The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-04-23
A CITY OF
. DESOLATION
Tales Of Horror From San
Francisco Refugees.
CORRESPONDENCE
Mayor Smitz Denies that There
Has Been Any Clash With
Federal Authorities.
CARGOESOFFOODARRlVE

ton has now abandoned the ruined
city. Trains and ferry boats, which
are again running regularly, are tax
ing them to ncighboring towns in tens
Of thousands
Those who remain are camping in
the parks and open spaces, with no inn
mediate danger OF suffering either a
food or water famine. Their most
serious menace now is the danger OF
pestilenee, due to msanitary cOndi-
tions, and General Funston admits
that, while all possible precautions are
being taken 10y the civic and military
authorities, much illness must be ex-
pected.
The death roll does not now exceed
1000 and may he less. The fire has
been checked. Estimates Of the loss
vary from $l2O,000,00O to $350,000.0O0
Governor Pardee Of California sent a
message to President Roosevelt, say
ing:
Thanks for ships. Conditions much
better Fire ont. Weather cool. PEG
pie cheerful aud being quite well taken
care Of No epidemics Whole coun
try vieing 10 extend our people aid
and sympathy. We appreciate very
much your help
Later Governor Pardee said:
1.-The situation is as good as eau be
expected, considering the greatness OF
the calamity that has befallen us. The
nation and the world are taking great
interest in our welfare and showing
material and financial aid. Although
i am considering the ACCESSIBILITY OF
calling an extra session of the legisla-
ture. | do not see the especial need Of
II at the present time
What we need especially is med
zeal stores. clothing and shelter for
/ the refugees. OF course food viii be
needed IN considerable quantities FOR
some time TO come An epidemic does
not exist at present. II Is not prpba-
bic that there will be any necessity for
ordering y quarantine. The work OF
building San Francisco has commenc-
ed. and | expect TO see the great me
tropOis replaced on much grander
scale than ever
Forty bodies were taken from the
ruins OF the building at ll0 Fifth
street by the Red Cross service. Mrs
Henry Murray and A, j. McNear and
/ wife lived in this building They have
not been heard from 10y friends since
the fire
An urgent appeal has been sent out
for supply OF chloride of lime. IL Is
necessary to insure sanitary conditions.
! II is wanted Immediately and in large
quantities. other drugs needed are
sulphur carholic acid. bIchloride of
mercury. vaccine points and general
antiseptics
Many relief trains have already
brought succOr 10 the burned city. and
! hundreds of tons of stores are rushing
toward It at record speed from all see
tons of the country.
President Roosevelt sent a message
to congress calling for an additional
| 81, 800. 600 for the relief fund
Hope is being revived in the hearts
of the people of desolste San Fran
/ cisco.
Roughly speaking. the burned district
! is FIVE miles square There are not less
/ than twenty-five square miles of bleak
ruins, and the immensely of the disas
I ter now becomes apparent.
Insurance adiusters now on the
( ground estimate the property loss will
not fall short OF $350,000000. The in
surance loss Will aggregate hundred
million less. Whether or not all the
! companies will he able to pay Is Il
/ question upon which depends in large
measure the future of San Francisco,
/ The prediction has been made that not
more than 90 per cent of the insurance
loss will be paid. No adjuster places
the total to be paid at more than ~
per cent OF the entire insurance loss.
The destruction of life was not as
great as the earlier reports indicated
/ l lie tNuNt Huhlbtl vi hiOoN W wv PNi'N
ed will never in all human probability
be known. for many bodies were en-
tlrely destroyed Mechanics pavilion
was used for time as m0rgue and
as Il refuge for the injured. After 2OC
dead had been taken there and several
hundred injured the fire reached the
building. No attempt was made to re
move the bodies, all attention being
paid to the injured The result was
that not less than 200 bodies, few OF
which had been identified, were ere
mated. The most reliable estimate Il
that 1000 persons persisted.
Many more deaths will be directly
attributable to the fire. These will b,
caused by exposure, by prlvation snC
by fright.
Thirty-six babies were born in tn,
Preside grounds yesterday They and
their mothers are being cared for by
the Red Cross society, but many OF
them will inevitably perish
Despite terrific handicaps the situa
ton is being kept under admirable con
troll. General Funston is in suprem,
command, but he is in almost hourly
consultation with Governor Psrdee
Mayor Schmitz and General Manager