The Florida star., 1901-05-10
JACKSONVILLE SWEPT BY FIRE.
Fifteen Millions OF Dollars Reduced TO
Ashes In a Few Hours.

were destroyed by fire in a few short
hours. Most Of the finest public and pri-
vate buildings, including hotels, theater,
churches and residences, were destroyed.
The fire started near the Cleveland
fiber factory, on drying platform, at the
corner of Beaver and Davis streets, and
swept almost the entire residence section
and large slice of the business district.
Practically all the churches in the city,
the st. James, Windsor, Placide, United
States, Girard and Richelieu hotels, both
the city and county jaIls, First regiment
police barracks, Main street and
central fire stations, city market, the
Mercantile, First National bank, National
Bank of the State of Florida, and Com
mercial banks, Elks and Phoenix clubs,
board Of trade and most Of the business
buildings of the city are destroyed. The
burned section reaches from Burbridge's
addition In the northwestern section to
the river in the southeastern section, a
distance of quite two miles in length and
thirteen blocks in width.
At o'clock that night the fire was
under control, having practically burnt
itself out. 1t left thousands of helpless
men, women and children without a
home and without anything to eat.
Relief committees were formed the
next day, and the relief association fed
&, 800 people Monday. A number of lives
were lost, five bodies having been recov-
cred by Monday night. The greatest loss
of life was at the foot of Market street,
where a large number were corralled by
the fire and could not escape, and were
drowned in st. Johns river.
Contributions for the relief of the home
less and destitute have flowed in freely
from all over the country until the fund
has reached about the $4,000 mark.
This will sustain the needy until work is
provided and the work of rebuilding is
under way.
The sympathy of every hamlet in the
state and every town in the country goes
ont to Jacksonville in her great distress
and loss. She has suffered calamity
that is hardly with parallel, even con-
81 1ering the great Chicago fire, but as
the Times Union and Citizen expresses
il, great calamitles often prove great
blessings in time, though they do not
always give their cOmpenSatiOns to those
who had sustained the greatest loss
Many individuals will never recover from
their losses sustained through the great
that swept our city with a
besom of destruction, but the Jackson
vile of the future will be greater and
more magnificent for the trouble that
presses so heavily to-day"
ADDRESS To AMERICAN PEOPLE.
The following is the address Of the re-
lief association:
To the People of the United States:
The relief committee having received
many inquiries concerning the situation
here, desires TO make the following gem
eral statement: The city of jacksonville
OH Friday, May 3, was visited by one of
the most horrible and appalling calami-
ties that has ever happened in any com
munity of modern times. About noon of
that day fire was discovered in a small
palmetto fiber factory in the extreme
western portion of the city. A high wind
was then blowing TO the eastward, carry
ing the flames over the heads of the fire.
men. The fire spread with such rapidity
that the people had great difficulty in
leaving their homes and places of busi-
ness. In many cases they barely escaped
with their lives, and We regret TO say a
number were burned To death or drowned
in their efforts TO escape from the flames.
The number at this time We have been
unable to ascertain, although five bodies
have been taken from the ruins, and from
10000 to 1900 people are homeless.
The burned area extended east and
west about two miles, and north and
south varying from Ore-half TO three
quarters of a mile. In this area was situ-
ated the oldest and most pOpulOus portion
of the city, embracing all classes of
people, high and low, rich and poor. The
flames carried before them homes,
churches and all the public buildings save
one. More than half of the business sec
ton was also consumed. The property
loss aggregates from $4,000 900 to Sl5,-
100000.
All contributions of money should be
sent to A. NJ. Ives, treasurer, and all sup
plies should be sent to the Jacksonville
raliaf association