diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:28:04 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 05:28:04 -0700 |
| commit | 30122a525f907629c89cc632a9a81fbf3aab7a5a (patch) | |
| tree | 7711cad198a6351cfe6257a5657c94f43802b156 | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 6716-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 31251 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 6716-h/6716-h.htm | 1764 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 6716.txt | 1471 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 6716.zip | bin | 0 -> 30367 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/s190610.txt | 1440 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/s190610.zip | bin | 0 -> 29838 bytes |
9 files changed, 4691 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/6716-h.zip b/6716-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..9d40caf --- /dev/null +++ b/6716-h.zip diff --git a/6716-h/6716-h.htm b/6716-h/6716-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4c3c3de --- /dev/null +++ b/6716-h/6716-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1764 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.1//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml11/DTD/xhtml11.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en"> + +<head> + +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" /> + +<title> +The Project Gutenberg E-text of The Spirit of 1906, by George W. Brooks +</title> + +<style type="text/css"> +body { color: black; + background: white; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +p {text-indent: 4% } + +p.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +p.t1 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 200%; + text-align: center } + +p.t2 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 150%; + text-align: center } + +p.t3 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 100%; + text-align: center } + +p.t3b {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 100%; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center } + +p.t4 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + text-align: center } + +p.t4b {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center } + +p.t5 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 60%; + text-align: center } + +h1 { text-align: center } +h2 { text-align: center } +h3 { text-align: center } +h4 { text-align: center } +h5 { text-align: center } + +p.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; } + +p.contents {text-indent: -3%; + margin-left: 5% } + +p.thought {text-indent: 0% ; + letter-spacing: 4em ; + text-align: center } + +p.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +p.footnote {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +p.transnote {text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +p.intro {font-size: 90% ; + text-indent: -5% ; + margin-left: 5% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +p.quote {text-indent: 4% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +p.finis { font-size: larger ; + text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +</style> + +</head> + +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Spirit of 1906, by George W. Brooks + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Spirit of 1906 + +Author: George W. Brooks + +Posting Date: March 11, 2014 [EBook #6716] +Release Date: October, 2004 +First Posted: January 19, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SPIRIT OF 1906 *** + + + + +Produced by David Schwan + + + + + +</pre> + + +<p class="noindent"> +<br /><br /> +Geo. W. Brooks, Secretary and Treasurer, Founder of the Company as +reorganized in the year 1905 +</p> + +<h1> +<br /><br /> +The Spirit of 1906 +</h1> + +<p><br /></p> + +<p class="t2"> +By George W. Brooks +</p> + +<p> +Founder of the California Insurance Company (as reorganized in the year +1905) and who has continuously occupied the position of Secretary and +Managing Underwriter with the Corporation since that date. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p class="t3"> +Published by the California Insurance Company of San Francisco 1921 +</p> + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p class="t3"> +Copyright 1921<br /> +By Geo. W. Brooks +</p> + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p> +Dedicated to the Directors and Shareholders of the California Insurance +Company in 1906 who so nobly, at their own financial cost, did their +"Big Bit." +</p> + +<p><br /><br /></p> + +<p class="t3"> +"On fame's eternall beadroll worthie to be fyled."--Spenser +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +Foreword +</h3> + +<p> +Whatever of effort has been given in the pleasant pastime of writing +these rambling and sketchy pages of reminiscences is dedicated to those +who in the hours of trial and tribulation felt with Sir Philip Sidney, +"Honor is the idol of man's mind" and determined to do that which honor +demanded knowing that if they lost their honor they lost their all. +</p> + +<p> +Reading between these lines, it is hoped there will be found some +intimation, some outline, of the character of the men who composed the +directors and stockholders of the California Insurance Company, who +acted well their part, who fought the good fight and held the faith, +whose stern sense of duty and heroic courage led them to lay upon the +altar of their idealism the financial sacrifices which they made. +</p> + +<p> +Theirs is the honor achieved. They neither faltered nor hesitated in +upholding and protecting their own individual good name, the fair name +of the Company nor the integrity of the financial institutions of +California, and they, like Bacon "May leave their name and memory to +man's charitable speeches, to the next age and foreign nations." +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +The Spirit of 1906 +</h3> + +<p> +The California Insurance Company having played one of the leading parts +in the reconstruction of San Francisco following the disaster of 1906 +and there being no record of its activities, I have, after insistent and +repeated requests from directors, stockholders and others, finally +yielded to their importunities to preserve for reference my impressions +and memories of that most important crisis ever known to fire insurance. +</p> + +<p> +From the time when Nero played the violin accompaniment to the burning +of Rome, down, through the ages, to 5:15 a. m., April 18, 1906, and up +to the present date, the San Francisco disaster is the most prominent +recorded in history. It was the greatest spectacular drama ever staged +and produced the biggest heap of the "damn'dest, finest ruins" the world +has ever seen. +</p> + +<p> +In transferring the records from the tablets of my memory to the printed +page, I am dealing with accurate historical facts of the California +Insurance Company together with my own impressions. The facts and +figures regarding the Company are incontrovertible. My own impressions +are but those which were felt by thousands of other San Franciscans in a +greater or lesser or more varying degree. These may be taken as merely +the local color, the object being to set forth for enduring vision, the +splendid performances of honorably disposed fire insurance companies +amongst which none discharged to policyholders the liabilities under +their contracts with any greater sense of equity, honor and liberality +than did the California Insurance Company. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +The Morning of April 18th +</h3> + +<p> +In common with the other half million citizens of San Francisco on that +fateful morning, I was awakened from a sound sleep by a continuous and +violent shaking and oscillation of my bed. I was bewildered, dazed, and +only awakened fully when my wife suddenly screamed, "Earthquake!" It was +a whopper, bringing with it a ghastly sensation of utter and absolute +helplessness and an involuntary prayer that the vibrations might cease. +Short as was the period of the earth's rocking, it seemed interminable, +and the fear that the end would never come dominated the prayer and +brought home with tremendous import the realization of our +insignificance, of what mere atoms we become when turned on the wheel of +destiny in the midst of such abnormal phenomena of nature's forces. +</p> + +<p> +It was 5:15, broad daylight, and as I glanced at my watch those figures +were indelibly fixed in my memory for the rest of my existence. The +terror and horror which suddenly sprang like a beast of prey out of the +gray dawn and grasped our heart strings, came unheralded from a day that +otherwise promised all that should make life worth living. The night had +been particularly warm and inviting. So vivid was this impression of the +glory of the morning that I was possessed by a feeling of irony that +such a beginning should herald the inception of so bitter a calamity. +Fascinated, I stood gazing at a weathervane on the top of a house across +the street. It swayed to and fro like the light branch of a tree in a +heavy gale. I was jarred out of my inanition by a terrific shock. The +house lurched and trembled and I felt that now was the end. It was +afterward discovered that this crash and jar was caused by the falling +of a heavy outside chimney, attached to the adjoining house. It had +broken and struck our dwelling at about the first floor level and torn +away about twenty feet of the sheathing, some of the studding and left a +big hole through which the dust and sound poured in volumes, adding to +the already almost unbearable confusion. +</p> + +<p> +The first natural impulse of a human being in an earthquake is to get +out into the open, and as I and those who were with me were at that +particular moment decidedly human in both mold and temperament, we +dressed hastily and joined the group of excited neighbors gathered on +the street. Pale faced, nervous and excited, we chattered like daws +until the next happening intervened, which was the approach of a man on +horseback who shouted as he "Revere-d" past us the startling news that +numerous fires had started in various parts of the city, that the Spring +Valley Water Company's feed main had been broken by the quake, that +there was no water and that the city was doomed. +</p> + +<p> +This was the spur I needed. Fires and no water! It was a call to duty. +The urge to get downtown and to the office of the "California" enveloped +me to such an extent that my terror left me. Activity dominated all +other sensations and I started for the office. As all street car lines +and methods of transportation had ceased to operate it meant a hike of +about two miles. +</p> + +<p> +My course was down Vallejo street to Van Ness avenue, thence over +Pacific street to Montgomery. When I reached the top of the hill at +Pacific street where it descends to the business section, a vision of +tremendous destruction, like a painted picture, opened before my eyes. I +saw fires on the water front, fires in the commercial district and also +portentous columns of smoke hovering over the southern part of the city. +Then like a blow in the face came the realization that all fire fighting +facilities were nil owing to the lack of water. One short hour previous, +San Francisco was sleeping peacefully in its prosperity, and now the +sight was appalling. Devastation, far as the eye could see, was spelling +death and destruction. +</p> + +<p> +My route was down Clay street from Montgomery to Sacramento. In that one +block I counted twenty-one dead horses, killed by falling walls. They +had belonged to the corps of men who bring in to the market with the +dawn the city's supplies. When I reached the corner of California and +Sansome streets (the California office being one block away on +California and Battery) I found a rope stretched across from the Mutual +Life Insurance Company Building to the site where the Alaska Commercial +Company building now stands. All beyond was policed. A soldier of the +regular army was on guard and no one was permitted to pass. Arguments +and beseechments to get to the office were of no avail. The necessity +and the emergency, however, stimulated my determination and aroused my +ingenuity. Suddenly, I ducked under the rope and ran a Marathon which +was not only a surprise to myself but also to the officers and the crowd +who yelled after me. I am sure that in this one block my speed record +for a flat run still stands unequaled. +</p> + +<p> +I reached the office and there found every intimation of a hasty +departure on the part of the janitor. The front door of the building +stood wide open. I rushed in, threw open my desk and hastily gathered an +armful of what I deemed were the more important books and papers. +Glancing around to see if there was any way of saving anything else I +again received a jolt by noticing that the fire was coming down a light +shaft from an adjoining building and through an open window into the +rear office of the "California's" office. In fact, furniture was already +burning in the president's room. This was no place for me. The only +avenue of escape was the way I had come, since so rapid was the spread +of the conflagration that north, south and east were already in flames. +</p> + +<p> +Upon reaching California street I rushed and headed west, and the +instant I had passed, the entire four-story outer wall of the building +located on the southwest corner of California and Battery streets (then +known as the "Insurance Building"), fell with a roar, completely +blocking the street over which I had just made my escape. Realizing that +my safety was measured by a matter of seconds, I was for a moment +unnerved. My legs trembled, my heart pounded and my breath came quickly, +and only by a great exertion of will induced by the thought that it was +time to do and not to hesitate, I made the effort and arrived safely at +the rope from which I had started. I shook as if with the ague. Sweat +and grime poured from me, but the shout that went up from the watching +crowd and the many friendly hands that sought mine, gave me my second +wind. +</p> + +<p> +I had already made up my mind that possibly the Liverpool and London and +Globe Insurance Company and Colonel C. Mason Kinne would allow me to +store within their vaults whatever salvage I had taken from my desk. My +trust in their courtesy was justified. I was made welcome and the +Colonel, in the name of the company, placed anything and everything that +it had in the shape of assistance at my disposal. +</p> + +<p> +As we stood talking on the corner of California and Leidesdorff streets, +a friend still living in San Francisco who had an office in the +Liverpool and London and Globe Building suggested to me that I had +better take an option on some of that company's vacant rooms. I spoke to +Colonel Kinne, a verbal agreement to that effect was made, and I turned +and smilingly remarked, little knowing what the future had in store, +that the California Insurance Company would resume business in the +Liverpool and London and Globe Building "tomorrow morning." +</p> + +<p> +I then stood and watched the firemen lower a suction pipe through a +manhole in the middle of the street and pump sewerage on to the old +Wells Fargo Building. It had about as much effect as a garden hose and +the supply was soon exhausted. The firemen stood perfectly helpless, +like soldiers without ammunition, in front of the enemy. The fire had +now about everything east of Sansome street and in the absence of water +it was only a question of one or two days at most when the entire city +would be in ashes. This was not alone my impression but the same ghastly +prospect impressed itself upon all those who were gathered in the +vicinity. +</p> + +<p> +The minutes had ticked off until it was now about 8 a. m., when another +violent shock occurred--a sort of postscript to the original 5:15 +trembler. It was of short duration but while it lasted it was decidedly +impressive. The crowd scattered and I with them, for we suddenly +realized that another wall might fall with a crash and that we might be +caught. This is the only reason I can assign for our agility in getting +away, unless it might be that we simply followed the first and natural +impulse of our overwrought nerves. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +The Dominant Thought +</h3> + +<p> +As the various impressions and shocks succeeded one another, there +always came in the interim the dominant thought of the California +Insurance Company. This thought again became uppermost and I concluded +to at once get in touch with the president. I proceeded by devious ways +over bricks, past wreck and ruin, through the stunned and gaping crowds, +until I reached the St. Francis Hotel where he resided, and finally +found him in the lobby, which was packed by an excited throng of +humanity. If ever the St. Francis needed the S. O. S. sign, it was the +morning of this day. Everybody in the hotel must have been, with others, +in the lobby. +</p> + +<p> +The president was in his usual hopeful and optimistic frame of mind. He +had no fear whatever but that the fire would be shortly under control. +How this was to be brought about, he could not tell, but he was +perfectly satisfied that it would be done. I looked at the man in wonder +and admiration. Such colossal optimism was superb. To expect from fate +what appeared to me to be the impossible was indicative of a hope +sublime. I envied such a nature. It was not only a great asset but was +also a great solace in the face of an unprecedented disaster. But he had +not been where I had been nor had he seen what I had seen. +</p> + +<p> +Then my thoughts turned toward home and my depression increased almost +to despair as I walked past the wreck and ruin and through the crowds +who themselves were fleeing in indescribable habiliments and with all +sorts of futile treasures grasped in their hands. +</p> + +<p> +No water! Little, if any, police protection! In fact, nothing, +apparently, except Divinity itself, to prevent the conflagration from +finally burning to the ocean. A most sublime tragedy! It meant the +impoverishment and lack of homes to thousands; it meant the sweeping +away of accumulations of years of endeavor; it might mean starvation; it +meant beginning again to climb the uphill trail to success; and last, +but worst, it meant the tremendous death toll either from immediate +causes or from after effects. Even today, years after the conflagration, +many men and women live in San Francisco in a greater or less degree of +ill health, the seeds of which were planted by the terror and mental +strain which they endured on the morning of that day. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +Progress of the Fire +</h3> + +<p> +The day passed. Neither I nor any other can remember all the details +which marked the hours of suspense. It is to be presumed that others +like myself found various, and what then appeared to them to be +tremendous, things to claim their attention and then--the second day! +</p> + +<p> +The fire had now reached Van Ness avenue and again came the messengers +on horseback who shouted in passing that everyone must move. My home was +on Vallejo street about five blocks beyond Van Ness and it was generally +believed that inasmuch as that street was one hundred and twenty feet +wide that it would form a fire break which could not be crossed. +Backfiring had already been started to meet the oncoming conflagration, +but everything, including the elements, seemed to favor destruction and, +as time passed, the worry and fear increased. Owing to inability to +combat the fire, through the lack of water, doubt began to creep in as +to whether the width of Van Ness avenue and the puny attempts at fire +fighting would check the march of the flames. +</p> + +<p> +About this time the question dawned upon myself and neighbors as to what +we should do with the more precious of our personal belongings. Mr. +Joseph Weisbein, a friendly neighbor, since dead, and myself evolved a +scheme to bury our belongings in the garden at the rear of my house. We +assembled four trunks, packed these with silverware and wearing apparel, +and some of the hardest physical work I have ever done was in burying +these trunks, digging the hole with a worn out shovel and a broken +spade. Then, with the help of our Chinese cook, I brought out of the +cellar a baby's buggy which had lain forgotten and unused for several +years. We loaded it with bedding and other things and trundled it down +the hill to Lobos Park near the bay shore. Trip after trip we made +before we decided that we had all that was necessary or, rather, +absolutely needful for a camp existence. The next question was shelter. +After prowling around the partially quake-wrecked gas works, I found +some pieces of timber out of which I constructed a sort of framework for +a large A tent. I borrowed a hatchet from another refugee, a stranger in +adversity. The disaster had broken down the barriers of formality and we +all lent a willing hand each to the other. I secured some spare rope and +got up my framework. This was covered to windward with some Indian +blankets sewn together by those we were trying to make comfortable. +Under that hastily erected rude shelter nineteen people slept on +mattresses that night. I did not have the good fortune to sleep. Sleep +would not come to "knit up the ravelled sleeve of care," and through the +long hours I watched the intermittent flashes, heard the noises and in +the darkness went through the added suffering of overstrained nerves. +</p> + +<p> +A neighbor, J. F. D. Curtis, since dead, but at that time and for years +after the manager of the "Providence Washington Insurance Company," +passed the silent watches of the night with me, each of us smoking +ourselves blind and watching--talking but little, although thinking +and feeling a whole lot. We were a mile from the fire, nevertheless it +was so light that a newspaper could easily have been read by its glow +from the time when the sun set on the ruins to the hour when it rose on +the next day of horror. Curtis, turning and pointing to the flaming +city, inquired in quiet tones if the California Insurance Company could +pay the bill. I replied that as a stockholder in the company, I felt +that I was ruined and I feared that the company would "go broke." He +stated that he believed the Providence Washington would weather the +storm and if the worst came to the worst with me, he would like to have +me join him in the management of the company he represented. It was a +ray of sunshine. It was a beacon of hope. It was like a life buoy thrown +to a drowning man, and I shall never forget the encouragement that came +with his offer nor the gratitude I felt, and, although subsequent events +have shown that my first fears were wrong, my gratitude endures to this +day. +</p> + +<p> +The night passed and while we were eating a cold breakfast, principally +composed of sandwiches, the man on horseback arrived again; this time, +however, with the glad tidings that the fire had been stopped at Van +Ness avenue and we could return to our homes. It was afterward learned +that the salvaging of the section of the city beyond Van Ness avenue was +due to the excellent work done by two salt water streams pumped from the +bay by tugs stationed at the foot of Van Ness avenue and carried along +by relays of fire engines. So intense and so furious was the fire that +while one set of firemen, their heads covered with blankets, held the +hose, the second stream was used to drench them, also the engine. +Further proof of the fierce and terrific heat was shown in the +circumstance that houses one hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and +thirty-five feet across the avenue had windows cracked and paint +blistered. The last grand heroic stand of the fire fighters was made at +the corner of Van Ness avenue and Vallejo streets. +</p> + +<p> +A man was found with a wagon to cart our things back to the house and, +while we did not have much worldly wealth in our clothes, we were +prepared to pay liberally. Under the circumstances, when his modest +charge of two dollars was met we felt that he had earned it many times +and in addition, our gratitude. Arriving at the residence, we found the +sidewalks and the street in front of it three inches thick with ashes +and cinders. Now came the task of unearthing the trunks and with it came +the thought that had this section been entirely burned how difficult it +might have been to locate the place where they had been buried. +Necessity for action and to be up and doing was too strong, however, to +allow time for any such conjectures. There was too much going on to +dwell on post-mortems. That night the streets were patrolled by marines +from United States warships in the harbor, whom the government had +hurried to the scene of action with all promptness possible. +</p> + +<p> +No lights nor fires were permitted in houses. It was either retire at +sundown or retire in the dark. Whatever water was needed had to be +carried from the nearest well and even after the mains had been restored +to normal efficiency this practice was continued for fear that the +possibly broken sewers might contaminate or pollute the water. No fires +nor cooking were permitted in any building until every chimney and flue +had been passed upon by the authorities. +</p> + +<p> +In order to obtain water it was necessary first to procure buckets, then +carry it from an old well in Lafayette Square, some dozen blocks away. +Baths were forgotten and shaving was a luxury. It entailed severe labor +to secure water with which to prepare the necessities of life and to +maintain a reasonable degree of personal cleanliness. In common with +every other citizen our stove was placed on the curb and this was our +kitchen and dining room for over six weeks. As there was no oven, baking +and roasting had to be dispensed with, boiling and frying being the +established fashion. +</p> + +<p> +The second day after the fire, a food station was opened across the +street in an old carriage house which belonged to Mr. J. L. Flood. Here +lines would form to receive rations, the millionaire rubbing shoulders +with the laborer. The panhandler got as much as the plutocrat. The +disaster leveled all classes. A million dollars in one's pocket would +have been of little use. Nothing could be bought with it and it could +not serve as either food or drink. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +Getting Back to Work +</h3> + +<p> +Betweenwhiles, as one crisis after another came and went, I was still +constant to the idea and still felt my responsibility to the California, +and from time to time as circumstances permitted, was strenuously +endeavoring to reach the directors and stockholders. The president, in +spite of his optimism, had fled from the Hotel St. Francis and gone to +the home of his mother on Clay and Larkin streets. For the same reason +he left there and went to the yards of the Fulton Iron Works where his +yacht "Lady Ada" was laid up, got her off the ways and tacked over to +Tiburon where he remained for some time. Finally word was received from +him that the directors of the company would hold a meeting at the Blake +and Moffitt Building on the corner of Eighth and Broadway, Oakland, on +May 2, 1906. Who really located them, scattered as they were, and finally +got them together, has remained an unexplained mystery. It must have +been either the president or Chief Clerk Shallenberger. The late Mr. +James Moffitt, a stockholder in the company and the owner of the +building named, kindly secured for us two rooms in that building for an +office. They were on the third floor facing Broadway and the location +and the habitat of the company was disclosed by a canvas sign which, +banner-like, hung upon the outer wall proclaiming this to be the office +of the California Insurance Company. For furniture, there was a flat top +desk and a typewriter (both secondhand) and the balance of the equipment +was handmade, of ordinary lumber, by a local carpenter. There was not +very much cash among those thus assembled, but, fortunately, the company +had maintained a deposit in an Oakland bank and this was immediately +available for checking purposes. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +First Meeting of the Board of Directors +</h3> + +<p> +Quietly and almost silently the directors gathered. The only emotion +apparent was that of the usual caution shown by men of large affairs who +meet to face a crisis. The president called the meeting to order and +stated that the object of the gathering was to inform the directors that +the company was heavily involved in the conflagration which visited San +Francisco on April 18, 19 and 20, 1906, that the amount of which +obligations was at present unknown, that they overshadowed the resources +of the company and that ways and means would have to be devised to +finance the California through this crisis. +</p> + +<p> +The fire maps of the company were entirely destroyed and it was not +advisable to open the safe in which the records of the company were kept +until it was sufficiently cool to prevent danger of combustion. In light +of these facts, it was impossible to immediately ascertain the actual +amount of the company's obligations. +</p> + +<p> +In response to an inquiry as to the probable extent of our liabilities, +I, as secretary of the company, ventured the statement that I believed +they would reach a total of $1,500,000 net, explaining that I based this +estimate upon the company's income and the average rate. I also knew +that the larger part of the entire liabilities in San Francisco were in +the burned area and that if the safe did not afford protection it would +mean the loss of the company's records, leaving it without means of +ascertaining the amount of the loss until claims were filed. This would +cause a delay of several months before the exact total could be +developed. I explained that the policy contract allowed sixty days for +filing claims and expressed the thought that this limit would +undoubtedly be extended by legislative action in view of the magnitude +of the disaster. +</p> + +<p> +In the meantime, in the April 27 edition of the Examiner, on the first +page, extending over its entire width, had appeared the following +statement: +</p> + +<p class="t3"> +"The California Insurance Company Will Pay in Full." +</p> + +<p> +This was discussed and the meeting began to assume a more lively +interest and the members to more actively participate. Director W. E. +Dean offered a resolution that has passed into history as being, +possibly, the most noticeable ever adopted by the directors of a fire +insurance company. It is a question whether a motion under like +conditions had ever before been put or carried or ever will be in the +future. This motion was seconded by Director Mark L. Gerstle. It was as +follows: +</p> + +<p> +That the action of the president of this corporation in publicly +announcing that the California Insurance Company would pay all its +losses in full as ascertained and adjusted, be, and the same is hereby +confirmed and ratified, provided that each of the directors of the +corporation affixes his signature to the matters of this meeting. Unless +such ratification be unanimous and evidenced by the signature of each +director to the matters of this meeting, the above action of the board +be null and void. +</p> + +<p> +The signature of each and every director was subsequently affixed to +this resolution and it then remained a matter of detail to find how +funds were to be procured to make this resolution possible of +fulfillment and something more than a mere matter of words. +</p> + +<p> +In the absence of any specific or definite information as to the amount +of the company's indebtedness this action of the directors was a most +magnificent exemplification of nerve and integrity and a superb +testimony reinforcing the axiom that a California man's word is as good +as his bond. +</p> + +<p> +The board might have instructed its secretary to make the best +compromise settlements possible and have wound up the affairs of the +corporation. The public mind was in a receptive mood to accept such +compromise settlements and such action would have resulted in extreme +financial advantage to the stockholders at the time when the resolution +was passed. No one at that time believed that the California would +discharge its obligations on a parity with the largest and strongest +insurance companies in the world. Indeed the public announcement that +the company would pay in full was regarded as ridiculous and +unbelievable and was generally considered in the light of an extremely +sagacious bluff. +</p> + +<p> +The directors of the company were not bluffers; they were made of +different stuff. They did not hesitate. They were in deadly earnest and +absolutely meant to live up to their spoken word and the world knows how +they redeemed their promises. +</p> + +<p> +My original estimate of $1,500,000 fell far short of the final net +payment which amounted to $1,840,000, but long before this had developed +the stockholders were too deeply involved to think of turning back even +had they desired to do so. Staunchly and loyally they stayed and paid to +the end, building a monument to their good name that turned the sneers +of welshing competitors into envy and admiration. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +Second Meeting of the Board of Directors +</h3> + +<p> +In the advance of the company, the next historical date of importance +was May 11, 1906, when the succeeding meeting of the Board of Directors +was held at the home of Director Mark L. Gerstle, 2350 Washington +street, San Francisco. Again, I was called upon to bring bad news. I was +compelled to inform the Board of Directors that all the records of the +company had been destroyed as the safe which contained them had been +smashed by falling walls and the contents absolutely obliterated. The +only thing recovered was some rolls of silver coins melted together by +the intense heat. I also reported that three hundred and fifty claims +had been filed for an amount totaling over $650,000. +</p> + +<p> +The loss of the records was a very serious matter and complicated +proceedings to a degree apparently almost insurmountable. Lost in the +destruction of the safe were some $900,000 in re-insurance policies. +This meant restoration of this data from the records of the re-insuring +companies and at that time this looked like a superhuman undertaking. +However, I immediately detailed two employes with instructions to devote +their entire time to this angle of affairs. The companies met the +situation with every courtesy and finally after several months' exertion +all of the reinsurance was located, with the exception of about $18,000. +</p> + +<p> +I do not like to harbor the thought, but nevertheless I feel that some +company or companies, possibly still doing business, know that they owe +the California some part of this re-insurance, which goes to show that +in the insurance business, as in other enterprises, there are those who +cannot bear the light of day. +</p> + +<p> +About twelve months after the "Big Fire" I remember having received a +re-insurance claim from a company whose home office is in New York. As +this particular company was one of the very few that declined to respond +to the request to assist us in restoring the lost data, I thought it the +better part of wisdom to ask it to furnish the information previously +requested, holding up their claim in the meantime while awaiting their +reply. It never came, and their claim against the California still +remains unpaid. The conclusion is too glaring to need further comment. A +few similar instances might be recorded but they are best forgotten. +</p> + +<p> +This meeting also made history. It levied the first assessment of $40 +per share on the six thousand shares of capital stock of the +corporation. This would bring in $240,000 and was subsequently followed, +month by month, by seven others, until the total assessment had reached +$305 per share, amounting in all to $1,830,000, of which $1,800,000, or +98 per cent, to the everlasting glory of the stockholders of the +California, be it said, was paid. +</p> + +<p> +The resolution bringing this about was as follows: +</p> + +<p> +"Notice is hereby given that at a meeting of the directors held on the +11th day of May, 1906, an assessment of forty (40) dollars per share was +levied upon the capital stock of the corporation payable on or before +the 13th day of June, 1906, to Mark L. Gerstle, assistant secretary, at +the principal place of business of the corporation, No. 2350 Washington +street, San Francisco, Cal. Any stock upon which this assessment shall +remain unpaid on the 13th day of June, 1906, will be delinquent and will +be advertised for sale at public auction, and unless payment is made +before will be sold on the 2d day of July, 1906, at 2 o'clock p. m. to +pay the delinquent assessment, together with cost of advertising and +expenses of sale." +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +The "'Dollar for Dollar" Resolution +</h3> + +<p> +It became my duty to inform the directors that a meeting of the +representatives of all the fire insurance companies interested in the +conflagration was called for an early date at Reed's Hall, Oakland, and +that I understood the principal object of this meeting was to secure an +expression of opinion as to the method to be adopted in settling San +Francisco losses, whether seventy-five cents on the dollar should be +paid or settlement on a 100 per cent basis be made, and I requested +instructions. This was merely pro forma as the company had already +announced its position publicly as being in favor and promising to pay +cent for cent the full obligation of its contracts. The board gave me +the instructions I had expected. +</p> + +<p> +The meeting at Reed's Hall was a most memorable one. The late Geo. W. +Spencer, at that time manager of the Aetna Insurance Company, presided, +and to his fair and impartial rulings and usual courtesy and dignity of +manner, is attributable the fact that there was not considerably more +friction than developed. Even as it was, the discussions were acrid and +verged at times close to personalities and the oratory, especially on +the part of those who advocated the "six-bit" policy, was both perfervid +and vociferous. However, the representatives of the companies that had +made up their minds that their honor and contracts were worth dollar for +dollar had little to say and were not influenced by the alleged +arguments of the "six-bit-ers." +</p> + +<p> +They felt that in the last analysis there was no logical, honest +argument for the discounting of payments unless it were a case of +absolute insolvency with individual companies. It was maintained by the +opponents to the "six-bit" policy that the insuring public had paid for +what it assumed to be valid contracts and was entitled to just indemnity +and payment in full. Finally, the roll call came to ascertain the sense +of the meeting--seventy-five cents or one dollar. The roll call was +thrilling in the intensity of feeling it developed and in the position +in which it revealed each company's standing, whether for an honorable +fulfillment on the one hand or a dishonorable scaling of losses on the +other. Alphabetically, the California Insurance Company came early in +the list and I voted with those who felt their obligation to be one +hundred cents on the dollar. The position which the California would +take had been awaited with considerable interest. The public +announcement that the company would pay dollar for dollar was still +recent and this announcement had appealed to nearly every person at that +gathering as a promise which the company was absolutely and physically +unable to perform. The registering of the vote called forth quite a +demonstration. Laughter, smiles and sarcasm predominated in the part of +the hall where I was located. For a moment I was the center of +attraction. +</p> + +<p> +Despite the embarrassment and annoyance under which I labored, I felt +that I was called upon to defend the good name of the company and, +gaining recognition from the chairman, I said that the manner in which +the "California" voted seemed to cause some of those present +considerable amusement and that, individually, I didn't see anything in +it that was funny; that it was more of a tragedy than a comedy, and that +it was a solemn and serious matter for the company of which I was the +representative to go on record for the second time, publicly, as +pledging itself to pay so tremendous an amount of money out of the +pockets of its stockholders; that I was present at the meeting to carry +out the expressed instructions and wishes of these same stockholders and +that they intended to be scrupulously careful in keeping their promises, +backing their words with their deeds and dollars. This statement brought +from the dollar-for-dollar companies a gratifying amount of applause and +the "six-bit-ers" sank into silence. +</p> + +<p> +As the days passed and the "tumult and shouting" died, it gave a certain +amount of satisfaction to find that amongst the jeerers and sneerers at +the memorable Reed's Hall meeting, those who had battled most vigorously +for the horizontal cut of twenty-five cents were those who afterward +developed into the worst welshers and shavers in the entire history of +the loss settlements of the San Francisco or any other conflagration. +The "sparkling" Rhine, the "still" Moselle, the far-famed "Dutchess," +the German of Freeport, the Traders of Chicago, the Austrian Phoenix, +the Calumet, the American of Boston and others soon after sought the +seclusion which a receiver or cessation of business in California +grants, and like the Arab, they folded their tents and silently stole +away. +</p> + +<p> +At the termination of the meeting, President Chase of the Hartford, +President Damon of the Springfield, Chairman Spencer and several others, +all leaders in dollar-for-dollar ranks, some of whom are alive and some +of whom are gone, gathered around and congratulated the California upon +its attitude. Individually, it gave me a feeling of pride and +satisfaction to be the representative of a company which manfully stood +up to the rack with the best traditions of American fire insurance. It +may be well to recall to mind as a historical fact that it was at this +meeting the term "dollar-for-dollar" companies was born. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +Coming Back to San Francisco +</h3> + +<p> +Early in June we made arrangements to vacate our quarters in Oakland in +the Blake and Moffitt Building, and on the 5th of that month the +California was moved to an office in San Francisco. This was a temporary +frame structure erected on identically the same site which the company +had occupied prior to the fire, and where the magnificent new skyscraper +known as the "Newhall" Building now stands. As things go now, it was not +much of an office either as to style or appearance, but it was roomy, +light, well ventilated and comfortable and in every respect preferable +to the two crowded rooms that had so hospitably housed us in Oakland. +The return to San Francisco heartened us. The daily trip from the city +to Oakland and return had been a hardship, in addition to the time lost +when every minute was too precious to be wasted. Less time was lost in +crossing the bay than in getting to and from the Ferry. The street cars +were not in operation and I was compelled daily to make the walk over +the hills and through the ruins threading my way through the ashes and +over brick piles a distance of quite two miles, from my home to the +water front. This twice a day for six days a week, and often seven, was +exhausting in the extreme, so the wear was not altogether mental. The +thought was very often in my mind that I had about the most trying job +of anyone in the business. Other managers seemed to me to be paying very +little attention, if any, to the detail of settling claims and, of +course, had nothing whatever to do with providing the sinews of war. +They were fortunate in being able to pursue the even tenor of their way, +their entire business and time being occupied with current routine, just +as if nothing of an extraordinary nature had happened. This condition +arose from the fact that the companies in the East hurried to San +Francisco and Oakland all the adjusters, both near and alleged, that +they could obtain from any portion of the United States and a few from +abroad, in order that the losses might be promptly taken care of. The +home offices saw to it that the funds were provided. The special agents +and field men of these offices were not disturbed in their usual work +and were rarely, if ever, made use of at headquarters to make +adjustments. With the California it was quite different. Our entire +field force was called in and promptly clothed with authority to adjust. +This left our agency plant entirely unprotected as to cultivation. +Financially, we were in such a crippled condition that we felt we could +not afford the expense of employing independent adjusters. These were a +luxury in any event and some of them, alas, would have been dear at any +price. The thought often comes that perhaps this policy was poor +economics. This was a golden opportunity for representatives of the +"dollar-for-dollar" companies to secure valuable agents, as carrying +capacity was in large demand to replace those companies that had either +failed or made unsatisfactory loss settlements. That there was an +abundance of the latter admits of no dispute. Possibly, we might not at +that time have been able to secure many of these valuable connections, +even if we had had the field force requisite for the required technical +work, for the reason that doubts were still expressed as to our ability +to fulfill our promises. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +Duties of the Secretary +</h3> + +<p> +In the California Insurance Company office, the position of secretary +was closely akin to that of the celebrated "Pooh-Bah." Attached to the +office was the duty of collecting the assessments on the capital stock, +adjuster in chief, the underwriting, a court of appeal on technical +points in disputed settlements, a diplomatic agency and encouragement +dispensatory with and for the stockholders. The latter item took +considerable time. Singly and in groups they fired their questions: "How +many assessments will there be?" "How much do you think the losses will +total?" "How soon will you know the amount?" "When we do get out of this +shall we be as big as any other fire company or bigger?" This was the +daily grind. But since it was their money and they were laymen, their +anxiety was as pardonable as their courage was commendable. +</p> + +<p> +The president occupied an office on the other side of the hail, directly +opposite mine. The one door was lettered "President" and the other +"Secretary." +</p> + +<p> +One of the stockholders cornered me and demanded a full and explicit +statement of conditions. I gave him the facts and frankly confessed that +the prospect was not alluring. He bade me goodbye with a long face and +went directly across the hall into the office of the president. In a +brief while, he returned, his face wreathed in smiles, and quietly said +'that the president's office was "Heaven" and my office was "Hell"; that +I was a "gloomy Gus" anyway, but I couldn't help it and he pitied me, +but as for the president, he was the right man in the right place, and +he knew our exact position.' I did not make any reply. The optimism of +the president was a very great asset and in those days optimism and hope +were at a premium. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +Turning of the Tide +</h3> + +<p> +Finally the tide turned. Several months had elapsed, however, before it +became generally known and admitted and the insurance world had hammered +into it the conviction that the California was truly "Californian." At +this time our field men were again in the saddle and the agency of the +California was not only readily accepted whenever offered, but eagerly +pleaded for by connections which materially contributed to subsequent +success. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +Adjustments +</h3> + +<p> +There are millions of stories with regard to the adjustment and +settlement of claims during this period. All kinds of pressure, all +kinds of seduction and all kinds of bribes were offered the adjusters. +There appeared to be in the minds of many a conviction that this was the +time to make a claim against the insurance companies; that everything +was burned and that with the upset conditions any old claim could get +by. Stevedores, laborers and others not generally credited with an +excess amount of worldly wealth gayly and festively swore to proofs +showing the loss of family plate, ancestral pictures, silk underwear, +ball gowns, evening clothes and jewels. There was no possibility of +disciplining these perjurors and it was up to the expertness of the +adjusters to defend their companies from being looted. +</p> + +<p> +There were all kinds of attempts to defraud on the part of other +policyholders. One instance in which the California was interested was a +proof for a $16,000 loss on a policy covering on stock of dry and fancy +goods located in a building on Market street. I received a visit from +the policyholder who made a request for prompt payment. I explained that +our funds were being raised by assessments which were levied once a +month and that, if agreeable, we would pay him sixty per cent of his +claim and the balance in sixty days. This appeared to be satisfactory +and he left in a happy frame of mind. Thirteen thousand dollars of the +risk in question was ceded to other companies and we naturally filed +claims with the reinsurers for their proportion. The following day a +friend who was acting as chief adjuster for another office which was one +of the re-insurers on this risk, called upon me regarding this +particular claim. He laid upon my desk a photographic album and called +my attention to a large photograph of the building wherein the stock was +located. It was a two-story brick and the picture showed that the entire +front of the second story had, as the result of the earthquake, been +thrown into the street. This was taken before the fire had reached the +property. He stated that the authenticity of the photograph was +absolutely guaranteed and that in event of litigation, the testimony of +the photographer was available. He further stated that acting for the +re-insuring company, he would not follow the California for more than +sixty-five cents on the dollar. I borrowed the photograph and at once +sent for the claimant. He called the next day. It was found on +examination that he had made the statement to the general adjustment +committee that the property was not damaged prior to the fire. +Unfortunately, no affidavit was taken from him to that effect. With the +photograph before me, I realized at once that the claim was not an +honest one. I explained that the larger part of our policy had been +ceded to other companies and that some of them demanded, earthquake +affidavits with every claim; that while I regretted to put him to any +inconvenience, it would be necessary for him to produce this testimony. +He looked me squarely in the eye and said, "I'll sign it and swear to +it. Not a brick in the whole building was disturbed." He attached his +signature to the affidavit. I showed him the photograph and then stated +that we should be compelled to penalize him to the extent of thirty-five +cents on the dollar. As a matter of equity, there was little, if any, +liability under the policy. He shouted, "Fake!" "No," I replied, "simply +a matter of contractural rights and of justice. The picture is +absolutely bona fide." He left, emphatically stating that he would at +once "go to the bat." I suggested that he submit the matter to his +attorney. Fortunately for him, he had a wise one who promptly advised +that he accept the terms offered. +</p> + +<p> +This is another angle of the settlement of the San Francisco losses--no +more nor less in fact, methods, and manner, than that with which other +legitimate companies had to contend. +</p> + +<p> +Another instance is recalled of a claim for a thousand dollars covering +on lodging house furniture in a building on Sixth street, with the loss +made payable to the owner of the building. I supposed that the policy +was collateral for payment of rent. It developed that the claimant was a +widow with one child. She was without a cent in the world, and called to +request payment. By this time the company was running short of ready +funds to such an extent that instructions had been issued to adjusters +that all claims hereafter would take the customary sixty days before +payment. She stated that the fire had canceled her lease, that she had +seen the payees and that they would waive the claim and that she was +absolutely destitute and would be willing to take whatever we would +offer, if she could get the cash. The position of the company was +explained to her with the result that she felt that we were working for +a discount. But it was not the intention of the California to take +advantage of people's necessities and we informed her that such was the +case. Her claim was a just one. I accepted her proofs, paid her +twenty-five per cent cash and the balance at the end of thirty days. +These are but isolated instances among many. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +Special Meeting of Stockholders +</h3> + +<p> +Another historical meeting was held August 9th. This time at the office +of the company. It was a special meeting of the stockholders. Three +assessments had been levied of forty dollars each, amounting in all to +$720,000. This money had been paid out in settlement of claims. This was +the first meeting of the stockholders proper since the fire. The +directors realized that in response to inquiries from the stockholders +who were principally interested that they were entitled to a report as +to the progress made and the policy to be adopted for the future. Over +ninety individual stockholders were present and in order to accommodate +the crowd, the employes removed their desks and chairs, and during the +time of the meeting adjusted losses and discharged their duties on the +sidewalk in front of the building. The early-comers had seats. The +late-comers stood, but so interesting was the meeting that discomforts +were forgotten. The president made a very full and analytical report, +finishing with the announcement that another million dollars would be +needed to continue the splendid work and accomplish the final result of +bringing the California through the disaster with justice, equity and +fairness to all its contract-holders. The atmosphere was charged with +optimism and enthusiasm and amongst all the speeches made, and they were +many, not one bore any intimation of regret or of any desire to do other +than march steadily ahead. Mr. Ignatz Steinhart, at the time manager of +the Anglo-Californian Bank, careful, cautious, shrewd and a hard-headed +financier, in his speech practically struck the keynote of the whole +meeting. He said in substance: +</p> + +<p> +"I have lived here many years and I expect to die here. I love San +Francisco and I know you all feel the same and it is my honest +conviction that the directors of the California have adopted the proper +and only course and that its stockholders will stand behind them, and +that, the company will pay its losses at the rate of one hundred cents +on the dollar without discount. I now present a motion that it is the +sense of this meeting that the Board of Directors be given all that they +request and that all their actions are hereby heartily ratified, +approved and confirmed." +</p> + +<p> +There was not a single dissenting vote. At this time a stockholder +enthusiastically jumped on his chair and proposed three cheers for the +company and the management. The clerks on the sidewalk and some of the +passers by rushed into the crowd to see what was the cause of the +commotion. When the meeting adjourned, the confidence of all was +renewed. The barometer of their enthusiasm and determination had risen +and smiles and handshakes put the period to the gathering. Seldom, if +ever, has an Irish dividend meeting been held and disbursed with such a +wholesome feeling of satisfaction. It was more like a "melon cutting" +than a preparation to excavate to still lower depths their pocketbooks. +Never was the true California spirit more faithfully portrayed. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +The Final Supreme Effort +</h3> + +<p> +The annual statement of the company at the end of the year showed beyond +the peradventure of a doubt that the company had kept the faith, but it +was left with a very attenuated surplus. Then business began to grow by +leaps and bounds. The bread which had been cast upon the waters was +returning and another problem now confronted the company--to protect +the reserves on the rapidly increasing income. This required a working +surplus and meant more assessments which seemed to be adding insult to +injury. The stockholders had already provided the funds to pay losses +and to now ask for more money for any other than loss-paying purposes, +gallant as was the spirit of those directly interested, seemed +dangerous. The directors and some of the more prominent stockholders met +informally and discussed the situation and the concensus of opinion was +that the honor of the company demanded that it continue to the end to +accomplish to the fullest that for which so many financial sacrifices +had been made--to take any other course, to discontinue, to fall down, +or to break faith with those who had given us their confidence would be +suicidal. In this deduction proof was given of the sound judgment and +business acumen of those who bore the brunt of the burden in those hot +days of battle. They took the position that the reputation which the +company had already builded was an asset of almost unlimited value and +realized that the peak of the mountain was just a few steps further +on--that summit from which the company could look out upon the valley of +success and reap the full reward for all the sacrifices its stockholders +had made. Plan after plan was submitted for financing, change after +change was suggested, but for a time concerted action seemed almost +impossible of attainment. Finally, I called upon the largest stockholder +and treasurer of the company, Mr. Geo. L. Payne, in his office at the +Payne Bolt Works. I laid before him the plan of increasing the capital +stock from six thousand shares to ten thousand shares by the sale of +four thousand shares at sixty dollars per share which would realize for +the company a total amount of $240,000 of which $160,000 could be +applied to capital, bringing that item up to $400,000, and $80,000 to +surplus. While this did not make the surplus as much as was desirable, +we were used to economies, to making every dollar count. This has always +been a feature of the management of the company. With this sum and by a +continuance of conservative methods and proper management we believed it +possible to provide for all contingencies. Mr. Payne listened quietly, a +pad of paper before him and a pencil in his hand. When I had exhausted +every argument and made the best possible statement of the exact +conditions, he stated that he realized fully the gravity of the position +and then came the flood. He said that, if it became necessary, he, as +the largest stockholder in the company, would endorse the proposition to +the extent of taking the entire issue. The balance of the consummation +of the idea was merely a matter of detail. Another meeting of the +stockholders was called and of the many meetings that we had gone +through, this stands out brightest of all. The plan was presented and as +might naturally be expected invoked little enthusiasm and did not appear +to interest anybody. Mr. Payne quietly rose to his feet, explained the +position of the company as he saw it and then shocked the assemblage +into activity by making public the announcement of his willingness to +take the entire issue of additional stock. That was a flash of +optimistic lightning the bolt of which apparently struck every man in +the room. They sat up, took notice, and awoke to the fact that they were +possibly missing something worth while. The outcome was that Mr. Payne +was only able to secure his pro rata as the entire issue was promptly +over subscribed by the stockholders, it being understood that the right +of subscription should be confined rigidly to stockholders of record. +Never in my business career have I seen the value or virtue of a leader +expressed in so forceful a manner as in the effect of Mr. Payne's offer +upon that meeting. It was the greatest evidence of applied psychology +that ever it has been my good fortune to experience. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +Recapitulation +</h3> + +<p> +These memoranda I have written years after the happenings which they +sketch. They are drawn from the records of the company and from the +tablets of my memory. Those upon which I have touched were amongst the +higher lights, they are vivid in recollection and as well remembered as +if they had taken place at a recent date. +</p> + +<p> +Those were strenuous times. Times that not alone tested the dignity and +honor of men, but rocked them to their very foundations. Only the +admittedly honest and honorable men survived the experiences of those +days without blotch upon their escutcheons. It is naturally to be +presumed that the minds of those who passed through those days of +reconstruction recall many deeds of heroism, of sacrifices made upon the +altar of duty. Each has the surmounting of his individual trials to +remember, but amongst all that was done as the result of the San +Francisco conflagration there is, in my opinion, nothing carrying +greater, honor or higher integrity than the work and sacrifice of that +gallant band of men who were directors and shareholders of the +California Insurance Company. They were the pioneers and the sons of +pioneers who braved the hardships and terrors of desert and sea--the +founders of this great commonwealth. Incidents and happenings which have +passed from public record will still live in the memory of those who +played a part. The wonderful rehabilitation period, with all that it +meant of physical and mental suffering, but typifies today in concrete, +stone and brick the sturdy and stalwart spirit of those men who were +made absolute pioneers by the ash heap of 1906. Some of these have gone +to their last accounting, but for those who are still serving, and still +tugging at the oar, there remains but to guard the heritage which they +bequeathed--to bring upon the results of their work a continuation of +their ideals. +</p> + +<p> +The spirit of 1906, glorified by San Franciscans, which alone made +possible the resurrection from the ashes of that "city loved around the +world," sitting serenely upon its seven hills by the portals of the +Golden Gate and whose destiny is oblivious of fire and earthquake, is +worthy of more than a passing tribute. Its example should thrill and +encourage those who are inclined to falter. It is a beacon light to +those who are to continue the struggle with the petty details and the +larger duties of everyday life. And among the contributors none are more +to be admired or borne in reverent respect than the directors, those men +who held either large or small investments in the "California" and were +true to their trust. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<h3> +Conclusion +</h3> + +<p> +Whether the end justifies the means depends upon the judgment of the +critic. It is possible that there is too much of personality herein, but +in justice to the writer, it must be borne in mind that no attempt has +been made for literary style; that the task imposed upon him was +attempted solely to comply with the insistence of others and that the +use of the first personal pronoun is the readiest vehicle of expression. +</p> + +<p> +No special mantle of credit rests upon his shoulders. If there be any +such garment it drapes the shoulders of every man connected with the +company from the humblest employee up through the heaviest stockholders +to the highest official. It overlaps and falls with becoming dignity on +the shoulders of those who are fellow citizens and fellow Californians, +who shared with us as we shared with them the heat and burden of the +days succeeding the never-to-be-forgotten disaster of April 18, 1906. +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /></p> + +<p> +The Spirit of 1906 is a book of the Primo Press, San Francisco, printed +in April, 1921 +</p> + +<p><br /><br /><br /><br /></p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Spirit of 1906, by George W. Brooks + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SPIRIT OF 1906 *** + +***** This file should be named 6716-h.htm or 6716-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/7/1/6716/ + +Produced by David Schwan + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> + +</html> + + diff --git a/6716.txt b/6716.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4613ba2 --- /dev/null +++ b/6716.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1471 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Spirit of 1906, by George W. Brooks + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Spirit of 1906 + +Author: George W. Brooks + +Posting Date: March 11, 2014 [EBook #6716] +Release Date: October, 2004 +First Posted: January 19, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SPIRIT OF 1906 *** + + + + +Produced by David Schwan + + + + + + + + +Geo. W. Brooks, Secretary and Treasurer, Founder of the Company as +reorganized in the year 1905 + + + +The Spirit of 1906 + + + +By George W. Brooks + +Founder of the California Insurance Company (as reorganized in the year +1905) and who has continuously occupied the position of Secretary and +Managing Underwriter with the Corporation since that date. + + + +Published by the California Insurance Company of San Francisco 1921 + + + +Copyright 1921 +By Geo. W. Brooks + + + +Dedicated to the Directors and Shareholders of the California Insurance +Company in 1906 who so nobly, at their own financial cost, did their +"Big Bit." + + + +"On fame's eternall beadroll worthie to be fyled."--Spenser + + + + +Foreword + + +Whatever of effort has been given in the pleasant pastime of writing +these rambling and sketchy pages of reminiscences is dedicated to those +who in the hours of trial and tribulation felt with Sir Philip Sidney, +"Honor is the idol of man's mind" and determined to do that which honor +demanded knowing that if they lost their honor they lost their all. + +Reading between these lines, it is hoped there will be found some +intimation, some outline, of the character of the men who composed the +directors and stockholders of the California Insurance Company, who +acted well their part, who fought the good fight and held the faith, +whose stern sense of duty and heroic courage led them to lay upon the +altar of their idealism the financial sacrifices which they made. + +Theirs is the honor achieved. They neither faltered nor hesitated in +upholding and protecting their own individual good name, the fair name +of the Company nor the integrity of the financial institutions of +California, and they, like Bacon "May leave their name and memory to +man's charitable speeches, to the next age and foreign nations." + + + + +The Spirit of 1906 + + +The California Insurance Company having played one of the leading parts +in the reconstruction of San Francisco following the disaster of 1906 +and there being no record of its activities, I have, after insistent and +repeated requests from directors, stockholders and others, finally +yielded to their importunities to preserve for reference my impressions +and memories of that most important crisis ever known to fire insurance. + +From the time when Nero played the violin accompaniment to the burning +of Rome, down, through the ages, to 5:15 a. m., April 18, 1906, and up +to the present date, the San Francisco disaster is the most prominent +recorded in history. It was the greatest spectacular drama ever staged +and produced the biggest heap of the "damn'dest, finest ruins" the world +has ever seen. + +In transferring the records from the tablets of my memory to the printed +page, I am dealing with accurate historical facts of the California +Insurance Company together with my own impressions. The facts and +figures regarding the Company are incontrovertible. My own impressions +are but those which were felt by thousands of other San Franciscans in a +greater or lesser or more varying degree. These may be taken as merely +the local color, the object being to set forth for enduring vision, the +splendid performances of honorably disposed fire insurance companies +amongst which none discharged to policyholders the liabilities under +their contracts with any greater sense of equity, honor and liberality +than did the California Insurance Company. + + + + +The Morning of April 18th + + +In common with the other half million citizens of San Francisco on that +fateful morning, I was awakened from a sound sleep by a continuous and +violent shaking and oscillation of my bed. I was bewildered, dazed, and +only awakened fully when my wife suddenly screamed, "Earthquake!" It was +a whopper, bringing with it a ghastly sensation of utter and absolute +helplessness and an involuntary prayer that the vibrations might cease. +Short as was the period of the earth's rocking, it seemed interminable, +and the fear that the end would never come dominated the prayer and +brought home with tremendous import the realization of our +insignificance, of what mere atoms we become when turned on the wheel of +destiny in the midst of such abnormal phenomena of nature's forces. + +It was 5:15, broad daylight, and as I glanced at my watch those figures +were indelibly fixed in my memory for the rest of my existence. The +terror and horror which suddenly sprang like a beast of prey out of the +gray dawn and grasped our heart strings, came unheralded from a day that +otherwise promised all that should make life worth living. The night had +been particularly warm and inviting. So vivid was this impression of the +glory of the morning that I was possessed by a feeling of irony that +such a beginning should herald the inception of so bitter a calamity. +Fascinated, I stood gazing at a weathervane on the top of a house across +the street. It swayed to and fro like the light branch of a tree in a +heavy gale. I was jarred out of my inanition by a terrific shock. The +house lurched and trembled and I felt that now was the end. It was +afterward discovered that this crash and jar was caused by the falling +of a heavy outside chimney, attached to the adjoining house. It had +broken and struck our dwelling at about the first floor level and torn +away about twenty feet of the sheathing, some of the studding and left a +big hole through which the dust and sound poured in volumes, adding to +the already almost unbearable confusion. + +The first natural impulse of a human being in an earthquake is to get +out into the open, and as I and those who were with me were at that +particular moment decidedly human in both mold and temperament, we +dressed hastily and joined the group of excited neighbors gathered on +the street. Pale faced, nervous and excited, we chattered like daws +until the next happening intervened, which was the approach of a man on +horseback who shouted as he "Revere-d" past us the startling news that +numerous fires had started in various parts of the city, that the Spring +Valley Water Company's feed main had been broken by the quake, that +there was no water and that the city was doomed. + +This was the spur I needed. Fires and no water! It was a call to duty. +The urge to get downtown and to the office of the "California" enveloped +me to such an extent that my terror left me. Activity dominated all +other sensations and I started for the office. As all street car lines +and methods of transportation had ceased to operate it meant a hike of +about two miles. + +My course was down Vallejo street to Van Ness avenue, thence over +Pacific street to Montgomery. When I reached the top of the hill at +Pacific street where it descends to the business section, a vision of +tremendous destruction, like a painted picture, opened before my eyes. I +saw fires on the water front, fires in the commercial district and also +portentous columns of smoke hovering over the southern part of the city. +Then like a blow in the face came the realization that all fire fighting +facilities were nil owing to the lack of water. One short hour previous, +San Francisco was sleeping peacefully in its prosperity, and now the +sight was appalling. Devastation, far as the eye could see, was spelling +death and destruction. + +My route was down Clay street from Montgomery to Sacramento. In that one +block I counted twenty-one dead horses, killed by falling walls. They +had belonged to the corps of men who bring in to the market with the +dawn the city's supplies. When I reached the corner of California and +Sansome streets (the California office being one block away on +California and Battery) I found a rope stretched across from the Mutual +Life Insurance Company Building to the site where the Alaska Commercial +Company building now stands. All beyond was policed. A soldier of the +regular army was on guard and no one was permitted to pass. Arguments +and beseechments to get to the office were of no avail. The necessity +and the emergency, however, stimulated my determination and aroused my +ingenuity. Suddenly, I ducked under the rope and ran a Marathon which +was not only a surprise to myself but also to the officers and the crowd +who yelled after me. I am sure that in this one block my speed record +for a flat run still stands unequaled. + +I reached the office and there found every intimation of a hasty +departure on the part of the janitor. The front door of the building +stood wide open. I rushed in, threw open my desk and hastily gathered an +armful of what I deemed were the more important books and papers. +Glancing around to see if there was any way of saving anything else I +again received a jolt by noticing that the fire was coming down a light +shaft from an adjoining building and through an open window into the +rear office of the "California's" office. In fact, furniture was already +burning in the president's room. This was no place for me. The only +avenue of escape was the way I had come, since so rapid was the spread +of the conflagration that north, south and east were already in flames. + +Upon reaching California street I rushed and headed west, and the +instant I had passed, the entire four-story outer wall of the building +located on the southwest corner of California and Battery streets (then +known as the "Insurance Building"), fell with a roar, completely +blocking the street over which I had just made my escape. Realizing that +my safety was measured by a matter of seconds, I was for a moment +unnerved. My legs trembled, my heart pounded and my breath came quickly, +and only by a great exertion of will induced by the thought that it was +time to do and not to hesitate, I made the effort and arrived safely at +the rope from which I had started. I shook as if with the ague. Sweat +and grime poured from me, but the shout that went up from the watching +crowd and the many friendly hands that sought mine, gave me my second +wind. + +I had already made up my mind that possibly the Liverpool and London and +Globe Insurance Company and Colonel C. Mason Kinne would allow me to +store within their vaults whatever salvage I had taken from my desk. My +trust in their courtesy was justified. I was made welcome and the +Colonel, in the name of the company, placed anything and everything that +it had in the shape of assistance at my disposal. + +As we stood talking on the corner of California and Leidesdorff streets, +a friend still living in San Francisco who had an office in the +Liverpool and London and Globe Building suggested to me that I had +better take an option on some of that company's vacant rooms. I spoke to +Colonel Kinne, a verbal agreement to that effect was made, and I turned +and smilingly remarked, little knowing what the future had in store, +that the California Insurance Company would resume business in the +Liverpool and London and Globe Building "tomorrow morning." + +I then stood and watched the firemen lower a suction pipe through a +manhole in the middle of the street and pump sewerage on to the old +Wells Fargo Building. It had about as much effect as a garden hose and +the supply was soon exhausted. The firemen stood perfectly helpless, +like soldiers without ammunition, in front of the enemy. The fire had +now about everything east of Sansome street and in the absence of water +it was only a question of one or two days at most when the entire city +would be in ashes. This was not alone my impression but the same ghastly +prospect impressed itself upon all those who were gathered in the +vicinity. + +The minutes had ticked off until it was now about 8 a. m., when another +violent shock occurred--a sort of postscript to the original 5:15 +trembler. It was of short duration but while it lasted it was decidedly +impressive. The crowd scattered and I with them, for we suddenly +realized that another wall might fall with a crash and that we might be +caught. This is the only reason I can assign for our agility in getting +away, unless it might be that we simply followed the first and natural +impulse of our overwrought nerves. + + + + +The Dominant Thought + + +As the various impressions and shocks succeeded one another, there +always came in the interim the dominant thought of the California +Insurance Company. This thought again became uppermost and I concluded +to at once get in touch with the president. I proceeded by devious ways +over bricks, past wreck and ruin, through the stunned and gaping crowds, +until I reached the St. Francis Hotel where he resided, and finally +found him in the lobby, which was packed by an excited throng of +humanity. If ever the St. Francis needed the S. O. S. sign, it was the +morning of this day. Everybody in the hotel must have been, with others, +in the lobby. + +The president was in his usual hopeful and optimistic frame of mind. He +had no fear whatever but that the fire would be shortly under control. +How this was to be brought about, he could not tell, but he was +perfectly satisfied that it would be done. I looked at the man in wonder +and admiration. Such colossal optimism was superb. To expect from fate +what appeared to me to be the impossible was indicative of a hope +sublime. I envied such a nature. It was not only a great asset but was +also a great solace in the face of an unprecedented disaster. But he had +not been where I had been nor had he seen what I had seen. + +Then my thoughts turned toward home and my depression increased almost +to despair as I walked past the wreck and ruin and through the crowds +who themselves were fleeing in indescribable habiliments and with all +sorts of futile treasures grasped in their hands. + +No water! Little, if any, police protection! In fact, nothing, +apparently, except Divinity itself, to prevent the conflagration from +finally burning to the ocean. A most sublime tragedy! It meant the +impoverishment and lack of homes to thousands; it meant the sweeping +away of accumulations of years of endeavor; it might mean starvation; it +meant beginning again to climb the uphill trail to success; and last, +but worst, it meant the tremendous death toll either from immediate +causes or from after effects. Even today, years after the conflagration, +many men and women live in San Francisco in a greater or less degree of +ill health, the seeds of which were planted by the terror and mental +strain which they endured on the morning of that day. + + + + +Progress of the Fire + + +The day passed. Neither I nor any other can remember all the details +which marked the hours of suspense. It is to be presumed that others +like myself found various, and what then appeared to them to be +tremendous, things to claim their attention and then--the second day! + +The fire had now reached Van Ness avenue and again came the messengers +on horseback who shouted in passing that everyone must move. My home was +on Vallejo street about five blocks beyond Van Ness and it was generally +believed that inasmuch as that street was one hundred and twenty feet +wide that it would form a fire break which could not be crossed. +Backfiring had already been started to meet the oncoming conflagration, +but everything, including the elements, seemed to favor destruction and, +as time passed, the worry and fear increased. Owing to inability to +combat the fire, through the lack of water, doubt began to creep in as +to whether the width of Van Ness avenue and the puny attempts at fire +fighting would check the march of the flames. + +About this time the question dawned upon myself and neighbors as to what +we should do with the more precious of our personal belongings. Mr. +Joseph Weisbein, a friendly neighbor, since dead, and myself evolved a +scheme to bury our belongings in the garden at the rear of my house. We +assembled four trunks, packed these with silverware and wearing apparel, +and some of the hardest physical work I have ever done was in burying +these trunks, digging the hole with a worn out shovel and a broken +spade. Then, with the help of our Chinese cook, I brought out of the +cellar a baby's buggy which had lain forgotten and unused for several +years. We loaded it with bedding and other things and trundled it down +the hill to Lobos Park near the bay shore. Trip after trip we made +before we decided that we had all that was necessary or, rather, +absolutely needful for a camp existence. The next question was shelter. +After prowling around the partially quake-wrecked gas works, I found +some pieces of timber out of which I constructed a sort of framework for +a large A tent. I borrowed a hatchet from another refugee, a stranger in +adversity. The disaster had broken down the barriers of formality and we +all lent a willing hand each to the other. I secured some spare rope and +got up my framework. This was covered to windward with some Indian +blankets sewn together by those we were trying to make comfortable. +Under that hastily erected rude shelter nineteen people slept on +mattresses that night. I did not have the good fortune to sleep. Sleep +would not come to "knit up the ravelled sleeve of care," and through the +long hours I watched the intermittent flashes, heard the noises and in +the darkness went through the added suffering of overstrained nerves. + +A neighbor, J. F. D. Curtis, since dead, but at that time and for years +after the manager of the "Providence Washington Insurance Company," +passed the silent watches of the night with me, each of us smoking +ourselves blind and watching--talking but little, although thinking +and feeling a whole lot. We were a mile from the fire, nevertheless it +was so light that a newspaper could easily have been read by its glow +from the time when the sun set on the ruins to the hour when it rose on +the next day of horror. Curtis, turning and pointing to the flaming +city, inquired in quiet tones if the California Insurance Company could +pay the bill. I replied that as a stockholder in the company, I felt +that I was ruined and I feared that the company would "go broke." He +stated that he believed the Providence Washington would weather the +storm and if the worst came to the worst with me, he would like to have +me join him in the management of the company he represented. It was a +ray of sunshine. It was a beacon of hope. It was like a life buoy thrown +to a drowning man, and I shall never forget the encouragement that came +with his offer nor the gratitude I felt, and, although subsequent events +have shown that my first fears were wrong, my gratitude endures to this +day. + +The night passed and while we were eating a cold breakfast, principally +composed of sandwiches, the man on horseback arrived again; this time, +however, with the glad tidings that the fire had been stopped at Van +Ness avenue and we could return to our homes. It was afterward learned +that the salvaging of the section of the city beyond Van Ness avenue was +due to the excellent work done by two salt water streams pumped from the +bay by tugs stationed at the foot of Van Ness avenue and carried along +by relays of fire engines. So intense and so furious was the fire that +while one set of firemen, their heads covered with blankets, held the +hose, the second stream was used to drench them, also the engine. +Further proof of the fierce and terrific heat was shown in the +circumstance that houses one hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and +thirty-five feet across the avenue had windows cracked and paint +blistered. The last grand heroic stand of the fire fighters was made at +the corner of Van Ness avenue and Vallejo streets. + +A man was found with a wagon to cart our things back to the house and, +while we did not have much worldly wealth in our clothes, we were +prepared to pay liberally. Under the circumstances, when his modest +charge of two dollars was met we felt that he had earned it many times +and in addition, our gratitude. Arriving at the residence, we found the +sidewalks and the street in front of it three inches thick with ashes +and cinders. Now came the task of unearthing the trunks and with it came +the thought that had this section been entirely burned how difficult it +might have been to locate the place where they had been buried. +Necessity for action and to be up and doing was too strong, however, to +allow time for any such conjectures. There was too much going on to +dwell on post-mortems. That night the streets were patrolled by marines +from United States warships in the harbor, whom the government had +hurried to the scene of action with all promptness possible. + +No lights nor fires were permitted in houses. It was either retire at +sundown or retire in the dark. Whatever water was needed had to be +carried from the nearest well and even after the mains had been restored +to normal efficiency this practice was continued for fear that the +possibly broken sewers might contaminate or pollute the water. No fires +nor cooking were permitted in any building until every chimney and flue +had been passed upon by the authorities. + +In order to obtain water it was necessary first to procure buckets, then +carry it from an old well in Lafayette Square, some dozen blocks away. +Baths were forgotten and shaving was a luxury. It entailed severe labor +to secure water with which to prepare the necessities of life and to +maintain a reasonable degree of personal cleanliness. In common with +every other citizen our stove was placed on the curb and this was our +kitchen and dining room for over six weeks. As there was no oven, baking +and roasting had to be dispensed with, boiling and frying being the +established fashion. + +The second day after the fire, a food station was opened across the +street in an old carriage house which belonged to Mr. J. L. Flood. Here +lines would form to receive rations, the millionaire rubbing shoulders +with the laborer. The panhandler got as much as the plutocrat. The +disaster leveled all classes. A million dollars in one's pocket would +have been of little use. Nothing could be bought with it and it could +not serve as either food or drink. + + + + +Getting Back to Work + + +Betweenwhiles, as one crisis after another came and went, I was still +constant to the idea and still felt my responsibility to the California, +and from time to time as circumstances permitted, was strenuously +endeavoring to reach the directors and stockholders. The president, in +spite of his optimism, had fled from the Hotel St. Francis and gone to +the home of his mother on Clay and Larkin streets. For the same reason +he left there and went to the yards of the Fulton Iron Works where his +yacht "Lady Ada" was laid up, got her off the ways and tacked over to +Tiburon where he remained for some time. Finally word was received from +him that the directors of the company would hold a meeting at the Blake +and Moffitt Building on the corner of Eighth and Broadway, Oakland, on +May 2, 1906. Who really located them, scattered as they were, and finally +got them together, has remained an unexplained mystery. It must have +been either the president or Chief Clerk Shallenberger. The late Mr. +James Moffitt, a stockholder in the company and the owner of the +building named, kindly secured for us two rooms in that building for an +office. They were on the third floor facing Broadway and the location +and the habitat of the company was disclosed by a canvas sign which, +banner-like, hung upon the outer wall proclaiming this to be the office +of the California Insurance Company. For furniture, there was a flat top +desk and a typewriter (both secondhand) and the balance of the equipment +was handmade, of ordinary lumber, by a local carpenter. There was not +very much cash among those thus assembled, but, fortunately, the company +had maintained a deposit in an Oakland bank and this was immediately +available for checking purposes. + + + + +First Meeting of the Board of Directors + + +Quietly and almost silently the directors gathered. The only emotion +apparent was that of the usual caution shown by men of large affairs who +meet to face a crisis. The president called the meeting to order and +stated that the object of the gathering was to inform the directors that +the company was heavily involved in the conflagration which visited San +Francisco on April 18, 19 and 20, 1906, that the amount of which +obligations was at present unknown, that they overshadowed the resources +of the company and that ways and means would have to be devised to +finance the California through this crisis. + +The fire maps of the company were entirely destroyed and it was not +advisable to open the safe in which the records of the company were kept +until it was sufficiently cool to prevent danger of combustion. In light +of these facts, it was impossible to immediately ascertain the actual +amount of the company's obligations. + +In response to an inquiry as to the probable extent of our liabilities, +I, as secretary of the company, ventured the statement that I believed +they would reach a total of $1,500,000 net, explaining that I based this +estimate upon the company's income and the average rate. I also knew +that the larger part of the entire liabilities in San Francisco were in +the burned area and that if the safe did not afford protection it would +mean the loss of the company's records, leaving it without means of +ascertaining the amount of the loss until claims were filed. This would +cause a delay of several months before the exact total could be +developed. I explained that the policy contract allowed sixty days for +filing claims and expressed the thought that this limit would +undoubtedly be extended by legislative action in view of the magnitude +of the disaster. + +In the meantime, in the April 27 edition of the Examiner, on the first +page, extending over its entire width, had appeared the following +statement: + +"The California Insurance Company Will Pay in Full." + +This was discussed and the meeting began to assume a more lively +interest and the members to more actively participate. Director W. E. +Dean offered a resolution that has passed into history as being, +possibly, the most noticeable ever adopted by the directors of a fire +insurance company. It is a question whether a motion under like +conditions had ever before been put or carried or ever will be in the +future. This motion was seconded by Director Mark L. Gerstle. It was as +follows: + +That the action of the president of this corporation in publicly +announcing that the California Insurance Company would pay all its +losses in full as ascertained and adjusted, be, and the same is hereby +confirmed and ratified, provided that each of the directors of the +corporation affixes his signature to the matters of this meeting. Unless +such ratification be unanimous and evidenced by the signature of each +director to the matters of this meeting, the above action of the board +be null and void. + +The signature of each and every director was subsequently affixed to +this resolution and it then remained a matter of detail to find how +funds were to be procured to make this resolution possible of +fulfillment and something more than a mere matter of words. + +In the absence of any specific or definite information as to the amount +of the company's indebtedness this action of the directors was a most +magnificent exemplification of nerve and integrity and a superb +testimony reinforcing the axiom that a California man's word is as good +as his bond. + +The board might have instructed its secretary to make the best +compromise settlements possible and have wound up the affairs of the +corporation. The public mind was in a receptive mood to accept such +compromise settlements and such action would have resulted in extreme +financial advantage to the stockholders at the time when the resolution +was passed. No one at that time believed that the California would +discharge its obligations on a parity with the largest and strongest +insurance companies in the world. Indeed the public announcement that +the company would pay in full was regarded as ridiculous and +unbelievable and was generally considered in the light of an extremely +sagacious bluff. + +The directors of the company were not bluffers; they were made of +different stuff. They did not hesitate. They were in deadly earnest and +absolutely meant to live up to their spoken word and the world knows how +they redeemed their promises. + +My original estimate of $1,500,000 fell far short of the final net +payment which amounted to $1,840,000, but long before this had developed +the stockholders were too deeply involved to think of turning back even +had they desired to do so. Staunchly and loyally they stayed and paid to +the end, building a monument to their good name that turned the sneers +of welshing competitors into envy and admiration. + + + + +Second Meeting of the Board of Directors + + +In the advance of the company, the next historical date of importance +was May 11, 1906, when the succeeding meeting of the Board of Directors +was held at the home of Director Mark L. Gerstle, 2350 Washington +street, San Francisco. Again, I was called upon to bring bad news. I was +compelled to inform the Board of Directors that all the records of the +company had been destroyed as the safe which contained them had been +smashed by falling walls and the contents absolutely obliterated. The +only thing recovered was some rolls of silver coins melted together by +the intense heat. I also reported that three hundred and fifty claims +had been filed for an amount totaling over $650,000. + +The loss of the records was a very serious matter and complicated +proceedings to a degree apparently almost insurmountable. Lost in the +destruction of the safe were some $900,000 in re-insurance policies. +This meant restoration of this data from the records of the re-insuring +companies and at that time this looked like a superhuman undertaking. +However, I immediately detailed two employes with instructions to devote +their entire time to this angle of affairs. The companies met the +situation with every courtesy and finally after several months' exertion +all of the reinsurance was located, with the exception of about $18,000. + +I do not like to harbor the thought, but nevertheless I feel that some +company or companies, possibly still doing business, know that they owe +the California some part of this re-insurance, which goes to show that +in the insurance business, as in other enterprises, there are those who +cannot bear the light of day. + +About twelve months after the "Big Fire" I remember having received a +re-insurance claim from a company whose home office is in New York. As +this particular company was one of the very few that declined to respond +to the request to assist us in restoring the lost data, I thought it the +better part of wisdom to ask it to furnish the information previously +requested, holding up their claim in the meantime while awaiting their +reply. It never came, and their claim against the California still +remains unpaid. The conclusion is too glaring to need further comment. A +few similar instances might be recorded but they are best forgotten. + +This meeting also made history. It levied the first assessment of $40 +per share on the six thousand shares of capital stock of the +corporation. This would bring in $240,000 and was subsequently followed, +month by month, by seven others, until the total assessment had reached +$305 per share, amounting in all to $1,830,000, of which $1,800,000, or +98 per cent, to the everlasting glory of the stockholders of the +California, be it said, was paid. + +The resolution bringing this about was as follows: + +"Notice is hereby given that at a meeting of the directors held on the +11th day of May, 1906, an assessment of forty (40) dollars per share was +levied upon the capital stock of the corporation payable on or before +the 13th day of June, 1906, to Mark L. Gerstle, assistant secretary, at +the principal place of business of the corporation, No. 2350 Washington +street, San Francisco, Cal. Any stock upon which this assessment shall +remain unpaid on the 13th day of June, 1906, will be delinquent and will +be advertised for sale at public auction, and unless payment is made +before will be sold on the 2d day of July, 1906, at 2 o'clock p. m. to +pay the delinquent assessment, together with cost of advertising and +expenses of sale." + + + + +The "'Dollar for Dollar" Resolution + + +It became my duty to inform the directors that a meeting of the +representatives of all the fire insurance companies interested in the +conflagration was called for an early date at Reed's Hall, Oakland, and +that I understood the principal object of this meeting was to secure an +expression of opinion as to the method to be adopted in settling San +Francisco losses, whether seventy-five cents on the dollar should be +paid or settlement on a 100 per cent basis be made, and I requested +instructions. This was merely pro forma as the company had already +announced its position publicly as being in favor and promising to pay +cent for cent the full obligation of its contracts. The board gave me +the instructions I had expected. + +The meeting at Reed's Hall was a most memorable one. The late Geo. W. +Spencer, at that time manager of the Aetna Insurance Company, presided, +and to his fair and impartial rulings and usual courtesy and dignity of +manner, is attributable the fact that there was not considerably more +friction than developed. Even as it was, the discussions were acrid and +verged at times close to personalities and the oratory, especially on +the part of those who advocated the "six-bit" policy, was both perfervid +and vociferous. However, the representatives of the companies that had +made up their minds that their honor and contracts were worth dollar for +dollar had little to say and were not influenced by the alleged +arguments of the "six-bit-ers." + +They felt that in the last analysis there was no logical, honest +argument for the discounting of payments unless it were a case of +absolute insolvency with individual companies. It was maintained by the +opponents to the "six-bit" policy that the insuring public had paid for +what it assumed to be valid contracts and was entitled to just indemnity +and payment in full. Finally, the roll call came to ascertain the sense +of the meeting--seventy-five cents or one dollar. The roll call was +thrilling in the intensity of feeling it developed and in the position +in which it revealed each company's standing, whether for an honorable +fulfillment on the one hand or a dishonorable scaling of losses on the +other. Alphabetically, the California Insurance Company came early in +the list and I voted with those who felt their obligation to be one +hundred cents on the dollar. The position which the California would +take had been awaited with considerable interest. The public +announcement that the company would pay dollar for dollar was still +recent and this announcement had appealed to nearly every person at that +gathering as a promise which the company was absolutely and physically +unable to perform. The registering of the vote called forth quite a +demonstration. Laughter, smiles and sarcasm predominated in the part of +the hall where I was located. For a moment I was the center of +attraction. + +Despite the embarrassment and annoyance under which I labored, I felt +that I was called upon to defend the good name of the company and, +gaining recognition from the chairman, I said that the manner in which +the "California" voted seemed to cause some of those present +considerable amusement and that, individually, I didn't see anything in +it that was funny; that it was more of a tragedy than a comedy, and that +it was a solemn and serious matter for the company of which I was the +representative to go on record for the second time, publicly, as +pledging itself to pay so tremendous an amount of money out of the +pockets of its stockholders; that I was present at the meeting to carry +out the expressed instructions and wishes of these same stockholders and +that they intended to be scrupulously careful in keeping their promises, +backing their words with their deeds and dollars. This statement brought +from the dollar-for-dollar companies a gratifying amount of applause and +the "six-bit-ers" sank into silence. + +As the days passed and the "tumult and shouting" died, it gave a certain +amount of satisfaction to find that amongst the jeerers and sneerers at +the memorable Reed's Hall meeting, those who had battled most vigorously +for the horizontal cut of twenty-five cents were those who afterward +developed into the worst welshers and shavers in the entire history of +the loss settlements of the San Francisco or any other conflagration. +The "sparkling" Rhine, the "still" Moselle, the far-famed "Dutchess," +the German of Freeport, the Traders of Chicago, the Austrian Phoenix, +the Calumet, the American of Boston and others soon after sought the +seclusion which a receiver or cessation of business in California +grants, and like the Arab, they folded their tents and silently stole +away. + +At the termination of the meeting, President Chase of the Hartford, +President Damon of the Springfield, Chairman Spencer and several others, +all leaders in dollar-for-dollar ranks, some of whom are alive and some +of whom are gone, gathered around and congratulated the California upon +its attitude. Individually, it gave me a feeling of pride and +satisfaction to be the representative of a company which manfully stood +up to the rack with the best traditions of American fire insurance. It +may be well to recall to mind as a historical fact that it was at this +meeting the term "dollar-for-dollar" companies was born. + + + + +Coming Back to San Francisco + + +Early in June we made arrangements to vacate our quarters in Oakland in +the Blake and Moffitt Building, and on the 5th of that month the +California was moved to an office in San Francisco. This was a temporary +frame structure erected on identically the same site which the company +had occupied prior to the fire, and where the magnificent new skyscraper +known as the "Newhall" Building now stands. As things go now, it was not +much of an office either as to style or appearance, but it was roomy, +light, well ventilated and comfortable and in every respect preferable +to the two crowded rooms that had so hospitably housed us in Oakland. +The return to San Francisco heartened us. The daily trip from the city +to Oakland and return had been a hardship, in addition to the time lost +when every minute was too precious to be wasted. Less time was lost in +crossing the bay than in getting to and from the Ferry. The street cars +were not in operation and I was compelled daily to make the walk over +the hills and through the ruins threading my way through the ashes and +over brick piles a distance of quite two miles, from my home to the +water front. This twice a day for six days a week, and often seven, was +exhausting in the extreme, so the wear was not altogether mental. The +thought was very often in my mind that I had about the most trying job +of anyone in the business. Other managers seemed to me to be paying very +little attention, if any, to the detail of settling claims and, of +course, had nothing whatever to do with providing the sinews of war. +They were fortunate in being able to pursue the even tenor of their way, +their entire business and time being occupied with current routine, just +as if nothing of an extraordinary nature had happened. This condition +arose from the fact that the companies in the East hurried to San +Francisco and Oakland all the adjusters, both near and alleged, that +they could obtain from any portion of the United States and a few from +abroad, in order that the losses might be promptly taken care of. The +home offices saw to it that the funds were provided. The special agents +and field men of these offices were not disturbed in their usual work +and were rarely, if ever, made use of at headquarters to make +adjustments. With the California it was quite different. Our entire +field force was called in and promptly clothed with authority to adjust. +This left our agency plant entirely unprotected as to cultivation. +Financially, we were in such a crippled condition that we felt we could +not afford the expense of employing independent adjusters. These were a +luxury in any event and some of them, alas, would have been dear at any +price. The thought often comes that perhaps this policy was poor +economics. This was a golden opportunity for representatives of the +"dollar-for-dollar" companies to secure valuable agents, as carrying +capacity was in large demand to replace those companies that had either +failed or made unsatisfactory loss settlements. That there was an +abundance of the latter admits of no dispute. Possibly, we might not at +that time have been able to secure many of these valuable connections, +even if we had had the field force requisite for the required technical +work, for the reason that doubts were still expressed as to our ability +to fulfill our promises. + + + + +Duties of the Secretary + + +In the California Insurance Company office, the position of secretary +was closely akin to that of the celebrated "Pooh-Bah." Attached to the +office was the duty of collecting the assessments on the capital stock, +adjuster in chief, the underwriting, a court of appeal on technical +points in disputed settlements, a diplomatic agency and encouragement +dispensatory with and for the stockholders. The latter item took +considerable time. Singly and in groups they fired their questions: "How +many assessments will there be?" "How much do you think the losses will +total?" "How soon will you know the amount?" "When we do get out of this +shall we be as big as any other fire company or bigger?" This was the +daily grind. But since it was their money and they were laymen, their +anxiety was as pardonable as their courage was commendable. + +The president occupied an office on the other side of the hail, directly +opposite mine. The one door was lettered "President" and the other +"Secretary." + +One of the stockholders cornered me and demanded a full and explicit +statement of conditions. I gave him the facts and frankly confessed that +the prospect was not alluring. He bade me goodbye with a long face and +went directly across the hall into the office of the president. In a +brief while, he returned, his face wreathed in smiles, and quietly said +'that the president's office was "Heaven" and my office was "Hell"; that +I was a "gloomy Gus" anyway, but I couldn't help it and he pitied me, +but as for the president, he was the right man in the right place, and +he knew our exact position.' I did not make any reply. The optimism of +the president was a very great asset and in those days optimism and hope +were at a premium. + + + + +Turning of the Tide + + +Finally the tide turned. Several months had elapsed, however, before it +became generally known and admitted and the insurance world had hammered +into it the conviction that the California was truly "Californian." At +this time our field men were again in the saddle and the agency of the +California was not only readily accepted whenever offered, but eagerly +pleaded for by connections which materially contributed to subsequent +success. + + + + +Adjustments + + +There are millions of stories with regard to the adjustment and +settlement of claims during this period. All kinds of pressure, all +kinds of seduction and all kinds of bribes were offered the adjusters. +There appeared to be in the minds of many a conviction that this was the +time to make a claim against the insurance companies; that everything +was burned and that with the upset conditions any old claim could get +by. Stevedores, laborers and others not generally credited with an +excess amount of worldly wealth gayly and festively swore to proofs +showing the loss of family plate, ancestral pictures, silk underwear, +ball gowns, evening clothes and jewels. There was no possibility of +disciplining these perjurors and it was up to the expertness of the +adjusters to defend their companies from being looted. + +There were all kinds of attempts to defraud on the part of other +policyholders. One instance in which the California was interested was a +proof for a $16,000 loss on a policy covering on stock of dry and fancy +goods located in a building on Market street. I received a visit from +the policyholder who made a request for prompt payment. I explained that +our funds were being raised by assessments which were levied once a +month and that, if agreeable, we would pay him sixty per cent of his +claim and the balance in sixty days. This appeared to be satisfactory +and he left in a happy frame of mind. Thirteen thousand dollars of the +risk in question was ceded to other companies and we naturally filed +claims with the reinsurers for their proportion. The following day a +friend who was acting as chief adjuster for another office which was one +of the re-insurers on this risk, called upon me regarding this +particular claim. He laid upon my desk a photographic album and called +my attention to a large photograph of the building wherein the stock was +located. It was a two-story brick and the picture showed that the entire +front of the second story had, as the result of the earthquake, been +thrown into the street. This was taken before the fire had reached the +property. He stated that the authenticity of the photograph was +absolutely guaranteed and that in event of litigation, the testimony of +the photographer was available. He further stated that acting for the +re-insuring company, he would not follow the California for more than +sixty-five cents on the dollar. I borrowed the photograph and at once +sent for the claimant. He called the next day. It was found on +examination that he had made the statement to the general adjustment +committee that the property was not damaged prior to the fire. +Unfortunately, no affidavit was taken from him to that effect. With the +photograph before me, I realized at once that the claim was not an +honest one. I explained that the larger part of our policy had been +ceded to other companies and that some of them demanded, earthquake +affidavits with every claim; that while I regretted to put him to any +inconvenience, it would be necessary for him to produce this testimony. +He looked me squarely in the eye and said, "I'll sign it and swear to +it. Not a brick in the whole building was disturbed." He attached his +signature to the affidavit. I showed him the photograph and then stated +that we should be compelled to penalize him to the extent of thirty-five +cents on the dollar. As a matter of equity, there was little, if any, +liability under the policy. He shouted, "Fake!" "No," I replied, "simply +a matter of contractural rights and of justice. The picture is +absolutely bona fide." He left, emphatically stating that he would at +once "go to the bat." I suggested that he submit the matter to his +attorney. Fortunately for him, he had a wise one who promptly advised +that he accept the terms offered. + +This is another angle of the settlement of the San Francisco losses--no +more nor less in fact, methods, and manner, than that with which other +legitimate companies had to contend. + +Another instance is recalled of a claim for a thousand dollars covering +on lodging house furniture in a building on Sixth street, with the loss +made payable to the owner of the building. I supposed that the policy +was collateral for payment of rent. It developed that the claimant was a +widow with one child. She was without a cent in the world, and called to +request payment. By this time the company was running short of ready +funds to such an extent that instructions had been issued to adjusters +that all claims hereafter would take the customary sixty days before +payment. She stated that the fire had canceled her lease, that she had +seen the payees and that they would waive the claim and that she was +absolutely destitute and would be willing to take whatever we would +offer, if she could get the cash. The position of the company was +explained to her with the result that she felt that we were working for +a discount. But it was not the intention of the California to take +advantage of people's necessities and we informed her that such was the +case. Her claim was a just one. I accepted her proofs, paid her +twenty-five per cent cash and the balance at the end of thirty days. +These are but isolated instances among many. + + + + +Special Meeting of Stockholders + + +Another historical meeting was held August 9th. This time at the office +of the company. It was a special meeting of the stockholders. Three +assessments had been levied of forty dollars each, amounting in all to +$720,000. This money had been paid out in settlement of claims. This was +the first meeting of the stockholders proper since the fire. The +directors realized that in response to inquiries from the stockholders +who were principally interested that they were entitled to a report as +to the progress made and the policy to be adopted for the future. Over +ninety individual stockholders were present and in order to accommodate +the crowd, the employes removed their desks and chairs, and during the +time of the meeting adjusted losses and discharged their duties on the +sidewalk in front of the building. The early-comers had seats. The +late-comers stood, but so interesting was the meeting that discomforts +were forgotten. The president made a very full and analytical report, +finishing with the announcement that another million dollars would be +needed to continue the splendid work and accomplish the final result of +bringing the California through the disaster with justice, equity and +fairness to all its contract-holders. The atmosphere was charged with +optimism and enthusiasm and amongst all the speeches made, and they were +many, not one bore any intimation of regret or of any desire to do other +than march steadily ahead. Mr. Ignatz Steinhart, at the time manager of +the Anglo-Californian Bank, careful, cautious, shrewd and a hard-headed +financier, in his speech practically struck the keynote of the whole +meeting. He said in substance: + +"I have lived here many years and I expect to die here. I love San +Francisco and I know you all feel the same and it is my honest +conviction that the directors of the California have adopted the proper +and only course and that its stockholders will stand behind them, and +that, the company will pay its losses at the rate of one hundred cents +on the dollar without discount. I now present a motion that it is the +sense of this meeting that the Board of Directors be given all that they +request and that all their actions are hereby heartily ratified, +approved and confirmed." + +There was not a single dissenting vote. At this time a stockholder +enthusiastically jumped on his chair and proposed three cheers for the +company and the management. The clerks on the sidewalk and some of the +passers by rushed into the crowd to see what was the cause of the +commotion. When the meeting adjourned, the confidence of all was +renewed. The barometer of their enthusiasm and determination had risen +and smiles and handshakes put the period to the gathering. Seldom, if +ever, has an Irish dividend meeting been held and disbursed with such a +wholesome feeling of satisfaction. It was more like a "melon cutting" +than a preparation to excavate to still lower depths their pocketbooks. +Never was the true California spirit more faithfully portrayed. + + + + +The Final Supreme Effort + + +The annual statement of the company at the end of the year showed beyond +the peradventure of a doubt that the company had kept the faith, but it +was left with a very attenuated surplus. Then business began to grow by +leaps and bounds. The bread which had been cast upon the waters was +returning and another problem now confronted the company--to protect +the reserves on the rapidly increasing income. This required a working +surplus and meant more assessments which seemed to be adding insult to +injury. The stockholders had already provided the funds to pay losses +and to now ask for more money for any other than loss-paying purposes, +gallant as was the spirit of those directly interested, seemed +dangerous. The directors and some of the more prominent stockholders met +informally and discussed the situation and the concensus of opinion was +that the honor of the company demanded that it continue to the end to +accomplish to the fullest that for which so many financial sacrifices +had been made--to take any other course, to discontinue, to fall down, +or to break faith with those who had given us their confidence would be +suicidal. In this deduction proof was given of the sound judgment and +business acumen of those who bore the brunt of the burden in those hot +days of battle. They took the position that the reputation which the +company had already builded was an asset of almost unlimited value and +realized that the peak of the mountain was just a few steps further +on--that summit from which the company could look out upon the valley of +success and reap the full reward for all the sacrifices its stockholders +had made. Plan after plan was submitted for financing, change after +change was suggested, but for a time concerted action seemed almost +impossible of attainment. Finally, I called upon the largest stockholder +and treasurer of the company, Mr. Geo. L. Payne, in his office at the +Payne Bolt Works. I laid before him the plan of increasing the capital +stock from six thousand shares to ten thousand shares by the sale of +four thousand shares at sixty dollars per share which would realize for +the company a total amount of $240,000 of which $160,000 could be +applied to capital, bringing that item up to $400,000, and $80,000 to +surplus. While this did not make the surplus as much as was desirable, +we were used to economies, to making every dollar count. This has always +been a feature of the management of the company. With this sum and by a +continuance of conservative methods and proper management we believed it +possible to provide for all contingencies. Mr. Payne listened quietly, a +pad of paper before him and a pencil in his hand. When I had exhausted +every argument and made the best possible statement of the exact +conditions, he stated that he realized fully the gravity of the position +and then came the flood. He said that, if it became necessary, he, as +the largest stockholder in the company, would endorse the proposition to +the extent of taking the entire issue. The balance of the consummation +of the idea was merely a matter of detail. Another meeting of the +stockholders was called and of the many meetings that we had gone +through, this stands out brightest of all. The plan was presented and as +might naturally be expected invoked little enthusiasm and did not appear +to interest anybody. Mr. Payne quietly rose to his feet, explained the +position of the company as he saw it and then shocked the assemblage +into activity by making public the announcement of his willingness to +take the entire issue of additional stock. That was a flash of +optimistic lightning the bolt of which apparently struck every man in +the room. They sat up, took notice, and awoke to the fact that they were +possibly missing something worth while. The outcome was that Mr. Payne +was only able to secure his pro rata as the entire issue was promptly +over subscribed by the stockholders, it being understood that the right +of subscription should be confined rigidly to stockholders of record. +Never in my business career have I seen the value or virtue of a leader +expressed in so forceful a manner as in the effect of Mr. Payne's offer +upon that meeting. It was the greatest evidence of applied psychology +that ever it has been my good fortune to experience. + + + + +Recapitulation + + +These memoranda I have written years after the happenings which they +sketch. They are drawn from the records of the company and from the +tablets of my memory. Those upon which I have touched were amongst the +higher lights, they are vivid in recollection and as well remembered as +if they had taken place at a recent date. + +Those were strenuous times. Times that not alone tested the dignity and +honor of men, but rocked them to their very foundations. Only the +admittedly honest and honorable men survived the experiences of those +days without blotch upon their escutcheons. It is naturally to be +presumed that the minds of those who passed through those days of +reconstruction recall many deeds of heroism, of sacrifices made upon the +altar of duty. Each has the surmounting of his individual trials to +remember, but amongst all that was done as the result of the San +Francisco conflagration there is, in my opinion, nothing carrying +greater, honor or higher integrity than the work and sacrifice of that +gallant band of men who were directors and shareholders of the +California Insurance Company. They were the pioneers and the sons of +pioneers who braved the hardships and terrors of desert and sea--the +founders of this great commonwealth. Incidents and happenings which have +passed from public record will still live in the memory of those who +played a part. The wonderful rehabilitation period, with all that it +meant of physical and mental suffering, but typifies today in concrete, +stone and brick the sturdy and stalwart spirit of those men who were +made absolute pioneers by the ash heap of 1906. Some of these have gone +to their last accounting, but for those who are still serving, and still +tugging at the oar, there remains but to guard the heritage which they +bequeathed--to bring upon the results of their work a continuation of +their ideals. + +The spirit of 1906, glorified by San Franciscans, which alone made +possible the resurrection from the ashes of that "city loved around the +world," sitting serenely upon its seven hills by the portals of the +Golden Gate and whose destiny is oblivious of fire and earthquake, is +worthy of more than a passing tribute. Its example should thrill and +encourage those who are inclined to falter. It is a beacon light to +those who are to continue the struggle with the petty details and the +larger duties of everyday life. And among the contributors none are more +to be admired or borne in reverent respect than the directors, those men +who held either large or small investments in the "California" and were +true to their trust. + + + + +Conclusion + + +Whether the end justifies the means depends upon the judgment of the +critic. It is possible that there is too much of personality herein, but +in justice to the writer, it must be borne in mind that no attempt has +been made for literary style; that the task imposed upon him was +attempted solely to comply with the insistence of others and that the +use of the first personal pronoun is the readiest vehicle of expression. + +No special mantle of credit rests upon his shoulders. If there be any +such garment it drapes the shoulders of every man connected with the +company from the humblest employee up through the heaviest stockholders +to the highest official. It overlaps and falls with becoming dignity on +the shoulders of those who are fellow citizens and fellow Californians, +who shared with us as we shared with them the heat and burden of the +days succeeding the never-to-be-forgotten disaster of April 18, 1906. + + + +The Spirit of 1906 is a book of the Primo Press, San Francisco, printed +in April, 1921 + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Spirit of 1906, by George W. Brooks + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SPIRIT OF 1906 *** + +***** This file should be named 6716.txt or 6716.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/7/1/6716/ + +Produced by David Schwan + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at + www.gutenberg.org/license. + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation information page at www.gutenberg.org + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at 809 +North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email +contact links and up to date contact information can be found at the +Foundation's web site and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For forty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/6716.zip b/6716.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b00a4eb --- /dev/null +++ b/6716.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ef44ce9 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #6716 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6716) diff --git a/old/s190610.txt b/old/s190610.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..affd9f8 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/s190610.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1440 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Spirit of 1906, by George W. Brooks + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Spirit of 1906 + +Author: George W. Brooks + +Release Date: October, 2004 [EBook #6716] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on January 19, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE SPIRIT OF 1906 *** + + + + +This eBook was produced by David Schwan <davidsch@earthlink.net>. + + + +Geo. W. Brooks, Secretary and Treasurer, Founder of the Company as +reorganized in the year 1905 + + + +The Spirit of 1906 + + + +By George W. Brooks +Founder of the California Insurance Company (as reorganized in the year +1905) and who has continuously occupied the position of Secretary and +Managing Underwriter with the Corporation since that date. + + + +Published by the California Insurance Company of San Francisco 1921 + + + +Copyright 1921 +By Geo. W. Brooks + + + +Dedicated to the Directors and Shareholders of the California Insurance +Company in 1906 who so nobly, at their own financial cost, did their +"Big Bit." + + + +"On fame's eternall beadroll worthie to be fyled." - Spenser + + + +Foreword + + + +Whatever of effort has been given in the pleasant pastime of writing +these rambling and sketchy pages of reminiscences is dedicated to those +who in the hours of trial and tribulation felt with Sir Philip Sidney, +"Honor is the idol of man's mind" and determined to do that which honor +demanded knowing that if they lost their honor they lost their all. + +Reading between these lines, it is hoped there will be found some +intimation, some outline, of the character of the men who composed the +directors and stockholders of the California Insurance Company, who +acted well their part, who fought the good fight and held the faith, +whose stern sense of duty and heroic courage led them to lay upon the +altar of their idealism the financial sacrifices which they made. + +Theirs is the honor achieved. They neither faltered nor hesitated in +upholding and protecting their own individual good name, the fair name +of the Company nor the integrity of the financial institutions of +California, and they, like Bacon "May leave their name and memory to +man's charitable speeches, to the next age and foreign nations." + + + +The Spirit of 1906 + + + +The California Insurance Company having played one of the leading parts +in the reconstruction of San Francisco following the disaster of 1906 +and there being no record of its activities, I have, after insistent and +repeated requests from directors, stockholders and others, finally +yielded to their importunities to preserve for reference my impressions +and memories of that most important crisis ever known to fire insurance. + +From the time when Nero played the violin accompaniment to the burning +of Rome, down, through the ages, to 5:15 a. m., April 18, 1906, and up +to the present date, the San Francisco disaster is the most prominent +recorded in history. It was the greatest spectacular drama ever staged +and produced the biggest heap of the "damn'dest, finest ruins" the world +has ever seen. + +In transferring the records from the tablets of my memory to the printed +page, I am dealing with accurate historical facts of the California +Insurance Company together with my own impressions. The facts and +figures regarding the Company are incontrovertible. My own impressions +are but those which were felt by thousands of other San Franciscans in a +greater or lesser or more varying degree. These may be taken as merely +the local color, the object being to set forth for enduring vision, the +splendid performances of honorably disposed fire insurance companies +amongst which none discharged to policyholders the liabilities under +their contracts with any greater sense of equity, honor and liberality +than did the California Insurance Company. + + + +The Morning of April 18th + + + +In common with the other half million citizens of San Francisco on that +fateful morning, I was awakened from a sound sleep by a continuous and +violent shaking and oscillation of my bed. I was bewildered, dazed, and +only awakened fully when my wife suddenly screamed, "Earthquake!" It was +a whopper, bringing with it a ghastly sensation of utter and absolute +helplessness and an involuntary prayer that the vibrations might cease. +Short as was the period of the earth's rocking, it seemed interminable, +and the fear that the end would never come dominated the prayer and +brought home with tremendous import the realization of our +insignificance, of what mere atoms we become when turned on the wheel of +destiny in the midst of such abnormal phenomena of nature's forces. + +It was 5:15, broad daylight, and as I glanced at my watch those figures +were indelibly fixed in my memory for the rest of my existence. The +terror and horror which suddenly sprang like a beast of prey out of the +gray dawn and grasped our heart strings, came unheralded from a day that +otherwise promised all that should make life worth living. The night had +been particularly warm and inviting. So vivid was this impression of the +glory of the morning that I was possessed by a feeling of irony that +such a beginning should herald the inception of so bitter a calamity. +Fascinated, I stood gazing at a weathervane on the top of a house across +the street. It swayed to and fro like the light branch of a tree in a +heavy gale. I was jarred out of my inanition by a terrific shock. The +house lurched and trembled and I felt that now was the end. It was +afterward discovered that this crash and jar was caused by the falling +of a heavy outside chimney, attached to the adjoining house. It had +broken and struck our dwelling at about the first floor level and torn +away about twenty feet of the sheathing, some of the studding and left a +big hole through which the dust and sound poured in volumes, adding to +the already almost unbearable confusion. + +The first natural impulse of a human being in an earthquake is to get +out into the open, and as I and those who were with me were at that +particular moment decidedly human in both mold and temperament, we +dressed hastily and joined the group of excited neighbors gathered on +the street. Pale faced, nervous and excited, we chattered like daws +until the next happening intervened, which was the approach of a man on +horseback who shouted as he "Revere-d" past us the startling news that +numerous fires had started in various parts of the city, that the Spring +Valley Water Company's feed main had been broken by the quake, that +there was no water and that the city was doomed. + +This was the spur I needed. Fires and no water! It was a call to duty. +The urge to get downtown and to the office of the "California" enveloped +me to such an extent that my terror left me. Activity dominated all +other sensations and I started for the office. As all street car lines +and methods of transportation had ceased to operate it meant a hike of +about two miles. + +My course was down Vallejo street to Van Ness avenue, thence over +Pacific street to Montgomery. When I reached the top of the hill at +Pacific street where it descends to the business section, a vision of +tremendous destruction, like a painted picture, opened before my eyes. I +saw fires on the water front, fires in the commercial district and also +portentous columns of smoke hovering over the southern part of the city. +Then like a blow in the face came the realization that all fire fighting +facilities were nil owing to the lack of water. One short hour previous, +San Francisco was sleeping peacefully in its prosperity, and now the +sight was appalling. Devastation, far as the eye could see, was spelling +death and destruction. + +My route was down Clay street from Montgomery to Sacramento. In that one +block I counted twenty-one dead horses, killed by falling walls. They +had belonged to the corps of men who bring in to the market with the +dawn the city's supplies. When I reached the corner of California and +Sansome streets (the California office being one block away on +California and Battery) I found a rope stretched across from the Mutual +Life Insurance Company Building to the site where the Alaska Commercial +Company building now stands. All beyond was policed. A soldier of the +regular army was on guard and no one was permitted to pass. Arguments +and beseechments to get to the office were of no avail. The necessity +and the emergency, however, stimulated my determination and aroused my +ingenuity. Suddenly, I ducked under the rope and ran a Marathon which +was not only a surprise to myself but also to the officers and the crowd +who yelled after me. I am sure that in this one block my speed record +for a flat run still stands unequaled. + +I reached the office and there found every intimation of a hasty +departure on the part of the janitor. The front door of the building +stood wide open. I rushed in, threw open my desk and hastily gathered an +armful of what I deemed were the more important books and papers. +Glancing around to see if there was any way of saving anything else I +again received a jolt by noticing that the fire was coming down a light +shaft from an adjoining building and through an open window into the +rear office of the "California's" office. In fact, furniture was already +burning in the president's room. This was no place for me. The only +avenue of escape was the way I had come, since so rapid was the spread +of the conflagration that north, south and east were already in flames. + +Upon reaching California street I rushed and headed west, and the +instant I had passed, the entire four-story outer wall of the building +located on the southwest corner of California and Battery streets (then +known as the "Insurance Building"), fell with a roar, completely +blocking the street over which I had just made my escape. Realizing that +my safety was measured by a matter of seconds, I was for a moment +unnerved. My legs trembled, my heart pounded and my breath came quickly, +and only by a great exertion of will induced by the thought that it was +time to do and not to hesitate, I made the effort and arrived safely at +the rope from which I had started. I shook as if with the ague. Sweat +and grime poured from me, but the shout that went up from the watching +crowd and the many friendly hands that sought mine, gave me my second +wind. + +I had already made up my mind that possibly the Liverpool and London and +Globe Insurance Company and Colonel C. Mason Kinne would allow me to +store within their vaults whatever salvage I had taken from my desk. My +trust in their courtesy was justified. I was made welcome and the +Colonel, in the name of the company, placed anything and everything that +it had in the shape of assistance at my disposal. + +As we stood talking on the corner of California and Leidesdorff streets, +a friend still living in San Francisco who had an office in the +Liverpool and London and Globe Building suggested to me that I had +better take an option on some of that company's vacant rooms. I spoke to +Colonel Kinne, a verbal agreement to that effect was made, and I turned +and smilingly remarked, little knowing what the future had in store, +that the California Insurance Company would resume business in the +Liverpool and London and Globe Building "tomorrow morning." + +I then stood and watched the firemen lower a suction pipe through a +manhole in the middle of the street and pump sewerage on to the old +Wells Fargo Building. It had about as much effect as a garden hose and +the supply was soon exhausted. The firemen stood perfectly helpless, +like soldiers without ammunition, in front of the enemy. The fire had +now about everything east of Sansome street and in the absence of water +it was only a question of one or two days at most when the entire city +would be in ashes. This was not alone my impression but the same ghastly +prospect impressed itself upon all those who were gathered in the +vicinity. + +The minutes had ticked off until it was now about 8 a. m., when another +violent shock occurred - a sort of postscript to the original 5:15 +trembler. It was of short duration but while it lasted it was decidedly +impressive. The crowd scattered and I with them, for we suddenly +realized that another wall might fall with a crash and that we might be +caught. This is the only reason I can assign for our agility in getting +away, unless it might be that we simply followed the first and natural +impulse of our overwrought nerves. + + + +The Dominant Thought + + + +As the various impressions and shocks succeeded one another, there +always came in the interim the dominant thought of the California +Insurance Company. This thought again became uppermost and I concluded +to at once get in touch with the president. I proceeded by devious ways +over bricks, past wreck and ruin, through the stunned and gaping crowds, +until I reached the St. Francis Hotel where he resided, and finally +found him in the lobby, which was packed by an excited throng of +humanity. If ever the St. Francis needed the S. O. S. sign, it was the +morning of this day. Everybody in the hotel must have been, with others, +in the lobby. + +The president was in his usual hopeful and optimistic frame of mind. He +had no fear whatever but that the fire would be shortly under control. +How this was to be brought about, he could not tell, but he was +perfectly satisfied that it would be done. I looked at the man in wonder +and admiration. Such colossal optimism was superb. To expect from fate +what appeared to me to be the impossible was indicative of a hope +sublime. I envied such a nature. It was not only a great asset but was +also a great solace in the face of an unprecedented disaster. But he had +not been where I had been nor had he seen what I had seen. + +Then my thoughts turned toward home and my depression increased almost +to despair as I walked past the wreck and ruin and through the crowds +who themselves were fleeing in indescribable habiliments and with all +sorts of futile treasures grasped in their hands. + +No water! Little, if any, police protection! In fact, nothing, +apparently, except Divinity itself, to prevent the conflagration from +finally burning to the ocean. A most sublime tragedy! It meant the +impoverishment and lack of homes to thousands; it meant the sweeping +away of accumulations of years of endeavor; it might mean starvation; it +meant beginning again to climb the uphill trail to success; and last, +but worst, it meant the tremendous death toll either from immediate +causes or from after effects. Even today, years after the conflagration, +many men and women live in San Francisco in a greater or less degree of +ill health, the seeds of which were planted by the terror and mental +strain which they endured on the morning of that day. + + + +Progress of the Fire + + + +The day passed. Neither I nor any other can remember all the details +which marked the hours of suspense. It is to be presumed that others +like myself found various, and what then appeared to them to be +tremendous, things to claim their attention and then - the second day! + +The fire had now reached Van Ness avenue and again came the messengers +on horseback who shouted in passing that everyone must move. My home was +on Vallejo street about five blocks beyond Van Ness and it was generally +believed that inasmuch as that street was one hundred and twenty feet +wide that it would form a fire break which could not be crossed. +Backfiring had already been started to meet the oncoming conflagration, +but everything, including the elements, seemed to favor destruction and, +as time passed, the worry and fear increased. Owing to inability to +combat the fire, through the lack of water, doubt began to creep in as +to whether the width of Van Ness avenue and the puny attempts at fire +fighting would check the march of the flames. + +About this time the question dawned upon myself and neighbors as to what +we should do with the more precious of our personal belongings. Mr. +Joseph Weisbein, a friendly neighbor, since dead, and myself evolved a +scheme to bury our belongings in the garden at the rear of my house. We +assembled four trunks, packed these with silverware and wearing apparel, +and some of the hardest physical work I have ever done was in burying +these trunks, digging the hole with a worn out shovel and a broken +spade. Then, with the help of our Chinese cook, I brought out of the +cellar a baby's buggy which had lain forgotten and unused for several +years. We loaded it with bedding and other things and trundled it down +the hill to Lobos Park near the bay shore. Trip after trip we made +before we decided that we had all that was necessary or, rather, +absolutely needful for a camp existence. The next question was shelter. +After prowling around the partially quake-wrecked gas works, I found +some pieces of timber out of which I constructed a sort of framework for +a large A tent. I borrowed a hatchet from another refugee, a stranger in +adversity. The disaster had broken down the barriers of formality and we +all lent a willing hand each to the other. I secured some spare rope and +got up my framework. This was covered to windward with some Indian +blankets sewn together by those we were trying to make comfortable. +Under that hastily erected rude shelter nineteen people slept on +mattresses that night. I did not have the good fortune to sleep. Sleep +would not come to "knit up the ravelled sleeve of care," and through the +long hours I watched the intermittent flashes, heard the noises and in +the darkness went through the added suffering of overstrained nerves. + +A neighbor, J. F. D. Curtis, since dead, but at that time and for years +after the manager of the "Providence Washington Insurance Company," +passed the silent watches of the night with me, each of us smoking +ourselves blind and watching - talking but little, although thinking +and feeling a whole lot. We were a mile from the fire, nevertheless it +was so light that a newspaper could easily have been read by its glow +from the time when the sun set on the ruins to the hour when it rose on +the next day of horror. Curtis, turning and pointing to the flaming +city, inquired in quiet tones if the California Insurance Company could +pay the bill. I replied that as a stockholder in the company, I felt +that I was ruined and I feared that the company would "go broke." He +stated that he believed the Providence Washington would weather the +storm and if the worst came to the worst with me, he would like to have +me join him in the management of the company he represented. It was a +ray of sunshine. It was a beacon of hope. It was like a life buoy thrown +to a drowning man, and I shall never forget the encouragement that came +with his offer nor the gratitude I felt, and, although subsequent events +have shown that my first fears were wrong, my gratitude endures to this +day. + +The night passed and while we were eating a cold breakfast, principally +composed of sandwiches, the man on horseback arrived again; this time, +however, with the glad tidings that the fire had been stopped at Van +Ness avenue and we could return to our homes. It was afterward learned +that the salvaging of the section of the city beyond Van Ness avenue was +due to the excellent work done by two salt water streams pumped from the +bay by tugs stationed at the foot of Van Ness avenue and carried along +by relays of fire engines. So intense and so furious was the fire that +while one set of firemen, their heads covered with blankets, held the +hose, the second stream was used to drench them, also the engine. +Further proof of the fierce and terrific heat was shown in the +circumstance that houses one hundred and twenty-five to one hundred and +thirty-five feet across the avenue had windows cracked and paint +blistered. The last grand heroic stand of the fire fighters was made at +the corner of Van Ness avenue and Vallejo streets. + +A man was found with a wagon to cart our things back to the house and, +while we did not have much worldly wealth in our clothes, we were +prepared to pay liberally. Under the circumstances, when his modest +charge of two dollars was met we felt that he had earned it many times +and in addition, our gratitude. Arriving at the residence, we found the +sidewalks and the street in front of it three inches thick with ashes +and cinders. Now came the task of unearthing the trunks and with it came +the thought that had this section been entirely burned how difficult it +might have been to locate the place where they had been buried. +Necessity for action and to be up and doing was too strong, however, to +allow time for any such conjectures. There was too much going on to +dwell on post-mortems. That night the streets were patrolled by marines +from United States warships in the harbor, whom the government had +hurried to the scene of action with all promptness possible. + +No lights nor fires were permitted in houses. It was either retire at +sundown or retire in the dark. Whatever water was needed had to be +carried from the nearest well and even after the mains had been restored +to normal efficiency this practice was continued for fear that the +possibly broken sewers might contaminate or pollute the water. No fires +nor cooking were permitted in any building until every chimney and flue +had been passed upon by the authorities. + +In order to obtain water it was necessary first to procure buckets, then +carry it from an old well in Lafayette Square, some dozen blocks away. +Baths were forgotten and shaving was a luxury. It entailed severe labor +to secure water with which to prepare the necessities of life and to +maintain a reasonable degree of personal cleanliness. In common with +every other citizen our stove was placed on the curb and this was our +kitchen and dining room for over six weeks. As there was no oven, baking +and roasting had to be dispensed with, boiling and frying being the +established fashion. + +The second day after the fire, a food station was opened across the +street in an old carriage house which belonged to Mr. J. L. Flood. Here +lines would form to receive rations, the millionaire rubbing shoulders +with the laborer. The panhandler got as much as the plutocrat. The +disaster leveled all classes. A million dollars in one's pocket would +have been of little use. Nothing could be bought with it and it could +not serve as either food or drink. + + + +Getting Back to Work + + + +Betweenwhiles, as one crisis after another came and went, I was still +constant to the idea and still felt my responsibility to the California, +and from time to time as circumstances permitted, was strenuously +endeavoring to reach the directors and stockholders. The president, in +spite of his optimism, had fled from the Hotel St. Francis and gone to +the home of his mother on Clay and Larkin streets. For the same reason +he left there and went to the yards of the Fulton Iron Works where his +yacht "Lady Ada" was laid up, got her off the ways and tacked over to +Tiburon where he remained for some time. Finally word was received from +him that the directors of the company would hold a meeting at the Blake +and Moffitt Building on the corner of Eighth and Broadway, Oakland, on +May 2, 1906. Who really located them, scattered as they were, and finally +got them together, has remained an unexplained mystery. It must have +been either the president or Chief Clerk Shallenberger. The late Mr. +James Moffitt, a stockholder in the company and the owner of the +building named, kindly secured for us two rooms in that building for an +office. They were on the third floor facing Broadway and the location +and the habitat of the company was disclosed by a canvas sign which, +banner-like, hung upon the outer wall proclaiming this to be the office +of the California Insurance Company. For furniture, there was a flat top +desk and a typewriter (both secondhand) and the balance of the equipment +was handmade, of ordinary lumber, by a local carpenter. There was not +very much cash among those thus assembled, but, fortunately, the company +had maintained a deposit in an Oakland bank and this was immediately +available for checking purposes. + + + +First Meeting of the Board of Directors + + + +Quietly and almost silently the directors gathered. The only emotion +apparent was that of the usual caution shown by men of large affairs who +meet to face a crisis. The president called the meeting to order and +stated that the object of the gathering was to inform the directors that +the company was heavily involved in the conflagration which visited San +Francisco on April 18, 19 and 20, 1906, that the amount of which +obligations was at present unknown, that they overshadowed the resources +of the company and that ways and means would have to be devised to +finance the California through this crisis. + +The fire maps of the company were entirely destroyed and it was not +advisable to open the safe in which the records of the company were kept +until it was sufficiently cool to prevent danger of combustion. In light +of these facts, it was impossible to immediately ascertain the actual +amount of the company's obligations. + +In response to an inquiry as to the probable extent of our liabilities, +I, as secretary of the company, ventured the statement that I believed +they would reach a total of $1,500,000 net, explaining that I based this +estimate upon the company's income and the average rate. I also knew +that the larger part of the entire liabilities in San Francisco were in +the burned area and that if the safe did not afford protection it would +mean the loss of the company's records, leaving it without means of +ascertaining the amount of the loss until claims were filed. This would +cause a delay of several months before the exact total could be +developed. I explained that the policy contract allowed sixty days for +filing claims and expressed the thought that this limit would +undoubtedly be extended by legislative action in view of the magnitude +of the disaster. + +In the meantime, in the April 27 edition of the Examiner, on the first +page, extending over its entire width, had appeared the following +statement: + +"The California Insurance Company Will Pay in Full." + +This was discussed and the meeting began to assume a more lively +interest and the members to more actively participate. Director W. E. +Dean offered a resolution that has passed into history as being, +possibly, the most noticeable ever adopted by the directors of a fire +insurance company. It is a question whether a motion under like +conditions had ever before been put or carried or ever will be in the +future. This motion was seconded by Director Mark L. Gerstle. It was as +follows: + +That the action of the president of this corporation in publicly +announcing that the California Insurance Company would pay all its +losses in full as ascertained and adjusted, be, and the same is hereby +confirmed and ratified, provided that each of the directors of the +corporation affixes his signature to the matters of this meeting. Unless +such ratification be unanimous and evidenced by the signature of each +director to the matters of this meeting, the above action of the board +be null and void. + +The signature of each and every director was subsequently affixed to +this resolution and it then remained a matter of detail to find how +funds were to be procured to make this resolution possible of +fulfillment and something more than a mere matter of words. + +In the absence of any specific or definite information as to the amount +of the company's indebtedness this action of the directors was a most +magnificent exemplification of nerve and integrity and a superb +testimony reinforcing the axiom that a California man's word is as good +as his bond. + +The board might have instructed its secretary to make the best +compromise settlements possible and have wound up the affairs of the +corporation. The public mind was in a receptive mood to accept such +compromise settlements and such action would have resulted in extreme +financial advantage to the stockholders at the time when the resolution +was passed. No one at that time believed that the California would +discharge its obligations on a parity with the largest and strongest +insurance companies in the world. Indeed the public announcement that +the company would pay in full was regarded as ridiculous and +unbelievable and was generally considered in the light of an extremely +sagacious bluff. + +The directors of the company were not bluffers; they were made of +different stuff. They did not hesitate. They were in deadly earnest and +absolutely meant to live up to their spoken word and the world knows how +they redeemed their promises. + +My original estimate of $1,500,000 fell far short of the final net +payment which amounted to $1,840,000, but long before this had developed +the stockholders were too deeply involved to think of turning back even +had they desired to do so. Staunchly and loyally they stayed and paid to +the end, building a monument to their good name that turned the sneers +of welshing competitors into envy and admiration. + + + +Second Meeting of the Board of Directors + + + +In the advance of the company, the next historical date of importance +was May 11, 1906, when the succeeding meeting of the Board of Directors +was held at the home of Director Mark L. Gerstle, 2350 Washington +street, San Francisco. Again, I was called upon to bring bad news. I was +compelled to inform the Board of Directors that all the records of the +company had been destroyed as the safe which contained them had been +smashed by falling walls and the contents absolutely obliterated. The +only thing recovered was some rolls of silver coins melted together by +the intense heat. I also reported that three hundred and fifty claims +had been filed for an amount totaling over $650,000. + +The loss of the records was a very serious matter and complicated +proceedings to a degree apparently almost insurmountable. Lost in the +destruction of the safe were some $900,000 in re-insurance policies. +This meant restoration of this data from the records of the re-insuring +companies and at that time this looked like a superhuman undertaking. +However, I immediately detailed two employes with instructions to devote +their entire time to this angle of affairs. The companies met the +situation with every courtesy and finally after several months' exertion +all of the reinsurance was located, with the exception of about $18,000. + +I do not like to harbor the thought, but nevertheless I feel that some +company or companies, possibly still doing business, know that they owe +the California some part of this re-insurance, which goes to show that +in the insurance business, as in other enterprises, there are those who +cannot bear the light of day. + +About twelve months after the "Big Fire" I remember having received a +re-insurance claim from a company whose home office is in New York. As +this particular company was one of the very few that declined to respond +to the request to assist us in restoring the lost data, I thought it the +better part of wisdom to ask it to furnish the information previously +requested, holding up their claim in the meantime while awaiting their +reply. It never came, and their claim against the California still +remains unpaid. The conclusion is too glaring to need further comment. A +few similar instances might be recorded but they are best forgotten. + +This meeting also made history. It levied the first assessment of $40 +per share on the six thousand shares of capital stock of the +corporation. This would bring in $240,000 and was subsequently followed, +month by month, by seven others, until the total assessment had reached +$305 per share, amounting in all to $1,830,000, of which $1,800,000, or +98 per cent, to the everlasting glory of the stockholders of the +California, be it said, was paid. + +The resolution bringing this about was as follows: + +"Notice is hereby given that at a meeting of the directors held on the +11th day of May, 1906, an assessment of forty (40) dollars per share was +levied upon the capital stock of the corporation payable on or before +the 13th day of June, 1906, to Mark L. Gerstle, assistant secretary, at +the principal place of business of the corporation, No. 2350 Washington +street, San Francisco, Cal. Any stock upon which this assessment shall +remain unpaid on the 13th day of June, 1906, will be delinquent and will +be advertised for sale at public auction, and unless payment is made +before will be sold on the 2d day of July, 1906, at 2 o'clock p. m. to +pay the delinquent assessment, together with cost of advertising and +expenses of sale." + + + +The "'Dollar for Dollar" Resolution + + + +It became my duty to inform the directors that a meeting of the +representatives of all the fire insurance companies interested in the +conflagration was called for an early date at Reed's Hall, Oakland, and +that I understood the principal object of this meeting was to secure an +expression of opinion as to the method to be adopted in settling San +Francisco losses, whether seventy-five cents on the dollar should be +paid or settlement on a 100 per cent basis be made, and I requested +instructions. This was merely pro forma as the company had already +announced its position publicly as being in favor and promising to pay +cent for cent the full obligation of its contracts. The board gave me +the instructions I had expected. + +The meeting at Reed's Hall was a most memorable one. The late Geo. W. +Spencer, at that time manager of the Aetna Insurance Company, presided, +and to his fair and impartial rulings and usual courtesy and dignity of +manner, is attributable the fact that there was not considerably more +friction than developed. Even as it was, the discussions were acrid and +verged at times close to personalities and the oratory, especially on +the part of those who advocated the "six-bit" policy, was both perfervid +and vociferous. However, the representatives of the companies that had +made up their minds that their honor and contracts were worth dollar for +dollar had little to say and were not influenced by the alleged +arguments of the "six-bit-ers." + +They felt that in the last analysis there was no logical, honest +argument for the discounting of payments unless it were a case of +absolute insolvency with individual companies. It was maintained by the +opponents to the "six-bit" policy that the insuring public had paid for +what it assumed to be valid contracts and was entitled to just indemnity +and payment in full. Finally, the roll call came to ascertain the sense +of the meeting - seventy-five cents or one dollar. The roll call was +thrilling in the intensity of feeling it developed and in the position +in which it revealed each company's standing, whether for an honorable +fulfillment on the one hand or a dishonorable scaling of losses on the +other. Alphabetically, the California Insurance Company came early in +the list and I voted with those who felt their obligation to be one +hundred cents on the dollar. The position which the California would +take had been awaited with considerable interest. The public +announcement that the company would pay dollar for dollar was still +recent and this announcement had appealed to nearly every person at that +gathering as a promise which the company was absolutely and physically +unable to perform. The registering of the vote called forth quite a +demonstration. Laughter, smiles and sarcasm predominated in the part of +the hall where I was located. For a moment I was the center of +attraction. + +Despite the embarrassment and annoyance under which I labored, I felt +that I was called upon to defend the good name of the company and, +gaining recognition from the chairman, I said that the manner in which +the "California" voted seemed to cause some of those present +considerable amusement and that, individually, I didn't see anything in +it that was funny; that it was more of a tragedy than a comedy, and that +it was a solemn and serious matter for the company of which I was the +representative to go on record for the second time, publicly, as +pledging itself to pay so tremendous an amount of money out of the +pockets of its stockholders; that I was present at the meeting to carry +out the expressed instructions and wishes of these same stockholders and +that they intended to be scrupulously careful in keeping their promises, +backing their words with their deeds and dollars. This statement brought +from the dollar-for-dollar companies a gratifying amount of applause and +the "six-bit-ers" sank into silence. + +As the days passed and the "tumult and shouting" died, it gave a certain +amount of satisfaction to find that amongst the jeerers and sneerers at +the memorable Reed's Hall meeting, those who had battled most vigorously +for the horizontal cut of twenty-five cents were those who afterward +developed into the worst welshers and shavers in the entire history of +the loss settlements of the San Francisco or any other conflagration. +The "sparkling" Rhine, the "still" Moselle, the far-famed "Dutchess," +the German of Freeport, the Traders of Chicago, the Austrian Phoenix, +the Calumet, the American of Boston and others soon after sought the +seclusion which a receiver or cessation of business in California +grants, and like the Arab, they folded their tents and silently stole +away. + +At the termination of the meeting, President Chase of the Hartford, +President Damon of the Springfield, Chairman Spencer and several others, +all leaders in dollar-for-dollar ranks, some of whom are alive and some +of whom are gone, gathered around and congratulated the California upon +its attitude. Individually, it gave me a feeling of pride and +satisfaction to be the representative of a company which manfully stood +up to the rack with the best traditions of American fire insurance. It +may be well to recall to mind as a historical fact that it was at this +meeting the term "dollar-for-dollar" companies was born. + + + +Coming Back to San Francisco + + + +Early in June we made arrangements to vacate our quarters in Oakland in +the Blake and Moffitt Building, and on the 5th of that month the +California was moved to an office in San Francisco. This was a temporary +frame structure erected on identically the same site which the company +had occupied prior to the fire, and where the magnificent new skyscraper +known as the "Newhall" Building now stands. As things go now, it was not +much of an office either as to style or appearance, but it was roomy, +light, well ventilated and comfortable and in every respect preferable +to the two crowded rooms that had so hospitably housed us in Oakland. +The return to San Francisco heartened us. The daily trip from the city +to Oakland and return had been a hardship, in addition to the time lost +when every minute was too precious to be wasted. Less time was lost in +crossing the bay than in getting to and from the Ferry. The street cars +were not in operation and I was compelled daily to make the walk over +the hills and through the ruins threading my way through the ashes and +over brick piles a distance of quite two miles, from my home to the +water front. This twice a day for six days a week, and often seven, was +exhausting in the extreme, so the wear was not altogether mental. The +thought was very often in my mind that I had about the most trying job +of anyone in the business. Other managers seemed to me to be paying very +little attention, if any, to the detail of settling claims and, of +course, had nothing whatever to do with providing the sinews of war. +They were fortunate in being able to pursue the even tenor of their way, +their entire business and time being occupied with current routine, just +as if nothing of an extraordinary nature had happened. This condition +arose from the fact that the companies in the East hurried to San +Francisco and Oakland all the adjusters, both near and alleged, that +they could obtain from any portion of the United States and a few from +abroad, in order that the losses might be promptly taken care of. The +home offices saw to it that the funds were provided. The special agents +and field men of these offices were not disturbed in their usual work +and were rarely, if ever, made use of at headquarters to make +adjustments. With the California it was quite different. Our entire +field force was called in and promptly clothed with authority to adjust. +This left our agency plant entirely unprotected as to cultivation. +Financially, we were in such a crippled condition that we felt we could +not afford the expense of employing independent adjusters. These were a +luxury in any event and some of them, alas, would have been dear at any +price. The thought often comes that perhaps this policy was poor +economics. This was a golden opportunity for representatives of the +"dollar-for-dollar" companies to secure valuable agents, as carrying +capacity was in large demand to replace those companies that had either +failed or made unsatisfactory loss settlements. That there was an +abundance of the latter admits of no dispute. Possibly, we might not at +that time have been able to secure many of these valuable connections, +even if we had had the field force requisite for the required technical +work, for the reason that doubts were still expressed as to our ability +to fulfill our promises. + + + +Duties of the Secretary + + + +In the California Insurance Company office, the position of secretary +was closely akin to that of the celebrated "Pooh-Bah." Attached to the +office was the duty of collecting the assessments on the capital stock, +adjuster in chief, the underwriting, a court of appeal on technical +points in disputed settlements, a diplomatic agency and encouragement +dispensatory with and for the stockholders. The latter item took +considerable time. Singly and in groups they fired their questions: "How +many assessments will there be?" "How much do you think the losses will +total?" "How soon will you know the amount?" "When we do get out of this +shall we be as big as any other fire company or bigger?" This was the +daily grind. But since it was their money and they were laymen, their +anxiety was as pardonable as their courage was commendable. + +The president occupied an office on the other side of the hail, directly +opposite mine. The one door was lettered "President" and the other +"Secretary." + +One of the stockholders cornered me and demanded a full and explicit +statement of conditions. I gave him the facts and frankly confessed that +the prospect was not alluring. He bade me goodbye with a long face and +went directly across the hall into the office of the president. In a +brief while, he returned, his face wreathed in smiles, and quietly said +'that the president's office was "Heaven" and my office was "Hell"; that +I was a "gloomy Gus" anyway, but I couldn't help it and he pitied me, +but as for the president, he was the right man in the right place, and +he knew our exact position.' I did not make any reply. The optimism of +the president was a very great asset and in those days optimism and hope +were at a premium. + + + +Turning of the Tide + + + +Finally the tide turned. Several months had elapsed, however, before it +became generally known and admitted and the insurance world had hammered +into it the conviction that the California was truly "Californian." At +this time our field men were again in the saddle and the agency of the +California was not only readily accepted whenever offered, but eagerly +pleaded for by connections which materially contributed to subsequent +success. + + + +Adjustments + + + +There are millions of stories with regard to the adjustment and +settlement of claims during this period. All kinds of pressure, all +kinds of seduction and all kinds of bribes were offered the adjusters. +There appeared to be in the minds of many a conviction that this was the +time to make a claim against the insurance companies; that everything +was burned and that with the upset conditions any old claim could get +by. Stevedores, laborers and others not generally credited with an +excess amount of worldly wealth gayly and festively swore to proofs +showing the loss of family plate, ancestral pictures, silk underwear, +ball gowns, evening clothes and jewels. There was no possibility of +disciplining these perjurors and it was up to the expertness of the +adjusters to defend their companies from being looted. + +There were all kinds of attempts to defraud on the part of other +policyholders. One instance in which the California was interested was a +proof for a $16,000 loss on a policy covering on stock of dry and fancy +goods located in a building on Market street. I received a visit from +the policyholder who made a request for prompt payment. I explained that +our funds were being raised by assessments which were levied once a +month and that, if agreeable, we would pay him sixty per cent of his +claim and the balance in sixty days. This appeared to be satisfactory +and he left in a happy frame of mind. Thirteen thousand dollars of the +risk in question was ceded to other companies and we naturally filed +claims with the reinsurers for their proportion. The following day a +friend who was acting as chief adjuster for another office which was one +of the re-insurers on this risk, called upon me regarding this +particular claim. He laid upon my desk a photographic album and called +my attention to a large photograph of the building wherein the stock was +located. It was a two-story brick and the picture showed that the entire +front of the second story had, as the result of the earthquake, been +thrown into the street. This was taken before the fire had reached the +property. He stated that the authenticity of the photograph was +absolutely guaranteed and that in event of litigation, the testimony of +the photographer was available. He further stated that acting for the +re-insuring company, he would not follow the California for more than +sixty-five cents on the dollar. I borrowed the photograph and at once +sent for the claimant. He called the next day. It was found on +examination that he had made the statement to the general adjustment +committee that the property was not damaged prior to the fire. +Unfortunately, no affidavit was taken from him to that effect. With the +photograph before me, I realized at once that the claim was not an +honest one. I explained that the larger part of our policy had been +ceded to other companies and that some of them demanded, earthquake +affidavits with every claim; that while I regretted to put him to any +inconvenience, it would be necessary for him to produce this testimony. +He looked me squarely in the eye and said, "I'll sign it and swear to +it. Not a brick in the whole building was disturbed." He attached his +signature to the affidavit. I showed him the photograph and then stated +that we should be compelled to penalize him to the extent of thirty-five +cents on the dollar. As a matter of equity, there was little, if any, +liability under the policy. He shouted, "Fake!" "No," I replied, "simply +a matter of contractural rights and of justice. The picture is +absolutely bona fide." He left, emphatically stating that he would at +once "go to the bat." I suggested that he submit the matter to his +attorney. Fortunately for him, he had a wise one who promptly advised +that he accept the terms offered. + +This is another angle of the settlement of the San Francisco losses - no +more nor less in fact, methods, and manner, than that with which other +legitimate companies had to contend. + +Another instance is recalled of a claim for a thousand dollars covering +on lodging house furniture in a building on Sixth street, with the loss +made payable to the owner of the building. I supposed that the policy +was collateral for payment of rent. It developed that the claimant was a +widow with one child. She was without a cent in the world, and called to +request payment. By this time the company was running short of ready +funds to such an extent that instructions had been issued to adjusters +that all claims hereafter would take the customary sixty days before +payment. She stated that the fire had canceled her lease, that she had +seen the payees and that they would waive the claim and that she was +absolutely destitute and would be willing to take whatever we would +offer, if she could get the cash. The position of the company was +explained to her with the result that she felt that we were working for +a discount. But it was not the intention of the California to take +advantage of people's necessities and we informed her that such was the +case. Her claim was a just one. I accepted her proofs, paid her +twenty-five per cent cash and the balance at the end of thirty days. +These are but isolated instances among many. + + + +Special Meeting of Stockholders + + + +Another historical meeting was held August 9th. This time at the office +of the company. It was a special meeting of the stockholders. Three +assessments had been levied of forty dollars each, amounting in all to +$720,000. This money had been paid out in settlement of claims. This was +the first meeting of the stockholders proper since the fire. The +directors realized that in response to inquiries from the stockholders +who were principally interested that they were entitled to a report as +to the progress made and the policy to be adopted for the future. Over +ninety individual stockholders were present and in order to accommodate +the crowd, the employes removed their desks and chairs, and during the +time of the meeting adjusted losses and discharged their duties on the +sidewalk in front of the building. The early-comers had seats. The +late-comers stood, but so interesting was the meeting that discomforts +were forgotten. The president made a very full and analytical report, +finishing with the announcement that another million dollars would be +needed to continue the splendid work and accomplish the final result of +bringing the California through the disaster with justice, equity and +fairness to all its contract-holders. The atmosphere was charged with +optimism and enthusiasm and amongst all the speeches made, and they were +many, not one bore any intimation of regret or of any desire to do other +than march steadily ahead. Mr. Ignatz Steinhart, at the time manager of +the Anglo-Californian Bank, careful, cautious, shrewd and a hard-headed +financier, in his speech practically struck the keynote of the whole +meeting. He said in substance: + +"I have lived here many years and I expect to die here. I love San +Francisco and I know you all feel the same and it is my honest +conviction that the directors of the California have adopted the proper +and only course and that its stockholders will stand behind them, and +that, the company will pay its losses at the rate of one hundred cents +on the dollar without discount. I now present a motion that it is the +sense of this meeting that the Board of Directors be given all that they +request and that all their actions are hereby heartily ratified, +approved and confirmed." + +There was not a single dissenting vote. At this time a stockholder +enthusiastically jumped on his chair and proposed three cheers for the +company and the management. The clerks on the sidewalk and some of the +passers by rushed into the crowd to see what was the cause of the +commotion. When the meeting adjourned, the confidence of all was +renewed. The barometer of their enthusiasm and determination had risen +and smiles and handshakes put the period to the gathering. Seldom, if +ever, has an Irish dividend meeting been held and disbursed with such a +wholesome feeling of satisfaction. It was more like a "melon cutting" +than a preparation to excavate to still lower depths their pocketbooks. +Never was the true California spirit more faithfully portrayed. + + + +The Final Supreme Effort + + + +The annual statement of the company at the end of the year showed beyond +the peradventure of a doubt that the company had kept the faith, but it +was left with a very attenuated surplus. Then business began to grow by +leaps and bounds. The bread which had been cast upon the waters was +returning and another problem now confronted the company - to protect +the reserves on the rapidly increasing income. This required a working +surplus and meant more assessments which seemed to be adding insult to +injury. The stockholders had already provided the funds to pay losses +and to now ask for more money for any other than loss-paying purposes, +gallant as was the spirit of those directly interested, seemed +dangerous. The directors and some of the more prominent stockholders met +informally and discussed the situation and the concensus of opinion was +that the honor of the company demanded that it continue to the end to +accomplish to the fullest that for which so many financial sacrifices +had been made - to take any other course, to discontinue, to fall down, +or to break faith with those who had given us their confidence would be +suicidal. In this deduction proof was given of the sound judgment and +business acumen of those who bore the brunt of the burden in those hot +days of battle. They took the position that the reputation which the +company had already builded was an asset of almost unlimited value and +realized that the peak of the mountain was just a few steps further on - +that summit from which the company could look out upon the valley of +success and reap the full reward for all the sacrifices its stockholders +had made. Plan after plan was submitted for financing, change after +change was suggested, but for a time concerted action seemed almost +impossible of attainment. Finally, I called upon the largest stockholder +and treasurer of the company, Mr. Geo. L. Payne, in his office at the +Payne Bolt Works. I laid before him the plan of increasing the capital +stock from six thousand shares to ten thousand shares by the sale of +four thousand shares at sixty dollars per share which would realize for +the company a total amount of $240,000 of which $160,000 could be +applied to capital, bringing that item up to $400,000, and $80,000 to +surplus. While this did not make the surplus as much as was desirable, +we were used to economies, to making every dollar count. This has always +been a feature of the management of the company. With this sum and by a +continuance of conservative methods and proper management we believed it +possible to provide for all contingencies. Mr. Payne listened quietly, a +pad of paper before him and a pencil in his hand. When I had exhausted +every argument and made the best possible statement of the exact +conditions, he stated that he realized fully the gravity of the position +and then came the flood. He said that, if it became necessary, he, as +the largest stockholder in the company, would endorse the proposition to +the extent of taking the entire issue. The balance of the consummation +of the idea was merely a matter of detail. Another meeting of the +stockholders was called and of the many meetings that we had gone +through, this stands out brightest of all. The plan was presented and as +might naturally be expected invoked little enthusiasm and did not appear +to interest anybody. Mr. Payne quietly rose to his feet, explained the +position of the company as he saw it and then shocked the assemblage +into activity by making public the announcement of his willingness to +take the entire issue of additional stock. That was a flash of +optimistic lightning the bolt of which apparently struck every man in +the room. They sat up, took notice, and awoke to the fact that they were +possibly missing something worth while. The outcome was that Mr. Payne +was only able to secure his pro rata as the entire issue was promptly +over subscribed by the stockholders, it being understood that the right +of subscription should be confined rigidly to stockholders of record. +Never in my business career have I seen the value or virtue of a leader +expressed in so forceful a manner as in the effect of Mr. Payne's offer +upon that meeting. It was the greatest evidence of applied psychology +that ever it has been my good fortune to experience. + + + +Recapitulation + + + +These memoranda I have written years after the happenings which they +sketch. They are drawn from the records of the company and from the +tablets of my memory. Those upon which I have touched were amongst the +higher lights, they are vivid in recollection and as well remembered as +if they had taken place at a recent date. + +Those were strenuous times. Times that not alone tested the dignity and +honor of men, but rocked them to their very foundations. Only the +admittedly honest and honorable men survived the experiences of those +days without blotch upon their escutcheons. It is naturally to be +presumed that the minds of those who passed through those days of +reconstruction recall many deeds of heroism, of sacrifices made upon the +altar of duty. Each has the surmounting of his individual trials to +remember, but amongst all that was done as the result of the San +Francisco conflagration there is, in my opinion, nothing carrying +greater, honor or higher integrity than the work and sacrifice of that +gallant band of men who were directors and shareholders of the +California Insurance Company. They were the pioneers and the sons of +pioneers who braved the hardships and terrors of desert and sea - the +founders of this great commonwealth. Incidents and happenings which have +passed from public record will still live in the memory of those who +played a part. The wonderful rehabilitation period, with all that it +meant of physical and mental suffering, but typifies today in concrete, +stone and brick the sturdy and stalwart spirit of those men who were +made absolute pioneers by the ash heap of 1906. Some of these have gone +to their last accounting, but for those who are still serving, and still +tugging at the oar, there remains but to guard the heritage which they +bequeathed - to bring upon the results of their work a continuation of +their ideals. + +The spirit of 1906, glorified by San Franciscans, which alone made +possible the resurrection from the ashes of that "city loved around the +world," sitting serenely upon its seven hills by the portals of the +Golden Gate and whose destiny is oblivious of fire and earthquake, is +worthy of more than a passing tribute. Its example should thrill and +encourage those who are inclined to falter. It is a beacon light to +those who are to continue the struggle with the petty details and the +larger duties of everyday life. And among the contributors none are more +to be admired or borne in reverent respect than the directors, those men +who held either large or small investments in the "California" and were +true to their trust. + + + +Conclusion + + + +Whether the end justifies the means depends upon the judgment of the +critic. It is possible that there is too much of personality herein, but +in justice to the writer, it must be borne in mind that no attempt has +been made for literary style; that the task imposed upon him was +attempted solely to comply with the insistence of others and that the +use of the first personal pronoun is the readiest vehicle of expression. + +No special mantle of credit rests upon his shoulders. If there be any +such garment it drapes the shoulders of every man connected with the +company from the humblest employee up through the heaviest stockholders +to the highest official. It overlaps and falls with becoming dignity on +the shoulders of those who are fellow citizens and fellow Californians, +who shared with us as we shared with them the heat and burden of the +days succeeding the never-to-be-forgotten disaster of April 18, 1906. + + + +The Spirit of 1906 is a book of the Primo Press, San Francisco, printed +in April, 1921 + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE SPIRIT OF 1906 *** + +This file should be named s190610.txt or s190610.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, s190611.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, s190610a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we usually do not +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our eBooks one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to tell us about any error or corrections, +even years after the official publication date. + +Please note neither this listing nor its contents are final til +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg eBooks is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our Web sites at: +http://gutenberg.net or +http://promo.net/pg + +These Web sites include award-winning information about Project +Gutenberg, including how to donate, how to help produce our new +eBooks, and how to subscribe to our email newsletter (free!). + + +Those of you who want to download any eBook before announcement +can get to them as follows, and just download by date. This is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext04 or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext04 + +Or /etext03, 02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any eBook selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. Our +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If the value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour in 2002 as we release over 100 new text +files per month: 1240 more eBooks in 2001 for a total of 4000+ +We are already on our way to trying for 2000 more eBooks in 2002 +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +will reach over half a trillion eBooks given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away 1 Trillion eBooks! +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +Here is the briefest record of our progress (* means estimated): + +eBooks Year Month + + 1 1971 July + 10 1991 January + 100 1994 January + 1000 1997 August + 1500 1998 October + 2000 1999 December + 2500 2000 December + 3000 2001 November + 4000 2001 October/November + 6000 2002 December* + 9000 2003 November* +10000 2004 January* + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of February, 2002, contributions are being solicited from people +and organizations in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, +Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, +Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, +Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New +Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, +Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South +Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West +Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. + +We have filed in all 50 states now, but these are the only ones +that have responded. + +As the requirements for other states are met, additions to this list +will be made and fund raising will begin in the additional states. +Please feel free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork to legally +request donations in all 50 states. If your state is not listed and +you would like to know if we have added it since the list you have, +just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in states where we are +not yet registered, we know of no prohibition against accepting +donations from donors in these states who approach us with an offer to +donate. + +International donations are accepted, but we don't know ANYTHING about +how to make them tax-deductible, or even if they CAN be made +deductible, and don't have the staff to handle it even if there are +ways. + +Donations by check or money order may be sent to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + +Contact us if you want to arrange for a wire transfer or payment +method other than by check or money order. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been approved by +the US Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) organization with EIN +[Employee Identification Number] 64-622154. Donations are +tax-deductible to the maximum extent permitted by law. As fund-raising +requirements for other states are met, additions to this list will be +made and fund-raising will begin in the additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information online at: + +http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this eBook, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this eBook if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS EBOOK +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +eBook, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this eBook by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this eBook on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM EBOOKS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBooks, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this eBook +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these eBooks, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's eBooks and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other eBook medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this eBook from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm eBook) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this eBook within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS EBOOK IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE EBOOK OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this eBook, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the eBook, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this eBook electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + eBook or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this eBook in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The eBook, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The eBook may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the eBook (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + eBook in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the eBook refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +[Portions of this eBook's header and trailer may be reprinted only +when distributed free of all fees. Copyright (C) 2001, 2002 by +Michael S. Hart. Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be +used in any sales of Project Gutenberg eBooks or other materials be +they hardware or software or any other related product without +express permission.] + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN EBOOKS*Ver.02/11/02*END* + diff --git a/old/s190610.zip b/old/s190610.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d138fb2 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/s190610.zip |