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Show Tho full extent of tho San Francisco HJ calamity Is now being to somo extent H realized by tho people of tho coun-I, coun-I, try. For days tho reports gathered H and sent out under tho greatest dir-H' dir-H' Acuities lniaglnablo were necessarily H'j'j very lnaccurato, but now that some-HJ some-HJ thing like order has been brought out H of chaos, tho fncts aro being gradually ascertained. At first, as Is usually U13 H case, accounts of tho loss of life wcro H' exaggerated; then tho tendency was H to go to tho other extreme; so that H from 10,000, as tho stato.l numbor or H deaths a few days ago, tho estimate HJ was placed at less than 300. Later, HJ cooler and moro careful calculations H Indlcato that tho los3 of lifo will not HJ exceed one thousand. Tho property HJ losses will not bo much, If at all, short HJ of $300,000,000. Theso figures place HJ tho San Francisco earthquake anions HJ tho big disasters of tho world. By far HJ tho greater part of the property dam-H dam-H ago resulted from tho fire, whllo tho HJ loss of lifo was largely caused by tho HJ earthquake, which made buildings to HJ collapso or topplo over, crushing their HJ occupants and thoso In the vicinity. H Asldo from supplying tho immediate HJ wants of 300,000 homeless pcoplo, the HJ question uppermost In men's minds is HJ ns to tho future of San Francisco and H tho surrounding country. Wcro It not H for tho possibility wo might say H probability of a recurrenco of tho H' earthquake at any time, tho future l would bo very plain. San Francisco Hi would soon bo rebuilt on a moro mag-H mag-H nlflcent scnlo than tho San Francisco H which has been destroyed. Geologists H for many years havo been saying and writing that San Francisco was on the H most dangerous part of an earthquake I belt or zone, and that at any tlmo tho HJ wholo of tho region might or probably would sink and tho Pacific ocean flow over and completely engulf tho stately cities and tho beautiful country. Since tho big tremor which causod tho disaster dis-aster there havo been a constant succession suc-cession of numerous smnller tremors. This, however, Is not an unusual occurrences, oc-currences, a serl03 of small shocks following fol-lowing a largo one until tho earth settles set-tles down to its normal condition. Tho recurrence of tho quakes, however, havo had tho effect of frightening away many thousands of people whoso homes hitherto havo been In tho ill-fated ill-fated city, but who havo left never to return. Tho disaster will also havo tho effect of keeping away thousands upon thousands of tourists who hitherto hith-erto havo looked upon the Golden Gate as their Mecca. It Is a question as to whether pcoplo will havo faith enough In tho stability of that particular part of the crust of Mother Earth to very quickly rebuild tho city. Tho disaster will havo a paralyzing effect on tho business of Southern California. It Is i land which has been largely supported sup-ported by tourists and by wealthy retired re-tired business men going there to make their homos. Tho tldo of tourists tour-ists for tho time being will bo turned In some other direction. Tho Southern Pacific Ilallroad company com-pany has come to tho front In a most generous way to relievo tho distress of tho San Francisco sufferers. It has carried food and clothing in free and carried refugees out free, the freight and faro3 on which, If paid at tho usual rates, would havo amounted to over a million dollars. Railroad companies aro generally anathama-tized, anathama-tized, but lot us give them credit when they do something really clover and generous such as Mr. Harrlman and ,hls Southern Pacific company has done for San Francisco. Truth has known of many senseless actions by pcoplo In Salt Lako but was hardly prepared for tho interference in-terference of certain citizens In Salt Lako with tho plans of tho War Department at Washington, D. C, in Its order to transfer certain troops from Fort Douglas to points elsewhere, else-where, basing their objections on tho ground that such transfer would causo a diminution In tho income nnd profit prof-it of many of the trades people of tho city. SInco when has it become necessary nec-essary for a great government like tho United States of America to consult con-sult privnto Individuals as to what it will or will not do In the matter of tho disposition of Its soldiers? In an emergency emer-gency to mobilize the troops would tho Secretary of War first have to consult Salt Lako or some other city beforo action could bo taken? Or obtain from tho citizens of Salt Lako permission to vacato Fort Douglas for a while? How some people do mako monkeys of themselves! This Intorferonco Idea Is quite consonant with somo other ideas originating here. Only a short tlmo ago a petition wont around asking tho government to allow one of its rooni3 In tho Now Federal building to bo used as a lodge room, and when It was suggested to thoso presenting tho petition that tho request was preposterous, and would or could not be granted, offenso was taken. If theso Industrious fellows will attend to building up a greater Salt Lako and lot tho government of the United States and Its proper representatives rep-resentatives attend to its-nffairs It Is fair to presume that tho nation will get along nil right. What Salt Lako needs most is to bo rolioved from its covert enemies and its fool friends. Tho daily papers havo had a hilarious hila-rious tlmo telling how oach outdid tho other in reports of tho San Francisco Fran-cisco disaster. Self praise Is a poor recommendation. Thero was ono thing, however, tho Herald did which Is deserving of tho highest praise. It was chronicled in the Herald among tho big generous things which Utah had dono for San Francisco in her hour of troublo and it was deserving of tho promlnenco given it. It sent its editor to San Francisco as special spe-cial correspondent. What might havo happened if Joel hadn't been sent or had refused to go Is something so fearful to contemplate that tho horrors hor-rors of tho earthquako and tho lire fado into utter insignificance. The Weakley thinks that tho position posi-tion of Congressman from Utah Is an empty honor. Rawlins, King, Cannon Can-non and Howell should now hide their faces for very shame. |