Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-05-04
JACKSONVILLE Loss
Destruction in Yesterdays Flam-
ing Devastation Estimated
at SIS, 100000.
SECTION OF TOWN IS CONF
Three Hotels and Theatre Among
the Buildings That Went
Up in Smoke.


and forty-seven blocks of the city were
swept by yesterdays fire and the dam
age is estimated at $4,000. 600 to
$15, ZOO, 900. AS far as known seven
persons lost their lives. 1t is re-
ported party of 20 were driven to
the docks along the river and forced
into the water. The river is being
searched. The militia company of this
city and four other places, together
with regular and extra police. are on
duty. No attempts at lawlessness
are reported.
Practically all of old Jacksonville is
destroyed, nothing being left but a
few suburbs and Riverside. the most
fashi"~Phle part of the city. The
stree car service is completely at q
standstill. The electric light circuit
is interrupted, and the gas plant des-
troyed.
The number of homeless is esti-
mated at 1000. Most of these spent
the night in the parks and docks and
bsrges. Meetings were held this
morning looking to the alienation OF
suffering and an appeal to the people
of the country for aid to be issued to-
day. Many families lost their per-
sonal effects, after they had moved
them to supposed places of safety.
Jacksonville, Fla, May 4.-Latest-
The fire here yesterday swept clean
of buildings an area two and one half
~ Il
Six lives We're lost in the confiagra-
tion. The mayor has called meet
ing of the city council to consider
ways and means of relieving the suf
ferers. -
savannah, Ga, May 1.-The great
fire at Jacksonville, Fla, was got I'M
der control at 1915 p. M. yesterday
Three hotels, theater, and about six
blocks were burned. Loss is esti
mateed at about $15,OOO.OoO. The city
tioE for several hours.
Atlanta, Ga-,-AIay 4-The officials
of the Western Union Telegraph com
pany were advised last night that al
most the entire business section OF
Jacksonville and a large portion of the
residence section had been destroyed
by fire which broke out shortly after
noon yesterday in the factory of the
Cleveland Fiber company. At $50 p
III. the fire was still burning, and al
though aid was hurried to the Florida
city from many adjoining places, il
was feared that it would not arrive
before the fire had burned itself out
1t was impossible to give a reasonable
estimate of the loss 1t was said that
FIVE negroes were burned to oath.
Gale Kept the Flames HoA
The fire was supposed, from advices
received here, to have practically
(which blew all day put the flames
from the start entirely beyond the
power of the fire department, and the
city was left at the mercy of the
flames. The st. James and Windsor
hotels Were destroyed. The st. James
was the principal hotel of the city. II
was a btick structure five stories b eh
modern in all its appointments | II
faced the St James park and was just
across the street from the Winds, I. II
was the highest-priced hotel in Jack
sonville and was the winter home OF
many millionaires.
other Buildings That Were Burned.
The Windsor is a block nearer Bay
street, three blocks from the center of
the town. 1t / modern frame build
ing, four stories high and covering one
of the largest blocks in the city. The
Times-Union and Citizen, which is re-
garded as the geographical center OF
Jacksonville, is one block from the fed
eral building. The Western Union
building is one block down Bay street
from the Times Union building. The
telegraph company sent all its bust
hess on a train which left Atlanta at
1U:4o last night. This train also car
ried corps of linemen and operators
and carload of wire and other tele-
graph supplies. New York and other
eastern cities sent all their kilograms
TO Savannah, and train which left
Savannah at this morning carried the
messages to Jacksonville.