The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-24
A NEW SAN rnANcrsco.

 ton was. there were not wanting pessi- mists to predict that, the city would not be rebuilt with anything like com pleteness. They argued that the means could not be secured. and, what was of mora Importance, that the recent cat aatrophe would create such feeling of dread and uncertainty that there would be reluctance about again building up a great city on the same site. In New York. many of the large contracting and building firms freely predicted that 1t would be difficult to get capital to invest in that city. As one prominent New Yorker looked at the matter '1n- vestors will be reluctant to put their money into building enterprises where the hazard is so great as 1t appears to be on the Pacific Coast
 These forebodings were evidently without merit. The recuperative powers of the American people are wonderful. active. and almost boundless. Dis aster is really spur to exertion. The great city of Chicago was almost wiped 0fI tuC map lhli yc1aS oSc 0S fire. but there is a greater Chicago in the same place. Only five years ago Jacksonville. Fla, was almost entirely destroyed. but energy and determina- tion put it back. The same may be said or Baltimore and of other places which have suffered by the flames.
 The city of Galveston offers a nota- ble example, for 1t, like California's me- tropolis, suffered an immense loss by one of Natures mysterious operations which man cannot foresee or guard against. The prediction was freely made that Galveston would not be re- built, and ought not be. It was pointed out that the same cause which brought about such havoc might occur again at any time, and that it would be a reck- less tempting of fate to rebuild on the same site. yet we find that money was forthcoming and that there will he a greater and safer Galveston than the old could have been. for those who have the work in hand have the light of experience to guide them and the new Galveston will be great improve ment on the old.
 The same may be said of San Fran cisco. Money in the shape of voluntary donations Is already flowing into the city by millions. There will be in the neighborhood of two hundred million dollars of insurance money going to the sufferers. and it may be asserted with certainty that capital will not hes itate because of what has happened. The same natural advantages and at fractions which caused a great city to be built within the Golden Gate will operate with greater force. The new city will begin to rise at once and it will be better. stronger and more dur able than the old one was. Apprehen- sions of another earthquake may be felt, but that will not keep people and money away. There will be new San Francisco where the old one stood. and the new one will be a credit to Ameri- can pluck and energy
 As The New York Commercial ex- presses it. will these four hundred thousand people forget all the advan- tages that Nature gave to tine site. the superb commerce and industry of the port. the magnificent business struct- ure that theyfa and the generation be- fore them built up in only half a cen tury. and SO turn batk that flood of gold and leave the blackened streets and lots to their fate, while they them- selves flee to the uttermost parts of the earth In a frenzled fear of other earth quakes to follow? Never, It cannot be! These people must reestablish themselves. their business must be re- habilitated, their money must be rein vested. The combination" Is there for a rebuilded city-and that is bound to come speedily"
 And the people of San Francisco are not of the kind 10 fold their hands in despair and sit down to await the end of life. We agree with The Brooklyn ment or despair of San Francisco II has a history of over half a century ot development. Its destiny has been started and cannot be stopped. Its deS Seiopment has been retarded. but win be resumed. The resumption will fol- low the law of stimulation and ex- pansion which marked Chicago, Boston. Baltimore and other cities, when under the prostration of great disasters and of great sorrows. There is something in the American spirit which assures this. There is something in the Ameri- can heart which makes this certainty There Is something in the American temperament which makes the glory of every second city greater than that of the first. Chances will be taken on Nature and on disaster. Even earth #ouakes will not still mankind to de- spair, but will stir mankind to com petition, and fires of whatever scope or magnitude will kindle more courage in men than they can inflict In de- struction upon property. Each gener- ati6n in each city has In different forms to meet supreme crises. To no crisis has any American community been unequal and by none has it been other than stimulated to greater heart. to greater hope. to greater and to greater achievement"
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