. Many others had
fled in their night garbs, and comparatively few of these had had the
self-possession to return and don their daytime clothes. As a result
there had been much improvisation of garments suitable for life in the
open air, and as the days went on many of the women arrayed themselves
in home-made bloomer costumes, a sensible innovation under the
circumstances and in view of the active outdoor work they were obliged
to perform.

The grave question to be faced at this early stage was: How soon would
an adequate supply of food arrive from outside points to avert famine?
Little remained in San Francisco beyond the area swept by the fire, and
the available supply could not last more than a few days. Fresh meat
disappeared early on Wednesday and only canned foods and breadstuffs
were left. All the foodstuffs coming in on the cars were at once seized
by order of the Mayor and added to the scanty supply, the names of the
consignees being taken that this material might eventually be paid for.
The bakers agreed to work their plants to their utmost capacity and to
send all their surplus output to the relief committee. By working night
and day thousands of loaves could be provided daily. A big bakery in
the saved district started its ovens and arranged to bake 50,000 loaves
before night. The provisions were taken charge of by a committee
and sent to the various depots from which the people were being fed.
Instructions were issued by Mayor Schmitz on Thursday to break open
every store containing provisions and to distribute them to the
thousands under police supervision. A policeman reported that two
grocery stores in the neighborhood were closed, although the clerks were
present. "Smash the stores open," ordered the Mayor, "and guard them."
In towns across the bay the master bakers have met and fixed the price
of bread at 5 cents the loaf, with the understanding that they will
refuse to sell to retailers who attempt to charge famine prices. The
committee of citizens in charge of the situation in the stricken city
proposed to use every effort to keep food down to the ordinary price and
check the efforts of speculators, who in one instance charged as much as
$3.50 for two loaves of bread and a can of sardines. Orders were issued
by the War Department to army officers to purchase at Los Angeles
immediately 200,000 rations and at Seattle 300,000 rations and hurry
them to San Francisco. The department was informed that the