The San Francisco call., 1908-04-12


I(::::Q' D:::: u
r HE pyramid of Cheops is no
longer the building wonder OF
the world. Mighty men built it.
Generations. perhaps. were ex-
pended In fits construction. In SAN
Francisco mighty men have built, in
something less than two years. a vast
array of new buildings which, if piled
together, would outclass Cheops as a
mountain outciasses a doorstep. In the
construction of this stupendous monu-
ment to Califorsia spirit, courage and
viii, time has been annihilated, ruin +
and disaster defied. In the very midst
of hot and smoking ashes, when all the
world stood aghast at what seemed the
destruction OF an entire city, plans for
rebuilding Were conceived, rough
sketches Of the new homes Of industry
made, standing the ruins of the old,
and contracts let for their execution.
No pigmy plans were these, either.
They called for the building of steel
frame. solidly walled and windowed
structures capable OF resisting even the
Titanic impetus of a second potential
disaster. From all quarters of the
world building material hastened
toward q. leveled city. Masons, carpen-
ters, stone cutters, brick layers poured
into the city in a food. San Francisco
became the labor center of the world.
Side by side. using the same tools. ami
mated by the same purpose. labored an
army of workmen from everywhere.
Wages such as were never known any
where before were common. From Sc
to SO a day was the average
stipend OF a man who worked at any
Of the building trades. but, even at this
rate, he was often asked to work over
time on Sunday, and was paid $40 for
that. The towering San Francisco
years, for, after the fire plans had TO
be drawn and remodeled and materials
obtained before work could begin. 1t
is said that at the average rate of
building, maintained with few inter
ruptions for two years, a building went
up every IS minutes.
People visiting the city and seeing
10. II and IA story structures going up
everywhere. wo Id shake their heads
and say: why don't you put up some
small temporary buildings to I'LL the
gaps IN your streets, and in few
years replace them by something bet
ter? To which the energetic Califor-
nian made reply: NO, sir; were not
building only for today; we're building
for all time, for we don't propose TO be
caught mapping when our second cate
clysm, if it ever does, arrives" In the
reconstruction of his city the CaIifor-
nian struggled on magnihcently in the
face of unhcard Of difficulties
Never has city risen from the
dust OF her debris like this one. Never
has any building record of ancient or
modern Babylon equaled the unrivaled
one made by the descendants Of the
men who beQueathed their unquench-
able courage and power of gayety IN
der any and ali circumstances which
have proved invaluable to their grand
sons in these rebuilding years. Never
have citizens danced so light heartedIv
on the grave of the old times, and
turned to feast with the goddess Of
stone who ushered in the new. No city
dwellers, save those OF San Francisco
can walk through the downtown dis
tricts and say: Twenty-Five months
ago, sir. this district was as level as q
floor, as regarded a whole building left
standing. Look at it today You car
hardly see the skyline for the roofs
How is that for two years work?"
One hundred and twelve million was
expended in this work of building in
these two years. Architects and con-
tractors declare the work TO be the
best of its kind. And solidityahas not
been the only feature looked to- Beau
ty and grace Of line has been a prom
inent factor in the city's upbuilding.
Where once unsightly, three story
buildings cut the sky are now the clas-
sic lines of buildings modelled after one
style OF architecture only. Which goes
70 prove that the building plane is
higher in more ways than one
Labor conQuers ALL" is an old Lat
In motto. To which the Californian
adds. And merry hearts worketh
wonders"