St. Tammany farmer., 1906-11-17

cisco. There was time, indeed.
when the stuff piled up to such an
extent. as to sparalyze, the operation
Of the roads. Five thousand ears ssof
freight were congested at. San Fran.
cisco and Oakland. By heroic ef-
forts the lingering freight was dis
posed of and serious situation re-
lieved. Now that the railroads are
able to look after their own business,
they are, expending great sums In
permanent Improvement. which will
facilitate the reconstruction of the
city. Fl .ss =
Insurance Situation Hurts.
/ The. insurance situation at San
Francisco is exasperating to those
who happened to have policies in
shaky Or dishonest companies, but
on the whole the lapses OF these COM
panies have not affected the city
as seriously as early reports indi-
Gated. Nearly one-half OF all losses
has been paid Considering the fact
that insurance records, as well as
everything else, went up in smoke,
this, is a fairly good showing for. five
months. Payments are being made.
through the banks at the rate of near
~ 81 100000 a day. The money goes
into circulation for the most part,
and the resulting activity ), overshad-
ows the fact that hundreds of other
policy holders are waiting for set
tlement. 8 80
The people of San Francisco per-
sonally and through their commercial
organizations, are watching the insur-
ance companies with jealous eye.s
Companies that come to the front
with money are reapfng harvest OF
new business, q while those which
fought for time or actually repudiated
their obligations Id; whole Or in part
will be made to smart for it.
The chamber of commerce is maxi
ing up list of honest and dishonest
companies. The California delegation
in congress will have something to
say on the subject next winter. The
names of defaulting companies are
to be sent broadcast through the
world, and the opinion is universal II
San Francisco that in the long run
the defaulting. companies will dis-
cover that they played a losing game
when they defrauded policy holders Of
their rights. .,ss4 80
Insurance litigation promises to
become great. Policy holders who
have money enough to fight are not
slow In invoking the aid of the courts.
One or two important cases already
have been decided, but the critical
question is yet to be. passed upon.
This question is as to the part played
by the earthquake in causing fire
losses Policies are Yariously word
ed, but in the main they provide that
payment shall not be made If !. the
loss is caused directly OF Indirect
ly" by earthquake or other act OF
God. OF course, II there had been
there. would have been
no fire. but the man whose house was
consumed three days after tho
quake does not think the indirect
cause is quite close enough to the
effect to justify the Insurance com.
panies in repudi ating all liability.
Show True American Grit.
During the disasterathe good humor
md self possession Of San Francis
cans astonished tie world. Now, In
the long tug of disposing of the
ashes and rebuilding the city, this |
good humor never deserts them, and
hey are rs confident a. though they |
we're beginning a city for the first |
lime. There is inspiration In num-
oers, comfort In common trouble, and |
! spirit of brotherhood that has not |
deserted them, although 1t is not as |
marked as it was during times OF
1anger. The love of good cheer in |
he way Of eating, drinking and lis.
.ening to music is as strong as ever.
rhe climax is continual tonic, and /
invites to hard work. The very size
II their disaster seems to nerve tho
San Franciscans to hasten the recon
'truction of the new city. They come
1ery near to boasting when they show
heir ruins, and some of them display
! remarkably fresh memory Of his
ory by comparing their disaster with
he fate Of other~cities that have per-
shed by earthquake and fire, and
isen again. According to these men,
Who cite history while making it,
he only bonfire that excelled San
Francfsco's was that which con-
umed Rome In Nerds time. The
,reat fires OF London, Boston, Chi
ago and Baltimore were mere hints
f what a real conflagration can do.
10 say these dusty, smiling, tireless
Ian Franciscans, who revel in the
dvertising that their city has OBJ
aimed. Their belief in the speedy
econstruction Of the city is absolute, /.
nd they are backing their belief with
money and energy that balks at
othing.
Il -3s AHloo<ed Alike.
Uncle Eph had long boasted that he
ad never needed the services of a
or4cr huf unw ho 1roc SIT o-a r:~