▁the ▁east ▁coast ▁of ▁the ▁job ▁opportun ities ▁for ▁women ▁and ▁travel ▁arrang ements ▁were ▁worked ▁out ▁with ▁p addle ▁wheel ▁steam ▁ship ▁lines ▁with ▁depend able ▁sched ules ▁on ▁the ▁Car ib bean ▁and ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁many ▁more ▁women ▁started ▁coming ▁to ▁California . ▁ ▁Living ▁conditions ▁ ▁In ▁San ▁Francisco , ▁an ▁official ▁port ▁of ▁entry ▁for ▁California ▁sh ipping ▁and ▁passengers , ▁the ▁population ▁expl oded ▁from ▁about ▁ 2 0 0 ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁to ▁ 3 6 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 2 . ▁In ▁San ▁Francisco ▁initially ▁many ▁women ▁( and ▁men ) ▁were ▁hous ed ▁in ▁wooden ▁houses , ▁ships ▁ha u led ▁up ▁on ▁the ▁shore ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁homes ▁or ▁business es , ▁canvas ▁wood ▁fr amed ▁t ents ▁and ▁other ▁fl amm able ▁structures . ▁These ▁types ▁of ▁structures ▁combined ▁with ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁d run ken ▁g amb lers ▁and ▁min ers ▁led ▁almost ▁in ev it ably ▁to ▁many ▁fires . ▁Most ▁of ▁San ▁Francisco ▁burn ed ▁down ▁six ▁times ▁in ▁six ▁" Gre at ▁F ires " ▁between ▁ 1 8 4 9 ▁and ▁ 1 8 5 2 . ▁ ▁From ▁San ▁Francisco ▁by ▁late ▁ 1 8 4 9 ▁p addle ▁steam ers ▁were ▁transport ing ▁the ▁min ers ▁and ▁others ▁ ▁to ▁Sac r amento ▁and ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁California ▁Gold ▁R ush ▁country . ▁ ▁Women ▁in ▁sex ▁work ▁and ▁entertain ment ▁ ▁Women ▁flo oded ▁to ▁California