The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-10-09
(By Ira E. Bennett.)

the worlds great sights is San Fran
cisco. Cities have been ruined and
ashes have covered them, but never
before under modern conditions. A
city ruined by earthquake and fire in
the old days meant that the time Of
recovery would equal the age of the
city Up to the hour Of it's destruction.
In this age, the very evidences Of de-
.StructiOn are turned into agencie of
repair and Improvement. Fire has
rarely failed to bring about better con-
ditiOns in a city, and San Francisco is
no exception to the rule. It is not the
Improvement Of the city that will
make men marvel, however, as much
as the rapidity with which the work
will be accomplished.
The earthquake of April IS caused
a few million dollars damage-possi-
bly, $10,000,00O would cover that loss.
The fire, which had full play after the
quake had broken the water mains,
burned over 514 squares, or 1850
acres, or four square miles, the total
loss being estimated at $4,000 900.
On this property there was insurance
amounting to about 1915, 900 600. Of
this insurance about $15O,000, 900 had
been paid in cash to policy holders up
TO September 18th.
Fugitivcs lave Returned.
The fire, as everybody knows, de-
strOyed the business district of San
Francisco, but left the shipping and
residence districts intact. Commerce
continued without interruption, except
such incidental disturbances as the To-
cation OF new storage places and the
accumulation of freight. Thousands
of people left the city Immediately af-
ter the disaster, but such competent
authorities as Mr.. Charles s. Fee, pas
senger traffic manager of the Southern
Pacific, estimate that SO per CEN of
these refugees have returned. Their
homes being intact, they find that San
Francisco is the place for them, after
all, and they are turning in to rebuild
the city. either with their capital or
their labor.
When the fire died down on April
p, the people of San Francisco were
confronted with mighty problems,
some of them demanding instant solu-
ton. AS this article deals with the
San Francisco of the future and not
Of the past, it is not necessary to go
into details regarding the remarkable
ability shown by the committee of fff-
ty in providing for the wants Of the
hungry and shelterless. That is a
story yb itself, and a most interesting
and inspiring one. Another pressing
problem, however, was that of clear
ing the streets in order that communi-
cation might be restored. Thirty-six
miles of streets were piled high with
debris. Within five months this enor-
nous mass of material has been re-
moved, trolley wires have been strung
street car traffic r~eestablished. and a
system OF debris removal inaugurated
which dispOses of 100 carloads a day.
II more labor were to be had, the work
would go much faster.
Staggered the Imagination.
Admission dav w as celebrated this
wear on Monday. September 10. I saw
the city on that day for the first time
Sinca the disaster. The scene was ap-
Mailing. With the exception of a wOrk-
err hero and there. the destroyed dis
trict was destitute of labOring men.
Ruins. ruins in every direction, as far
as the eve could see: millions of tons
Of bricks and mortar piled up In half
DESTROYED easements: a strong breeze
blOWiTlg dust and ashes everywhere:
writhing steel beams and crumbling
granite marking the sites of once i'm
posing buildings. and the very thought
of bringing order out of chaos suff-
cient to stagger the imagination.
On the next day a far different pic
ture was presented. In every base
ment was a gang of WOrkmen. They
struggled with Orders, piled brick,
sifted good material from refuse, ham
died pick and shovel, mixed mortar,
and loaded wagons with debris. Thou
sands of busy hands were to be seen
down every street. Thousands of teams
went about on the simultaneous task
Of removal and reconstruction. From
half-fniShed steel buildings were seen
donkey engines in full blast, drawing
up loads of steel, stone, and brick.
On sites already cleared, carpenters
and masons were at work by the thou
sands, rushing up temporary frame
buildings. Over 5000 frame buildings
have been erected since the fire, al
most entirely for business purposes
To one familiar with the crowds
that made Market street and the fer
ries famous, there oes not appear to
be any diminution of population. The
car system is wholly inadequate, al
though herculean efforts have been
made to establish communication. The
ferries are as crowded as ever. Thea
ters are filled to ~suffocation. The st.
Francis hotel put up a temporary
structure in Union square,. and it is
turning away a hundred guests daily.
Other hotels are filed and turning peo-
pie away. 1t requires only a visit to
San Francisco to disprove the report
that the city has lost half it's popula-
ton.
Seized Van Ness Avenue.
Anomalous conditions resulted from
the haste of merchants to get into
business. Van Ness avenue was seize"
upon, partly because it was a wide,
paved thoroughfare, and partly be-
cause it was the street nearest to the
burned district which had been left in
tact on one side. The residences on
the west side of the avenue were
transformed into business houses with
incredible swiftness, and the burned