The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-04-23
TIE FUTURE OF SAN FRANCISCO.

TIE FUTURE OF SAN FRANCISCO.
1t is too soon to speculate upon the
destiny of the once fair city which now
lies mass of ruins and ashes upon
the shore of the western ocean. Will
San Francisco arise from its ashes :
and again rear her head as the proud
mistress OF the west is question that
cannot be answered.
1t is hardly to be expected that
American enterprise which knows no
defeat, will permit the site to become
rs desolated as it was when the dis
covery of gold caused the old mission
TO spring into a city in a day
True. there is little left of the city.
Its finest business blocks are in ruins
and the city will have to be removed
as rubbish before even start to-
ward rebuilding can be made. The
city must be rebuilt from it's founda-
lions.
1t is not impossible for American
municipalities to recover from such
disasters. Charleston is finer city
today than it was before similar dis
aster laid its finest buildings in the
dust. Galveston, overwhelmed by
great tidal wave. has not only been
rebuilt, but now bids defiance to an
angry sea. Chicago might now be
a city with many superiors in the
west, had not the flames taught it's
people the need Of building thou
sand times better than they had for
merly done. There is no lack OF abil-
ity or enterprise.
1t is not improbable though that
some OF the Pacific coast cities which
for years have been fighting San Fran
cisco for supremacy in the shipping
and other trades. will profit by the
latter's disaster and push their own
claims SO vigorously that before the
fallen city can gather its strength for
the race, it will already be outdis-
tanced.
The enormous importance of the
oriental trade that is certain to de-
velop in few years on the Pacific
would make it worth striving for, and
it is certain that while the hand Of
charity is ever open to suffering hu-
mainly, the rivalry of communities
for commercial supremacy does not
heed the cries of it's competitor in it's
calamity.
There will always cling to the city
the hoodoo of its disaster. AS WIN
ter resort, which by the way has had
much to do with the city's growth in
recent years, it will be Stunned until
the day of It's obstruction is forgotten
in the multitude of other things that
demand attention.
The great commercial prosperity of
the Pacific coast is dependent upon
the trade with Asia and the islands
of the Pacific. San Francisco was the
terminal point for the system of rail-
roads which crossed the barriers of
the Rockies from the central portion
of the middle west Seattle, which
will be its rival, is at the terminal of
the lines which, traversing the. great
cereal regions of the northwest, cross
the mountains in the north. Started
equally, the one which would receive
the greatest quantity of material for
the oriental trade would naturally be-
come the most important.
1t is 4 we'll recognized fact that the
demands of the east for years at least
will be largely the products of the
grain fields of the northwest This
must reach its seaport shipping point
at Seattle. 1t therefore seems prob
able that the city of the north will
become the New York of the Pacific.
San Francisco, like giant laid low
by blow from an unseen hand, will
arise. but her glory will have faded
and her supremacy will have departed.