Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-05-11
INCIDENTS OF THE
FRISCO CALAMITY
Night and a Day In a Camp OF
Refugees.
PICNIC FOR THE YOUNGSTERS
Men and Women Bear Up BraveIy
and Seek to Remedy the Disaster.
Girls Among Tenters Sing Ina the
California nIiGht-Pathetic and
Strange Features of the Refugees'
PPneessiOn.

California Moon ii ght-Pathetic and
Strange Features of the Refugees
Procession.
''Tenting Tonight, Tenting Tonight
Tenting on the Old Camp Ground
The chorus, sung by half Il dozen of the
sweet voiced daughters of California,
is repeated again and again, and when
the singing stops one of the singers
asks, with laugh, Say, Addie, what
ought we to get for this!"
Bunch of carrots" answers a rude
boy, who is one of the listeners. He is
set upon by the MINISTRIES, cuffed and
pinched and sent TO the rear. Then the
girls start the music again, writes a
staff correspondent of the New York
| Times at Oakland. Cal.
II Wonder Where You Are Tonight,
My Love-" they sing, and = Way Down
| Upon the Suwanee River and many
/ other of the songs that live because
| they touch the peoples hearts.
Such light as there is comes only
| from the moon and stars. Below the
hill few street lamps twinkle, and in
| the distance is the glory of the moon
light upon the sea. It,is one of the
refugees camps for the sufferers of the
| San Francisco disaster ff'amp on the
Bum is the name on the plaeard stuck
| on tree. All around the white tents
| loom up ghostly and fantastic. Far
| Their away are the hastily constructed
| wooden shaclls which take the place of
| tents for some of the refugees and
which have the appearanc &c of rabbit
hutches. In the Foreground is an enor-
| nous pile of straw. from which the in
habitants of the camp take the material
for their beds if they have not been
able to save their own bedding.
The shrill note of a bugie stops the
music, and thereafter one hears only
the SHORES of sleepers. the conversation
of those who are sitting up the singing
of birds. and the barking of many dogs.
Hardly a refugee family has not con-
sidered of the first Importance the saw
ing of the household pets. Dogs, cats,
parrots, canarieS. even monkeys and
tortoises are to he found in the camp.
Outside some tents are big trunks
and in others are sewing machines and
other unwieldy household articles. the
salvage of which appears miraculous.
We hear that the refugees got such
things away from the burning city of
San Francisco by harnessing them
selves with ropes and dragging even
pianos along the streets. But whether
or not other treasures We're saved, the
pet dog or the pet bird was always the
first anxiety.
II thought he'd die sure" one over
hears a girl say to another I'VE had
to drag him along from our house to
the ferry, and he was scared to dea tn,
weren't you, pet!' And she fondles a
fat pup, who looks as though he needs
a good deal more exercise than he had.
my papa's got So" remarks child,
apropos of nothing. He says he'll find
a place to live and take us away to-
morrow"
Il was never dressed so stylish in
my life," is the irony of pretty girl
attired in an old shawl, a nondescript |
skirt and an apology for waist. ''Oh,
well, better times soon.' she adds with
a toss of her head and a laugh.
Better times soonr' 1t Is the uni
versal chorus. These people have all |
been burned out of house and home. |
Each family has lost its little treas
ures, things that the poor OF the world |
cling to in every land. ol9eying the de- |
sire for ownership that not the lowest |
tramp has quite overcome And yet |
cheerfulness is everywhere.
The debonair people Of the Pacific !
coast remain themselves in time of dis
aster as in time of prosperity. More
than a thousand of them are in this |
camp, and one listens in vain for sob
or a complaint. Gradually the CONVEX
sation is hushed, and then during the
night hours the silence is broken only
by the crying of babies, the occasional
bark of n dog and the queer noise of
the California frogs. In the morning
the camp seems to wake up all at once.
This is camp with all the latest inn
and one sees, lines of men
and women waiting their turn in the
shower baths. Later long lines form
outside the big wooden Kitchen to get
their breakfast. In the kitchen, cooks
japanese, negroes and whites-are
busily.
In these days the mornings here are
the least pleasant hours of the twenty
weather." the peo-
pie call it. The sky is cloudy, there is
hardly a breath of air, and the whole
appearance of things is depressing. At
through the mist, and the weather is
brilliant for the remainder of the day.
If the refugees were tempted TO show
i'll temper 1T would be In the early
but they seem just as lively
rs at night
Most of the men get away early, Ell
Their going to work or to hunt for it.
The stories of many drones in the
~ mp are untrue. AS matter of fact,
The authorities Will not stand for loaf
.rs. a notice outside the camp office /,
'eads: Every man in camp must re-
port to the office concerning employ
nent. No man now registered will be
allowed to sleep in camp tomorrow
Sunday unless he first reports to the
,ffice about this matter"
AS for women, they find plenty with