Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-05-01
.METCALf REPORTS
FRISCO SITUATION
GARNET OFFICER SAYS HE BE-
LIEvEs LOSS OF LIFE WILL
NOT EXCEED 800.
GOVERNMENT PROPERTY
DAMAGE EXAGGERATED
Telegraphs Summary Of Conditions in
Stricken City to President-Rain
Causes Further Distress Among
Refugees.

Washington, April %. Secretary
Metcalf, who went to San Frncisco as
the representative of the national adj
ministration, with instructions from
the president to report to him re-
garding the conditions in the sticken
city as he should find them, has wired
the president complete summary Of
the situation. He thinks the loss Of
life will not exceed 800, the injured be-
ing about 1000. The loss to govern
ment buildings Is not 80 heavy as the
early reports indicated. Secretary
Metcalf says, however, that the indus
trial and commercial losses are ap-
palling. There Is no suffering from
lack Of provisions or water. Every
thing considered, the health of the
people is excellent. The people are
confident and hopeful. The secretary
recommends that congress make ap-
preparations at once for the repair
and reconstruction of government
buildings.
Estimates Dead at 800.
Secretary Metcalf's report to the
president is in part as follows:
Fort Mason, San Francisco, CAL,
April 26, 1906.-The President, White
House, Washington, d. C.-Dear Sir:
Have practically completed inspection
of the ruined districts. do not be-
lieve the loss of life will be as great
as was anticipated. In my judgment
1t will be impossible to determine the
exact number Of deaths, but conserve
tive estimates place the number at
not to exceed 800. There are about
1000 sufferers In local hospitals and
probably not over 400 are seriously in
jured. No necessity exists at the pres
ent time for nurses or doctors, and
they should not be sent except on
recommendation Of Gen. Greedy or DR..
Devine.
CAS- regards industrial and COM
mercial losses, the conditions are APP
palling. Figures and distances con-
vey slight conceptions of realities.
Not only have the business and indus.
trial houses and establishments Of
one-half million people disappeared,
leaving them destitute financially and
their means Of livelihood temporarily
gone, but the complicated system Of
transportation, Indispensable to the
daily comfort and interests Of one
half million of people, has been al
most totally destroyed. The hilly
conflguration of San Francisco made
movements by street railway almost
Indispensable. Over the city's area of
rs square miles the entire system of
railways was damaged or destroyed
and has not as yet been operated.
The scanty supply Of animals and oar
riages 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.
All City Buildings Destroyed.
practically every municipal build
ing is destroyed, forcing the city Off
cials into scanty quarters, necessarily
situated in localities difficult of ac-
cess, owing to distances and lack of
Transportation. Three hundred thou
sand people were rendered homeless
and their ordinary methods for proyid-
Ing themselves with food, clothing and
shelter being entirely destroyed, their
feeding and sheltsrins demanded or.