The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-23

INTO oakland last nlBnt anu Iouay III
sufficient quantities to overwhelm the
committee which has in charge it's dis
tribution So great was the volume of
food stuffs brought into the general de-
pot at Oakland that the general commit
tee today made an appeal for skilled
labor in the handling Of these supplies.
Groeers, butchers and commission men
have been requested to secure men who
are familiar in the handling of foodstuffs
in order that. the confusion attendant
upon the distribution at the scores OF
stations established might go on without
confusion.
Food More Plentiful
The homeless people are no longer oblig-
ed to subsist upon bread and canned
stuffs entirely as they had been during
the previous days of their trying expert
ence, but were today given hot coffee,
canned meats and even cakes and or
anges. Oranges have come in in plentiful
supply from southern California, and the
sight of California's famous product was
everywhere hailed with words OF delight.
1t must not be understood by the char
lldDlt people VI the country INIT there ~
a surfeit of food for the sufferers. While
the supply is abundant at this writing
1t is well for the public to remember
that the homeless thousands must be fed
and cared for by the organized commit
tees for an indefinite period. 1t is desired
therefore, that contributions be continued
until the people who have been rendered
haI, md fffta .tr he oil ~ mis-
fortune, can care for themselves.
The water situation, while causing in
convenience, Is no longer such a problem.
About two-thirds of the remaining section
of the city is being supplied with suffi-
cient water for the pressing domestic
needs. but of course there is not yet
enough to be had for fire fighting pur-
poses. All. cooking for the present must
be done on the sidewalks or in the open
streets and In daylight. One of the note
worthy features of the situation Is the
remarkable promptness with which the
work of systematically caring for the
homeless has been thoroughly organized
and put into operation. The fear that
existed two days ago that the immense
task of caring for the destitute and help
less people could not be organized quickly
enough to save thousands from hunger
and possible epidemic exists no longer.
Mayor and Funston In Accord.
The administration of the city affairs is
progressing most tremendously Mayor
Schmitz and General Funston are working
in perfect accord. There was slight con-
fusion yesterday owing to misunder-
standings of orders by some of the mem
bers of the national guard, but this has
been mnimized
The system put into force by the Mayor
and General Funston today is working
order out of confusion, and the city is as
orderly as before the fire. Orders having
been issued by so many heads of depart
ments as has been the case during the
past few days. there has been neces-
sarly more or less conflict of authority,
1t should be observed, however, that there
have been no complaints made anywhere
concerning the actions either of the fed
eral troops or the municipal police 1t
is only of the national guard of the state
of California that complaint has been
made Many. citizens have reported many
arbitrary acts of the militiamen.
Contributions of money continue to be
made from, every part of the United
States.
Chairman Phelan, of the finance COM
mittee today reported additional sub
scriptions of about $iG2. 600, the largest of
| these being one of 100000 by the Chicago
Commercial association.
The finance committee will tomorrow
consider some plan for the use of the
| large sum of money which will soon be
available, for the relief OF the sufferers.
500 Bodies Recovered.
The total number of bodies recovered
and buried up to Sunday night is 800. No
complete record can be had at this time,
out permits from the coroner and the
| board of health.
The searchers of the coroner and the
board of healths department. found not
| more than twenty bodies today. They
were buried Immediately. few of these
bodies could be Identified and the graves
were marked by numbers. 1t is impos-
| sble at the present time to obtain any
| sort of death list or even to make re-
| liable estimate of the number of casual
! ties. Whenever a body is found 1t is
buried Immediately without any formality
| whatever and as these burials have been
made at widely separated parts of the
| city by different bodies OF searchers who
| do not even make prompt report TO
| headquarters, considerable confusion has
resulted I'm estimating the number OF
casualties and exaggerated reports have
| resulted. r.
! The health Of the scores OF thousands
canlped In the open air is, under the cir
cumstances. remarkably good There have
! OF course been several cases OF pneumonia
| reported and colds are quite common. but
| there il nothing like an epidemic of pull
monary troubles The board of health re-
ports that there is very little conta sious
disease aud for the treatment OF those
cases hospitals have been provided.
Eighteen Babes Born.
! An interesting item from the Golden
Gate park district today was the report OF
the hirths of eighteen babies. These cases
have received prompt and efficient atten-
| ton, and the mothers and children remov-
| ed to the various maternity hospitals.
| Vigorous meaures are being taken by the
board of health and the board OF public
works to improve the sanitary conditions
throughout the city While not entirely
satisfactory at some places. the sanitary