The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-19
JACKS0NVILLES BLAZE.
FIFTY-FIVE BUILDINGS BURNED TO
The GROUND.

Confsgration Ragged Until Daylight
Total Loss About $e5O,ooo - In
eurance $493,9o5,
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, Aug. 18.-Jack
sonville has had one of the biggest fires in
her history.
At 1855 O'Clock last night an alarm was
turned in and the firemen were on hand in
a few seconds to find that the fire was In the
three.story crockery house of Raymond D.
knight, in the center Of the business portion
of the city. Mr. knight had about $50, 900
stock. The building was valued at $50, ,OO0,
and upon it was an insurance of 5 25. 900.
The estimated insurance on stock is about
$4,000.
SPREAD OF THE FLAMES
The heat ignited tha Hubbard block. the
largest building in the city, four stories
high, and containing the Hubbard hard
ware store the Western Union telegraph
Office, the Southern Savings and Trust Com
pany, the Jacksonville Light Infan try
ermory, and the telephone central Offices
The Hubbard block was valued at $50, 900
and was one of the handsomest in the city.
The stock carried by the hardware COM
the insurance carried in both will
amount to about $40 900, placed in different
companies.
IN THE SEMINOLE CLUB HOUSE.
Thence it jumped across the street to the
Seminole club house, which is three stories
high. This is known as the Burbridge block
The building was entirely destroyed Itwas
built two years ago, and was valued at
$4,000, but there is a pretty full in5u rance.
The clubs loss is 10000. The fremont
hotel caught fire from the Burbridge block
and was burned TO the ground.
THE FREEDMAN's BANK BUILDING
Almost the entire roof of the Freedman's
Bank building was now on fire, and line
OF hose was connected with the hydrant at
the corner of Laura and Forsyth streets.
In this building was located the Ell Lobo
cigar factory. It's loss is estimated at $26,-
900, with an insurance of $4,000.
A DYNAMITE EXPLOSION.
The fire was then communicated to the
new Smith building on Forsythe street, near
Main, and the Matter building In the
Smith building a large amount of dyna-
mite had been stored. This exploded and
started fires blocks away to the northwest
The sound was not heard but the effects Of
the explosion were felt fifty miles away.
In the city the effect was stunning.
Men fell in the streets aud
many were injured. Plate glass
for four and five squares was shattered and
the sidewalks were covered with broken
glass. The firemen could have stopped the
fire at this point but for the explosion. That
rendered them about helpless. Residences,
stores and hotels broke into flames, and the
fire became a terrible conhlg ration, and
was not stopped until after daylight. in the
middle of tue square bounded by Church,
Ashley, Laura and Main streets.
THE HEAVIEST LOSSES.
The larger buildings burned are Knights
crockery store, the Hubbard BLOCK, the
Seminole block. the Smith building, the
Matter house, the Freedman's bank build
ing, the fremont hotel, the Hotel Placde,
ive-story brick buildings the loss
on which will be fully S70,000), the
Ritzewoller residence, the Chelsea
house, a three-story frame building valued
al Slo GOO; the Slayer residence, valued at
$1,000; st. Joseph's academy, valued at
$4,000; the Tilton house, valued at SIS, 900; /;
McMurray & Baker carriage repository and
nearly all the buildings from and including
cluiing Lloyd Bros grocery store on the
corner Of Church and Main streets.
THE TOTAL LOSS AND INSURANCE.
The total number of buildings of all kinds
burned is fifty-five, and the total loss is
about $S50,0OO. The total insurance is
SiJ3S15
The largest losers among the insurance
companies are the Liverpool, London and
Globe, $45, 700; A1tua, $4,000; American
Mutual, $4,000; German-American, S2l,-
$40; Phoenix Of Hartford, S33, 400: Gem
mercial Union, S3l, ,785; Hamburg-Bremen,
S@0,870; Hartford, 5000; Orient, S22 900.
The insurance is not obtainable just now,
but 1t will be small compared with the total
loss
No lives were lost.
Late tonight the ruins wrought by the
Aie fire were still smoking and burning,
hremen were still playing on the debris. and
interested spectators, drawn by curiosity,
were gazing at the wreck.
A DEsoLATE SCENE.
his morning the scene was most desolate
Une. A square of beautiful homes had been
destroyed and tall chimneys alone remained
VI wha5 had once been the lovely homes of
81 STure culture aud refinement. The streets were
4 niled With costly furniture that had been
ieSCGed from the devouring flames.
Iahgled wires covered the streets and the
~ Nou square was almost undlSlnGulSha-
oie as TO the division lines, 50 far had the
t;Srk Gork OF obliteration been carried on. Beau
tt tui MAIN street was a hot bed of ashes (;
W., ,ae oiock pavement was followed out by
sae Ire and made rough and uneven; the
ra raoke curled lazily upward from hundred
pO'hts; the air was hot and sitting.
THE CoLoRED PEOPLE AT WORK.
ooie tue conduct of a great majority Of tue
81 i'll ILL Gu people was splendid. They worked
tb @e heroes, and rushed into the flames TO ave
yno property of their white friends There
ireieh mo disturbances of any kind. All seemed
anS uiu I1 with the solemnity of the hour
81 nar;i q" were brothers in the great hour of
pjJn' stranger and friend worked side by
Po u' plack and white stood shoulder
~ shoulder, and united effort
snS 1S mad. made to stay the progress of the flames
destro,.e oave as much as possible from the grim
oioNsIBlLITY FOR THE EXPLOSION.
kae,,;H1e kGae Indignation was expressed at the
and lug o OF dynamite within the city limits.
coca, ~au an effort will be made to find ont who
the satS and thoughtlessly imperiled
the oSToy oSTTaety Of the city, and to punish
cayssd Cdne1der if possible. The explosion
S10 n0o . loss In broken glass alone OF over
4 nIe WI - say nothing of the scores Of peo-
broken glass VI 4e'' injured oy tne
L ANGLE's cooLHEADEDNEss.
ina, ~ sgOas as If DR.. John C. L'Engle's build