The San Francisco call., 1896-06-03
Noble Response to Assist the Suf-
ferers From the Destructive
WindstormS.
THERE IS YET DEsTITUTIoN
Frequent Showers and Falling Tenn.
perature Increase the Misery
of the Unfortunates.

81. LOUlS, MO-, June Z.-Ine lower
house OF the municipal assembly to-day
passed the bill appropriatlng 100000 for
the relief OF the tornado sufferers. The
bill provides for q commission of five, with
the Mayor as chairman. The objection to
the bill on the grounds that it was illegal
because it did not provide that those given
relief should render some service in re-
turn was overcome by City Counselor
Marshall, who inserted an amendment to
the effect that those receiving aid should
render such return as was within their
capabilities.
H. n. King. president of the Chicago
relief committee, arrived here this morn
ing. He conferred with the heads of the
various relief associations here in order to
learn what was the greatest need and what
was the best way to apply aid.
Mayor Walbridge has not refused to &C.
cept money from outside cities and has
turned over $4,000 thus secured to the re-
lief committee. The Mayor, however, be-
ieves st. Louis should be equal TO the task
caring for the afflicted and is opposed
to soliciting aid from outside channels.
The st. Louis Fair Association turned
into the fund the net profits of yesterdays
racing, about $500. The general fund
foots up tonight $129, 000 OF this a large
part has already been disbursed.
James Campbell, Dan Catlin, w J.
Lemp, Charles Parsons and other capital
lists to-day took initial steps to raise $780,
600 to lend to tornado sufferers at low rates
of interest to rebuild their homes. No in
terest will be charged for twelve months.
At the MONDAY Club $35, 900 was raised to-
day for this purpose.
Ten district assessors and fifteen clerks
left the office of the board of assessors to
make an official estimate of the losses
caused by the storm. All indications go
to show that William Hartigan, a wealthy
iron-miner of Birmingham, Ala. is
beneath the debris of some wrecked build
ings.
The sun shone but ten minutes to-day
and frequently recurring showers and fall
ing mperature kept up the misery
among the unfortunates. At all the relief
stations long lines of men and women
stood waiting their turn to receive the
daily allotment of food. As fast as quar-
ters can be had the homeless are housed
and work obtained for those able to do it.
There was considerable excitement in
East ST. Louis to-day. The Eounty Su-
pervisors, in response to an appeal from
the City Council, arrived to take action to-
ward giving assistance to the sufferers. 1t
was whispered about that relief could not
be given owing to legal technicallty, and
excited citizens crowded around the new
library building.
One of the Commissioners moved to de-
fer action until next Saturday, when the
legal point of giving an appropriation
could have been considered. There was
considerable wrangling, and prominent
citizens delivered touching orations. FL
nally the Com missioners voted an appro-
priation of $25, 900 to relieve the imm edi-
ate suffering.
Destitution in East st. Louis is hourly
increasing. People who at first refused
assistance have found their own resources
inadequate. Prices of clothing, furniture
and eatables are double what they were
before the storm.
The relief committee is straining every
resource to get supplies and are doing
noble work. Two ladies made tour of
the ruined territory to-day and report that
there are seventy families absolutely
homeless and destitute.
One hundred families who found homes
in freightcars were turned out in the rain
to-day, and mmittee of islanders made
appeal to Mayor Bader for tents. He tele-
graphed the Governor for 100 tents. Those
able to move made their way to Riverside,
wnere seventy tents are standing. They
were compelled to drive back many of the
newcomers to prevent panic.
The fight for the necessities of life is
desperate one. The relief committee is
having hard time controlling the poor
and making equal distribution. AT pres
ent they are expendlng about $1,000 daily
for food. clothing and cots. They need
$500 more day, but the capital is limited.