The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-20
FACE famine
Food and Water Problems Are
Now TO Be Net
By the Homeless Citizens Of San
Francisco.
PRICES KEPT DOWN.
Retailers viii Not Be Allowed
to Overcharge the People.
100000 Persons Are Living in
Tents or Open Air.
BURYING THE DEAD.
Wealthy Men Forced BY Soldiers
to Dig Graves.
Insurance Companies Expect to
Pay Losses in Full.
Retailers win Not Be Allowed
to Oyercharge the People.
100000 Persons Are Living in
Tents or Open Air.
BURYING THE DEAD.
Wealthy Men Forced by Soldiers
to Dig Graves.
Insurance Companies Expect to
Pay Losses in Full.

San Francisco, Cal, April 2o.-Tae
people Of san Francisco. homeless and
starving are facing the awful calamity
which has overtaken them and literally
swept the great city of which all were
SO proud practically out Of existence
with a spirit of resigned fortitude
which must command the admiration of
the. world at large There are no evi-
dences of weakness to be seen among
the crowds of stricken people moving
back reluctantly upon each advance of
the destroying flames which continue TO
sweep eastward toward the ocean with
the grim dogged manner of those who
go down in defeat before an irresisti-
bic force with which it Is hopeless to
contend. Conquered for the moment
but uDdaunted the bravery exhibited by
men, women and children IN face OF
overwhelming disaster is that of a race
destined to arise stronger than ever out
of the ruins which now surround them
Of shattered hopes and depleted for
tunes.
There is little left. today Of the great
American metropolis by the Golden
Gate, a city OF magnificent splendor,
weather. and more prosperous than
Tyre and sidon of olden time. enriched
by the mines of Ophir. Shorn of its
many glories, its palaces and vast com
merciaI emporiuns, levelled to the
earth; its wide area of homes where
dwelt a happy and prosperous people;
prostrate IN thin ashes. it wifi arise
again In sti1l greater nagnifIcence. A
| monument to the courage and. indorni-
table spirit shown by its Inhabitants
during the present awful emergency.
San Francisco are not crushed. There
seems little hope now of saving the
choicest residence section of the city
| lying west and north of vanness ave-
nue.
The men of ths fire department. who
/ have throughout the terrific conhagra-
/ ton done splendid work true to the
world wide reputation of this splendid
corps are still making strenuous efforts
to check the all devouring flames. but
without avail.
Water of No Use.
Water is in better supply. but Of lit
/ tie use apparently against the headway
now gained by the fire. Owing to the
| tremendous heat the edifices for some
| distance from the fire are as dry as
/ tinder and they seem TO disappear like
a flash the minute the flames reach
The care of the 100000 homeless.
starving refugees now gathered in the
city's public squares and parks IS now
the main problem the local authorities
l have to solve. They must be fed and
! bread, meat and drink are lacking. All
the leading cities and towns throughout
the country are now exertinz them
selves to alleviate the sufferfngs of the
unfortunate victims of the fire, and
provisions are now headed for them
from many points.
Bread has already sold as high as 81
a loaf in the stricken city, and two
loaves and a. can of sardines brought in
one instance $3.50. But this condition
of affairs will not be permitted to last
long. In towns across the bay the
master bakers have met and fixed the
price of bread at five cents a loaf, with
the understanding that they will re-
fuse to sell to retailers who attempt to
charge famine prices. The committee
of citizens now ii charge Of the situa-
ton in the stricken city will also use
every effort to keep the price of food
down to the ordinary charge.
This committee of safety. composed
. of fifty of the leading citizens Of San
Francisco with Mayor Schmitz at It's
head, will meet today to take all neceH-
sary steps for the protection and -
sistance of the victims of the fire
Three relief stations for the home
, less have already been established By
the general committee. These stations
are the temporary homes Of the home
less. The stations are at Golden Gate
, park. Preside and San Bruno road.
Provisions Conhscated
BY order of the general committed
I all remaining stores we're entered bs
2 the police last night and their goods
: confiseated. Caravans OF provisions
f are now on their way to the three re
Y lief stations.
! In the meantime the hills ant
4 beaches of San Francisco look like AZ
q immense tented city.
a For miles through the park ans
g along the beaches from IngIeside to ths
( sea wall at North beach the homeless
e are camped IN tents, make shifts rig
s ged up from a few sticks Of wood and
v a blanket or sheet. Some few Of th'
i more fortunate with better transporta
ton facilities than were afforded tn
q majority of the victims of the terrible
n catastrophe, managed to pile regulation
n tents on anything that had the sem
q blance of a vehicle of any kind avail
able and are therefore more comfort
e ably housed.
Golden Gate park and the Pan
= handle looks like one vast campins
Il ground. It is said that fully 10e 0ei
K + persons, including rich and poor
Isl sought refuge in Golden Gate parl
n alone, fully 100000 more homeless
5eI ones located at the other places o
refuge
Portsmouth square has known man
notable and some sensational use
: since its history began, none more g
l. 4 A-