The Carlisle independent., 1906-11-01

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 eat sights is San Francisco. Cities
 hve been ruined and ashes have Yovered them, but never before un- der modern conditions. A city ruined by earthquake and fire in the old days meant that the time of recovery would equal the age of the city up to the hour of it's destruction. In this age the very evidences of destruction are turned into agencies of repair and improvement. Fire has rarely failed to bring about better conditions in city. and San Francisco is no excep- tion to the rule. It is not the i'm provement of the city that will make them marvel, however as much as the rapidity with which the work will be accomplished.
 The earthquake of April Is caused few million dollars damage-possibly $10,000.000 would cover that loss. The fire, which had full play after the quake had broken the water mains, burned over 514 squares, or 2,560 10cres, or four square miles, the total lcSs being estimated at $500, ,000, 900. pnNhis property there was insurance hnoAnting to about $315, 5,000,000. Of this insurance about s150,000, 900 had been paid in cash to policyholders up to September 15.
 The fire, as everybody knows, de- stroyed the business district of San Francisco, but left the shipping and residence districts intact Commerce continued without interruption, ex- cept such incidental disturbances as the location of new storage places and the accumulation of freight. Thou sands of people left the city immedi- >Htely after the disaster, but compe- tent authorities estimate that 9S per cent of these refugees have returned. Their homes being intact they find that San Francisco is the place for them, after all. and they are turning to rebuild the city, either with their capital or their labor.
 Bringing Order from Chaos.
 When the fire died down on April q, the people of San Francisco were confronted with mighty problems, some of them demanding instant solu- tion. AS this article deals with the San Francisco of the future and not of the past, it is not necessary to go into details regarding the remarkable ability shown by the committee of if ty in providing for the wants of the hungry and shelterless, writes Ira E. Bennett, in the New York Press. That o esting and inspiring one. Another pressing problem, however, was that of clearing the streets in order that communication might be restored. Thirty-six miles of streets were piled high with debris. Within five months this enormous mass of material has been removed, trolley wires have been strung, street car traffic reestablished and system of. debris removal inau- gurated which disposes of 100 car loads a day. If more labor were to be had the work would go much faster.
 Admission day was celebrated this year on Monday, September 10. saw the city on that day for the first time since the disaster. The scene was appalling. With the exception of worker here and there, the destroyed district was destitute of laboring men. Ruins, ruins in every direction, as far as the eye could see; millions of tons of bricks and mortar piled up in half destroyed basements; a strong breeze blowing dust and ashes everywhere;
 hl lirlcr granite marking the sites of once i'm posing buildings, and the very thought of bringing order out of chaos suffi- cient to stagger the imagination.
 On the next day far different pic ture was presented In every base ment was a gang of workmen. They struggled with girders, piled brick. sffted good material from refuse. han dIed pick and shovel. mixed mortar and loaded wagons with debris. Thou sands of busy hands were to be seen down every street. Thousands of teams went about on the simultane- .ous task of removal and reconstruc- tion.
 1. Little Loss of Population.
 To one familiar with the crowds that made Market street and the fer ries famous, there does not appear to be any diminution of population. The car system is wholly inadequate, although herculean efforts have been made to establish communication. The ferries are as crowded as ever. Theaters are filled to suffocation. The St Francis hotel put up temporary structure in Union square, and it is turning away hundred guests daily. Other hotels are filled and turning