EARTHQUAKES — INFLUENCE IN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION. 769 
more nearly alike in both, and this is just the fundamental reason that 
in all countries subject to earthquakes brickwork has been preferred 
to stone in all times. 
Let us now turn to a region where, fifty years ago, the churches, 
law courts, convents, the residences of the territorial magnates, as well 
as the dwellings of the workers, were all built of unburned brick, 
dried in the sun, and all roofed with clumsy red tiles, and where the 
people in possession would have been content to let this state of 
things go on for ever. By the fortune of war and by its cession to 
the United States all this was soon changed, and it has now become 
the most progressive couutry the world has yet seen. Soon its 
mineral wealth was discovered, and California became celebrated, and 
immense multitudes were attracted to its shores. Buildings for their 
accommodation were rushed up in all directions, but chieflv in 
Sacramento and San Bran cisco, many of them in wood and a few in 
brick. At that time building speculators knew nothing about earth.* 
quakes, and cared less, so they tacked their structures together in 
the cheapest and easiest manner possible. In those days they were 
a law unto themselves. Bor all this, numbers of these erections 
stood for many years, one of them (the Webber House) as late as 
ISG8, when it was destroyed. Some of them may even be standing at 
this day. 
When the novelty of settlement in the now country had somewhat 
abated the new settlers began to realise that the ground under their 
feet was of anything but a stable character, that now and again their 
habitations were shaken up in a very unpleasant if not dangerous 
manner. They felt that the methods of construction they had hitherto 
practised were unsuitable for their new' home, and must be changed. 
But it w'as not until the morning of the 21st October, 1S68, that 
the danger was fully realised. Then occurred the severest earth- 
quake the diggers of that region had ever felt, and for a few hours 
caused great excitement, particularly in San Brancisco. However, 
after careful surveys had been made, it was found that the injuries 
sustained were not so many nor so severe as might have been expected, 
considering the way in which the city had literally been run up. 
Before noon the inhabitants had recovered their energy, and mechanics 
in the building trades became in great request. The incident 
was treated as one to be prepared for in the future ; there was no 
despondency anyw r here. What a contrast this to the inhabitants of 
the Italian towns under similar circumstances ! 
After this date the Institute of Architects and other kindred 
institutions in California bestirred themselves, and methods for 
improving the old systems of construction were discussed, so that 
buildings in future might be in large measure proof against earthquake 
shocks. The following are some of the results of their deliberations: — 
In San Brancisco, the great part of what is called the city front, 
probably 750 acres in extent, has been reclaimed from the Bay, the 
material for filling having been cropped from the sand downs on the 
higher sections. It is on this made ground that most of the great 
importers and wholesale merchants have their establishments, and 
where the foundations of the buildings require the greatest care. 
There are two methods of forming foundations on this area, and botk 
so far have proved effective. 
