The Dolores star., 1906-04-27
Large Buildings Destroyed.


will approximate that Of the great Chi
Large Buildings Destroyed.
San Francisco.-Most of the old land
marks, made famous by association
with the early history Of California as
well as the new monuments to the
commercial prosperity Of the Califor-
MIA metropolis. have been wiped out
Of existence by the dreadful conflagra-
tioi One OF the first to fall prey to
the flames after the destruction OF the
business district was the Palace ho-
tel. known the world over to travellers.
1t was built In the '70s by James Rails
ton at a cost of $6.000.000 and was
owned by the Sharon estate. Many OF
San Francisco's wealthy residents
made their home at the Palace and per-
sonal property losses In art treasures
and other effects have been great.
The Hopkins Art Institute. located
on Mob HILL" owned by the Uni
versity Of California and built by
priceless contents.
Close by were the Stanford mansion,
the Huntington, the Flood and the two
SIOChcI luduSAOub. All WCtC oWSpe
away. These were the handsomest pri-
vate residences In San Francisco and
were built by the men whose names
they bear In the early days OF the city's
greatness and who played such impor-
Pacific coast.
The great new Flood building. built
by James Flood at a cost of $4,000.000
and occupied about year ago; the
new Merchants Exchange building on
California street, erected at a cost OF
$2.5O0. 900; the Crocker building at
Montgomery and Market streets. q mil
lion-dollar structure; the Mills build
ing at Bush and Montgomery, costing
the same; the new Shreve building at
Post street and Grant avenue, costing
u, 900 900. and occupied April-1st by the
largest Jewelry store on the coast, are
some Of the new structures destroyed
by the flames. The Shreve Jewelry
Company carried stock worth $1,000
900.
On Market street the Phelan build
ing, one OF the earliest attempts at a
pretentious form of architecture in the
business district, and covering the
most valuable piece Of real estate in
San Francisco, is gone. The great
group Of buildings standing on piece
of ground bounded by Larkin, Meal
lister and Grove streets, erected by the
city Of San Francisco at cost Of 81
O00, 900 and known as the city and
county buildings, are now q mass of
smoking, smoldering ruins. With the
buildings were probably destroyed the
city and county records.
The beautiful st. Francis hotel, fac
ing Union square, erected at a cost OF
$4,000 900, and the Fairmount hotel at
California and Powell streets, the most
conspicuous location in the city, are
in ruins from the flames. The Fair
mount was built by Mrs. Herman Del
richs at a cost Of SO ,09O. 900 and named
In honor Of her father, the late, Senator
James J. Fair.
The magnificent group of buildings
at Van Ness avenue and Hayes street
of the st. Ignatius College and Cathe
dral. probably worth $2.000,000, and st
Dominick's church on Steiner street
near California, and the Emanuel syn
agogue, a handsome structure Of the
Oriental type on Sutter street, were
wiped out.
The Hall of Justice, facing Ports
mouth square and just east Of China
town, was early a prey OF the flames
Sweeping up the hillside the unre
strained element leaped from block ts
block through Chinatiwn, the combus
tfble material Of the flimsy structures
feeding the flames like powder.
Up and on and over the hills to the
westward the confiagration gained
Iheadway when it reached the resi-
Idence section. From Golden Gate ave
lnue northward to Pacific street thu
buildings were dynamited to stay thu
progress Of the flames. but withou