Chapter XL: Section 2: , between 200 and 300, and so on. This numbering was used (2)

====+=====================+===========+=================+=============
Num-| Location | Opened or | Maximum | Date of
ber| | became | population | closing
| | official | |
----+---------------------+-----------+-----------------+-------------
1 |Presidio, nr. Gen. |May 9, ’06 |2053--May 9, ’06 |June 12, ’06
|Hosp. | | |
2 |Presidio, Tennessee |May 9, ’06 | 910--May 9, ’06 |June 12, ’06
|Hollow | | |
3 |Presidio, Ft. |May 9, ’06 | 186--May 9, ’06 |June 12, ’06
|Winfield Scott (For | | |
|Chinese) | | |
4 |Presidio, Golf Links |May 9, ’06 | 329--May 9, ’06 |May 20, ’06
5 |Golden Gate Park, |May 19, ’06|3000--June 30 and|Nov. 19, ’06
|Children’s Playground| | Aug. 25, |
| | | ’06 |
6 |G. G. Park, Speedway |June 1, ’06| 835--July 14, |Aug. 23, ’07
|(For Aged and Infirm)| | Sept. 26, |
| | | ’06 |
7 |G. G. Park, Lodge |May 19, ’06|1606--May 30, ’06|Dec. 17, ’06
8 |Harbor View |May 9, ’06 |2840--Aug. 25, |Jan. 11, ’07
| | | ’06 |
9 |Lobos Square |May 9, ’06 |4933--June 18 to |June 30, ’08
| | | 22, ’07 |
10 |Union Iron Works |May 9, ’06 |2240--Aug. 28 to |Dec. 1, ’07
| | | 31 & Sept. |
| | | 1 to 8, ’06|
13 |Franklin Square |May 19, ’06|1116--Nov. 23 to |Nov. 6, ’07
| | | Dec. 1, ’06|
15 |Fort Mason |May 19, ’06| 850--May 19, ’06|June 12, ’06
16 |Jefferson Square |June 2, ’06|2000--June 2 to |Aug. 23, ’07
| | | 21, ’06 |
17 |Lafayette Square |June 2, ’06| 622--June 29 to |Feb. 2, ’07
| | | July 1, ’06|
18 |Mission Park (before |June 5, ’06| 295--June 5-6, |June 6, ’06
|cottages were built) | | ’06 |
19 |Duboce Park |June 8, ’06| 650--Sept. 1-15,|Feb. 2, ’07
| | | ’06 |
20 |Hamilton Square |June 5, ’06| 702--Dec. 3-8, |Aug. 31, ’07
| | | ’06 |
21 |Washington Square |June 6, ’06| 593--Feb. 7-July|Sept. 17, ’07
| | | 12, ’07 |
22 |Alamo Square |July 9, ’06| 857--Oct. 1, ’06|Mar. 13, ’07
23 |Precita Park (Bernal)|July 6, ’06| 520--Feb. 25-May|Oct. 11, ’07
| | | 8, ’07 |
24 |Columbia Square |July 11, |1500--Mar. 22 to |Nov. 26, ’07
| |’06 | July 12, |
| | | ’07 |
25 |Richmond (Irregular |Nov. 20, |4130--May 20, ’07|Jan. 1, ’08
|boundary bet. 13th |’06 | |
|and 15th, Lake, and A| | |
|Sts.) | | |
26 |Ingleside (Ingleside |Oct. 9, ’06| 809--Nov. 22, |Jan. 22, ’08
|Race Track) | | ’06 |
28 |South Park |Dec. 3, ’06| 648--Feb. 15 to |Jan. 7, ’08
| | | May 15, ’07|
29 |Mission Park (after |Nov. 19, |1600--April 16, |Oct. 22, ’07
|cottages were built) |’06 | ’07 |
30 |Portsmouth Square |Dec. 18, | 388--May 27-28, |Oct. 11, ’07
| |’06 | ’07 |
----+---------------------+-----------+-----------------+-------------

11 A small unofficial camp at Bothin, Marin County.

12, 14 No camps were given these numbers.

27 Land at 18th and 20th and Potrero Ave., selected as a camp site but not used.

31 Garfield Park, selected as a possible site, but not used as an official camp.

10

GRANTS TO CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS

A. BY DENOMINATIONS AND NATURE OF WORK

=================+========================+===========
Auspices under | GRANTS USED IN |All grants
which grants +-------------+----------+
were administered|Non-sectarian| Sectarian|
| work | work |
-----------------+-------------+----------+-----------
Catholic | $93,720 | $49,000 | $142,720
Protestant | 88,598 | 20,500 | 109,098
Jewish | 5,000 | 34,000 | 39,000
Non-sectarian | 285,600 | .. | 285,600
-----------------+-------------+----------+-----------
Total | $472,918 | $103,500 | $576,418
-----------------+-------------+----------+-----------

B. BY DENOMINATIONS

=================+======================================+==========
Organizations | GRANTS ADMINISTERED UNDER |
aided +--------+----------+--------+---------+----------
| Roman |Protestant| Jewish | Non- |All grants
|Catholic| auspices |auspices|sectarian|
|auspices| | |auspices |
-----------------+--------+----------+--------+---------+----------
Benevolent | | | | |
organizations | $38,000| $12,600 | $20,000| $66,000| $136,600
Homes | 28,000| 4,200 | 3,000| 43,500| 78,700
Orphanages | 22,000| 20,693 | .. | 13,500| 56,193
Organizations for| | | | |
aiding children| 27,500| 17,700 | .. | 26,550| 71,750
Kindergartens | 220| .. | 1,000| 10,150| 11,370
Schools | 7,500| .. | .. | .. | 7,500
Hospitals | 10,000| 22,905 | 10,000| 70,500| 113,405
Clinics | .. | .. | .. | 12,800| 12,800
Settlements | 3,000| 9,000 | 5,000| 29,500| 46,500
Missions | .. | 1,000 | .. | .. | 1,000
Miscellaneous | 6,500| 21,000 | .. | 13,100| 40,600
-----------------+--------+----------+--------+---------+----------
Total |$142,720| $109,098 | $39,000| $285,600| $576,418
-----------------+--------+----------+--------+---------+----------

In addition to the grants mentioned in the table there was paid from the New York Chamber of Commerce Fund, to St. Luke’s Hospital $25,000, and to the Children’s Hospital $25,000. The Massachusetts Association for the Relief of California sent to the University of California Hospital $100,000.

11

REHABILITATION COMMITTEE: DETAILS OF ADMINISTRATION

I. DIRECTIONS GIVEN BY THE ASSOCIATED CHARITIES. For the use of workers in the seven civil sections.

1. A Section Agent will be appointed at the headquarters of each of
the civil sections, to represent the Associated Charities, and to whom
all the visitors shall report. The Section Agent shall have charge of
the records, and it shall be her duty to see that the work hereinafter
outlined is properly carried out.

2. Each application card, as it is brought in by the visitor, must be
catalogued by name in a card index. After being approved by the
Section Agent as to the completeness of the investigation, it should
be passed on by the Section Committee, and should then be sent to the
Rehabilitation Committee.

3. The recommendation of the Section Committee should be endorsed on
the back of the card under the heading, “Investigator’s suggestions as
to what should be done.”

4. All letters or other papers relating to the case should be fastened
to the card by a wire clip, and should be sent with it wherever it
goes.

5. When the card is sent to the Rehabilitation Committee, the index
card prepared by the Section Agent should be sent with it and the
Rehabilitation Committee will place on the index card the number given
by it to the application card on its records. This number will serve
as the receipt of the Rehabilitation Committee, and will also give the
Section Agent a ready reference to the records of the Rehabilitation
Committee. The index card must be returned to the Section Agent by the
messenger who brings it to the Rehabilitation Committee, and the
Section Agent must keep a proper record of the index cards sent in, so
that she will be sure to get them back.

6. The Rehabilitation Committee will in due time report through the
same messenger, to the Section Agent, the result of its action in each
case. The receipt of the Section Agent will be taken in each instance.
The character of its action will of course be based upon the merits of
each case. In one instance, a request for transportation may be
granted; in another, a check for a loan or grant of money may be
furnished; in another, a requisition for certain supplies may be
given; and occasionally, an application may be refused.

7. When the report of the Rehabilitation Committee is received by the
Section Agent, a brief note thereof must be made on the index card,
and a notice should be sent to the applicant, requesting him to call
at the Section Office. A printed form will be provided for this
notice. Except in cases of refusals, the receipt of the applicant
should be taken on the index card for whatever is given to him.

8. In case a check is given by way of loan, it will be accompanied by
a promissory note, which must be signed by the applicant when the
check is given to him, and the Section Agent should sign the
promissory note as a witness. This promissory note should then be
returned to the Rehabilitation Committee by the messenger already
referred to.

9. The Rehabilitation Committee, in reporting its actions in each
case, will attach a slip, giving directions to the Section agent as to
what is to be done. (For instance, stating if a promissory note is to
be taken, or giving other directions of a like character.)

10. The visitor should notify the applicant in each case that he will
receive a notice from the Section Agent as soon as his application has
been acted upon by the Committee.

11. The Section Agent must keep the Chairman of the section advised as
to the result of each application, so that the Chairman may know what
provision has been made for the applicant, and whether or not the
applicant should move from the camp, or be denied further food
supplies or other assistance.

12. Visitors should indicate on the upper margin of the card,[287]
just left of the words “National Red Cross,” the Section from which
the card comes. Space should be left in the upper left-hand corner of
the card for the number to be placed thereon by the Rehabilitation
Committee.

[287] Appendix II, p. 428.

13. The name of the visitor and the date of the application should be
written on the upper right hand corner of the card.

14. In cases where applicants require Housing and nothing else, the
registration cards should be held at the Section Headquarters, and a
duplicate separate index should be kept on such cards, catalogued by
name. It may be necessary to hold other cards, and these should be
filed and indexed in the same way.

15. One visitor in each section will be designated to act as a
messenger between the Section headquarters and the office of the
Rehabilitation Committee, so that she may keep in touch with the work
of the Committee, and so that inquiries by applicants and such other
questions as will naturally arise may be referred to her, to be taken
up with the Committee when she calls. She will also bring back to the
Section headquarters the result of the action of the Rehabilitation
Committee, and should make at least one call a day on the Committee.

16. A general agent of the Associated Charities will have supervision
over the work of all the sections. It shall be his duty to see that
the records are properly kept and that the work is correctly and
rapidly performed. All Section Agents and Visitors shall be under his
direction. He shall report to the General Secretary.

17. A weekly report must be sent to the Rehabilitation Committee
through the general agent, every Monday, showing for each section
separately:

1. The total number of cases investigated.

2. The number of cases investigated during the preceding week.

3. The number of applications sent to the Rehabilitation Committee.

4. The number of applications for Housing, etc., held at the section.

The plan outlined above was carried out until the closing of the section offices.

II. MONTHLY BUDGETS. The monthly budgets of the Rehabilitation Committee, including those of the Associated Charities, from July, 1906, to June, 1907,[288] were as follows:

=========+=========+=========+=========+=============
Month |Number of| Total | Expense | Expense
| employes| expense | for |for supplies,
| | | salaries| etc.
---------+---------+---------+---------+-------------
1906 | | | |
July | 134 |$8,600.00|$7,800.00| $800.00
August | 170 |11,500.00| 9,573.50| 1,926.50
September| 132 |10,000.00| 8,000.00| 2,000.00
October | 63 | 5,300.00| 4,130.00| 1,170.00
November | 80 | 6,300.00| 5,300.00| 1,000.00
December | 110 | 8,235.00| 6,735.00| 1,500.00
1907 | | | |
January | 114 | 8,594.00| 7,094.00| 1,500.00
February | 110 | 8,000.00| 6,572.00| 1,428.00
March | ? | 6,000.00| ? | ?
April | 31 | 2,500.00| 2,172.60| 327.40
May | 22 | 2,000.00| 1,744.40| 255.60
June | 20 | 1,750.40| 1,615.40| 135.00
---------+---------+---------+---------+-------------

[288] This does not include budgets of other bureaus of the Department
of Relief and Rehabilitation. Some of the figures are only
approximately correct. They include employes: both the Associated
Charities staff and the employes of the Committee. They do not include
volunteers. The question marks indicate that data are not available.

III. METHOD OF WORK BEGINNING JULY 7, 1906, IN CONNECTION WITH THE DISTRICT [SECTION] ORGANIZATION. The system of entering applications and filing records was carefully worked out.

The applications recorded on the National Red Cross cards were taken
to the Rehabilitation Office and put at once on the registrar’s desk.
Each face card was clasped together with its continuation cards with
an ordinary paper clip. The registrar and most of her assistants were
young women who had had experience in indexing in the public and other
libraries of the city. Duplicate index cards were each marked with the
number of the case, which number was then entered on the National Red
Cross card. The numbers were assigned consecutively. The cases were
then placed in manila folders similar to those used in the index files
of business houses, and were at once placed in boxes on the desks of
the reviewers. At the same time the index card was placed in an
alphabetical file with the number of the case. The surnames and
Christian names of the applicants were entered in a book in
consecutive order as the numbers were assigned.

Each case was read by a reviewer who made underneath the
recommendation of the section committee his own recommendation, which
might or might not be identical in terms. A paster[289] was used on
which to enter the recommendation made by the section committee or by
the reviewer. After October 1, 1906, the recommendation was entered on
the paster by the sub-committee of the Rehabilitation Committee, and,
when a grant was made, the number of the check drawn was also entered
on the paster. If more than one application were made, or more than
one action taken by the committee, a separate paster was used for each
application and for each decision.

[289] See paster. Appendix II, p. 433.

During the periods of district organization, as soon as reviewers had
made their recommendations the cases were put in consecutive order in
large boxes, to be acted on by the members of the Rehabilitation
Committee. After a boxful had been approved or disapproved, they were
taken to the bookkeeper’s department. Expert bookkeepers were found to
be essential. The bookkeeper made entry of grant or refusal of grant,
of cases referred or not found, in consecutive order in a cash
journal. Each grant was recorded in the appropriate column, as,
“Business,” “Household,” etc. On the cash journal page a running
account was kept with the bank in which the funds were deposited. In
the debit column were entered the appropriations as they were
deposited, as well as returns upon loans and canceled checks. In the
credit column was kept the amount of checks issued. Upon each check
was entered the corresponding case number, so that there might be a
double checking. The checks were then attached to the front of the
record cards, and were presented to the treasurer for signing. The
treasurer corrected any mistakes in drawing checks, and observed
whether the rules of the committee had been followed, and if the
approvals were in regular form.

The signed checks were given to a responsible official, who
reclassified the cases by sections. He then made a double memorandum
receipt, and turned over the checks to the section messengers. The
records were not returned to the sections with the checks. If a case
had been refused, referred, or action taken other than making a grant,
the record itself was sometimes referred back to the section. When the
checks were received at the section office, notice was sent to those
for whom they had been drawn. The banks upon which the drafts were
made accepted the signatures of one or more salaried workers in each
section.

The records were of necessity handled by a great many people other
than those responsible for the financial management. It was,
therefore, very early deemed advisable not to file receipts of the
applicants with the case records themselves. These receipts were kept
in a separate place, being filed according to case number and being
readily accessible for reference purposes. In not over 10 out of a
total of 27,570 checks, were the checks given to the wrong person. In
all except one of these 10 cases, the person receiving them had the
same name as the endorsee. The instructions were very strict in order
to make identification sure.

As much exasperation and delay was at first caused by difficulty in
finding case records when needed, a tracing system was introduced.
Whenever a case was transferred from one person to another, or from
one desk to another, a slip was made out, giving the number of the
case and indicating from whom it was going and to whom. The tracing
clerks had charge books with the case numbers in consecutive order.
When each slip was received, the clerk entered against the case number
the last charge, by initials or abbreviation, so that at any moment it
would be possible to find who at that time had the case in charge. The
rigid rule of the office was to note transfers immediately, and though
there were violations of this rule, its importance was so deeply
impressed upon the staff that the number of mistakes was comparatively
small. Two thousand transfers were entered on one day, October 1,
1906. When a case was ready for filing, the fact was recorded in the
charge or tracing book. Each person was required to keep the cases
with which he was dealing, at all times in consecutive order. Four
hundred cases might be awaiting the review of the committee; another
400 might be in the hands of the reviewers; and still another 400 in
the hands of the filing clerks. The ability rapidly to find cases was
materially increased by this simple arrangement.

A special clerk received the case records from the auxiliary
societies. He kept a book in which to enter the name of each case, of
the society which referred it, and the grant asked for. This clerk
took the cases himself to the registrar, kept a list of them, and saw
that they were transferred from the registrar to the table of the
committee, and from the committee’s table to the bookkeeping
department. After the checks were drawn, he made sure that the records
and the checks were taken to the treasurer. After the checks were
signed, it was his duty to see that they were placed in the hands of
officials of the proper societies. If other action were taken, he was
responsible for seeing that a memorandum was given to the proper
persons.

The special duty of another clerk was to wait upon the sub-committees
while they were passing upon cases. This clerk arranged the cases in
consecutive order, saw that the committee did not omit any, looked up
cases considered out of their turn, made memoranda of cases returned
for further investigation, etc.

No applications theoretically were received at the Rehabilitation
Office during the time of district or section organization. As a
matter of fact, it was necessary to have at the central office from
one to four reception agents. As far as possible the applicants who
came to the Rehabilitation Office were referred to the Associated
Charities office, but oftentimes it became necessary to treat a case
as emergent. In addition to the interviewers, therefore, there were
from one to four investigators at work from the center.

Many of the transportation cases, after being registered, were
referred directly to the secretary of the superintendent, who was
practically the corresponding secretary for the office. It was
necessary closely to watch these cases, to follow up a first inquiry
with a second letter and sometimes with a telegram, and even in some
cases with a third communication. Where these brought no replies, it
was necessary to reconsider the case to see if the transportation
should be ordered, with the insufficient information on file, or
whether some other action should be taken. With the transportation
cases awaiting answers were filed cases which awaited answers from
business references. It was found necessary to check this file
regularly at least twice a week.

Upon the approval of recommendation for transportation, the cases were
as in other instances sent to the bookkeeper. One of the bookkeepers
entered in the Transportation Book the number of the card, the number
of the order upon the railroad, the name of the applicant, the
destination, the number of individuals, the number of tickets
required, applicant’s contribution, railroad contribution, and
committee’s contribution.

_Letter of Information No. 2._

Regarding transportation. Sent to the Sections July, 1906.

With regard to applications for transportation it may be well to
instruct you more fully as to what the railroads are doing for us and
what we can be expected to do for applicants favorably recommended. As
you know, the Rehabilitation Committee is receiving no free
transportation from any of the railroads. The Southern Pacific is now
quoting us two rates, the lower one to be used when the transportation
expense is to be charged to this Committee, and the higher in cases
only where the applicant himself is to pay. The best rate we can get
for eastward bound refugees, when the whole expense is to be borne by
this Committee, is that of one cent a mile as far as Chicago, St.
Louis or New Orleans; half fare beyond in the Central Passenger
Association, or Southern Passenger Association, territory to Buffalo,
Pittsburg, and Atlanta, and full fare beyond any of these points to
the seaboard. Where the applicant is himself to pay, he is charged at
the rate of half fare as far as Chicago, which is equal to half fare
as far as Buffalo or Pittsburg, and full fare beyond.

The California and Northwestern Railway Co., will transport refugees
free for us whenever it is a case of this Committee recommending that
they pay nothing.

In the matter of steamship transportation, the rates we are getting
are not so favorable; the best seems to be a quotation of second cabin
passage rates for first cabin accommodations, and perhaps a low
steerage figure. We usually give the approved applicant a special
letter to the Gen. Manager or Passenger Agent of the steamship company
authorizing the company to charge us with the amount of fare and to
make it as low as possible for this Committee. Of course, we demand
nothing and only ask and recommend in each specific case.

With this information you may be better prepared to advise applicants
who are seeking transportation out of the city.

IV. THE CENTRALIZED SYSTEM. The centralized system caused but little change to be made in the system of the Rehabilitation Office itself. With the organization of the sub-committees, a requisition blank was introduced. Whenever a committee desired a particular case, it was asked to fill out one of these blanks, and send it to the registration office. Secretaries of the committees had supervision of the clerical work done in connection with each of their departments. The bookkeeping and tracing systems remained practically the same.

V. CONSIDERATION OF CASES OUT OF TURN. The following letter was issued by the superintendent in July, 1906.

_Letter of Information No. 5_

Regarding Emergency Cases

“To all Sections:--

“A number of cases have been forwarded with emergency cards, which
should not have had them. The Committee assumes that few emergencies
can possibly arise after a lapse of 3 months, which require immediate
settlement.

“An excellent illustration of a ‘mistaken’ emergency:--A carpenter,
idle since the fire discovered eight days ago that he must have tools
to go to a job the following date.

“The emergency card was taken off by direction of the Superintendent
because the natural query arose why had he not been working long
before at something. As he had not, he could very well wait until his
case was reached in regular order. Carpenters are at a premium.

“Emergency cases delay appreciably the progress of other cases and
should be reduced in number.”

The letter notes an important point; namely, the delays and
inconveniences that are caused by cases having to be considered out of
turn.

On July 23, 1906, the Rehabilitation Committee voted that ordinarily
no cases should be considered emergent unless sickness or death were
involved. It goes without question, however, that such a rule could
not be strictly lived up to. Unusual situations arose which had to be
attended to. From time to time cases were sent back when the Committee
refused to handle them as emergent. It is probably true that this
particular question cannot be adequately dealt with by rules. The
necessity is for responsible committees to maintain the closest sort
of supervision and to refuse to consider out of turn cases which
obviously do not demand immediate attention.

With the establishment of Sub-committee No. 1, which had a revolving
fund, the work was placed on a much better basis. With any letting
down of the bars, the number of requests brought up, not only by paid
workers, but by committee members, constantly increases. In the early
days, the Rehabilitation Office was overrun at times by persons who
were asking for special attention for families they knew. The need of
taking up some cases out of turn is granted; the emphasis should be
laid upon its regulation. It should be borne in mind that there is a
high principle involved; that is, the rendering of strict justice to
those families which have no friends at court, and which have not
pressed their own claims.

VI. A LESSON LEARNED REGARDING RECORDS. In the review of the rehabilitation work, it is quite apparent that the theory that a case can be dealt with completely at one time is impractical. No set of rules could or should effect the result of a family’s being considered once only and then as a case be marked “finally closed.” A rehabilitation committee should recognize that a large number of cases may be re-opened, and plan its record system so that there will be no confusion in interpreting the re-openings.

The second Red Cross card[290] and supplementary blank cards for extended investigations, were the only general record cards in use. To the Red Cross card a “paster”[291] was attached by its gummed end, each time that a case was re-opened. The number of pasters on some record cards was from five to 10. The charity organization experience is that nothing can take the place of the chronological record. Owing to the use of the pasters without the carrying on of the chronological record the system failed.

[290] Appendix II, p. 428.

[291] Appendix II, p. 433.

Though the supplementary cards used in connection with the Red Cross cards made a chronological record of the facts possible, there was no uniformity in the keeping of the records. In connection with records of rehabilitation work, the important points are to learn the exact date of each application, the date upon which it was passed or refused by the committee, and the size of the grant, if any. These important points should be grouped somewhere for quick reference. In addition, a summary should state the kind of rehabilitation asked for in each application. The suggested form of summary to be filled in at the time that each application is passed upon would be as follows:

Date of application
Application for
Date of action
Amount of grant
Refusal
Date of payment

The sub-committees under the centralized system failed to maintain a uniform standard. The most orderly records were those of Committee VI, the business committee, and Committee I, the emergency committee. The housing committee used numerous blanks, but in order to trace a housing case it is necessary to wade through the entire correspondence, because the applications were frequently filed within the correspondence. In the examination of cases from the other committees for this Relief Survey, it was wellnigh impossible for the tabulators to learn in what manner, and at what time, and for what reason, the re-openings occurred. The only fact that was evident was that there had been reopenings, because there were successive pasters indicating refusals or grants. In some instances the reason for re-opening, instead of being placed in its proper order upon the chronological sheets was written on top of the paster itself in the space allowed for “Recommendation.” Sometimes by an exhaustive study of all the documents on file, it was possible to guess approximately the date of re-opening and why there was a re-application. If the various chairmen of sub-committees had been working in daily contact, as they were in the second and third periods, a better standard would have been maintained.

Two things have been absolutely demonstrated; first, that the records should approximate in form those used by charity organization societies. First, dates should be given for everything said or done, these dates should be arranged chronologically on sheets or cards in sequence, and the fact of the receipt of letters or documents, or of the sending of letters or documents, should be entered in their proper chronological order. Second, there should be a place upon the face of the card or immediately attached to it for the summary of applications and decisions.

VII. LOOSE ENDS. The Rehabilitation Committee made endeavors to gather together the loose ends that resulted from the fact that small relief funds were distributed of which no record was given to the Rehabilitation Committee. Among such funds may be mentioned those in the hands of the Town and Country Club; the Doctors Daughters’, the Physicians’, as well as the Portland (Oregon) fund and the various church funds. In spite of there being special funds, for instance for relief of doctors, the committee was constantly receiving applications from physicians. It is hoped that the givers of similar funds in the future may be gradually educated to the point of insisting upon system and concentration of authority in their distribution; otherwise there is bound to be waste.

VIII. BOOKKEEPING AND REGISTRATION NOTES. The statement is axiomatic that the most effective workers should be at the places of greatest congestion. When a large relief problem is to be met these will usually be the bookkeeping and registration departments. It should be re-emphasized that in these two departments the very best help should be searched for. In the registration work the Rehabilitation Committee was fortunate in securing a number of library clerks for indexing. The system of filing correspondence was not uniform. Some of the secretaries, however, as the case records were in folders consecutively numbered, adopted the satisfactory plan of keeping an index of the persons written to, together with the number of the cases written about. In order to make possible a rapid separation of replies to letters there should be a centralization of correspondence. Under the section system this was not necessary, owing to the fact that letters were sent out with the addresses of the section offices, to which replies naturally went. Possibly the only centralization necessary would have been to keep a complete index of the names of persons written to, which would have required the various secretaries to send to some one person a duplicate card, giving the name of the correspondent and the case number.

The Rehabilitation Committee’s experience proves that the authority to give the numbers for the case records should be in one place, so that confusion through the duplicating of numbers may be avoided. The rigid standards of the best charity organization societies are none too rigid, when one realizes that while such a society may deal within a year with from 2000 to 6000 families, a committee such as the Rehabilitation Committee might have to deal with over 25,000. Another most important consideration is the need of impressing workers with an appreciation of the value of records and of the call for absolute accuracy. It should be realized that care with records does not mean red tape or loss of time, but added efficiency. It means not only less worry for the workers themselves, but quicker meeting of the needs of individual families. Every minute spent in hunting for a lost record or endeavoring to supply an omitted entry, means a minute more of delay to a number of other families. These minutes grow astonishingly large in number, so that by and by they may be computed in days. Not only were there such delays at times, but it became occasionally necessary to reprove workers who had on their own responsibility made changes in the records. In some cases, for instance, the names of members of particular families were changed, without the knowledge of anyone except the worker involved. As a worker close to the Relief Survey has well said, “There is constant need of impressing the sacredness of a record upon those who use it.”

12

GENERAL PLAN OF HOUSING COMMITTEE

The following plan for handling applications for cottages to be built by contractors was followed in the main by Committee V:

1. Original requests were to be received by mail only and references were to be consulted by mail; but in reality many persons came to the office to file their applications.

2. When this work was finished and the case indexed the application was placed before the Housing Committee for:

a. Such further investigation as it deemed necessary.

b. Action by Committee.

3. When the Committee decided to make a grant, directions showing the kind of house to be built, the amount to be paid to the contractor, and the amount of the instalments to be paid by the applicant, were written on a slip and attached to the application.

4. The applicant was then notified of the action of the Committee and was told that he must execute the proper contracts with the bank selected by the Committee, as follows:

a. If the applicant were the owner of the land, a note and mortgage
binding him to repay the agreed instalments were drawn up and
deposited with the bank, or

b. If the applicant were a lessee or had a contract to purchase the
land, a conditional contract of purchase providing that the title to
the cottage was to remain with the bank till paid for, together with a
consent and waiver from the owner of the land, so that the owner of
the land would not get a title to the house until all of the payments
were completed.

c. The applicant was required to produce a receipt showing that he had
paid to the Board of Public Works the necessary deposit for opening
the street and making proper sewer connections.

5. When the above papers had been executed and presented to the bank the Committee was notified at once.

6. Orders were then given to the contractor to proceed with the building of the house.

7. Arrangements were made with the auditing department for drawing and forwarding the checks to be paid when so ordered and signed by a representative of the Committee.

8. The contractor was required to send notice by mail to the Housing Committee when each building was completed.

9. Thereupon an inspector was sent to examine the house and report back to the Committee in writing within 24 hours.

10. When a satisfactory report was received from the Committee’s inspector the contractor was paid and the house turned over to the applicant.

The above outline of the method of procedure followed by the Committee, while perhaps not adhered to strictly in every case, was, in general, the usual plan adopted and served to expedite matters to a considerable degree.

In order to clarify the matter of the kind of houses the Committee would erect, they provided drawings for four or five different styles of buildings. These plans, with the price of each attached, were displayed by the Committee to all applicants, who selected the one desired in accordance with the price they were able to pay. However, the buildings actually erected were changed in minor features by the applicant or contractor with the consent of the Committee. The Committee engaged various contractors in no way connected with those retained by the Land and Building Department for the erection of camp cottages.

13

STATISTICS FROM ASSOCIATED CHARITIES[292]

[292] Compiled from a statement supplied by the Associated Charities,
December 31, 1912.

A. RECEIPTS OF SAN FRANCISCO ASSOCIATED CHARITIES FROM ALL SOURCES, BY MONTHS FROM JUNE, 1907, TO SEPTEMBER, 1912, INCLUSIVE

=========+==========+===========+===========+
Month | 1907 | 1908 | 1909 |
---------+----------+-----------+-----------+
| | | |
January | .. | $13,696.38| $8,373.16|
February | .. | 8,971.17| 5,481.74|
March | .. | 10,007.52| 35,261.67|
April | .. | 17,455.98| 10,934.18|
May | .. | 14,073.68| 6,947.41|
June | $318.31| 18,318.59| 10,732.56|
July | 1,240.76| 10,303.64| 7,655.22|
August | 5,577.91| 6,704.84| 10,513.91|
September| 511.69| 9,745.11| 6,621.73|
October | 26,054.15| 8,370.00| 8,518.84|
November | 8,733.61| 4,794.58| 10,916.96|
December | 13,027.63| 7,143.04| 9,637.70|
---------+----------+-----------+-----------+
Total |$55,464.06|$129,584.53|$131,595.08|
---------+----------+-----------+-----------+
Monthly | | | |
average| $7,923.44| $10,798.71| $10,966.26|
| [293] | | |
---------+----------+-----------+-----------+

=========+===========+===========+==========
Month | 1910 | 1911 | 1912
---------+-----------+-----------+----------
| | |
January | $33,330.79| $1,345.48| $7,411.68
February | 8,941.58| 7,395.55| 8,773.40
March | 11,250.79| 5,773.97| 5,217.50
April | 11,381.90| 5,851.66| 14,972.31
May | 8,005.59| 10,145.33| 9,876.84
June | 11,743.57| 14,083.40| 16,221.65
July | 7,066.97| 1,426.34| 10,536.56
August | 5,370.14| 16,576.94| 2,057.50
September| 6,989.75| 4,881.17| 8,056.67
October | 11,364.10| 11,354.83| ..
November | 6,607.95| 14,252.44| ..
December | 10,294.14| 17,850.90| ..
---------+-----------+-----------+----------
Total |$132,347.27|$110,938.01|$83,124.11
---------+-----------+-----------+----------
Monthly | | |
average| $11,028.94| $9,244.90| $9,236.01
| | | [294]
---------+-----------+-----------+----------

[293] For seven months only.

[294] For nine months only.

B. DISBURSEMENTS OF SAN FRANCISCO ASSOCIATED CHARITIES FOR RELIEF AND FOR ADMINISTRATION, BY MONTHS, FROM JUNE, 1907, TO SEPTEMBER, 1912, INCLUSIVE[295]

====================+============+============+=============
Year and month | Direct | Salaries | Total
|expenditures| and other |expenditures
| for relief |expenditures|
| | for |
| | administra-|
| | tion[296] |
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
1907 June | $4,239.74| $1,916.60| $6,156.34
July | 3,619.35| 2,333.34| 5,952.69
August | 3,204.02| 1,932.65| 5,136.67
September | 4,306.32| 2,031.74| 6,338.06
October | 12,829.13| 1,588.15| 14,417.28
November | 7,009.65| 699.73| 7,709.38
December | 5,911.58| 1,815.48| 7,727.06
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
Total | $41,119.79| $12,317.69| $53,437.48
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
Monthly average| $5,874.26| $1,759.67| $7,633.93
| [297] | [297] | [297]
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
1908 January | $6,622.00| $2,253.80| $8,875.80
February | 13,714.34| 2,463.79| 16,178.13
March | 11,011.52| 2,738.34| 13,749.86
April | 9,611.49| 3,423.24| 13,034.73
May | 13,846.07| 2,407.35| 16,253.42
June | 9,322.52| 4,560.45| 13,822.97
July | 10,852.82| 3,099.19| 13,952.01
August | 6,314.71| 828.04| 7,142.75
September | 7,716.84| 3,795.43| 11,512.27
October | 7,115.43| 2,429.44| 9,544.87
November | 4,852.45| 1,932.49| 6,784.94
December | 4,376.88| 2,036.40| 6,413.28
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
Total | $105,357.07| $31,967.96| $137,325.03
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
Monthly average| $8,779.76| $2,664.00| $11,443.75
--------------------+------------+--------------------------
1909 January | $4,921.96| $2,129.55| $7,051.51
February | 8,245.75| 2,150.02| 10,395.77
March | 7,394.84| 3,004.12| 10,398.96
April | 7,417.48| 2,074.63| 9,492.11
May | 6,120.89| 2,081.97| 8,202.86
June | 6,872.41| 1,878.56| 8,750.97
July | 6,210.19| 2,156.40| 8,366.59
August | 6,816.13| 2,447.93| 9,264.06
September | 6,332.06| 2,066.15| 8,398.21
October | 4,931.47| 2,027.76| 6,959.23
November | 6,291.56| 1,968.69| 8,260.25
December | 7,919.00| 2,473.45| 10,392.45
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
Total | $79,473.74| $26,459.23| $105,932.97
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
Monthly average| $6,622.81 | $2,204.94| $8,827.75
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
1910 January | $6,672.87| $2,596.15| $9,269.02
February | 8,910.76| 2,102.22| 11,012.98
March | 12,762.54| 2,156.48| 14,919.02
April | 7,603.22| 2,375.26| 9,978.48
May | 7,696.27| 2,317.41| 10,013.68
June | 8,118.11| 2,691.02| 10,809.13
July | 6,465.31| 2,565.34| 9,030.65
August | 7,019.96| 2,295.84| 9,315.80
September | 6,349.54| 2,119.41| 8,468.95
October | 6,801.31| 1,729.99| 8,531.30
November | 6,479.83| 2,091.95| 8,571.78
December | 6,648.04| 2,001.97| 8,650.01
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
Total | $91,527.76| $27,043.04| $118,570.80
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
Monthly average| $7,627.31| $2,253.59| $9,880.90
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
1911 January | $6,232.45| $2,415.48| $8,647.93
February | 6,557.76| 1,845.99| 8,403.75
March | 6,694.31| 1,997.20| 8,691.51
April | 7,440.59| 2,253.58| 9,694.17
May | 6,963.05| 3,030.28| 9,993.33
June | 7,104.07| 2,152.68| 9,256.75
July | 6,061.51| 2,088.62| 8,150.53
August | 8,378.50| 2,138.88| 10,517.38
September | 5,295.61| 2,285.35| 7,580.96
October | 5,352.32| 2,456.61| 7,808.93
November | 7,004.82| 2,632.77| 9,637.59
December | 7,072.07| 2,213.52| 9,285.59
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
Total | $80,157.06| $27,510.96| $107,668.02
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
Monthly average| $6,679.76| $2,292.58| $8,972.33
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
1912 January | $8,057.74| $2,732.89| $10,790.63
February | 9,869.41| 2,383.10| 12,252.51
March | 9,162.64| 2,545.83| 11,708.47
April | 7,209.24| 2,356.18| 9,565.42
May | 7,746.63| 3,402.04| 11,148.67
June | 13,484.32| 2,815.99| 16,300.31
July | 9,824.77| 2,587.55| 12,412.32
August | 9,824.77| 2,587.55| 12,412.32
September | 7,465.69| 2,741.52| 10,207.21
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
Total | $82,645.21| $24,152.65| $106,797.86
--------------------+------------+------------+-------------
Monthly average| $9,182.80| $2,683.63| $11,866.43
| [298] | [298] | [298]
--------------------+-------------------------+-------------

[295] Compiled from a statement supplied by the Associated Charities,
December 31, 1912.

[296] Includes nursing service and child care.

[297] For seven months only.

[298] For nine months only.

C. TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS AND AVERAGE MONTHLY DISBURSEMENTS OF SAN FRANCISCO ASSOCIATED CHARITIES FOR RELIEF AND ADMINISTRATION, BY YEARS. 1907 TO 1912[299]

===============================+============+============+============
Year | | Salaries | Total
| Direct | and other |expenditures
|expenditures|expenditures|
| for relief | for |
| | administra-|
| | tion |
-------------------------------+------------+------------+------------
Total yearly expenditures in | | |
1907[300] | $41,119.79 | $12,317.69 | $53,437.48
1908 | 105,357.07 | 31,967.96 | 137,325.03
1909 | 79,473.74 | 26,459.23 | 105,932.97
1910 | 91,527.76 | 27,043.04 | 118,570.80
1911 | 80,157.06 | 27,510.96 | 107,668.02
1912[301] | 82,645.21 | 24,152.65 | 106,797.86
-------------------------------+------------+------------+------------
Average monthly expenditures in| | |
1907[300] | 5,874.26 | 1,759.67 | 7,633.93
1908 | 8,779.76 | 2,664.00 | 11,443.75
1909 | 6,622.81 | 2,204.94 | 8,827.75
1910 | 7,627.31 | 2,253.59 | 9,880.90
1911 | 6,679.76 | 2,292.58 | 8,972.33
1912[301] | 9,182.80 | 2,683.63 | 11,866.43
-------------------------------+------------+------------+------------

[299] Compiled from a statement supplied by the Associated Charities,
December 31, 1912.

[300] For seven months only.

[301] For five months only.

APPENDIX II

FORMS AND CIRCULARS