The Topeka state journal., 1906-05-01
San Francisco No Longer En-
Eeloped In Darkness at Night.
Turning on of Current Is Hailed
With Satisfaction.
STREET CAR SERVICE.
Is Being Rapidly Extended But
Is Still Inadequate.
Food Question Continues to
Cause Worry to Officials.

---A--~H-Is
first time since the earthquake and fire
laid this city in ruins street lights last
night cleaned through the black man
tie hich has enveloped the city after
nightfall since the day Of the disaster.
For nearly two weeks not a street light
has broken the darkness in which the
city has been wrapped. Everybody
stayed indoor after dark and nearly all
San francisco went to bed with the
settin- of the sun. For the first week
after the fire light were not permitted.
Cleaning of arc lights in the Potrero
district last night was seen from all
over the city and did more to make
people hopeful. restore confidence I'd
good feeling than anything since the
earthquake.
Next to the resumption of street car
service, the restoration of electric light
ing is one of the most important indi-
cations that the city is rapidly return
ing to normal conditions. Street lights
were burning in only a small section Of
the city last night, but they were nailed
with much satisfaction as a good omen
The lights turned on last night were in
the Potrero district in the southern part
OF the city and were operated by the
electric lighting conpany's Potrero
plant which was practically unfnjured
by the earthquake and was not in the
fire zone.
General Manager Naphthally of the
| san Francisco Gas and Electric com
pany has announced that there will be
several hundred arc lamps in operation
throughout the unLurned sections of the
city tonight. Beside the three light
routes for which permission was grant
ed several days ago it is intended to
install lights along the principal roads
! where supplies are being hauled into the
city. The company claims that it has
enough power in the Potrero plant to
/ illuminate the entire unburned sections.
/ The question of restoring the electric
lights will be taken up tomorrow or the
next day and lights will be turned on
as fast as the necessary permits can
be secured.
The street car service is rapidly be-
ing extended as fast as large gangs Of
| men clear the streets of debris and re-
place the twisted and warped rails The
United Railways operated cars last
night until Il o'clock Sever. O'Clock WIS
the hour set for the cessation of street
car traffic when permission was grant
ed to resume it but late yesterday after
noon the railway company was advised
that it would be permitted to run cars
until 10 o'clock at night it having been
demonstrated that there was no more
danger at night than in the day time.
The cars run so FAR have been utterly
a inadequate to handle the heavy traffic
and the owners of almost every kind OF
vehicle are making a lucrative business
of hauling large numbers of people al
! the rate of 25 and so cents each to and
from the ferry.
Last night was the warmest and
balmiest since the thousands of people
have been compelled to camp IN the
open. In nearly all the parks and
squares the homeless are now quite wei
provided with warm bedding and com
fortably housed in tents. This problem
has been pretty we'll solved bv the ar
rival of more tents and blankets. but
the food question IS one that is causing
the authorities much worry.
A misunderstanding
Washington, May 1.-The followins
telegra pIic correspondence has passed
between Chairman Phe1an at san Fran
cisco and Secretary Taft at New Haven
via Washington
: San Francisco. Cal, April 29, 1906
William H. Taft, secretary of war
Washington, d. c.: AS the funds ap
propriated by the government are t
be disbursed under your direction tn
{ information having come to US directl
from the president, we would respect
fully request that you inform US t
. what extent if any the finance com
, mittee of the relief and Red Cros
funds which now has consolidated al
funds, may expect to handle the gov
ernment appropriation We seek
concentration of funds and work 70
obvious reasons, and would be glad t
DR.. Devine will keep you advised o
our work. We now need money an
new supplies.-James D. Phelan, chair
man finance committee of the relic
and Red Cross funds.
Taft's Reply.
Washington, D. c.. May 1, 1906
: James d. Phelan, chairman of the re
lief committee and Red Cross, Sa
Francisco: You and your cOmmitte
evidently misconceive the nature an
legal limitations of the congI essions
aid and do not understand the fact
Instantly on receipt of General Fur
stOn's telegram of the extent of th
! disaster and the pressing need of foo
and shelter for more than one hundre
thousand people. although I was with
out lawful authority to do so. ordere
sent to San Francisco rations costin
two hundred thousand dollars, tentag
, blankets cots and bedding costin
, more than million dollars, and meC
r ical stores costing one hundred an
= fifty thousand dollars to be used an
4 distributed for the relief of sufferer
= The transportation of these supple
- cost more than one hundred and nff
= thousand dollars I made this ords
anticipating congress would ratify N
: action. Congress did so by joint resi-
r luton authorizing me to furnish f
| relief Of the sufferers subsistence qua
ter1nasters and medical stores and 81
= propriated a million dollars for the
purposes to be used in my discretio
= The president then advised congre
: that expenses had already been incu
= red for these purposes aggregating OF
million and half Of dollars and recon
: mended the appropriation of a millic
a and half more or two millions and Ia
in all. Congress thereupon increase
the appropriation to two millions AZ
half in all and authorized me to u
/ this amount not only for subsistenc
rc..-4s-...-z =.