The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-05-07

in any part of the city.
The suburbs of Jacksonville stood out
today like GASES in the desert of desc
lation. From Bridge street to Laura
thin fringe three blocks deep stands
uninjured along the river front, but to
the eastward. northward and westward
Of Heming park an unbroken bed Of
ashes meets the eye in which gaunt
chimneys rear themselves like monu-
ments in a forgotten city.
On every vacant lot in the territory
surrounding the burned district fami-
lies are camped. Some had piled fur
niture about them, spreading over this
blanket which made tent. In many
cases this covering was only enough
for the baby. Some had brought
frying pan some coffee pot, some had
money to get bread-all were shared in
turn Over the gathering occasionally
shri1led the mourning of a negress
whose child was missing, to be follow
ed by sobs in every key that told uf
the habit of repression in the Caucasian
and the savage frankness of the Afri-
can.
During the progress of the fire hun
>dreds of people moved their goods into
the streets, but it was impossible to get
drays to cart the goods away, and fur
niture. books and bric-a-brac were
burned up.
DR.. Stout saved his library by dig
ging a hole in his yard. in which he
,,,.so hi ~,
| blanket. This plan was followed by
several people; some buried their
| trunks in the same manner.
Drays loaded with furniture and
| trunks filed the streets all day. Home
less people slept on hnprovised beds
| near their furniture, away from the
| burned districts.
In the early hours of the fire manN
people moved their property a distance
of half a mile or mile, only to find it
necessary to move it again, as the
| flames encroached.
STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT OF
THE FIBRE, COMPANY.
| z. E. Cleveland, proprietor OF the
| Cleveland Fibre Company made the
/
the origin of the fire:
| Outside the factory there is q dry
ing platform 200 feet square, upon
| which the moss is piled after 1t has
been ginned. Twenty feet away there
| are two negro cottages and the chin
| ney of one of these cottages was on
fire. This. however. is a frequent oc-
| ~.
fibre On the drying platform had been
set afire from the falling SCOT fram the
chimneys of the cottages.
1.-THE men knocked off at II o'clock for
| dinner and were lying around in the
shade. when one of them discovered
that in the middle of the pile Of moss
smoke was issuing. This having hap
pened hefore no Importance was at
| tached TO it and two men seized buck
cts of water and went to extinguish, the
fire. but the fire by this time had gain
ed considerable headway. The hose
| was quickly brought into play, but the
| fire got away frem the men and the
| alarm had to be sent in.
There was no fire in the building
the factory being worked with electric
| ity, and II is two months since tthe
boilers were in use
Every effort thai could be made &c
| put the fire out was made but the
Strong wind and the dryness Of every
thing was too much for the men at the
factory. and when the department
reached the scene the pine buildings
and the flying shingles made it impos
sible to contrel the fire."
1 CITY AND COUNTY BONDS TO
ISSUE
The chairman of the county COM
\ missioners' board. Porcher L'Engle
] said today:
"A bill will be sntrodueed in the leg
isiature at once to bond Duval for per-
haps 5000. 600 to rebuild the court house
and the county Jail. The bill is being
prepared.
'"I understand that a bill for the is
suance Of $500. 900 city bonds win be al
| once introduced also. OF this $500, ,00(
will be used to take UP the judgmen,
debts of the city and the remainder to
rebuild city buildings"
The prisoners in the county Jail, thir-
| ty-five in number, including many fol
| serious offenses. some capital. were
| marched to Riverside under heavy
| guard before the fire reached them.
This morning the prisoners were taken
| by the sheriff to Green Cove Springs.
1 Fernandina and st. Augustine.
| The county records were placed in the
| vaults in the court building. Their
condition will not be known until tbs
! vault cools.
The disaster has effectually obliter-
| ated the dividing line between the rich
and poor, and common catastrophe
has made all akin. Beautiful women.