Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-27
THE METCALf REPORT
Result of the Secretary'S In
spection at San Francisco.
LOSSES ARE APPALLING
People Are Hopeful and Full of
Courage.
ARE GRATEFUL FOR AID GIVEN
No One Has Suffered From Lack of
Food, Water OF Shelter-Sys-
tematic Relief Work.

The President received long telegram to-
day from Secretary Metcalf, who went to
San Francisco as the representative of the
administration. The telegram gives vivid
picture of affairs there. After reading the
telegram to the cabinet officers who had
assembled in cabinet session st was made
public. 1t is as follows:
FORT MASON, San Francisco, Cal,
April 26 1906.
Have practically completed inspection of
the ruined districts. ! do not believe the
loss of life will be as great as was antici-
pated In my judgment it will be impos-
sible to determine the exact number of
deaths. but conservative estimates place the
number at not to exceed 800 There are
about LOCO sufferers in local hospitals, and
probably not over 400 seriously injured.
No necessity exists at the present time for
nurses or doctors, and they should not be
sent except on recommendation of Gen.
Greely or DR.. Devine.
LAS regards industrial and commercial
losses. the conditions are appalling figures
and distances convey slight conceptions or
realities. Not only have the business and
industrial houses and establishments or
one-half million people disappeared. leaving
them destitute financially and their means
of livelihood temporarily gone, but the com
pucated system of transportation indis-
pensable to the daily comfort and interests
or one-haif million of people, has been al
most totally destroyed
THE hilly confguration of San Francisco
made movements by street railway almost
indispensable. Over the city's area of TWEEN
ty-hve square miles the entire system of
railways was damaged or destroyed and
has not yet been operated. The scanty sup
ply of animals and carriages remaining
after the fire has been largely impressed
into civil and military service in order to
prevent starvation. The entire telegraphic
and telephone systems were destroyed
making communication impossible.
Systematic Relief Work.
Practically every municipal building is
destroyed forcing the city officials into
scanty quarters. necessarily situated in
localities difficult of access, owing to dis
tances and lack OF transportation. Three
hundred thousand people were rendered
homeless. and their ordinary methods for
providing themselves with food, clothing
and shelter being entirely destroyed their
feeding and sheltering demanded eXtraor-
binary action and engrossed the attention
of every one soon as the ravages of fire
We're checked Remedial methods, adopted
and prosecuted with great efficiency, have
relieved this unprecedented disaster. The
citizens committee. appointed by Mayor
Schmitz is composed of the ablest business
men of the city. and their efforts, united
and harmonious to an astonishing degree
speedily brought order out OF chaos and in
troduced systems of relief which have ac-
complished wonders. The efforts of the
mayor and municipal officials of the cit
liens committee and of the regular army
and of the state guard of California have
been practically efficient as though the
separate authorities were under one head
Neither friction nor reflections have at any
time appeared, and the work OF relief has
proceeded harmoniously, continuously and
efficiently.
Signal Corps Telegraph.
''The street railway system is rapidly ap-
preaching such state of repair as to prom
ise partial renewal of operation very soon
The Signal Coqps has established a military
system of telegraphic and telephone lines
connecting the headquarters of the army
and of the mayor, which are at Fort Ma
son, with the mint. hall of justice. district
headquarters. the ferry and every point of
special importance. Without this system
communication about the city would have
been impossible, and with the national and
state authorities would have been greatly
delayed.
General Greedy. returning from leave.
reassumed command Sunday evening and
commends in the highest terms the efficient
and tireless efforts OF Gen. Funston, whose
orders and action utilized and inspired the
army to most efficient action in staying the
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