A few of the families who could secure willing expressmen posessed cooking stoves, but over 95 per cent of the refugees had to do their cooking on little camp fires made of brick or stone.

The cooking utensils were, in many instances, old tin cans or worn out pots and kettles, rescued from the junk shop.

Not many of the homeless people were in possession of comfortable clothing and bedding. The grass was the only bed of thousands during the first nights after the earthquake and the clothes on their bodies their only protection against the penetrating fog of the ocean or the chilling dew of the morning. But good order and fellowship prevailed in all the impromptu settlements, and the common ruin made all the unfortunate akin.

One of the greatest drawbacks was the lack of water. This precious fluid, so necessary to sustain life, which Americans are want to waste so recklessly, was so scarce, that every drop of it was carefully saved. Many people, especially children and nursing mothers, suffered greatly for the want of water, until the authorities could provide enough of it for everybody to drink.