Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-05-01
STRICKEN SAN FRANCISCO.
Nork of Relief and Rebuilding Goes
p..,>I,, nn-Ci0b1eaaro q Minis anna.

STRICKEN SAN FRANCISCO.
Work of Relief and Rebuilding Goes
Bravely on-Sightseers Nuisance.
The work Of bringing order out OF
chaos in San Francisco, providing for
the relief of the destitute and max
ing plans for the rebuilding Of the
city has continued steadily on and
splendid progress has been made by
those In charge Of the most stupend-
Gus undertaking.
1t is now estimated that the fire
loss alone amounts to in the neigh
borhood of 100000, and of this
considerably more than half IS COW
cred by insurance; but there is not
nearly enough money in the city to
ensure the pushing Of building oper-
ations as rapidly as is necessary.
Ex-Mayor James Phelan, chairman
of the finance committee, announced
last Saturday that he had been ad-
yised by Secretary Metcalf that OF
the $2,5OO.00O appropriated by the
Federal government, only 100000 is
available at the present time and the
committee has available to its orders
at the mint only s51S,000. Mr.. Phe-
Ian makes this announcement at
this time in order that the country
at large may not get the impression
that the San Francisco people have
millions with which to take care OF
the destitute.
Relief work has been very much
systematized during the past few
days. 1t has been turned over prtn-
cipally to the military and the un-
burned part of the city has been d.
yided into seven districts. Citizens
have been employed to do the cler-
ical work, and a ticket system has
been inaugurated to prevent fmposl-
ton. Luxuries are kept for inyalids
and children, and able bodied men
are denied food unless they can show
that they are engaged in some kind
Of useful work.
AS the result Of the experiences of
the past two weeks the whole pop
ulation Is agreed that the regular
army is the best dependence for law
and order, and the mayor Will re-
quest that the troops be permitted TO
remain in the city for the present.
Mr.. Phelan has evolved a plan to
secure adequate relief through the
help of the government. He proposes
to issue city bonds to the amount OF
$500, 100000 to run fifty years and
to draw two per cent interest. His
plan provides that these bonds be
guaranteed by the government In or
der that they may bring full value on
the market.
City officers were highly elated to-
day to find the contents of the munic-
ipal treasury intact. The vaults
were a part of the city hall that es-
capped the fire. An expert opened the
doors this morning and found gold'
silver and securities scattered over
the floor safe and unharmed. The
CIV: 100000 in securities of the Ger
man Savings bank and $12,OOO,OOO OF
unsold city bonds.
Absolute order still prevails IN San
Francisco. The great city which put
a brief time since was known the
world over as the Second Paris SO
wide was it's reputation for gayety and
pleasure seeking, has settled into the
uuietest of communities, In which the
population Is not seen abroad after the
first hours of darkness. While the
most rigid patrol system In maintained
everywhere, the people are free to come
and go as they please. But as there
are no places Of recreation to attract
them, few venture abroad at night.
The influx of sightseers Is adding To
the work of the authorities and to the
discomfort of those still living IN San
Francisco.
Thousands of these people crowd the
ferry boats, block the few open streets
with all sorts Of useless vehicles, and
seriously interfere with those engaged
in relief work. Today they added to
the terrific jam at the main ferry and
choked the narrow passages cleared III
a few streets for vehicles. They over
ran ruins of buildings wherever safety
would permit, and were ruthless In
their frantic efforts to seize on some
article of historic or intrinsic value
and cart 1t away.
Throughout Chinatown and along
Kearney street, where baZaars nlieu
with Oriental wares once stood, the
harvest of relics has been particularly
rich. Men, women and children, fear
ing neither the presence OF military nor
the danger Of crumbling walls, swarm
lIle Will 6iVhS Pto'.N -
themselves. In many of the Chinese
and Japanese stores, when the fire ap-
preached, the proprietors buried large
part of their stock in the easements,
intending to return after the fire had
passed and recover what they could.
They never came back. The terrors OF
the rocking earth and the sweep OF
flame were too much for their Oriental
minds but the relic hunters came, and
everything that was Of any use or value
has been carried away.
The work of the looters has not been
confined alone to the ruins Of stores.
Many residences have been worked
over, and articles of gold silver and
china carried away. At the ruins OF
the Hopkins Art Institute and the
Stanford residence guards are main
tanned, and yesterday two women, who
had been gathering relics at other
houses along Pine and California
streets, complained against the refusal
Of the guards to permit them to enter
the ruins where the Stanford and the
Crocker homes once stood.
Among the ruins Of many family
hotels and in the ashes of pawn shops
relic hunters gathered trinkets and un-
set Jewels. There is no limit to the en-
durance of the looters, nor to the ef-
forts they will make to find something
of value.