The San Francisco call., 1906-06-17
Winter Is Nearing
andAbodes Must Be
Erected Quickly

parks are set forth in the accompany
ing inclosure.
"The square named would AFFORD
sites sufficient for 1880 people. if they
were placed in barracks, which is not
recommended, save where such bar
racks are now standing. II separate
houses are erected for each family, pos
sibly 10000 people could be accommo-
dated"
The foregoing details with the mat
ter of caring for the refugees now en-
camped in the parks. These unfor-
tunates are the immediate concern OF
the authorities. General Greedy did
not attempt to suggest where to locate
4 the thousands who will flock back to
the city as soon as business is restored
in full measure and the work of re-
building begins in earnest.
There is much room beyond the area
of thick population and the United
Railroads can build tracks with great
dispatch these days. But the COM
mander of the Pacific Division did show
how dwelling places could be provided
at small cost and be put up in the few
weeks available.
/ Under his direction Captain w. w.
Harts of the Corps of Engineers
planned houses calculated to meet the
needs of the situation The bath was
not forgotten as an essential of a
city where brick dust will be flying for
many months to come. The military
men designed four types OF cottages.
ranging form two to five rooms. and in
each one is place for a shower bath
planned. An additional type is a bar
racks providing eight tsnements, which
the general does not decommend. but
the conditions may require its adoption
to some extent. particularly if people
crowd back to the city faster than is
expected.
The design designated as type A is a
! two-room cottage, each room being
12x9, and can be built for S16S- Type b
is a three-room cottage. the rooms be-
ing, respectively. 9x14. Sx9 and 6x9. and
can be built at an estimated cost OF
s1295O. Type c is a four-room cottage.
in which rooms are. respectively, 9x10,
Sx1O, Sx10 and 7x10. costing, as estf-
mated, $154. Type consists of a bar
racks providing eight tsnements or
two rooms each. at an estimated cost
of $741.
Type C, the cottage of four rooms.
will undoubtedly be the most popular
one with the workingmen OF family.
The accompanying illustration viii
give an idea of how comfortable
family of several persons could make
themselves in it. In fact, all the de-
signs provide better degrees of comfort
and hvgienic conditions than are gener-
ally enjoyed in the city tenement The
handy mechanic can easily make I'M
provements for consideration OF
| warmth and other accommodations
The free air of makeshift 1mes out
beyond the Sunset and Richmond dis
tricts would likely make much toward
better health and lustier growth OF
children than did crowded alleys south
of Market street
Not only can these types of dwellings
be used for the refugees now in the
parks. but they can be used under the
scheme of the Red Cross society 70
build temporary homes for all people
who cannot find homes already built
The houses must be built, for men
must come to rebuild the city.
| According to the figures or the sanl-
tarv officials connected with the c1ty's
Health Department there are lz'oVV
peopple living in tents at the resent
time for whom concern about he
| winter is i'm perative. Assuming that
900 persons have left San Francisco
nermanentIy. that 100000 will double
up in the residence section that escaped
the flames and that $4,000 will be pro-
vided for by private enterprise, about
$4,000 remain out Of the 22S,OOO rem
dered homeless by the fire to be cared
for 1t means virtually the building OF
a good-sized city within few weeks
tif these people are to be properly
housed
But with the aid of the army il can
undoubtedly be done Nothing seems
impossible with that strong arm at ser
vice Thousands of workingmen will
be hurrying to the city for the good
wages that await them. and il seems
rather a difficult matter to form any
conclusion as to what the city's popu-
Ilation will be by next Christmas time.
1t is proposed that these houses shall
be built by Red Cross funds and rented
at rates varying from So to s6 a month
For the destitute no rent would be
exacted.
For those workingmen who own land
and wish to erect permanent homes the
Red Cross will also extend the helping
hand by making loans OF the money
required at low rates of dnterest. For
those who find it impossible to get
houses built before the rainy season
concerns manufacturing portable
houses that can be put together in
two or three days are in the market
offering TO supply dwellings that are
substantial and comfortable at prices
OF $500 and $500 for five and six room
cottages.
This housing OF a pcpulace IS all a
remarkable problem, and San Francisco
must be grateful to the United States
army and the Red Cross Society for the
manner in which they have stood by
, and helped her in her perplexing
) dilemmas.