New-York tribune., 1906-04-21
ARMY WORK EFFECTIVE
FUNSTON WINS LAURELS.
War Department Pleased srith
Handling of Frisco Disaster
rrrom re Tribune Bureau


Washington. April 20.-The War and Navy
departments to-day again busy with the
Details of relief planned for the stricken COM
nunity of San Francisco All kilograms con-
tained brief instructions for the shipment of
supplies OF all kinds and for their reception at
the Preside Of San Francisco There was no
time for the exchange OF sympathetic messages
The result OF the two days work in Washing
ton, which included a large part Of last night
Tor most OF the military authorities and many of
The clerks OF the War Department, has been the
stripping OF the ouarterrnaster depo:s in ell the
principal cities Of such materials tentage and
stoves. the heavy draft upon the medical store
houses for supplies wanted by the surgeons in
San Francisco. and the purchase in open market
CT vast quantity OF army rations, with ar
rangemenrs for the acquisition OF one million
issues. if needed.
The naval force on the Pacific station received
special orders 10 work IN conjunction with the
army and 20 aid IN every way possible The
naval force a. Mare Island IS small being linn
tted 20 a few marines, who have been on duty in
the distressed city. The entire stock OF naval
cornnisssiy supplies was shipped over early to-
day. while the yard tugs aided the Fire Depart-
raent in controlling the flames along the water
front
II wsx gratifying TO the army quartermasters
system were saved. AT least, that appeared 10
De the latest and best information available, and
t means much TO the city Of San Francisco at
this time. II viii TO the place the profitable
business OF transpacihc commerce so far as the
srrny lie concerned.
The Quartermaster General made an estimate
Of the amount OF property which must have been
on hand at the depot IN San Francisco and il
vas figured out that the loss in clothing and
equipment generally would have amounted TO
not less than 100000 while the loss In trans
port supplies awaiting shipment to the Philip
pines would have reached more than one-half OF
that sum IL the piers had been destroyed
There was the greatest relief in the news Of the
day for the Navy Department in the rAnort or
Pear Admiral MccsIx that the srmored cruisers
California and South Dakota ana the protected
cruiser Milwaukee. under construction az tha
Union Iron Works. We're uninjured II had been
reported in the newspaper accounts that the
ehirs hSG been ruined 'cn the stocks" The da
psIt-nent knew better than this OF course since
the ships were launched many months ago ana
eli O. tho-n were due for their contractors t.sals
this year. the Milwaukee being marked for its
initial trip next month. the California in .Julv
sHd the South Dakota IN September
These trips viii have to be postponed ana no
one can tell just when the trials will be had
as it IS thought the workmen who are homeless
VIII not be able TO return TO their Iabors for
some time. The value Of these vessels is placed
ct 100000 and the loss OF time had they
been destroyed would have been as serious as
the loss in dollars
Army officers feel that the service has rem
esred a good account of itself in San Francisco
and they hope that it viii have a good effec;
upon critics, especially the labor asitators who
have periodically charged that the army was a
menace TO personal liberty and the enemy of