The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-04-22
Everything Possible Being Done
to Bring Order Out of Chaos
and Relieve Suffering.
Conditions at Golden Gate Park I'M
proving---Sanitary Arrangement
a Source of Much Anxiety.

San Francisco, April 21.-Among the
homeless hundreds now being sheltered
at Jefferson square conditions are as
admirable as they could be under the
awful circumstances. The relief com
mittee has supplied every sufferer with
food, blankets have been supplied and
many tents are in place
An effort has been made by the mill
itary and civil authorities to secure
some kind of an accurate list of the
dead in the neighborhood. So far they
have been greatly handicapped through
their inability to get reliable people to
engage in the work.
Among the homeless in the square
are many little ones. Last night there
was a shortage in the milk supply, but
this condition was relieved at an early
hour this morning by the arrival of
many cans of the precious fluid.
Early this morning there was great
excitement among the refugees over
the reported shooting of a looter in the
square. Certainly a shot was fired,
but by whom and at what point nei-
Their military or civil authorities doing
police duty in the neighbOrhOOd have
been able TO ascertain. 1t is known
however, that no one was shot by
either soldier or police at jefferson
square during the night
Danger Is Great.
The sanitary condition of the camp
in the square is a matter that must
be given immediate attention if the
health of the homeless is to be pre-
served. This matter is in the hands of
the engineering corps of the army and
no time VIII be lost in looking to the
sanitation of the whole city but mean
While there is great fear that sickness
will wipe out the lives of many unfor-
Inmates who have been saved from
earthquake and fire.
There was some relief of the crowded
condition Of the camp in the square
before noon today when a little army of
refugees, carrying all they had in the
world upon their backs, made their
way through debris and wreckage to
the ferry building. Here those who
were out of funds were given trans
portation across the bay.
At Golden Gate park, where there are
camped probably the greatest number
OF refugees, conditions today are i'm
proved No estimate of the number of
people in the park can be made at this
time, but some sort of a. canvass is he
ing made by the military authorities TO
ascertain the approximate number of
people, as well as to relieve all the in
diV1duaI cases of suffering and to i'm
prove the sanitary conditions The
food situation is not serious There
was plenty of food of the simplest sort.
of course, provided for every one at
the different bread lines this morning.
and more will be dealt out this after
noon.
Army Officer In Command.
Major F. H. Keesling Of the First
battalion OF the coast artillery. n. G.. c.
IS IN command of the military relief
measures in the park. His headuuar-
tiers have been established at the tennis
courts. Here supplies of sugar. coffee.
bread and canned goods are being dis
ulbuted and at another point some
prepared meats were given out Army
tents, as many as could be obtained
were set up everywhere, and other can
vas projections were made of blankets
rugs, carpets. bed clothes and ever,
other sort of material that cOuId he
used for the purpose. In some places
refugees had cleared out spaces be-
neath the thick Shrubbery and tho
semi-trOpica1 plants for which C,o15a,7
Gate park is famous, and under these
round some sort of natural DrOtactfoD
from the chill night air.
AS yet there has been very little sirl,
ness ASIDE from nervous shock and
physical exhaustion, and from tbesa
most of the people have had time To re-
cover. The efforts of the military an
thorities today are all in the direction
OF improving the sanitary condition and
providing safeguards against any Dossi
fTsaI
exposed situation of so many thousand
people. All refuse and debris of eI-a,,I1
sort must be deposited i'm trenches duo
Tor that purpose, and the park has haaD
DIVIDED INTO various sanitary districts
over Whlch military officers have been
given command, and which are no
uoIleo py regular soldiers of by NUM-
cipal police.
Information Bureaus Established
Information bureaus have bean ao-
tabllshed and telephone service is be-
ing ProVlded by the signal corps of the
regular army. At the entrance of the
park, known as the Pan Handle dis
trict, an enormous billboard has her
erected and is being used as a flirec-
tory py those who wish to designate
their location in the camp for the ben
eft of seeking friends. All vehicles
that enter the park are conhscated nv
the military authorities and are being
used to deliver supplies to the vari-
Gus points IS we'll as to remove refu-
gees desiring to reach points beyond the
jurisdiction OF the authorities All
those who desire to leave the park and
TO go to any point i'm the interior of the
state are encouraged to do so. as every
person leaving. relieves the situation to
just that extent. A visit along the
north beach OF San Francisco, including
the Preside reservation. revealed CON
d1tlons which may develop into a seri-
Gus menace to the health of the citv
People who have been permitted bv
good fortune to remain within their
homes have violated ordinary health
precautions, having been deprived of
water for flushing purposes.
In the Presidio the military authori-
ties are using every endeavor to create
healthful conditions. The large corps
of men are being detailed to provide
sewage system, and disinfectants are
being freely distributed to prevent the
threatened epidemic of diseases.