1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire Quiz

Answer: Between 7 and 8

Though early estimates put the magnitude at 8.3 on the Richter scale, modern analyses estimate that it was closer to 7.7 or 7.9. Many houses and businesses in San Francisco were built on liquefied soil or "bay fill", making them especially vulnerable to the earthquake's violent shaking.

Answer: Carmen

Caruso performed in "Carmen" on April 17, just hours before the earthquake struck. He had been scheduled to sing in Naples, Italy around the same time, but canceled that trip after Mt. Vesuvius erupted. Caruso never came back to San Francisco.

Answer: False

Though many people were killed by the fire that roared through as they lay trapped in buildings, most of the more than 3,000 victims were killed by the earthquake itself or later from injuries received that day, according to San Francisco research historian Gladys Hansen.

After the event, many city leaders downplayed the damage caused by the earthquake itself, lest an unpredictable natural disaster frighten away future investment in San Francisco.

Answer: Fire chief

Dennis Sullivan was the fire chief who knew how inadequate the city's fire protection system was. His pleas for money for fireboats, experienced dynamiting capability, and improved water distribution fell on deaf ears. Sulllivan was injured by falling debris during the earthquake, and died 3 days later.

Answer: Fountain

People gathered at Lotta's Fountain in downtown San Francisco after the earthquake, and still do today at the yearly commemorations. The fountain was given to San Francisco by Lotta Crabtree, a famous entertainer of the day, on California admission day, September 9, 1875.

Answer: Took it out of San Francisco on horse carts

Amadeo Peter Giannini saved his depositors' money by hiding it under orange crates and other things, then piling it in horse wagons, which were driven out of the city to his home in San Mateo. Other banks couldn't open for weeks because their deposits were in vaults still hot from the fire, but Giannini set up a "branch" of his Bank of Italy on two barrels and a plank within days.

His bank later became the Bank of America.

Answer: False

Though the dynamiting of buildings was intended to serve as a fire break, the way it was done probably did more harm than good. Dynamite crews were inexperienced, and often flaming debris from dynamited buildings landed on other structures, spreading the fire.

Answer: Barrymore

John Barrymore had appeared in the play "The Dictator" in San Francisco, and was scheduled to leave for Australia soon after the earthquake.

Answer: By employees who fought the fire

The 1874 U.S. Mint building was saved because dozens of its employees stayed during the fire, closing steel shutters, clearing flammable tar off the roof and using water from a basement well to douse the flames. Many buildings surrounding the mint were gutted by the fire.

Answer: Shacks

More than 5,500 earthquake shacks were built quickly after the earthquake and fire to house the homeless. About 16,000 residents lived in the redwood and fir shacks at one time. They measured
10 x 14, 14 x 18, or 18 x 24 feet. They were rented for $2-$6 a month, and in mid-1907, thousands were sold for $100 to anyone who would cart them away. Fewer than 30 remain today. (My great-grandparents and their 4 children lived in 2 of them for a while.)