View allAll Photos Tagged Prostrate
"Prostrate to ascending shrub, 0.1-0.5 m high. Fl. white/white-purple, Mar to Oct. Sand, often with lateritic gravel, limestone."
Copyright by R. L. Forrest 1906.
U. S. GUARDS IN CHARGE OF DEAD.
A scene in Jefferson Square where the U. S. Guards are caring for the dead. Note the caskets, dead person laid out on mattress, also guard tents, embalming fluids in demijohns, etc. Name or description of the dead being recorded.
[Pg 33]
CHAPTER I.
THE DOOMED CITY.
Earthquake Begins the Wreck of San Francisco and a Conflagration without Parallel Completes the Awful Work of Destruction—Tremendous Loss of life in Quake and Fire—Property Loss $200,000,000.
AFTER four days and three nights that have no parallel outside of Dante’s Inferno, the city of San Francisco, the American metropolis by the Golden Gate, was a mass of glowing embers fast resolving into heaps and winrows of grey ashes emblematic of devastation and death.
Where on the morning of April 18, 1906, stood a city of magnificent splendor, wealthier and more prosperous than Tyre and Sidon of antiquity, enriched by the mines of Ophir, there lay but a scene of desolation. The proud and beautiful city had been shorn of its manifold glories, its palaces and vast commercial emporiums levelled to the earth and its wide area of homes, where dwelt a happy and a prosperous people, lay prostrate in thin ashes. Here and there in the charred ruins and the streets lately blackened by waves of flame, lay crushed or charred corpses, unheeded by the survivors, some of whom were fighting desperately for their lives and property, while others were panic stricken and paralyzed by fear. Thousands of lives had been sacrificed and millions upon millions of dollars in property utterly destroyed.
The beginning of the unparalleled catastrophe was on the morning of April 18, 1906. In the grey dawn, when but few had arisen for the day, a shock of earthquake rocked the foundations of the city and precipitated scenes of panic and terror throughout the business and residence districts.
[Pg 34]It was 5:15 o’clock in the morning when the terrific earthquake shook San Francisco and the surrounding country. One shock apparently lasted two minutes and there was an almost immediate collapse of flimsy structures all over the former city. The water supply was cut off and when fires broke out in various sections there was nothing to do but to let the buildings burn. Telegraphic and telephone communication was shut off. Electric light and gas plants were rendered useless and the city was left without water, light or power. Street car tracks were twisted out of shape and even the ferry-boats ceased to run.
The dreadful earthquake shock came without warning, its motion apparently being from east to west. At first the upheaval of the earth was gradual, but in a few seconds it increased in intensity. Chimneys began to fall and buildings to crack, tottering on their foundations.
People became panic stricken and rushed into the streets, most of them in their night attire. They were met by showers of falling buildings, bricks, cornices and walls. Many were instantly crushed to death, while others were dreadfully mangled. Those who remained indoors generally escaped with their lives, though scores were hit by detached plaster, pictures and articles thrown to the floor by the shock.
Scarcely had the earth ceased to shake when fires broke out simultaneously in many places. The fire department promptly responded to the first calls for aid, but it was found that the water mains had been rendered useless by the underground movement. Fanned by a light breeze, the flames quickly spread and soon many blocks were seen to be doomed.
Then dynamite was resorted to and the sound of frequent explosions added to the terror of the people. All efforts to stay the progress of the fire, however, proved futile. The south side of Market street from Ninth street to the bay was soon ablaze, the fire covering a belt two blocks wide. On this, the main thoroughfare of the city, are located many of the finest edifices in the city, [Pg 35]including the Grant, Parrott, Flood, Call, Examiner and Monadnock buildings, the Palace and Grand hotels and numerous wholesale houses.
At the same time the commercial establishments and banks north of Market street were burning. The burning district in this section extended from Sansome street to the water front and from Market street to Broadway. Fires also broke out in the mission and the entire city seemed to be in flames.
The fire swept down the streets so rapidly that it was practically impossible to save anything in its way. It reached the Grand Opera House on Mission street and in a moment had burned through the roof. The Metropolitan opera company from New York had just opened its season there and all the expensive scenery and costumes were soon reduced to ashes. From the opera house the fire leaped from building to building, leveling them almost to the ground in quick succession.
The Call editorial and mechanical departments were totally destroyed in a few minutes and the flames leaped across Stevenson street toward the fine fifteen-story stone and iron Claus Spreckels building, which with its lofty dome is the most notable edifice in San Francisco. Two small wooden buildings furnished fuel to ignite the splendid pile.
Thousands of people watched the hungry tongues of flame licking the stone walls. At first no impression was made, but suddenly there was a cracking of glass and an entrance was affected. The interior furnishings of the fourth floor were the first to go. Then as though by magic, smoke issued from the top of the dome.
This was followed by a most spectacular illumination. The round windows of the dome shone like so many full moons; they burst and gave vent to long, waving streamers of flame. The crowd watched the spectacle with bated breath. One woman wrung her hands and burst into a torrent of tears.
“It is so terrible!” she sobbed. The tall and slender structure [Pg 36]which had withstood the forces of the earth appeared doomed to fall a prey to fire. After a while, however, the light grew less intense and the flames, finding nothing more to consume, gradually went, leaving the building standing but completely burned out.
The Palace Hotel, the rear of which was constantly threatened, was the scene of much excitement, the guests leaving in haste, many only with the clothing they wore. Finding that the hotel, being surrounded on all sides by streets, was likely to remain immune, many returned and made arrangements for the removal of their belongings, though little could be taken away owing to the utter absence of transportation facilities. The fire broke out anew and the building was soon a mass of ruins.
The Parrott building, in which were located the chambers of the state supreme court, the lower floors being devoted to an immense department store, was ruined, though its massive walls were not all destroyed.
A little farther down Market street the Academy of Sciences and the Jennie Flood building and the History building kindled and burned like tinder. Sparks carried across the wide street ignited the Phelan building and the army headquarters of the department of California, General Funston commanding, were burned.
Still nearing the bay, the waters of which did the firemen good service, along the docks, the fire took the Rialto building, a handsome skyscraper, and converted scores of solid business blocks into smoldering piles of brick.
Banks and commercial houses, supposed to be fireproof though not of modern build, burned quickly and the roar of the flames could be heard even on the hills, which were out of the danger zone. Here many thousands of people congregated and witnessed the awful scene. Great sheets of flame rose high in the heavens or rushed down some narrow street, joining midway between the [Pg 37]sidewalks and making a horizontal chimney of the former passage ways.
The dense smoke that arose from the entire business spread out like an immense funnel and could have been seen for miles out at sea. Occasionally, as some drug house or place stored with chemicals was reached, most fantastic effects were produced by the colored flames and smoke which rolled out against the darker background.
When the first shock occurred at 5:15 a. m. most of the population were in bed and many lodging houses collapsed with every occupant. There was no warning of the awful catastrophe. First came a slight shock, followed almost immediately by a second and then the great shock that sent buildings swaying and tumbling. Fire broke out immediately. Every able-bodied man who could be pressed into service was put to work rescuing the victims.
Panic seized most of the people and they rushed frantically about. Toward the ferry building there was a rush of those fleeing to cross the bay. Few carried any effects and some were hardly dressed. The streets were filled immediately with panic-stricken people and the frequently occurring shocks sent them into unreasoning panic. Fires lighted up the sky in every direction in the breaking dawn. In the business district devastation met the eye on every hand.
The area bounded by Washington, Mission and Montgomery streets and extending to the bay front was quickly devastated. That represented the heart of the handsome business section.
The greatest destruction on the first day occurred in that part of the city which was reclaimed from San Francisco Bay. Much of the devastated district was at one time low marshy ground entirely covered by water at high tide. As the city grew it became necessary to fill in many acres of this low ground in order to reach deep water. The Merchants’ Exchange building, a [Pg 38]fourteen-story steel structure, was situated on the edge of this reclaimed ground. It had just been completed and the executive offices of the Southern Pacific Company occupied the greater part of the building.
The damage by the earthquake to the residence portion of the city, the finest part of which was on Nob Hill and Pacific Heights, was slight but the fire completely destroyed that section on the following day.
To the westward, on Pacific Heights, were many fine, new residences, but little injury was done to any of them by the quake.
The Palace Hotel, a seven-story building about 300 feet square, was built thirty years ago by the late Senator Sharon, whose estate was in the courts for many years. At the time it was erected the Palace was considered the best equipped hotel in the west.
The offices of the three morning papers, the Chronicle, the Call and the Examiner, were located within 100 feet of each other. The Chronicle, situated at the corner of Market and Kearney streets, was a ten-story steel frame building and was one of the finest buildings of its character put up in San Francisco.
The Spreckels building, in which were located the business office of the Call, was sixteen stories high and very narrow. The editorial rooms, composing room and pressroom were in a small three-story building immediately in the rear of the Spreckels building.
Just across Third street was the home of the Examiner, seven stories high, with a frontage of 100 feet on Market street.
The postoffice was a fine, grey stone structure and had been completed less than two years. It covered half a block on Mission street between Sixth and Seventh streets. The ground on which the building stood was of a swampy character and some difficulty was experienced in obtaining a solid foundation.
[Pg 39]The City Hall, which was badly wrecked by the quake and afterwards swept by the fire, was a mile and a half from the water front. It was an imposing structure with a dome 150 feet high. The building covered about three acres and cost more than $7,000,000.
The Grand Opera House, where the Metropolitan Opera Company opened a two weeks’ engagement the previous Monday night, was one of the oldest theaters in San Francisco. It was located on Mission street between Third and Fourth streets and for a number of years was the leading playhouse of the city.
In 1885 when business began to move off of Mission street and to seek modern structures this playhouse was closed for some time and later devoted to vaudeville. Within the past four years, however, numerous fine buildings had been erected on Mission street and the Grand Opera house had been used by many of the leading independent theatrical companies.
All efforts to prevent the fire from reaching the Palace and Grand hotels were unsuccessful and both were completely destroyed together with all their contents.
All of San Francisco’s best playhouses, including the Majestic, Columbia, Orpheum and Grand Opera house were soon a mass of ruins. The earthquake demolished them for all practical purposes and the fire completed the work of demolition. The handsome Rialto and Casserly buildings were burned to the ground, as was everything in that district.
The scene at the Mechanics’ Pavilion during the early hours of the morning and up until noon, when all the injured and dead were removed because of the threatened destruction of the building by fire, was one of indescribable sadness. Sisters, brothers, wives and sweethearts searched eagerly for some missing dear one.
Thousands of persons hurriedly went through the building inspecting the cots on which the sufferers lay in the hope that they would locate some loved one that was missing.
[Pg 40]The dead were placed in one portion of the building and the remainder was devoted to hospital purposes. The fire forced the nurses and physicians to desert the building; the eager crowds followed them to the Presidio and the Children’s hospital, where they renewed their search for missing relatives.
The experience of the first day of the fire was a great testimonial to the modern steel building. A score of those structures were in course of erection and not one of them suffered. The completed modern buildings were also immune from harm by earthquake. The buildings that collapsed were all flimsy, wooden and old-fashioned brick structures.
On the evening of Wednesday, April 18, the first day of the fire, an area of thickly covered ground of eight square miles had been burned over and it was apparent that the entire city was doomed to destruction.
Nearly every famous landmark that had made San Francisco famous over the world had been laid in ruins or burned to the ground in the dire catastrophe. Never was the fate of a city more disastrous.
For three miles along the water front buildings had been swept clean and the blackened beams and great skeletons of factories and offices stood silhouetted against a background of flame that was slowly spreading over the entire city.
The whole commercial and office section of the city on the north side of Market street from the ferry building to Tenth street had been consumed in the hell of flame, while hardly a building was standing in the district south of Market street. At 2 o’clock in the afternoon, despite the heroic work of the firemen and the troops of dynamiters, who razed building after building and blew up property valued at millions, the flames spread across Market street to the north side and swept up Montgomery street, practically to Washington street. Along Montgomery street were some of the richest banks and commercial houses in San Francisco.
[Pg 41]
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Introduced, warm-season, annual or perennial, prostrate to ascending herb. Stems are pubescent to woolly or hairless and to 25 cm tall. Leaves are opposite, oblong to more or less spathulate and 2–5 cm long; upper surface is sparsely hairy to hairless, lower surface is pubescent to woolly. Flowerheads are 1–4 cm long, 1–1.2 cm wide. Perianth segments are white, shining and papery. A native of America, it is a widespread weed.
Native, warm season, perennial herb. Stems are creeping, prostrate to decumbent and slender, with strongly retrorse-strigose hairs. Leaves are hastate or sagittate, 4–6.5 cm long, 15–32 mm wide, with sparse antrorse to occasionally retrorse hairs mostly restricted to veins and margins. Flowerheads have 2–4 branches with small terminal subglobose flower clusters 5–10 mm long with bracts crowded at end of branches. Perianth segments 3.0–3.7 mm long, pink or white. Common in coastal regions (less so on the South Coast). In open swamps. Not eaten by livestock.
This is a prostrate hebe, spreading across alpine rocks and smothered in delicate pure white flowers.
Family: Scrophulariacea
Hebe are a common element of New Zealand flora. They are found growing in a wide variety of habitats from seashore to alpine meadows.
There are about 90 different specimens with a wide variety of growth forms from the tree-like hebe aborescens to small mountain whipcord hebe that resemble dwarf conifers.
Because of the profuse flowers that smother some species hebe are widely used horticulturally all over the world with a wide variety of hybrids and cultivars. Some of the flowers are also elborate and strikingingly coloured, ranging from whites and creams to reds, mauves, purples and blues.
The scientif name has recently been changed to Veronica but hebe remains the popular common name.
Native, perennial, prostrate succulent herb with creeping stems to 2 m long that root at the nodes where they touch the ground. Leaves are 3-sided 3.5–10 cm long, straight or slightly incurved and dull blue-green when young; often becoming pinkish-red when old. Found on coastal sand dunes, usually very close to the sea.
Ceanothus is a large genus of diverse, versatile and beautiful North American species in the buckthorn family, Rhamnaceae. Many are native to California, some endemic to Sonoma County. The genus includes over 60 shrubs, prostrate or mounding, often from 1-6 ft. high. Common names include California lilac, mountain lilac, wild lilac, buck brush, and, less commonly, blueblossom.
Ceanothus species are easily identified by a unique leaf venation shared by all plants within this genus. The ovate leaves, mostly with slightly serrated edges, have three prominent parallel veins extending from the leaf base to the outer margins of leaf tips. Leaves normally have a glossy upper surface and vary in size from ½-3 in. Many of the very drought-tolerant and deer-resistant species have spiny, holly-like leaves.
Blossoms are largely blue in a wide range of hues, but a few are white or pink. Flowers are tiny and produced in large, dense clusters that are intensely fragrant—some say overly so. Bloom period is generally March into May when flowers become food sources for larvae of some butterfly and moth species, bees, and other beneficial insects, all of which make ceanothus a component of habitat gardens or an Integrated Pest Management program.
Several members of the genus can form a symbiotic relationship with soil microbes and fungi, forming root nodules that fix nitrogen. This is a reason why fertilizing is not normally recommended. Adding fertilizer may kill good micro-organisms and make room for the bad ones. Ceanothus plants are better left fending for themselves.
Good drainage is a key for success with ceanothus, as with so many native plants. If soil and drainage are less than ideal, place rootballs on a mound a little higher than the surrounding grade. Or try to plant on slopes so the surface runoff drains more rapidly.
Most species need full sun, though in hotter areas some afternoon shade is beneficial. In garden plantings, those tolerating summer irrigation are easily satisfied by one or two deep waterings a month when established. In more naturalized areas, or transition zones, no additional summer water should be applied following the second year after planting.
While ceanothus can be shaped by tip pruning and cleaning out interior or low dead growth, it resents serious cutting back into old wood where shoots cannot be produced. Prune from the inside, lightly thinning, and removing a few lower limbs.
The ideal time to plant is late fall through early winter when rains can foster deep root growth. Throughout the following summer, watering should be infrequent, yet deep, allowing soil to dry out between soakings. Once established, plants require very little or no water.
Ceanothus is often said to be short-lived, but that may be caused by excess summer water and soil amendments. California native plants are generally intolerant of all of these. In their wild conditions, ceanothus plants have a natural life cycle of 10-15 years, some even longer, though fire sometimes shortens that span.
Generally, the smaller, more prickly and tougher the leaf, the greater the deer resistance.
Colubrina asiatica (Anapanapa)
Large trunk and prostrate habit at Wailea Coastal Walk, Maui, Hawaii.
February 22, 2017
Native, warm-season, perennial, prostrate to ascending herb. Stems are trailing, cottony hairy and up to 80 cm long. Leaves are 1-8 cm long, narrow-oblong to circular, hairless (or nearly so) above and hairless or cottony below; margins are lobed to entire. Found in grasslands, woodlands and forests; in full sun to partial shade.
Introduced warm-season perennial prostrate ephemeral or perennial herb. Stems are softly hairy, to 60 cm long and root at the nodes. Leaves are stalked, obovate to circular, 0.5–5 cm long, mostly hairless. Flowerheads are oval, to 15 mm long and 10 mm wide. Bracts are lanceolate and pungent pointed. A native o South America, it is a widespread weed of bare ground and disturbed areas.
Native, warm season, perennial herb. Stems are creeping, prostrate to decumbent and slender, with strongly retrorse-strigose hairs. Leaves are hastate or sagittate, 4–6.5 cm long, 15–32 mm wide, with sparse antrorse to occasionally retrorse hairs mostly restricted to veins and margins. Flowerheads have 2–4 branches with small terminal subglobose flower clusters 5–10 mm long with bracts crowded at end of branches. Perianth segments 3.0–3.7 mm long, pink or white. Common in coastal regions (less so on the South Coast). In open swamps. Not eaten by livestock.
Native, cool-season to yearlong green, perennial, erect or prostrate, hairy herb to 60 cm tall; more or less woody at the base. Basal leaves are petiolate, soon withering; cauline leaves are wedge-shaped to spathulate, 8–40 mm long, sparsely hairy and sessile; margins toothed towards apex. Heads 6–20 mm diam., solitary or in loose leafy cymes of 2 or 3; involucral bracts scabrous-hairy and with scattered glandular hairs; receptacle conical, without scales. Disc florets are tubular and yellow; ray florets are white, blue or purple and 3–9 mm long. Achenes have a pappus of 2–4 rigid barbed awns, with 2–4 basal scales. Widespread on a wide variety of soil types and situations.
Introduced, cool season, annual, hairy, prostrate to ascending legume with branches to 90 cm long. Leaves are trifoliolate; leaflets obovate to obcordate, toothed towards the apex, densely hairy when young and sometimes with darker flecks. Flowerheads are 1- or 2-flowered. Flowers are yellow. Pods are coiled burrs. A native of Europe and western Asia, it occurs in pastures, disturbed ground, road edges, along water courses and on flats around swamps and lakes.
The ordinandi prostrate themselves before the altar while the choir and congegation sing the Litany of the Saints.
Remuremu or Swampweed (Selliera radicans), a prostrate, evergreen perennial found in estuarine areas of southern Australia, Chile and New Zealand. It is usually perfectly flat but can mound or scramble to 20cm high and may have a spread of up to 2m. The fan-shaped white flowers open in summer and are followed by small, fleshy, yellow-green fruits. Goodeniaceae. See more at www.cfgphoto.com/photos-selliera-3635.htm
Native, warm-season, perennial, prostrate to semi-erect, tufted grass to 70 cm tall. Found on low fertility soils in woodlands (e.g.
spotted gum country), scrub, roadsides and native or naturalised pastures.
The National Arboretum Canberra features 94 forests of rare, endangered and symbolic trees from around Australia and the world. One of the world's largest living collections of rare, endangered and significant trees.
A tiny, prostrate daphne in our rock garden. Yes, it is very fragrant, but you have to get on your knees to smell it.
The prostrate Pedicularis gruina flowering at Lijiang Alpine Botanic Garden, Yunnan Provence, China.
Native, warm-season, perennial prostrate to twining herb. Stems are relatively weak and may be herbaceous or woody (more so at the base). Leaves are usually less than 20mm long, with at least some narrow-sagittate, sagittate or hastate. Flowerheads rarely have sterile spine-like branches Flowers are small, green and 5 lobed. Fruit are subglobose, succulent and orange to red. Flowering can be year-round, but is mostly in summer and autumn. Found in woodlands and forests, mostly at the base of shrubs and trees.
Prostrate Ratany along County Road E034 east of Riverside, Chaves Co., NM, 180430. Krameria lanceolata. Rosids: Zygophyllales: Krameriaceae. AKA (Range Ratany)
Introduced warm-season perennial prostrate ephemeral or perennial herb. Stems are softly hairy, to 60 cm long and root at the nodes. Leaves are stalked, obovate to circular, 0.5–5 cm long, mostly hairless. Flowerheads are oval, to 15 mm long and 10 mm wide. Bracts are lanceolate and pungent pointed. A native o South America, it is a widespread weed of bare ground and disturbed areas.
Lhasa Tibet
The Barkhor Plaza & Jokhang Temple
The Pilgrims prostrating in front of the temple.
Legs are bound and tied with rope.
Right now I'm not thinking of other shots I will take today… the most important for me is that I have completed one of my Movember goals.
I didn't hit a target for fundraising, but I did grow my 'stache, donate to a couple of friends and I talked with about 100 youth in four sessions about the reasons behind Movember and my personal reasons for participation having known some who have suffered from this form of cancer.
Introduced, cool season, annual, prostrate, erect or ascending, hairless or sparsely hairy legume with branches to 60 cm long. Leaves are trifoliolate, wih leaflets ± obovate, toothed and 4–15 mm long. Flowerheads are umbel-like, 6–12 mm diameter and many-flowered. Flowers occur on minute pedicels and are erect to deflexed after anthesis. Petals are 3–6 mm long, longer than the sepals, pink and not persistent. Fruit are woolly. Flowering i in spring. Widely naturalised, mostly on the Tablelands and Slopes.