The San Francisco call., 1906-05-11
CALIFORNIA STATE
BOARD OF TRADE
ISSUES STATEMENT
Explains Situation in San Francisco
and Declares City Will Become
a Greater Power.
Will Rise From the Ashes of confla.
grafton by the Energy of
Her Own People.

Will Rise From the Ashes of confla-
grafton by the Energy of
Her Own People.
Every Bank Is Solvent and the Mer-
chants Have Ample Resources
and Credit.
The California State Board of Trade
has issued the following statement
concerning conditions in this city:
The California State Board OF
Trade, which for nearly twenty years
has been the exponent of the re-
sources and capacities of California,
and has in it's archives the most ac
curate statistics of the States pro-
gress, submits this statement Of the
situation in San Francisco and Of the
causes which compel that city to rise
IN greater power and splendor than
ever.
For the third time in her history
San Francisco has been destroyed by
fire. The only difference between
each disaster is the increase In the
values Of property destroyed. Twice
before the city was rebuilt upon an
unchanged ground plan. The width
of streets was unchanged and no wide
intersecting avenues and frequent
plazas were provided as checks to a
general confagration. The water sup
ply bore no relation to the result,
as in case of general confiagration
water is powerless to resist, as WAS
proved by the Chicago and Baltimore
fires, that had their way against a
full supply and pressure OF water.
The city will now probably be rebuilt
upon Q reformed ground plan that VIII
interpose space to prevent the spread
OF fire, and 1t is planned to be the
fiagration and to furnish to others an
example OF construction.
"The earthquake damage relatively
was inconsiderable. Many of the
buildings on both sides of Market
street stood against the earthquake.
The modern steel frame buildings sut-
fered least, and that style of structure
stands vindicated. The city has to
rise from the ashes Of condagration
and not from the ruins of an earth
quake. That it will rise by the en-
ergy and credit of its own people is
well assured. Already it is threaded
by temporary railroad tracks to carry
off the debris and clear the ground
for building. Contracts are let for a
multitude of great buildings and the
city will rise new, strong and equipped
to again take its place among the
great commercial centers of the world.
Every bank is solvent. The great
merchants have resources and credit,
and all Of the people have hands ready
for all branches Of the labor Of res
toration. 1t is significant of the high
expectations Of enterprise that real
estate values remain sti6 and In a
large number of cases have advanced
since the ground was cleared by fire.
The loss OF life was small and Is felt
as a personal sorrow rather than by
the economic energies Of the city.
California is State of great pro-
ducivity, in her mines, manufactures.
waters and lands San Francisco Is
located to receive the commercial
drainage of an annual production OF
wealth from these sources amounting
to $150.000,000, and rapidly increas-
ing. A considerable proportion of her
population will aid the processes OF
reconstruction by resorting to the
mines, mills, lands and waters, to In
crease their output Of wealth that
flows to the city. A State with sucn
variety Of resources upon which Ia
Dor may be applied has the ready
! means Of redistributing population
and locating it in gainful occupations,
all of which hasten the rebuilding OF
the city
"All this is in the immediate htnter-
land of San Francisco farther in.
zone after zone Of production and
commerce of the country drain toward
San Francisco That city was Gre
ated by commercial energies and ne
cessitieS that fire cannot burn nor
earthquake destroy, and they exist
now as they did before, and pile UP
the results Of human energy at the
same point, as the current Of a great
river continues to build its delta.
THE California State Board OF
Trade, with its long experience. Is able
to give the situation as it is and as
! 1t will be, and is glad to reach the
public through this statement"
At a meeting Wednesday represent
atives from Kern, Santa Clara, So
noma, Contra Costa, Alameda, Sacra