I just watched the ole film San Francisco with Clark Gable. 1936

Usually I zoned out on Jeanette McDonald's squealing.

This time I made it through and paid particular attention to the

1906 San Francisco earthquake scene.

A landmark in Hollywood disaster cinematography. AMC agrees.

I went to school for four years in San Francisco and picked up some of the

local story of the event of 1906. It was the fire from natural gas lines that

ruptured. The fires could not be fought because there was no water pressure.

An army base is located at the Presidio, at the northern point of the bay entrance.

The future site of Starfleet academy.

The movie shows the army managing the problems of San Francisco with tents, food, and

dynamiting the buildings to put out the fire.

Check out San Fransisco (1936) for the disaster scene

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAoNDihnfbc

and did the army manage the situation until civilian authorities could?

Moi

South of San Francisco.