438 REPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA EARTHQUAKE COMMISSION, 
A part of the brick walls of the new Calvary Church (Geary and Powell Streets) fell. 
A small crevice opened, as in 1865, on Howard Street beyond Sixth Street. No damage 
was sustained by the dry-dock at Hunter’s Point. On the beach at the foot of Webster 
Strect, below high-water mark, a fissure opened, extending lengthwise with the water. 
The stream of a sewer running from the Laguna to the foot of Webster Street into the 
bay, hitherto clear, immediately turned inky black. (Alta California, Oct. 22, 1868.) 
The sugar refinery at North Point, a 7-story brick structure, surmounted by a tall 
brick chimney, was injured to the extent of losing 6 or 7 feet of its 100-foot chimney. 
A large fissure was made in the high bank near Fort Point and the shock was felt severely 
at the Fort. (San Francisco Times, Oct. 22, 1868.) 
At the Cliff House nothing unusual took place, with the exception of a decided com- 
motion in the ocean and an impetus given to the every-day wave which sent it well 
inland, say 15 or 20 feet above the usual mark. The shock, however, did no damage, 
not even upsetting any of the glassware in the bar. (Alta California, Oct. 22, 1868.) 
Upon Russian and Telegraph Hills the shock was not very damaging. In some houses 
on the latter ornaments were not displaced from the mantel and the inmates did not 
come to the doors. In others, books and ornaments fell down and marble mantels were 
started from their places. The oscillations on Russian Hill were more severely felt. 
There was a pretty general stopping of clocks, some cracking of plaster, and throwing 
down of light articles. (San Francisco Bulletin, Oct. 21, 1868.) 
A pail of water, two-thirds full, on the ground at the summit of Russian Hill, slopt 
over both sides. (Alta California, Oct. 22, 1868.) 
The colored Masonic Hall, Stockton Street between Pacific and Broadway, a 2-story 
brick structure, was badly wrecked. (San Francisco Times, Oct. 22, 1868.) 
From the meagerness of reports it is certain that no great loss was occasioned by the 
parting of water mains. The Bulletin for October 21 reports that the water at the 
Mission was shut off by the pipe being disconnected. In several parts of the city the 
water-pipes broke underground and caused some loss of water, but the water company 
soon had all repairs made. No fires are reported in the upper Mission district during 
the 24 hours following the earthquake. At Laguna Honda (a natural reservoir and the 
chief source of water supply, 2.5 miles west of Valencia and Market Streets) the water 
was violently agitated and the waves met in the center, throwing up a large jet several 
feet into the air. (Alta California, Oct. 22, 1868.) 
The first alarm of fire was given shortly after 8 o’clock from Box No. 26 (northeast 
corner of Clay and Battery Streets). The fire was in Wellman and Peck’s grocery (Front 
and Clay Streets) and was caused by matches. The chief damage was caused by. water. 
During the night following the earthquake, three fires occurred in the wholesale dis- 
trict, but there was no lack of water and all were quickly extinguished. 
In the Fire Commissioner’s report in the Municipal Records of San Francisco for 1868— 
1869, the following losses by fire are recorded: September, 1868, $24,229; October, 
IS68, $133,564.46; November, 1868, $19,920; December, 1868, $82,019. 
The force of the shock was distinctly felt on the bay and as far as 15 miles west of the 
heads, but no great agitation of the water is reported. The tide-gage at one of the Gov- 
ernment stations indicated no unusual rising of the tide. (San Francisco Times, Oct. 
22, 1868.) 
There was no tidal wave accompanying the earthquake. The passengers on a ferry 
steamer (off Angel Island) felt the shock and supposed for the time that they were 
aground. Many other boats reported the same experience. Two boatmen in a White- 
hall boat off Fort Point report a heavy rumbling sound coming from the water. Their 
boat was shaken and whirled rapidly around (before the rollers reached them) and 
shortly they met 3 heavy rollers coming from the northwest on a calm sea. (Alta Cali- 
