Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-21
GOLDEN. CATE PARK
TELLS THE STORY
BIG PLAYGROUND IS TEMPO
RARY HOME OF ALL
Money Is of Little Value, Wealth Be-
ing Estimated by the Amount
of Foodstuff on
Hand ~.
By Associated Press.

| BY Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 2o.-Next to
the many square miles of ruins that
once made San Francisco a city, no
better realization of the ruin that has
come to this place can be gained than
| by visiting the refuge camps located
everywhere in the districts that were
Untouched by the flames.
Golden Gate park was the mecca of
the destitute. ~
This immense playground of the
municipality has been converted into
vast mushroom city that bears striking
resemblance to the fleeting towns
| located on the border of a government
reservation about to be opened to pub
lie settlement.
| All Now Are Equal
The common destitution and suffer-
| ing have wiped out all social financial
and racial distinctions.
| The man who last Tuesday was a
prosperous merchant is occupying with
his family little plot of ground that
adjons the open air home of a laborer.
! The white men of California has for
| gotten his antipathy to the colored race
! and is making friends with his Chinese
neighbors.
lHe SOClely WOlDdu VIII L utSlteiy
night was a butterfly of fashion at the
grand opera performance now is assist
ing some factory girl in the preparation
of the humble daily meals
Money of Little Value
Money this afternoon had little value.
| The family that had had the foresight
to lay in the largest stock of foodstuffs
Oh the first day of the disaster is rated
1.irrl, In, Ia Nf
a few of the families who could
secure willing eXpressmen are pos
SCISSORS of cooking stoves, but over 50
per cent of the refugees are doing their
cooking on little camp fires made of
brick and stone.
Kitchen utensils that last week would
have been regarded with contempt are
today articles of high value.
Grass Plots Are Full
Many of the homeless people are in
possession of comfortable clothing and
bed covering, but the great bulk of
them are in need.
The grass is their bed and their daily
clothing their only protection against
the penetrating fog of the ocean or the
chilling dew of the morning.
Fresh meat disappeared Wednesday
morning and canned foods and bread
stuffs are the only victual
Vacant Lots Filled
Not alone are the parks the places of
refuge. Every large vacant lot in the
safe zones has been pre- -empted, and
even the cemeteries are crowded.
a we'll known young lady of social
position when asked today where she
had spent the night, replied: ION a
grave"
Throughout the entire western por-
tion of the peninsular of the county of
San Francisco these camps are located.
The municipal safety committee has
had plans of concentrating these unfor-
tunate people in several great camps,
but unless they are forcibly herded to-
gether like cattle this scheme seems
| impossible of accomplishment.
First Thought Is Food
Maj. McKeever of the United States
army has been appointed commandant
of the camps, and with his staff of
| assistants was today trying to bring
some sort of system and order out of
the chaotic situation.
His first thought is to supply food
and water, and then to arrange sani-
tary measures.
These throngs of people, crowded
elbow to elbow in the open lots and
fields without conveniences that are
naturally demanded, are threatened
with an epidemic of disease unless
some wise precautions are speedily OBJ
served, and the authorities even as
early as yesterday had men construct
ing necessary outhouses.
Good Order Prevails
Good order and fellowship seems to
prevail in these inpromptu settlements,
the common ruin and poverty having
made all of the unfortunates. akin.
In buildings close to the camps the
police are storing available foodstuffs
and bed clothing for convenient de-
livery.
distribution of supplies is evident. from
the temper of the city administration.
No distinctions are drawn and but little
favors shown.
Food Supply Nearly Gone
The grave question is how soon will
an adequate supply of food arrive from
outside points, avert famine and desti-
tuition.
There is little food in San Francisco
outside of what little each person pos
sesses, and this cannot last more than
few days. San Francisco is geo.
graphically an isolated city.
Its nearest largest neighbor to the
south is Los Angeles, 500 miles away
To the north is Portland, nearly 800
miles distant, and it's nearest sister in
the great east is Salt Lake City, 1000
miles away
These cities and all of the less popu-
lated nearer towns are making sacri-
flee for the destitute here, but it is to
| the big cities of the nation that San