The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-12-24
GREAT FIRE IN JACKSONVILLE,
FLORIDA.
Loss se5O, O,OoO-Destruction of the Union
ORcc-List of the Sufferers.

From the Jacksonville Union Extra, Dec. 2o.1
The most disastrous fire which has occurred
In this city since the war, broke out last evening,
and entirely destroyed the buildings OIL both slices
Of Bay street and tie south side OF Forsyth street,
between Pine and Laura streets, with the eXcep.
tion Of few buildings on the latter street
About half past seven O'Clock wooden building
situated on the wharf, directly behind and con.
nected with Messrs. Davis 4 Drew's furniture
warehouse. was discovered on fire. The upper
story OF this building was used as warehouse
aad factory by Messrs. Davis Drew, anu was
filled with furniture, moss and other articles.
The lower story was used by ]. N. Fairbanks *
Co., and by w. N. Drew as storehouse, and was
1lcd with lime, cement, hair, plaster, nay ana
other articles. Adjoining this building, on the
south, was NJ. W. Drew's Ice house, containing
about $50 tons Of ice The flames. as soon as dis.
covered. broke out apparently, oil the build
ing, spreading high into the heavens, and surging
over the brick buildings In front In less than
lfteen minutes the furniture store OF Day. 4
Drew, and the store Of J. NJ. Fairbanks Co., and
the building occupied up stairs by the Florida
0n @ s0sn en1eonea sDyS Sy S ss wo
spread 30 rapidly that 1t was impossible to save
any OF the contents. These building were Of
brick, two stories high.
The wind, fortunately, WIS light; but it blew
from the south, carrying tile flames across Bay
street to tile wooden buildings on the opposite
side. From the Union o1ice the fire spread to 5.
b. Hubbard's store, filed with large stock OF
hardware and housekeeping materials, and his
warehouse and tin shop IN the rear; then to Pol's
new building, occupied on the lower floor by A.
N Pace as grocery store, and by MAJ. HolorooH'S
newly fitted up bar and lunch room; the second
story was occupied by the Preedman's Bureau
| oince, and In the third story was large hall
where Prof. Bailey's theatrical scenery stoGd.
Next to this building were the small wooden Duld-
| Ing owaed by H. II. Hoeg, Esq, and occupied by
Dzalynski & Berack, and by W. S. Dodge, as
auctioneer stores, which were swept away, as
| we'll as several large wooden warehouses and
several hundred cords OF fire wood piled on the
wharvcs. The wlarves were en- enflrely destroy ,,
possible 10 save Mr.. Hocg's fnc new Atlantlc
| block, which was separated by only narrow
| passage-way from DzaiyHskis g auction room, but
ly the strenuous eXertiOnS OF the nremen anu
| citizens, with water passed up In buckets, and
two streams from the steam fire engine, the build
ina was saved and the Ore checked IN that dlrec-
| tion Towards the west, the fire spread rapidly
| from Davis Il Drews building TO Holiness block,
occupied on the lower floor by Hun Freidenberg
| and potsdamer as clothing stores, and Smith
Brother as grocery. The second story was oc'
| cuuled rs q furniture warehouse By w. Ii. duD
| bard. This building, with the structures and
wharves in the rear, were entirely destroyed, and
| the flames attacked the splendid new three story
building belonging to Messr5. Ross Haseltine
known as Masonic Hail. swelling over the high
| roof and tapping around the corners In vain
efforts to gain hold but the solid brick walls and
iron shutters resisted the attack, and though the
building was for long time in imminent danger,
1t was finally saved.
|
| from the Union office seized upon the wooden
! building owned and occupied Iy I. S. Eells as
general dry goods and grocery store, ana lmme.
HIately swept away the entire row OF wooden
| buildings on that sde OF the street. from Witch
EMS brick store, near Laura street, 10 the corner
OF Pine street. and, extending back. swept away
several buildings on the south side OF Forsyth
street. including Mrs. d. Jones's house anu MILL
merry store, and Frank Howard's stable builling
| mnoccupied) The new Frecdman's Bank build
| inc In process Of erection, narrowly escaped de-
struction, and the st. Johns House, the Magnolia
| House. and other buildings on the nortn sue OF
/ the street. were only saved by the strenuous eXer-
tlons of the occupants in extingulshins spark Is
| and wetting the roof and plaZzas.
| The wind fresfcned about O'Clock and drove
large volumes OF sparks upon the rear OF tue CITY,
| eudnnQernp the houses half q mile away, and
| causing the owners to mount the roofs Win
water buckets and blankets. Several houses
| some distance from the main fire were lgnlted,
| but quickly eXtingulshed.
TIE FLORIDA UNION OFFICE.
The flames appeared so suddenly in the imme-
| diate rear OF the Union Office, and came pouring
through tile back office windows SO Quickly anu III
| 1ercely that no time was allowed IN which 10 re-
| move the materul, though several men were en-.
| gagged at the time In rhe front room. An attempt
| was made 10 save the books aud papers In tne edl-
| tOrial roOm but without success. A lew papers
were secured, but the furniture, including ralla-
BILE library, desk furniture. files. and papers were
! lost jn the business oillcc tile clerk (w!lo was
| himself srnrc!lrrl in the pr0ceSsl succeedeu ID
| SAVING the .un: ~; subscription books. but
could nv remove The ,Cost valuable contents OF
the sa!., which went down in ihe ruins. Tile en-.
tire colli,!s ur tie 0lllce were bErnt Oac or two
| locked for.ls and Il few iscS OF tyre were re.
| moved pr! i,r rnmru;itinn room. MI Inc resi-
of the property including very vdi;aoc amount
of unlni.!i2 work il The press room AMI oihdery,
was lost.
| LOSSES
tits Impossible as get 10 ascertain exactly the
amount of loss .uilrre by different individuals,
! hIL the following Is u geueral estimate: Messrs:
IInil Ross & Iiazeltnr. damaged 70 the extent OF
nho,i sI0jO. I.nsS sll>tliDed by the occupants VI
s,ures ad Offices in removing AMI losing goods
and furniture about $1,000. Holiness Block and
the Ijuion buiing Owned by Il. o. Holmes, los:
about sl2 900, insured for S55o0 Smith Il Bros.
rrocer-, loss abons S9OOo insured for $4,000. j.
IIuL clothing less about go, O00 insurcr for Sl0
ooO. j. pOtstlamcr clothing, loss about ss000 in
sured for $4,000. ]. N. Fairbanks & CO., loss about
$4,000, insured for $1,000. ", II. Hubbard & Co.
furniture, loss about sl5,000 insured for $4,000
NJ. W. Drew, lime, cement hay, &C.. In ware
house loss $4,000; ice $1,000. no insurance
Davis & Drew, furniture, loss $4,000. Insured
for sSOo0. Spencer. Maxwell & Co., buildings
loss -, insured for =, STOCK. loss =, insured
for $780, Florida Union office, loss $4,000, In
sured for $1,000. S. B. Hubbard, loss about SO,
n0nn dfn