USA > California > San Francisco County > San Francisco > San Francisco, a history of the Pacific coast metropolis, Volume II > Part 45
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An Attempt to Extort an Admission
FOREST OF CHIMNEYS, AT MASON AND PINE STREETS, AFTER THE FIRE SWEPT OVER THE NOB HILL RESIDENCE DISTRICT
SPRECKELS MANSION, ON VAN NESS AVENUE, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE FEW BUILDINGS BURNED ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE STREET
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Oriental countries in which it flourished had conclusively demonstrated that the City was practically immune.
On the return of the commission from Washington a meeting was held in the office of Mayor Phelan at which Dr. J. H. White of the Marine Hospital Service was present. He had been apprised of the understanding reached at Washington, and was asked to outline his plan of campaign. He answered that he had given the subject some attention, but could not make a close estimate of the cost of the proposed work of cleaning Chinatown which he declared was necessary, but he assumed that at least $100,000 would be required for the purpose. This was the amount commonly supposed to have been placed at the disposal of the commission by the governor for the purpose of complying with the arrangement with the federal authorities. The mayor had stated that there was no money of the City available, but that he would do all in his power to forward the work as it pro- gressed, and on the ensuing day an agreement was entered into by the municipality and the state which practically relegated to the latter the business of cleansing Chinatown, the City agreeing to dispose of the rubbish and to maintain a labora- tory, a morgue, detention barracks and a hall of tranquillity. On April 2, 1901, Dr. White was apprised of this agreement and of the readiness of the state to go ahead with the cleaning work under his direction, but he made no move in the premises until a week later, when operations were begun. Certain circumstances indicated that the Marine Hospital Service was under the impression that the cleansing would be wholly entrusted to its officials, but the state authorities only consented to follow directions, and insisted on doing the work and making all disbursements. The commission evidently thought that this course resulted in economy for in its report on the subject it said: "That the business was done expeditiously and economically will be inferred from the fact that it was accom- plished for about one-fourth the amount estimated by Doctor White. . We find from the reports rendered to the State Board of Health that by disregarding the recommendations of Dr. White to purchase sulphur, bichloride of mercury, dutch ovens, etc., in large quantities a considerable saving was effected. Thus the work of disinfecting and fumigating was thoroughly performed with 300 pounds of sulphur although the Marine Hospital Service had estimated that 30 tons would be necessary. Fifty pans were bought and only twenty used, but the requisition of the federal official called for 200."
The activities of the commission were not confined to the work of cleansing Chinatown. Its purpose was to thoroughly satisfy the authorities at Washington and secure for the City a clean bill of health. To that end a promise was secured from the Marine Hospital Service that if within a certain number of days no fresh case of the disease alleged to be bubonic plague made its appearance the port should be declared uninfected. The sequel is given in the final report of the com- mission as follows: "Many cases were reported by the Marine Hospital Service, but although between April 8th and August 27th, 103 autopsies were made not one case was found which could be pronounced bubonic plague. The report of the State Board of Health which gives the clinical history of these cases and the circumstances attending the autopsies indicates that there was an eager desire on the part of those who contended that there was bubonic plague to establish that their claim was correct. In one instance an attempt was made to quicklime a body in order to destroy the evidence which would conclusively prove that the
Commission Cleans Chinatown
Investigation of Plague Cases
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deceased had died of pulmonary tuberculosis, which fact had been ascertained at the autopsy. It is significant in this connection," added the report, "that the latest case of bubonic plague alleged to have been discovered in this City was on April 8th, the day before the state board commenced its active investigations. After that date no case was discovered, although many were asserted to be such until an autopsy disproved the assertion." This report concluded with the obser- vation: "The fact that no plague has been found since April 8, 1901, and the further fact that the discase, although it was alleged to have made its appearance March 6, 1900, did not become epidemic, and that no two cases of what was termed plague appeared in the same house should carry conviction."
Marine Hospital Service Dis- credits City
The report of Governor Gage's commission by no means disposed of the matter. The people of San Francisco, and the rest of the world appeared for a time to be satisfied that there was no reason for believing that the City was a danger spot, but the Marine Hospital Service did not take the affair so easily. It showed the quality of endurance possessed in a high degree by most bureaus of the govern- ment and persisted in proclaiming in its reports at irregular intervals that fresh cases had been discovered, but as there was no attempt to accompany these an- nouncements with quarantine efforts nobody appeared to bother concerning the activities of the service. The people of San Francisco, however, had thoroughly learned their lesson and while still convinced that they had been made the victims of an unnecessary alarm, at all times thereafter declared their willingness to sub- mit to any demand that might be made upon them, and gave practical effect to their promise later by subscribing a large sum of money to carry on a crusade against rats which was superintended by the Marine Hospital Service which dis- bursed the large sum collected in a liberal manner. This acquiescence did not serve to restrain the incredulous from commenting on the fact that the movement to establish a National Board of Health was persistently followed up, and that San Francisco was made to serve as a horrible example, and that United States sen- ators were inspired to make misstatements which reflected on the City and tended to convey the impression that it was in an unsanitary condition and not by any means a desirable place in which to abide.
These reflections were naturally a source of irritation to San Franciscans, who from the time of the American occupation had extolled the healthfulness of their City. Their claims were amply supported by statistics which showed a rare free- dom from epidemic diseases, and a death rate which would have been remarkably low if it were not increased by the tendency of the people in bad health to seek the City for relief, and to avail themselves of the benefits to be derived from the presence of a large number of physicians of exceptional ability, and of the great number of public and private hospitals. The municipality made ample provision in this regard and was always ready to extend its activities. In addi- tion to its City and County Hospital it maintained four emergency hospitals in which all who were brought to them were given treatment. The cases attended to at these emergency hospitals are rarely grave, but the statistics of their operations show that the number of cases which come to them reach into the thousands an- nually. The City and County Hospital had been outgrown by the expanding popu- lation, and as early as 1900 the board of supervisors took steps to select a new site with the view of erecting thereon a modern building which would meet the views of the most advanced. In September, 1903, a special election was held at
Abundant Precautions Taken
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which bonds to the amount of $1,000,000 were authorized by a practically unani- mous vote, the sum to be raised by their sale to be devoted to the construction of a new hospital building. This project failed of immediate execution because of the ineptness of the administration in office, and partly because further considera- tion of the views of experienced physicians had raised a question concerning the location of the new building and the adequacy of the amount appropriated. On the eve of the fire there were at least nine hospitals of a quasi public character, some of them being able to accommodate a large number of patients. Among them may be mentioned : St. Mary's, St. Luke's, St. Joseph's, Home, Pacific Hospital, French Hospital, German Hospital, Mount Zion, California Women's and the Children's Hospital. In addition there were several strictly private institutions. The hos- pitals maintained by contributing members usually composed of the foreign ele- ment in the City also made some provision for free patients. In such cases the free beds were usually endowed by well-to-do members of the community who adopted that method of recognizing their obligation to society.
It has been shown that San Franciscans in the early days while engrossed in business affairs to such an extent that they sometimes neglected their civic duties were never indifferent to the claims of the unfortunates in their midst. These were numerous for the City almost from its foundation proved a powerful magnet, draw- ing to it the unsuccessful, the sick and the weary. The first consideration seemed to be the care of the orphans, and these were provided for as early as 1851 by the establishment of a Protestant Orphan Asylum, and in the succeeding year the Catholics started an institution of the same character. In 1863 the Ladies' Pro- tective and Relief Society made an additional provision for youthful unfortunates. The presence of a large foreign element in the City accounts for the creation of a number of societies whose activities were devoted to caring for their own mem- bership, and their dependents. These mutual benefit societies were in great favor as they appealed to the class desirous of feeling that they had earned the right to be cared for in periods of misfortune. Among the earliest of these organizations were the Eureka Benevolent Association for the care of the Jewish poor, estab- lished in 1851, the German Benevolent Society in 1854, French Mutual Benevolent in 1856, German Hospital in 1857 and British Benevolent Society in 1865. There were also developed and organized nonsectarian general societies for the relief of the sick and destitute, between 1864 and 1880 as follows: Boys and Girls Aid Society, 1864; San Francisco Benevolent Society, the general nonsectarian relief association of San Francisco, in 1865; Children's Hospital, 1876; Golden Gate Kindergarten Association, 1879, and the San Francisco Fruit and Flower Mis- sion in 1880.
The period between 1880 and 1903 was marked by the recognition of the fact that the social problem of San Francisco was as much a spiritual as a material one and witnessed the formation of numerous neighborhood centers in various parts of the City, in which an effort was made to raise the standard of life among the self-supporting rather than in supplying the needs of the dependent. The result was the establishment of several settlements. The Emanuel Sisterhood in 1894, the San Francisco Settlement Association 1895, the Columbia Park Boys' Club 1896, Tehema Street Nurses' Settlement 1897, Girls' Club 1900, and Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Association in 1903 are included in this group, and all are credited with the performance of effective work. The rapid growth of the City
Care of Orphans and of Sick and Needy
Neighborhood Settlement and Other Up-lift Work
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and its peculiar situation made it expedient to effect an organization for the pur- pose of preventing imposture and to prevent the development of a begging class. With that end in view the Associated Charities was formed in 1888 as a nonrelief giving association whose principal function was to ascertain by investigation the worthiness of applicants to the charitable associations, and to prevent duplica- tion. It became to all intents and purposes a clearing house for the charities and has assisted greatly in the suppression of indiscriminate begging. Its reports are usually accepted as final by those who apply to it for information, and the general feeling is that its investigations are made in a spirit of kindliness toward the really unfortunate, but always with the determination of preventing the forma- tion of a dependent class by the improper exercise of benevolence.
Work of the Associated Charities
In 1903 the Associated Charities secured the passage of a bill to establish a State Board of Charities and Corrections, an unsalaried body whose business it is to investigate all public charitable and correctional institutions, to familiarize itself with the construction work done in other states and to submit to the governor and legislature recommendations which have special value because they are made by experts able to observe the operations of state institutions in their relation to each other. In the same year, largely through the instrumentality of the As- sociated Charities, the legislature was induced to pass a bill creating a juvenile court. In 1905 a volunteer probation committee composed of representatives of the Associated Charities, the Boys' and Girls' Aid Society, the Youths' Directory, the California Club, the Church Home for Boys and the Society for the Preven- tion of Cruelty to Children, actively interested itself in furthering the establish- ment of the court and raised the funds necessary to pay the salary of the proba- tion officer. In the fall of 1905, Miss Londa Stebbins was appointed first pro- bation officer by Hon. Frank Murasky, the first judge of the juvenile court, over which he was still presiding in 1912. In 1906 the board of supervisors made an appropriation of $4,500 for a detention home where the wards of the court were cared for up to the time of the fire. After that event through the generosity of private citizens the sum apportioned by the relief committee was so materially added to that the first Juvenile Court building and detention home in the United States was established in this City, a school lot being provided by the board of education for that purpose.
In the year previous to the inauguration of the juvenile court movement, 1902, there was established a children's agency, the object of which was to provide the machinery for placing dependent children in foster homes and to arrange for their adequate supervision. Some fifteen societies participated in this organization which was part of a well conceived plan to increase the efficiency of charity work. The spirit of cooperation induced proved beneficial, and like the formation of the charities endorsement committee of the Associated Charities gave a reasonable degree of assurance to the benevolent that their contributions to charitable pur- poses were not misapplied. The strict supervision exercised was instrumental in the nearly complete eradication of the professional solicitors and charity fakers who had greatly abused the public confidence. After the endorsement commit- tee's function came to be understood this sort of imposition almost wholly ceased as persons approached for money soon acquired the habit of demanding the ap- proval of the committee which could not be obtained unless the object was a worthy one and promoted by trustworthy persons.
Functions of Charity Endorsement Committee
RUINS IN THE BANKING DISTRICT Sansome Street, north from Bush Street
REPLACING THE SUTTER STREET CABLE WITH AN ELECTRIC LINE IMMEDI- ATELY AFTER THE FIRE View west from Market Street
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Nearly contemporaneous with the great accession of interest in charitable mat- ters described in the preceding paragraphs, was the remarkable development of the social organizations known as Woman's Clubs. The first of these in the City was known as the Laurel Hill Club and was founded in 1886 by Mrs. L. M. Buckmaster. Its original purpose was educational, but it soon developed on the social and literary side. In 1888 a second social and literary club known as The Century was organized, its first president being Mrs. Pheobe Hearst. In 1889 the Mills Club, composed of women graduated from the institution of that name was organized, and in 1893 the Sorosis came into existence with Mrs. Irving M. Scott as the first president. In the ensuing year the Philomath, with Mrs. I. Lowenberg as president, was added to the list, and in 1897 the California, whose first president was Mrs. Lowell White, was created for the purpose of promoting civic betterment. In 1895 a club called the Forum, whose interests were social and literary was formed, its first president being Mrs. Frank Whitney. After 1897 the accessions to the list of clubs under the auspices of women were numerous, embracing every conceivable activity, and the membership rolls of both old and new organizations expanded wonderfully. In addition to social and literary clubs the list of objects pursued or promoted by the members embraced civics, study of history and travel, the gathering of material pertaining to the early history of the state, a press association, a town and country club, art, and outdoor life. In 1898 the California Club began a movement for the creation of public play- grounds by establishing one on a lot on Bush street near Hyde placed at their disposal by the board of education. The idea grew slowly but finally took such hold on the community that in 1903, at a bond election, a considerable sum was authorized for the acquisition of suitable sites north and south of Market street. Defects in the authorization prevented the full consummation of the plans advo- cated by the California Club, but after the great fire the movement was taken up again and has been attended with signal success.
During the period the formation of social organizations under male auspices was actively pursued, and new clubs sprung up on every hand while the earlier creations flourished greatly. There had been a merger of the two clubs known as the Pacific and the Union, whose membership was composed almost wholly of the substantial elements in the community. The Bohemian Club had increased in membership greatly, and to some extent had lost the characteristic implied by its name. Like the Pacific-Union, it was well housed but it was not until after the fire that a long cherished design of having a home all its own was realized. In all its mutations the Bohemian Club retained its early predilection for art, and while the Philistine element was admitted, to attain any prominence the member had to forget that he was in business while within its walls. Its jinks at its home in the City, or in the redwoods of Sonoma county were always elaborate affairs. especially those held in the open. Their presentation has attracted world wide at- tention, being made the subject of magazine articles, and they have been attended by many strangers of distinction, a qualification which the outsider was required to possess in order to enjoy the spectacles which were designed and carried out for the exclusive gratification of the members. These two organizations figured as the most conspicuous representatives of club life in San Francisco before the fire, but there were numerous others with a smaller membership whose formation was inspired by the social spirit, among them the Cosmos, the Concordia, the Ger-
Women's Clubs and Their Varied Activities
Social Clubs and Fraternal Organizations
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mania, the Circle Francais, the Union League, and a host of fraternal societies. The Masons and Odd Fellows were provided with assembly halls, and the former, who had established themselves in a building which for many years was a con- spicuous feature of the Post and Market street junction were getting ready to con- struct a more commodious edifice on Van Ness avenue at the time of the disaster. The Native Sons order had multiplied greatly since its organization in 1875, and was quartered in a home of its own on Mason street near Geary. In 1886 the order of the Native Daughters of the Golden West was instituted in Jackson, Amador county. It soon became as popular in the City as the male branch, and like the latter devoted itself to keeping alive state pride.
The multiplication of clubs and social organizations of a varied character in some particulars sensibly modified the theater and public amusement habit dur- ing the Eighties. The City had ceased to be an overgrown village in which every one spoke to his neighbor, or at least knew who he was. San Francisco, in the parlance of the amusement caterer, was still a fine show town, but the play was no longer "all the thing." On extraordinary occasions such as grand opera nights, when there were singers of merit the audiences would be representative, and the person with a tolerable acquaintance could point out many whose names werc known. This was true also of a first night when an actor of distinction made his appearance, but people no longer attended the theater as a matter of course, and perhaps because they had no other place to resort to for amusement or diversion. The managers were prompt to realize this, and when they had attractions out of the usual to offer they sought by every possible device to convince patrons that the performances were to be social events, and if they succeeded in this effort those in charge of the box office had occasion to be thankful. In short San Fran- cisco had reached the stage of drawing lines and had tacitly accepted the leader- ship of those who chose to assume it, and established their claim to do so by having the distinction conferred upon them by the social reporters of the newspapers.
It can hardly be said that there was anything distinctive about San Francisco's amusements during this period other than that indicated. The theaters were as numerous as in previous years, and were as well attended, but theatricals had rela- tively lost interest. The profession and its doings no longer absorbed attention, and were only incidentally considered in conversation. The people generally had found other modes of diverting themselves and the popularity of the drama, rela- tively speaking, abated. Perhaps the decline of the stock company had something to do with the diminishing interest. During a large part of the Eighties the Baldwin presented regularly every week to the clients of that house a new play which was well enacted by a company whose individual members afterward proved acceptable stars when that system superseded the earlier plan of maintaining or- ganizations whose business it was to steadily cater to the popular taste. Managers in those days were not overscrupulous regarding the methods adopted to obtain new plays, and the demand for novelty was gratified by borrowing the productions of authors of foreign lands, the absence of an international copyright law facilitating that kind of theft. Thomas Maguire, like Alice Oates, was unscrupulous in this particular, and unhesitatingly resorted to the English, French and German stage for material and thus it came to pass that plays like Gilbert's "Palace of Truth" were made familiar to San Francisco theater-goers before they were seen in East- ern cities. Sardou and other French writers were similarly complimented by
Stock Companies and Parioined Novelties
Diminution of Theater- Going Habit
حم صر
RUINS WEST FROM TELEGRAPH HILL Fort Mason in the distance
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having their wares stolen, and as there was no outcry raised the people enjoyed their extension of knowledge of the foreign drama without experiencing any twinges of conscience.
The existence of a really first-class stock company did not operate to exclude the stars of the first magnitude who continued to come to the City in increasing numbers. No artist attained fame in the East without desiring to exhibit his or her talents before a San Francisco audience, and the most celebrated foreigners sooner or later found their way to the Pacific coast metropolis. Among the most dis- tinguished who visited San Francisco during the period were Ristori, Juaneschek, Bernhardt and Neilson. Modjeska, as already stated, first exhibited her talents before an audience of San Franciscans who recognized her genius, and perhaps by their liberal appreciation did much to promote her successful career. Sir Henry Irving, with an excellent English company visited the City some years before he was knighted, and was the recipient of a liberal patronage. During his stay he received much social attention and at no time was there any exhibition of the sort which in earlier days was called forth by British and American rivalry. The relative merits of the two schools of acting were freely commented upon, but no feeling was displayed as in the juvenile days of the republic when divergences of opinion on the subject resulted in riots in the Atlantic seaboard towns. Sir Henry took pains to give the plays in which he appeared a proper setting, especially the Shakespearian tragedies, and his efforts to uphold the dignity of his art were no more appreciated in any part of the Union or in his own country than in San Francisco.
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