San Francisco was left without power, gas, and telephones, though Western Union was able to restore telegraph service within hours of the earthquake. At the time of the earthquake, San Francisco's population was approximately 400,000. Hundreds of thousands of people were left homeless. Thousands were left dead.

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According to expert Gladys Hansen, casualities were six times greater than orginally reported. "I learned that the Board of Supervisors estimated that 478 died. The State Board of Health said 503 died. And General (Adolphus) Greely, from the U.S. Army, said 498 died." She believes an effort was made to downplay the true results of the disastor, for fear that the city wouldn't be rebuilt. She estimates the death total to be around 3,000. Many survivors left the city, fleeing by railroad to other parts of the country, or across the bay to Oakland by ferry. Others stayed,living in tents, in refugee camps set up by the army. And, a few fortunate ones, didn't lose their homes.

Acording to the Southern Pacific Railroad, 300,000 people were evacuated by train. This transportation was provided free, and estimated costs to Southern Pacific exceeded $400,00

"The refugees were carried free by the railroads to any point they wished to go, and it is estimated that over one hundred thousand people have left the peninsula on which San Francisco stood". (This article was printed before the figures were final) Jack London

"Three hundred thousand people were rendered homeless, and their ordinary methods of providing themselves with food, clothing and shelter, being entirely destroyed, their feeding and sheltering demanded extraordinary action and engrossed the attention of every one as soon as the ravages of the fire were checked. Remedial methods adopted and prosecuted with great efficiency have relieved this unprecedented disaster. The Citizens' Committee, appointed by Mayor Schmitz, is composed of the ablest businessmen of the city, and their efforts united is harmonious to an astounding degree, speedily brought order out of chaos, and introduced systems of relief, which have accomplished wonders." Victor H. Metcalf, President Roosevelt's secretary of labor and commerce, telegram to the president that detailed conditions in San Francisco.

Waiting in line for food and water.

The order prohibiting persons from building fires in houses resulted in all kitchen stoves being moved into the street, where cooking was done for many weeks. From the San Francisco Police Report "Even so, no match or fire could be lighted in the house until full inspection of its gas pipes and electrical wiring was completed. This meant that those who wanted to cook had to take their cooking equipment out on the streets. What a sight on Dolores St.! All the way down the middle of the street cooking stoves and supplies were lined one after the other." DeWitt C. Baldwin

For the thousands of people who had escaped the fire and gone on foot to our part of the city, the military made available provisions, tents, blankets, medicines and food. DeWitt C. Baldwin The most foreign element in the park is the great crowd that collects about the Relief Camps, where thousands stand in the bread-line three times each day to be fed. Louise Herrick Wall
	There were, of course, thousands of refugees for whom life was anything but normal. The army set up all its available tents in public squares and in Golden Gate Park, and a few days after the fire the city began to erect wooden barracks. Some of them were occupied for more than a year. Howard Livingston

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