SAN FRANCISCO, premier port and financial centre of the Pacific coast, is centrally located on the coast of California in 37° 47' 22.55" N. lat. and 122° 25' 40.76" W. long. It is sit uated on a peninsula bounded on the west by the Pacific ocean, north and east by San Francisco bay and south by wooded hills and fertile valleys of San Mateo county. The highest elevation is 956 feet. San Francisco bay is one of the largest and safest land-locked harbours in the world, which partially accounts for the city's importance as a port. Entrance from the Pacific to the bay is through the Golden Gate, a channel having a depth of 63 fathoms and a width of miles. The city covers 42 sq.m. and is built on hills, the principal ones being Telegraph, Russian, Nob, Rincon, Bernal Heights, Potrero, Larsen Peak, Twin Peaks, Mt. Davidson (956ft.), Mt. Olympus, Buena Vista, Lone moun tain and Lincoln park. Romantic and cosmopolitan in character, San Francisco holds a lure peculiar to few cities of the world. Its population was 416,912 in 1910 and 506,676 in 1920. In 1930 it was 634,394 and was estimated at 710,000 in 1936. There were 153,386 foreign-born whites in 1930 or 24.2%.
San Francisco bay contains several picturesque islands while a number of large cities line the opposite side of the bay. Yerba Buena, or Goat island, lies nearest to San Francisco, being about half way between San Francisco and the Oakland mole. It is used as a naval station and training school. Alcatraz, 2oac. in area, stands high above the water and is surmounted by a great military prison, topped by a light-house 214ft. high. Angel island lies to the north of Alcatraz. Upon it is located Ft. Mc Dowell, the United States quarantine and immigrant station. During the World War the island was used as a training and in ternment camp. Belvedere island is an exclusive residential and yachting territory and lies to the north-west of Angel island. San Francisco's suburbs consist of well-built cities ranging in popula tion from 15,00o to 285,000. The islands and bay-shore cities for many years were reached only by ferries. The construction of two mammoth bridges has removed all transportation difficulties. The first, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay bridge extending 8-1 miles recorded. The greater amount of the rainfall occurs from No vember to March. The "peaks" range from 7 to gin. for a single
month and occur intermittently over November, December and January. There was less than 4in.—with one exception—for any month between March and November. There is much sunshine. The United States weather report for 1935 gives the following data: temperature, mean maximum 61.3°, mean minimum 50.8° and monthly mean 57.1° ; relative humidity 69%; total precipita tion 20.64in. ; average hourly wind velocity 65.6m., prevailing direction, south-west ; percentage of sunshine 7.0, with 147 clear days, 103 partly cloudy and i i 5 cloudy.
The last embraces the "initiative and referendum" clauses, by which the tax-payers can have the final voice in any act passed by the board of supervisors.
The city experienced periods of "boss-rule" with more or less grafting until 1911. when a reform mayor, James Rolph, Jr., took office. Rolph served five successive terms and when he became governor of the state in 1931 was succeeded by Angelo J. Rossi. During this period the city has advanced rapidly, and public buildings, streets, parks and other outstanding municipal improvements have been introduced. The fire and police depart ments had been put on a high basis by 1936, the police depart ment having 1,359 men, and the fire department having 1,182. The water system is municipally operated and provided in 1936 for a daily consumption of 58.37 m.g. The city also possesses extensive power resources which are let to private concerns.