Many first hand accounts testify to both the uncertainty and fortitude of the survivors. This is from Antoine Borel Jr. a banker with Borel & Co., tenants at the Nevada Block, which housed Wells Fargo Bank at the time. The Borel family home at Washington and Franklin Streets did survive, the fire stopped just one block short at Van Ness.

April 20, 1906

"A terrible thing has happened. San Francisco is no more. There was a frightful shock on Wednesday morning at 5:13 – buildings fell right and left... but worst of all was the fire. The whole city is destroyed – from the Ferry Building to the Presidio and from the Beach to the Potrero. Every street went up in flames... The Nevada Bank was blown up by the soldiers, who came from all parts of the state. There was “martial law” in town and when we went to the bank they denied us entrance... Thank God that we are still alive. Much love and kisses to you all,
Your loving Antoine.

But there was no martial law. Because of the looting and chaos that followed, Mayor Eugene Schmitz issued a proclamation stating,

"The Federal Troops, the members of the Regular Police Force and all Special Police Officers have been authorized by me to KILL any and all persons found engaged in Looting or in the Commission of Any Other Crime."

The deployment of military troops all over the city gave its residents the mistaken notion that martial law had, indeed, been declared. Truth was the mayor did not have the legal authority to order troops to shoot down people on command.

Read a detailed account of the military's role in law enforcement  after the Great Earthquake.