Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-19
HEARTS ARE BRAVE
At SAN FRANCISCO
CITY RISING FROM MASS OF
RUINS
First Anniversary Of Great Earthquake
and Fire FittlneIy Observed.
Banquet at Hotel
Fairmont
a. AssooIated Press.

BY Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 1s-while
there was no general cessation OF the
work Of rehabilitation, the nrst anniveF.
sary of the earthquake and hre Whch Iels
this city a mass OF ruins, was observed
today by appropriate religious services
and commemorative exercises py tne
Building Trades council and other or
The crowning event Of the day was the
banquet Of the Merchants association at
the Hotel Fairmont, at which the ma ma
terial and civic regeneration OF the Guy
was amply discussed and faith expressed
in new and greater san Francisco.
The principal business streets were
decorated with bunting and incandescens
lights Flags were flying everywhere ana
the dome of the city hail. sun IN a party
wrecked condition, was illuminated as on
gala occasions before the nre., A.
About lU00 guests assembled at the
Fairmont at $50 o'clock tonight for the
merchants banquet After lengthy
menu had been served Prof. Frank. j.
Symmes OF the Merchants association,
pressed an electric button which set
aglow 2i0O electric lights on the dome of
the city hall.
President Symmes, as toastmaster. ad-
dressed the guests on THE City and the
Merchants"
Gov. James N. Gillett took for his sub
Ject The City and State"
c. b. Bentley. president of the San
Francisco chamber of commerce, spoke
on The Commercial Achievements of
San Francisco"
Bishop w. F. Nichols of the Episcopal
church discussed The Moral outlook"
Addresses were also made by District
Attorney w. H. Langdon and Assistant
District Attorney Francis j. Heney
Address by F. J. Symmes
Following is an abstract of the address
Merchants association at the annual
dinner of the Merchants association of
San Francisco:
Il welcome you to the thirteenth ami
versary of the birth of our association. L
welcome you also to the first anniversary
in the life of the new San Francisco. The
last year has seen the destruction of the
old and the upbuilding of the new. The
old city, happy and prosperous was
swept away; touched by an unkind fate
it fell before the devouring flames of an
unparalleled conflagration. Up from its
ashes there sprung Immediately a tempor-
airy city. Better buildings soon followed.
many are new completed, and the great
business activities of the new and great
San Francisco are fully re-established. In
many cases mighty work has been done.
we behold it here-where the Mer-
chants association is now privileged to
christen this beautiful palace. The inter
ior has been built entirely new, and prac-
ucally complete, we now dedicate ii to its
great future-the ministering to the high
est comforts of man.
Upon this same eminence the splendors
of great cathedral are to follow and
we may well christen this magnificent
piece of architecture the modern Parthe-
non upon the Acropolis of the new San
Francisco"
After a concise review of the great
damage done by the fire, Mr. Symmes
said:
THE insurance companies of the world
We're called upon as never before. Loss
claims were filed for S225, 900, 900 and of
this sum $18,65OOO was against two San
Francisco companies. One of these COM =
panies assessed its stockholders go per
cent of whom were residents of San
Francisco) three times its capital The
other having 80 per cent Of its capital
held In this city, assessed its stockhold-
erss six and three-fourths times Its ca.pl-
tai. Such examples of corporation
honor the world have never before
known. Would that the rest of the world
had done as well. The uninsured loss
viii never be known. Two hundred and
fifty million dollars will not cover it,
From a building point of view we
are rapidly recovering. Our progress
has been creditable and satisfactory
and no man need fear the future in this
direction. Building permits to April
l. 1907. have been issued to the extent
of 55,05S756. The labor commissioner
reports a wage payment of a million
week
"The bank clearings have never
weakened but have shown an average
increase of 10 per cent over the CORES
ponding periods of 1905. The bank de-
posits increased S61. .430, 09059 from
April II to December 81, 1906. There
mas Dtcn no DdIlh lelluIt anu not 4
single important mercantile failure as
a result of the fire. The custom house
duties increased from S71370 900 In 1905
TO S9,O91 900 in 1906. Our exports in
1906 were over $50. OOO. 900 and our i'm
ports in 1906 were over s4S,OOO,O0O.
Better City to Come
"a great city has been destroyed. A
greater and better city is to come. Shall
1t be done at once? Shall wisdom and
common sense prevail and the lines of
the, the more or eii beautiful city city be be now consid.
and regret 1t later? Much has been
said of the Burnham plans. Either
those or something approaching them
the new San Francisco plan, if you
please-must be our guide. Let us not
be misled by the idea that nothing but
the absolutely practical must be con-
sidered The day of the temporary city
future.
whilst we slumbered our city fell
into the hands of thieves, And in pro-
found humiliation and disgrace they
heaven pity them
"A greater work than now lies before
us never faced loyal people. SO many
vital questions never stood before
community. Afflicted by earthquake
swept by fire, pillaged by thieves. dis
graced by those who had sworn to pro-
tect, the city today cries aloud for the
best labors of all-for several grand
juries and merchants associations, for
a SlASSN repair dsSbCidllou ana an OUT
door art league, for every Improvement
club, for every commercial organiza-
tion and for every loyal citizen to do
his best in order to redeem and re-
establish the dishonored and bleeding
city,
"Absalom," said Mrs Rambo, "you
smell horribly of tobacco"
"Nanshy, m DEAR" mumbled Mr..
Rambo, maintaining his equilibrium
with an effort. "I came home in tn
smoking car so you wouldn't smell tn
banquet on me."-Chicago Tribune.
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