RoomOne:SanFranciscointheNewCentury 　　ThedawnofthetwentiethcenturywasatimeofgreathopeandprosperityinNorthernCalifornia.EveryonewaslookingforwardtothenewcenturythatwouldsurelybethegreatestintheAmericanWest'sveryshorthistory.FewlookedbackwardtotheNativeAmericantalesofmovementsoftheearth,thefiresthathaddestroyedSanFrancisconumeroustimesinmid-nineteenthcentury,andthedestructiveearthquakesof1865and1868intheBayArea.Therewereafewmutedwarnings.AcatalogueofpriorearthquakesinCaliforniawaspublishedin1898bytheSmithsonianInstitution,butfewlibrariesbotheredtostockit. 　　Thefirechiefwantedabackupwatersystemandtheinsuranceindustrythoughtitwas"inevitable"thatthecitywouldagainburntotheground.Lifewentblithelyoninthe"queencity"oftheWest.Withapopulationof400,000,SanFranciscowasthelargestcityinCaliforniaandtheeconomiccapitaloftheWest.Thebuildingswerethetallest,therestaurantsthefinest,theentertainment,themostrisque,andthefactoriesthemostproductive. 　　Notallwerewelloff,however.Oneinthreeinhabitantswereforeignborn.ImmigrantsfromsouthernEuropeandAsiawereswellingthepopulationandprovidingcheaplabor.OntheeveningofApril17,1906thegreatestsingledisplayofvisiblewealthintheWestadornedtheaudienceassembledattheGrandOperaHouseonMissionStreettoheartheItaliantenorEnricoCarusosing. 　　Theweatherwasunusuallybalmy.Carriagesandafewbelchingautomobilesarrivedattheentranceanddisgorgedtheirpassengers.Thejewelssparkled.Thefashionable,high-neckedgownswerevibrant.Thementradedjestsinthefoyerwhilesmokingbetweenacts.Supperwastakenaftertheopera.AnewspaperreportertrudginghomeintheearlymorninghoursofWednesday,April18thnoticedthatthehorsesstabledatPowellandMasonStreetsseemedunusuallyrestless. 　　GrandOpera:The1906Season 　　SanFranciscohadlongbeenahavenforcreativity,asliterature,photography,finearts,andmusicallflourishedthere.Theeconomicboomofthe1890slentthebohemiancityagaietythatdidnotdisappearattheturnofthecentury:Withfortunesmadeandmoneyflowing,wealthierSanFranciscansturnedtheirattentiontoculture.Theyweredeterminedtorefinetheircity'sreputationandmakeitarecognizedcenterforthearts.TheireffortswererewardedwiththeengagementoftheMetropolitanOperaCompany'sproductionofBizet's"Carmen."StagedtheeveningofApril17,1906attheGrandOperaHouseonMissionStreet,"Carmen"wasthemostexcitingculturaleventoftheseason.TherenownedtenorEnricoCarusoplayedthecharacterofDonJose;famedsopranoOliveFremstadwascastinthetitlerole. 　　TheGrandOperaHouseprogramforits1906seasonreflectedtheeconomicprosperityandhighlevelofculturalinterestprevalentinSanFranciscoatthetime.Itscoverisastylishrenderingofacoupleineveningclothes,thewomaninalongwhitedressandveilandthemanintophatanddresssuit.Theprofusionofadvertisementsformaterialgoodshighlightthecity'sburgeoningconsumerdemands.Wealthycitizenshadthefunds,leisure,andinclinationtodontheirbestandpatronizehighbrowentertainment.Ticketstothatevening'sperformancewereexpensiveanddifficulttofind;theirstubsmarkedbothsocialstandingandseatreservations 　　Weal