The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1906-06-28
TENT LIFE SUITS
FRISCO PEOPLE
thousands Are Still in the Refugee
Camps.
The CLIMATE IS IN ITS FAVOR.
these Have Been Put In Good Shape, and
Their Sanitary Conditions Are the Best
Chsgges That Have Tsken Place Since the
PIre-psopIe Are Accustomed 10 Living
This Way and Eojoy II.

San Francisco, Cal. (SpeciaD.-Were
one familiar with conditions iii San
Francisco, to drop down in the city at
the present time he would undoubtedly
imgine that there had been a return to
the early mining days, Tor the refugee
camps, scattered all over the city where
ever there may be vacant lot, give the
appearance of the Western boom towns
of mushroom growth with which Amer
leans have become so familiar. When
100000 of the residents of San Francisco
were rendered homeless by the great fire
the changed conditions of living brought
no great hardships, for San Franciscans
are accustomed to theoutdoor life, made
so inviting by CALIFORNIA; climatic con-
ditions, and when the fire came large
number of them were in the midst of
their annual preparations for summers
outing under tents in the woods, on the
mountains or by the seashore. 1t is 4
fact worthy of mention that hundreds
of those driven from their homes by the
fire carried with them their own tents,
which were pitched with the skill of
veteran, either on some vacant lot or
amid the shades of some park The re-
suit of this was that these camps, wheth-
er under governmental supervision or
under individual care, operated under
ideal conditions impossible OF reaiza-
ton anywhere else than in California.
During those three memorable days
while the fire was raging in the heart
OF the city there was no order in the
migration of the people. The idea was
TO get to place Of safety, consequently
every open place was pre-empted by
"squatters," regardless of uniformity or
regularity in laying out the various
camps. Fully $4,000 refugees fed 20
Golden Gate Park, and $4,000 more 10
the government reservation at the Presi-
do. The others were scattered over the
hills about the city and in the various
small parks in the western and southern
sections. According to the computa-
tions of the California Promotion Com
mittee, I75,ooo people slept outside Of
houses on the second night OF the fire,
while $4,000 were housed with friends
who were not in the danger line
IL was most heterogeneous conglom-
Grafton of people thus thrown together,
and the disaster obllterated all social
lines and sent the-people back to first
principles. Rich and poor, high and
low we're on 4 level in this common mis-
fortune, and the color line was so eff
fcctively obliterated that it was no un-
common occurrence to see CaucasianS,
Mongolians and negroes i'll fraternal dis
cussion OF the events of the day, and
sharing with each other the provender
supplied by the commissary department.
The camp within the gates of the Pre-
Sidio was the first to adopt systematic
rules and come under regulations. Tents
were issued to all who applied, and ct
first they were permitted to place them
as they pleased. The restriction against
fires within the reservation was raised,
and people were permitted to cook on
the streets in front of the tents. The
sanitary regulations of this camp were
perfect from the beginning, and when
the Red Cross assumed charge 10 days
later not a case of illness had been re-
ported Before the end of the second
week the tents were all repitched by the
soldiers, and everyone made as COM
Portable as circumstances would permit,
with commiSsary supplies given out with
liberal hand
The process of elimination has been
at work among these tent dwellers so
successfully that but 10000 remain
Gradually the authorities are concentrat-
ing these into two large camps in order
to facilitate the distribution of supplies,
and now it is becoming a problem to
induce these people to return to homes
in the city or to enter the barracks which
are being erected for them at conven-
lent locations