The San Francisco call., 1906-05-14

and passing along the line OF ln1
crowd. quickly pressed 10o men into
service on the hose line. and the march
of the flames was stayed and Jefferson
Square, with its thousands Of help
less humanity, was saved from de-
struction.
In the meantime Lieutenant O'Hara,
the adjutant OF the battalion, was a,
the other end of the line with a
dynamite squad destroying buildings
in the path of the flames. Major KEGS
ling on Thursday evening found that
Jefferson Square was becoming too
congested and ordered his company
commanders and subalterns to advise
the people to move out to Golden Gate
Park.
MARCH TO THE PARK.
The battalion was formed in line,
and with its great train of wagon
loads of provisions and supplies, which.
in the meantime, had been largely aug
mented by the untiring efforts of LieI-
tenants Hyer. Roper, Gilman and 9TH
ers, they took up the march for
Golden Gate Park, followed by thou
sands OF the refugees, who cheered
the gallant boys in blue as they never
cheered before. When the command
reached Golden Gate Park it proceeded
TO the tennis courts. The provisions
and supplies were unloaded and placed
under guard and the wagons immedi-
ately returned to the burning district
and were aagin laden with supplies
and comforts where the same could he
secured. In many instances mer-
chants, as stated before. besought the
artillerymen to take their stores from
the threatened houses and distribute
them among the needy. The teamsters
In charge OF the wagons making up
this quartermaster's train, as well as
the owners OF trucks. carts and We
hicles Of all descriptions. volunteered
their services and did noble work in
the COLLECTION and position OF these
food supplies to the Golden Gate Park.
In the meantime there were prob
ably $1,000 people scattered through
Golden Gate Park. Few, very few, had
provided themselves with any shelter;
they had ned to the park teerror
stricken, and were in a state of panic
lying under the trees, women and chill
dren OF tender years huddled together
for warmth on the bare ground and
shivering with cold. Under one tree
was a woman suffering the panss of
motherhood; a short dis
tance away an old man dying from 4
fractured skull caused by a falling
brick had been carried to the park BIZ
his sons on a shutter. These instances
were duplicated In all sections, and.
without food, shelter or fires and with
4 sprinklins Of the vicious element o.
the San Francisco slums scattered
among them, these people were doomed
10 a night OF privation and horror.
PROTECT HELPLESS WOMEN.
Major Keesling, with his company
sent out detachments 20
gather wood. pressed In volunteers and
put them to work making fires to allie
viate the privations OF the women
and children. The remainder Of the
were placed on patrol duty
to protect those helpless women and
children from the depredations and as
saults OF unscrupulous scoundrels. for
whom the halter or bullet was a death
too nercitul.
THE few remaining overcoats and
tents and blankets that were owned
by the troops were quickly distributed
enlisted men, who remained on duty
enlisted men. whho remained on duty
all night In their thin khaki uniforms.
protecting and aiding and guarding
these suffering people
The trained nurses under DR.. Arm
NAL and Miss Smith. the nurse or the
battalion hospital, together with other
h1~1S&aI o++aohas oothored all the VOL
unteer nurses they could secure and
spent the night In aiding the afflicted
and sick and suffering.
Early in the morning began the
distribution of provisions. which had
been gathered in enormous quantities
at the tennis courts. Captain Miller,
a veteran officer Of the Philippines and
a splendid oficer Il might say here
the major portion OF this battalion Is
made up of veterans Of the Philip
pine war;, began the work Of distribu-
ton, and when detailed by General
Roster to this relief work I found
Captain Miller and his men supplying
food to thousands. We quickly broke
open seven or eight additional en-
frances to the tennis courts and ss-
laDIS0GQ clRul OI lCu AAhCS OA PCOPA<
in order that they might receive food
quickly.
In the meantime the inprovised
supply trains under Lieutenants Hyer,
Gilman and Cofer and Private Young,
all of whom seemed to be absolutely
tireless and none OF whom had any
sleep during the entire period. were
still with their corps Of noble-heart-
ed teamsters at work making contin-
uous trips to the fiame-stricken city.
gathering up provisions and supplies
from every available source.
CARING FOR THE BABIES.
This relief work began at JEFFERSON
Square and was continued for three
days, and food was issued to tens of
thousands of people. No man, woman
or child was sent away hungry while
there was pound of food in the ten
mis- courts.
In the meantime these gallant
young artillerymen were subsisting on
hot coffee and crackers, taken at odd
intervals.
THE battalion was then ordered 10
oe+or rifah ouzrterS af HaiGht and