The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1906-05-03
TALE OF RUIN
TOLD IN LOSS
OF BUILDINGS
ing was surrounded by Corinthian pill
lars forty eight feet high.

Ing was surrounded by Corinthian pill
lars forty eight feet high.
The land upon which. the city hall
stood was formerly the Yerba Buena
cemetery, and there once lay the bod
les Of the early pioneers of the city.
The bodies were removed to Laurel
Hill and other cemeteries in the early
sixties. In the northwest wing Of the
building was the city prison. The Re-
ceiying hospital occupied a like posi-
ton In the southwest wing.
st. Ignatius' Church.-This was the
biggest church in the city. 1t stood in
the fashionable district on Hayes
street, between Van Ness avenue and
Franklin street. 1t cost 100000 and
was the finest Jesuitical church in the
world. Its spires, 275 feet high, were
the tallest in California. It's organ was
the second largest in America and was
the only one on the coast operated by
electricity. 1t weighed 100000 pounds,
Its central columns were surmounted
by life sized angels, with trumpets,
and the outer ones supported huge
urns holding burning torches. The or
gan was presented to the church by
Mrs. Welch.- The main hall of the
church was 200 feet long. Hanging
over the altar was large oil painting
representing the reception in heaven
Of st. Ignatius Loyola.
The Chronicle Building.-This was
one Of the first high buildings erected
in San Francisco. Its skeleton still
stood at Market, Geary and Kearney
streets at last reports. 1t was nine
stories high, surmounted by bronze
clock tower 21O feet high. The build
ing was Of pressed brick and dark
brown sandstone that Is found in Ven
tura county. The building was fitted
with all modern improvements. It was
made Newspaper corner center of no
little architectural beauty. ..-
The Examiner Building-Before this
collapsed it was eight stories high,
standing on the southeast corner of
Market and Third streets, the corner
Offices The offices of the Examiner,
Mr.. Hearst's San Francisco paper, oc-
cupied the rotunda of the building, the
rest being rented for Offices. The build
ing was of the Spanish Renaissance
style. The severity of It's exterior was
broken by the ornamented windows of
the second story and the loggias with
their decorated columns along the top
stories.
The Call Building.-This was the tall
est building on the Pacific coast and
was occupied by the San Francisco
Call, having in it besides 272 Offices. 1t
was erected in 1869 at the south
west corner Of Market and Third
streets. From the basement to the top
of the dome was 800 feet. There We're
sixteen floors 1t was constructed en-
tirely Of marble, sandstone and steel
and was considered tireproof. 1t was
of no little architectural beauty. 1t
was one of the first buildings seen
when one entered San Francisco.
Mark Hopkins Institute.-This was
formerly the magnificent private resi-
dence of Mark Hopkins, one Of Cali
fornia's pioneer citizens, at the south
east corner Of California and Mason
streets. 1t was given to the city in
1898 by E. F. Searles Of Methuen,
Mass. 1t had been used for illustration
and instruction in the fine arts. 1t con-
tanned many fine specimens Of paint
ing and sculpture. A spacious gallery
had recently been added to the insti-
tute. The interior of the house was fin
ished with rare woods and beautiful
frescoes. -
The Hall of Justice.-This was one of
the newest, If not the newest, public
building in the city. 1t was situated on
the east side of Kearny street, be-
tween Washington and Merchant
streets, opposite Portsmouth square.
The cornerstone was laid in 1896. 1t
contained police headquarters, the po-
ments of the superior court. 1t stood
on notorious ground. 1t was in that
neighborhood that the most famous
gambling dens were once located and
there later on the Jenny Lind theater
was burned down and rebuilt.
The following are some of the other
buildings that were destroyed: The
Croker building, the Paramount hotel,
the Lick House, the Grand Opera
House, Merchants Exchange, the Occi-
dental hotel, the Russ House, Parrot
building, Phelan building, Hibernia
bank, California hotel Grace church,
Orpheum theater, Columbia theater
and Mechanics pavilion. @<f-.#