The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-21
RAILROADS TO AID The CITY.
WILL CUT RATES on BUILDING
MATERIALS FOR CALIFORNIA.
Both Southern Pacific and Santa Fe Likely
to Make This Moye-Messages From
Agents Says That Neither Road Suf'
fered Much-Relief Committee Needed.

w AohN h'Ae
Agents Says That Neither Road Suf'
fered Much-Relief Committee Needed.
The two great railroads on which San
Francisco has to depend in the present
emergency, the Southern Pacific and the
Atchison. Topeka and Santa Fe. are doing
everything possible to relieve the situation,
Both roads will lend a helping hand in the
restoration of the city.
While the situation in the near future will
present an opportunity for making i'm
mense profits in freight transportation,
especially building materials, It is prac-
tically certain the roads will put in force
a special schedule for freight rates for the
benefit Of the city.
A meeting of the Santa Fe freight traffic
. managers will it was said be held in Chicago
within a few days, and then some action
will undoubtedly be taken looking toward
the adoption of the highest possible schedule
of freight rates for San Francisco. At the
Southern Pacific offices no one would speak
with authority on the matter, but it was
thought likely that some such thing would
be done. Mr.. Hartman in interviews since
he left this city on his way to California has
resented every intimation that he was
hurrying to the scene of the calamity for
the profit of his road.
Information received in this city from
California yesterday indicates that both
roads have been doing good work for the
city, Both have not only been Offering
to carry the destitute free of charge to
places of safety, but they have also pressed
into service harges and other craft to re-
enforce their ferry service. All the ferries,
according to messages received in this
city yesterday, are running on schedule
time now and carrying out great crowds
of refugees to the Oakland side of the bay.
The Southern Paoifc's steamship Newark
was sent out to pick up refugees on North
Beach. She returned yesterday morning
Will 1000 on board. Then she was sent
out again to take a turn along the sea wall
where many others sought refuge from
the flames. The Pacific Mail C%ompany's
steamer Apache also was engaged in the
rescue service, and the steamer Modoo
was turned into a hospital ship to take
the immense overflow from the city hos
pitfalls.
The actual damage to the railroad prop
critics in San Francisco was not great.
Both the big roads heard from their repre-
sentatives in San Francisco for the first
uIIlt NtbUfIIdfs u 1oiio = &c
manager at Los Angeles, who had hurried
on to San Francisco, wired that the devas-
tation Of the city proper was complete.
Newspaper reports cannot exaggerate,'
said he. Our property so far all right,
with chances Of escaping damage
The Santa Fe's terminal is on the Oak
land side. Besides the ferry house at the
foot Of Market street, about the only ex-
tensive property the road has in the city,
is one freight yard at the DOT of Spear
street and another at China Basin. The
buildings in both yards are inexpensive,
and the greatest damage, if any. would be
from the sinking of the tracks in the yard,
So far as the Santa Fe people know that
hasn't happened, although the roads yard
at China Basin was mostly on the ground.
The Santa Fe people say that Geographic
communication has been restoredi on their
lines and that the trains are again running
on schedule lime
The Southern Pacific has a branch run
ming into San Fra ncisoo This was dam
aged somewhat, but it isn't known exactly
to what extent. This road ais has restored
Geographic communication and is beginning
to run its trains on schedule time. Tn
road ia in a position now to deliver freight
into San Francisco as soon as the business
can be obtained. The company's freight
ward at Third and Townsend streets was not
touched.
Mesa ges VIII ich came to railroad inter
ests in Wall Street yesterday direct from
| San Francisco said that the greatest need
| Of the city now is a properly organized re-
! lief committee; that there is an abundance
of everything necessary for the immediate
wants of the people in close proximity to
the stricken city.
This Wall Street information said also
that a large number of physicians from
outside cities arrived in San Francisco
Yesterday friday and that surgical sup
plies in abundant quantities had reached the
city. Said one message:
Relief committees at Alameda, Oakland
and Berkeley are we'll organized. Everyone
is opening his house to the refugees. Think
the reports of loss of life are exaggerated.
! There was plenty of time after ca rthquake
for the people to seek places of safety"
Another Wall Street MESA &c read:
Business portion Of San jose practically
ruined. Ten persons killed, most of them
by earthquake. There were a few small
fires. Are we'll supplied with foodstuffs,
and a relief committee has been appointed
TO take are Of San Francisco refugees
The Southern Pacific Railroad is distrb-
uting the most of the refugees at va rious
points along it's coast division which runs
down to San Jose.
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