I remember reading about that. I can't recall all the details, but I don't believe the government was involved. It seems like they found soem creative ways of funding it though. This was before the day and age of entitlements. I know most of the work was done by the citizens themselves. It's a very interesting part of history. Really, lots can be learned from it in this situation. I know that they required every able bodied man to aid in clean up. They were provided with all the liquor they could drink. I imagine the stench was intolerable. And, they applied that age old rule without mercy, shoot looters on site! Very, very interesting historical study.