The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1906-04-27

We might say, then, that San Fran
cisco was, or had been, but is not The
epitaph of San Francisco then could
be written. But San Francicso did
not nor does exist in the outward
display of magnificence.
Her greatness is in her position; in
the energies behind her; above all in
the spirit of her people. This spirit
will never yield to adversely or to dis
couragemnt. The outward glories of
San Francisco have been destroyed
for today. But the catastrophe is
only check, or interruption, to her
career. The position of San Fran
cisco makes it necessary that she shall
be great port, and therefore great
city. The spirit of her people is
equal to the situation, or any emer-
gency. may require.
San Francisco, therefore, will be re-
built. Not indeed as before, but in
the ultimate, greater. Even the forces
of nature are modified to an extent by
the intelligence of man. Or rather,
man adjusts himself through expert
ence to the operations of Nature, and
learns thereby, to an extent, to COM
mand them. In the rebuilding of San
Francisco the possibility of earthquake
will be considered and buildings and
streets and water mains and gas and
electric conduits will be constructed
accordingly. Selection Of materials
and methods of construction will play
parts never known before. Yet San
Francisco is little liable to these dis
turbances in any serious way. Build
ing will be studied with view to
intimidation of their consequences.
Steel frames we'll and strongly fast
ened, will have approval, since they
did not give way under the recent
shocks; and prudence will require
that the height of buildings should
not exceed four or five stories. There
must be great city, and as the CEN
turies run on, always greater city at
San Francisco. The position, the har-
bor, the production and greatness and
wealth of California, and the relation
of this great port to the commerce of
the Pacific, require it. In the devel-
opment of our Pacific states, nothing
can supersede San Francisco. 1t is
impossible therefore, to suppose that
San Francisco can be extinguished, or
even dwarfed by this calamity. The
city of Naples, that has stood and
grown there eighteen hundred years,
is built upon site that was once the
crater of volcano. Profoundly
touched by the great misfortune of
San Francisco, our Pacific states and
cities, with one accord extend their
sympathy and support and fervently
wish, while they hopefully believe,
that she will rise and rise soon to a
greater height than ever. We of the
Pacific states, all of US, have been
proud of San Francisco. She has
been our metropolis of Pacific states,
and her name has stood for all of us.
Her position. her bay, her harbor, her
relation to internal and exernal COM
merce, her central place in the country
behind her and on the ocean before
her, the great railway lines that con-.
verge upon her. and her position as a
focal point in commerce of two hem
ispheres make San Francisco indispen-
able to the map of our Pacific states,
of the United States and of the world.
Cheer and encouragement and support
and help for San Franciscol From
the greatest calamity of modern times
she will rise, she must rise, she must
be helped to rise, above her unex-
ampled misfortune.