nine o'clock
Victoria communicated to Isabel the information she had received from the neighbors , always coming and going . People were pouring out of the city , not only by the Southern Pacific boats to Oakland , and indirectly to Berkeley and Alameda , but by freight-boats and launches to the Marin towns . They were obliged to make a long detour round the base of the northern hills , as the water-front and the streets behind were a roaring furnace , although the fires had not crossed East Street . All houses in the towns across the bay had opened to the refugees , tents had been erected in the public squares , and emergency hospitals had been started before nine o'clock . The militia had been called out to assist the regulars , and also the Cadet Battalion of the State University . A Citizens ' Patrol had been formed to protect the still unburned districts , each man provided with arms at the Presidio . People on the lower slopes were now in full flight towards the western parks and hills , as well as the Presidio , many being under the impression that the ferry-boats were not running .