Amador ledger., 1906-06-15
Notes on San Francisco.

Work OI Cne earthquake at this point
that we we're curious to see and judge
for ouIselt. 1t has been reported that
the building not only collapsed with
the shock, and killed scores of in
mates, but that the two lower stories
sank into the earth from ten to fifteen
feet. The building was utterly des-
troyed by fire after the quake. Its
site remains today, we we're informed
by those living in that vicinity, prac-
tlcally the same as the flames had
left it-no clearing to speak OF had
been done. Indeed, being a frame
building, there was little scope for
clearance. The cremation process left
nothing but few ashes, and the re-
mains of articles of iron and tinware.
There is abundant evidence that this
section of the city received the brunt
of the shock. The street is wavy, the
water mains we're broken within fifty
feet of the hotel site. and the sewers
we're partly destroyed. HiIIocks and
depressions are visible in plenty.
The street is still impossible for
traffic owing to hole in the highway
made mostly by the water rushing
from the ruptured mains. We saw
no signs of sink in the ground to
swallow up half of four story build
ing. The ground did sink perhaps
four or five feet, not more. The idea
of the disappearance of two stories
into the earth is accounted for in this
way: The upper stories telescoped in
to the lower stories, so that the third
story stood on the ground as we'll as
the basement. That is probably the
true explanation of the phenomena.
That some we're drowned while impris-
oned in the fallen structure is prob
able.
If any fissures or deep openings we're
uade IN the earth by the earthquake,
we failed to see them. There are
cracks in abundance; also evidences
of sliding movement of the ground
IN many places. These are more no.
ticeable where nature had formed ra-
vines or water courses, which had been
hlled in by human agency tor build
ing purposes. The Valencia hotel
stood on ground of this character.
And in other parts of the city filled
ground has settled considerably. On
Van Ness avenue, near Vallejo street,
and around the ferry depot cracks
and depIessions exist.
A visitor is surprised 10 see so
many signs ''To let," 70 lease" not
only through the burned district, Eut
the unscorched part of the city.
There are houses in plenty to rent.
This is strange, when fifty or sixty
thousand are still living in tents
furnished at public expense. 1t may
be that the rents asked are beyond
the means of the wage earners to pay .
These signs are perhaps the mute
witnesses to the nervousness of the
people who have not yet got over the
scare sufficiently to live under roofs.
That the latter feeling abounds is
evidenced by the fact that numbers
are still occupying tents in their own
yards, instead of sleeping in their
own houses.
Some timid ones are afraid to live
IN the city. A few will leave it for
good, or intend to do so, when they
settle up outstanding business. For
all that, San Francisco will expert
ence no permanent harm. Such souls
are not the human material that has
made the city by the bay what it has
been and is. The grit and pluck of
the pioneer spirit will rebuild
stronger and better than before, and
the timorous ones who now desert her
in tribulation will be among the first
to return when the city by the deter
mined will power of others has re-
gained something like the glory of its
former self.
San francisco is changing with
every day. 1t is surprising what
work has already been done in remov-
ing the fire scars. Buildings are
dotting the burned area in every
direction as if called into existence
by the magician's wand. How long
will it take to restore it to the ''city
beautiful" that Is to be is a matter of
opinion, and opinions will differ
according to temperament of the
individual. 1t is not uncommon to
hear visitors among the ruins give
their version that thirty, forty or
fifty years, Will be required to work
the transformation. But talk to the
men who are actually engaged in the
work of upbuilding, and they will
tell a very different story. "Two
years will accomplish it," said one to
the writer. This may be a roseate
view; still we are inclined to the
opinion that two or three years will
suffice to cover up the traces of
havoc. Much OF this renovation may
be temporary buildings, and ten years
may possible elapse before San Fran
cisco in architectural beauty will be
heself again.