Committee of Fifty (1906)
Encyclopedia
This Committee of Fifty, sometimes referred to as Committee of Safety, Citizens' Committee of Fifty or Relief and Restoration Committee of Law and Order, was called into existence by Mayor Eugene Schmitz
during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
. The Mayor invited civic leaders, entrepreneurs, newspaper men and politicians—but none of the members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
-- to participate in this committee in whose hands the civil administration of San Francisco would rest.
Schmitz thought it necessary to form this body to manage the crisis during the disaster, although there was no legal basis for it. It first assembled in the basement of the ruined Hall of Justice on Wednesday, April 18, at 3 p.m. By 5 p.m. the place became untenable and the Committee crossed Portsmouth Square to meet at the Plaza which in turn had to be abandoned 2 hours later. At 8 p.m. the Committee assembled at the Fairmont Hotel
's ballroom, sitting along the edge of the stage and on packing cases. At this point, the 19 sub-committees were set up. Shortly after 11 p.m. they dispersed. Overnight the Fairmont Hotel burned down. On Thursday, April 19, at 6 a.m., the Committee met at the North End police station. At 11 a.m. they had to abandon the police station because of the scorching heat, and reconvened at 2 p.m. at Franklin Hall, on Fillmore Street, where they stayed for the remainder of the crisis, and became known as Temporary City Hall. At 4.30 p.m. Abe Ruef
appeared there. He had not been called to be a member, but invited himself, and Mayor Schmitz accepted his offer, and he became chairman of an additional sub-committee, trying unsuccessfully to relocate the Chinese. Actually, there were more than hundred members, but they never met all together, since during the chaos members came and went as they could or would.
published the first list of the members of the Committee with 49 names - it did not include that of the Mayor - which originated the name Committee of Fifty. Later, more and more people went to the meetings and here are the names of people who were mentioned by different sources as members:
Eugene Schmitz
Eugene Edward Schmitz was an American politician and the 26th mayor of San Francisco, who became notorious for his conviction by a jury on charges of corruption.-Life and career:...
during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 was a major earthquake that struck San Francisco, California, and the coast of Northern California at 5:12 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. The most widely accepted estimate for the magnitude of the earthquake is a moment magnitude of 7.9; however, other...
. The Mayor invited civic leaders, entrepreneurs, newspaper men and politicians—but none of the members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
San Francisco Board of Supervisors
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors is the legislative body within the government of the City and County of San Francisco, California, United States.-Government and politics:...
-- to participate in this committee in whose hands the civil administration of San Francisco would rest.
Schmitz thought it necessary to form this body to manage the crisis during the disaster, although there was no legal basis for it. It first assembled in the basement of the ruined Hall of Justice on Wednesday, April 18, at 3 p.m. By 5 p.m. the place became untenable and the Committee crossed Portsmouth Square to meet at the Plaza which in turn had to be abandoned 2 hours later. At 8 p.m. the Committee assembled at the Fairmont Hotel
The Fairmont San Francisco
The Fairmont San Francisco is a luxury hotel at 950 Mason Street, atop Nob Hill in San Francisco, California. The hotel was named after mining magnate and U.S. Senator James Graham Fair , by his daughters Theresa Fair Oelrichs and Virginia Fair Vanderbilt who built the hotel in his honor. The hotel...
's ballroom, sitting along the edge of the stage and on packing cases. At this point, the 19 sub-committees were set up. Shortly after 11 p.m. they dispersed. Overnight the Fairmont Hotel burned down. On Thursday, April 19, at 6 a.m., the Committee met at the North End police station. At 11 a.m. they had to abandon the police station because of the scorching heat, and reconvened at 2 p.m. at Franklin Hall, on Fillmore Street, where they stayed for the remainder of the crisis, and became known as Temporary City Hall. At 4.30 p.m. Abe Ruef
Abe Ruef
Abraham Rueff , known as Abe Ruef, was an American lawyer and politician...
appeared there. He had not been called to be a member, but invited himself, and Mayor Schmitz accepted his offer, and he became chairman of an additional sub-committee, trying unsuccessfully to relocate the Chinese. Actually, there were more than hundred members, but they never met all together, since during the chaos members came and went as they could or would.
Members
On April 19, 1906, The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
published the first list of the members of the Committee with 49 names - it did not include that of the Mayor - which originated the name Committee of Fifty. Later, more and more people went to the meetings and here are the names of people who were mentioned by different sources as members:
- Eugene SchmitzEugene SchmitzEugene Edward Schmitz was an American politician and the 26th mayor of San Francisco, who became notorious for his conviction by a jury on charges of corruption.-Life and career:...
, Mayor, Chairman of the Committee of Fifty - Rufus P. Jennings, Secretary of the Committee of Fifty, executive officer of the California Promotion Committee
- Frank P. Anderson
- Hugo K. Asher, afterwards Delegate to the 1920 Democratic National Convention1920 Democratic National Convention- External links :*...
from California - William Babcock, Vice-President of the Pacific-Union Club 1897,
- William J. Bartnett, chief counsel of the Western Pacific RailroadWestern Pacific RailroadThe Western Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was formed in 1903 as an attempt to break the near-monopoly the Southern Pacific Railroad had on rail service into northern California...
- Clement Pelham Bennett, court reporter
- Maurice Block
- Henry Ulysses Brandenstein, lawyer
- J. Dalzell Brown
- S. G. Buckbee
- H. M. Burke
- Michael Casey
- Albert E. Castle
- Myrtle E. Cerf, California's first woman CPACertified Public AccountantCertified Public Accountant is the statutory title of qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements for certification as a CPA...
- I. Choynski, Press Agent of the Committee
- Oscar Cooper
- R. H. Countryman
- Paul Cowles
- Harry Thornton Creswell, some time City and County Attorney and Police Commissioner, afterwards Delegate to the 1912 Democratic National Convention1912 Democratic National ConventionThe 1912 Democratic National Convention was held at the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore from June 25 to July 2, 1912. It proved to be one of the more memorable United States presidential conventions of the twentieth century. The main candidates were House Speaker Champ Clark of Missouri and...
from California - Henry J. CrockerHenry J. CrockerHenry J. Crocker was a prominent San Franciscan businessman, one of the Committee of Fifty formed after the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and a noted philatelist.-Business career:...
, businessman - R. A. Crothers, publisher of the San Francisco Evening Bulletin
- O. K. Cushing, lawyer
- Horace DavisHorace DavisHorace Davis was a United States Representative from California. He was the son of Massachusetts Governor John Davis and the younger brother of diplomat John Chandler Bancroft Davis.-Biography:...
, ex-United States Representative - George Dillman
- Jeremiah Dinan, Chief of Police
- Edgar J. De Pue, President of The Pacific-Union Club 1906-1908
- Michael H. de Young, owner of the San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chroniclethumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
- A. B. C. Dohrman
- Frank G. Drum, Treasurer of The Pacific-Union Club 1911-1914
- John Sylvester Drum, attorney, afterwards President of The Mercantile Trust Company, Director of the Pacific Gas & Electric Company, and President of the American Bankers AssociationAmerican Bankers AssociationThe American Bankers Association is an industry trade group and professional association representing the United States' banking industry...
- George F. Duffy
- F. J. Dwyer
- Garrett W. Enerney
- C. W. Fay, postmaster
- Tirey L. FordTirey L. FordTirey Lafayette Ford was a successful San Francisco attorney, and Attorney-General of California .-Early life:...
, attorney for United Railroads, ex-California Attorney GeneralCalifornia Attorney GeneralThe California Attorney General is the State Attorney General of California. The officer's duty is to ensure that "the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced" The Attorney General carries out the responsibilities of the office through the California Department of Justice.The... - Charles S. Fee
- Katharine FeltonKatharine FeltonKatharine Conway "Kitty" Felton is a name that became synonymous with social work for her innovative reforms over the 40 years of her tenure as head of Associated Charities in San Francisco beginning at the turn of the 19th century....
, Director of the Family Service Agency of San FranciscoFamily Service Agency of San FranciscoFamily Service Agency of San Francisco was founded in 1889 as Associated Charities by Katharine Felton . FSASF is the oldest nonsectarian, nonprofit charitable social-services provider in the City and County of San Francisco... - John W. Ferris
- Dr. Thomas Filben, Methodist minister
- James L. Flood
- T. C. Friedlander
- Dr. Garceau
- Thomas Garrett
- Mark L. Gerstle
- Louis T. Glass, director of telephone companies, and inventor of the JukeboxJukeboxA jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
- Wellington Gregg, Jr.
- R. B. Hale, owner of Hale Brothers department storeCarter Hawley Hale StoresBroadway Stores, Inc. was an American retailer based in Southern California. Known through its history as Carter Hawley Hale Stores and Broadway Hale Stores over time, it acquired other retail store chains in regions outside its California home base and became in certain retail sectors a regional...
- Dr. Harris, physician
- Ralph Harrison
- Richard C. Harrison, attorney, partner in the law firm of Harrison & Harrison
- William Greer Harrison, agent for Thames and Mersey Marine Insurance Co, Liverpool
- John Downey Harvey, major shareholder of Ocean Shore RailroadOcean Shore RailroadThe Ocean Shore Railroad was intended to be built from San Francisco to Santa Cruz, California, via a route along the Pacific coastline.-History:...
- Isaias W. HellmanIsaias W. HellmanIsaias Wolf Hellman was a German-Jewish banker and philanthropist, and a founding father of the University of Southern California.-Biography:...
, banker - Francis J. HeneyFrancis J. HeneyFrancis Joseph Heney was an American lawyer who served as Attorney General of the Arizona Territory between 1893 and 1895.- Early years :...
, special federal prosecutor, later the same year prosecuted Schmitz and Ruef for bribery - George A. Hensley
- William F. Herrin, Chief Counsel of Southern Pacific RailroadSouthern Pacific RailroadThe Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
- Dr. Marcus Herstein, physician
- Howard Carlton Holmes, Chief Engineer of the San Francisco Dry Dock Company
- J. R. Howell, Chairman of the San Francisco Real Estate Board
- A. M. Hunt
- Judge John Hunt, of the San Francisco Superior Court
- D. V. Kelly
- Homer King
- George A. Knight
- F. H. Lamb
- Franklin Knight LaneFranklin Knight LaneFranklin Knight Lane was an American Democratic politician from California who served as United States Secretary of the Interior from 1913 to 1920...
, lawyer, afterwards US Secretary of the Interior - Hartland Law, manufacturer of patent medicines
- Herbert E. Law, brother of Hartland Law
- W. H. Leahy
- John J. Lermen, attorney
- Charles Loesch
- H. D. Loveland
- C. G. Lyman
- C. H. Maddox
- Frank Maestretti
- Thomas Magee
- John J. Mahoney
- Rabbi A. W. Mann
- John Martin
- Dr. McGill
- John McLauren
- Gavin McNab
- John McNaught
- S. B. McNear
- John F. Merrill
- William H. Metson
- Archbishop George Thomas MontgomeryGeorge Thomas MontgomeryGeorge Thomas Montgomery was the first American-born Bishop of the Diocese of Monterey-Los Angeles , serving in that capacity from 1896-1902....
, coadjutor of San FranciscoRoman Catholic Archdiocese of San FranciscoThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in the northern California region of the United States. It covers the City and County of San Francisco and the Counties of Marin and San Mateo... - Edward F. Moran, former President of the San Francisco Civil Service Commission
- US Circuit Judge William W. MorrowWilliam W. MorrowWilliam W. Morrow was a US Representative from California from 1885–1891. Born near Milton, Wayne County, Indiana, he moved with his parents to Adams County, Illinois in 1845, attended the common schools and received private instruction. He moved to Santa Rosa, California, in 1859, taught school...
, president of the San Francisco Red Cross - Irving F. Moulton
- Thornwell Mullally, assistant to Patrick CalhounPatrick CalhounPatrick Calhoun , son of Andrew Pickens Calhoun and grandson of John C. Calhoun, great-grandson of his namesake Patrick Calhoun, who was the immigrant Calhoun.He was an entrepreneur...
, of United Railroads of San Francisco - S. G. Murphy
- George A. Newhall, Secretary of The Pacific-Union Club 1896-1897, 1908
- William Ford Nichols, Episcopal Bishop of California
- Hermann OelrichsHermann OelrichsHermann Oelrichs , was an American businessman, multimillionaire, and owner of Norddeutsche Lloyd shipping. The grandson of a German immigrant, Oelrichs was married in 1890 to Teresa Alice Fair, daughter of United States Senator and Comstock Lode millionaire James Graham Fair...
, of Norddeutsche Lloyd shipping line, son-in-law of James Graham FairJames Graham FairJames Graham Fair was the overnight millionaire part-owner of the Comstock Lode, a United States Senator and a colorful real estate and railroad speculator.-Early life:... - Father Phillip O'Ryan
- Robert Park
- A. H. Payson
- James D. PhelanJames D. PhelanJames Duval Phelan was an American politician, civic leader and banker.-Early years:Phelan was born in San Francisco, the son of an Irish immigrant who became wealthy during the California Gold Rush as a trader, merchant and banker. He graduated from St...
, ex-Mayor of San Francisco, predecessor of Schmitz - Albert PissisAlbert PissisAlbert Pissis was the architect who introduced the Beaux-Arts architectural style to San Francisco, California, designing a number of important buildings in the city in the years before and after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.-Biography:...
, architect - Willis PolkWillis PolkWillis Jefferson Polk was an American architect best known for his work in San Francisco, California.-Life:He was born in Jacksonville, Illinois and was related to United States President James Polk....
, architect - Allan Pollock
- Edward B. PondEdward B. PondEdward B. Pond was a Democratic politician from California. He was the 21st Mayor of San Francisco from 1887 to 1891. In 1890, he ran for Governor of California. At the California Democratic State Convention, San Francisco Boss Christopher Buckley backed Mayor Pond. Edward B. Pond defeated...
, ex-Mayor of San Francisco - A. S. Porter
- Harry V. Ramsdell
- J. W. Raphael
- James W. Reid, Secretary of The Pacific-Union Club 1899-1900
- J. B. Reinstein
- David Rich
- Dent H. Robert
- John Rogers
- Abe RuefAbe RuefAbraham Rueff , known as Abe Ruef, was an American lawyer and politician...
, political boss - Hermann SchusslerHermann SchusslerHermann Schüssler or Schussler was a German water-systems engineer and architect of dams famous for designing the Comstock water system.-Early years:...
, hydraulic engineer - Henry T. Scott, president of Union Iron WorksUnion Iron WorksUnion Iron Works, located in San Francisco, California, on the southeast waterfront, was a central business within the large industrial zone of Potrero Point, for four decades at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth centuries.-History:...
, and Chairman of the Board of Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company - Homer T. Scott
- Frank Shea
- James Shea
- Samuel M. ShortridgeSamuel M. ShortridgeSamuel Morgan Shortridge was a Republican Senator from California.A descendant of Daniel Boone, he was born in Mount Pleasant, Iowa and moved to California as a child with his family, which settled in San Jose in 1875. He practiced law in San Francisco, California for most of his life.He lost the...
, lawyer - George Smith
- John H. Speck, realtor
- Claus SpreckelsClaus SpreckelsClaus Spreckels, formally Adolph Claus J. Spreckels , , was a major industrialist in Hawai'i during the kingdom, republican and territorial periods of the islands' history...
, sugar magnate - Rudolph Spreckels, sugar factory owner, son of Claus Spreckels
- I. Steinhart
- Charles Sutro
- Gustave Sutro
- Andrea Svabora
- Frank J. Symes, president of the Merchants' Association
- Clem Tobin
- Joseph S. Tobin
- George Toumey
- Rabbi Jacob Voorsanger, rabbi of Temple Emanu-El in San Francisco since 1889
- John P. Young, editor of the San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chroniclethumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
- Fred Ward
- James Ward
- William Watson
- Fairfax Henry Wheelan, vice-president of the Southern Pacific Milling Co., graduated from Harvard with the class of 1880, together with Theodore RooseveltTheodore RooseveltTheodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
- Benjamin Ide WheelerBenjamin Ide WheelerBenjamin Ide Wheeler was a Greek and comparative philology professor at Cornell University as well as President of the University of California from 1899 to 1919.-Biography:...
, President of the University of CaliforniaUniversity of CaliforniaThe University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University... - Charles Stetson WheelerCharles Stetson WheelerCharles Stetson Wheeler was an American attorney, working in Northern California. He served as a Regent of the University of California, and was a member of the Committee of Fifty working to maintain order after the devastating fire following the earthquake of 1906 in San Francisco...
, lawyer - A. W. Wilson
- George W. Witton
- Andrew J. Wood
- Thomas P. Woodward
Sub-Committees
- Relief of the Hungry, chairman Rabbi Jacob Voorsanger
- Housing the Homeless, chairman W. J. Bartnett; Fairfax W. Wheelan
- Relief of Sick and Wounded, chairwoman Katharine Felton
- Drugs and Medical Supplies, chairman Dr. Harris
- Relief of Chinese, chairman Rev. Filben
- Transportation of Refugees, chairman Thomas Magee
- Citizens' Police
- Auxiliary Fire Department
- Restoration of Water Supply, chairman Frank P. Anderson
- Restoration of Light and Telephones, chairman Rudolph Spreckels
- Restoration of Fire in Dwellings, chairman Jeremiah Dinan
- Restoration of Abattoirs
- Resumption of Transportation, chairman Thornwall Mullally
- Resumption of Civil Government, chairman Garett McEnerney
- Resumption of the Judiciary, chairman Judge Charles W. Slack
- Resumption of Retail Trade
- Organization of Wholesalers
- Finance, chairman James D. Phelan
- Sanitation
- Relocation of the Chinese, chairman Abe Ruef
- History and Statistics, chairman Frank S. Drum
External links
- List of Members (many names misspelled)
- http://news.quickfound.net/cities/san_francisco.htmlList of Members published by The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
on April 19]
Sources
- Gordon Thomas & Max Morgan Witts: The San Francisco Earthquake (New York: Stein and Day, 1971; London: Souvenir Press, 1971; reprinted Dell Paperback, 1972, SBN 440-07631)