1906 Earthquake Research Paper

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A terrifying rumble shook the city of San Francisco, California. One of the most important cities in the western United States, was wrecked by a Great Earthquake, and then destroyed by a Great Fire that burned for four days. An earthquake shook the city causing destruction and fires. San Francisco, California is home to about 400,000 people. On April 18, 1906 at approximately 5:12 a.m. The 1906 earthquake ranked as one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. The earthquake caused a great deal of devastation. Much of the city was destroyed. Nearly 3000 people were killed and 400,000 people became homeless. Approximately 500 city blocks and over 28,000 buildings were destroyed. The damage was more than $400 million in 1906 dollars.…show more content…
But San Francisco was the most devastated area. Multiple fires broke out on North Market Street and the inferno was growing on the South Market Street. With no water, firefighters had to retreat leaving hundreds of people in the rubble. The fireproof Palace Hotel had burned down along with Chinatown, Mission District, and the Telegraph Hill. The Ham and Eggs Fire that spread through City Hall destroyed all paperwork documenting the city’s history including birth and death certificates, property wills, and deeds. As much as the firefighters tried, they could not contain all the fires. Although the earthquake of 1906 lasted for only 40 to 60 seconds, the aftershocks and fires lasted for four days. Throughout the first day multiple fires broke out all over the city. They continued to break out over the next 4 days. On April 19th, the San Francisco Hotel in Union Square caught fire. By April 20th, the fire had burned as far as Franklin Street along Market. After 4 days at least one fourth of the city had been destroyed by either the earthquake or the

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