Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-05-09

A Conflsgration in Jacksonville,
Fla, Burns Many Blocks.
Loss, FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS.
SIX Lives Reported Lost In the Fire = A
Meeting Called by the Mayor to
Consider Ways to Relieve
the Sufferers.

Jacksonville, Fla, May 4.-Jack-
sonyile yesterday had the most dis
astrous fire of her existence. Along
the entire length of Beaver street,
from Davis street to the creek on
Liberty street, all buildings have
been destroyed. This is IA solid
blocks of residences. For the same
distance Ashley and Church streets
have both been completely blottel
out. When the fire reached Bridge
street in its eastward course it en-
veloped in flames an area three blocks
wide, taking in Duval, Monroe and
the north side of Adams street, burn
ing that entire section of the CITY
and running IA blocks to the Duval
street bridge. How much further IN
that direction the city is burned it is
impossible to learn, the street being
impossible, but it is feared that St.
Luke's hospital was burned and it is
reported that the Presbyterian church
in East Jacksonville is ablaze. If this
is correct the fire must have extended
five blocks further east. The con-
tlagration, which broke out at IL Is
O'Clock yesterday afternoon, has COW
cred, as far as is definitely known, a
distance of ~ miles by half a mile
wide.
The fire department begun to use
dynamite to blow up houses a block
from the fire, hoping thus to prevent
the fire from spreading So fierce
was the blaze, however, and so strong
had become the wind, that millions
of sparks and flying burning shingles
spread over five or six blocks, setting
the roofs of the houses on fire in all
vance of the department. Soon Sen
ator Tailaferro's residence and the
adjoining houses on that block were
ablaze and. in spite Of all efforts to
save the Windsor and St. James no.
tells both hostelries were quickly Ell
veloped in flames. For about an hour
the guests in the Windsor had been
busily packing their trunks and many
of them had rome away loaded WITH
trunks and grips.
Once the fire got started on Main
street, the closely adjoining buildings
went one after another. Paint shops
with barre.s of oil were plentiful n
this district, and as they caught fire,
one after the other, the blaze, rising
hundreds of feet high, quickly set the
buildings across the street on fire.
Six lives were lost in the con-
fagration. The mayor has called a
meeting of the city council to con
slider ways and means of relieving the
sufferers.
Mr. W. w. Cleveland, in whose prem
Uses the fire originated and who was
one OF the heaviest losers, dropped
dead from excitement. A stalwart
negro bringing trunk on his head
from burning building went crazy
from the horror of the situation. Tie
ran around in circle with the trunk
on his head until he sank exhausted
and died. Women ran through the
streets tearing their hair and clothes
and in several instances had almost
denuded themselves, when they were
caught by friends and led to places
of safety.
Later-The plans Of the city, as pre-
pared by the city surveyors, show
that 1870 blocks were burned and part
of another block Mayor Bowden at
one o'clock this morning said that
the property loss will exceed $15,0oo,-
600. Ten thousand to $4,000 people
ARE homeless.