Permanent Location of Chinatown—Abraham Ruef, chairman; James D. Phelan, Jeremiah Deneen, Dr. James W. Ward, and Dr. Filben.
Restoration and Resumption of Retail Trade—Geo. 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.” After that there were occasional reports in the burned districts; they may have been exploding automobile tires—no one stopped to inquire. Anyway, there was no further looting.
The sub-committees had barely time to organize when the fire swept over the hills and they were again driven out. The Mayor issued an order that all records saved and the municipal government be removed to the Police Station at Haight and Stanyan Streets, far out by Golden Gate Park, for a last stand. At the same time he ordered an adjournment of all committees to Franklin Hall, at the corner of Bush and Fillmore Streets, thus establishing headquarters as near the fire line as practicable. If burned out there his orders were for all to rally at the Park Police Station.
That was at noon on Thursday; within thirty hours the Committee had been organized by men who left their property to destruction and within the same length of time the committee had been burned out four times and located the fifth headquarters. The city had been policed by regulars, militiamen and volunteers, and the most disastrous fire in history was under control.