F I R S TP R E V845NEXTLAST

Not 13th Avenue, The Richmond District
There is no 13th Avenue in San Francisco. Between 12th Avenue and 14th Avenue is the superstitiously-named Funston Avenue. So who was this Funston who also has a Fort named after him below Ocean Beach? At five foot four, General Frederick Funston was already a decorated hero of the U.S. campaign in the Philippines when took over command of the San Francisco Presidio on On April 18, 1906 - the day of the great San Francisco earthquake.

Immediately following the quake Funston, acting without state or national authority, took command of all local relief and law enforcement. Despite the fact that nobody but the President of the United States can order troops into any city he mobilized his federal troops and began to dynamite and bombard homes and buildings hoping to create a firebreak.

Unfortunately the military had no experience in fire fighting demolition and, by using the wrong type of powder, they created more fires for the fireman to battle. Many historians feel that Funston actions greatly hindered the effort to fight the fires sweeping through the city.

After the fire Funston wrote and published a self-congratulating account of his efforts. The papers looking for a hero to end their narratives on the disaster dubbed him 'The Savior of San Francisco.' Some things never change. Thank goodness we don't have a street named 13th Avenue because that would have been unlucky for San Francisco.
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