Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-05-02
LIGHTS And CARS OPERATED
Renewal Of Electric Service Brings Conf
denoe to San Francisco.
VEHICLES UNABLE TO HANDLE TRAFFIC
Power OF BiEhtins Plant sumcient to
Illuminate Unburned Part Of
City and Repairs Are
Being Made.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 1.-For the first
Time since the earthquake and fire laid
this city in ruins street lights last night
gleamed through the black mantle which
has enveloped the city after nightfall since
the day of the disaster. For nearly two
weeks not street light had broken the
darkness IN which the city had been
wrapped. Everybody stayed indoors after
dark and nearly all San Francisco went to
bed with the setting of the sun. For the
first week after the fire lights were not
permitted. Cleaning arc lights were seen
from all over the city and did more to
make people hopeful restore confidence
and good feeling than anything since the
earthquake Next to the resumption Of
street car service the restoration of cleo
tric lighting Is one of the most important
Indications that the city is rapidly re-
turning to normal conditions.
Street lights were burning in only
small section OF the city last night, but
they were hailed with much satisfaction
as good omen. The lights turned on last
night we're In the Portero district, in the
southern part OF the city, and were oper-
ated by the electric lighting companys
Potrero plant, which was practically un-
injured by the earthquake and was not in
the fire zone.
General Manager NathaIy Of the San
Francisco Gas and Electric company, has
announced that there will be several hun
dred arc lights in operation throughout
the unburned sections of the city tonight.
More lights and Cars Promised.
Besides the three light routes for which
permission was granted several days ago
1t is intended to install lights along the
principal roads where supplies are being
hauled into the city The company claims
that It has enough power in the Potrero
plant to illuminate the entire unburned
sections. The question OF restoring the
electric lights will be taken up tomorrow
or the next day and lights will be turned
on as fast as the necessary permits can
be secured.
The street car service is rapidly being
extended as fast as large gangs Of men
clear the streets OF debris and replace
the twisted and warped rails. The United
railroads operated cars last night until
10 O'Clock. Seven o'clock was the hour
set for the cessation of street car trah1c
until permission was granted to resume II,
but late yesterday afternoon the railroad
company was advised that It would be per-
mitted TO run cars until 10 o'clock at night.
IL having been demonstrated that there
was no more danger at night than in the
day time.
The cars run so far have been utterly
inadequate to handle the heavy tranio
and the owners of almost every kind of
vehicle are having lucrative business
OF hauling large numbers of people at
tho rate OF 20 10 so cents each 70 and
from the ferry. Last night was the
warmest and balmiest since the thousands
of people have, been compelled to camp
in the open. In nearly all the parks and
squares the homeless are now quite we'll
provided with warm bedding and COM
fortably housed in tents. This problem
has been pretty we'll solved by the ar
rival Of blankets, but the food question
is one that is causing the authorities
much worry.