The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-05-01
FOOD SHORT IN
 SAN FRANCISCO
Municipal Committee is Up
 Against Proposition
MAYOR SPRINGS SURPRISE
General Greedy Calculates That Sup plies on Hand and En Route Will
 Last Twenty-one Days on <. Army Ration Allowance.

 to consternation was created at the meet ing of the general municipal committee today when Mayor Schmitz stated that the city faced a shortage in the food sup ply. It had been the popular belief. and that of many officials also, that San Fran cisco. through the generous aid of the nation, had been placed In a position above want for long time to come, and the mayors declaration came in the na- ture of a painful surprise. Mayor schmitz informed the general committee that from information in his possession it appeared that 700 car loads of food and supplies of various description had been distributed since the morning of the earthquake on April 1S and the Southern Pacific, the Santa Fe and other transportation lines had information of only los cars on the way.
 "If," aid the mayor. this information is correct, and have no reason to doubt it, we will soon be worse off than we were week ago. If the information has gone abroad through the country that we are amply supplied II Is most unfersunate, for 1t is apparent that we are not Chairman Pheland of the committee on finance, supplementing the remarks of the mayor said he had as yet received no reply 10 his telegram to Secretary of War Taft. asking what the relief committee might expect out of the fund of g., ,50O0o0 appropriated by Congress, and in the ab- sence of such reply continued to assume that this would be available. He had notification, however, that the $3O00OO transmitted Saturday by Secretary Taft was given him as president of the Ma tional Red Cross, and was in no sense a contribution by the government As to private funds which had been placed in the hands of individuals here he had re- ceved $25, 600 from General Funston, be- ing part of the Guggenhem contribution. In transmitting this the general had said that he saw no further reason for any great expenditure on his part, and pre- ferred to have the money distributed by the relief finance committee
 Food May Last Twenty-one Days.
 Easing his calculations uopp reports re- ceived within the past twenty-four hours, General Greedy stated this morning that the entire available food supply, including shipments on hand and those en route, NOAih bt ShhiSlcnl TUT lllt DItStHl pODuld- ton during period of fifteen days. This reckoning Is made upon the rate at which supplies have been consumed since the fire. Under the army ration system that will hereafter prevail. General Greedy stated his belief that the same amount of food would last twenty-one days.
 Within the next seventy-two hours, said General Greedy, i've shall be obliged to deal with another vigorous probem-the nItpoffon nf nh la o1 I. adults. The difficulty will be to dlstin- guish in the cases of clerks, stenograph- CTS, music teachers and others who are actually unable to return an equivalent for days wages at hard labor. Then men who are able to work will have to find occupation as fast as 1t is presented"
 It was decided at a conference held here today by Governor Pardee, Congressman Kahn. General Greedy and Mayor Mott that the distribution of relief supplies In Oakland should be also placed under mill itary direction, similar to that in vogue in San Francisco Oakland being the nearest large place of refuge from this city, it has been obliged to attend to the task of feeding and housing thous- ands of unfortunate people and it is stated that the same misuse of food by interruptions and mercenary persons has been unearthed there.
 Saving Is Noted.
 Today the plan of General Greedy for distributing food to people in want. was commenced in a number of the newly created districts, and there was some diminuton noticeable in the output of the goods.
 An unfortunate happening today was the destruction of a number of homes In the saved section of Vanness avenue. The blasting gang was notified that certain insecure walls was q menace to bedes- trians. and in order to blow up un- usually solidly constructed facade, was obliged to use q large quantity of dyna- mite As a result of the tremendous ex- plosion. four houses on the other side of the city's broadest thoroughfare were ut terly wrecked.
 Signs of renewal of industrial activity were apparent in many parts of the burn ed districts today. and the work of clear ing away debris preparatory to rebuild ing was in progress in score of places 1t was said that plans for over thirty large buildings had been drawn. and will he submitted to the authorities after the new building laws are promulgated
 The Mayor notified the board of super visors today that he would appoint q committee consisting of engineers, arehi- tects. builders and lawyers to prepare plans for laying out streets and boule- yards and reconstructng San Fran cisco.
 Street car lines are being extended in all directions. and the United States Rail- ways corporation has promised to give the people within a short time a better fire.
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