Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1906-04-27
LONG USED TO =.
EARTHQUAKES
GOlden Gate Metropolis has
Been Shaken Often
Ia the Past.
PRESENT WORST EVER KNOWN
Some of the Skyscrapers and Other
Buildings Destroyed - Magnificent
City Hail Ia Ruirs-Fires Ar.
rested by Dyuamite-Earih.
cuake Ct 1865 Described
by s,ark Twain.
PRESENT WORST EVER KNOWN

=" HE recent disastrous earthquake
g extending over 50 large part
81 of the Pacific coast region and
wrecSing such an extensive
section of the city of San Francisco
was not the lrst Of these catastrophes
known III the western metropolis.
though by all ODDS the most damaging.
For many years the municipal au-
thorities refused to permit tail bullu-
ings in the city because OF the fear OF
earlhJuakeF sevcral Of which had al
ready been experienced. Finally the
iuteyIic;ion was removed, however
ard nGiahcs Z. E,r'c".. 20; rc>l.ted.
Prior to 1890 there was hardly
ru!lling IN exccss Of FIVE stories ana
My n few of that he Ill. To-Day there
- one eiehteen stories LiGh and quite
number from twcl"e to fourteen
tories
III the spri.c OF -. a'rrt 10 o'clock
...e ..:e,t. Nc-c... haG p 80. tux shock
rh2t put to tc;t it's high ~.rHclreS. II
was the wort c.r.Al2"E" since 1868,
when for eight OF u.Hc b!n".:s on the
main street N.a.,:c0 jh' ground was
cracked cqcn se,crll inches.
In the rraec-a! f i33- -" tall build
iu.-s vprc .ivnn q f"c"i J making, and
some Of thcir occupant We're made
dizzy a.d SICK. ihc structures were
m.njured. GuI ever since that time
there haG y. lCcI So mach question
oP tho sefctv CN - '.,iiiSS OF mod
ern corStrr"t'9n-thct j.. buildings OF
structural iron frame aui facings OF
PRESSED brick, terra Gotta or stone.
II was II. 4. De Young. tie proprie-
tor ana editor o. the Chronicle, who
was The pioneer ll It's respect. He
met with opposition from the munich
pal authorities foIr;ecl years a-o when
he dcciGed 10 erect Il tea story house
for his newspaper II was believed to
be dangerous undertaking because OF
the earthquake fear. but MIR. De Young
won out and thereby set an example OF
enterprise TO other wealthy men who
have since built more tall buildings.
York banker. who owns great deal
of San Francisco property. has one OF
the ta!lest and finest structures In the
city.
Claus Spreckels. known throughout
the country as the sugar king and the
richest San Franciscan. owns build
ing seventeen stories high. commonly
Known as the Call building. On three
Of the corner sites, where Third street
intprsects Market, is located the great
| SDrecSels building, the home or the
Call: tie D Young building, the nome
OF the Chronicle. and the Hearst build
ing. occupied by the Examiner, The
three rreat Pacific coast newspapers
having contributed handsomely to the
hu,lding development of San Francisco
IN recent years. : e city now has III
share of tall buildings, one being eight
,. tories in height The major par
yt e.n are eight. ten and twelve $40
rics. the eight stored being most nu
merouS.
The Call ard Examiner buildings
were almost totally destroyed in the
earthquake and many other skyscrap
,rs were severely shaken, cracked anl
damaged.
One of the chief buildings which col
lapsed was the new postothce. Ihl
was a substantial structure of granite
costing to exceed S5.OOOO00. Will
not striking from an architecture
standpoint, the postofiice was impress
i've from its massiveness.
The Postal building was badly dam
aged. and the operating room was
wreck Power of every kind was dt
stroyed. and there were no lights, e
tber gas or electric Neither the IA
ace hotel nor the St Francis was d'
! stroyed as far rs the framework goe
but the inside plastering and decor;
g tions weit .riatly damaged.
n The business ~rctiOn OF the city frol
/. Market =, Mission street an
7, ,-or, ~ ok was almost cor
pie
.sDicuous building
. ca, e. he city hall, Is almo
tot II cost from SG,0O0.C
to- * twenty-five years
m. was surmounted