The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-05-01


was caused today when James D. Phe-
Ian, chairman of the finance committee,
announced to the citizens committee
that he had been given to understand
by Secretary of Commerce Victor Il.
Metcalf, the representative of President
Roosevelt, that only 100000 of the ST.
100000 appropriated by congress for
the relief of San Francisco was avail
able, and that this sum represented the
might be expected from that source.
Secretary Metcalf corroborated Mr..
Phelan's statement. Mr.. Phelan then
said there was only s51S,OOO available
cash to his order at the mint, and the
strictest economy would be necessary.
eve need money" said Mr. Phelan,
"and the country should not be led
into the belief that millions are on
hand to relieve the destitute people"
The question of the use of federal
troops to assist in the preservation of
the peace and good order of the city
developed a unanimity of opinion
among the civilian and military au
thorities, and at the request of Mayor
Schmitz the committee asked that the
troops be permitted to remain.
Absolute order still prevails in San
Francisco. The great city which but
a brief time since was known the
world over as the Second Paris so
wide was it's reputation for gaiety and
pleasure seeking, has settled into the
quietest of communities, in which the
population is not seen abroad after the
first hours of darkness. While the
most rigid patrol system is maintained
everywhere, the people are free to
come and go as they please.
But there are no more places OF rec
reation to attract them, few venture
abroad at night.
The influx of sightseers is adding to
the work of the authorities and to the
discomfort of those still living in Sail
Francisco.
Thousands of these people crowd the
ferry boats, block the few open streets
with all sorts OF useless vehicles and
seriously interfere with those engaged
in relief work Today they added to
the terrific jam at the main ferry sta
tion and choked the narrow passages
cleared in a few streets for vehicles.
They overran ruins of buildings, where
safety would permit, and were ruthless
in their frantic efforts to seize On some
article of historic Or intrinsic value
and cart it away.
throughout Chinatown and along
Kearney street, where bazaars filled
with oriental wares once stood, the
harvest of relics has been particularly
rich Men, women and children, fear
ing neither the presence of military
nor the danger of crumbling walls,
swarm about the ruins with great
profit to themselves. In many OF the
Chinese and Japanese stores, when the
fire approached, the proprietors buried
a large part of their stock in the bass
ment intending to return after the fire
had passed and recover what they
could. They never came back. The
terrors of the rocking earth and the
sweep of flames were too much for
their minds, but the relic hunters
came, and everything that was of any
use or value has been carried away.
The work of the looter has not been
confined to the ruins Of stores alone.
Many residence sites have been work
ed over, and articles of gold, silver
and china carried away. At the ruins
of the Hopkins Art Institute and the
Stanford residence, guards are main
tanned and yesterday two women who
had been gathering relics at other
houses along Pine and California
streets, complained against the refusal
of the guards to permit them to enter
the ruins where the Stanford and the
Crocker homes once stood.
Among the ruins of many family
hotels, and in the ashes of pawn shops,
relic hunters gathered trinkets and un-
set jewels. There is no limit to the
endurance of the looters, nor to the
efforts they will put forth to find
something of value.
Among the greatest losses from the
fire are the magnificent libraries of San
Francisco Library after library hold