Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-04-24
AID MUST
Be RUSHED
SAN FRANcIscos HOMELESS
THOUSANDS ARE IN DIRE
NEED OF ASSISTANCE
SUPPLIES ARE SHORT
Stocks Of confiseated Stores Are Ex-
hausted and Soldiers and Relief Or
ganizations Must Supply the Wants
of the Victims Of Catastrophe
Misery Wipes Out Caste.

San Francisco, Cal, April 81, via
Oakland. by the earthquake
and devastated by flames, famine now
threatens San Francisco.
With 100000 persons homeless and
huddled together in the parks and OPP
en- grounds of the city, the supply of
food almost exhausted, and unless pro-
visions arrive soon many will die Of
starvation.
Added to the danger of famine is the
further peril Of pestilence, the result
of the unsanitary conditions Of the i'm
provised camps and the decay OF hui
man bodies and other animal matter
in the ruined districts.
Everything possible is being done
for the relief of the destitute, millions
of dollars have been offered as an aid,
but food is not to be had. San Fran.
cisco, the great storehouse for the
surrounding territory, is vast ash
dreds of miles away.
Trains Bear Relief.
Trains are rushing toward the city
from many points, but the supplies
they carry will prove only morsel
when SO many must be fed. Fear is
even expressed that the entire avail
able supply of Salt Lake City, Port
land, and Los Angeles, the three larg-
est cities within radius of 1000
miles, will not suffice to relieve the
suffering until more comes from fur
ther distant points.
Exorbitant prices are being offered
for all descriptions of eatables, but
they are not to be had. Bread has
been sold at 81 per loaf, even glass
of water has brought Is cents. There
has been no fresh meat obtainable
since Thursday, and the supply of can
ned goods is about exhausted.
Destitution Is Appalling.
Added to the suffering from hunger
ing great mental anguish. Many OF
them have lost everything of value
they possess, and are left homeless.
But they count this as nothing com
pared to the anxiety for missing
friends.
Thousands of families have been
separated, and one member knows not
what has become of the other. In one
of the refugee camps mother may be
seen mourning the loss of her family,
while in another the other members
of the family are wild with anxiety for
the missing mother.
All hug the hope that the missing
ones may be somewhere in safety, but
many are doomed to learn that it is
all delusion, and that the missing
ones were either crushed by the walls
thrown down by the earthquake shock
or killed by the flames
100000 in Tents.
| On the hills to the west of. the city
last night nearly 100000 persons hud
died together in tents. To the west
is the Pacific ocean, from which the
chilling wind is blowing, adding to the
sufferings Of the unfortunates, many
of whom are thinly clad and poorly
sheltered. To the east might be seen
the smoking ruins Of once proud
city, while here and there was the dull
glare Of the flames, which were ADDING
to the numbers of the unfortunates ey
cry minute.
| ASoS SoAApo, WHY SAOJ dlO YET VI
derby, presage great danger, and the
authorities already have taken time BY
the forelock to prevent outbreaks. AL
classes of people, all nationalities, are
crowded together, elbow to elbow
While they are not too hungry they
will be orderly, but when the suffer
ing becomes too great it is feared thai
rioting will ensue.
Another great danger is that disease
will break out because of the unsani
tary conditions of these camps. There
is no sewage system, nothing in the
way Of conveniences, Major McKeevel
of the United States army has been an
pointed commandant of these camps
and he is doing everything in his pow
er to relieve the conditions.
Weather Alone Favorable.
Since the minute of the terrible
shock Wednesday morning until the
present the only blessing the people
have enjoyed is fair weather. The
sun has been shining brightly above
the pail of smoke that hangs over the
lefty Rain and storm, while the,
might have had some effect in stayinf
the progress of the flames, would
have added untold horrors to the suf
ferings of the refugees.
Feeding the Homeless.
The work of feeding the homeless.
has been carried on as best it could
4 and while there is not a person whit
has not had something to eat since
the fire, it is also true that no one ha.
had enough to satisfy his appetite
Soldiers have been distributing "a
tons, relief organizations have beef
going about giving aid where it Il
needed. and the police, who have con
fiscated the stocks Of all grocer.
stores, have been dealing out supplies
to all in limited quantities.
But this work of the police is at al
end The stocks Of these confiscatet
stores are all gone, and now the relic
organizations and the soldiers mus
give all the succor General Funston
Z was notified that million rations will
soon reach the city, but these will no
last long. Where will the next SUP
l ~, f,,y . II y 2.