Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1906-06-30
MAYOR LANE SAYS
IT'S ALL WRONG
Objects to the Committee In Cha,,. !,
San Francisco Relief Funds Reta;o;,s I
the Money, and Washes His Hands
Of the Whole Affair


committee because $4,000 subscribed
for the relief Of San Francisco fire suf.
ferers has been kept here instead of
being applied at once toward helping
the unfortunates.
He was overruled by the committee,
however, after one Of the hottest Sc
ries Of retorts ever heard in the city
hall.
Personalities entered into the heat
ed discussion and after the meeting
had adjourned, because of the mayor g
announcement that he would have no
more to do with it, R. r. Hoge, presi-
dent of the chamber of commerce, ac-
cused the mayor of insulting him. 1t
looked for moment as though blows
would be exchanged.
Mayor Lane insisted that as the
money had been subscribed by the
people of Portland for the relief of
earthquake and fire sufferers the f.
nance committee could lawfully do
nothing else than forward it with all
speed. To prove that additional money
is needed right now he read letters
from James D. Phelan, chairman of the
committee there, and from the Red
Cross relief work.
In part, the Phelan letter was as
follows:
"New needs appear from day to day
and with the money we can meet
them, and for that reason / would sug-
gest that the available balance of
funds in your hands be forwarded to
me to be added to the fund already ac-
cumulated, which shall be used for the
care and rehabilitation of the people
in an endeavor to re-establish them in
their trades and professions in order
that they may be in a position to help
themselves; and large part of our
fund will be used to provide for shell
ter next winter"
DR.. Devine said: at beg to inform
you that the relief committee Of San
Francisco will need all the money
which is available"
Committee Malxhs Report.
The general committee met at 10
'clock in the mayors committee room.
The members of the finance commit
tee are I. n. F1eischner, r. r. Hoge, Il.
B. Wilcox and w. NJ. Ladd and A. L.
Mills. Messrs Mills and F1eischner
were not p sent.
Mr.. Wilcox read the report Of the
finance committee. There is balance
over the sums sent south of 1900,
but Of this money only $4,000 is avail
able, because the remainder is in Lew
is and Clark corporation stock. OF the
amount expended $4,000 had gone to the
relief of Santa Rosa and $1,000 had
been applied to the relief of individual
distress. Portland has subscribed
more than all of the other cities of the
Pacific northwest put together, said
Wilcox. Supplies worth $16S,00o had
been forwarded. He suggested that
the entire matter be left in the hands
Of the finance committee, but this was
exactly what Mayor Lane did not want.
at least he asked that the money be
at once sent to the men in charge of
the relief work in San Francisco.
cts trust fund, gentlemen, and
you have no other course than to send
it there" he cried. "It should have
gone there a month ago--yes, six
weeks ago. have received no reports
from the finance committee except on
May 20 and June l6, and then only
after request was made. / had sup
posed that every cent Of the money
which had been subscribed by the peo-
pie of this city was already where it
would do the most good. had no idea
in the world that it was being held
here. They need the money there, and
that's what it was given for"
Mr.. Wilcox replied that the finance
committee had deemed it wiser to con-
serve the funds, as it was believed the
worst distress would come later. Some
OF the money had already been applied
here to aid refugees and much was
also being expended in San Francisco
among people who would rather suffer
than apply to the local committee for
immediate relief. The mayor as
knowledged that he considered this
money wen spent.
The COMMITTEES had also thought II
better to purchase supplies here than
to send the money to San Francisco,
Portland merchants getting the bene-
1T Of the sales. HuU
]. b. Laber. secretary Of the board
of trade, moved that q committee of