Verified Document

California History: Earthquake Of 1906 Thesis

At times, however, the fault may suddenly lurch as much as several feet. Such movements deep in the earth produce earthquakes -- and such movements along the San Andreas fault and its branches have produced most of the largest earthquakes in American history." (Cherny, 2007) It is reported that new buildings with steel frames during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake "held up quite well. Buildings of brick or other masonry construction, without steel or iron reinforcement, were most likely to be damaged. Some lost entire walls. Brick chimneys collapsed all over the city. The fire chief was killed when a chimney fell into his bedroom. The most dangerous parts of the city were areas that had once been lakes, creeks, marshes, or branches of the bay, and that had been filled in to create solid ground for construction. Such areas tend to liquefy in an earthquake. Structures on such fill land suffered the most. Some wood-frame buildings, especially on fill land, were knocked off their foundations, but most other wooden structures held up reasonably well. "(Cherny, 2007)

Fires in the city were fueled by gas due to broken gas lines and the broken water lines rendered the fire hydrants useless in fighting the fires spreading throughout the city. Cherny states that the "...densely populated wooden buildings south of Market Street and home to the city's working class, were the first to burn. The first burned for three days and became a firestorm with intense heat and significant winds arising from the firestorm." (2007)

The army troops commanded by General Frederick Funston at the Presidio were ordered to assist in keeping order in San Francisco and to help fighting the fires. Meanwhile "...donations poured in from individuals, organizations, and governments, some $9 million in all. Mayor Schmitz, suspected of corruption, appointed a special committee of 50 prominent citizens, led by former mayor James Phelan, to distribute the funds and plan relief and recovery. The Army set up...

The Army and the city's public health officials quickly restored sanitation and thereby averted a potential public health disaster. "(Cherny, 2007) There was an urgency among business leaders in San Francisco to quickly rebuild out of the fear that "...any delay would endanger their place as the financial and commercial center of the West. Business leaders and leaders of the construction unions, who had been warring for years, declared a truce." (Cherny, 2007)
It was suggested by some civil leaders that the rebuilding plan should take a "careful planned approach...that would include...new boulevards, wider streets, and other civic amenities, but in the haste to rebuild few people were willing to wait for new street plans, and, in the end the city was rebuilt with virtually the same street plan as before." (Cherny, 2007) Cherny reports that the same "...political fragmentation that prevented planned approach to rebuilding also hindered reconstruction of public buildings -- not until 1916 did the doors open on a new city hall." (2007)

SUMMARY & CONCLUSION

The earthquake of 1906 in California rendered massive destruction in California and resulted in the loss of many lives and millions in property however, resilient individuals in the state of California began rebuilding almost immediately. The positive aspects of the earthquake can be attributed to the knowledge gained in regards to architectural and engineering construction improvements to safety of dwellings in earthquake zones. This specific earthquake in 1906 resulted in a great deal of knowledge being added to what was known at the time about earthquakes.

Bibliography

Fradkin, Great Earthquake and Firestorms of 1906, 246

Hull, Elizabeth (2006) Redwood in the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fires. FOREST HISTORY TODAY | SPRING/FALL 2006

Cherny,…

Sources used in this document:
Bibliography

Fradkin, Great Earthquake and Firestorms of 1906, 246

Hull, Elizabeth (2006) Redwood in the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fires. FOREST HISTORY TODAY | SPRING/FALL 2006

Cherny, Robert (2007) San Francisco and the Great Earthquake of 1906. History Now Journal. Issue 11, March 2007. Online available at http://www.historynow.org/03_2007/historian5.html
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

1906 San Francisco Earthquake
Words: 1565 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

San Francisco Earthquake Massive Earthquake Results in Human Tragedy and Economic Loss" Exploring the Impact of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake San Francisco CA was hit by one of the most devastating earthquakes recognized by man on April 18, 1906. The earthquake affected 430 kilometers of the famous San Andreas fault ranging from northwest of San Juan Bautista to Cape Mendocino (Ellsworth, 1990). The city that was once San Francisco was reduced by

Earthquake Risk Mitigation
Words: 3227 Length: 10 Document Type: Research Paper

Earthquake Mitigation in Emergency Management Earthquake Risks and Hazards Earthquake Risk Mitigation Mandatory-structural Mitigation Nonstructural Mitigation This paper aims at analyzing the risk and hazards associated with earthquakes. In addition to that, it will also put light on the earthquake risk mitigation strategies that are used by various organizations. Apart from that, the paper will also propose strategies that would further enhance the earthquake mitigation practices of public and private institutions. Earthquake mitigation in Emergency Management An

Earthquakes the Major Earthquake That Struck Offshore
Words: 1811 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

Earthquakes The major earthquake that struck offshore from Japan in March, 2011, was one of the largest earthquakes experienced in that region of the world in many years. It caused massive damage and it spawned a powerful tsunami that literally wiped many Japanese towns off the map. The causes of earthquakes are known to scientists, although science has not yet become sophisticated enough to predict when and where an earthquake will

Science Volcanoes and Earthquakes Pinatubo
Words: 1519 Length: 4 Document Type: Term Paper

S., with an estimated magnitude of 8.0 on the Richter scale. They formed new lakes, changed the course of the Mississippi River, and could be felt at least a little in a 50,000 square mile area. In contract, the San Francisco 1906 earthquake could be felt moderately in a 60,000 square mile area, even though it was a smaller quake. Kobe earthquake - Occurred in 1995 and measured 7.3 on the

Historiography of Chinese American History
Words: 6439 Length: 20 Document Type: Research Paper

Chinese-American History The Exclusion Act; Redefining Citizenship Historians have studied the Chinese Exclusion Act extensively and have recorded many aspects of the politics behind the events. However, they often focus their attentions on the motives of the excluders. They pay little attention to those that were excluded and the impact that it had on their lives. One important question has escaped the scrutiny of historians. Why, if they knew of the hardships

Delineates a Hypothetical Disaster Plan in Response
Words: 1450 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

delineates a hypothetical disaster plan in response to a major earthquake and tsunami in New York City. The disaster plan includes pre-disaster / pre-event preparations, actions taken during the disaster, resources available during the disaster, and post-disaster / post-event strategies. The scope of the disaster plan includes establishment of a new residence and survival plan for disasters with long-term effects. Additionally, the disaster plan contains two separate components: One

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now