The Montgomery tribune., 1901-05-10

May son rose smoke surrounded over
the devastated city. The fire, which
broke out Friday ut noon. and aided
Ia its work by n southwest gale, spent
its force by nine o'clock Friday night.
The damage In enormous. One hun
dred and forty-eiPht blocks wcro
swept by the flames, and ms far Nc
known, seven persons lost their lives.
A report IL In circulation that party
of 20 persons, driven to the docks
along the ST. Johns river, were forced
into the water, all attempts ut rescue
by boats being futile. The river is be-
ing searched.
Miiitia ON Duty.
All the local companies OF the stats
militia have been on duty since mid
night, and on order of Gov. Jennings,
the military companies from four
cities are speeding TO Jacksonville by
special trains. Many extra police have
been sworn In, and every ablc-bodicd
man not doing duty In some capacity
In the frc.swept district is impressed
into the service. The negroes are
huddicd In groups In different parts OF
the city, and the fear OF an attempt
ut lawicssness by them, although not
openly expressed by the whites. was
tho reason for the large military
force ordered here.
The Path Of the rism-..
IN. Ar. ,ompnni.s from Savannah.
F.rnandIpn. ocoln md other cities
worked the entire night on the IRE,
but a soaking rain will be necessary
10 efrcctually aucnch the flames. The
path OF the flames was ~ blocks wide
and nearly two miles long. Practical
~ all old Jacksonville has been de-
stroyed, nothing being left but few
suburbs and Riverside, the most fash
ionnblc part of the city.
II wa. a Great CONDENSATION,
I, 4. believed tb. fire WINS the Iarges,
\, nronor,ion 10 IN. siz. of The nlacs
Tint has ever visited any city. MANY
families lost libraries, pianos and
household goods after they had been
moved 10 supposed places OF safcty.
The street car service has been At
complete stnndstill since Friday after
noon. The electric light circuits were
interrupted, and the gns plant de-
stroyed, and nt night the city Ia In
darkness. A conservative estimate
places the number OF homeless people
In the city nt 10000. Most OF these
spent the night In the parks, on the
docks. ON bnrgcs. and some slept on
what few belongings they managed TO
awe from the general wreck.
Appeal for Ala May ne Issued.
The board OF trade and other com.
mercini bodies held meetings TO take
action looking TO the alienation of
the suffering. II In expected TINT nm
appeal OF the pcoplc of the United
States. calling for aid. will be issued.
Lending busincss men and insurance
agents estimate the total loss of prop.
erty mt from ten TO fifteen million
doIlnrs.
sam. nj IN. u.,,s,rx. D..,.o,.s
Th. c, lane. ho,o, ,,.,.,, ,.. ~,
.,roy.d has h..n c,ns.d s,n.. Snrt,
40 mr. -. 80, ,,,,.. ,,,,,,.,,.' a, 49,,
ooo Awa A.. ,.'n',. s - 49,
.. ,r,,.. r,.,.,. ,,,a,,a.i,,... ~
Trade 8, Jop,,a hotel Wi,Jsor ho-
lei m, Seminole club, The Daily Me.
,ronoIi. IN. c,,v h,il and ,,.rL., ~,
Gardiner building l,bc largest oe,,e
building In this ci,vI. the u,h,mrd
buIIdIng
n. .
~. ~ NO Cs.s,.. ="
W. .""' :" w"oso
was one of the heaviest losers.
dropped dead from excitement. A
stalwart negro. bringing a trunk on
his head from burning building.
went crazy from the horror OF the
situation. lie ran around In n circle
with the trunk on his head until he
sank exhausted and died. Women
rnn through the streets, tearing their
hair and clothes, and In several in
stances had almost denudcd them.
selves when they were caught by
friends and led to places of safety.
Horses hitched TO trucks could not be
cut loose quickly enough, and many