n the open air. Mr.
and Mrs. Dr. J. W. Keeney and family left their home at 2222 Clay
Street, and remained on Lafayette Square in the open air for two days
and nights, with hundreds of others, who feared another earthquake and
the conflagration.

The afternoon after the fire had exhausted itself, the atmosphere was
hot, the great beds of coals gave out heat and glowed brightly at night.
The more I saw of this desolation, the worse it looked. I barricaded my
windows the best I could with mattresses and rugs, as the wind was a
little chilly. They stayed that way for about two weeks. The front of my
house was blistered and blackened by the intense heat. The paint melted
in a peculiar way, and over two of the windows it hung like drapery.
This morning (Saturday, the 21st) a man with a policeman came to the
door and demanded blankets, cover-lids, pillows, and mattresses. I gave
all I could spare, and some draperies besides. They insisted on taking
the rugs from the floor, and I had much difficulty in making them see
that rugs were not what they needed. The telegraph and telephone wires
made a network on every street, and for more than two weeks I carried in
my pocket a pair of wire cutters, which I had often occasion to use.
During the week following the fire, I found many water-pipes leaking,
and I went around with a hammer and wooden plugs and stopped them, in
hope to raise the water sufficient to have a supply in my house. I think
I succeeded. This morning (Saturday) I was hungry, with nothing in my
house to eat. I found a fireman on the street who gave me one of two
boxes of sardines which he had, and a stranger gave me soda crackers, so
I had a pretty fair breakfast under the circumstances.

Bread we were able to buy after a few days. On May 3d we were able to
buy the staple articles of food. Up to that time we obtained what we
needed from the Relief Committee, such as canned meats, potatoes,
coffee, crackers, etc.

The city being under military rule, on May 4th I obtained the following
orders:

San Francisco, May 4, 1906.
To All Civic and Military Authorities:

Permit the bearer, Mr. J. B. Stetson, to visit the premises, 123
California, and get safe.

J. F. Dinan,
Chief of Police.
May 4, 1906.

Permit Mr. Stetson, No. 123 California Street, to open safe and remove
contents.

J. M. Stafford,
Major 20th Infantry, U. S. A.

So, with this permit, authority or protection, or whatever it may be
called, I