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Municipal Reports

THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE
AND FIRE OF APRIL 1906

General History (page 3 of 3)

Districts destroyed by fire
Beginning at the easterly termination of Townsend  street at the Bay shore; thence along the southerly line of Townsend street to Eight street;
along the westerly line of Eighth street to Bryant street;
along the southerly line of Bryant street to Eleventh street;
along the westerly line of Eleventh street to Harrison street;
along the easterly line of Harrison street to Fourteenth street;
along the southerly line of  Fourteenth street to Howard street;
along the easterly line of Howard street to Twentieth street;
along the northerly line of Twentieth street to Dolores street;
along the westerly line of Dolores street to Market street;
along the southerly line of Market street to Gough street;
along the westerly line of Gough street to Fell street;
along the southerly line of Fell street to Octavia street;
along the southerly line of Octavia street to McAllister street;
along the southerly line of McAllister street to Gough street;
along the westerly line of Gough street to Golden Gate avenue;
along the northerly line of Golden Gate avenue to Van Ness avenue; along the westerly line of Van Ness avenue to Sutter street;
along the southerly line of Sutter street to Franklin street;
along the westerly line of Franklin street to Clay street;
along the northerly line of Clay street to Van Ness avenue;
along the westerly line of Van Ness avenue to Filbert street;
along the northerly line of Filbert street to Taylor street;
along the westerly line of Taylor street to the Bay shore;
along the Bay shore to the easterly termination of Townsend street, the place of beginning.

A few blocks here and there within the above-described district escaped destruction. Three blocks, bounded by Washington, Battery, Jackson, and Montgomery streets, were untouched; also a few blocks on the summit of Russian and Telegraph Hills.
Likewise the United States Post Office and Mint, on Mission street were saved.
The area included in the above was 4.7 square miles.

The fire burned continuously during Wednesday and Thursday (when its main progress was checked), and to a small extent on Friday and Saturday, April 18-21, 1906.

The loss of property cannot be more than approximately estimated. Compilations made put the fire loss at $250,000,000.00
The loss of life attending the great disaster is officially recorded at 478. Whether more than this, or how many more, can never be told. This loss of life was caused by the collapsing of buildings and the falling of walls.

In this connection a most serious loss to this city at this time was the injury and death of Dennis T. Sullivan, Chief of the Fire Department. His death added to the disorganization of the Fire Department at its most critical time.

Index to Earthquake Reports