The San Francisco call., 1906-05-14


detailed account of the work ac-
complished by a portion of the State
militia in service in San Francisco.
This report VIII be filed in the Sa.te
archives. It follows:
The National Guard of California
furnished the first food, medical re-
lief and shelter to the thousands rem
dered homeless by the recent disaster
1T is fitting at this time to place on
record specifically the work of the
First Battalion Of Coast Artillery dur
ing the terrible scenes which immedi-
ately followed the earthquake to ty2i-
eally illustrate the spendid service re.-
Fdered by the citizen soldiery-services
which have heretofore not been ade-
quately appreciated by the people at
large, although there are tens of thou
sands OF men. women and children who
received food. shelter and medical aid
at a time when they were homeless,
destitute and almost reduced to des-
peration. who viii remember those Ma
tional Guardsmen with the deepest
gratitude all their lives for their self
sacrificing devotion. unwearying kind
ness and helpfulness at a time when
they were helpless. starving, sick, and,
IN scores Of instances, suffering from
injuries of a more or less serious ma
ture.
WORK OF THE oUARDsMEN.
The First Battalion OF Coast Artil-
lery assembled at its armory at Ii
O'Clock a. m. on April 1s Notwith-
standing the fact that the homes o.
fully so per cent OF the MEM
bers OF the command were IN
flames. these National Guardsmen
assembled for duty promptly. They re-
mained at their armory on Ellis street
for three hours awaiting Instructions
from Mayor Schmitz and Chief of Po-
lice Dinan. Not receiving instructions.
the commanding officers OF companies
A, 3, e and D, constituting the bat
talon, Captains Farless, Ross, Miller
and Grattan, held a conference and
decided to distribute their commands
through the district threatened by fire
for patrol duty. A detachment Of fifty
men under Captain Farless was imme-
Tliately sent TO Broadway jail and took
charge OF the ESQ prisoners confined
there-v1cious characters accused Of
all crimes in the calendar. AS the jail
was surrounded by fire, the turnkeys
were contemplating & general release
Of these prisoners when Captain Far
less surrounded the jail, marched out
the prisoners and escorted them under
guard TO Fort Mason, where they wero
turned over 20 the custody OF -
United States authorities.
Guard details were made for the
stores OF Shreve & Co. and other large
jewelry establishments, and, In re-
Spouse to request OF Colonel Norris
of the regular army. Lieutenant Cobne
with detachment was sent to Fourth
and Townsend streets to assist Cap
tain Altman, with q small detachment
Of regulars, IN quelling a riot.
In the meantime. the hospital de-
tachment Of the battalion, under
charge Of DR.. Emmal. Sergeant Veins
and Miss Smith. at the head of six
trained nurses, proceeded to Mechan-
les Pavilion 10 aid In administering
to the manned and injured In that tenn
porary hospital. The battalion then
established headquarters AT Jefferson
Square.
SECURE PROVISIONS.
''on Thursday afternoon and even
ing several large detachments Of mo
under LieutenantS Hyer, Cofer and
Gilman proceeded to capture all
trucks and wagons available. With
this hastily iEprovised wagon train,
they went to all the large grocery
establishments and warehouses that
were IN the pathway OF the flames,
and in a majority Of cases with the
hearty consent and cooperation OF
the owners OF the doomed property,
they received provisions and supplies
from these burning buildings In a
majority Of instances the structures
were already in flames. These pro-
visions were removed to Jefferson
Square and placed under guard. In
the meantime Jefferson Square was
crowded with thousands Of refugees,
panic stricken and many Of them from
sick beds and scores suffering from
burns, manned and injured from fall
ing bricks. etc
The members of the battalion gave
up their tents to these suffering peo-
pie and distributed their blankets and
oveercoats TO cover the sick and help
less women and children who were
lying on the bare ground.
IN TIE Q1eanLlrne the 0OSplba1 CORPS
having been driven from the Mechan-
les Pavilion by the flames, had re-
moved 70 Jefferson Square and pro-
ceeded 70 administer to the injured.
3ursd.
"Details OF men were sent out IN
al directions to search for volunteer
physicians, surgeons and nurses. and
many lives were saved and suffering
aileviated by the tireless efforts Of
the hospital detachment in this hastily
improvised hospital
FEEDING THE HUNGRY.
Early in the morning of the
succeeding day a squad was detailed TO
make coffee. drawing from the stores
which had been supplied by the quar-
terrnaster train on the previous even
ing. and thousands were given hot cof-
fee and bread during the morning
hours. All day long coffee and bread
were issued at Jefferson Square to the
hungry.
"In the meantime Thursday. p.