Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-05-28
RISING FROM RUINS.
STRICKEN CITY OF JACKSON
WILLIE TO BE REBUILT.
The Great Fire Which Wipsd Ont 14S'
Blocks, Rendered 10000 People
Homeless and Inflicted Money Loss,
of $1o,5O0,0oO.

Jacksonville, Fla, is slowly arising
from the effects of the recent awful visl-
tatlon, when a mighty conhagrauon
swept over the place, wiping out I4S'
blocks of buildings, inhicting a monetary
loss of SlO,500000, rendering 10000 peo-'
pie homeless and destitute and entailing
casualties, the exact number of which is
not even yet determined. Order is being.
gradually evolved from the chaos which.
followed the whitening disaster and I'M
der the stimulus of come ittees of leading.
citizens the people are beginning to take
new heart.
The fire which entailed such heavy
loss upon Jacksonville was the worst in.
the history of the State. With the rapid
ity and fierceness of prairie fire sweeping:
over the sun-dried plains, or of a forest
fire among Inviting pine trees, the flames
passed over a section of the city thir-
teen blocks wide and two miles in length.
embracing in the same consuming breath
the prOudest and most substantial build
ings equally as the most unpretenuOus
negro dwelling. Famed by a strong
wind, the flames leaped into the air for
LunG. eds of feet and bending over in
the form of archways attacked buildings
several rods away, leaving the interven-
ing structures TO be consumed at will.
Against the advance of the confagration
at its height mans efforts were futile,
Water turned into steam in the terrific
heat and even dynamite was powerless
to open gaps over which the flames could
not reach. Finally, like a monster with
appetite satiated, the flames died down
and the most destructive fire in the his
Of Nv; 40 %
sorrow.
Orig of the Fire.
The fire started a little before l o'clock
in the afternoon at the plant of the
Cleveland Fiber Company, where some
fiber drying on a platform was ignitedI
by falling SCOT from the chimney of n
negro cottage. The start was an unfor-
tunate one for the fiber building was lit,
tie more than a finder box and the sur
rounding buildings-the humble dwell
ings of the negroes-were highly inham-
mable. Right here the fire department
lost its grip on the fire. The flames quick
ly spread from the fiber plant to the me-
goes dwellings, and soon n dozen OF
the latter were masses of fire.
The course of the fire lay eastward
along Beaver, Ashley and Church streets.
to Hogan's creek, dipping out of its way,
here and there to lick up block or two,
but ever burning with accelerating speed
and intensity. When it reached Julia
street, which runs at right angles to the
st. John river and Beaver street, it was
at its height, and so terrific was the heat
that men could do nothing but look help
lessly on. The draught created by the
intense heat carried portions of roofs
timbers and the like high into the air,
whence they fell, blocks distant to start,
fresh fires ,
At this time the fire department began,
using dynamite in blowing up houses,
hoping thereby to create spaces over
which the flames could not spread. But
their work was futile. The very air seem
ed to be on fire. Millions of sparks were
carried into the air, to descend in fiery
rain, and buildings far in advance of the
dynamite brigade broke into fame.
In succession the Windsor Hotel and
the st. James hostelry were consumed
and then followed Trinity NJ. e. Church,
the opera house and other substantial
buildings.
When Main street was reached another
nfammable section presented itself for
destruction. Paint shops, with quanti-
ties of stored oils, were numerous here
and they burst into explosive fame. Then
came a hardware store, containing pow
der and dynamite. These exploded with
terrific force and the air was filled for a
time with bullets, as the flames discharg-
ed cartridge after cartridge. The firemenI
were driven away and the flames gained
fresh energy. Down the street they
spread with the rapidity of a train of ig-
nited powder and soon FIVE blocks of Bay
street were burning furiOusly. Finally
at the corner of Bay street and LAUREL
the spread of the flames was checked.
All the churches in the city were de-
stToyed. Among other notable buildingsI
burned are the municipal building fire
department building, the armory, the
Duval County court house, the jail, the
criminal court house and the County
Clerks office.
For the reconstruction OF the county
buildings n bill has been drafted appro-,
priating 100000 and another bill pro-
viding for the issuing of 100000 in city
bonds was introduced in the Legislature
for the reconstruction of the city build
ings. Meantime relief has been pouring
IN from Atlanta, Charleston, Detroit,
New York, Boston, Chicago and other
cities.