Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-03
Keep up your spirits.

In certain sections where shacks have
been built close together the passerby
might imagine he was in some western
mining camp were it not for the people
whom he meets. Nowhere else except in
New York or Paris would he see such gayly
attired crowds. In spite of the dust and
powdered mortar which the vigorous trade
winds sweep up from the ruins in great
clouds, the men and women still dress as
handsomely, extravagantly almost, as in
the old golden days.
Inside many Of the shanty restaurants
and cafes are furnished as sumptuously
as were their predecessors of stone and
steel. In Market street there stands a
barn-like building. on the front of which is
written the name of a famous San Fran
cisco eating house. 1t is painted a drab.
and there is naught to indicate the
luxury to be found within except the
Renaissance curtains f1uttering at the
windows. Yet step inside and you might
well believe yourself back in old San
Francisco You walk on Oriental rugs.
You take your seat in a richly upholstered
chair. The tables are covered with the
all that you might expect in Broadway
hosiery.
Earthquake and Conhagration.
And yet in the midst of your meal, when
your mind has drifted far away from earth
quake and confiagration. you will see. should
you chance to be seated within sight of
sort Of trap door open in the floor and a
bare platform slowly arise. On it waiter
places plates, knives and forks and dishes
of steaming food. In nonce the platform
has become table ready for a feast. The
next moment the victual-laden elevator be-
gins to sink and if you look quickly be-
fore the trap door closes you will see be-
low crowd of workmen sitting on heaps
of broken brick.
They are waiing for their dinner, and
no doubt they are somewhat hungrier than
you. While you were lolling about waiting
for your order to be served these laborers
were at work underneath you with pick and
shovel removing the foundations of the
burned building which formerly covered the
site. The restaurant had been built. like
many other shacks, right on the debris. Its
proprietor was in such hurry to get back
into business that he could not wait to have
the plot cleaned and excavated.
There Is shoe store not far from this
eating house, which was put up a few
weeks after the fire. with the front sup
ported on heavy beams run down through
masses Of broken brick and mortar and the
rear end prepped up on an old basement
wall. Not until weeks afterward did wreck
ers begin to cart off the debris underneath,
while at the same time workmen COM
menced saving holes in the floor for the
steel pillars of a fve-story fireproof struc-
ture to be erected on the same site. But
this shack will not be torn down until the
permanent structure is all ready for occu-
pancy.
That San Francisco appreciates the value
of the play In turning the mind away from
the worries of life Is shown in the success
of the various theaters which have been
opened since the fire. When theatrical
manager announced week after the con-
flagration that he Intended to put up tent
theater in the burnt district he was ridi-
culed by eastern showmen. He tried to get
financial backing in New York and failed
Yet SO firm was his belief that San Francis-
co. even in ashes would enjoy the stage,
that he preseyered. Seven weeks after the