COMPARISON WITH OTHER SEVERE EARTHQUAKES IN SAME REGION, 437 
At the corner of First and Market Streets, the ground opened in a fissure several inches 
wide. At other places the ground opened and water was forced above the surface. (San 
Francisco Bulletin, Oct. 21, 1868.) At Fremont and Mission Streets the ground opened 
in many places. (Alta California, Oct. 22, 1868.) ‘The general course of damage in 
the city was along the irregular line of the ‘‘made land,” or low alluvial soil, where it 
met the hard or rocky base beneath it. Along the line of the old shore of Yerba Buena 
Cove, we found the damage to brick buildings much the largest. (George Davidson.) 
The custom-house, at the corner of Sansome and Clay Streets, was hurled south, by 
what seemed to be an undulating motion, and plaster fell. (Bulletin, Oct. 22, 1868.) 
The outstanding portico on the east side of the custom-house was so badly shattered 
that it had to be removed; the main building stood fairly well, but one of the chimneys 
was broken across at the roof-line and turned thru an angle of over 45°. (George 
Davidson. ) 
The ground floor and the foundation of the old Merchants’ Exchange appeared to 
have taken a different motion from the upper portion. The arch over the main corridor 
appeared to have been crusht. Just underneath the center, the matting was raised 
2 inches. The corresponding arch at the south end of the corridor was also damaged, 
and there was a similar protuberance under the matting beneath it. Smaller arches 
at right angles to the main arches described were crusht in similar fashion. The north 
and south walls of the building, at the second floor, over the main arches, opened in 
large cracks. (Bulletin, Oct. 22, 1868.) 
A 3-story brick structure on the corner of Market and Battery Streets, in an 
unfinished condition, was completely thrown down. Several different reports state, 
however, that it was very poorly constructed. In the Union Foundry, on First Street 
at the corner of Market Street, most of the machinery was displaced. (San Francisco 
Bulletin, Oct. 21, 1868.) 
The floor of the Pacifie foundry was raised about 2 feet in places. The center of 
Mission Street (opposite Fremont Street) exposed an opening from 8 to 10 inches wide; 
and openings of the ground were also plainly to be seen on Fremont Street, in the same 
vicinity. (San Francisco Bulletin, Oct. 21, 1868.) 
Outside of the immediate district described above, damage to the rest of the city was 
very meager. It will be noticed in the following notes, and by a consultation of the map 
of San Francisco, plate 146, that the region of greatest agitation was confined to the 
low portions of the city, or the vicinity of some old creek bed or swamp. 
The flat between Howard Street and Mission Bay was more severely shaken than 
Russian and Telegraph Hills; but the damage, save to chimneys and plaster, was slight. 
The only serious injury on Kearney Street was done to a building on the east side of the 
street. The building was an old one. At the corner of Fifth and Market Streets a fire- 
wall was thrown down. At the corner of Fourth and Bryant Streets, walls were cracked 
and damaged; Fourth Street near Bryant opened in places and at the crossing of Harri- 
son and Fourth the railroad track settled about 8 inches, the planks between the rails 
rising about 10 inches. The Lincoln School-house (east side of Fifth Street near Market 
Street) was badly damaged, most of the chimneys being broken but none thrown down. 
The large statue of Lincoln in front of the building was ruined, but was not thrown off 
its pedestal. (San Francisco Bulletin, Oct. 21, 1868.) 
The large chimney of the sugar refinery on Highth Street fell in, crushing thru the 
ceilings. (Letter to New York Times, Oct. 21, 1868.) 
A drug store at the corner of Fifth and Folsom Streets had its entire stock de- 
stroyed by falling. The chimneys of the Mission Street public school (west side of 
Mission Street between 15th and 16th Streets) toppled off some bricks. (Alia Cali- 
fornia, Oct. 21, 1868.) 
