Amador ledger., 1907-04-19
SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.

1hoio was VI ednlZeu Iue Dan tranclSCO
relief and Red Cross funds, a Cor
poration, empowered to receive and
dlsburse the moneys coming from all
quarters in aid of the refugees.
The land and building department
of this corporation Is at present wind
ing up its affairs after a years re-
markably economical and effective
work. retrospect of the Iabors of
the department forms an interesting
chapter in the history of the great
disaster. There have been built, in
public squares of San Francisco,
total of 5938 refugee cottages. OF
these, 4l6S were of three rooms each,
and ITO were OF two rooms. In
addition to this work the department
erected nineteen tcnements at South
room cottages. And finally, the
building of permanent structure for
the home for the aged and intirm has
been under taken, on the Almshouse
Tract. This building Is nearing COM
pIetion, and will be finished before
the land and building department
formally goes out of existence.
A portion of the funds has been
used to provide a bonus, to aid lot
owners in the burnt district to help
themselves. This bonus plan has
proved very successful, and has
enabled many of San t'Iancisco's
burnt out citizens to commence the
erection of homes Immediately. Up
to the middle of March $780, 200 had
been applied in this way, enabling
lot owners to build 4T0 homes; and
$500, 600 more is appropriated for the
same purpose. So that over 1000
homes will be built under this plan
during the next four months.
Great difficulties had to be over
come by the land and building de-
partment in securing the erection of
the cottages. The original plan was
to erect bungalows on leased or pur-
chased ground, and sell them on
instaliments. On account of the high
prices at which land was held the
committee had to abandon this plan,
and build cottages on the public
squares instead. Advertisements were
inserted in the daily papers, calling
attention to the bonus and building
plans, and within very few days a
large part of San Francisco's popuIa-
tion was besieging the department for
assistance.
A large quantity of lumber was
needed, teams to haul 1t had to be
secured, and materials had to be
bought. Dealers demanded exorbit-
ant retail prices for everything need
ed. The department finally succeed
ed in securing an option on three
million feet of lumb ber, and shingles
in proportion, at prices which did
credit to the fair minded spirit OF the
dealor. This lumber was rushed
down by steamer, and not Icing able
to secure local teams except at exhor-
bitant prices, the department employ
ed teams from outside the city to do
the hauling. The apartment houses
at South Park were begun forthwith,
and temporary mill was erected on
the spot. which proved of great value
in expediting the work and curtailing
expense.
In the meantime contracts were let
to four different companies for the
erection of comfortable, two and
three-room cottages at the very
reasonable rate of 500 and $3.50.
Ground was broken fer the first cot
tage on Septem ber II, 1906, and the
work was continued with rush until,
when the first rains came, there we're
enough cottages erected to house all
who needed them. Much credit is
due to the contractors for entering
into the erection of these cottages
with so much enthusiasm, and tuIn-
ing out such artistic and comforta Bile
dwellings,. They we're spurred on ID
their efforts, however, by the offer of
bonus of from 500 to 5000 day for
every day saved under ninety days In
the completion of the houses, and
forfeit In case they failed to complete
in ninety days.
The sanitation of the camps was a
hard problem under the circum-
stances, it being almost impossible to
get plumbers. But the department
succeeded IN having all the public
squares occupied by these cottages
supplied with sewers and proper
system of sanitation, keeping pace
with the erection of the cottages
themselves. BY the middle of March
there chad been installed 607 patent
flush closets, 2t7 hoppers, over six
miles of gas and water pipe and over
five miles of sewer pipe, together with
all necessary fittings and Incidentals,
including 325 galvanized iron sinks
with faucets and traps, at South Park,
and ga gas brackets II is expected
that large part of the cost of these
sanitary appliances can be recovered
when the materials are no longer
needed, and the relief fund can be
reimbursed in greater amount than
the first cost of material. on account
of the rapid increase of prices.
The practice was extended of erect