Polk's Crocker-Langley San Francisco city directory, 1939, Part 3

Author: R.L. Polk & Co
Publication date: 1930
Publisher: San Francisco, Cal. : R.L. Polk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1680

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PARKS

San Francisco is noted for its beautiful and extensive parks. There are 45 parks and 66 recreational units, with a total acreage of 4579, others are under development. In addition to the municipal parks, the several government res- ervations, the largest of which is the Presidio, comprising 1542 acres, all go toward augmenting the aggregate area of the city parks. The area given does not include the numerous golf courses in and about the city. More than $15.000.000 has been expended on municipal parks since 1870. All of San Francisco's parks are "man-made." Originally only sand dunes marked the spots where today are gardens of rarest flowers, shrubs and giant trees. Even lakes, streams, water- falls, hills, valleys and dales were worked out by man, to say nothing of the miles of walks, bridle paths and boulevards traversing the parks. Golden Gate Park is one of the world's most noted playgrounds. It comprises 1013 acres and is about 3 miles long and a half-mile wide, extending from Stanyan street on the east to the Pacific Ocean on the west and lies in the midst of San Francisco's choice residential districts.

In the park are many museums, monuments, an aviary, aquarium, music temple, stadium, tennis courts, baseball grounds, football grounds, trotting and pacing horse track. athletic field and running track paddocks, and children's playgrounds. There are more than 25 miles of improved driveways in the park. Wild animals of many species are to be seen, while every bird and squirrel known to California roams or flies at will through the dense woods and shrubbery. At the western end of the park is to be seen the sloop "Gjoa." the only vessel that ever navigated the Northwest Passage. and which was given to San Francisco by its owner and ex-

plorer, Captain Roald Amundsen, discoverer of the South Pole also; the gift was accepted by San Francisco June 16, 1909. The ship was hauled upon the beach and is protected by a high iron fence.

SOCIAL

San Francisco has more than 300 churches, representing many denominations. The congregations of the churches in- clude people of many nationalities, such as English, German, Italian, French, Spanish, Scandinavian, Russian and Chinese.

There are numerous societies, clubs, lodges, and fraternal groups beside the civic, historical, military, religious and sporting groups. San Francisco contains many foreign colo- nies, where the daily life and social events familiar to their native countries have been reestablished here.

The cosmopolitan character of San Francisco is well por- trayed by the many interesting and diversified events which take place daily. The citizen or visitor may find many educa- tional things of interest, such as lectures, concerts, readings, recitals, special exhibits of drawing, painting, sculpture, and other works of art.

There are two public art galleries and several semi-public galleries which offer exhibits and collections of national and international fame.

There is a main public library in the Civic Center with 21 branches and 6 depositories. This system has 520,000 vol- umes. There are 97 private and special libraries, including technical and institutional. There are also numerous circulat- ing libraries.

The Municipal Auditorium, with a seating capacity of 11,000, contains a magnificent organ and is in use for a variety of events daily throughout the year. The Civic Opera House and the War Memorial Building provide a home for opera. the symphony orchestra, and a permanent war relics museum. San Francisco is the first city in the nation to have a civic opera house. It has a seating capacity of 3285.

HEALTH

San Francisco is a clean city with a cool, bracing, equable all-year-round open climate. The Daily Mean Maximum Tem- perature is 62.6 degrees, and the Daily Mean Minimum Tem- perature is 50.2 degrees, with an average daily range of 12.2 degrees. A study of the air conditions in twenty-three promi- nent cities in the United States places San Francisco in the front rank, second only to Boston. The sun shone sixty-six out of every one hundred possible hours, according to the Weather Bureau Records. for a period of more than 20 years.

GOLDEN GATE INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION 1939

The Golden Gate International Exposition. designated by Congressional and Presidential action as America's official World's Fair on the Pacific Coast, opened February 18 and will close December 2 of 1939. Its site is 400-acre Treasure Island, reclaimed for the purpose in the center of San Fran- cisco Bay and described as the largest island ever built by man.

The Exposition celebrates completion of the $78,000,000 San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, longest and most costly bridge in the world; the $35,000,000 Golden Gate Bridge, long- est single span in the world; the aerial "bridging" of the Pacific Ocean by scheduled passenger and mail flights of the Clipper Ships, and the development of huge electrical horse- power by new hydro-electrical projects in the Western moun- tains, particularly Boulder, Bonneville and Grand Coulee dans.

The Treasure Island fill totals 20,000,000 cubic yards of hlack sand, bound by 287.000 tons of rock in a sea wall. This World's Fair site is 5520 feet long by 3400 feet wide, stands 13 feet above mean lower water, and is connected to Yerba Buena Island by a causeway 900 feet long and 110 feet wide. The U. S. Engineering Department carried out the reclama- tion, which was completed in 1937 under an authorized WPA appropriation of $3.803,900 sponsored by the Exposition Com- pany.

After the close of the 1939 World's Fair. Treasure Island will become an airport operated by the City and County of San Francisco for the benefit of cities surrounding the har- bor, with a combined population approaching 2,000,000-per- haps the most centralized airport in the world. Direct high- way connection with the Bay Bridge brings the Island within ten minutes, by motor car, of downtown San Francisco and central Oakland.

The Island's double function made possible a dual pro- gram of construction. Three buildings, completed in 1937, are permanent in concrete and steel as airport facilities at a total cost of $2,000,000. Two hangars, each 287 by 335 feet and 76 feet high, serve the Fair as exhibit palaces, and a three-story concrete Air Terminal building houses adminis- trative offices of the Exposition.

The remainder of the Exposition's $18,600,000 construc- tion schedule is of timber. bolted together to facilitate re- moval from airport runways after the Fair. Core of the build- ing program is a central court and 400-foot tower, from which radiate plazas framed by six great blocks of exhibit palaces averaging 200 feet wide and ranging from 400 to 900 feet in length.

Dual function is recognized also in highway construction. Three lanes between Island and Bay Bridge are a permanent installation to serve the airport: three additional lanes are

built, where necessary, on timber trestlework to reduce exca- vation, and will be removed at the close of the Fair. An elaborate grade separation will handle traffic on and off the bridge by right turns only, eliminating the hazard of turns across traffic.

Exposition highways are planned to handle 3000 cars hourly between the bridge and a 12,000-car parking lot on the Island. Mass transportation will be accommodated by ferry boats plying from three slips on the San Francisco side of the Island and one on the Oakland shore. First World's Fair ever beyond the reach of pedestrian approach, these transit facilities will handle visitors at the peak rate of 65,000 hourly. Architecture, illumination and landscaping were combined to take complete advantage of the Exposition's spectacu- larly beautiful setting in the center of San Francisco Bay, and create an effect that carries out the "Pageant of the Pacific" theme of the Fair. Basic architectural forms arc

borrowed from older .civilizations around the Pacific, particu larly the Mayan, Cambodian, Incan and Malayan, for . massed effect of stepped setbacks that are enhanced by horti cultural plantings along the baselines, and lighting effect: 10 lend an atmosphere of spacious mystery to the skyline l

Approximately $1,500,000 was spent for landscaping and horticulture, which is lavishly colored and largely sub-tropi- cal in keeping with the Exposition's California setting. More than four thousand trees, 70,000 shrubs and literally millions of flowering plants were employed; one feature is a "Persian Prayer Rug" of mesembryanthemum covering 25 acres. In- terior courts of the World's Fair city were treated under separate color schemes, with species selected for similarity in the hues of their blooms, and night lighting preserves the distinctive character of each court while maintaining the har- mony of the whole.

...

Treasure Island as seen from the heights of nearby Yerba Buena Island, As shown, the site of the Golden Gate International Exposition is connected to Yerba Buena (both islands centering the Bay of San Francisco) by a six-lane, 900-foot causeway. In immediate foreground is Port of the Trade Winds, where the tamed new Super-Clippers of Pan-American Airways make their base, winging in and out between the Western United States and Hong Kong. One of the new 74-passenger ships of the air is seen at right, At left are the 100 berths, providing accommodations for both resident and visiting yachtsmen.

GOVERNMENTAL PARTICIPATION

The Golden Gate International Exposition is designated as America's official World's Fair of the West. The Federal Government appropriated $1,500,000 for its participation, and is represented by a stately building and comprehensive na- tional exhibits, with George Creel, eminent writer and pub- licist, as Commissioner in charge. The seven-acre building. costing $600,000 faces the Court of the Nation, where cere- monies, concerts, army maneuvers and pageantry will be held during the 288 days of the Fair. Exhibits explain every phase of governmental activity ; there is an elaborate Indian presen- tation, and moored at the Federal wharf will be sea-going vessels drawn from government services.

The Territory of Hawaii occupies 21,000 square feet in the Pacific Basin, with a pavilion typical of Polynesian life. The Netherlands Last Indies has erected a spacious pavilion. redolent of the atmosphere of the "Spice Islands" and der- brated by bas-relief, copied from famed ruins of Boroboeder and ancient jungle temples. Norway's building is a reproduc- tion of a Norwegian ski lodge, and Japan's medieval castle and Samurai house, representative of Nipponese tradition. stress the cultural, industrial and tourist sides of Japanese life.

Johore is in a replica of the Johore Dewan, or council house, with a display featuring tourism and big game hunt- ing. French Indo-thina's two-story building, fabricated in Saigon and shipped in sections, was the first foreign building

to reach Treasure Island. France has built an claborate pavilion for a display of arts and crafts, de luxe trades and travel. New Zealand's building bears the facade of a Maori house.

The Philippine Commonwealth is represented by a Span- ish Colonial pavilion occupying two sides of a square; Aus- tralia's pavilion presents the unusual flora and fauna found "down under," and Peru's building traces the roots of mod- ern civilization back to pre-Incan times. Italy's elaborate marble palace stresses travel and tourism, and Brazil's gay pavilion combines the cultural and commercial attractions. Argentina's building is modernistic, and Chile chose a pavilion of native design. El Salvador's building combines a tourist, agricultural and commercial display.

Other nations exhibiting in their own buildings include Guatemala, Ecuador, Mexico, Colombia, and Panama. In the International Hall, one of the main palaces, the list of foreign countries represented by exhibits includes Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, Holland, and Greece, British Columbia, although a foreign governmental unit, is exhibit- ing in the Hall of Western States.

Central theme structure among all these contrasting cul tures is Pacific House, an imposing cruciform structure stand- ing on an island in the center of the Pacific Basin lagoons. Many an international congress will be held here in 1939, with commissions from many countries assembled to discuss problems and plans of mutual importance. Still more inter-

esting, to the casual visitor, are the Covarrubias mural maps of Pacific peoples, and Sotomayor's novel relief map in the rotunda of Pacific House-a new projection which centers the Pacific area. Striking decorative technie distinguishes the building, which houses exhibits dealing largely with health. geography, and industrial evolution.

These nations, each intent upon bringing out its best fea- tures and not too dignified to add characteristic touches to Treasure Island fun, will make the Pageant of the Pacific memorable.

STATE PARTICIPATION

California's appropriation of $5,000,000 for the story of the Golden State was a major factor in enlisting the aid and support of her sisters. Seventeen big buildings, plus active participation in affairs at many points on Treasure Island, are required to tell this story. The climax building of the State group is the California Hospitality Building, and sur- rounding it are ten others dedicated to groups of California's 58 counties. These include structures for the Redwood Em- pire, Mission Trails counties, Shasta-Cascade, Alameda-Con- tra Costa, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento Valley- Mountain, San Joaquin, Southern California and Alta Cali- fornia counties.

California is the sponsor, also, of the Livestock Coliseum, where "fifteen years of livestock shows in forty weeks" will make history. Shows will be held throughout the Fair in close succession, including international competition in nearly every breed of livestock.

Other buildings are devoted to Agriculture, the Dairy In- lustry. Floriculture, Recreation (stressing the crafts and the hobbies, with work-benches ready for use), and the Press. There is also the California Auditorium, center for large in- door gatherings on Treasure Island.

Nearly all these buildings, strikingly modern in architec- ture, are unique in their use of plywood as an exterior con- struction material and as a structural bracing agent. This "pioneering" may have a sweeping effect upon the construc- tion of low-cost homes, since plywood effects certain econo- mies in design and construction.

Another ranking State Participation building is the Hall of Western States, where the sponsors of the Western World's Fair tell their economic and agricultural stories. British Columbia is included here with California, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Colo- rado, Arizona and New Mexico. In the court of this building is a gigantic relief map of the Western Wonderland. on a scale of one inch to the mile, which portrays natural resources and their development with an accuracy never before attempted.

Missouri's building is a Colonial type, with a complete cross-section of the "Show Me" state, graphically presented. The modernistie pavilion of Illinois traces commerce and culture from Abraham Lincoln's day to modern Chicago, and Texas presents a pictorial summary of assets.

INDUSTRIAL PARTICIPATION

More than 350 outstanding American industries are ex- hibiting at the Exposition, either in their own buildings or with splendid displays in the great exhibit halls that radiate from the Tower of the Sun.

The Hall of Foods and Beverages dramatizes the food and drink industries, following the product in graphic detail from the field through processing and packaging to distribution and the table. Agricultural developments in the field of chemical farming receive close attention, and "meals in pills" are demonstrated.

In the Hall of Science the emphasis is on the science of sound living, the removal of mystery from medicine, the pre- vention-rather than the cure-of disease. Thirty of Amer- ica's leading research laboratories, including the Mayo Clinic, Jackson Clinic, American Medical Association, universities from Harvard to Stanford, and other ranking medical influ- ences have cooperated in dramatizing and "humanizing" the medical arts. The University of California presents an amaz- ing scientific display, interpreted for the layman.

The Hall of Mines, Metals and Machinery contains, as its outstanding feature a million-dollar "Treasure Mountain" that presents a complete picture of the western mining industry. The visitor enters a valley between two tall mountain ranges; he is conducted into tunnels and shafts to witness the inside workings. Hydraulic mining, railroads, elevators, mills, gold

dredges, and California mining towns in exact detail also are shown.

An innovation in World's Fair technique is the Vacation- land building, sponsored by transportation lines, motor manu- facturers and clubs, travel bureaus, regional groups and other interests allied with the urge to travel. Vacationland sum- marizes the seenie and recreational allure of the million square miles that make up the West. It is "all outdoors brought under roof," and from this huge sample room of sports and seenery the visitor may select his detours on the return home, his destination for next year's trip.

In other great halls the modern manifestations of Agri- culture, of Electricity and Communication, of Air Transpor- tation, of International displays not found in the Pacific Basin, are treated as fully. Homes and Gardens receive adequate attention, even by California standards, in a double building filled with the finest offerings of architect, builder and equip- mment specialist, in addition to outdoor model homes.

Bank of America maintains a complete branch bank, staffed with linguists so that visitors from whatever nation may transact business in native tongue. Ford Motor Com- pany has invested more than $500,000 in its building and in elaborate automotive displays. National Cash Register's build- ing is an enormous cash register that "rings up" the millions as they enter the gates of the Western World's Fair, The Christian Science group has erected a building containing a reading room, a demonstration of the production of the Christian Science Monitor, and other exhibits. The Christian Business Men's Committee houses its dramatic display in a modern Le Tourneau steel house.

Another modern steel home on Treasure Island, the Comp- ton, is built without corners, and is automatically air-con- ditioned: a third, the Soule, contrasts with a nearby adobe house. The pictures of every stage of its construction are shown. Ghirardelli's building houses demonstrations of pro- duetion, and hot chocolate is served. The Oakwood Barbe- che, a $75,000 project, is one of a number of prepared-food concessions that embraces the international range of cook- ery: Crillo's is another of the pioneers. The Owl Drug Com- pany operates a complete drug store.

An outstanding "inside" exhibit is the Petroleum Group, in the Vacationland building. Against a dramatic background including cascades and shimmering bubbles of oil encased in glass, the petroleum industry tells the "human interest story" of oil. Tomorrow's city is shown by United States Steel sub- sidiaries, and Bethlehem Steel shows the countless contribui- tions of steel to the luxury and pleasure of modern living. Chrysler and General Motors exhibits also are imposing, and RCA explains television.

Two novel "group" exhibits are those of Sleeper, Inc., demonstrating the science of sound sleep, and Viticultural Industries, Inc., presenting the past and future history of fine wines. General Electric stages an ultra-modern version of its House of Magic; a total of 29 firms are exhibiting uses of natural gas through the Pacific Coast Gas Association : the Salvation Army presents a review of its work, and there are other notable exhibits, far too numerous to mention.

Everywhere exhibitors have aimed at constant motion in their displays, with significant points in the production and use of their articles or services. The "static" type of exhihit is rare, and many of the concerns are keying their displays into the recreational theme of the Western World's Fair.

Statie exhibits are avoided on Treasure Island, which seeks in every field a vitalized or operating demonstration of the product, the nationality, the scientific principle that is the feature of the individual display. Windowless exhibit pal- aces permit uniform illumination by day or night; the ground plan of the compaet Exposition city circulates visitors by direct and natural routes throughout the Island, avoiding con- gestion and exhaustion.

The broad program of musical events ineludes outstand- ing symphony orchestras, choral groups and individual art- ists. A full calendar of land and water sports will round out the entertainment, with carnival features in the 40-acre fun zone carrying out the Pageant of the Pacific motif. Eating and dancing, particularly, is international in scope.

Financing of the Western World's Fair of 1939 is based upon WPA and PWA grants approximating $6,250,000, used in construction phases of dual utility for Exposition and

later airport value. Second unit was a campaign to raise $7,500,000 in public subscriptions, which will be refunded in whole or in part as the final surplus permits. Receipts from rental of exhibit space, concession privileges, advance admis- sions and other income completed the construction program and launched the Fair into its operating period. Including California's $5,000,000 appropriation, the Federal Govern- ment's $1.500.000, and the expenditures of industrial and gov- ernmental exhibitors on Treasure Island, the scope of the Fair is estimated at $50,000,000.

PERSONNEL

Leland W. Cutler is President of the Exposition's sponsor- ing non-profit corporation, and its Board of Management is composed of James B. Black. Colbert Coldwell, P. H. Patchin and J. W. Mailliard, Jr. Chief Director is Harris D. H. Connick; construction is in charge of W. P. Day as Vice- President and Director of Works, and John F. Forbes is Treasurer.

H. C. Bottorff is Executive Secretary and Assistant Trea surer: Col. Allen G. Wright is Secretary and General Coun- sel. George D. Smith and Charles Kendrick are Vice-Presi- dents. The Board of Directors, headed by Atholl McBean includes ranking Western business, professional and civic figures, as does the Finance Committee, which is headed by Mr. Black. Mrs. George T. Cameron is Chairman of the "Women's Board.

The Architectural Commission numbers Arthur Brown. Jr., as Chairman; Lewis P. Hobart. William G. Merchant. Timothy L. Pflueger and Ernest E. Weine. The Fine Arts Committee is headed by Herbert Fleishhacker, Sr. Depart- ment heads include F. M. Sandersky, Exhibits and Conces- sions; Brig. Gen. William E. Gillmore, Governmental Par- ticipation; E. J. Fjeldsted, Livestock: Dr. Philip Youtz, Pa- cific Area: Renwick Congdon, Events. Ceremonies and Social Affairs: C. H. Vandeburg. Promotion and Publicity, and Arthur E. Rowe, Radio and Public Address.

Removals, Alterations and Additions

Blanchett H E v-pres Timetrust Inc Busse Kath E Mrs ( Westn Paper Products Co) r239 Ortega

" Walter @ Kath E) {Westn Paper Products Co) h239 Ortega

Downard Edw H pres Westn Paper Stock Co h431 Lake Emerick Walter A sec Westn Pa.nt & Var- nish Co h825 Head

Fisher Robt B ( Wesn Sales Cor r Los Altos Frumkin Paul (Olivia) h6120 Geary bird Panorama Oil Co F J King pres 690 Marke. P.1005

Miscellaneous Information

Information pertaining to City, County, State and Federal Government, Churches, Consuls, Parks, Public Schools, Secret and Fraternal Societies, State Societies, Trade and Labor Organizations, etc., will be found in Alphabetical Section or under proper heading in Classified Section.

POLK'S

CROCKER-LANGLEY STREET AND AVENUE GUIDE SAN FRANCISCO 1939

EXPLANATIONS

In the following list the streets are arranged in alphabetical order.

According to the method adopted in this city for numbering buildings, Market Street is the starting point for numbers on all streets running from it in a northerly, southerly or westerly direction, and the water front for all streets running therefrom in a westerly or southwesterly direc- tion. The numbers on all streets not commencing at Market Street or the water front run In conformity with the numbers of the main streets run- ning parallel with them, except in the case of a few streets which are numbered in an irregular manner.

On all streets between the water front and Central Avenue the even numbers are on the right-hand side, and the odd numbers on the left, starting from the point of beginning. Beyond Central Avenue most of the streets have been numbered in a contrary manner. One hundred numbers, or as many thereof as are necessary, are allotted to each block bounded by main streets; for instance, Montgomery Street commences at Market, and the main streets crossing as you proceed north are Sutter, Bush, Pine, etc. Therefore, any numbers between 1 and 100 will be found on the right or left-hand side of the street between Market and Sutter, between 100 and 200 from Sutter to Bush, between 200 and 300 from Bush to Pine.

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Polk's Crocker-Langley San Francisco city directory, 1939, Part 3

Author: R.L. Polk & Co Publication date: 1930 Publisher: San Francisco, Cal. : R.L. Polk & Co. Number of Pages: 1680

Author: R.L. Polk & Co
Publication date: 1930
Publisher: San Francisco, Cal. : R.L. Polk & Co.
Number of Pages: 1680