Music Trade Review
Issue: 1906 Vol. 42 N. 23 - Page 10
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
10
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EFFECT OF THE SAN FRANCISCO DISASTER ON THE MUSIC TRADE
quiet. This quietness was so prolonged that I
immediately came to the conclusion that while
the earthquake shock was considerably worse
Pre-
Retrospective Sketch of Conditions Since the Earthquake—The
Situation
Interestingly
than anything I ever experienced in San Fran-
sented by Alfred Metzger, The Review Representative on the Pacific Coast.
cisco, it did, after all, not do much damage. I
(Special t o T h e It'vien )
that very few of the thre"e thousand people would was strengthened in this conviction by the fact
Los Angeles, Cal., June 1, 1906.
have survived. Those who witnessed that per- that nothing seemed to be wrong in my room,
Although a great many articles have been writ- formance will never forget the brilliancy of the and after listening a while longer I turned around
ten in the Eastern press regarding the terrible event. They will never forget the wonderful and went to sleep again. It must be remembered
calamity that befell San Francisco on the morn- efforts of Enrico Caruso in the role of Don Jose that I lived in a two-story frame building on
ing of April 18, none of them has yet given an
absolutely accurate idea regarding the effect this
disaster had on the music trade and the manner
in which the various dealers met a difficult situa-
tion with that undaunted spirit that by this time
has become the wonder of the world. I sincerely
believe that the readers of The Music Trade Re-
view are sufficiently interested in this phase of
the disaster to scan a detailed review patiently and
with the necessary interest. On Tuesday evening,
WHAT KIOMAIMS OK BYUON MAUZl'S OLD yUAUTEUS WHERE HE IS l'KKl'AUING TO UKUV11.1).
wherein he amalgamated the fierce temperament Washintgon street, near Van Ness avenue, a part
of the passionate Don Jose with that beautiful of town considerably removed from the down-
quality of voice for which he has become famous. town section, where buildings collapsed imme-
But seldom have I witnessed an ovation like diately.
I did not rise until half-past eight in the morn-
that given to Caruso, and it was a night that
could not have been improved in enthusiasm and ing, and when I looked around my room I found
general representation of the most cultured ele- that the plaster was cracked on the walls and
ment in one of the most cultured cities on the many things had fallen down from tables and
American continent. After the opera the huge mantelpiece. I then began to realize that the
audience directed its steps toward the many shock was, after all, more severe than I first
brilliantly illuminated cafes, especially the Pal- anticipated. On my way out I met the landlady of
ace Grill, that us'ually catered to the refined taste the house, who looked terrified, and upon my
of the opera audiences, and here again it is con- anxious inquiry as to what had happened she
soling to remember that the catastrophe did not looked at me in surprise with wide-open eyes
occur even at that time, when San Francisco and asked: "Why, did you just get up?" And
was refreshing itself after the opera performance. when I responded in the affirmative she gave me
Everyone went home, taking along a memory of a puzzled glance as if to doubt my sanity. She
.the magnificent spectacle which it had been his then replied: "You had better get downtown and
see whether your office is left. Everything is
or her good fortune to witness.
burning." Even then I could not realize what
I arrived home about one o'clock in the morn-
had happened. I went out on the street and found
ning, and, being rather worn out, sank imme-
people gathered on the sidewalks in crowds,
SHERMAN, CLAY'S OU> BUILDING, LOOKING FROM SUTLER
diately in deep slumber. Suddenly I awakened all looking with fearful glances toward one direc-
STKKET TOWARD MARKET.
with a peculiar sensation. At first I really did tion, and following the glances I saw big volumes
The Cross marks the former location of Kohler &
not know what happened. It seemed to me I of smoke rising from the Mission district of the
Chase, corner of Post and Kearny Streets.
was dreaming. But gradually I became aware city and the sun seemed like a big red ball cast-
April 17, the Metropolitan Opera Co., of New of the fact that everything was shaking in a ing a pall of mourning all over the land. It
York, gave the second performance of their en- terrific manner. My room seemed to be forced seemed as if the whole town was on fire south of
gagement, which was to extend over two weeks, first up and down and then from one side to the Market street.
before a crowded house. In the neighborhood of other, and there did not seem to be an end to
I at last began to realize how terrible the
three thousand people were crowded in the Grand this terrible contortion. I expected every minute
Opera House, where the performance took place, that the house would collapse. I listened intently catastrophe really was, and I immediately pre-
and it is fearful to contemplate the gruesome for some sort of noise in the house which would pared to go downtown to see how my office fared,
results had the cataclysm struck San Francisco enlighten me as to the extent of the cataclysm, and whether it was in immediate danger. I went
during this performance. It is safe to assume but, strange to say, everything seemed to be down Larkin' street and turned into Sutter. Wher-
ever I passed big window panes were smashed
into atoms, brick buildings had either entirely
or partially collapsed, churches were injured to
an irreparable extent, and there really was not
one block which I passed wherein some buildings
had not suffered fearfully from the cataclysm.
From all directions big wagons drawn by four
and six horses were driven downtown packed
with soldiers, and large streams of men and
women were wending their way downtown. Not
a word was spoken; everyone seemed to have
been struck dumb by the terrible danger that
threatened the community. At last I arrived
downtown, corner Sutter and Kearny streets,
and I found that the store of Sherman,
Clay & Co. was still intact, not having been in-
jured at all by the earthquake except for one or
two plate glass windows which were broken. I
looked quickly up Kearny street and found Koh-
ler & Chase also in solid condition, and hence
I knew that my office, too, was all right, for it
was in the Kohler & Chase building. On arriv-
ing at the Kohler & Chase store I found present
Mr. Jackson, Mr. Chesbro, George Q. Chase and
HOW BY EILERS ANNOUNCES THE RESURRECTION OF THE EILERS ESTABLISHMENT ON THE OLD SITE.
10
THE MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
EFFECT OF THE SAN FRANCISCO DISASTER ON THE MUSIC TRADE
quiet. This quietness was so prolonged that I
immediately came to the conclusion that while
the earthquake shock was considerably worse
Pre-
Retrospective Sketch of Conditions Since the Earthquake—The
Situation
Interestingly
than anything I ever experienced in San Fran-
sented by Alfred Metzger, The Review Representative on the Pacific Coast.
cisco, it did, after all, not do much damage. I
(Special t o T h e It'vien )
that very few of the thre"e thousand people would was strengthened in this conviction by the fact
Los Angeles, Cal., June 1, 1906.
have survived. Those who witnessed that per- that nothing seemed to be wrong in my room,
Although a great many articles have been writ- formance will never forget the brilliancy of the and after listening a while longer I turned around
ten in the Eastern press regarding the terrible event. They will never forget the wonderful and went to sleep again. It must be remembered
calamity that befell San Francisco on the morn- efforts of Enrico Caruso in the role of Don Jose that I lived in a two-story frame building on
ing of April 18, none of them has yet given an
absolutely accurate idea regarding the effect this
disaster had on the music trade and the manner
in which the various dealers met a difficult situa-
tion with that undaunted spirit that by this time
has become the wonder of the world. I sincerely
believe that the readers of The Music Trade Re-
view are sufficiently interested in this phase of
the disaster to scan a detailed review patiently and
with the necessary interest. On Tuesday evening,
WHAT KIOMAIMS OK BYUON MAUZl'S OLD yUAUTEUS WHERE HE IS l'KKl'AUING TO UKUV11.1).
wherein he amalgamated the fierce temperament Washintgon street, near Van Ness avenue, a part
of the passionate Don Jose with that beautiful of town considerably removed from the down-
quality of voice for which he has become famous. town section, where buildings collapsed imme-
But seldom have I witnessed an ovation like diately.
I did not rise until half-past eight in the morn-
that given to Caruso, and it was a night that
could not have been improved in enthusiasm and ing, and when I looked around my room I found
general representation of the most cultured ele- that the plaster was cracked on the walls and
ment in one of the most cultured cities on the many things had fallen down from tables and
American continent. After the opera the huge mantelpiece. I then began to realize that the
audience directed its steps toward the many shock was, after all, more severe than I first
brilliantly illuminated cafes, especially the Pal- anticipated. On my way out I met the landlady of
ace Grill, that us'ually catered to the refined taste the house, who looked terrified, and upon my
of the opera audiences, and here again it is con- anxious inquiry as to what had happened she
soling to remember that the catastrophe did not looked at me in surprise with wide-open eyes
occur even at that time, when San Francisco and asked: "Why, did you just get up?" And
was refreshing itself after the opera performance. when I responded in the affirmative she gave me
Everyone went home, taking along a memory of a puzzled glance as if to doubt my sanity. She
.the magnificent spectacle which it had been his then replied: "You had better get downtown and
see whether your office is left. Everything is
or her good fortune to witness.
burning." Even then I could not realize what
I arrived home about one o'clock in the morn-
had happened. I went out on the street and found
ning, and, being rather worn out, sank imme-
people gathered on the sidewalks in crowds,
SHERMAN, CLAY'S OU> BUILDING, LOOKING FROM SUTLER
diately in deep slumber. Suddenly I awakened all looking with fearful glances toward one direc-
STKKET TOWARD MARKET.
with a peculiar sensation. At first I really did tion, and following the glances I saw big volumes
The Cross marks the former location of Kohler &
not know what happened. It seemed to me I of smoke rising from the Mission district of the
Chase, corner of Post and Kearny Streets.
was dreaming. But gradually I became aware city and the sun seemed like a big red ball cast-
April 17, the Metropolitan Opera Co., of New of the fact that everything was shaking in a ing a pall of mourning all over the land. It
York, gave the second performance of their en- terrific manner. My room seemed to be forced seemed as if the whole town was on fire south of
gagement, which was to extend over two weeks, first up and down and then from one side to the Market street.
before a crowded house. In the neighborhood of other, and there did not seem to be an end to
I at last began to realize how terrible the
three thousand people were crowded in the Grand this terrible contortion. I expected every minute
Opera House, where the performance took place, that the house would collapse. I listened intently catastrophe really was, and I immediately pre-
and it is fearful to contemplate the gruesome for some sort of noise in the house which would pared to go downtown to see how my office fared,
results had the cataclysm struck San Francisco enlighten me as to the extent of the cataclysm, and whether it was in immediate danger. I went
during this performance. It is safe to assume but, strange to say, everything seemed to be down Larkin' street and turned into Sutter. Wher-
ever I passed big window panes were smashed
into atoms, brick buildings had either entirely
or partially collapsed, churches were injured to
an irreparable extent, and there really was not
one block which I passed wherein some buildings
had not suffered fearfully from the cataclysm.
From all directions big wagons drawn by four
and six horses were driven downtown packed
with soldiers, and large streams of men and
women were wending their way downtown. Not
a word was spoken; everyone seemed to have
been struck dumb by the terrible danger that
threatened the community. At last I arrived
downtown, corner Sutter and Kearny streets,
and I found that the store of Sherman,
Clay & Co. was still intact, not having been in-
jured at all by the earthquake except for one or
two plate glass windows which were broken. I
looked quickly up Kearny street and found Koh-
ler & Chase also in solid condition, and hence
I knew that my office, too, was all right, for it
was in the Kohler & Chase building. On arriv-
ing at the Kohler & Chase store I found present
Mr. Jackson, Mr. Chesbro, George Q. Chase and
HOW BY EILERS ANNOUNCES THE RESURRECTION OF THE EILERS ESTABLISHMENT ON THE OLD SITE.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).