150 THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE AND FIRE. 
and although gutted by the fire, which gained access through the 
unprotected windows and wooden casings, was so strong on its 
foundations that very vigorous blasting operations were required to 
throw down its walls. 
EEENFOECED CONCRETE. 
There was in San Francisco at the time of the earthquake only one 
building of considerable size constructed of reenforced concrete. 
This fact was due to the opposition of certain labor unions to the use 
of this material in place of brick and stone. 
The building referred to is that of the Bekins Van and Storage 
Company, at 190 West Mission street (PL XXVII, A). This build- 
ing had outside walls of brick, but was massively constructed on the 
interior with columns, beams, and floors of reenforced concrete. It 
was originally intended to carry it to a height of four stories, but on 
account of the earthquake, which occurred during construction, the 
building was finished to include only the second story. At the time 
of the fire the permanent doors of iron were not in place, and the 
fire gained access to the front or south room, where very slight dam- 
age was inflicted. The entire main interior and the goods stored 
therein were unharmed, and the building has been in continuous 
use since completion. The brick building adjoining, however, was 
badly injured by the earthquake and was afterwards burned. 
LESSONS FROM THE VARIOUS TYPES OF BUIJLlDFNGS. 
Great destructive earthquakes have seldom occurred twice in the 
same locality during centuries of time, but, so far as man knows, one 
may occur at any time anywhere on the earth's surface. On the 
other hand, destructive conflagrations in cities have happened many 
times, but most of them might have been avoided by wise and ade- 
quate provision for fire prevention, protection, and extinguishment. 
In San Francisco the earthquake could not have been averted, but 
its disastrous effects on structures could have been prevented by the 
use of proper materials correctly applied in the execution of skillful 
and scientific designs, carried out by good conscientious workmen 
under honest and able supervision. The city's official inspection has 
usually been very inefficient. 
The buildings in California that were ruined or badly injured by 
the last earthquake may be divided into four classes : 
The first class comprises buildings of a public character, such as 
city halls (PL XXXI), court-houses (PI. XXXIX, A), asylums, 
public schoolhouses, etc., which were badly desibned and constructed 
or for the construction of which insufficient funds had been voted, so 
that the materials and workmanship, under imperfect inspection, or 
