royed by fire, its vaults, which contained all the cash on hand,
being alone preserved. Guards were put over these to protect their
contents against possible loss by theft.

One serious effect of the conflagration was the general disorganization
of the telegraph system. News items were sent over the wires, but
private messages inquiring about missing friends for days failed to
reach the parties concerned or to bring any return.

That the world received news of the San Francisco disaster during the
dread day after the earthquake is due in part to the courage of the
telegraph operators, who stuck to their posts and, continued to send
news and other messages in spite of great personal danger.

The operators and officials of the Postal Telegraph Company remained in
the main office of the company, at the corner of Market and Montgomery
Streets, opposite the Palace Hotel, until they were ordered out of
it because of the danger of the dynamite explosions in the immediate
vicinity. The men proceeded to Oakland, across the bay, and took
possession of the office there. That night the company operated seven
wires from Oakland, all messages from the city being taken across the
bay in boats. As the days passed on the service gradually improved, but
a week or more passed away before the general service of the company
became satisfactory.

THE DANGER FROM THIRST.

Such news as came from the city was full of tales of horror. For a
number of days one of the chief sources of trouble was from thirst.
Although the earthquake shocks had broken water mains in probably
hundreds of places, strange to say, no water, or very little at least,
appeared on the surface of the ground. Public fountains on Market
Street gave out no relief to the thirsty thousands. At Powell and Market
Streets a small stream of water spurted up through the cobblestones and
formed a muddy pool, at which the thirsty were glad enough to drink. The
soldiers, disregarding the order not to let people move about, permitted
bucket brigades to go forth and bring back water to relieve the women
and the crying children. To reach the water it was necessary sometimes
to go a mile to one of the four reservoirs which top the hills.

Here is a story told by one observer of incidents in the city during the
fire:

"I talked to one man who slept in Alta Plaza. The fire was going on
in the district south of them, and at intervals all night exhausted
fire-fighters made their way