The Carlisle independent., 1906-11-01

freight were congested at San Fran cisco and Oakland By heroic eff forts the lingering freight was dis posed of and a serious situation re- lieved. Now that the railroads are able to look after their own business, they are expending great sums in permanent improvement, which will facilitate the reconstruction of the city.
 Insurance Situation Hurts.
 The insurance situation at San Francisco is exasperating to those who happened to have policies in shaky or dishonest companies, but on the whole the lapses of these com panies have not affected the city as seriously as early reports indi- cated. Nearly one-haif of all losses has been paid. Considering the fact that insurance records, as well as everything else, went up in smoke, this is a fairly good showing for five months. Payments are being made through the banks at the rate of near ly $1,000,000 a day. The money goes into circulation for the most part, and the resulting activity overshad- ows the fact that hundreds of other policy holders are waiting for set clement.
 The people of San Francisco per sonally and through their commercial organizations, are watching the insur- ance companies with a jealous eye. Companies that come to the front with money are reaping harvest of new business, while those which fought for time or actually repudiated their obligations in whole or in part will be made to smart for it.
 The chamber of commerce is mak- ing up a list of honest and dishonest companies. The California delegation in congress will have something to say on the subject next winter. The names of defaulting companies are to be sent broadcast through the world, and the opinion is universal in San Francisco that in the long run the defaulting companies will dis cover that they played losing game when they defrauded policy holders of their rights.
 Insurance litigation promises to become great. Policy holders who have money enough to fight are not slow in invoking the aid of the courts. One or two important cases already have been decided, but the critical question is yet to be passed upon. This question is as to the part played by the earthquake in causing fire losses. Policies are variously word ed, but in the main they provide that payment shall not be made if the loss is caused directly or indirect ly" by earthquake or other act of God. Of course, if there had been no earthquake there would have been no fire, but the man whose house was consumed three days after the quake does not think the indirect cause is quite close enough to the effect to justify the insurance com panies in repudiating all liability.
 Show True American Grit. During the disaster the good humor and self-possession of San Francis cans astonished the world. Now, in the long tug of disposing of the ashes and rebuilding the city, this good humor never deserts them, and they are as confident as though they were beginning city for the first time. There is inspiration in num- bers, comfort in common trouble, and o rit Of hrnfhnrho0d hot hoc deserted them, although it is not as marked as it was during times of danger. The love of good cheer in the way of eating, drinking and lis tening to music is as strong as ever The climax is continual tonic, and invites to hard work The very size of their disaster seems to nerve the San Franciscans to hasten the recon struction of the new city. They come very near to boasting when they show their ruins, and some of them display remarkably fresh memory of his tory by comparing their disaster with the fate of other cities that have per- ished by earthquake and fire, and risen again. According to these men, who cite history while making it, the only bonfire that excelled San Francisco's was that which con- sumed Rome in Nero's time. The great fires of London, Boston, Chi cago and Baltimore were mere hints of what real conflagration can do. So say these dusty, smiling, tireless San Franciscans, who revel in the advertising that their city has ob- tained. Their belief in the speedy reconstruction of the city is absolute, and they are backing their belief with money and energy that balks at nothing.