St. Tammany farmer., 1906-11-17
BUILDING UP 5...1s.s il. i.
SAN FRANCISCO
Citizens Make Marvellous Progress in
the Work of Restoration.
New Buildings, Finer Than Those Destroyed BY the
Earthquake and Fire. Going Up on Epery Side
"City Beautiful'' a Matter of Time

San Francisco-One of the worlds
3feat sights is San Francisco. Cities
nave been ruiEed and ashes have
covered them, but never before un.
ser modern conditions. A city ruined
y earthquake and fire in the old
osys meant that the time of recovery
would equal the age of the city up to
me hour of its>destruction. In this
sge the very evidences Of destruction
are turned into agencies OF repair and
improvement. Fire has rarely failed
70 bring about better conditions in a
city, and San Francisco is no excep-
uon to the rule. It Is not the i'm
pfoyement of the city that will make
them marvel, however, as much as
the rapfdity with which the work
VIII be accomplished.
The earthquake Of April 1s caused
=; Few million dollars damage-possibly
@10,000,000 would cover that loss. The
nre. which had full play after the
quake had broken the water mains,
burned over 514 squares, or 1850
acres, or four square miles, the total
loss being estimated at $500, ,0O0, 900.
On this property there was insurance
amounting to about $315 100000 OF
this insurance about $3.50, 900 had
been paid in cash to policyholders up
to September Is. +. W.
The fire, as everybody knows, de-
stroyed the business district of San
Francisco, but left the shipping and
residence districts intact. Commerce
continued without interruption, ex-
eept such incidental disturbances as
the location of new storage places and
the accumulation Of freight. Thou
sands of people left the city immedi-
ately after the disaster but compe-
tent authorities estimate that SO per
cent of these refugees have returned.
Their homes being intact they find
that San Francisco is the place for
them, after all. and they are turning
to. rebuild the city, either with their
capital or their labor. .s5.
Bringing Order from Chaos.
When the fire died down on April
81, the people Of San Francisco were
confronted with mighty problems,
some of them demanding instant solu-
tion. As this article deals with the
San Francisco of the future and not
Of the past, it is not necessary to go
into details regarding the remarkable
ability shown by the committee OF fif-
" In providing for the wants Of the
hungry and shelterless, writes Ira e.
Bennett, in the New York Press. That !
IL a story by itself, and a most inter !
esting and inspiring one. Another |
pressing problem, however, was that
OF clearing the streets in order that |
communication might be restored. |
Thffty-six miles Of streets were piled
high with debris. Within five months
this enormous mass OF material has
been removed, trolley wires have been
strung, street car traf1c reestablished
and : system of debris removal inau-
gurAted which disposes of 100 car
loads day. +If more labor were to
be had the work would go much
faster. 25st III ~
Admission day was celebrated this
year on Monday, September 10. l saw
the city On that day for the frst time
since the disaster. The scene was
appalling. With the exception of a.
worker here and there, the destroyed
district was destitute of laboring men.
Ruins, ruins In every direction, as far
% the eye could see; millions Of tons
Of bricks and mortar piled up in half
destroyed Easements; a strong breeze
blowing dust and ashes everywhere;
writhing steel beams and crumbling
granite marking the sites Of once i'm
posing buildings, and the very thought
of bringing order out OF chaos sum
cient to stagger the imagination.
On the next day q far different pic.
lur0 was presented. In every base i
ment was a gang Of workmen. They
struggled with girders. piled brick.
udfted good material from refuse, han /,
lied pick and shovel, mixed mortar
md loaded wagons with debris. Thou
sands OF busy hands were to be seen
Down Every street. Thousands OF
leans went about on the simultane- !
pus task OF removal and reconstruc-
lion.
Little Loss OF Population.
TO one familiar with the crowds
hat made Market street and the FER
hes famous, there does not appear
Is be any Jdiminution of population.
rhe car system is wholly mad dequate,
llthough herculean efforts have been
nanA To establish communication.
rhA ferries are an crowded as ever.
rh4aters are filled to suffocatton. The
81. Francis hotel put up temporary
structure In Union square, and it Is
urning away : hundred guests daily.
)thsr hotels are illed and turning
! j. . 80 % sssssssssssssessl . - -