For example, as stated before, the Preparedness Day parade was part of a larger national effort led by former President Theodore Roosevelt. The Preparedness movement requires research relevant to the San Francisco bombing as Roosevelt made public statements against Mooney and Billings in the context of Preparedness. Special thanks to the research librarians at the California Historical Society for locating one of Roosevelt's pamphlets indicating such.
Along with United States edging closer and closer to involvement in the Great War, the Preparedness movement based itself partly on the continued border agitation with Mexican bandits. The United States military went on a manhunt for Pancho Villa in early 1916 after Villa and his "dorados" raided Columbus, New Mexico. In order to establish Pancho Villa's reasoning for raiding Columbus and murdering United States citizens in Mexico, I must explain Mexico's internal struggle leading to such a state of civil war.
I don't want to assume a reader knows everything (or nothing) about an event from the past. It is my task to present a proper amount of back story for a fluid, logical storyline that allows a reader to understand the scope and context of the bombing without overwhelming him or her with completely pointless information with regard to the topic at hand. I will not, however, gloss over major events that made a subsequent event possible.
Aside from Preparedness, the local San Francisco personalities involved present a special challenge: sources. Surprisingly very little is published regarding the bombing outside of the arrest and prosecution of Mooney and Billings. Historians wrote even less about Mayor Rolph, Police Chief White and District Attorney Fickert. The most prominent contemporary sources I found to date are the local newspapers. Locating physical sources outside of old newspaper microforms will be a task. I would like to extend my gratitude for the ongoing efforts of staff at the California Governor's Gallery for assisting me with my search (Mayor Rolph went on to become Governor Rolph).
Interesting find: Mayor Rolph proposed in June 1916 to San Mateo County mayors and supervisors to merge the City and County of San Francisco with San Mateo County. Rolph argued that San Francisco's international name recognition would only increase the prominence of municipalities in San Mateo County. The proposal did not pass, obviously, as San Francisco remains its own City and County.
Interesting find: Mayor Rolph proposed in June 1916 to San Mateo County mayors and supervisors to merge the City and County of San Francisco with San Mateo County. Rolph argued that San Francisco's international name recognition would only increase the prominence of municipalities in San Mateo County. The proposal did not pass, obviously, as San Francisco remains its own City and County.
