“ Changing headquarters five times and organizing and planning as the members fled along the streets was no easy task, but it was accomplished and for nearly a week these committees arranged and cared for the homeless multitude.
The rapidity with which organization was effected and order enforced, is what amazes the knowing world today. It was done by citizens of San Francisco, backing up their executive with their lives and their fortunes, and back of them stood their friends in the breadth and length of these whole United States. ”

“ Hardly had the mighty tremblor ceased its gyrations when innumerable fires broke out among the chaotic ruins, having caught from engine furnaces, broken electric wire conduits and spontaneous combustion, fed by the most inflammable of materials and fanned by a stiff breeze from the bay, grew and spread into what shortly became the most stupendous and widespread, as well as awe-inspiring conflagration, which any people of the eighteenth or nineteenth century have ever as yet looked upon or flown from. ”

“ Every other building, of whatsoever class, kind or construction, was tumbled, crumbled, shaken down, or absolutely gutted by the fierce flames in which granite dissolved to powder and steel beams melted and buckled like a watch’s freed mainspring ”

“ Everywhere the streets were filled with the debris of fallen walls and cobwebbed with a tangle of dangling wires, among which half a million of people stood numb and dazed or groped their way blindly, not knowing where to go nor what to do. In a dozen widely scattered localities smoke devils were dancing from roof to roof and people gave way mechanically for the clanging apparatus rushing wildly to the fires. ”

“ Firemen, regulars, police, and civilian volunteers worked in the heat and smoke and noxious gases until they were overcome and fell in their tracks. They were dragged back and others stepped into the breach, to be dragged back in turn when they fell. Firemen fought with the determination of despair and cried like children when the failure of water deprived them of their weapon.
Before the hour set for the meeting of the Citizens’ Committee the entire city was threatened with destruction. ”

“ They have been fighting ever since and will continue to fight until San Francisco shall have been restored even beyond the dreams of those fathers.
The first effective work began with Mayor Eugene E. Schmitz and the members of the Police Commission, who had quickly assembled at the Hall of Justice. It was a time when no man could stop to think twice; immediate action must be taken; action that must be absolutely correct on the first thought. The first official action was to send out police to close each and every saloon. ”

“ No computer or statistician lives who could accurately arrive at the monetary loss, variously estimated at from three hundred and fifty to four hundred millions of dollars. Nor will the loss of human life ever be known, said to be from fifteen hundred to two thousand; many more are known to have perished in the lodging houses and cheaper hotels located in the district south of Market street, as well as in the poorer districts, of which no returns will or can ever be made ”

“ Trolley Cars Were Consumed Where
They Had Been Deserted at the Moment of the Earthquake; a Policeman Taking
a Man Bereft of Reason Through Fright and Terror, to a Place of Safety;
Many Persons Went Insane.
Larger Image Citizens Rendezvousing on the Vacant Places When the Fire Was Raging in the
Mission District.
[Pg 37]
Larger Image Looking Towards the Ferry from Front and Market Streets on the First Day.
Larger Image Looking West from the Corner of Kearny on Market Street, First Day.
[Pg 38]
Larger Image On Market, Looking Towards the Ferry ”

“ It will require a large book to tell the details of the work of these committees, each being aided by hundreds of volunteers. Each member of a committee being vested with police powers, and automobiles, carriages and wagons of all kinds were impressed wherever found ”

“ View of the City of San Francisco on Fire.
The Only Photograph Obtained Showing the Entire Scope and Extent of the Great Conflagration.
Fire Line Over Three Miles Long, Extending from North Beach, Golden Gate, to Twenty-first Street, Mission.
[Pg 10]
Larger Image Effects of Shock on western side of Memorial Museum, Golden Gate Park,
a Structure of the Mid-Winter Exposition.
[Pg 11]
Larger Image Effects of Shock: Total Wreck of the Children’s Play-House, in Golden Gate Park;
a City Building.
[Pg 12]
Larger Image Effects of Shock on Dolores Mission, the Oldest Building in the City ”

“ Fire Raging in Chinatown.
Larger Image From Center of Market Street at Powell, Flood Building on Left,
the Emporium on the Right, Call Building in Distance, South Side.
[Pg 35]
Larger Image One of the First Outbreaks of Flame Immediately After the Earthquake,
Third and Mission Streets.
Larger Image Removing the Wounded and Dead from the Wreck of the Brunswick Hotel,
Mission Street.
[Pg 36]
Larger Image Looking Down Third Street from Market ”

“ W. Wittman, chairman; H. D. Loveland.
Citizens’ Police Committee—H. U. Brandenstein, chairman.
Auxiliary Fire Committee—A. W. Wilson, chairman.
Restoration of Abbattoirs—Henry Miller, chairman.
History and Statistics—John S. Drum, chairman; E. F. Moran, secretary; Richard C. Harrison, and Clement Bennett.
Organization of the Wholesalers—William Babcock, chairman.
Martial law having been declared, one of the first orders of the Citizens’ Committee was embodied in the first proclamation of the Mayor: “Troops and police are authorized to kill on sight any person or persons caught looting.” ”