The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-04-24
The City of San Francisco
Facts About the Beautiful Metropolis of the Pacific Coast Now
Threatened With Destruction by Earthquake and Fire.

structive fires, and an earthquake did
some damage on October 81. 1858. In
the five big fires of December II. 1S4s.
May 4, 1850. June II. 1850. and May ..
1881. June , 1851 the property de-
stroyed reached an aggregate value of
sixteen million dollars With the COM
pletion Of the Union Pacific road TO the
coast I'm 1853 the city entered upon q
new era OF prosperity.
The abundance Of excellent timber
and a popular belief that a frame
building Is safer and better In the To-
cality having the peculiar conditions
Of San Francisco are responsible for
the fact that in 1900 there were 40
494 frame and only 3.sS1 stone and
brick buildings The tendency 10 use
the more durable materials has. how
ever. grown rapidly. The occasional
occurrence OF earth tremors for a long
time restrained he propensity to build
s~kyscrapers- In 1880. however. the
proprietor of The Chronicle erected a
lo-storv d fireproof building.
This example was soon followed by
other property owners and the city
has now its share OF tall structures.
one Of them is stories high. The ma
| for part Of this class II buildings ia
composed Of &. 10 and History build
ings. the S-story being the most nu-
merous.
The most conspicuous building
is the city hail., surmounted by a
dome 332 feet high. 1t cost over
pied in building IL II Is very solidly
constructed and its walls OF brick
are covered with cement. Architect
urally IL is a composite. The interior
Of the dome is decorated with native
marble. The structure houses all the
administrative departments Of the
city government and several civil
ourts. The criminal and police
departments occupy n modern build
ing. known as the Hall OF Justice. II
is constructed OF brick and stone and
~surmounted by n clock tower. h
postoffce. not long completed. is n sub
Stantial structure of granite, costing
over $4,000. GEO. 1t is not a striking
architectural production. but impress
sive by its massiveness.
on the water front the state main
tains the Ferry building. n structure
over 500 feet in length. built of a light
colored sandstone n surmounted by
a graceful clock tower. Through this
building most OF the entering
the city are obliged to pass. II con-
tains n lofty nave running through its
entire length. which is frequently used
for exhibiting the products OF the state.
The Academy OF Sciences. endowed by
James Lick. was considered n substan-
tial structure. It holds a growing
museum devoted to the national
| sciences. In Golden Gate park IL sit
uated the Memorial museum. founded
TO commemorate a successful interna-
tional fair held in 1894. The Hopkins
Art institute. uat on Mob Hill,
contains the nucleus of a fine art col
lection.
The Roman Catholic cathedral Is q
brick structure. The Jesuit church OF
st. Ignatius. with its accompanying
college buildings, covers q full city
block, the Dominicans having al
equally large church. Many OF the
older church buildings are OF frame.
Mission Dolores is a survival from the
days of the Spanish occupation. 1t is
built of adobe and care has been taken
to preserve it as a landmark. There ar
AZ hospitals, public and private. anu
many of them Of recent construction
The leading play ouses are the co.
lumbia. the California, the Alcazar n
the Grand Opera house. The Orpheun
and Fischer's are devoted to vaude-
Vile. The Tivoli presents opera In
| some form every night in the year
{ There are several low-priced theatres
/. the most conspicuous being the Central
: and Graumans--Columbia State.