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Gallery | People | Otto Gerdes
Otto Gerdes
Otto Gerdes was a fireman at Stanford University in 1906. According to the night watchman, Otto was in the powerhouse when the quake struck. He started to run for the door, then wheeled around and raced back to the main electrical power switch, yelling, “They’ll all be on fire.” He cut electricity to the campus, but was killed by the collapsing smokestack as he tried to escape – one of only two casualties in the earthquake (the other was Junius Hanna, a student in Encina Hall). President Jordan credited Gerdes with saving the campus from fire.
A fund was started for Gerdes' widow and provided enough money to purchase the family home for her.
Some of the many donations made to help the widow of Otto Gerdes, credited with saving Stanford University from fire after the 1906 earthquake. Courtesy Stanford University Archives. |
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