0 6 , ▁San ▁Francisco ▁felt ▁the ▁first ▁for es ho ck , ▁followed ▁within ▁ 2 0 ▁to ▁ 2 5 ▁seconds ▁later ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁San ▁Francisco ▁earth qu ake ▁and ▁the ▁resulting ▁fire . ▁The ▁dis aster ▁caused ▁ 3 , 0 0 0 ▁death s , ▁destroyed ▁ 2 8 , 0 0 0 ▁buildings ▁and ▁left ▁ 2 2 5 , 0 0 0 ▁persons ▁without ▁housing . ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁Frederick ▁F unst on ▁immediately ▁went ▁into ▁rescue ▁operations ▁when ▁the ▁earth qu ake ▁hit . ▁ ▁Fire ▁chief ▁Dennis ▁T . ▁S ull ivan ▁suffered ▁a ▁sk ull ▁f ract ure ▁when ▁the ▁d ome ▁of ▁the ▁California ▁Hotel ▁fell ▁through ▁the ▁fire ▁department ▁building . ▁He ▁died ▁four ▁days ▁later . ▁ ▁Me use bach – Z esch ▁and ▁her ▁mother ▁ev acu ated ▁their ▁home ▁after ▁the ▁earth qu ake ▁and ▁w ander ed ▁through ▁the ▁streets ▁of ▁the ▁city . ▁She ▁would ▁later ▁describe ▁in ▁v ivid ▁detail ▁the ▁cha os , ▁merchant ▁price ▁g oug ing ▁and ▁human ▁dev ast ation ▁she ▁witness ed . ▁They ▁arrived ▁at ▁the ▁Army ▁station ▁on ▁the ▁Pres id io ▁and ▁offered ▁their ▁services . ▁Her ▁mother ▁began ▁working ▁with ▁the ▁combined ▁efforts ▁of ▁the ▁Army ▁and ▁the ▁ ▁American ▁Red ▁Cross ▁to ▁document ▁surv iv ors ▁and ▁assist ▁with ▁their ▁needs . ▁Me use bach – Z esch ▁signed ▁on ▁as ▁a