Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-05-06
10000 HOMELESS
CONTINUED from page ID

The burned district is IS blocks wide
and two miles long. This immense
area was swept as clean as a floor.
The city is under martial law. and
all the available state militia Is ON
duty in the streets Of Jacksonville.
Some order is being brought out or the
confusion. Jacksonville is facing the
emergency calmly and has organized
for relief work.
Ten thousand people are homeless
and many of them left on the afternoon
and night trains for St Augustine ana
other coast cities and nearby towns,
while numerous river craft took many
to little places ON the st. Johns river.
Supply stations have been established
In various parts of the city. ana all day
they have been thronged by the hum
Grv.
The relief fund raised by the citizens
of Jacksonville at n meeting. this after
noon. amounts to $i5. 900 This was aug
mcnted. tonight. by q telegram from
the Armour Co at Chicago inStructing
Mayor Bowdcn to draw FOR $1,000, Other
ubsc, iptions are being received from
many places. The city of Jacksonville
has not yet made an official appeal Tor
assistance There seems to be some
oh iection to this. but it is based main
ly on the assertion by many leading
citizens that lac kSonvillc and Florida
can meet the emergency and care for
its own.
At o'clock this morning. Gov. lem
ningS declared the city under martial
law The city is patr"lled and the en-
frances to the burned districts guard
ed by sentinels. Passes are necessary
10 enter the lines in any part of the
,ity The suburbs of jacksonville stood
out today like GASES in the desert and
desola zion. A thin fringe. three blocks
deep. stands uninjurcd along the river
front. bat to the eastward, northward
aud westward Of HemminG park an
unbr0kcn bod Of ashes meets the eye.
in which the Eaunt chimneys rear
h, mselves like monuments in a 70; got
ten city.
on every vacant lot in the territory
surrounding the burned district fam
lilies are campcd. Some had piled furni-
tulc about them, spreading over this n
blanket which made Il tent. In many
cases this covering was only enough
for the baby. Some had brought a Try
ing pan, some a coffee pot. some had
money to get brcld-all wer" shared in
turn. over the gathering occasionally
shrilled the mourning of neEresS
VIII Sc child was m ss!n". 10 b. followed
by sobs in every key that told Of the
habits of repression in the Caucasian
and the savage frankrcSs of the Airi-
can.
The disaster has cffe.tually ohlitcrat-
Ell the dividing line 10 tween the 1ich
and poor. and a common catastrophe
has made ell akin. Beautiful women.
wealthy yesterday. pennl"ss today,
sat on the curbing beside the begEar
sharing alike the pit 'eSs fate that oc:eN
them both.
Tonight, the sidewalks are thronged
with homeless people. The Wharts are
crowded with SieeperS and every avail
able craft in the harbor has been made
into 4 temporary hotel. Not city
church remains standing. Chief llaney
is improving. tonight. and il is thought
he will entirely recover. The children
az Dr. f. ii. Dean. reported 1S burned
or missing this morning. have been
found alive. D.. Deans injuries are
slight.
pic.it cnt Barnet Of the National
Bank Of Jacksonvilo. who was burned.
is not seriously hurt. There We're many
prc strations from heat during the day.
Already plans are being made 10 re-
build the city. The advisahility Of lsSu-
irg bonds to the value of $500 tuo. o.
which 500 900 should be used 10 replace
the city buildings ana $500. 600 To refund
outstanding indebtedness meets with
general approval. and it is probable n
BIZ will be introduced in the Legisia-
turc now in session, to bond huvat
county in 5000. 0G0 for the rebuilding OF
the county Jail and court house.
T.. r. Cleveland. proprietor OF the
Cleveland Fibre CO.. made the follow
ing statement, today. regarding the
origin of the fire:
Outside the factory there is dry
inc platform 200 feet square upon
which the moss is piled after 1t has
been ginned. The chimney Of negro
cottage near by was on fire and from
this the moss caught fire. Every effort
that could be made to put the fire out
wa; made. but the strong wind and the
dryness of everything made 1t impoSsi-
hlf TO control il.