San Francisco earthquake and fire, April 18, 1906

Shows the aftermath of the San Francisco earthquake of April 18, 1906, and the devastation resulting from the subsequent three-day fire. The earthquake struck at 5:12 a.m. San Francisco, with thousands of unreinforced brick buildings, and closely-spaced wooden Victorian dwellings, was poorly prepared for a major fire. The scenes in the film are preceded by interior titles, many of which are sensationalized. One scene showing a family eating in the street may have been staged for the camera. The film was probably made in early May, as one scene can be precisely dated to May 9, and another to sometime after May 1.