The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-22
CAIIFORNIANS HERE MEET,
Much EMOTION SHOWN AT THE
CASINO GATHERING. .
Mark Twain Presidcs and n Start Is Made
Toward Org anizlng the Relief Work
Many In the Audience Interrupt
the Speakers-WOrry About Friends,

Yesterday morning w pSiioSV AOhOi p'ohoi
their sense Of loss-in most cases personal
was so strong that the gathering turned
into an exDerience meeting.
The Californians gathored early, and
the spirit of sadness everywhere evident
was at variance with the gay furnishings
and the marches played by the orchestra
while the theatre was filing. Strangers
met and talked freely Of each others per-
sonal losses.
Mark Twain Henry Miller and Joseph
d. Redding were standing on the stage
when the curtain arose at 1870 o'clock.
Fl shall not introduce myself to you :
said Mr.. Clemens, as he walked to the front
of the stage, because l think you already
know me. I feel that I'M here with a mis-
sion; that land you-have work to do,
and so | shall only say of myself that I'm
Samuel l., Clemens, a difficult name to
remember, but take it home, II you will.
Now let me first introduce a member OF a
profession ever first to the aid Of the afflicted,
Mr.. Henry Miller"
Mr.. Miller said the theatrical people
wished TO do something practical at once
and that they needed the aid of every one
in order that the coming benefit perform
ance in the Casino Theatre on Sunday.
April 20, would be "a telling effort to aid a
rart of the country ON profe ssion loves,
because the people there have always
shown in the past their love for U.s.
Mr.. Miller said that Mrs. Fiske, Margaret
Anglin, Arnold DAILY, Blanche Bates, Henry
Woodruff, De Wolf Hopper and many
others had offered their services.
Not forty-eight hours ago" said Mark
Twain. Il pledged myself never to appear
again before an audience that had to pay
to come in. l don't think I'm departing
from my promise, however, because this
audience must pay, not to come in, but
TO go out. We shall not ask for contri'
buttons here, but only that you will carry
away with you a disposition to come at
once to the assistance OF your suffering
brothers and sisters"
1t was when Mr.. clemens spoke of the
future hopes Of the city that his hearers
seemed to find a vent for their pent up
emotions. Men and women rose and
cheered as the speaker said.
sOur city will-uiH rise againl We
who are of them 10Y their hopeful spirit,
their energy and enterprise, This energy
remains. and because OF it there will rise
from ruin fair buildings and busy marts
and beauty, a city even moro beautiful
than that which has gone.
The heart of n nation is broken with
grief. And there is one great class that
will above all others respond to our appeal
the poor, I mean. The millionaire gives
vast vast sums that go far toward helping,
but his gifts are not 10 per cent. OF h
he has-much less than that. The poor
gladly give half, t~hree-quarters OF their
possessions, and it is by their dimes and
quarters that the great fund will be swelled.
In the committees you will appoint l want
10 see one particular body represented
because they know the poor and under
stand best how to help them the Saliva
ton Army.
Mr.. Redding doomed Mark Twain and
then pointed out these relieving features
of the disaster:
First, the loss Of life, when we consider
the extent of the calamity, was really
infnitesimal. Secondly, the city was
UNIQUE in that it had absolutely no bonded
indebtedness when the blow can 0 and |
trust | shall not be misunderstood when
saw that there could really be no more
Favorable" time for the disaster to fall,
Never was the city in so good a condition
TO withstand the shock and rise above 1T
again.
a message to Mayor Schmtz to tell our
brothers that this is not a time OF ami
hilation hut of reconstruction, and that
san Francisco is now merely sLnooIneo
out, so that we may the better begin to
rebuild,
Three years ago, Mr.. Redding said,
san Francisco brought a Chicago archl-
TACT named Burnham to the city to give
ali his time to identifying it. The architect
Ill, , cabin for himself on Twin Beach,
and in two wears $50, 600, OC0 has been adj
vancad by the city to further the archi-
tect's plans. Little progress had beer mace,
however, because OF the many rookeries
in the city which the owners Ielused W
Now that these buildings have been
At this point the speaker was interrupted
nv a woman named Mrs. Kuhner in the
audience. and from then on every, one
father designed the first seal and many
of the b~anknotes for California, announced
that she had been on her way to Europe
to see her grandchildren, but the earth
quake has interrupted the trlp.
And now I'm sending the money / would
have spent" she said, ito my people that
they may buy bread and cloth The
Woman broke down at this point and sank
hack sobbing.
OF IUp nOUNt W oilCi
questions. Often two or three tired TO
sneak at once. He tried to reassure the anX-
ious by saying hat the homeless could make
their way TO the Preside, in the vicinity
Of which 500 900 could be crowded. Also
there we're vast quantities of water, and
rations at the Presidio, Oakland and sur
rounding towns, Mr.. Redding said, and In
sisted that the homeless would not suffer
greatly for lack of food and water.
= ave Californians understand conditions
out there now better than New Workers.
said Mr.. Redding in an effort to get back to
practical work. Therefore i want two
or three committees appointed now to see
Mayor Mcclellan. Mr.. Jesup and others in
charge of funds to tell them that what is
needed most is covering-tents, blankets.
clothing-for 800, 900 homeless people. l
make a motion also that a committee COM
posed Of Mrs. Bates, Miss Blanche Bates,
Mrs. vivian. president Of the California
Club. and Miss Margaret Anglln, go imme-
diately 10 the dry goods district and ask
for contributions Of clothing"
Mr.. Twain asked for the approval OF the
meeting and the motion was carried. Then
MIR. Twain read the following telegram,
which was later sent to Mayor Schmitz:
tn -.a- MONA INt "a