Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-24
WORK TIE w ATChWORD
SAN FRANCISCO THOROUGHLY
AWAKE TO IT'S NEEDS.

Los ANGELES Cal. April 4.-Every eff
fort is now directed at San Francisco to-
ward bringing orderly effort out OF chaos
and reducing sickness. Supplies are coming
in now and work is the watchword. If
the Industrious Gen. Sherman had ridden UP
Market street yesterday his famous cpl
gram. War is hell" would have been ap-
piled TO earthquake and fire when they come
together. as they did in San Francisco.
There is an object lesson In the stricken
city.
a prominent government employee, IN re-
ferring to the shortage of water. said that
ii had been a notorious fact for twenty-five
years that the city had been short of water
during that time. II there had been suffi-
silent water for a city of that size the prop
erty loss would not have been nearly so
great. San Francisco was damaged by
earthquake. but was DESTROYED by fire
The various railroad offices, which en-
ployed several thousand men, have been
moved to Oakland. where business Is being
TRANSACTED. The theatrical fraternity has
established a bureau in Oakland, where re-
lief is being given the actors and actresses
in distress
The streets, depots and parks of Oakland
are filled with people. with the few things
they were able TO save from the flames. All
kinds of bed clothing are needed badly.
Thousands are sleeping out of doors. Stock
AIDES are being built as rapidly as possible
Inc TRANSPORTATION companies are making
rate OF one-haif cent per mile to the Mis-
souri, river and Chicago, and are giving
free tickets to all points on the Pacific
coast. 1t is very difficult getting into San
way into the city you are apt to be put to
work by the military forces assisting In
clearing away the debris.
Merchants and Hoboes at Work.
saw prominent merchants seeking bread
side by side with the hobo. On one street
noticed woman carrying bundle in one
hand and four hens in the other. Hundreds
of women carried bird cages. What ap-
pealed to me was the saving of dogs many
of them valuable.
The people are no longer benumbed by
the extent of the calamity. They are wide
awake now and every man Is doing his
planning for the future.
The railroads will carry tens of thousands
of the refugees out of the state, but north
ern and southern California will surely be
called on to bear the brunt of enforced
exodus. A great city is to be rebuilt and
there VIII be work enough for all. They
are arranging to put the work into the
hands OF few who will construct new
metropolis earthquake and fireproof. or
course, any plans of this sort are necessar-
lily in nebulous stage. but nothing is i'm
possible to such brave lot of people,
The western grit which has helped these
homeless ones to look the situation In the
eye without fear will help them In the next
ten years, yes, the next twenty. San
Francisco will not be rebuilt In a day, but
rebuilt ii will be. depend upon that.
Military Discipline Relaxed
San Francisco Is rapidly recovering from
its staggering blow. The people are grimy
TESTING at its disaster that will put all more
nearly on an equality than they ever were
before. Gen. Funston has issued orders to
gradually relax the discipline of military
law that IN dine time the control If he
city may be turned back to the civil au-
thorities. General patrol of the city has
been arranged by the troops taking the
worst part. the portions next hardest TO
control being given over to the police,
while the best districts are patrolled by the
militia and the University Cadets.
The governor is expected to call a special
session of the legislature to meet within
three days. AT this session the question OF
relieving the tax situation win be taken UP.
San francisco property owners, assessed on
their holdings on March /, being not able
10 meet the taxes with funds tied up as they
are, an appropriation of 81 100000 for d
state building in San francisco is proposed
as relief measure The ablest lawyers are
engaged on the laws necessary to be passed
to relieve the stress of the situation.
Some Affecting Sights.
Probably the most affecting sights are to
be seen in the parks, where many family
reunions take place every day. People from
interior points are making every effort 10
cross the bay and search among the refu-
gees for their families 1t will be months
before many OF these weary searches end
for there are many dead bodies in that
burned district which will never be identi-
fed
The earthquake killed or crippled many
In the south of Market street district and
the fire sweeping over the city Immediately
after the first great shock charred the re-
mains past any hope of identification. There
are so many living to be cared for that little
attention is paid to the dead. They are
buried as quickly as they are found, but not
until those miles of waste are leveled VIII
the tale OF the dead be completed.
There is no room in San Francisco for
idlers. great work is to be done there
and the men who wish To look on while
others work may find themselves lookine
into a loaded rifle and listening to q Vers
pressing invitation TO join the firing line
where the bricks are dying The next STEP
Will be TO dynamite the walls still standing
few of the great business blocks are in
such shape that repairs are possible. but the
great majority of them must come 10 the
ground that work may proceed without en-
dangering life. The wreck of the Emporium
In very shake condition and another
earthquake shock OF any size will send IT
into Market street.