Gilpin observer., 1901-05-09
CITY is FIRE-SWEPT
JACKSONVILLE SUFFERS A LOSS OF
FIFTEEN MILLION.
One Hundred and Thirty Blocks Burned.
Many of Tht m In the Heart OF the Busi-
: ness and Residence District--City's Hand
soonest Structures Destroyed.

Many of Tn. m In the Heart of the Busi-
ness and Residence District--City's Hand
soonest Structures Destroyed.
Jacksonville, Fla, May 4.-The most
disastrous fire in the history of this
city began yesterday shortly after
noon in small factory, started by
defective wire, according to the best
belief, and burned for nearly ten
hours. In that time property damage
estimated from $10,0O0,000 to $15,00O.-
600 was caused.
According to the city map one hun
dred and thirty blocks were burned,
many of them in the heart of the busi-
ness and residence section. the esti-
mate of houses to the block is ten.
Thirteen hundred of them went up
In smoke. Many of the finest public
and private buildings were destroyed.
including hotels, theaters, churches
and residences.
The casualties cannot be accurately
estimated. That there were several
seems to be well authenticated. Among
them was that of the fire chief, who
sustained a bad fall. The mayor or
dered all saloons closed, and has i'm
pressed help to clear the wreclSage.
The mayor stated that he estimated
the loss at S15,000,000 and that 10,-
900 to 1900 people We're homeless.
Origin of the Fire.
The fire started in the American
Fibre factory between the hours of II
and l o'clock in the afternoon. and
owingto this fact the loss of life will be
I "a ca
tory was n wooden shell, full of in
fammable material, and in a few mo-
ments it was n mass OF flames. The
wind, which was already blowing
strong from the southwest, seemed to
be possessed with a sudden fury and
soon was carrying destructive embers
all through the city. the fairest por-
ton of which lay right in the course
of the wind. Some delay was expert
enced in sounding an alarm, and to
add to the tragedy of fatcful accidents
the engine at the waterworlls suffered
mishap and nothing more than or
dinary pressure could be obtained.
By this time the flames had swept to
the Boston store. 1t leaped across
! Davis street and took course right
through a section where block after
block of frame buildings, many occu-
pied by negroes. had been erected.
Here is where the fire department lost
control. as simultaneously in half
dozen places. some Of them six blocks
from the main fire. roofs We're seen to
burst out in flames 1t took just four
hours for that resistless sea of flame
to consume every building in it's wake
for space OF six to eight blocks wide.
from Davis street, near where IL
| started, to the Hogan street viaduct,
n distance of over one and n half miles.
and then, not satisfied with eating the
heart of the residential portion of the
city out. II doubled back and came
roaring up the principal thoroughfare
of trnde. destroying everything In what
was the original incorporation of Jack
sonville.
Into Heart of City.
Right into the heart of the town the
flames swept The Windsor hotel, the
St James, both fine winter hotels.
were consumed in an incredibly short
time. The opera house followed and
then row upon row of elegant resi-
dences went up. AS the viaduct lead
ing over the marshes of Hogan's creek
to East Jacksonville was reached It
was plain that the limit Of the progress
of the flames westward had come.
Just rs the material for the flames was
apparently consumed shift in the
wind sent roaring sea of flames
southwark toward the river.
Then came the most thrilling scene
of the entire day. The flames caught
the freight warehouse of the Western
railroad and began from there on their
march backward in the teeth of the
wind. Slowly, but surely. the fire ate
its way against the wind. taking either
side of Bay street until II reached
Jones boat yard. The flames swept
down In the rear of the United States
hotel and that. with the Law ex-
change, was doomed. Meantime the
county court house caught fire and an
other splendid edliicc wns soon to-
tai wreck. From the United States
hotel the flames nran jumped across
the street and the work OF destruction
continued. only to he checked when
the last building near McCoys and
Hognn's creek had been destroyed.
Victims Burned to Death or Drowned.
Jacksonville, Fla. May THE work
of relief In Jacksonville is progressing
systematically. The following are the
dead so far as recovered: Harry ID.
Bonathcau, William Clark, both white:
unknown negro. found In the river mt
the foot OF Market street. Mrs. Cor
nclia Thompson, widow OF the late
General Wnddy Thompson. bones
found In ruins Of old ladies' home.
Union and Laura streets; Martha Ha-
gen, negro woman, found at Ocean
and State streets.