100 years ago: Great San Francisco Earthquake/Fire

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Municipal Reports on

THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE

AND FIRE OF APRIL 18,1906

Published by Order of the

Board of Supervisors, 1907

THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE

AND FIRE OF APRIL 1906

1. Fire Department, the Day Before

On April 17, 1906, the Fire Department of the City and County of San Francisco was comprised of 584 uniformed men and the following equipment in good condition and regular use:

                                    38  Steam Fire Engines

                              10  Hook and ladder companies

                                8  Chemical engine companies

                                  1  Water tower company

                                      2  Monitor batteries

                                    13  Officers' buggies

                                        4  Automobiles

                              50  Hand chemical extinguishers

                                  65,000'  Cotton fire hose

                                            320  Horses

                                      1  Horse ambulance

                                        1  Hay wagon

                                        1  Oil tank wagon

The buildings of the Department then consisted of 44 engine companies, 2 corporation yards and repair shops, 2 drill towers, the Department stables and corporation yard stables and headquarters of battalion chief, making fifty buildings in all.

2. Fire Department, the Fires Break Out

(This report is presented exactly as written by an unknown member of the department in 1907)

Immediately following the earthquake of April 18, 1906, it was noticed that fires were breaking out in nearly every portion of the city.

Some were caused by electric wires, others started by from broken flues and overturned stoves in restaurants and from coal oil lamps upsetting.

It is positively known that there were over fifty fires in different locations at one time that morning, and probably there were many more that were put out by the occupants of the houses where they occurred.

At Twenty-second and Mission streets a fire broke out in a large three-story building that was occupied as a dry-goods store, and which occupied nearly a quarter of a block.

Through the energetic efforts of the engine companies stationed in that immediate vicinity, and with the aid of what little water that was obtained from a cistern on the corner of Twenty-second and Shotwell streets, this fire was confined to the building in which it originated, otherwise all the Mission section of the city would have been destroyed.

South of Market street and east of Sixth street fierce fires were soon burning in many places, and it was clearly seen that this section of the city was doomed.

A determined stand was made by the department to prevent this conflagration from spreading to the west and across Market street.

Eighth street was the place determined upon and the work of dynamiting the buildings on the west side of that street from Market south commenced.

The result was that this fire was checked there and would not have extended farther west, but for a fire that broke out in the neighborhood of Gough and Hayes streets about ten o'clock A. M. that morning. (Ham and Eggs Fire)

Had there been the slightest quantity of water obtainable when this latter fire was discovered it could have easily been extinguished, but we were compelled to watch it burn and spread.

This is the fire that caused the destruction of the Mission district as well as the Hayes Valley section, including the Mechanics' Pavilion and the City Hall. (and my grandfather's store and house at Hayes and Franklin)

Meanwhile the numerous fires in the wholesale district north of Market street were gradually assuming gigantic proportions and gaining in magnitude, and without the means to successfully battle with the same, the department was unable to stay its course.

The conflagration lasted for fully three days, and at the end thereof, the members of this department, who had been continuously on duty, without sleep and barely sufficient food, were well-nigh exhausted.

3. Rehabilitation of the Fire Department

Temporary headquarters were immediately established and the work of rehabilitation of the department commenced at once.

It was found that twenty-six buildings of the department had been destroyed in the conflagration, and of these twenty-one were company quarters, housing twenty-nine different companies in all.

Temporary quarters in the unburned portion of the city were at once procured for these companies and inside of twenty-four hours all the burned companies of the department were provided with quarters for the men and apparatus, and they were again in readiness to respond to alarms of fire.

The loss sustained by the department in apparatus was as follows: three steam fire engines, one hook-and ladder truck, one monitor battery, four automobiles, two hose wagons and two buggies.

The department did not suffer greater loss of equipment because all companies had responded to the many fires. The engines were not in the houses which were destroyed.

About 41,000 feet of hose of different sizes was also destroyed.

The total value of the property of the department, other than buildings, that was destroyed amounted to about $190,000, including destroyed fire hydrants; while the loss in buildings amounted to $380,000; which together with the buildings damaged by the earthquake and not fire, amounted to $13,000. making a total loss sustained by the department of $583,000.

Application was made to the Board of Supervisors to provide temporary structures for the burned out companies on their former sites, and within one year from the date of the fire; houses were provided for eleven engine companies, four truck companies, six chemical companies, and quarters for six battalion chiefs.

In conclusion we will state that the fire department of our municipality is to-day (June 29, 1907) in as good condition in regard to discipline efficiency, etc., as it was on April 17, 1906... we have no hesitancy in declaring that the San Francisco Fire Department will again assume its place in the foremost rank of the fire departments of the world in regard to its efficiency and the completeness of its equipments and appliances for battling with fire.

5. Fire Department, Equipment Destroyed

1 Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine, 1st size, No. 173                          $ 4,000

1 Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine, 2d size,  No. 390                            4,500

1 La France Steam Fire Engine, 1st size,  No. 374                              5,000

1 Hook and Ladder Truck (Hayes), No. 17                                        2,800

1 Monitor Battery, No. 2                                                                  1,750

1 Automobile Electric, No. 1,                                                            3,000

1 Automobile Auto Car, No. 3                                                          1,050

1 Automobile Auto Car, No. 4                                                          1,050

1 Automobile Winston,  No. 5                                                          2,650

1 Hose Wagon                                                                                1,200

1 Hose Wagon,  (unaccounted for)                                                    1,200

2 Buggies                                                                                          700

2 Buggies (unaccounted for)                                                                700

                         

                            Total                                                              $29,600

In Memory of Dennis T. Sullivan              1852-1906

Chief Engineer of the San Francisco Fire Department

Dennis T. Sullivan, late Chief Engineer of the San Francisco Fire Department, died April 22, 1906, from injuries received during the earthquake of April 18,1906.

Chief Sullivan and wife occupied quarters on the third floor of the building occupied by Chemical Company No. 3 on Bush street above Kearny.

The earthquake overthrew the high ornamental tower that surmounted the roof of the California Hotel, immediately adjoining and high above the quarters of the Chief, which, toppling over on the latter roof crashed through the building to the ground floor, going through the room occupied by Mrs. Sullivan and carrying her in her bed down to the bottom floor.

Meanwhile the Chief, who occupied the adjoining room, was awakened by the crash, and unmindful of anything but his wife's safety, rushed into the room occupied by her, and in the dim light fell through the opening in the floor made by the falling tower down to the bottom floor, receiving injuries that resulted in his death four days later.

Both the San Francisco Fire Department and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors memorialized the Chief and extended their deepest sympathy to his widow, who was not seriously injured.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey, usgs.gov

[Guest]

source: U.S. Geological Survey

[Guest]

source: U.S.Geological Survey

source: archive of James B. Macelwane

[JM15 386]

I think that either A&E or the discovery chanell did a show on the great Earthquake/FIre. Does anyone know more on this?

[Guest]

San Francisco repaints this golden fire hydrant every year on the anniversary of the 1906 earthquake.

Legend has it that the hydrant, near Mission Dolores Park, miraculously delivered water when almost all others were useless, saving a large part of the city.

source: msnbc.com