Earthquake/Fire: St. Mary's Bread Line
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The postcards on this page show a 1906 refugee bread line at Saint Mary's (Van Ness/O'Farrell), looking NE from the front steps of St. Mary's. The Fairmont Hotel, still under construction when the quake struck, is just right of center at the horizon, but everything else east of Van Ness is gone. Right: ruins of newly built 8-story apartment building at 1009 O'Farrell.
- Unknown publisher, written but not dated/addressed/mailed, must date from soon after the quake. The message describes the writer's personal experience. "The people in the front of the picture are part of a line three blocks long of people waiting for a can of corn beef, a few beans & a loaf of bread given by the Government. Look hard and you will find us in line waiting for a loaf of bread. Last week we stood for 2 blocks before getting one. Will be with you soon."
- American News, a much better rendering of the same image.
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- Rieder-Cardinell 213, postmarked SSF 4/06/1907, looking NW.
- Behrendt 204, color version of the same image, printed in Germany. The back suggests this card was probably made for German distribution.
Steve's SF postcard pages:
