The Montana plaindealer. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1906-1911, 1906-04-27
AS3OO,OOO,OOOLOSS
and San FRANCISCO'S INSURANCE
AMOUNTED TO $2OO,OOO,OOO.
over Seven Square Miles Of Ruins
500 Bodies Recovered Already
No Hungry Person in the City, NO
Disorder; All Are Hopeful.-Health
of Camps Good.

San Francisco, April 23.-The Asso.
ciated Press representatives have Gov
cred the entire outer edge OF the
burned section. The circumference of
the great conhagratiOn, as near as
can be ascertained by the markings OF
a cyclometer, measures 26 miles, ana
the ruins comprise the entire business
district and a large section OF the
residence district, all of which was
dcnSely populated. Seven square miles
Of ruins are presented.
Five hundred bodies have already
been recovered.
1t was estimated today by competent
insurance authorities that the loss
would aggregate $500, 000, 900, and on
this vast amount of property the in
surance companies carried approx
mately $175, OOO, 900 insurance.
Had it not been for the sight of the
rude affairs set up in the open wher-
ever San Francisco's homeless thou
sands were camped, n would have
had some difficulty in finding any of
the peaceful associations of the Sab
bath in this city today. Everywhere
throughout the burned, as well as the
remaining section of the city, there
was the greatest activity. Streets
were being cleared of debris, laborers
were repairing broken water pipes,
sewers and gas mains; electricians
were everywhere seeking to olsen
tangle the almost hopeless confusion
of wires; in fact, San Francisco was
in the first stages of its regenera-
ton.
There are no hungry people here to-
night; the gaunt specter of starvation
has been banished by the magnificent
response of the people of California
in particular, and by the entire nation
i'll general, to the appeals that went
out for assistance. Food by the car
load and boatload poured into Oak
land last night and today, and in suf-
ftcient quantities to o%verwhelm the
committee which has in charge it's dis
tribution. So great was the volume
of foodstuffs brought into the general
depot at Oakland mole that the gen
eral committee made an appeal for
skilled labor in the handling of these
supplies. Grocers, butchers and ON
mission men have been requested to
secure men who are familiar in the
handling of foodstuffs, in order hat
the distribution at the scores of sta
tons might go on without confusion.
The homeless people are no longer
obliged to subsist upon bread and
canned stuff entirely, as they had been
during tie previous days of their try
ing experience, but were today given
hot coffee, canned meats, and even
cakes and oranges. Oranges have
in in plentiful supply from south
ern California, and the sight of Cali
tornia's famous product was every
where hailed with words of delight
1t must not be understood by the
people of the country that
is a surfeit of food for the suf-
While the supply is abundant
this writing, it is we'll for the pub
lie to remember hat the homeless
thousands must be fed and cared for |
by the organized relief committee for !
an indefinite period. 1t is desired.
therefore, that contributions be con-
-lnued everywhere until the people
Who have been rendered helpless and
destitute by the city's misfortune can
for themselves.