park City real estate market, and we have been profitable with every transaction. She even helped us find rental property in between home purchases. Sheila is a great person and we highly recommend her.” -Zillow SH E I L A HA L L BRANCH BROKER 435.640.7162 | sheila @sheilahall.com 1700 Park Avenue | Park City, Utah 84060 © 2016 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated subsidiary of HomeServices of America, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, and a franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc. Equal Housing Opportunity. |