1906
The Great San Francisco Earthquake
At 5:13 a.m., an earthquake estimated at close
to 8.0 on the Richter scale strikes San Francisco, California, killing hundreds
of people as it topples numerous buildings. The quake was caused by a slip of
the San Andreas Fault over a segment about 275 miles long, and shock waves
could be felt from southern Oregon down to Los Angeles.
San Francisco’s brick buildings and wooden
Victorian structures were especially devastated. Fires immediately broke out
and–because broken water mains prevented firefighters from stopping
them–firestorms soon developed citywide. At 7 a.m., U.S. Army troops from Fort
Mason reported to the Hall of Justice, and San Francisco Mayor E.E. Schmitz
called for the enforcement of a dusk-to-dawn curfew and authorized soldiers to
shoot-to-kill anyone found looting. Meanwhile, in the face of significant
aftershocks, firefighters and U.S. troops fought desperately to control the
ongoing fire, often dynamiting whole city blocks to create firewalls. On April
20, 20,000 refugees trapped by the massive fire were evacuated from the foot of
Van Ness Avenue onto the USS Chicago.
By April 23, most fires were extinguished, and
authorities commenced the task of rebuilding the devastated metropolis. It was
estimated that some 3,000 people died as a result of the Great San Francisco
Earthquake and the devastating fires it inflicted upon the city. Almost 30,000
buildings were destroyed, including most of the city’s homes and nearly all the
central business district.