The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-10-21
THE NEW FRISCO.
Offers Chances and Money for Men of
Brains and Drawn.

From the New York Times
1--WE have put up in San Francisco one
habitation for every 40 minutes since the
disaster" said Mayor f. E. schmitz of
San Francisco at the Waldorf last night
"They are not, of course. permanent
structures, but Chicago and Baltimore
waited a year after their catastrophes be-
fore they began to rebuild on large scale
and we are confident that we shall equal
their record"
Mayor schmitz is in the city on his way
to Europe
I'VE had about s225, 100000 of insurance"
he said, land about 5000, 600 900 of claims
have been acknowledged. We intend in a
few months to publish broadcast and to
continue publishing list of those compa-
MES which have disputed our just losses.
We shall do this, not in any spirit of vim
dictiveness, but to protect others against
concerns which will treat their clients dis
honestly"
The mayor went on to describe the pres
ent condition of affairs In San Francisco.
He estimates the population at 400 600
that Is, two-thirds of what It was before
April IS. The bread lines are a thing of
the past, and those who still seek support
L
tents have for the most part disappeared,
and the municipality has erected a num-
Der of comfortable wooden houses, praeti-
cally three-roomed cottages and private
enterprise is also coming to the rescue.
How far is the debris removed?" he
was asked.
"In the business section it has been
pretty we'll cleared away" he replied. ut
will be long time before It is all gone,
however. Still, within a year of the earth
quake We should certainly be beginning
to rebuild on a large scale. If you con-
slider the time 1t takes to draw the plans
of an important structure and to get the
steel prepared, this will not seem an un-
due delay. Under normal conditions II
would need six months to get these things
done"
There has been good deal of talk OF
increased wages" was suggested
The wages nave gone up" the mayor
replied, but that is the natural effect of
supply and demand. The unions agreed
that they would not raise their rates and
they have not done so. But when there
Is not a sufficient. number of men and
there are many contractors in hurry,
men are offered increases to obtain their
services. There has been a certain influx
OF men since the catastrophe, but the
workingman is no fool, and he knows that
as yet the building has not begun in earn
est There were perhaps GOO brclSlayers In
the city; now there are &c., and they get
from s. to SO a day."
Has not the cost Of living greatly in
creased?'' the mayor was asked
Rent has gone up sometimes so or so
per cent, but that will go down again as
soon as the city is rebuilt. Food has not
risen to anything like the same extent
] do not like to quote figures. but we in
quired into 1t recently and / think we
found the rise about 10 per cent / do not
like to say that all labor is needed, but
1t is safe to say that skilled artisans
with the exception of carpenters are like
ly to find plenty of work in San Francisco
for twenty years to come or unskil1ed
labor we have enough.
Il believe that San Francisco is the
place for young men and capital. In the
next few years 5000 100000 OF insurance is
going to be spent there, and there will be
opportunities on all sides to make money
We are the commercial center of the coast
as New York is Of the east, and we shall
grow to be as great city,