The San Francisco call., 1909-01-03
sum FOR AID
OF STRICKEN
ITALY GROWS
Total of S97,596 Already Se-
cured and Contributions
Steadily Continue
Cities Throughout State Asked
to Cooperate in Humani-
tartan Work
Subscriptions, Collections and
Benefit Performances Will
Swell Relief Fund

. .: ne. purse OF San Francisco was
: thrown open yesterday for the aid OF
selloTmen in woe and a golden flood
poured into the treasury, where the
funds for stricken Italy are being col
4eeted. Fifty thousand dollars was re-
ported as the amount subscribed in
= san Francisco up 20 the close Of bust
mss hours last night, in addition to
. the equal amount already taken from
the San Francisco relief and Red Cross
funds contributed to this city two
q gears ago. at the time Of the disaster
here.
-. The exact total last night. based on
reports from every source obtainable
/ -sHounted TO ss7.5ss.S7. but this does
3 not include scores Of subscriptions
: takeI in clubs. societies. churches and
organizations which have not yet re-
ported 70 the Red Cross or other au-
thorized receiving headquarters.
! An important meeting incident Ia
: perfecting an organization for handling
: funds not only from San Francisco. bu,
from the state at large was held by
the finance committee of the Red Cross
{ the Hotel Stewart at noon yester-
day. The meeting was attended by
!: Chairman John F. Merrill. A. ]. Lowen-
berg, John S. Drum, f. w. Dohrmanu
and Z. B. Anderson Of the finance COM
ntttee,- President Benjamin Ide Wheel
ef3of the California branch of the Red
Cross. Vice President Mrs John F. Mer-
rilt, Secretary Mrs. Thurlow McAIuTin,
Treasurer Allen Knight and Chairman
James d. Phelan of the executive COM
niittee.
Ask CO-oPERATIoN
The finance committee asked the
state officers TO cooperate in the
work and also asked Chairman Phelan
OF. the executive committee to name
two other. members of the committee
10 act with him in representing that
body. Phelan appointed Samuel
Knight as one member of this special
committee. A letter was addressed 10
Mayor Taylor asking him TO cooperate
with the committee, and fl was agreed
that the committee viii meet daily al
l.: the Stewart hotel at noon hereafter
until further notice
Under instructions from the Joint
committee John S. Drum, secretary OF
the finance committee. sent 81 tele.
grams Yesterday afternoon to the may
ors Of the principal cities Of California
asking for cooperation from them and
Tor reports concerning the raising OF
funds in other California cities.
An entertainment committee. with
Leon Sloss as chairman, was appointed
TO consider the various offers that
nave been made by theaters and organ
tzaiOns TO give benefit entertainments
but no formal action was taken.
Tomorrow afternoon the matinee ner.
tormance at the Pantages- Empire the.
ater in Sutter street near Steiner will
be made a benefit, the entire proceeds
going 10 the relief fund.
special services viii be held in many
of the local churches today and spe.
cial collections viii be taken for the
earthquake sufferers Among the
churches in which special subscriptions
VIII be taken is the First Presbyterian
church in Washington street
ASSISTANCE Is ASKED
Letters Were sent last night bv the
Merchants association to all its mem
'bers, asking them TO contribute lib
. orally direct TO the Red Cross fund
taxing or sending all subscriptions "a
the headquarters at 500 California
street
90 A committee representing the Ne
rioionale society returned yesterday
from the Italian fishing camp at Black
; Diamond IN Contra Costa county an6
reported that Se29.65 had been raised
there Friday night and that the fisher
men had promised a total of 5000 OF
500 Chinese merchants opened a sub
scription list yesterday and secured
more than $4,000, but viii not report
10 the Red Cross until all Chinese have
been given an opportunity to subscribe
. BY direction Of President T. II VII
Hams OF the New California Jockey
; club subscription list was opened yes
terdRy at the Emeryville track. VIII
lams headed the list with a personal
subscription Of $500 and subscribed an
additional $500 on behalf Of the club.
Book makers and others put their
names down for nearly s.. 900 more
during the afternoon, and additional
contributions will be solicited among
raclngmen Monday by Announcer Bob
. MfCdhhen