Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-18
SAN FRANCISCO TODAY.
By FREDERIC J. HASKN.

| a virgin Site Think Of a pile Of debris
so large that 1t cost $200OO,O0O to get
horses died in its removal. brute heroes
who were literally worked to death; sc
large that 10000 workmen were engage{
| in the task! That was what stared the
face when it began cleaning of its lots
while the ruins were still smoking. The
people were so quick to rally from the
feeling of desolation and despair that
within six days after the fire there was
signed. sealed and delivered a contrac
for magnificent new fireproof building.
Many incidents tinged with humor oc.
CURED during the trying days of rebuild
ing. An enterprising salOonkeeper de.
cided to build temporary drink dispen.
sary directly after the fire. To this end
he leased a site from an owner who
thought he would never be able to re.
build. On this he erected his shanty
Later the owner decided his finances
would permit rebuilding and sought to
buy Off the lease. But he was not sue
cessful. So he proceeded to build his
big building anyway. and when he was
through the saloon building had to be
carried ptecemeal out of the main store
room of the new building.
y \
When San Francisco was engaged in
the work Of rebuilding it did not fail to
provide 70,
Twelve Hundred Hotels the stranger
and Lodging Houses. stay awhile
within its gates. More than Loco
modern and up-to-date hotels and lodg.
ing houses have been erected since the
fire, Offering 6O,OOO rooms to the travelling
public. These will be added to within
the next four years, although San Fran
cisco was able to entertain $4,000 visit
ors at it's Portola celebration two years
ago.
The city has not failed to see that its
transportation facilities should grow
apace with the other improvements and
1T is the proud boast OF the native that
the street car service Of the Golden Gate
city is unsurpassed. 1t intends to make
the facilities from the exposition grounds
to the heart of the city better than any
thing that has ever been planned In the
history Of worlds fairs.
One association of Americans is partic-
ularly delighted that San Francisco Sc
First Club. Knowing that thousands. and
even millions. of Americans travel abroad
to see tie sights of other lands, wher
they have not seen the wonderful things
in their own country. the See-Amerlca-
First people are delighted that the Pan.
anna exposition will turn the tide of trave
toward the Golden Gate. and that through
the diverse route privilege OF the rail
road excursion ticket. to be sold by the
transcontinental railroads. the majorit!
Of those who go to San Francisco will
become eligible to membership in club
made up of people who have seer
America.
The masterful manner in which. Sar
Francisco has resurrected itself from
ashes and smoldering embers surpasses
anything the world has ever seen. and
its people deserve the applause they re-
ceive And yet it's achievements are only
in Keeping with the American spirit OF
doing the greatest deed under the great
est stress. Chelsea. Mass. was almost
wiped off the map by its big fire. Ye
when three years had passed the as
sessed value of property had almost re-
gained it's normal. and in two years the
population grew as much as 1t had grown
in the entire decade between the eleventh
and twelfth censuses. Baltimore great
fire seemed to threaten industrial paral
ysis. and yet Baltimore is stronger and
better today than before adversely struck
her business district with such tremen.
dous force. Even in the islands of the
sea the spirit that has mace the new
San Francisco is often in evidence. ia.
maica had it's earthquake in January
1907. and fire completed the damage
which the earthquake did to Kingston
In January. 1911, Kingston had ariser
from the ruins, a thoroughly modern
tropical city. Galveston, Chicago-a dog
en- places tell the game story OF mer
reaching their highest notch of greatness
in the face of seemingly ruinous calam.
ity.