The San Francisco call., 1906-05-10
FIRE THE PRINCIPAL
CAUSE OF DAMAGE TO
PACIFIC METROPOLIS
Willis Polk, the Architect. Makes
Statement to Correct Erroneous
Reports Spread Broadcast.
No Properly Constructed Building In
iured More Than Ten Per Cent
by Earthquake.
EVIDENCE Is Lacking, He Says, OF the
Displacement of Any
Solid Ground.

Letters and reports reaching San
Francisco from various quarters have
lead TO the belief that the country has
misapprehended the character and ex-
tent OF the damage caused by the
earthquake. This fact has prompted
the Associated Press to, as far as pos
sible. obtain some authoritative state
ment on this subject.
One of the best known local obserF-
ers who has paid considerable atten-
ton 10 details is Willis Polk, the
architect. Mr.. Polk has been in con-
slant communication with all OF the
local authorities and has been mem
Der OF the general relief committee,
and was one of the organizers of the
committee on reconstruction. He has
had conferences with all the leading
engineers. architects and builders
and as a rule their opinions coincide
with his in the main facts. which may
be briefly stated as follows.
First-No properly constructed
building was damaged by the earth
quake TO exceed 5 or 10 per cent, and
in many cases not injured at all.
Second-It cannot be denied that
the earthquake was of great violence
but in no case is there evidence that
anv solid ground was displaced. II
has been demonstrated that the tidal
guage is normal with The established
bench marks. Ii is admitted thai
filled ground, such as embankments
for railroads or streets, or reclama
+ ton areas of former submerged por
tions of the city received sewers
I shaking up. However, in the instance
of the United States postofiice at Sew
enth and Mission streets, within sucf
an area of filled ground. the founda
tiens extended down TO firm bottom
and the building was practically un
damaged by the earthquake, while the
sidewalks. terrace and streets sur
rounding this building were displaced
/ In some places TO the extent of set
tlement of from three 10 four feet
Similar conditions prevailed in othei
districts such as the lower end o
Market street.
On the other hand, in the highel
parts Of the city where the grounS
is of a rock formation and very solid
! there are in the unburned distric
many brick buildings of ordinary con
struction that are absolutely undam
aged by the earthquake. In th'
burned district Polk was peculiarl.
fortunate in that he was able, through
the use of an automobile. 10 visit al
most this entire section OF the cit,
before the fire destroyed it. In thre'
separate tours OF inspection he exam
ined buildings, some Of which wer
erected previous TO the earthquake o
1868 and were damaged in that quake
and on that account had for years beel
familiar landmarks in the city, and Il
these he could discover no evidenc
of any damage by the recent quake
OF the modern buildings OF so-calle
class a" construction, it has alread
been conclusively established that tn
earthquake did not affect them in an
case TO exceed per cent Of their cos
Forty per cent of the buildings of Sa
Francisco remain in the unburned dii
: trict. Among these buildings it
easy to trace the facts and it is plal
that the damage that exists who'll
! owes its origin TO faulty construction
imperfect structural design and
most cases TO fragrant violations
the existing building laws. The gres
calamity that befell San Francisc
was the fire and not the earthquak
The fire originated in the south
. Market district, where furnaces Ia
been banked over night. and whel
the general character of the building
: we're fimsy. The banked fires weI
l in almost every case located withot
proper foundation, on filed groun'
The water supply of the city passin
: over such filed ground was brokel
3 the Fire Department with perhaps IL
e individual or independent fires TO cor
I bat found itself with the water suppl
almost entirely cut on The sprea
OF the flames was slow, even und'