San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-08-14
TOURIST TRADE
GAINS DESPITE
D ] A K {
Shake Is Stimulation to
California Travel and
Roads Packed.
By o. G. MILAN
Executive Secretary Az year CAB Of

Executive secretary All Year Cab Of
Southern California.
Los ANGELES, Aug. ia re-
markable stimulation in the tide Of
tourist travel to Southern California
has followed the recent earthquake
at Santa Barbara. The increased
thfong of tourists is evident in every
city throughout this district. Appar-
entity. thousands OF people have sud-
denly decided 10 visit this region so
that they might see for themselves
just what happened at Santa Barbara.
The fears of some Californians that
the shake would result in marked
diminution of the states tourist bust
ness have long since been entirely dis
sipated, for, in addition to the fact
that many thousands of travellers
have not permitted the quake to inter
fere with plans for visiting this re-
gion made many months ago, other
thousands have been attracted here
by their curiosity to see the dcvasta-
ton that was wrought. The railroads
serving this territory all report major
increases in their California bound
passenger business over last year,
while automobile travel into this dis
trict has increased by nearly so per
cent over last year This is accepted
here as indicating that the shake at
Santa Barbara has so receded in time
that it is now seen in its proper
perspective by the general public. and
this classes it as comparatively
minor tragedy instead Of the major
catastrophe that it first seemed to be.
SAFE PLACE TO LIVE.
Furthermore, the shake when con-
trasted with general year in and year
out experiences, reveals that Califor-
MIA is one. of the most secure places,
il not the most secure, to live in
throughout the world. In all California
history there have been only three
earthquakes with death rolls, one in
1912, one in 1906, and the one at
Santa Barbara on June %, last. The
total death list for all California trem-
ors for all its history since the Span
irds first settled the Pacific Coast is
less than 800. The total death list in
Southern California is less than 100.
This record Of more than 200 years
reveals a surprising freedom from
natural violence in the Golden State.
California is free from flood, cyclone,
tornado, excessive heat and excessive
cold. In scores of places, more per-
sons have been killed in a single blow
of cyclone or flood than have been
killed by natural violence in Califor-
mia from earthquakes and all other
natural causes in the states entire his
tory.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS.
A fact-finding committee of en-
gineers and others has made n report
ON Santa Barbara, which reveals that
the material damage there was APP
proximately SS.000,000. This is one
twenty-fourth Of the building that was
done in Los Angeles in the year 1923.
1t is only one-fifth of the value of
huge New York skycsraper. It is equal
to the normal building in Santa Bar
bara for two year period.
About five per cent Of the city's
$500 buildings suffered damage, with
severe damage to approximately so.
The city was not leveled, the real
cracking Of buildings being limited TO
less than 2 per cent of its area. Tour
lists are finding much of interest in
the oddity of some Of the ruins, but
they have been greatly surprised TO
find that they could ride for miles
outside of the business section without
encountering a single sign Of damage.
Thus far, Santa Barbara has been
unable to house all of the tourists who
have wished TO visit the city this
summer. but hotels are being restored
to service as rapidly as possible, and
the city hopes soon to accommodate
all who wish to come.