1906 San Francisco Earthquake

When we think of San Francisco we think of a city vibrant, full of life, with activity, a city thriving. A population with over three hundred forty two thousand people in 1900. This happened to be one of the largest cities, as a matter of fact San Francisco was the ninth largest city in the nation. Rich in development and very influenced by the location San Francisco was the entrance to one of the best natural known harbors.

California made it big when they realized way back in the later 1800 a connection needed to be made with the rest of the states, when the Transcontinental Railroad came along this was a blessing for many passengers could eventually travel back and forth from San Francisco to New York in a record breaking time of

83 hours and 39 minutes. Ecstatic many people were over this bringing people back and forth making the city bloom and of course keeping it thriving with resources.
Later on what came about no one was prepared for, the most devastating horrific natural cause a city could endure. The earthquake of 1906 that devastated San Francisco. Not only did this earthquake happen but it also lead to many numerous after effects that caused the city more disarray and despair.
On Wednesday April 18th, 1906 at 5:18am in the city of San Francisco an earthquake rocked the city measuring a 7.8 on the Richter scale, that lasted about 48 seconds.

This earthquake that only lasted 48 seconds was along the San Andreas fault, originating in the Francisco Bay area. The significance or magnitude of the earthquake could not be properly measured on the contemporary Richter scale gauge because it was not invented until 1935. When the earth had stopped moving and shaking people had realized what happened, immediately power lines came down, , the force of this horrific, monstrous quake tore apart buildings and roads. Water lines burst causing a mess, bacteria, debris, sewage everyplace, and gas lines twisted until they erupted, the result ignited a major series of fires and explosions throughout the city. (Schmachtenburg

2006,118)
People were so panic stricken by the catastrophic degree mother nature had just put them through, in shock they ran out into the streets, some in their night clothes, not expecting to be met with falling bricks from buildings, and tumbling walls that were falling, many people were so severely hurt they were either mangled or crushed to death. Those who remained inside were trapped by collapsed buildings, sheet rock that was falling, floors that were not stable enough to hold support, basically every family in the city was effected by this

2.
earthquake terribly. (Genthe 2012)
Continuing fires, broke out, buildings continued to burn, people trapped, people went along streets taking video of the carnage that happened.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported in their headlines the following day San Francisco in Ruins, with a big front page article that had death and destruction of what had happened. Reports came in with numbers that still to this day are not an actual count because no one is absolutely certain, it is estimated that about four hundred thousand people were residing in San Francisco at that time and once the earthquake happened possibly about three thousand deaths. (Schmachtenburg

2006,118)
Over four hundred lives were changed forever because of the earthquake, and an estimated two hundred thousand were left homeless, needless to say they city was still battling blazes from the earthquake and the aftershock and aftermath was a whole other story in itself. Fires were caused by explosives, dynamite to be the cause of this, but the reason for that this was happening was merely by accident. Officials were actually trying to stop the fires that were going on in the city by use of the explosives. In an army document that was published, the Commanding Officer orders the use of dynamite and other high explosives to try and stop fires by blowing up buildings and destroying the present unburnt buildings in the parts of the city. ( Greely, 1896) This action was called Firebreak but even the officials were just not experienced enough with the explosives, all the gunpowder that was mixed in the dynamite failed, the wind, fire, and the blasts never created a firebreak instead it send a whirlwind of debris of flames into neighborhoods, spreading the fires even faster and much further causing more havoc and destruction. (The Old Farmers 1972 Almanac Year) Fires from the San Francisco burned for about three days and three nights, some were calculated as getting up to two thousand seven hundred degrees in temperature. Even though the earthquake moved four to five feet per second and affected three hundred seventy five square miles. Those fires that erupted still claim to have been more catastrophic than the earthquake itself. The fire department ended up running out water lines for their steam engines which only made matters even worse. Not to mention trying to put out the fires were extremely difficult due to the fact that debris covered fire hydrants making it impossible to even locate or get the firetrucks to. People would have thought that since this was a rather large city would be prepared for such a natural disaster but seems as if they were not at all

3.
prepared nor did they expect anything quite like this to happen. City Hall was even destroyed making it impossible to locate maps to those existing hydrants around the city. Reporters described the scene as rubbish and trash spread all over the streets that city hall with its columns, stairs, and wires exposed, the lower parts of the structure appeared to simulate a corpse a gruesome detail of flesh being shred by brute force. ( Hansen and Condon, 1989 )
People began mass hysteria, and looting began to take place, the United States Army stepped in and set up all the necessary measures to provide protection . Soldiers were posted at corners and patrolling the streets trying as hard as possible to guard buildings, the U.S. Mint, post office and the county jail were all unprotected. The United States Army had a huge responsibility not only to protect the buildings but to also take on trying to feed , shelter and find clothing for the homeless, this meant the tens of thousands of individuals that were out there living on the streets even the injured. What made matters worse out in the streets with chaos getting out of control, homeless wandering around, looters breaking into buildings and some people who were just trying to rummage through building to save whatever they could from their own personal belongings, Officials posted a bulletin that nothing was to be tolerated. Many have told stories that the United states Army was to shoot and kill anyone found to be engaged in type type of behavior that suspected looting., because looting could result in rioting behaviors. Unfortunately because of this about five hundred people were shot and killed not knowing if they were trying to just retrieve personal belongings or actually looting. The order later given out by Mayor Eugene Schmitz without proof was out of distrust of certain sectors of the population that included minorities and immigrants and a trigger happy soldier, the number of killed was fifteen not five hundred no one can be really certain of the true story. (The Free Library. S.v. The Great Earthquake and Firestorms of 1906)
San Francisco had such destruction after the earthquake and fires hat destroyed their city, leaving so many homeless, injured, without food, sick, and even dead they had to figure out a way to get it back together and start
to rebuild what they had. Hopefully to stay optimistic and build something better than before, something they could that could bring them an even bigger, better stronger city.

4.
The destruction cost the city about twenty four thousand six hundred seventy one wood buildings, about three thousand one hundred sixty eight brick buildings with a total loss of more than four hundred million in earthquake damage in fire damage it was reported about eight hundred million dollars.
The death was toll was high and the homeless out in the streets the first place was to start providing shelter,
the army stepped in and started to set up refugee camps all over the city. Twenty one refugee camps to be exact, the San Francisco Red Cross and Relief Corporation were the primary relief administrators and other countries helped as well, China and Japan brought in donations of about two hundred fifty thousand dollars each but unfortunately due to racial prejudiced funding from these countries never made it to the Chinese, Japanese -American victims. (History of San Francisco, 2012)
Imagine, six and a half billion bricks had fallen, “The Earth Shook, the Sky Burned,” William Bronson said. Relief came in like a miracle, handing out more than three million to the homeless and helped provide housing, temporary wooden homes or cottages in parks were built, plenty of food and tobacco was supplied. San Francisco picked up their pieces quickly and off they went , to rebuild their city making updates, relaying railroad tracks, fixing sewer and water pipes. To think within a weeks time they had street cars back up and running back on Market Street. The one things workers did decide to do while reconstructing San Francisco is to divide up the cable tracks for years the street cars has a slot that ran down the center dividing the working class district, the South of the slot they decided this was no longer, changes were about to happen. (Nolte 2006)
By the end of April professionals came in and took over, heavy equipment started to help haul away rubbish which was dumped in the Mission Bay now the Marina District. What's interesting is back the all the labor was done by horse power, no fancy machinery or up to date equipment like we have today, this is why some people felt the work that was done to rebuild the city was a bit too fast. All work was done either manual or horsepower, unfortunately a lot of that horsepower caused many of the horses used to be over worked and claimed the lives of about fifteen thousand horses. (Nolte 2006)
Workers that were rebuilding the city decided that an upgrade was due, steel frames to buildings were put in place to replace the ones that were previously used, to hopefully make better, stronger more structurally sound

5.
buildings, carpenters were brought in making about five dollars a day, brick layers six dollars a day and plumbers roughly seven dollars a day. If supplies were needed they were often shipped up by train or from ship yards making it very important for the railways and ports to me accessible. (Nolte 2006). Some of San Francisco remained the same but the significant changes made were larger structures on Market Street. On the South of Market Street, commercial buildings many of the businesses, residences such as apartment buildings, middle class residential apartments and smaller factories we considered low class or slums. They were now being reconstructed into exuberant places to reside, visit, shop and sleep. The Civic Center was improved changes were made, a new hospital had to be rebuilt and the reconstruction of St. Ignatius College which was moved from Market Street to Hayes Street and Van Ness Avenue because of the earthquake. Where the old church stood is a wood structure “The shirt Factory” that stood from 1906-1919 in remembrance. ( Ziajka, Ph.D., Alan.)
San Francisco has gone through some terrible times, dealing with the San Andreas fault line beneath them, in 1989 twenty five years ago Scotts Valley California, one hour away from San Francisco California they reported a 6.9 on the Richter scale. This state is always on pins and needles anxiously waiting and wondering is mother nature going to take their city and lives, but we also have to give them extreme credit for their bravery, that today they live their lives knowing any day could be that day that could end in destruction.