The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-29
SOLDIERS TO STAY ON DUTY
Committee Considers Their Presence
 Still Necessary.
Of the s7,soo,coo Appropriated by Con- gress, only ssoc,ooo will go Through the Hands of Chair man Phelan at San Fran
 cisco.

of money on hand for committee re- lief work and the continuance Of the military control of the day subordi- nate to civil authority were two of the most important subjects discussed at the daily meeting of the citizens com mittee of fifty which, headed by Mayor Schnnitz, now administers the affairs of San Francisco. Both developed some Interesting phases and left In the minds of all those striving to relieve the somewhat choatic affairs of the un- fortunate city the necessity for two things. The strictest economy and the urgent need of continued military as- sistance.
 The statement of James D. Phelan, chairman of the Finance Committee of the Citizens Relief and Red Cross funds, that he has been given to un- derstand by Victor H. Metcalf, Sec retary of Commerce and Labor the representative of President Roose- welt, that only $300,000 of the s3,500,000 appropriated by Congress for the re- lief of San Francisco was available and that. this sum represented the ex- tent of financial assistance that might be expected from that source, caused a. decided sensation in the meeting.
 Mir. Phelan announced that Secretary of War Taft has transmitted to his order $30o,000, which he said, was the first recognition the Secretary. had made of the relief work. and added that he had been informed by MT. Met calf that the Secretary of War had ex- pended the remainder of the relief fund for the purchase of supplies in the East.
 Only s51s,ooO i. Available.
 Upon corroboration of this statement by MT. Metcalf. MT. Phelan simply re- marked that there was only $5is,000 available. cash to his order at the mint, frtN a necessary. ...
 We need money" said MT. Phelan. 'and the country should not be led fn- to the belief that millions are on hand to relieve. the destitute people
 Both Mfr. Metcalf and Dr.. Devine en- dorsed Mir. Phelan's remarks and vol unteered to apprise Washington of the. situation. The generous appropriation of Congress had been counted on by the Finince Committee and the know ledge that only a small amount of this would be placed in their hands was somewhat of a shock.
 The question of the use of the Fed eral troops to assist in the preser- vation of the peace and good order of the city developed a unanimity of opin- ion among the civil and military au- thorities. letter from General Gree ly. commanding the United States troops on duty here. to Mayor Schmitz
 
 The General stated that the War De partment looked with doubt upon the continued use of the army in policing San Francisco and added that while he personally was willing to continue any relief work, sanitation or other wise, he could not sanction the use of the army on non military duties an hour beyond such obvious necessity and asked for written statements from the Mayor in order that there might be no doubt or apprehension on his part as to the need of Federal forces.
 Troops still Needed.
 Mayor Schmitz, in commenting on General Greely's letter, said that the Federal troops had given immeasure- able assistance to the city since the disaster of April IS and he asked the committee formally to approve of his action in asking the military to take charge and furthermore that the com mittee request that this control be continued. After Dr. Devfne of the Red Cross had added his endorsement of the mayors remarks, the motion to raiuest that the troops be permitted to remain was adopted unanimously.
 Victtor H. Metcalf, secretary of com merce and labor, read his report to President Roosevelt and the Presidents reply thereto. MT. Metcalf's report was a very comprehensive one and stated the conditions existing in San Francisco at the present time.
 Both Generals Greedy and Funston made brief statements today in which they expressed the belief that the strong support of the military is now and will be for some time to come necessary for the regulation of the city and assistance 10 the city authorities.
 The influx of sightseers and relic hunters is adding greatly to the troub- les of the authorities and to the dis
 line In n Francisco.
 From early in the morning until late at night every boat from across the bay brings hundreds of people whose sole purpose in visiting the city is to dig among the ruins and carry off such articles of value as they are able to find with a small amount of et- fort Laden with suit cases, baskets. bags and satchels they come, eager to grab from the streets and homes any thing that may have possible historical or pecuniary value. Toward nightfall they wind their way across the bay, carving the heavy profits of their days labor
 Looters Have Full Sway.
 Although strict orders were given at the beginning of the military rule that all persons detected in the act of loot ing should be shot, the rieor ot this xaguIstion has been relaxed and now the army of looters Is in full possession ol the blackened ruins Throughout Chinatown and along Kearney Street where bazaars filled with Oriental ,yaras once stood the harvest of loot has been particularly rich. Men, wo- men and children, fearing neither the nresence of the military nor the danger of tumbling walls, swarm about the ruins with great profit to themselves,
 Many residence sites have been worked over and the articles of gold, Ssilver and china carried away The banks have established guards about their premises, but very few of the owners of homes have taken this pre- caution.
 At the ruins of the Hopkins Art In stttute and the Stanford residence, guards are maintained and yesterday two women who had been gathering relics at other houses along Pine and GaIifnrnAa Streafs. Complained XiRor-