Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-05-07
a TERRIBLE FIRE.
TWO Miles of the City of Jacksonville
in Ruins.

TWO Miles of the City of Jacksonville
in Ruins.
Jacksonville, May 1.-The fire which
broke out yesterday at noon, and whlch
was aided in it's work by southwest
gale, spent it's force at 8 O'Clock last
night The damage is enormous. one
hundred and fortyeight blocks were
swept by the flames. and as far as is
known seven persons lost their hVes.
Rumors of Twenty Deaths.
A report is in circulation that
party of twenty persons, driven to the
docks along the river, We're forced IN
| to the water, all attempts at rescue be-
ing futile. The river is being search
ed,
Militia on Duty.
All local companies of the state NIL
litia have been on duty since mldnlght
/ and on the order of Governor Jen-
nings, military companies from four
cities are speeding to Jacksonville by
| special trains.
| Every Citizen a Policeman.
Many extra police have been sworn
in, every able bodied man not doing
| other duty being pressed into service.
Fear Outbreak of Negroes.
Negroes are huddled together in
| groups in the different parts of the
city, and the fear of an attempt at law
| lessness by them, although not openly
expressed by whites, is the reason Tor
the large military force ordered mere.
Rain Needed.
Fire companies from Savannah, Fer
nandina, Ocala and other cities work
ed the entire night on the fire, but a
soaking rain will be necessary to ef-
fectually quench the flames. The
losses by fire will not be known for a
week.
Path is TWO Miles in Length.
! The path of the flames is thirteen
blocks wide and nearly two miles long,
Practically all of old Jacksonville is
destroyed, nothing being left but few
suburbs and Riverside, the most fash
/ ionable part of the city. The distress
/ ing feature of the conflagration was
the loss by many families of libraries
1 pianos and household goods after they
had been moved to supposed places OF
safety.
City In Darkness.
The street car service is at a com
i plete standstill. The city was in dark
ness last night, owing to the electric
light circuits being interrupted. The
gas plant is destroyed.
Ten Thousand Homeless.
A conservative estimate places the
1 number of homeless people in the city
/ at 10000. Most of these spent the
4 ;,, o,,lyc hqrPaE.
/ The board of trade and other CONNER
cial bodies held meetings this morning
to take action looking to the allevia-
tion of the suffering.
Will Appeal for Aid.
! 1t is expected an appeal to the people
of the United States for aid will be
issued today. The leading business
4 men and insurance agents estimate the
total loss to property from ten to fif
teen millions.
Some of Those Burned.
!. Some of the buildings destroyed are
: the Emery auditorium, the board Of
trade, ST. James hotel, Windsor hotel
Seminole club, Daily Metropolis, city
hall and the market, Gardiner build
ing, the largest Office building in the
city, and the Hubbard building.
Firemen Exhausted.
At / o'clock this morning Gordon
: OF militiamen, deputy sheriffs and pc
licemen were thrown around the en-
i tire fire swept districts The fire is
still burning fiercely in many sections
, but the exhausted tiremen, giving w
, the night for the time being, sought
: rest, leaving the fire to burn itself out
Two Children Lost.
DR.. R. III. Dean, a prominent physi
clan reported the loss of his two chill
dren, Helen and Francis, to the police al
noon Dr. Dean collapsed on the
: street after an all-night's search and
in falling was seriously injured.
Fell Into Fire.
w. B. Barnett, president of the First
National bank, tainted during the
progress of the fire. He fell into the
, smoldering ruins and was quite badly
burned before he was rescued.
Many Frustrated.
The terrific strain, added to the
warm weather, is telling on many OF
those who were active yesterday anG
last night in the rescue work. A mum
Der of cases of prostration are reported
: up to noon. Fire Chief Haney Is some
what improved.
Government Aid.
Secretary of War Root today wiref
the mayor of ST. Augustine rendering
the use of the barracks there for the
refugees. st. Augustine offers to care
for one thousand refugees with its OWL
funds.
Will Rebuild With State Help.
Bills for million dollars will b.
} brought before the legislature ant
Z, bond the city to erect the buildings de
stroyed by fire.
Telegraph Companies swamped.
!. Owing to tremendous pressure o.