Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-05-09
Greatest Conflagration in
City's History.
Destruction Between Twelve
and Fifteen Millions
Six Lives Lost, rlany Public
Buildings Gone.

Jacksonville, Fla. May jackson
vile yesterday experienced the most
disastrous fire of the city's existence.
Along the entire length Of Beaver
street, from Davis street to the creek
on Liberty street. all buildings were
totally destroyed. This Is fourteen
solid blocks of residences. For the
same distance Ashley and Church
streets have both been completely
blotted out. When the fire reached
Bridge street in its eastward course IT
| enyeloped in flames three blocks, bur /
| ing up that entire section Of the city
and running fourteen blocks to Duval
street bridge. The eonfagratlon coy
cred as far as known distance Of two
and a half miles by half mile wide.
When the fire reached Julia street,
it was roaring furnace without
prospect of being put under control
Local military companies were called
out to keep back the crowds, and tn ,
fire department began to use dynamit=
to blow up houses block from the
fire. So fierce was the blaze, however
and so strong had become the wind
that millions of sparks and flying
houses on fire in advance Of the de
partment Soon Senator Taliaferro's
residence and then the adjoining
houses in that block were ablaze, anc
in spite Of all efforts to save the Wind
sor and ST. James hotel, both hostel
ries were quickly enveloped in flames
Leaping across the street from He
Windsor, the flames attacked the SELL:
House and then the Methodist parson
age and church was mass of flames
The opera house block followed anC
the Richards & Livingstone boarding
/ houses, and the Baldwin mansion re
Gently purchased by the Elks for SIS,
900 was destroyed next. When thu
fire started on Main street, the closet.
l adjoining buildings went one afte
2 another. Then the Hubbard hard
' ware store caught and people scat
tered because they knew hundreds o
: pounds of powder and much dynamite
| were stored in the building. In tel
5 minutes there was an explosion an(
: the building collapsed like an egE
: shell.
This was the start Of the most IN
tense part of the fire. Down the stree
it spread with rapidity, and the entir'
section of Bay street from Market t.
!. Main street, extending for five blocks
was burning at once. The city build
2 ing, fire department building, armory
: county court house, clerks office VIII
. the county records, criminal cour
] house, city Jail, graded schools, Cath
: Ollie church and orphanage, st. John
: Episcopal church and the convent wer
5 quickly consumed. All this destruc
/ ton was wrought in less than fOu
/. hours. At $50 the fire was checked
: at the intersection of Laura and Ba.
: streets where the Commercial bank il
{ located and which went up in flames
| The Western Union Telegraph office
just across the street. was not dam
: aged. Among the prominent hotel:
burned were the ST. James, United
States, Placide and Windsor.
1t is impossible at this hour to as
certain the losses but it is estimated
: by insurance agents it will be between
: S12,O00,OOO and SIS 100000 Six lives
are reported lost in the confagration
The mayor has called meeting of the
city council to consider ways AND
means of relieving the sufferers.