Auntjess - the big building with the wisp of smoke is the Merchants Exchange, restored after the earthquake and fire is still standing at 465 California Street. It was, like the Mills Building, designed by Willis Polk while at Burnham & Root.

Auntjess - the big building on the right is still standing. It is the 10-story Mills Building, designed by Burnham & Root of Chicago and built in 1891-1892. It survived the earthquake and fire and was rebuilt and enlarged by the succeesor firm of D. H. Burnham and Company in 1907-1908, under the supervision of Willis Polk. The Mills Building was built for Darius Ogden Mills, a Forty-Niner who became a California banking tycoon.

Histry2 - I was wondering about the wisp of smoke as well, especially as the building is clearly burnt out.

Maybe there was still a lone stoker, working away in the boiler room of the building, unaware that anything had happened outside!

Are either of the tall buildings still there, or any of the others in this picture?

If the current passion for used brick would have been a trend in 1906, they could have had this all picked up quickly by advertising "rock bottom prices on used brick -all you can carry".

It annoys me the way people throw this word around over a candy-bar or something. Now this is what awesome looks like; this is what awesome is.

use the fire escape on the left.

Although not dated precisely, this photo must have been taken within a few days of the fires' being extinguished since the first thing that San Franciscans did after the disaster was to clear the streets.

You gotta wonder about the wisp of smoke coming from the chimney atop the high-rise on the background. (The Appraiser's Building?) Did the building's boiler room survive intact so that the heating system still worked? Or was someone burning trash in the basement? Or maybe it's residual smoke from the still-smoldering ruins making its way up the flues?

Standing alone for nearly 3 years against the scourge of Nazism, I think they are allowed to wear their hats.

[Weebitski is talking about the San Francisco earthquake photo.]

My apologies.

Kong Chow Beneficial Society (Chinese). Incorporated September 24, 1867. Location of asylum was on north side of Pine street, between Kearny and Dupont [Grant]. Object was to dispense charity to poor and worthy Chinese.

Looks like London after the Blitz.

The world comes to an end, but they still have their hats!
The etiquette of the day was such that to not have a hat was considered unusual.

http://www.walternelson.com/dr/hatiquette