Polk's San Francisco (San Francisco County, Calif.) city directory, 1958, Part 3

Author: R.L. Polk & Co
Publication date: 1953
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : R.L. Polk & Co.
Number of Pages: 2711

USA > California > San Francisco County > San Francisco > Polk's San Francisco (San Francisco County, Calif.) city directory, 1958 > Part 3

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Reporting Units

Payroll Third Quarter $48,844,557

Employment September

Hotels, Other Lodgings

484

5.535,305

7,749

Business Services. N.E.C

1,081

15,302,936

12,636

Employment Agencies, Commercial Schools

423,680 2.644,764

2,464

Miscellaneous Repair Services, Hand Trades

278

1,123.916

1,037

Amusement and Recreation N.E.C ..

234

1,777,886

2,407

Medical, Health Services

1,323

3,308,531

3.751

Law Offices, Related Services

577

2,124,026

1,978

248.210

405

Other Professional Social Service Agencies

333

3,937,445

2,720

Nonprofit Membership Organiza- tions

701

5.400,186

5.136

Other Service Industry

1,197

5,314,210

6,671

PRINCIPAL SERVICE GROUPS IN SAN FRANCISCO, U. S. CENSUS, 1954

KIND OF BUSINESS IN SAN FRANCISCO

No. of Establish-

Sales and

Payroll

ments

(000)

Service Group, Total

7,273

$345,581

$93,541

Personal Services

3.461

57,101

Automobile Repair Services and Garages

609

26,176

3,203

262,304

BAY REGION MARKET DEVELOPMENTS Population

The Bay Region (13-county area), on Jan 1, 1957, had about 4,126,800 residents, an increase of 860,416 since April 1, 1950. The growth between 1940 and 1950 exceeded the growth of all but four states-California, New York, Texas and Michigan-and the 1950 total population ex- ceeded that of 32 states. The nine-county Bay Area had about 3,359,700 residents on Jan. 1, 1957. The growth in this area between 1940 and 1950 exceeded the growth of all but five states-California, New York, Texas, Michigan and Ohio.

Employment

Estimated civilian employment in the San Francisco Metropolitan Area (6 counties), in April, 1957, totaled 1,080,300 persons. The manufacturing group employed 216,900, or 20.1% of the total; the service group, 239,200, or 22.1%; retail group, 173,100, or 16% ; wholesale group, 79,400, or 7.4% ; transportation and public utilities, 121,100, or 11.2%; finance, 68,600, or 6.4% ; construction, 70,300, or 6.5% ; government, 91,100, or 8.4%; agriculture, forestry and fishing, 18,000, or 1.7%; the balance, unclassified.

Industrial Development

During 1956 in the Bay Region, 680 industrial projects with outlays of $405,282,277 were reported, compared to 514 projects with outlays of $143,508,536 in 1955. Of the total in 1956, 523 were expansions with outlays of $247,- 262,282, and 157 were new plants with outlays of $158,- 020,495.

Finance

1956 Bay Region (7 cities) bank debits of $71,454,- 359,000 represented an increase of $8,271,818,000, or 13%, over 1955.

Trade

Tangible personal property sold at retail through 22,421 outlets in San Francisco during 1956 attained a total of

$1,696,439,000 in taxable sales. Sales of food for off- premise consumption and gasoline sales are not included in taxable sales, but if added, San Francisco's 1956 trade would amount to about $2,000,000,000.

Sales of the 10,149 licensed retail outlets during 1956 amounted to $1,008,757,000; sales of 3,293 personal service establishments amounted to $51,109,000, and sales of 8.979 manufacturing, wholesaling, contracting and miscel- laneous outlets amounted to $636,573,000.

The 1957 first quarter taxable retail sales in San Francisco amounted to $380,263,000. The retail outlet sales amounted to $232,680,000. Personal services accounted for $13,363,000, and manufacturing, wholesaling, etc., for $134,- 220,000.

Construction

San Francisco experienced its second best building year in 1956 despite a 24% shrinkage in value of resi- dential construction. Permits authorized totaled 10,634 and amounted to 66,065,470-an increase of 15.9% and 2.1% respectively over 1955. Value of new residential construction amounted to $16,594,622, or 25.1% of the total building authorized and provided for 1,248 dwelling units; new non-residential amounted to $29,847,888, or 45.2% of the total authorized, and gained 17.9% ; additions, altera- tions and repairs amounted to $19,622,960, or 29.7% of the total, and were up 11.6%.

Larger private construction projects ($100,000 or over) totaled $21,895,500 and benefited many segments of the economy. Office building accounted for $5,470,000; stores, for $1,449,000; industrial and warehouses, $3,141,000; hos- pitals, $1,477,000; lodge headquarters, $4,600,000; labor headquarters, $825,000; churches, $1,719,000; motels, $1,331,500; apartments, $997,000; garages, $660,000; and private schools, $226.000.

Public building projects undertaken by the City in the city during 1956 amounted to $10,871,636, segregated as follows: Schools, $3,473,828; exhibit hall, $3,711,315; parks and recreational facilities, $845,178; hospital improvement, $656,000; fire houses, $646,663; water storage, $64,652; public welfare, $1,474,000. The extensive freeway projects under construction in the city by the State amounted to several million dollars.

Real Estate

Transactions in the real estate field slowed down some in 1956 compared to the previous year. Deeds re- corded in San Francisco totaled 18,017, a drop of 4.3%. Mortgages and deeds of trust totaled 16,726 and amounted to $191,604,777, a drop of 6.6% in number and 12.8% in amount.

Intercity and Interstate Traffic

Bridge traffic set new records in 1956. Bay Bridge vehicle crossings exceeded previous highs by 3.9% and totaled 33,581,157, and Golden Gate Bridge crossings rose 10.3% to 15,403,850.

Visitors and Commuters

People with regular occupations in the city, but living elsewhere in the Bay Area, and the large number who come here for business and pleasure brought the average daily two-way passenger trips to and from San Francisco through the Peninsula, East Bay, and North Bay gateways to about 310,600 in 1956, compared to 273,900 in 1954 (revised) and 275,175 in 1952 and 220,000 in 1945 and 105,800 in 1940. About 86.3% of the passengers travelled by automobile and 13.7% by interurban transit. About 53% of the passengers move through Peninsula gateways, 31% through East Bay and 16% through North Bay. About one-half the total passengers are workers or people in business.

TOTALS

6,807

49.314

Auto Repair Services, Garages

378

532

Motion Pictures

1.703,459

1,828

Educational Institutions, Agencies

Receipts

Annual

All Other Selected Services

INTRODUCTION

Out-of-state autos entering through northern Cali- fornia gateways in 1956 set new records with 909,301 cars and 2,409,589 passengers, an increase of 8.8% and 7.7% respectively. Prospective visitors and newcomers' written inquiries to the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce during 1956 topped all records with a gain of 31.3%.

SAN FRANCISCO BUSINESS ACTIVITY IN 1956

Business activity in San Francisco in 1956 rose to the highest level in history, 8% above 1955. San Francisco construction permits value amounted to $66,100,000; new residential permits accounted for $16,600,000 and provided for 1,248 dwelling units. New non-residential permits amounted to $29,800,000. Electrical energy sales made a new all-time high, 5.1% above the previous year. Retail sales totaled 2,000,000,000. Stock Exchange transactions totaled 20,500,000 shares with market value of $385,000,000. During 1956 there were 18,017 real estate deeds recorded. Postal receipts totaled $32,600,000. Air traffic during 1956 was substantially above the preceding year, with passenger traffic up 16.2% ; air freight, 22.57. Port of San Francisco revenue tonnage was off 4%. Consumer prices in San Francisco during 1956 averaged 2.8% above 1955; rents increased 2.3%, transportation 2%, food prices 1.5%, and apparel 2%.

Transportation

The 1956 San Francisco International Airport traffic continued to grow, setting several new highs: Passengers on and off totaled 3,016,045, up 16.2% ; air express, 9,733,- 625 pounds, up 18.6% : air freight, 73,210,023 pounds, up 22.5% ; air mail, 35,091,972 pounds, down 0.1%; planes in and out, 129,149, were fewer by 4.9%, but carried bigger loads. Ports of San Francisco foreign revenue tonnage increased 1% and accounted for 53% of the port's total tonnage. Total port shipping was down 4.1% to 5,569,643 revenue tons as inland waterway shipments dropped a quarter of a million tons. During 1956, 4,613 cargo vessels arrived in San Francisco Bay compared to 4,638 in 1955. Freight-car movements in San Francisco totaled 167,599 and were off 2.9%, but truck movements were up 3.2%.

Living Costs

Consumer prices in San Francisco rose abruptly during the final quarter of 1956. The December index for "All Items" at 121.6 represented an increase of 2.2% over September and 4.5% over last December. Based on yearly averages, "All Items" were up 2.8% ; food, 1.5% ; apparel, 2%; housing, 4.2%; rents, 2.3%; transportation, 2%; medical, 5.9%; and personal care, 5.4%. In 1956, average weekly earnings in the manufacturing industry of produc- tion workers in the metropolitan area were up 5.6.6.

FINANCE Financial Capital

San Francisco, the financial and insurance capital of the West, is headquarters of the world's largest bank and is the nation's second most important financial center. Six of the nation's 100 largest commercial banks are located in San Francisco. San Francisco banks reported total de- pcsits of $13,700,000,000, end of 1956, an increase of $300,- 000,000 over a year earlier.

The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco is the headquarters of the Twelfth Federal Reserve District. Member banks in this district did the second largest volume of business in 1955. They reported 8,961 officers and 55,285 employees, and accounted for 14% of the total assets, 22% of the time deposits-highest of all districts- 17% of taxes on net income, and 15% of net profits of all member banks in the Federal Reserve System. In 1956. the System's Icans amounted to $78,000,000,000, or 9.9% above 1955.

Stock Exchange

The expeditious handling of widely-diversified fi- nancial transactions has contributed greatly to the sound industrial and trade relations between San Francisco and the Western Regional Markets. The San Francisco Stock Exchange, which on Jan. 1, 1957, became a division of the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange, continues to hold a promi- nent place among the nation's largest regional security markets.

Thirty Large Corporations Headquartered in San Francisco

Thirty large corporations with their national head- quarters in San Francisco reported combined assets of $32,600,000,000 in 1956, or an increase of more than $10,000,000,000 since 1950. They represent a broad cross- section of the national economy including finance, utilities, railroads, shipping, manufacturing and trade.

A few of these corporations are among the largest in the nation-one of the banks and the gas and electric company are the nation's foremost-and one of the rail- roads is next largest in its field. Eight are billion-dollar businesses and 14 range between $100,000,000 and $1,- 000,000,000.

Banking

There are 15 banks in San Francisco, several of which operate a number of branches. A few banks with headquarters here operate branch systems throughout the state. Eleven banks are under State supervision. Four of these have trust departments. There are four national banks and each has a trust department; the trust depart- ments are under State supervision.

Federal Reserve Districts Debits (000)

1955

1956

Districts

$822.767.065

$876.130,940

New York

306,693,045

327.334,797

Chicago

189,020,714

207.963,512

San Francisco

139.091,825

154.884.72×

Cleveland

85.741,091

92,584,436

Philadelphia

80,375,099

××,926.700

Boston

San Francisco Clearings and Debits (000)

Clearings

Debits

1940

21.982.689

30,906,012

1950

25.019.576

37.964,134

1955

33,795,000

17.355.292

1956

Cities-Debits to Individual Accounts (000)

1955

1:36

Cities

$766,889,839

$=15 -56 129

New York

152.42 1.508

16: 997 161

Chicago

72.940.225

Detroit

62.335.13%

66 771.127

Los Angeles

59.664,015

63 110.167

Philadelphia

12.951.026

17.061 211

Boston

12.3.7 007

San Francisco

11.73.404

17.6.50.144

Pittsburgh

Cities-Bank Clearings (000)

1965

1956

Cities

$530.888.000

$559.157 .000

New York

59,954.000

Philadelphia

52 .- 1. 000

37 473 000

Chicago

36 461.0000

Detroit

32.172 000

35 357 000

San Francisco

31.492.000

33.795.000

San Francisco Stock Exchange Transactions

1940

237.459.850

1954

376 173 212

3-5.3-5,873

San Francisco Savings and Loan Assets

There were 13 savings and loan associations in San Francisco in December, 1956.

Cities

3 62.921.198

December, 1940

6 =. 484.459

December, 1950

133,566,063

December. 1953

185.768,795

December, 1954

246,319,934

December. 1955

279,043,523

December, 1956

83.864,070

1950

301.744.115

1455

1956

7.178.877

$10.095,002

1954

31.192,000

12.335 005

Boston

INTRODUCTION

Total Personal Income Estimate-San Francisco (a)

1940 $ 754,648,000 1954 $2,325.327,000

1947

1,860,579,000

1955

2.421,599,000

1950

2.028.423,000

1953

2,273,929,000

1956 (b)

2,586.981.000

(a) California State Chamber of Commerce-revised.

(b) S. F. C. of C.

San Francisco Postal Receipts

1940

$ 9.969,367

1952 $33,836.971

1949

21,214,354

1953

33,860,371

1950

24,183,789

1954

33,317,363

1951

28.930,841

1955

32,486,445

Insurance

San Francisco is the insurance center of the West, and California headquarters of about 57% of the insurance organizations authorized to transact business in California. Represented in San Francisco in the fall of 1956 were 674 insurance carriers, agents and brokers, offering all classes of business including the major lines, such as life, auto, disability, liability, health, fire, marine, workmen's com- pensation, title, fidelity, security, burglary and theft, and extended coverage. The industry employs about 21,800 persons with annual payrolls of about $95,000,000. In ad- dition, San Francisco is the headquarters of some 19 in- surance associations including such prominent names as Board of Fire Underwriters of the Pacific, Pacific Fire Rating Bureau, and Insurance Brokers Exchange of Cali- fornia.

Direct premiums written by all insurance groups in California amounted to $2,075,838,202 in 1955, or 8.6% above the previous year. The direct losses paid, $875,108,- 456, were up 16.4%. Life insurance in force totaled $30,- 000,000,000 in California in 1955.

California Direct Premiums Written and Losses Paid- 1955 and Percent Change from 1954

Major Classes

Written

Change

Losses Paid $227.180,775

Change

Life

$752.828,825

10.7

19.0

Automobile

180,365,972

-- 32.4

79,841.793

-32.9

Liability

348,145,552

42.1

148,042,502

58.7

Disability

282.357,499

-0.3

197,899,394

12.9

Fire

121.068.723

-5.8

51,013.524

-4.9

Workman's Compensation

159.789.248

2.6

79.4×2.805

10.5

Marine-Ocean

15,721,638

-3.8

10.545,309

-5.9

Marine-Other

36,925,364

10.5

16,300,222

4.0

Title

38,933,663

25.8

316,634

-41.2

PUBLIC BUILDINGS

First comes the group in the Civic Center, declared by the Duke of Connaught to be the finest thing of its kind in the world. The group consists: (1) City Hall, of classic design, surmounted by an immense dome, higher than the dome of the Capitol at Washington; cost, $4,- 000,000. (2) Civic Auditorium, seating capacity of 12,000 in the main auditorium, with numerous small halls; cost, $2,000,000. (3) San Francisco Public Library; cost, $1,500,- 000. (4) State Building; cost, $1,000,000. (5) War Memorial group of buildings, as a part of Civic Center; cost, $4,- 000,000, consisting of Civic Opera House, American Legion halls, etc. The San Francisco Federal Building cost $3,- 000,000.

The California Palace of the Legion of Honor, in Lincoln Park, overlooking the Golden Gate, is a replica of the Palace of the Legion of Honor in Paris. It was presented to the City. The structure cost $2,000,000. Other leading public buildings are the U. S. Mint, located at Market St. and Duboce Ave., built in 1937; the Post Office Building, corner of 7th and Mission streets; and the Ferry Building, at the foot of Market St. on the waterfront, built by the State in 1896 at a cost of $1,000,000. The Ferry Building is 659 feet long and 156 feet wide, and in addition to serving as a ferryboat terminal, contains many State offices. The Customs House and U. S. Ap- praiser's Building represents an expenditure of more than $4,000,000. In Golden Gate Park are located the deYoung

Memorial Museum, Academy of Sciences, Steinhart Aquarium, Museum of Anthropology, and the Morrison Planetarium. At Kearny and Washington streets is the Hall of Justice, erected in 1910 at a cost of $1,000,000, containing police courts and the criminal department of the superior court. The Golden Gate Bridge, costing $35,- 000,000, was opened to traffic in May, 1937, and the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, costing $78,000,000, was opened to vehicular traffic Nov. 12, 1936. San Francisco East Bay Terminal (at Mission and 1st streets) is a $2,- 000,000 structure opened to interurban train service Jan. 15, 1939. The $2,730,000 Rincon Annex Post Office was opened in 1940. (See also "Social Features.")

PARKS AND RECREATION

San Francisco has 52 public parks and squares com- prising 3,453 acres, about one-tenth of the city's area, exclusive of islands. There are 390 acres in 75 playgrounds and recreation centers including four outdoor and three indoor swimming pools, one family mountain camp of 200 acres, more than 145 tennis courts, 40 softball diamonds, 32 regulation baseball diamonds, three 18-hole golf courses and a nine-hole golf course, five putting greens and other facilities. Golden Gate Park, notably one of the finest parks in the world, comprising 1,017 acres, with many thousands of different kinds of trees, shrubs and plants, contains an aquarium, a museum, the Morrison Plane- tarium, the California Academy of Sciences, the Japanese Tea Garden, and many unusual attractions. The Fleish- hacker Playfield, fronting on the Pacific Ocean, contains one of the largest outdoor swimming pools in the world, and the San Francisco Zoological Gardens are close by.

SOCIAL FEATURES

Events-The cosmopolitan character of San Francisco is well portrayed by the interesting and diversified events which take place daily. The citizen or visitor will find many educational things of interest, such as lectures, con- certs, readings, recitals, and special exhibits of drawing, painting, sculpture, and other works of art.

Art Galleries-Three public art galleries and several semi-public galleries offer exhibits and collections of national and international fame. The M. H. deYoung Memorial Museum, the San Francisco Museum of Art, and the California Palace of the Legion of Honor attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.

Library-The main public library is located in the Civic Center. There are 24 branches (one for business), one bookmobile and one station. This system has 745,976 volumes. There were 3,142,574 books circulated for home reading during the past year. In addition to the public libraries, there are nearly 100 private and special libraries, including technical and institutional. There are also numerous circulating libraries.

Public Buildings-The Civic Auditorium with a seat- ing capacity of 9,136, contains a magnificent organ and is used for conventions and a variety of events. The War Memorial Opera House and the War Memorial Building provide a home for opera, the symphony orchestra, and a permanent war relics museum. San Francisco was the first city of the nation to have a civic opera house. It has a seating capacity of 3,285. The War Memorial Opera House and the War Memorial Building were chosen for the meeting places of the United Nations delegates from April 25 to June 26, 1945, to construct the Charter of the United Nations, and in 1955 for the Commemorative Session of the U. N., and for the Japanese Peace Conference in September, 1951.

Clubs-There are numerous societies, clubs, lodges, and fraternal groups beside the civic, historical, military, religious, and sporting groups. San Francisco contains

1956

32,614,482

INTRODUCTION

many foreign colonies where the daily life and social events familiar to their native countries have been re-established here.

Churches-San Francisco has 438 churches, repre- senting many denominations. The congregations of the churches include people of many nationalities, such as English, German, Italian, French, Spanish, Scandinavian, Russian, and Chinese.

PUBLIC HEALTH

San Francisco public health facilities include a bac- teriological laboratory, a chemical laboratory, consolidated inspection services, the San Francisco Hospital, the Laguna Honda Home for aged indigents, the Hassler Health Farm for convalescent tuberculosis cases, six emergency hospitals, child welfare centers, well-baby clinics, and other health- control facilities scattered throughout the city.

A CITY OF BEAUTY

San Francisco is a city of supreme and exotic beauty, a city of many interesting aspects, and a cultural and vacation center for those who like to explore. The vaca- tion experts, Californians, Inc., say-"There is the story- book part that is not on the map-the things of the city that guidebooks only hint at-small in area as great cities go, it is America's most cosmopolitan city. Almost sur- rounded by the sea, it's like being on shipboard all the time-there's salt in the ocean breeze, filling you with buoyant energy."

Some Outstanding Points of Interest and Their Characteristics

The Waterfront-"Threshold to all the world."

San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge-"World's largest, with foundations of greatest depth."

Golden Gate Bridge-"Longest single span in the world."

Latin Quarter-"Spreads up the slopes of Telegraph Hill and on to Fisherman's Wharf."

Educational Institutions-"Few cities in the world offer finer or more diversified facilities."

Chinatown-"Largest Chinese settlement in America." Hotels, Restaurants-"Distinguished and distinctive." Theatres-"Bid you to come forth for entertainment." Downtown San Francisco-"Atmosphere all its own."

Civic Center, Auditorium, Opera-"First city to have a civic opera house and symphony concerts."

Parks, Museums, Sports-"Enough for days and days for spectators and participants alike."

Scenic Drives, Evenings-"Stunning vistas framed in the afterglow of sunset, and then, the lights."

Other facilities for outdoor activities embrace many golf courses in and adjacent to the city, including three San Francisco municipal courses; a yacht harbor; and several boat and swimming clubs.

A tour of San Francisco is refreshing and filled with many pleasant surprises. The city's delightful setting amidst sparkling waters and high hills is inspiring. Beauti- ful vistas, lovely homes, a happy climate, comfortable liv- ing, all combine to spread a romantic aura over the whole community and lend to its distinction.

CLIMATE

San Francisco is a clean city with a cool, bracing, equable, open-all-year-around climate. The daily mean maximum temperature is 62.6 degrees. The daily mean minimum temperature is 50.4 degrees. The average daily temperature range is 12.2 degrees.

The hours of fog over San Francisco Bay recorded by the Lighthouse Service averages only 153 per year.

San Francisco is one of a few of nature's air-condi-

tioned cities, relatively warm in winter and cool in summer. The long-time record of the Weather Bureau reveals that the sun shines in San Francisco during 66 of every 100 possible hours.

POPULATION AND CHARACTERISTICS San Francisco Residents

The population of San Francisco on Jan. 1, 1957, was estimated at 810,000, or 34,643 above the 1950 U. S. Census level and 175,464 above the 1940 U. S. Census level, rank- ing San Francisco among the leading cities in the nation in numerical population gain and first in growth per square mile of land since 1940. It is the eleventh largest city in the nation, based on population, but ranks first in per capita income and time deposits and in several economic and social developments.

On April 1, 1940, the resident population, reported at 634,536, included 630,785 civilians and only 3,751 mili- tary. At about the peak of the nation's war production, on April 1, 1944, the resident civilian population had risen to 683,340 and the resident military had soared to 103,250, bringing the total resident population to 786,590. Near the end of the war, on Aug. 1, 1945, the special U. S. Census reported that San Francisco had 827,400 residents, including 59,753 military, 20,416 seamen on ships registered to San Francisco, and about 30,000 hotel occupants, or nearly 110,000 persons other than those living in owner- occupied and tenant dwellings.

EDUCATION Fine Facilities for Education and Research

The educational facilities available in San Francisco and the Bay Area cover all fields and are outstanding in the West and in their rank among national institutions. Few cities in the world offer finer or more diversified educational opportunities.

Enrollment in institutions of higher education in northern California is above the national average in re- lation to the population.

Higher education facilities include the public uni- versities system, state colleges, public junior colleges. private four-year colleges and private junior colleges.

Extensive research activities are carried out by the larger universities of California and Stanford and numer- ous other northern California organizations with research facilities.

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Polk's San Francisco (San Francisco County, Calif.) city directory, 1958, Part 3

Author: R.L. Polk & Co Publication date: 1953 Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : R.L. Polk & Co. Number of Pages: 2711

Author: R.L. Polk & Co
Publication date: 1953
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : R.L. Polk & Co.
Number of Pages: 2711