Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-08-05
HOMES FOR THE REFUGEES
San Francisco People Turn to More PraO-
tioal Work of Relief.
VOLUNTEERS DOING THE HARD LABOR
Inspiring Scene at Mission Park
when the First squad Sets TO
Work on Building the
First House.


The building of permanent homes for
| refugees was inaugurated last Sunday at
! the Mission Park by Father d. o. Crowley
of the Youths directory and a number
| of the leading citizens of the district, amid
/ an inspiring scene which will live long in
the memory of those who witnessed It,
Early in the morning a great throng Of
people focked to the old relief barracks
on Nineteenth and Dolores streets In this
crowd were most of the prominent resi-
dents Of the mission and many refugees.
Almost every one was a volunteer for the
work in hand. Foremost among those who
offered their services was former United
States Circuit Judge Van Duzer. who, al
though 72 years of age, insisted on work
ing a little harder than any one else all
day long. There were more volunteers for
the work of upbuildlng than Father
Crowley could advantageously use; but
fifty-four were selected, and the work be-
gan in earnest. The refugees were not
allowed to work, but old friends and neigh
bors insisted upon doing the work for
them. On every side there were the most
encouraging evidences OF fraternal feeling.
Volunteers Work with VIII.
Promptly at $50 o'clock. under the able
direction of Contractor Henry Feige, the
I volunteers took of their coats and set to
| with a will. Judge Van Duzer and James
Rolph, jr.. We'd with each other in the
| performance Of the most arduous tasks.
| There were no sticks OF lumber too heavy,
no boards nailed too tight for these re-
markable laborers to handle and triumph
over. 1t was a work of glow and glory.
| Most of the glow showed in the faces of
the workers, and the glory will be theirs
| In the years to come. Overalls and jumpers
were the proper thing: Sunday clothes
were strictly barred.
The roll of honor includes: James Rolph,
! president OF the Mission Improvement as
sociation; Matt l. Sullivan, Eustace Gull
nan, c. f. Talmage, F. f. Elliott, A. b.
Mcguire, Father w. J. Morgan assistant
rector Of the Youths Directory; Raymond
Gleason, Of the Mission bank; p. Broderick
Eugene Mccoy, Frederick Churchill, Henry
Feige, Judge Van Duzer, ]. ]. Dignan, Will
liam ]. Gilfoyle, F. Ernest Edwards, ]. r.
Doy henry Stirring, ]. c. Lyman, J. A
Cut, nd s. e Crawford
Hitherto the Mission park relief bar
racks have sheltered about thirty des-
titute families Father Crowley and a
committee of mission citizens obtained per-
mission from the park commissioners to
use the frontage of the park on the sides
OF the block between Nineteenth and Eigh-
teenth street on Dolores, and on Eighteenth
street, between Dolores and Church streets,
for sites for refugee cottages. Thirty OF
these. enough TO house the families who
formerly found shelter in the barra cks
will be accommodated in these houses,
Each house will consist of two or three
rooms with bath and sanitary plumbing
closets. Each lot will be twenty-five feet
front by eighty deep The houses will
either be given rent free TO the homeless
families or at a nominal rental. The Mis-
sion Improvement association will have
charge OF the leasing OF the houses.
Father Crowley. the moving spirit in the
enterprisng work. viii push the building
Of the houses as fast as possible. Enough
lumber was obtained from the barracks
torn down yesterday 10 begin with, but
II is estimated that about $4,000 will be
needed to fully complete the cottages, This
sum. II is hoped to obtain from the finance
committee. The refugees for whom the
cottages are intended have all been former
residents OF the Mission district and are
known TO be deserving.
How Banks stood the strain,
On April IS 1906. there were In Sar
Francisco thirty-two incorporated state
banks, six private banks and eight ma
tional banks. forty-six banks in all, whose
aggregate Indebtedness, payable on de-
mand was approximately Sl6S. ,sss and
whose aggregate means OF immediate pay
ment were approximately S2O,O7s,3 1853 cash
In their vaults and 50, O61, 6s9 due from
banks and bankers in various parts OF the
world. or an aggregate OF SIS, O61 $50, assum-
ing that creditors would be willing to &C
cept drafts instead Of the cash over ths
counter. which the banks were bound &c
pay and that all sums due from banks
and bankers were due from solvent banks
outside the city. On the same date thS
eleven savings banks OF the city had OBJ
legations TO depositors payable on sixty
days notice, TO the amount of 1886. 462 254
and only S2.S7.sS7 money in their vaults
with which to pay them. There was due
TO the savings banks, from banks and bank
ers the sum of S2dO32O, but as the in,
debtei banks were presumably ali in thii
city that resource cannot be considered foI
the purpose of this article Now These
cash resources were quite SUFFICIENT under
ordinary circumstances TO enable all the
banks 20 pay out all the money which
would be called for. With I.ss per cent Of
all claims In money in the vaults and 81 a
per cent in cash and deposited in banks n
cities outside the city-and nearly all IN,
sums due from banks and bankers wer,
from outside the city-the Commercial
banks were very strong indeed, mucl
stronger, In fact. than they would thinl
|. | they could afford TO be II they were no
receiving some interest on their deposits