The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-05-30

The Mayor Says There Should Be No
Break In the Relief Movement-Un-
derground Chinatown Amazes the
Police-Other California Towns Pre-
pairing to Reconstruct - The insane
Asylum Horror.
San Francisco.-The loss of some 500
lives and the devastation of almost
four square miles of the best part OF
San Francisco have now been written
in history, and every one is confident
for rapid progress in the rebuilding OF
a greater and better city.
The actual beginning Of the Olsen
.tanglement of the earthquake and fire
stricken town from its d%isordered con-
dition is on and the work Of recon
struction will proceed rapidly from this
time. On many sides are visible indi,
cations of the determination of mer.
chants to resume business. Gangs OF
men with teams are eXcavating for
foundations in numerous vacant lots,
and in other places the removal of de-
bris is we'll under way.
The streets are early thronged with
laborers on their way to the burned dis
trict, where they are cleaning up. The
boats from cities across bay and local
electric cars from suburbs are packed
with ~workingmsr.
In many places advertisements are
posted on walls seeking laborers, and
there inquiries for men are met with
numerous responses from heads of
families who are willing to take any
kind of labor.
Relief work was continued N q
large scale, under General Greedy,
and with q closer check than ever
against waste and against the unwor-
thy. Distribution of food to the home
less is being made on the army ration
plan, as evolved by General Greedy,
and the output Of supplies was less
ened so that twenty-one days food is
now in sight.
With no immediate prospect that
conditions will be so normalized that
the community will be able to feed
and take care of itself for several
weeks, the citizens committee has be-
gun to evolve some way to provide
against a failure of supplies. Mayor
Schmitz informed the general commit
tee that 700 carloads Of food and sup
plies had been distributed since April
Is, and transportation lines had infor-
nation of only 10S cars on the way.
If" said the Mayor. this informa-
ton is correct. we will soon be worse
off than We were q week ago. If the
information has gone abroad through
the country that we are amply supplied
it is most unfortunate, for it is appar-
emit that we are not. 1t Is not even
known how much money we can de-
pend upon with which to purchase sup
plies, for you have heard from Mr..
Phelan, on several occasions. that part
at least of this money subscribed by
individuals or companies in the East
Is disbursed through private agents
here.
while it is true that contributions
of money will be very much more to
the purpose than contributions Of sup
plies, it should be made known to the
world If the one is not available the
other will be most gratefully received"
Chairman Phelan made q gloomy
speech, in which he said that the
Rockefeller and Standard Oil contribu-
tons were being distributed through
Standard Oil agents, and that prob
ably many other heavy contributions
which had been put down to the credit
of the committee might be distributed
in the same way. eve ave but So1S,-
900 of real money" said he. though
funds placed to u credit in all parts
Of the country total $50 ,00O."
Clothing and bedding sent will prove
of the greatest value. Ore Of the chief
needs now in the relief camps is for
women's and children's warm clothing.
Thousands are wearing the clothing
they escaped from the fire in. No ma
terial of this kind will be wasted.
In the future food will not be given
sble-bodied males in Scn Francisco
with a view to forcing them to go to
work. Luxuries will be given only to
those who are i'll.
=, The exodus of San Fro -ciscans has
: lightened the drafts on the food sup
plies to a large extent. According to a
Southern Pacific official 100000 Of the
population of this city nave left and
the Southern Pacific Company has
carried $4,000 persons to points east of
Ogden since April IS.
In order to reduce the expenses of
the army at San Francisco as much
as possible, so as to have more funds
for the relief Of the earthquake suffer-
ers, General Greedy has decided that
1000 additionalNtroops will be enough
to take care of the situation. General
Bell sent General Greedy full informa-
ton as to what has been done with the
$1,000. 900 appropriated by Congress. 1t
is estimated that 100000 Of this fund
is still ~uneXpended.
The American Red Cross forwarded
100000 by wire to James D. Phelan,
Chairman of the Red Cross and Relief
Committee. Mr.. Phelan was advised
that 81, 900, 900 more is at the disposal
of the committee.
Reports from the refugee camps and
hospitals show an astonishingly small
percentage of sickness and the fear of
threatened epidemics has been buried,
it is hoped, for all time.
The water supply is getting better
TnWN 81 ATTERED RY HAIL.