They caught the ferry just in time and debarked in Oakland.

 Well, for heavens sakes! Aunt Agatha had the croup so the three guests did not feel they could proceed to the lecture at Berkeley. As it grew darker Aunt Agatha convinced the three to stay the night as she was feeling poorly.

At 5:12 AM everyone was jolted from their beds. Katie was actually thrown off the couch in the livingroom onto the floor. An earthquake began that continued with several after shocks.

The women were assisted by Aunt Agatha's caretaker, and the wooden house shook but not being made of brick, it held together with the timber passing off the tremors.

As they stood on the porch in Oakland only when they saw plumes of black smoke rising above downtown San Francisco did they become alarmed.
Ferry service was suspended as all ships sailed to aid the devestated city

Go to  .http://www.sfmuseum.org/1906/photos.html  for San Francisco Virtual Museum of the City of San Francisco for pictures of the City and refugee tent cities in Golden Gate Park and the Presidio.