140 THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE AND FIRE. 
" conflagration breeders." In regard to the blocks north of Market 
street and between Powell and Taylor streets they reported : " This 
section contains more serious exposures and conflagration breeders 
than any other equal area in the city." They reported " frequent 
high winds," the absence of modern protective devices generally, the 
"probability feature" alarmingly severe, the elements of a "confla- 
gration hazard " present to a marked degree, and the topography 
unfavorable. In fact, " San Francisco has violated all underwriting 
traditions and precedents by not burning up; that it has not done- 
so is largely due to the vigilance of the fire department, which can 
not be relied upon indefinitely to stave off the inevitable." 
This report was locally regarded as very severe, and in some 
respects — for instance, when referring to winds, redwood lumber, and 
hilly topography being unfavorable — as erroneous; but, unfortu- 
nately for San Francisco, the prophecy has come true. 
EXTRACT FROM A SAN FRANCISCO FIRE EXPERT'S REPORT TO THE 
BRITISH FIRE-PREVENTION COMMITTEE. 
George J. Wellington, who was born and reared in San Francsico, 
and therefore can not be accused of prejudice against that city, in 
his report to the British fire-prevention committee of London in 1906, 
says, among other things : 
A glance at the city from a point of eminence shortly after the temblor 
had subsided at once disclosed the fact that San Francisco was doomed. Col- 
umns of smoke ascending from fires at many different points made apparent a 
condition that no fire department in existence could cope with, on account of 
the impossibility of assembling sufficient apparatus at each fire to control it, 
and particularly on account of the fact that there was little or no pressure in 
the hydrants. . . . Observation for six hours from the top of a tall office 
building failed to illustrate anything not already known to fire experts, and 
previously demonstrated at Baltimore and other places. Unprotected openings 
of brick buildings, improperly hung and uncared-for metal-clad shutters, inef- 
fective rolling and ordinary iron shutters, were conspicuous by their weakness. 
Exposed sides of hollow-tile fireproofing again cracked away ; concealed piping 
again forced fireproofing away from steel members that it was intended to pro- 
tect ; metal-lath and plaster partitions again failed, and unprotected steel was 
warped and distorted, permitting floors to fall. Tall brick buildings with 
joisted interiors radiated heat to wooden cornices and window frames, which 
took fire. ... In fact, everything that had been predicted by fire engineers 
occurred. 
The bigotry of architects, the cupidity of contractors, and the penuriousness 
of owners have laid the metropolis of the Pacific low. The work of intelligent 
architects came to naught against the creations of incompetent ones. The own- 
ers of well-constructed buildings were burned out by their criminally careless 
neighbors. In many instances talent was not engaged on account of its ability 
to construct permanently and well, but rather for its shrewdness in erecting 
structures that would earn the greatest returns for suins invested. Competi- 
