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Up-town office of the Canadian Bank of Commerce, cor. Van Ness avenue and Eddy St.

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Residence of Mr. Henry Miller, of Miller & Lux, Sacramento street, near Laguna.

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ILL San Francisco be rebuilt in a day? Yes, partly. A similar answer could be given if the question were asked: "Will San Francisco be rebuilt in a month or a year or ten years?" A part will be built every day, only each succeeding day will see a greater amount of work accomplished than the day before. The facilities for doing business are gradually being replaced, more workmen are daily employed, more capital is expended, and the amount of the day's work in reconstruction will in a short time be ahead of a full day's work of construction before the fateful 18th of April.

About twenty-two millions of dollars represented the building contracts for the year 1905 in San Francisco. Over two hundred million dollars worth of buildings were destroyed by fire. These must all be restored, not as they were, but better, and within a short time.

The building contracts for 1906 may not equal 1905, because architects' plans had to be made, and it will be hard to get materials here immediately; but if I mistake not, 1907 will be the greatest building year in the history of San Francisco; 1908 will be still greater, only to be eclipsed by 1909. When will this prosperity reach its zenith? Not in your lifetime, nor in mine, for prosperity brings prosperity. San Francisco in all her glory, prior to April 18th, was not self-sufficient. Sitting at the head of the two largest vallevs on the Pacific Coast of America, the outlet to the world of all the products of California, the Oriental port of the United States, she was literally forced into her position of pre-eminence. The business portion of San Francisco may have been destroyed, but the forces which created San Francisco still exist. The gold production of California is just as great; the immense soqueias and pines are just as large as before, and are being transformed into merchantable lumber just as fast (more's the pity the fruits and grains will

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New Pacific Coast headquarters and store of D. H. Baldwin & Co., Sacramento street, near Fillmore (formerly located at Post and Powell streets, Union Square.)

stroyed-that's all. These will soon be replaced, for the necessity for the city has not changed. She is still and will be the great commercial center through which the bulk of the traffic of a continent will pass, to sav nothing of the resources of our wonderfully rich and productive State.

San Francisco before was great in spite

who were fortunate enough to have had the experience, remember the passing of the first car through the streets of San Francisco after the fire-how the people cheered and clapped their hands. What a luxury it was to have running water again in the houses, and finally to do away with the inconvenient gutter kitchen. All these things were made possible s>

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Looking north on Van Ness avenue from Geary street.

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