Imperial San Francisco: Urban Power, Earthly RuinSan Francisco is a city clouded in myth. This urban biography provides an entirely new vision of the city's history, laying bare the inner dynamics of the regional civilization centered in San Francisco. Imperial San Francisco examines the far-reaching environmental impact that one city and the elite families that hold power in it have had on the Pacific Basin for over a century and a half. The book provides a literate, myth-shattering interpretation of the hidden costs that the growth of San Francisco has exacted on its surrounding regions, presenting along the way a revolutionary new theory of urban development. Written in a lively, accessible style, the narrative is filled with vivid characters, engrossing stories, and a rich variety of illustrations. As he uncovers the true costs of building an imperial city, Gray Brechin addresses the dynastic ambitions of frontier oligarchies, the environmental and social effects of the mining industry, the creation of two universities, the choice of imperial architecture to symbolize the aspirations of San Franciscans in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, manipulation of public thought by the city's media, and more. He traces the exploitation of both local and distant regions by prominent families--the Hearsts, de Youngs, Spreckelses, and others--who gained wealth and power through mining, control of ranching, water and energy, transportation, real estate, and weapons. This broad history of San Francisco is a story of greed and ambition on an epic scale. Imperial San Francisco incorporates rare period illustrations, personal correspondence, and public statements to show how a little-known power elite has used the city as a tool to increase its own wealth and power. Brechin's story advances a new way of understanding urban history as he traces the links among environment, economy, and technology that led, ultimately, to the creation of the atomic bomb and the nuclear arms race. Los Angeles Times Best Nonfiction Book of 2000 San Francisco is a city clouded in myth. This urban biography provides an entirely new vision of the city's history, laying bare the inner dynamics of the regional civilization centered in San Francisco. Imperial San Francisco examines the far-reaching environmental impact that one city and the elite families that hold power in it have had on the Pacific Basin for over a century and a half. The book provides a literate, myth-shattering interpretation of the hidden costs that the growth of San Francisco has exacted on its surrounding regions, presenting along the way a revolutionary new theory of urban development. Written in a lively, accessible style, the narrative is filled with vivid characters, engrossing stories, and a rich variety of illustrations. As he uncovers the true costs of building an imperial city, Gray Brechin addresses the dynastic ambitions of frontier oligarchies, the environmental and social effects of the mining industry, the creation of two universities, the choice of imperial architecture to symbolize the aspirations of San Franciscans in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, manipulation of public thought by the city's media, and more. He traces the exploitation of both local and distant regions by prominent families--the Hearsts, de Youngs, Spreckelses, and others--who gained wealth and power through mining, control of ranching, water and energy, transportation, real estate, and weapons. This broad history of San Francisco is a story of greed and ambition on an epic scale. Imperial San Francisco incorporates rare period illustrations, personal correspondence, and public statements to show how a little-known power elite has used the city as a tool to increase its own wealth and power. Brechin's story advances a new way of understanding urban history as he traces the links among environment, economy, and technology that led, ultimately, to the creation of the atomic bomb and the nuclear arms race. Los Angeles Times Best Nonfiction Book of 2000 |
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Contents
LXVII | 184 |
LXVIII | 185 |
LXIX | 188 |
LXX | 191 |
LXXI | 192 |
LXXII | 194 |
LXXIII | 197 |
LXXIV | 198 |
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XL | 119 |
XLI | 121 |
XLII | 123 |
XLIII | 125 |
XLIV | 130 |
XLV | 132 |
XLVI | 135 |
XLVII | 138 |
XLVIII | 142 |
XLIX | 144 |
L | 149 |
LI | 151 |
LII | 154 |
LIII | 156 |
LIV | 157 |
LV | 160 |
LVI | 161 |
LVII | 165 |
LVIII | 171 |
LIX | 172 |
LX | 173 |
LXI | 174 |
LXII | 175 |
LXIII | 177 |
LXIV | 178 |
LXV | 180 |
LXVI | 182 |
LXXV | 200 |
LXXVI | 202 |
LXXVII | 204 |
LXXVIII | 205 |
LXXIX | 206 |
LXXX | 208 |
LXXXI | 209 |
LXXXII | 211 |
LXXXIII | 213 |
LXXXIV | 214 |
LXXXV | 217 |
LXXXVI | 221 |
LXXXVII | 222 |
LXXXVIII | 226 |
LXXXIX | 229 |
XC | 230 |
XCI | 231 |
XCII | 235 |
XCIII | 238 |
XCIV | 243 |
XCV | 245 |
XCVI | 249 |
XCVII | 252 |
XCVIII | 256 |
XCIX | 261 |
C | 262 |
CI | 266 |
CII | 267 |
CIII | 269 |
CIV | 270 |
CV | 274 |
CVI | 279 |
CVII | 280 |
CVIII | 281 |
CIX | 284 |
CX | 286 |
CXI | 289 |
CXII | 291 |
CXIII | 292 |
CXIV | 295 |
CXV | 297 |
CXVI | 300 |
CXVII | 302 |
CXVIII | 304 |
CXIX | 305 |
CXX | 307 |
CXXI | 309 |
CXXII | 311 |
CXXIII | 321 |
CXXIV | 323 |
CXXV | 331 |
CXXVI | 359 |
CXXVII | 361 |
CXXVIII | 389 |
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Common terms and phrases
acquired American Association Bank became become Berkeley building built California called capital century Chronicle city's civilization claimed close Coast Company continued costs create empire energy engineer expansion fair Figure force fortunes gave George gold Golden Gate greater growing Hall Hammond Hearst Hetch Hill hundred imperial industry interests Iron Japanese John land later Lawrence leading less March Market means Mexico Michael military million miners mining moved nature nearly necessary needed Nevada newspapers North once opened Overland Pacific Park Phelan Philippines political president Press produced proved publisher race railroad real estate regents remained reported River San Francisco Scott Senator served Sharon Sierra Spring Street thousand tion told took turn United University Valley wealth West western William Randolph wrote York Young
Popular passages
Page 330 - Westward the course of empire takes its way ; The four first acts already past, A fifth shall close the drama with the day — Time's noblest offspring is the last.
Page 25 - Also they argue that the woods and groves are cut down, for there is need of an endless amount of wood for timbers, machines, and the smelting of metals. And when the woods and groves are felled, then are exterminated the beasts and birds, very many of which furnish a pleasant and agreeable food for man. Further, when the ores are washed, the water which has been used poisons the brooks and streams, and either destroys the fish or drives them away. Therefore the inhabitants of these regions, on account...
Page 279 - ... it will not need another century or half century to turn thought upside down. Law in that case would disappear as theory or a priori principle and give place to force. Morality would become police. Explosives would reach cosmic violence. Disintegration would overcome integration.
Page 205 - We do not want the people of Mexico, either as citizens or subjects. All we want is a portion of territory, which they nominally hold, generally uninhabited, or, where inhabited at all, sparsely so, and with a population, which would soon recede, or identify itself with ours.
Page 25 - But besides this, the strongest argument of the detractors is that the fields are devastated by mining operations, for which reason formerly Italians were warned by law that no one should dig the earth for metals and so injure their very fertile fields, their vineyards, and their olive groves.
Page 64 - Magnus and the multitude of other ranchers of whom he was a type, farmed their ranches. They had no love for their land. They were not attached to the soil. They worked their ranches as a quarter of a century before they had worked their mines. To husband the resources of their marvellous San Joaquin, they considered niggardly, petty, Hebraic. To get all there was out of the land, to squeeze it dry, to exhaust it, seemed their policy. When, at last, the land worn out, would refuse to yield, they...
Page 348 - Alamo call out encouragement to each other; a settler pushes west and sings a song, and the song echoes out forever and fills the unknowing air. It is the American sound: It is hopeful, big-hearted, idealistic —daring, decent, and fair. That's our heritage, that's our song. We sing it still. For all our problems, our differences, we are together as of old.
Page 198 - We are the tools and vassals of rich men behind the scenes. We are the jumping jacks, they pull the strings and we dance. Our talents, our possibilities and our lives are all the property of other men. We are intellectual prostitutes.
Page 49 - Tet in thy lap, thus rudely rent and torn, A nobler seed shall be: Mother of mighty men, thou shalt not mourn Thy lost virginity! Thy human children shall restore the grace Gone with thy fallen pines: The wild, barbaric beauty of thy face Shall round to classic lines.