60 THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE AND FIRE. 
type of construction is one which will result in more harm than good. 
Those interested in its preparation directed their attention princi- 
pally to office and other large buildings, apparently not realizing 
that the greater proportion of reconstruction will consist of small 
three or four story buildings. The fact that a structure is built of 
steel and fireproofed does not make it superior to those representing 
other types of construction, for poor materials and workmanship 
may produce inferior quality, whatever the type. 
The proposed code discriminates against reenforced-concrete build- 
ings in designating them as class B structures. While not inten- 
tional, this conveys the impression that such buildings are next in 
order of superiority to structures of class A. Class A should embrace 
buildings so well designed and constructed of such first-class materials 
that they afford the maximum resistance to fire, and should repre- 
sent the best method of fireproof construction regardless of type. 
That there was only one reenforced-concrete building of the mod- 
ern type in San Francisco was due in part to the opposition of the 
labor unions. The exorbitant demands for wages, coupled with the 
high cost of materials, have proved a serious handicap. The cost of 
all construction work is excessive at the present time, and business in- 
terests will suffer from the shrinkage in value which will follow the 
fall in price of labor and materials. This policy of the labor organi- 
zations is materially interfering with and checking the work of recon- 
struction. 
In addition to these labor difficulties, the questions of widening 
and extending old streets and opening new ones, for the purpose of 
carrying out the plans for the new and greater city, are still unde- 
cided, and most of the business men are unwilling to begin the work 
of reconstruction until these points are settled. 
STATISTICS AND GENERAL, INFORMATION. 
The defects of construction which are so strongly condemned by 
reason of the failure of the structures were no worse than those gen- 
erally existing throughout the United States. The same defects are 
common, and it is evident that the same result would follow an earth- 
quake of equal intensity in another part of the country. A moment's 
consideration will show that the loss of life and property in New 
York, for example, under similar conditions, would be enormous. 
The damage to property in San Francisco is estimated at $250,000,000, 
but this sum, large as it is, is exceeded by the total annual expendi- 
tures for new construction in New York. 
The loss of life from earthquakes is usually very great. That it 
did not exceed 500 in San Francisco is explained by the fact that at 
the time of its occurrence, during the early hours of the morning, 
