The San Francisco earthquake and fire; a brief history of the disaster; a presentation of facts and resulting phenomena, with special reference to the efficiency of building materials, lessons of the disaster . It is e\ ident that tlie Avhole region affected moved generally as a unit, andthat tlie sudden and jarring motions had the effect of causing local disturbances and displacements AvhercAer thesoil Avas soft, incoherent and deep, as in the river bottoms, artificially filled areas, etc. JNIarkcd disturbances anddeformations of the softer material always restilted along the lines separating
The San Francisco earthquake and fire; a brief history of the disaster; a presentation of facts and resulting phenomena, with special reference to the efficiency of building materials, lessons of the disaster . It is e\ ident that tlie Avhole region affected moved generally as a unit, andthat tlie sudden and jarring motions had the effect of causing local disturbances and displacements AvhercAer thesoil Avas soft, incoherent and deep, as in the river bottoms, artificially filled areas, etc. JNIarkcd disturbances anddeformations of the softer material always restilted along the lines separating a hard, compact material from onethat Avas soft as, for exanii)le, the line of contact of the rock formations Avith the silt of the Aalleys. THE FIRE Immediately after the main earthquake shock on the morning of Aj^ril ISth, numerous fires occurredthroughout the stricken area. These generally emanated from collai)scd buildings, and in the larger cities andtoAvns sometimes consumed entire blocks Ixtorc the flames could ])e checked. In the city of San Francisco there Avere a dozen or more of these incipient fires iir as many differentlocations, most of them being in the business section of the city. 21. CHIMNEYS. All that remains of many magnificent residences are the chimneys. The top portions of most of tliesechimneys were shaken off at the roof level by the earthquake before the fire, which accounts for the ragged appearance of thetops. Chimneys of smaller size and poor workmanship were generally overthrown in the fire. 22 The lire depurtiiient, cclcbriited ;ill oxer the worhl for its edieiency, was imiuefhately at hand, hut found onattaeliinu the lioses to the i)iu,ii;s that there was no water. IMuy after phiy Avas tried in the \ieinity of tlie fires,but all in vain, the mains iiad been broken. In the meantime the fires spiead with yieat rajtidity, fanned by aliiyh wind. The helplessness of the firemen was maddening, and to add to the eonfusion it was disco\eredsoon afterwar
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectear, booksubjectfires
