Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-19
Workers Who Have Done SO Much for
the Relief Of San Francisco suf-
ferers Tell Of Their Labors
In the North

From a houseful of young children to
a houseful of old people, many injured
for life, are some of the results or the
San Francisco earthquake and fire at
the home for children of the volunteers
of America in the stricken city.
Col. and Mrs. Walter Duncan, VINO
have charge of the northern institu-
tions, arrived in Los Angeles yesterday
to present the work of the home and to
look out for the forty-five children who
were brought from the north after the
earthquake and who are now being
cared for in the local home Of the VOL
unteers.
Last night Mrs. Duncan spoke feel
ingly of the work being carried on in
the north. She said:
Nearly all the almshouses and char
liable institutions were soon filed to
overfiowing after the earthquake and
as we had sent our children to Los An
geles We opened our home to the old
people, THE house, which Is at S12
Chaparal street, is an old building that
was erected before the earthquake of
'6S, and the only damage it received was
the shaking down of the chimneys.
I'VE have cared for forty-f1ve old
people and six children since the earth
quake. The youngest of the old people
is 60 and the oldest 95 years of age
Many of the relatives of the old people
were made homeless and were un-
able to care for them. Some Of them
have lost their only relatives and others
do not know what has become of those
who cared for them. Many Of them
were so badly injured that they will be
crippled for life. We took fifteen of
these from the hospital and many of
| them we will care for as long as they
| live.
Talks Of Her Work
1.-THE authorities and relief committee
are arranging to care for the old people
at Ingleside and we expect to take our
children back to San Francisco during
September. We expect to enlarge the
home to care for seventy-five children,
for we have had many calls which we
could not give attention.
There is only one Protestant orphan
age in San Francisco besides our own
and the condition of the children there
is bad. We work in conjunction with
the Society for the Prevention of Cruel
ty to Children and many of them are
sent to us from the Juvenile court and 1
am guardian of some of them, so you
see I must get my little ones back
home.
There are many homeless children
in San Francisco whose parents have
lost their all and must go out into the
take their children.
1.-THE saloon question is a grave one
with us, but 1t has been bettered by the
great earthquake. One of the best things
accomplished is the abolition of the gro
Gerry store saloon with the license at $S4
year. There has been law passed
that the grocery store owner cannot
run saloon in the same building with
| the grocery. Still, the saloon business
| is one of the greatest evils of the
| camp
When asked concerning the alleged
graft in the distribution Of supplies,
| Mrs. Duncan said:
! II don't think there is any graft.
The situation was suddenly thrust upon
us and the committees are handling 1t
as best they can. 1t Is very hard to
please everyone, but as far as those in
charge / am sure there has been no
| graft. The officials have handled the
problems nobly and we consider Mayor
| Schmitz the man of the hour.
"Since the earthquake we have cared
for 2100 families, giving them food and
| clothing Many of these are in the
camps. The large, organized camps
are in good condition and the sanitary
condition is especially good. But in the
smaller, outlying camps 1t is not so
! good"
Mrs. Duncan spoke encoura gingIy of
the outlook for San Francisco and said
she thought that it would be built
a better city in a few years.
Mrs. Duncan will speak tomorrow