San Francisco’s Reconstruction Challenges
"Progress," a paper published by the Southern Pacific Company, of San Francisco, tells us that there are thirty thousand men engaged in the work of reconstruction in that city, but it is a grossly inadequate number. There is need for many more the wages are higher than in any other city on earth. The great work of reconstruction goes bravely on, tho hampered by strikes and demands for increased wages. Property owners are also forced to face considerable advance in the price of all building materials. And this puts it very mildly. If conditions go on as they have been going for the last month or two there certainly must come a collapse, and it may be safely said that very few permanent buildings will be erected in San Francisco. A new Palace Hotel will be built on the site of the old at a cost not to exceed $3,500,000, with furnishings costing perhaps $700,000 more. It will be constructed as fire-proof and earthquake-proof as human skill can make it.