Incendie

An exceptional group of 10 stereoview albumen photos of after-effects from the catastrophic 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire the devastation afterwards and relief efforts. Masonic Hall in the distance 21; Lick Baths 24; McCormick Building looking up Market Street 26; Looking down Folsom Street 29; Near corner of Battery and Front 35; General scene of devastation 38; Emporium from Jessie Street side 44; Refugees in line for relief 55; Ruins manufacturing district 64; Ruins Hopkins Institute Nob Hill 82.

1906 · 60850 — San Francisco & Los Angeles CA: Clinton Johnson 1906. Ten albumen mounted stereoview photos sized 6.4 x 3.25 in. mounted on 7 x 3.5 in. flat gray studio board mimeographed typescript title labels mounted on all versos most images w/ photographer’s imprint w/in the negative at lower fore-edge all w/ rounded corners very minor edgewear still a NF grouping. This outstanding group of very scarce albumen Woodbury-type stereograph photos vividly capture the widespread damage from the April 18 1906 earthquake and subsequent fires which destroyed over 80% of the city of San Francisco which at the time was the largest city on the West Coast. Nearly three-fourths of the population were left homeless and makeshift refugee camps in Golden Gate Park the Presidio the Panhandle and the beaches between Ingleside and North Beach operated for years after the disaster as the city rebuilt. Reconstruction and commercial activities began almost immediately with a couple of these images showing the roadways largely cleared of debris with piles of rubble and devastation spreading into the distance. Many of the images show gutted buildings advertising signs faintly visible in the ruined brick facades and immense piles of masonry and smoking ruins. One of the images capture groups of men hunkering down reading papers smoking and largely shell-shocked waiting in the refugee line for aid. The historic James Lick Baths are depicted in ruins ine one of the images and were rebuilt following the disaster utilizing as much of the original structure as possible in order to remain in operation and the facade was simplified from the original Richardson Romanesque Revival to Renaissance Revival and would operate as one of five public baths from 1906 to 1920. The structure was later converted to the People’s Laundry in operation until 1973. Another of the stereoviews depicts the remnants of the McCormick Hotel before it would later be destroyed along with all of the surrounding ruins by the US Army Corps of Engineers. In fact one sergeant of the battalion narrowly escaped death as the building collapsed while he was placing the charge in the basement. Johnson 1875-1948 appears in street directories in Los Angeles as photographer from 1896-1906 but appears on no census or business trade listings for the period and also managed to eschew registering for the draft. His stereograph series for the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake & Fire appears to be relatively uncommon and the only major institutional holdings are in the Bancroft library with 39 BANC PIC 1905.02074-.02118--STER however nearly all of the images in this collection are not represented. In addition these images correspond mostly closely in format to the Bancroft’s version which were issued with decorative printed boards and captions rubber stamped below while these do not bear the printed boards and captions are mounted on versos. Clinton Johnson, hardcover