"In the early mornng hours of April 18, 1906, San Francisco and a string of other towns were overcome by an earthquake registering 8.5 on the Richter scale, resulting from a rupture in the San Andreas Fault. Lasting little more than a minute, the earthquake wrecked 490 blocks, toppled a total of 25,000 buildings, broke open gas mains, cut off electric power lines, and effectively destroyed the gold rush capital that had stood there for half a century." -- Container.
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