San Francisco Earthquake 1906

1906 San Francisco Earthquake-Kip Dean

Earthquakes are among the most destructive and violent acts of Mother Nature. Unlike other disasters such as hurricanes and tornadoes, a catastrophic earthquake can happen with little or no warning. Small and frequent tremors can occur prior to a major quake; although this is not always the case. San Francisco, northern California’s largest city and metropolitan area, experienced two major earthquakes in twentieth century: in 1906 and 1989. Although the “Quake of 89” is most likely first to come to mind, the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was much larger and far more destructive. At 5:13 a.m., Wednesday April 18, 1906, a large earthquake struck the city. The 1906 disaster, a major earthquake estimated at between 7.8 and 8.3 in magnitude, resulted from the North American and Pacific tectonic plates moving past each other by more than 15 feet: annual average is only two inches (www.mceer.buffalo.edu).

The bustling metropolis of over 400,000 inhabitants was at the mercy of the forces of nature. The 40-second tremor moved furniture, shattered glass, and toppled chimneys. The shaking paused for 10 seconds, renewing with another stronger tremor for 25 more seconds (www.mceer.buffalo.edu). This region is not new to earthquakes due to its close proximity to the San Andrea’s Fault where the North American Plate collides with the Pacific Plate. At the time, techniques for measuring the intensity of quakes were in their infancy, but modern estimates place the San Francisco earthquake at about 7.9 on the present Richter Scale (www.historynet.com). From the earthquake itself and the four day firestorm that ensued immediately after, San Francisco was virtually left in ruins. In all, more than 3,000 people died.

Property damage was estimated at nearly $400 million, to which only $80 million was contributed to the earthquake and the remaining was a result from the fire (www.usgs.gov). Moreover, nearly a quarter million people were left homeless. Subsequently, the damage from the earthquake and fire was so severe that it is considered to be one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the United States along with the Galveston, Texas hurricane of 1900 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The quake is also considered to be the deadliest earthquake to happen in the United States and ranks as one of the most significant earthquakes of all time (www.usgs.gov).

As with many natural disasters, the disaster itself did not necessarily claim many lives. The greatest loss of life was due three major deficiencies and events: inadequate building materials, lack of building regulations, and the fire-storm that engulfed the city for four days after the quake. First, to accommodate the rapid surge in population growth during the Gold Rush, parts of the bay were filled to create much needed building space. Consequently, this man-made landfill had not performed well during previous earthquakes that were much smaller. The ground consisted of loose earth, old timbers, rocks and other debris, and when shaking occurred, this hodgepodge lacked cohesion (www.historynet.com). Very strong tremors transformed the landfill into a soft, unstable ‘pudding,’ a process known to science as liquefaction (www.historynet.com). Moreover, other areas that had been backfilled were once marshes and were also highly unstable areas to build on.

Secondly, a major problem was exposed after the disaster, “In order to save money and to pocket government funds, shoddy materials were deliberately used” (www.historynet.com). Finally, the greatest loss of life and damage was as a result of the firestorm that engulfed the city for four days after the quake; from April 18-21. The fires coalesced into three major blazes: south of Market, north of Market and in the Hayes Valley, west of the shattered City Hall (www.historynet.com). These three fires soon converged, with the help of high winds, to create a huge firestorm that decimated the city. The inferno grew so intense that temperatures reached upward of 2,700 degrees Fahrenheit (www.historynet.com). The fire was quick to spread because over 24,500 of the 28,000 buildings destroyed during the earthquake were constructed of wood (www.usgs.gov).

The National Archives

The city was thrown into a spiraling crisis after the quake. Despite a quick response from San Francisco’s large military population, the city was devastated (www.archives.gov). While trying to manage the situation, General Funston wired the War Department and said, “Most casualties are in the poorer districts, south of Market St.; not many killed in better portions of the city (www.sfmuseum.net). There was also a strong concern about large-scale civilian unrest and looting. E. E. Schmitz, the Major of San Francisco, decreed to all federal troops and police officers that they were authorized to “Kill any and all persons found engaged in looting or in the commission of any other crime” (www.sfmuseum.net). Authorities were wary of unrest related to race in the sizable Chinese population that had long been marginalized.

After the full extent of the quake was realized, the Federal Government released a relief package of around $1 million. Congress responded to the disaster in several ways. The House and the Senate Appropriations Committees enacted emergency appropriations for the city to pay for food, water, tents, blankets, and medical supplies in the weeks following the earthquake and fire (www.archives.gov).Consequently, the rebuilding of the city over the next few years was a burden upon the wealthier inhabitants of the city. Wealthy Americans donated large sums of money, while international donations flooded in from China, Canada, and Europe to help with the relief effort. In an odd move, President Theodore Roosevelt declined all donations from all foreign governments.

Work Cited

“Casualties and Damage after the 1906 Earthquake.” USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, n.d.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/1906/18april/casualties.php.

Ellsworth. “The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake,” USGS Earthquake Hazards Program,

1990. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/1906/18april/index.php.

Niderost, Eric. “The Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire.” Www.historynet.com, June

12, 2006. http://www.historynet.com/the-great-1906-san-francisco-earthquake-and-fire.htm

“Proclamation by the Mayor.” Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco,

n.d. http://www.sfmuseum.org/1906.2/killproc.html

“San Francisco Earthquake, 1906.” National Archives , n.d.

http://www.archives.gov/legislative/features/sf/

“Timeline of the San Francisco Earthquake April 18-23, 1906.” Virtual Museum of the City of