The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-07-13
The New San Francisco

ny Henry Z. IIighton


threc klnds ~ icutists-thote wl1 d..
pend upon mere notaricty those who.
like certain nlieuists use genuine
knowledge and capacity Tor the benefit
OF any combination or Interest that
can anord To- pay large fees and those
who live and work simply O. disscu-
mate truth ana 70 promote good and
useful ends. To the last class govern
ment enrinecrs usually belong and
the Views Of such "a man a. Captain
slattery. after having seen the PENN
sula at san Francisco would be OF real
value, because they would be, not only
practical, but impartial and sincere
II Is said that when piles are driven
into soft ground to such a depth that
they become fixed by friction the ex-
act weight they will bear can be math.
ematically determined and. In this
way. solid foundations can be secured.
Here may be an argument FOR the re-
construction OF the wholesale district
OF san Francisco on the made ground
which represents an enormous value to
property owners. 1t IL likely TO be
effective and no average citizen can
HAAS"'A ~ fANfIA bN lilt ulttfAflte oil
mon credo" based. not upon rejec-
tion OF general scientific truth. but
upon his localiz d observation under
special conditions. notice. however.
that even the few scientists who have
spoken In favor OF tall steel buildings
have generally objected TO them on the
filled In portion of san Francisco. The
business men, too. who have moved I'm
the direction OF rehabilitation, are most
active in the region west OF Sansome
and First streets.
When the fires were yet burning II
Is easy to perceive. from the suisse
quently published utterances OF i'm
portant railroad men and other capl-
talists at the East that n plan
of reconstruction was instantaneously
evolved and announced that may have
been inspired by dislnterested motives.
but, II carried out. would consum-
mate one OF the greatest speculations
OF modern times. II is not often that
an opportunity occurs to contract for
the rebuilding Of "A city with half a
million Of inhabitants II was propos-
ed that few eastern men should COM
bine half billion or even a billion OF
dollars that could be advanced for re-
construction. So far as the money Is
concerned. such n plan Is quite feas-
ible, for half a dozen gentlemen can
be named who could furnish the en-
tire amount without embarrassment
The method proposed was to build a
city Of steel. with towering structures
I'm the business district. The new San
Francisco would thus represent a vast
investment, the profits of which would
be enormous, and its real property
either under mortgage or directly. like
the burnt sections Of Chicago, Seattle
Spokane and Baltimore, would be
chiefly owned or controlled I'm New
York, and the railroad interest would
be paramount.
J The picture. az Il has been painted
In advance, Is not only attractive but
dazzling. Capitalists. backed By
science, and by a high order OF in
telligence, Immediately after the gen.
eral facts OF the disaster were known
not only grasped the situation but, FOL
the moment II not permanently, drew
the disorganlzed masses to their sup.
port. A glittering aggregation Of steel
challenging the sky, with broad
streets and an ample water supply, al
completed within three or four wears
would be a splendid monument 10 IN,
Iinexorable VIII OF capital. I'm respons,
to public demand. Architects and
engineers OF weight and STANDING
quickly endorsed the proposal anC
pointed to the frames yet standing a,
conclusive evidence that structures OF
steel honestly put together were fir,
proof and earthquake proof.
Such a metropolis may arise. II
would be an Improvement upon tn,
San Francisco that was. II would b,
most attractive to the eye. 1t nigh
endure for many years. But. without
reference TO the abstruse technicali
ties OF science IL It desirable anC
would II secure the best chances FOL
growth and stability?
The policy OF the railroads kept bach
the prosperity of California. especially
OF San Francisco, for at least quar-
ter OF century. Held IN the unrelax-
Ing grip OF AN octopus, that great
State. rich beyond measure In tn,
elements OF prosperity, that fine city
the New York or London OF the West
ern world, could not expand. 1t wai
not until the funding bills were de
feated until the railroad grasp wal
broken and the new railway authorities
began TO realize their dependence upOr
....t.tf.. H.. . ..s..s. - q.