Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-19
w. H. KNIGHT SAYS
FUTURE OF CITY
IS NOT WRECKED

William H. Knight. who for six years
was president of the Southern Cali
fornia Academy OF Science, gave The
Herald the following interview regard
ing the terrible earthquake yesterday
at San Francisco:
"Our sister city of san Francisco
was visited yesterday by one of those
appalling seismic disturbances which
bring tremendous destruction of life
| and property, and for the moment un-
| dermne our confidence in the stability
| of mother earth. &
Shall we infer from this calamity
that the proud metropolis of the Pa
| cific coast is ruined and must hence
| forth be abandoned as commercial
mart, a residence toHyai, or place for
| investment? 4A
ION the contrary "a may now look
for greater security 9rom destructive
earthquakes than ever before. There
will indeed be temporary lowering of
real estate values. The Ehort-sighted
and unthinkingR%i Make haste to
realize at any price, but those who take
advantage of the eatthquake panic and
buy at the reduced figures will make
| good Investments
every portion OF the earth's surface
| is subject to slight and more or less
frequent tremors &f some time or
| other severe ones DIRE liable to visit
| localities where least expected. In all
| historic time no notable earthquake had
| disturbed the placidity of the Missis-
sippi valley TIL suddenly, in the year
| 1872, one Of the most violent convul-
sions in recorded history shook Eastern
Missouri and Southern Illinois.
Forests Sunk Out of Sight
Land clothed with forests sunk out
of sight and extensive lakes were
formed If ST. Louis had been a great
city such as it is today its fine build
ings would have tottered and havoc
would have ruled. Its fate would have
resembled that of San Francisco yes
terday.
I'm 1886 the city of Charleston was
shaken to it's foundations by shock
that was felt as far north as Wash
! ington and as far west as Cincinnati
| Such an event had not occurred before
since the Huguenots colonized that
region two centuries ago, and may not
occur again in a thousand years.
1.-THE Charleston people have rebuilt
and feel secure, and their city shows
| no scars. New England, the northwest,
Great Britain, the Scandinavian penin-
sula, have been startled by shocks of
greater or less severity within historic
| times, yet their builders continue to
erect cathedrals. palaces and even sky
scrapers as If they were to repose un-
disturbed for ages.
Western Europe Rocked
Previous to 1775 Portugal had been
without alarming earthquake exper-
ience, but on memorable day of that
year all Western Europe was rocked,
and portion of the city of Lisbon fell
into the sea, burying 10000 inhabitants
in it's ruins. But the city was a capital
| and a port and 1t was rebuilt on q
larger and a grander scale than before.
Coming nearer home in the year 1872
a violent earthquake caused the death
of many people at Capistrano, where
they were gathered in q mission church
for worship. The shock was felt
throughout Southern California, but
since that time, though we have felt
minor tremors, no dangerous shock has
visited us.
"It may be said that earthquakes
are liable to visit any portion of the
earth's surface, but save in volcanic
countries, severe ones seldom visit the
same locality twice. Vigorous San Fran
cisco will quickly recuperate. She will at
once set about clearing away the
debris. In a short time the hustle and
activity of rebuilding will prevail, and
all visible evidences of the dire event
will vanish. The ground is there and
will remain as firm and solid for gen.
erations to come as 1t has for gener-
ations in the Dast.
Everything Will Remain
"The shores and headlands are there,
staying the proud waves of old ocean.
And the magnificent harbor is there
for the shelter of the worlds commerce
and will be alive with shipping as
heretofore. The smiling fields across
the bay and in the valleys beyond will
continue to bring their products to the
city by the sea.
''The transcontinental railroads will
| continue to be busy with passengers
and freight pouring in from every
| quarter of the country and of the globe.
| Look at Galveston-overwhel by
the waves few years ago. Pessimistic
people though would never recover
from the blo} ,ut 1t is now like a
young giant, niger ana more Viz
orous than ew
Remember quickly chicago ana
Boston and 4 more recovered from
their terrible isms OF 1re. In rev
months San r. cisco will be busy re-
building. and =. five years will be a
larger and handsomer city than ever.
Our hearts go out to the aching hearts
of our bereaved sister city today, but
presently she will be again rejoicing
in brighter prosperity than she has