Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-27
DRENCHED TO THE SKIN
Heavy DoWnpour Added to Dis
comfort of Victims
IN SAN FRANCISCO CAMPS
Continued Great Distress for the
Homeless.
HELD FOR RECKLESS SHOOTING
Over $50 Stores Opened for Business
Sufferers Lodged in Churches and
Schools - Relief Work.
HELD FOR RECKLESS SHOOTING

SAN FRANCISCO, April 27.-Many of
San Francisco's homeless people camped
in the park squares and vacant lots were
awakened early this morning because the
water dripped through improvised tents.
which afforded poor protection against the
heavy rain that began to fall about /
o'clock and continued for several hours.
Drenched to the skin by the heavy DOWN
pour and with bedding thoroughly soaked.
many persons were driven into nearby
houses for shelter.
Although the various camps were better
prepared for the storm than for several
days past, hundreds of tents having been
received and put up since the last storm
stiu there are thousands who are without
proper shelter and who shivered in their
wet clothes last night vainly trying to get
warm after the rain ceased, by walking or
were huddled around little campfires. The
least distress and suffering was at the
Presidio where nearly all the refugees have
been provided with tents by the quarter
masters department.. A wagon load of
picks and shovels was furnished with
which trenches were dug to carry off the
water and the ground banked around the
tents. making them comparatively COM
Portable.
Distress Among Foreigners.
View, about 5000 Italians from Telegraph
and Russian hills and a sprinkling of Chi
nese and Japanese are camped. Few Of
them have been provided with tents and
there was much distress among the women
and children, of which there are many In
the camp. A chill wind was blowing this
morning, and the difficulty of preparing
warm food added to the distress of the
homeless, especially floundering in the mud
In the lower bottoms
In Lafayette and Hamilton squares COM
paratively few tents have been issued to
those camped there. but the ground Is high
and the drainage good. Where the rain
penetrated the improvfsed tents of blankets
quilts and other like material the soldiers
took the women and children into the
houses in the vicinity. In many instances
they gave up their own tents to shelter the
suffering
Forced Entrance Into Houses.
Many tents have been provided at JET
ferson Square since the last rain, where
several thousands are camped. A few who
were not adequately sheltered were taken
into the large automobile garage in the
vicinity and to the Lutheran Church. In
several instances people in houses refused
to admit women and children in distress
from the cold and rain, and the militia un-
the butts OF their rifles Several thousand
tents are en- route here, and 1t is expected
that within few days fully $50, 900 refugees
Will be comfortably housed.
cars Will start to run on several streets in
san Francisco. permission to run cars on
Pacific avenue, Fillmore, Church, 10th
streets and certain parts of Mission street
having been granted by Mayor Schmitz late
last night 1t Is specified that the cars will
not run after o'clock at night, and that
the United Railroads Will maintain patrol
or one man in each block operated in the
unburned district as protection against
fire.
Some Stores Opened.
Over $50 stores were opened for business
Yesterday, but before night numerous COM
plants were received that storekeepers had
raised prices to prohibitive figures.
Capt. Rittenhouse of the United States
marines, commanding the district from
Bush to Oak and Fillmore to Division
streets, called at the central police station
last night and requested that detectives be
detailed to investigate some of the COM
plants made to him that exorbitant prices
were being charged in certain quarters.
The alleged systematic theft Of several
tons Of Red Gross supplies has been dis
closed by the arrest Of Arthur Jacobs yes
terday by Police Commissioner OGrady and
Detective Mathewson. Jacobs Is said to
have made confession duplicating several
confederates and revealed the place where
he had hidden the loot Jacobs Is a team
ster who volunteered his services to haul
supplies from the water front to the vari-