Film, Video Exploded gas tanks, U.S. Mint, Emporium and Spreckels Bld'g Exploded gas tanks, U.S. Mint, Emporium and Spreckels Building

About this Item

Title
Exploded gas tanks, U.S. Mint, Emporium and Spreckels Bld'g
Other Title
Exploded gas tanks, U.S. Mint, Emporium and Spreckels Building
Summary
This film is a spectacular pan of the downtown area of San Francisco as seen from south of Market Street. The location among low ruins was ideal to view the tall ruined buildings along and north of Market Street. Since the facade of St. Patrick's Church is not visible in the pan, the film is probably later than May 9, the date the facade was demolished. The camera, placed on the east side of 4th Street near Natoma Street, one and two-thirds blocks south of Market Street, pans a full 240 degrees, from southwest to southeast.
The following is a scene-by-scene description of the film: [Frame: 0280] The pan begins in the southwest, viewing two 550,000 cubic foot, 45' diameter frames of gas tanks of the San Francisco Gas and Electric Company at 5th and Folsom streets. [1155] The 1873 U.S. Mint is visible in the distance at 5th and Mission streets, a classical facade with two large smokestacks at the rear. The building is now a museum. [1060] The dome of the ruined City Hall is seen in the background at left, behind the ruined wall. [1682] The camera views the impressive ruins of the Emporium department store facing Market Street. A couple in the foreground walk up 4th Street. [1750] The Flood Building is seen behind the Emporium across Market Street at Powell Street. [2082] We look up 4th Street to see the St. Francis Hotel, at Powell and Geary streets. Its adjacent unfinished north wing was under construction before the disaster. [2195] The frame of the Butler Building (now I. Magnin's department store) at Stockton and Geary streets is seen. It also was under construction at the time of the earthquake and fire. [2270] The Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill, almost ready to open at the time of the disaster, is the square building seen in the distance. The tower of the unfinished (pre-disaster) Whittell Building, on Geary Street near Stockton Street, is at center right. [2480] The tower of the Shreve Building (pioneer silverware firm) at Post Street and Grant Avenue is behind the ruins at left. The smokestack of a San Francisco Gas and Electric Company substation is at right. [2705] At center is the handsome domed tower of the Spreckels Building, renamed the Call Building when it became the main office of the San Francisco Call newspaper. The view is due north. The Aronson Building is just visible above the nearby wall, which hides the ruined Palace Hotel. [4000] Ruins are seen along 2nd and 3rd streets to the northeast. The Wells Fargo Building with its heavy cornice is at left center at Mission and 2nd streets. At right, a block closer to the camera position, are hotels on 3rd Street. [3360] A view diagonally across Howard Street to 3rd Street shows dramatic hotel and apartment house ruins.
Contributor Names
Thomas A. Edison, Inc.
Kleine (George) Collection (Library of Congress)
Created / Published
United States : Thomas A. Edison, Inc., 1906.
Subject Headings
-  San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906
-  Earthquakes--California--San Francisco
-  Fires--California--San Francisco
-  Buildings--Earthquake effects--California--San Francisco
-  Historic sites--Earthquake effects--California--San Francisco
-  Pedestrians--California--San Francisco
-  San Francisco (Calif.)--History
-  Hotels--Earthquake effects--California--San Francisco
-  Hotel St. Francis (San Francisco, Calif.)--History
-  Fairmont Hotel (San Francisco, Calif.)--History
-  Storage tanks--Earthquake effects--California--San Francisco
Genre
Silent films
Short films
Nonfiction films
Actualities (Motion pictures)
Notes
-  Copyright: no reg.
-  Duration: 2:15 at 15 fps.
-  MAVIS 1622198; Exploded gas tanks, U.S. Mint, Emporium and Spreckels Bld'g.
-  Location: downtown San Francisco, California.
-  Available also through the Library of Congress Web site as digital files.
-  viewing print, dupe neg and non-viewing pos; Received: ca. 1959 from USDA film lab; purchase; Kleine (George) Collection.
Medium
viewing print. 1 film reel of 1 (50 ft) : si., b&w ; 16 mm.
dupe neg. 1 film reel of 1 (50 ft) : si., b&w ; 16 mm.
non-viewing pos. 1 film reel of 1 (50 ft) : si., b&w ; 16 mm.
Call Number/Physical Location
FLA 1493 (viewing print)
FRA 3844 (dupe neg)
FRA 3845 (non-viewing pos)
Repository
Library of Congress Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA dcu
Digital Id
http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mbrsmi/lcmp003.m3b15517
Library of Congress Control Number
00694426
Online Format
image
video
Description
This film is a spectacular pan of the downtown area of San Francisco as seen from south of Market Street. The location among low ruins was ideal to view the tall ruined buildings along and north of Market Street. Since the facade of St. Patrick's Church is not visible in the pan, the film is probably later than May 9, the date the facade was demolished. The camera, placed on the east side of 4th Street near Natoma Street, one and two-thirds blocks south of Market Street, pans a full 240 degrees, from southwest to southeast. The following is a scene-by-scene description of the film: [Frame: 0280] The pan begins in the southwest, viewing two 550,000 cubic foot, 45' diameter frames of gas tanks of the San Francisco Gas and Electric Company at 5th and Folsom streets. [1155] The 1873 U.S. Mint is visible in the distance at 5th and Mission streets, a classical facade with two large smokestacks at the rear. The building is now a museum. [1060] The dome of the ruined City Hall is seen in the background at left, behind the ruined wall. [1682] The camera views the impressive ruins of the Emporium department store facing Market Street. A couple in the foreground walk up 4th Street. [1750] The Flood Building is seen behind the Emporium across Market Street at Powell Street. [2082] We look up 4th Street to see the St. Francis Hotel, at Powell and Geary streets. Its adjacent unfinished north wing was under construction before the disaster. [2195] The frame of the Butler Building (now I. Magnin's department store) at Stockton and Geary streets is seen. It also was under construction at the time of the earthquake and fire. [2270] The Fairmont Hotel on Nob Hill, almost ready to open at the time of the disaster, is the square building seen in the distance. The tower of the unfinished (pre-disaster) Whittell Building, on Geary Street near Stockton Street, is at center right. [2480] The tower of the Shreve Building (pioneer silverware firm) at Post Street and Grant Avenue is behind the ruins at left. The smokestack of a San Francisco Gas and Electric Company substation is at right. [2705] At center is the handsome domed tower of the Spreckels Building, renamed the Call Building when it became the main office of the San Francisco Call newspaper. The view is due north. The Aronson Building is just visible above the nearby wall, which hides the ruined Palace Hotel. [4000] Ruins are seen along 2nd and 3rd streets to the northeast. The Wells Fargo Building with its heavy cornice is at left center at Mission and 2nd streets. At right, a block closer to the camera position, are hotels on 3rd Street. [3360] A view diagonally across Howard Street to 3rd Street shows dramatic hotel and apartment house ruins.
LCCN Permalink
https://lccn.loc.gov/00694426
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Chicago citation style:

Thomas A. Edison, Inc, and Kleine. Exploded gas tanks, U.S. Mint, Emporium and Spreckels Bld'g. United States: Thomas A. Edison, Inc, 1906. Video. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/00694426/. (Accessed January 20, 2018.)

APA citation style:

Thomas A. Edison, I. & Kleine. (1906) Exploded gas tanks, U.S. Mint, Emporium and Spreckels Bld'g. United States: Thomas A. Edison, Inc. [Video] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/00694426/.

MLA citation style:

Thomas A. Edison, Inc, and Kleine. Exploded gas tanks, U.S. Mint, Emporium and Spreckels Bld'g. United States: Thomas A. Edison, Inc, 1906. Video. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <https://www.loc.gov/item/00694426/>.