Grand Rapids Herald-Review Newspaper, April 28, 1906, Page 2

Rerald-Review. [FIRE IS MASTERED; — REBUILDING BEGINS With Smoke Still Rising From Ruins of San Francisco, People Begin Work of Regeneration. By C. E. KILEY. MINNESOTA. GRAND RAPIDS, - It is far easier to find fault at a boarding house than it is to find a sat- actory mi In Oklahoma. Amber Pete—So thar was dude out here from Newport? Bad Bill—Yes, an’ he was the limit. Why, when he went to shake hands with me he held one hand way up in the air. Amber Pete—What did you do? Bad Bill—Why, I thought the galoot was makin’ fun of me, so I pulled ont my gun an’ made him hold up both of them. a real THE CHOICE OF PAINT. Fifty years ago a well-painted house was a rare sight; to-day an unpainted house is rarer. If people knew the real value of paint a house in need of paint would be “scarcer than hen’s teeth.” There was some excuse for our forefathers. Many of them lived in houses hardly worth preserving; they knew. nothing about paint, ex- cept that it was pretty; and to get a house painted was a serious and cost- ly job. The difference between their case and ours is that when they want- ed paint it had to be made for them; whereas when we need paint we can go to the nearest good store and buy it, in any color or quality ready for use. We know, or ought to know by this time, that to let a house stand unpainted is most costly, while a good coat of paint, applied’ in season, is the best of investments. If we put off the brief visit of the painter we shall in due time have the carpenter coming to pay us a long visit at our expense. Lumber is constantly getting scarcer, dearer and poorer, while prepared paints are getting plentier, better and less expensive. It is a short-sighted plan to let the valuable lumber of our houses go to pieces for the want of paint. For the man that needs paint there ere two forms from which to choose; one is the old form, still favored by certain unprogressive painters who have not yet caught up with the times ~—lead and oil; the other is the ready: for-use paint found in every up-to-date store. The first must be mixed with oil, driers, turpentine and colors be- fore it {s ready for use; the other need only be stirred up in the can and it is ready to go on. To buy jead and oil, colors, etc, and mix them into a paint by hand is, in this twentieth century, about the same as refusing to ride in a trolley car because one’s grandfather had to walk or ride on horseback when he wanted to go anywhere. Prepared paints have been on the market less than fifty years, but they have proved on the whole so inexpensive, so convenient and so good that the consumption to- day is something over sixty million gallons a year and still growing. Un- s they had been in the main satis- it stands to reason there i have been no such steady growth in their use. Mixed paints are necessarily cheap- an paint of the hand-mixed kind, scause they are made in a large way by machinery from materials bought in large quantities by the manufac- ture They are necessarily better n paints mixed by hand, because they are more finely ground and more thoroughly mixed, and because there is less chance of the raw materials in them being adulterated. No painter, however careful he may be, can ever be sure that the materials he buys are not adulterated, but the large paint manufacturer does know in every case, because everything he buys goes through the chemist’s hands before he accepts it. Of course there are poor paints on the market (which are generally cheap paints). So there is poor flour, poor cloth, poor soap; but because of that do we go back to the hand-mill, the hand-loom and the soap-kettle of the backwoods No, we use our com- mon sense in choosing goods. We find out the reputation of the different brands of flour, cloth and soap; we take account of the standing of the dealer that handles them, we ask our neighbors. So with paint; if the manufacturer has a good reputation, if the dealer is responsible, if our neighbors have had satisfaction with it, that ought to be pretty good evi- cence that the paint is all right. “Many men of many kinds”’— Many paints of many kinds; but while prepared paints may differ considerably in composition, the bet- ter grades of them all agree pretty closely in results. “All roads lead to Rome,” and the paint manufacturers, starting by different paths, have all the same object—to make the best paint possible to sell for the least money, and so capture and keep the trade. There is scarcely any other article of general use on the market to-day that can be bought with anything like the assurance of getting your money’s worth as the established brands of pre- pared paint. The paint you buy to day may not be like a certain patent medicine, “the same as you have al- ways bought,” but if not, it will be because the manufacturer has found a way of giving you a better article for your money, and so making more sure of your next order. th P. G. He Saw the First One. Smiles—I wonder if old Adam was strictly temperate? Giles—I guess not. the first snake? Didn't he see San Francisco, April 24—A smould- ering heap of ashes is all that remains of San Francisco. The great fire has practically burned itself out. With little more to feed on, the de- vouring element, the twin sister to earthquake, has finally succumbed to the unrelenting efforts of the army of | Californians and daybreak yesterday gave the stricken people of this wreck of a city the first chance they have had to survey the scene since the first tumblings early on Wednesday morn- ing gave warning of the approach of the direst calamity in the history of the republic. City Laid Waste. What the beholder sees is a pros- perous city laid waste by fire and earthquake, the’ entire business sec- tion of the city destroyed, the residen- tial section for the most part in ruins, the locality throughout the broad acres of the Golden Gate obliterated and 300,000 of its inhabitants huddled to- gether on the hills outside the city, homeless, penniless, sleeping under THE CHRONICLE BUILDING. In the Path of Destruction. the skies, abjectly dependent for the nonce upon the a ance of sympa- thizing sister cities which is being rushed from all points of the com- pass. San Francisco But a Memory. San Francisco is but a memory. is hopeless to attempt to describe the conditions which exist here where but a few hours ago a thriving city nestled on the shores of the Pacific. Every bank, every hotel, every busi- ness house, all the theaters, the muni- cipal government buildings, the school houses, churches, libraries, © art temples, newspaper offices, railway It depots and shipping piers have been | wiped out of existence as though a. scourge had passed over the land. Rich and poor have suffered alike. Fortunes Wiped Out. Fortunes have been wiped out. The palaces of the rich, together with the hovels of the poor, have alike succumbed, and to-day San Francisco may be likened to a broad stretch of land offering a fair site for a city which the early settlers in the days of the forty-niners beheld when the first rude hut was thrown up on the site of the metropolis of the Pacific coast. Back to that point must the people of San Francisco return, and such is the spirit of the people here that, with the smoke still lifting lazily from the ruins, as though the demon was Utterly Worn Out from his labors with the bent and twisted girders—attesting to the fury of his passion—and the gaunt frag- ments of walls rising up as fearful WARRRR Rene mm 0 0 0 0 00°03 O00 Oe SOBBED HER T8HANKS. Dramatic Incident of a Helena Relief Meeting. Helena, Mont., Apri] 24—At a mass meeting yesterday afterngon, presided over by Gov. Toole the people of Hel- ena subscribed another $1,000 in a few minutes for the California relief fund, making nearly $9,000 raised here, not including the sum expended Saturday for seventy-five tons of flour. A dra- matic episode took place during the | for assistance. Stricken monuments to a dead and gone com- munity, they are already astir in the work of rearing a new city on the ashes of the old. Gaunt Specter Banished. There were no hungry people last night! the gaunt speéter of starvation has been banished by the magnificent response of the people of California in particular, and by the entire nation in general, to the appeals that went out Food by the car load and boat load poured into Oakland Saturday night and yesterday in suffi- cient quantities to overwhelm the committee which has in charge its dis- tribution. So great was the volume of foodstuffs brought into the general depot at Oakland mole that the gen- eral committee yesterday made an ap- peal for skilled labor in the handling of these supplies. Immense Problem Mastered. The feature that existed two days ago that the immense task of caring for the destitute and helpless people could not be organized quick enough to save thousands from hunger and possible epidemic exists no longer. The administration of the city’s af- fairs is progressing most harmonious- | ly. Mayor Schmitz and Gen. Funston are working in perfect accord. Contributions of money continue to be made from every part of the Uni- ted States. The health of the scores of thou- sands camped in the open air is, un- der the circumstances, remarkably | good. There have been several cases of pneumonia reported and colds are | quite common, but there is nothing} like and epidemic of pulmonary troubles. The board of health reports that there is very little contagious disease. For the treatment of such cases hospitals have been provided. The Golden Gate Park district yester- day reported the birth of eighteen babies. The mothers and children ! were removed to the various maternit, ; hospitals. | Loss About $300,000,000. | The Associated Press representa-| tives yesterday covered the entire} burned section. The circumference of the area, as near as could be ascer- tained by the marking of a cyclome- ter, is twenty-six miles, and comprises the business district and a large sec- | tion of the residence district, all of which was densely populated. It was estimated by competent in- | ; Surance authorities that the loss will aggregate $300,000,000, and on_ this vast amount of property the compa- nies carried approximately $175,000, 000 insurance. said has lost a fortune by the calamity, sobbingly thanked the meeting for the spirit shown. WEST POINT VACANCY. Washington, April 24—Representa- | tive Steenerson has given notice that the vacant cadetship at West Point for his district is to be filled by an examination of applicants to be held at Crookston on May 81. A principal and three alternates will be chosen. The examination will be in charge of meeting when a woman named Bliss, | Prof. E. E. McIntyre at Crookston, to _ e resident of San Francisco, who, it is whom applicants should communicate. ‘CONFIDENCE NEW CITY WILL RISE FROM THE ASHES OF OLD SAN FRANCISCO ALREADY FIRST STAGES OF RE- BUILDING. IN IS RESTORED GROUND IS BEING CLEARED FOR IMMEDIATE CONSTRUC- TION WORK. San Francisco, April 25—A sharp earthquake shock was felt here at 10:39 o’clock last night. It lasted about three seconds and was from east to west. No damage has been re- ported. ges San Francisco, April 25.—The new San Francisco which will rise from the ashes of the old, is in its first stages of rebuilding. After five days of confusion and almost superhuman effort on the part of citizens of Cali- fornia’s metropolis, the great task of sheltering, feeding and otherwise car- ing for the homeless thousands is being mastered, complete order has | been re-established and attention turned to the future. Walls Being Raised. Throughout the great business dis- trict, where the devastation of the flames was the most complete, walls are being raised, buildings that had not disintegrated before the intense heat are being inspected with the view of reoccupancy and even ground is being cleared for the immediate construction of some sort of building | in which to resume business at the earliest possible time. In short, confi- dence has been restored. The assurance of the insurance com- panies, the measures taken by the financial institutions, the Prompt and Reassuring Word that had reached the business men of San Francisco from Eastern financial centers—all these things went to clear away any feeling of uncertainty that | might have existed in the minds of the timid that San Francisco would not be what she was—the greatest center of population and business on the Pacific coast. The general situation temporarily suffered a setback early yesterday be- cause of the chilling rain which fell in the late hours of Sunday night and during the early forenoon yesterday on the thousands protected only by canvass coverings and even less im- pervious shelterings. Causes Some Suffering. While the rain caused considerable suffering for the time being, the con- ditions were quickly ameliorated by the prompt action of every relief com- mittee doing duty, as well as by the voluntary acts of householders wherever it was possible to accommo- date them. The people were fed yesterday in a thoroughly businesslike and systemat- je manner. From the water front where the boat loads of provisions docked there was an endless proces- sion of carts and drays carrying food MARKET STREET, EAST FROM THIRD. i | | | some | | penings since the city has been under | \ | tions could- be resumed immediat to the scores of substations estab- lished through the city and the Pre- sidio. 500 Tons a Day. About 500 tons of provisions are be- ing moved daily from the water front. Large supplies of blankets, tentings and other material to provide cover- ings for those who have been scantily supplied heretofore are reaching the supply stations rapidly. The situation in the congested districts, such as Golden Gate Park and the various public squares throughout the city, has been considerably relieved by the departure of many people for points on the other side of the bay. Health Conditions Good. The general health conditions are most satisfactory. The most encour- aging feature is the absence of any- thing like an epidemic of disease of any nature whatever. The somewhat unsatisfactory sanitary arrangements in the various camps, the lack of a va- riety in diet and the exposed situation of so many people necessarily devel- ops ailments of every sort, and in places there has been a few cases of infectious diseases, such as measles, chickenpox, ete., but the pri- mary causes of disease are being rem- edied and removed as fast as possible. Water Is Still Scarce. Water is still scarce in some sec- tions of the city, but every effort is being made to increase the supply from day to day. At the present time the water is turned on only at certain hours of the day and night, and is in| ample supply for domestic needs in the districts where the water mains are still intact. Inspection of the tem in the inhabited section of the city is going forward rapidly. At some points the pipes have been found badly twisted and displaced from the! effects of the quake and these will have to be replaced by new ones. Prominent Man Killed. One of the most unfortunate hap- the joint police supe: on of the government, the municipa! and the state mil was the killing at an early hour sterday of Maj. H. C. Tilden, a well known merchant, in the ; extreme southwestern part of the city. The killing was done by three mem- bers of a_ self-constituted vigilance committee who firgd upon an automo- bile carrying Maj. Tilden, a friend and the chauffeur returning from Menlo | Park, whence Tilden had gone with | his family. | Withdraw the Militia. The citizens’ general commiitee, of which the mayor is the presiding of- ficer, adopted a resolution at its S- sion yesterday to withdraw the entire force of state militia that has policed a large residence section for the past | few days. In adopting this resolytion a vote of thanks was tendered the gov- ernor and the state militia for its services in the emergency. From this time on the city will be patrolled joint- ly by the municipal police and federal troops. Until a city prison is re-e: tablished all persons held on felor charges will be taken to Fort Ma’ on | and turned over to the regular trooj for safe keeping. Vast Supply of Food. There is a vast supply of provisions on hand for the people of San Fran- cisco. Maj. Geu. Krauthoff, chiet depot commissary of the department of California, stated yesterday that there v available 700,000 rations of supplies. This included these at the Presidio, Fort Mason, transport docks and railway yards. Supt. Leach of the branch United States mint said yesterday that o There is no lack of money in the mint and New York transfers upon that in- | stitution will be paid upon presenta- tion, but up to this time there has been no call for funds. Demolishing Ruins. A considerable portion of Market street was closed to traffic yesterday while the demolition of ruins consid- ered dangerous was it, progress. Un- der direction of the board of public works half a dozen tottering walls, portions of the most imposing struc- tures along Market street before the fire, were levelled with dynamite. While the work of complete destruc- tion was progressing along this por- tion of Market street, men, intent upon rebuilding at the earliest possi- ble moment, were climbing to the up- per stories of the Chronicle, Call and other tall buildings nearer the ferry for the purpose of estimating the re- pairs that are to be immediately com- menced. No Limit to Resources. There will be no limit to the re- sources of the finance committee whose duty it is to expend millions of dollars being subscribed for the relief of the homeless sufferers in San Francisco. That was learned at a meeting yesterday afternoon when of- fers of assistance were received from the large cities of the East, and even from Premier Seddon of New Zealand. There will be plenty to distribute, but the problem now is to use the contri- butions impartially for the relief of all those who are deserving. Army Will Do Work. The finance committee of which James D. Phelan is chairman will no doubt dispense all the money and sup- plies, but it will do its work through the regular army, and, looking to that end, a conference will be held at Fort Mason to-day. At the meeting yester- day afternoon it was proposed that all | persons who have homes left shall be forced to pay for their provisions and that only the actual sufferers shall be given free food. The regular soldiers will have charge of the distribution of supplies. Not Under Martial Law. San Francisco is not under the ban of martial law and has not been from the beginning. There has been a gen- eral misunderstanding among the troops themselves. The report that | Mayor Schmitz is at the head of all patrolling and is merely assisted by the troops has been officially con- firmed. The officers of the army have stated that th are working subject to any restraining order from the mayor. The regular troops are working in accord with instructions from the mayor's office. Consequently they have been the ation of the San Franciseo patrol system. “Calamity Triplets” Born. On Saturday night triplets were born to one of the homeless at the Presidio, and the same night eight lit- tle tots made their first appearance on the reservation at Fort Mason. Six were born in the emergency hospital and two out on the vacant space joining the fort. where the mothe had taken refuge. The babes are all reported to be healthy youngsters. Greeley Supersedes Funston. Gen. A. W. Greeley has taken com- mand of the federal troops at this post, Gen. Frederick Funsion, who will act under his or d Gen. Greeley has established headquarte at Fort Mason, just east of the Presidio reservation on the shore of San Francisco bay. SHOCK HITS LOS BANOS. Los Banos, Cal., April 25. — The earthquake destroyed the principal business portion of this town. The bank building, which contains a bank, a store and many offices, collapsed in si 1 places. Hotel Los Banos, a three-story brick structure, was par- tially demolished. The water tank at the Southern Pacific depot was totally destroyed and the school buildings and churches sustained heavy dam- age. A conservative estimate places the total damage at $150,000. BEFORE THE EARTHQUAKE. ann eer srr “PIG-EYE” KELLY A SUICIDE. Well-known Veteran and Gambler : Takes Laudanum. Grand Rapids, Minn., April 20. — Thomas Kelly, sixty years old, a vet- eran of the Civil war, committed sui- cide yesterday by drinking laudanum. He had been in ill health for ‘some time. Kelly was well known through- out the state. He is said to have made and lost a number of comfortable for- tunes, but death found him in poor cir- eumstances; practically homeless and without near relatives, as far as can | be ascertained. For many years he ha s lived in Northern Minnesota, spending short periods of time in every town of any importance. He generally was known as “Pig-Eye” Kelly and! was a gambler. ‘ HAS BEEN LOST OVER A YEAR. . Fargo, N. D., April 20.—Not a single clue has been obtained as to the whereabouts of Ole Thorvildson, who left his home in Northwood a year ago last fall on a trip to the coast, As Thorvildson expected to be absent sey- eral months, it was not unti] a year had elapsed without any tidings from him that his relatives became alarmed about him. Inquiries then made de- veloped the fact that he had visited none of the people he had expected to see on his Western trip, the last seen of him being at Havre, Mont. Adver. tisements have been inserted im all of the leading papers on the coast and throughout the State of Washington, and a systematic search has been made for the missing man, but with out result.