Amador ledger., 1906-05-04
Washington
Letter.
(From Our Regular Correspondent. }

NdSulHSIOH u. ", april Il, IJOo.
Not since the reorganization of the
army in 1902 has it been called on to
face an emergency of any sort. The
disaster at San Francisco however,
has proved an emergency of the first
magnitude, and 1t is satisfaction to
be able to report that the army has
met it without apparent effort. The
immensely of the loss at San Fran
cisco from fire and earthquake has
dwarfted everything else in the news
line and the whole attention of most
of the department has been given to
sending and receiving news, huIrying
forward relief and authorizing the
officers on the spot to make all sorts
of provisions to meet the necessities
of the case.
Secretary Taft said privately that
he was glad they had an officer on the
ground who came to the front like
Gen Funston and did things first and
asked authority afterward. Congress
sunk all differences of party in pass
ing the emergency appropriation bill
giving 81, 900, 900 to be Immediately
available for the relief work. This
bill was passed in record time and
sent to the president, receiving his
signature all within the space of six
hours. The only amendment made to
it was the next cay when senator
Morgan introduced another resolution
making it clear that the money was
available for the purchase of medical
supplies as we'll as food.
TeIegraphers have been on duty
constantly at the war and navy de-
partments as in the days of the Span
ish war, and the secretaries of war
and navy and of commerce and labor
have been in touch with the depart
The government for once has been
effectively busy and harmonious.
| Orders have been flashed from Wash
ington calling on the quartermasters
and commissaries of the various army
| and naval posts most closely in touch
with San Francisco to forward sup
plies as fast as they could be collect
ed. 1t has been realized that the
promptest relief was the most effect
i've, and the first train of government
supplies was expected to reach San
Francisco on Thursday night.
The cost OF the disaster to the
government will be enormous. The
destruction in military and naval
stores in and around San Francisco
alone will be 81, 500, ,000 In addition
to that the damage to buildings and
equipment must be counted, and
there are S7,OOO,0OO worth of govern
ment buildings within the area of the
disturbance. The relief work inelud-
ing the appropriation from congress
will also mount into the millions.
The government has decided that
there should be a representative of
the administration on the spot and
secretary Metcalf has accordingly
been selected and started for Cali
fornia on Friday night. His selection
was the natural one as the depart
ment of commerce and labor is
already closely in touch, with the
situation. 1t has ordered the fish
commission on steamer AIbatross and
all the available tenders of the light
house service to the sufferers. Secre-
tary Metcalf's home is in Oakland,
and while he is accompanied IN Wash
intgon by Mrs Metcalf, he has a son
and sister in the stricken city from
whom he has received no news since
the disaster. The secretary has borne
up gamely under the personal distress
that the news has caused him, and
although he sent private messages and
did all he could on the side to get
track of his boy, he gave his first
attention to the work OF relief and
let family matters come after.
Secretary Metcalf was proceeded
west few hours by representative
julius Kahn of San Francisco, who
was suffering peculiar tortuIes from
the news. Less than 48 hours before
the shock, Mr. Kahn had received a
telegram from San Francisco saying,
Mother and son doing WE'LL" Mrs
Kahn had given birth to boy just
before the disaster and from that time
the father has been able to hear moth
ing of either Of them. He has haunt