Refugees from the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire receive help at the Southern Pacific Railroad Arcade Depot. There are different stations set up with signs above, including, "Headquarters St. Vincent de Paul," "Information Bureau Native Sons Relief..." "Native Sons Hindquarter 211 1/2 West Second [St.]," "Information Bureau Native Sons Relief..." Men stand behind the stations and in front. One man walks in the center of the photograph wearing a hat, coat, and scarf around his neck. There is a sign for the Arcade Depot in the background. At the right, there are signs painted on the sides of buildings, including, "Hotel Arcade," "M. J. [D.] Coffee...Why?" "Feifer's Union...The greatest 5 [cent] cigar in the world." There are utility poles and throughout and wires overhead, and there is a palm tree at the left.
Guy West stands in a street lined with buildings that are destroyed and smoking. Other men walk on the street around him. At the left, there is a building that is burnt and behind that, smoke billows up into the sky. At the right, there are bricks scattered around and further on there are buildings that are still partially standing. West wears a flat hat and bowtie, and has his hands on his hips.
Refugees from the San Francisco Earthquake and Fire arrive at the Southern Pacific Railroad Arcade Depot. There is a long table that may be covered with supplies. Various people walk around. Four men sit on top of a roof in the background.
Damaged remains of about 12 buildings, with street in foreground with cable car tracks and fallen cables, with building with arched window, possibly a church, at left, group of about 6 people, 1 man standing apart, 2 burned trees at center, hill in background, with smoke or haze in sky
The Crocker building was designed by A. Page Brown in ca. 1891; it survived the earthquake and fire but was demolished in 1966. The Palace Hotel was designed by John P. Gaynor in 1875. It was raised after the earthquake and fire and replaced with a new hotel.
