SHASTA ROUTE—SEATTLE TO SAN" FRANCISCO. 87 



The Northwestern Pacific serves Mendocino, SonomUj and Marin 

 counties, on the north, and several smaller lines radiate from differ- 

 ent ports on the bay. Only one railroad line, the Coast Line of tlio 

 Southern Pacific, actually enters the city. The other roads have 

 their terminals in Oakland and other cities around the bay. 



The first settlement on the present site of San Francisco dates 

 from 1776. It consisted of a Spanish military post (presidio) and 



the Franciscan mission of San Francisco de Asis. In 

 **'^^**'^' 1836 the settlement of Yerba Buena (yair'ba bway'na) 



was established in a little cove southeast of Telegraph Hill. The 

 name San Francisco was, however, applied to all three of these 

 settlements. The United States flag was raised over the town 

 in 1846, and the population rapidly increased, reaching perliaps 

 900 in May, 1848. The news of the gold discoveries was followed 

 by the crowds of fortune seekers, so that by the end of 1848 the 



estimated 



From that time on 



San Francisco has grown rapidly. The first regular overland mail 



communication 



pony express m 



1860, the charge for postage being $5 for half an ounce. In 1869 

 the completion of the Central Pacific Railway to Oakland marked 



o 



suffered from 



*mjr 



severe earthquakes in 1839, 1865, 1868, 

 and 1906. In respect to property loss the disaster of April 18, 1906, 

 was one of the gi-eat catastrophes of history. The actual damage 

 to the city by the earthquake was comparatively slight, but the 

 water mams were broken and it was consequently impossible to 



fii' 



includ 



tion. Some 500 persons lost their lives, and the estimated damage 

 to property was between $350,000,000 and .$500,000,000. Recon- 

 struction began at once, and the city was practically rebudt m the 

 three years following the earthquake. 



The Ocean Shore Eaiboad (station at Twelfth and Mission 

 streets) and connectmg automobile Imc afford a good opportunity 



to see the geology along the shore from San Francisco to 

 Excursions from Santa Ouz. The rctum trip maybe made by ruihoad 



For a distance 



San Francisico. 



of U 



ors 



ains 



uff 



of the Merced (Pliocene) formation, consisting of about 5,800 lect oi 

 highly mclined marine clays, shales, sandstones conglomerates, and 

 sheU beds. In these beds have been found fossil remams of 53 

 species of mai^ine animals, mostly mollusks, of which three^om-^^hs 

 are still represented by forms living in the ocean to-day. Ihe ban 

 Andreas A (ih. fracture along which displacement occurred m the 



