The San Francisco call., 1908-07-18

teenth and Shotwell streets to guard
against the contingency of general
eonfiagration, with the Spring Valley
water supply cut off. He had to wait
just a quarter of a century for the
fire which his Judgment told him would
served the thanks of his fellow citizens
at that time, Mr.. Center is that man.
His foresight proved a boon to the
Mission, for with the aid of his water
supply the section east of Howard
street and south OF Fourteenth street
was saved as well as every bit of prop
erty he owned. After the fire died out
it was discovered that there remained
six feet of water in his tanks, enough
TO have maintained two streams for
stream indefinitely from the large sub
terranean reservoir.
1t has been said that the fire moved
Sixth street to Twentieth street and
this is almost literally true The great
population that had it's home in the
district south of Market street between
Fourth and Twelfth streets were
driven by the fire out into the Mission
Sixth street merchants secured stores
as far out as Twenty ninth street and
today these retail dealers are catering
largely to their old customers. The
sites of their old homes are fast being
occupied by stores and factories so
that the movement south some IA
blocks of this vast population may be
looked upon as permanent.
THE. NEW SHOPPING DISTRICT
All this, of course, has had it's In
fluence on Mission real estate. Not
only has. residence property been in
demand, but business property as well.
Scarcely had the ashes of the fire
cooled than far-seeing merchants, who
recognized what was coming, began
to scramble for business sites in Mis-
sion and Valencia Streets In a few
months both sides of Mission from
Fifteenth to Twenty-fffth were lined
secure practically everything one needs
at prices considerably cheaper than in
any other retail district of the city.
In the afternoons Mission street is
filled with shoppers and the transfer
corners, at Sixteenth. and Twenty-sec-
ond streets, present an animated scene.
The street is brilliantly illuminated at
night and especially on Saturday
nights there is continuous stream of
promenaders. The theaters and nickel
odeons do a thriving business.
| Valencia street, too. has undergone
| change for the better and today is
! sprinkled with handsome new buildings
| of permanent character. The United
| Railroad intends to continue the orna-
mental poles and lights out Valencia
and this will contribute not a little to
the attractiveness of this important
ness street in the Mission that connects
with Market street. Still farther south,
on the Mission road a new retail quarter
has sprung into existence.
RANKING FACILITIES
| So great has been the amount of
business transacted in <he Mission
during the last few years that
several of the great banking institu-
! tions of this city have felt it well
worth their while to accommodate the
people. During the early part of 1903
James Rolph Jr., who was born in this
portion of San Francisco and who
early appreciated the commercial
growth Of the Mission, succeeded in
| interesting the Bank of California in
establishing the Mission bank. The
| Bank of California retained majority
of the capital stock and has thoroughly
its organization. On July Is, 1903, the
bank commenced business In a small
one story building in Sixteenth street,
at Julian avenue, and, following a pro-
| gressive yet conservative policy, built
up business of considerable size.
| The great fire of April, 1906, swept
away the building of this bank. but by
| great energy a temporary structure
was hastily erected on the old site. In
bank had the proud distinction of be-
| banking business after the fire.
Following the fire the growth of the
/ banks business was decided, their de-
posits increasing from s750,000 to
| 81, 600 900 in very short time. While
| In large part this increase was occa-
stoned by payments of insurance losses
and the business of firms who tempo
rarily established themselves in this
district, great portion of the bank's
unusual growth has been retained and
now it is handling the commercial
business of over 1000 customers.
handsome building of reinforced con-
crete of pure Grecian design has been
erected on the old site commodious
enough and with every convenience to