The San Francisco call., 1908-04-26

meet mas cSlleo san francisco Is
under peculiar obligations to give
the officers and men of the navy the
best that lies within the Golden gate.
Two years ago. when the city lay in
ashes, il was the navy that lent prob
ably the most effective hand in restor-
ing order. This can be said without be-
uttling the assistance rendered by the
federal troops. The soldiers had been
through the same terrifying experience
as the distracted populace and without
having the same personal stake in the
tragedy were more or less victims of
the nerve racking tension that affected
strong men and tinid women and re-
ouced all within its spell to condi-
ton bordering upon hysteria- In the
midst Of the confusion Admiral Good
rich's squadron came into port and by
example and with the gentle frmness
OF well directed discipline restored the
balance Of the peoples sanity.
When the squadron anchored off
Melggs wharf the quarantine officials
boarded the flagship and Admiral Good
rich's first question was:
What can we DO right away?"
At that time the flames Were sweep
ing North beach and the water front at
the north end was thronged with ref
ugees. They had been without food or
sleep for many hours, but parching
thirst was the particular ill from
which they most vitality suffered As
slstance had not yet been organized
and until the warships arrived it
seemed inevitable that there, within
sound Of the tapping tide. on the edge
Of what few hours before had been
city where the phrase cheap as
water was In daily use, men, women
and children must perish of thirst.
With the picture of those parched
lips and swollen tongues in their minds
and the peevish walls OF suffering in
iants ringing in their ears, the federal
doctors told the admiral of those
thirsty refugees. and before their tale
had been told orders We're being wig
wagged from the fiagship's signal
bridge and within 15 minutes boats
were pulling for the beach. In each
boat was a barrel of water and every
blueJacket on board was armed with a
tin cup.
Ever since that day an angel Of
mercy" to me has worn a blue uniform
and carried a tin cup. The thirsty ref
ugees were lined up and everybody
drank The women with children were
given first turn at the tin cups and the
babies got the first drink. When the
bluejackets realized that the people
We're really suffering from lack Of
water their manner softened and no
trained nurses could have administered
relief more gently. I remember one
bropzed giant in particular who was
inclined TO be q bit rough with the
crowd when he first jumped on the
wharf. He filled his tin cup and turned
with ii TO baby lying in its mothers
arms. AS the water cooled the shriv-
eled little lips the hard look in the
baby's face sOftened and when the
iittle one had satisfied its thirst the
giant ia blue was rewarded with a
smile. I looked at the sailor and tears
We're rolling down his cheeks Each
boat made several trips and eYerybo ody
got 2 drink that night
The navy then took charge along the
water front and nobody who remembers
the judgment with which they handled
the problems Of those hard days will
begrudge the men in blue the freedom
Of the new city.
Living on board ship the bluejackets
were about the only people in the city
whose lives We're ordered on normal
lines. They had their regular sleep
which insured composed nerves. Their
food was good and served regularly
=. without the dust and ptOmaine trim
.mings Of other peoples fare and. best
Of all, they could battle regularly and
had fun and plentiful supply of clean
clothes.
Whatever they We're called upon to
do IN those days they did with a will
They helped TO fight fire and not a few
Of the buildings that were saved stand
as monuments to the navy's well
trained energy.
. In the days Of the great exodus to
Oakland that followed the fire it was
the United States marines and blue
jackets that handled the traffic Of fur
niture laden wagons bound for the fer
ries and TO see these men of the sea
al work one would have imagined thai
each had taken a graduate course as
. crossing policeman in some busy city
Jack proved in those days that he
could adapt himself to any conditions
and make good at any task that came
his way IN the line of duty. He is the
same Jack today that he was then
and it is up to San Francisco to say
thank you" in such way that when
he returns 10 the Atlantic he will be
able to think as we'll Of US as we have
reason to think of him.
A retired navy officer was comment
ing few days ago upon the published
account Of some petty squabble that
occurred among the local gentlemen
preparing for the fleets reception.
The FIRST thing they know" he said
the feet will be here and Jack will
make them feel small by raising a fund
overnight for the entertainment of the
city II these gentlemen knew Jack
better they would be a little broader
in their ideas and more delicate about
discussing the enormous expense tc
which they were going for Jacks en-
tertainment. Jack may not get much
pay. He ought to get more; but he is
not an object Of charity, and is a long
way from being piker.
In a feet very much smaller than
the one on its way here / have seen the
men raise $4,000 in an hour to bet on
a boat race and more than once the
crew OF a small gunboat has put con-
gress 10 shame by raising $1,000 or sc
for the widow of some shipmate or fci
a crippled shipmate himself"
The privileges accorded Jack depend
altogether upon his own conduct The
crew OF every warship is divided into
first, second, third and fourth cond1ct
classes. Every enlisted man not con-
fined by order Of a court martial is en-
titled 10 shore liberty once every three
months. HE better his conduct The
oftener he goes ashore and the more
money he may take with him. AS an
inducement TO good behavior there IS
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