The San Francisco call., 1906-07-18

istration admits that such selections
have been and are being made. No at
tempt is made to conceal the fact, but
those in authority claim the goods are
taken by those who are doing camp
work and are given as compensation
/ for services rendered.
"There was much work here that had
TO be DONE" said Russell l.. Dunn, SUI
perintendent of Relief Station NO. 4S4,
whose headquarters are at Hamilton
/ Square, "and 1 had to have hands to do
1T. 1 put the people needed to doing
necessary labor. No provision was
made to pay them, and / myself told
them to pay themselves out of the sup
plies. They have been doing so, and Ii
has been costly way of compensating
them. As they make the selections
themselves, it is no more than natural
that they should select the best. but
1 have warned them repeatedly that
they must not take new things; they
must cOnfine themselves TO the second
hand articIes.v
Have these goods gone out on re-
quisitions?" was asked.
TAKE PICK OF GOODS.
NO" replied the superintendent.
Those doing the work of the camp, for
whose compensation no provision has
been made, have helped themselves.
Il
have said, 1t has been a costly way of
paying them; but what else could be
done?. The system of administering re-
lief has not provided pay for them, the
work had to be done and they have
been paid in goods.
s'rhese goods have not been taken out
on requisitlOns. 1 could not say ex-
actly what the value OF them would be,
hut 1T would probably be several thou-
sand dollars.
"But the fact that no acquisitions
have been required signifies nothing.
During May 1 suppose that distributed
among the refugees 10000 articles with
out acquisitions.
These all went to emergency cases;
cases that had to be attended to
promptly. I consider that 1 have been
justified in my course. Something had
to be done and 1 went ahead and did IL.
But much of the clothing and other
articles that are carried out of the
camp do not go to those who are paid
In goods for their services. When 1
learn of worthy case in my district
1 give the articles necessary for relief.
Several useful persons. too, have been
active assistants TO me in this regard.
l suppose that they. too, will be
charged with looting. One Of these Is
authorized to take the goods that she
needs from the warehouse"
MAKES POLICEMEN FRIENDLY.
How about policemen being allowed
to carry things away?' was asked.
'I have,o Superintendent Dunn re-
piled, "giyen things 10 policemen who
told me that they wanted TO relieve
worthy cases. 1 have taken their word
for 1t that the cases were worthy. In
taking this course L have accomplished
two tbings-made the policemen friend
Iy, thus securing good watchmen, and
got good distributioA. Besides, the p0-
licemea have been able to make them
selves solid with those whom they sup
ply"
AS in the case Of the employees who
have been permitted to take goods
from the stock. Mr.. Dunn stated that
no check was kept upon the distribut-
ing policemen.
Another charge that has been made
against Hamilton square is that cloth
ing by the wagon load has been carted
away and sold. In explanation OF this
Mr.. Dunn stated that no serviceable
articles have thus been sent out
There have been" he said, three
loads of goods which were nothing but
rags and fit for none of the purposes
of the camp sent TO the junk dealer
The man who has carted them away
has brought me back what he could
get for them. The last load netted us
So The money was used to pay neces-
sary camp expenses"
Dunn stated further, in answer to
questions, that the driver made no
further accounting than by word OF
mouth, and that he himself accounted
to nobody for the goods sent to the
Junk dealer or for the money received
for them.