The San Francisco call., 1899-10-01

saved San Francisco and the Coast
disastsr."
Thus declares Hugh Craig, and as
a. well known business man,
former president Of the Chamber Of Com
merCe, he ought to know what he is talk
ing about.
''Why. you can see for yourself" he
continues, "how this war broke out just
at the most opportune time for us. Now
90 not quote me as approving Of
war; that is quite another thing alto
gether. But If we must have war, IT
would be folly to blind ourselves to the
benefits our city has derived and is still
deriving from 1t. When hostilities com
menced the Klondke boom had just
fallen through, and it looked as If we
We're going 10 suffer a severe reaction
In anticipation of a continued rush to
the frozen regions Of the north, many of
our merchants had laid in heavy stocks,
labor had foclsed to the city in the hope
of profitable employment, large steamers,
such as the Pennsylvania and the Ohio,
had been brought around from the East
TO share in the anticipated profits Of the
KlondiEe trade. The market was glutted
in every way with surplus tonnage,
surplus goods and surplus labor.
"Deweys victory at Manila and the
subsequent occupation Of the Philippines
changed all this with magic rapdity.
Troops poured into the city and money
began TO circulate freely. eIhe stores and
saloons were filled with potential heroes,
the street car lines absorbed nickels with
avidity. All the available. ships We're
either chartered or bought by the Gov
erumcut and to-day San Francisco is the
homo port for the largest fleet of trans
ports I'm the world. The few steamers left
were hardly sufficient TO keep the regular
coasting lines going and the lucky own
GTS Teapcd large profits. Why, to give
you an instance. The stock of the Oceanic
Steamship Company has leaped from
about $40 10 $50, where ii now stands
il is obvious that nearly every class OF
business is Interested in supplying the
needs Of the small army which is con-
Stanuy within our borders. Inc number
OF men in camp at the Preside has aver
aged about CiEGt thousand, and at pres
ent there are some eleven thousand. Each
of these men, soldier fashion, spends his
pay as fast as he gets il, while many,
with private means Of their own, spend
far more than the pittance dOled out by
Uncle sam TO the men who risk their
lives in his service. Then, Of course, the
officers have far more money to burn than
the prvates. But say that each man
about Sf20 600 a month, which goes into tho
pockets Of oura retail dealers. The
Acknowledgements. ] am afraid, get most of
it. but still there is lot left over for
other people. All soldiers do not drink,
ard In the case of disbanded volunteers
each man has to spend a considerable
sum I'm providing himself with a complete
civilian outfit, to replace his war-stained
uniform This makes things lively for the
outGtters.
soldiers come and go here all day."
said a big Market-street dealer, as he
pointed to a sd'ing of khaki-clad men
who Were inspecting the heavily laden
clothing counters. "Other merchants, bet
ter situated than I am, are getting moro
of the trade, but still I estimate the in
crease in my business due to the war at
20 per cent"
But this individual outlay of the SOL
diery though it mounts UP to quito n re-
spectacle sum in the total, is but drop
in the bucket as compared with the vast
direct expenditure of the Government on
ships and supplies. In accordance with
the general army practice, there are two
great spending departments-the quarter
masters and the subsistence. The quar-
.termaster has entire control of the trans
port service. He buys or charters ships,
fts. them out for sea and supplies them
with all that is needful for the voyage,
except eatables. Everything that you