The Mena weekly star., 1906-05-03

Question Causing Worry.
 San Francisco, May 2.-For the first time since the earthquake and fire laid this city in ruins street lights Monday night gleamed through the black mantle which mas enveloped the city after nightfall since the day of the disaster For nearly two weeks not street light has broken the dark ness in which the city has been wrapped Everybody stayed indoors after dark and nearly all San Francisco went to bed with the set ting of the sun For the first week after the fire lights were not per- mitted. Cleaning of arc lights in the Potrero district was 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 electric lighting is one of the most important indications that the city is rapidly returning to normal condi- tions.
 Street lights were burning In only & small section of the city Monday night but they were hailed with much satisfaction as a good omen. The lights turned on Monday night were in the Potrero district. in the south ern party of the city and were oper- ated by the electric lighting company's Potrero plant which was practically uninjured by the earthquake and was not in the fire zone. Gen. Manager Naphthaly. of the San Francisco Gas and Electric company, has annovnced that there will be several hundred arc lights in operation throughout the unburned sections of the city Tues. day night
 The street car service is rapidly be- ing 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 Monday night until 70 o'clock. Seven o'clock was the hour set for the cessa- tion of street car traffic until permis- sion was granted to resume 1t but late Monday afternoon the railroad company was advised that 1t would be permitted to run cars until 10 o'clock at night, 1t having been demonstrated that there was no more danger at night than in the daytime. The cars run so far have been utterly inad- equate to hadle the heavy trafic and the owners of almost every kind of vehicle are making a lucrative bus iness of hauling large numbers of people at the rate of 25 to 50 cents each to and from the ferry. Monday 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 pro- vided with warm bedding and com fortably housed in tents. This prob lem has been pretty we'll solved by the arrival of more tents and blank cts. but the food question Is one that is causing the authorities much worry.
 Oakland, Cal. May 2.-Gov. Pardee has returned from Santa Rosa where he inspected the ruin wrought by the earthquake He was accompanied on his trip by Secretary of Commerce and Labor Metcalf. Gen. Greeley, Goa gressman Mckinley and several other officials. The governor said that the pressing need of Santa Rosa at pres ent is money. The debris from the wreckage of many buildings must be cleared away before business can be resumed. It is estimated that $147,- 900 will be required to do this work. There is call for $25.000 or $30.0000 for immediate needs.
 The governor said that the conii- tions at Santa Rosa were depressing but the townspeople were brave hearted and had faced the calamity with sturdy determination to recover. The business district Is in ruins while much of the residence portion is de- strcyed.