The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-30
Pause in San Francisco 'E Qamor.
THE BIG FINANCIAL PROBLEM
Chairman James D. Phelan Has
 Plan for Solution.
Proposes that consres. Guarantee Bonds of the City in Order thnt : Low Rate of Interest May
 Be Secured.

San Francisco. April 29.-The second Sunday since the fatal April IS has served as a clearing housesin the affsirs of this ruined city. While the old-tfme ouietude was missing, the day wit messed less excitement, confusion and clamor of its immediate predecessors and the community at large has been enabled to make a calmer survey of the situation and to enter into more in- teilieent and rational preparation for the future.
 All possible work of a municipal character was suspended for the day, and the tired officials who, for nearly two weeks, have labored necessarily with little sleep to bring a semblance of order out of the chaotic conditions. took advantage of the Hull to secure a greatly needed rest and to pay some attention to pressing personal needs.
 Plans for solving the tremendous financial problems that confront the city began today to assume tangible form and the day closed with the brightest prospect that has faced san Francisco since three-fourths Of It's territory was laid to waste.
 At a meSting today at which were present James ,. Phelan. chairman of the Finance Committee. and some noted lawyers and bankers, plan was broached for financing the city. which. 1t is hoped, will meet with the endorse ment of the general committee. z It being estimated that the city has suffered loss of at least $200000,000 by fire it is conceded that there is not sufficient money in San Francisco to reconstruct the city and that the people here must look elsewhere for funds to rehabilitate their destroyed fortunes.
 Plan of PheIan.
 Mir Phelan said that If the money is borrowed through ordinary channels, the rate of interest will add burden to necessarily increased taxation that will be too heavy to bear. The plan of Mir. Phelan is totsframe legisiation to present to Congress asking the United States to endorse the proposed bonds of San Francisco.
 With this guarantes of the Govern ment. the city will be able to go into the financial markets of the world and borrow the needed money at ? or 2 1-s per cent. the bonds to run for hfty years and constitute mortgage on the best portion of the city.
 MT Phelan asserted that such legis- lation would not be new in Congress. It was by virtually such measures that the Central Pacific and the Union Pa cific Railroadsiwere built and more re- 
 in the Philippines became assured to the people of the islands.
 General Greedy has formulated plan for the distribution of relief sup-. plies. Reports of theft. misappropria- tion, waste and extravaganza have been constantly received since pro- visions and clothing began pouring in to succor the afflicted. and it is now believed that misuse of surplus will hereafter be impossible.
 Tn the first days of the fire little or no attention was given to keep check on foodstrffs, the main idea being to provide against want, and 1t was nat urai that under these haphazard orders of affairs many abuses would arise.
 The unburned part of the city will be divided into seven districts in charge oi army officers who will assume con- trol of all the relief stations now es- ,tablished Responsible civilians will be Installed under salary at the sub-sta- tions for the purpose of clerical work, and daily records and cheeks will be kept
 It is declared that the period of ex- treme distress has passed and that at tho earliest possible time the issue of rations must be confined to helpless women and children and refused to adult males unless they are sick or in feeble condition. Issues of luxuries or articles of special det will be confined to infants and invalids. Rigid economy Is enjoined upon any officers engaged in relief work.
 Red Cross Ticket system.
 In each of the seven districts there will be 100 stations. The amount of food to be allowed each person with latitude for certain conditions is spec flied and allowance in a measure Is based upon the army ration. Tomor- row the Red Cross expects to have it's SnAf far{s1 naI ff0L at In, and this will facilitate the plans of the army in preventing abuses.
 The number Of persons without sub stantial shelter has been reduced to a minimum. The housing committee re- ported today that its work had been almost completed, the applications for accommodations having ceased
 Reliigous services were held in the open air in many cf the saved districts today, and in churches that were pro- nounced safe for immediate use, throngs gathering to listen to the sermons of the clergymen.
 Probably the most significant instance of the determination of the officials to bring about a restoration of the old order of things. and the disposition of the people speedily to forget the recent disaster. was the resumption of the Sunday afternoon concerts in Golden Gate Park These concerts have al-
 
 Francisco. and in addition to the excel lent program given in the park. vol unteer band discoursed music for short time in the Tented City"
 At Jefferson Square there were some extensions of the electric car service, and the people in the remote suburbs will tomorrow be afforded quick trans portation to the water front and points in the burned district, where :hey may be obliged to labor. ts
 The city officials were highly elated today upon finding the contents of the municipal treasury intact. The vaults were located in a section of the city hall that escaped the fire, and when an expert opened the doors this morn ing he found gold, silver and securities scattered over the floor. but there was nothing missing The vault contained $5.So0,0 900 in coin and currency; $s00.0O0 in securities of the German Savings Bank. and $12,0o0.O00 of unsold city bonds.
 Shipping is beginning to resume its