The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-05-04
SWEEPS THE CITY
Origin and Spread of the Flames
The Damage.

The Damage.
Jacksonville, Fla, May 4. = The
most disastrous fire in the history Of this
city began yesterday shortly after noon,
in small factory, from a defective wire,
according to the best belief, and burned
for nearly ten hours. In that time
property damage estimated at $1O,OOO,OoO
to $15,O0O,OO0 was caused, and 10000 were
made homeless.
According to the city map, one hum
dred and thirty blocks were burned, many
of them in the heart of the business and
residence section. The estimate of houses
to the block is ten, hence 1900 of them
public and private buildings were de-
stroyed, including hotels, theaters,
| churches and residences.
Burned District.
The burned district extends from Bur-
! bridge street on the north to St. Johns
river on the south, a distance OF not
quite two miles. The width of the DESC
! lated area is thirteen blocks. Within this
space practically everything is blackened
ruins. On Bay street, the principal mart
Of trade. the Western Unicn Telegraph
companys building is the first building
standing, going west. Everything east
of Laura bay is gone.
At 1915 o'clock the fire was under con-
troll, having practically burned itself out.
The suburban settlements, with the ex-
ception of Lavilla, are intact. Lavilla
was badly burned. Thousands Of per-
sons were on the streets last night, home
less, with practically all of their worldly
possessions on their backs. The depots
of the railroads were turned into tempor-
ary lodging houses and hospitals.
Sweep of the Flames.
The fire started from bit of innocent
looking wire accidentally getting into the
shredding machine of the American Fibre
company, at the corner OF Davis and
Union streets.
The wind, which was already blowing
strong from the southwest, soon was
carrying destructive embers all through
the city, the fairest portion Of which lay
right in the course of the wind. The en-
gine at the waterworks suffered a mishap
and nothing more than ordinary pressure
! could be obtained.
By this time the flames had swept to
the Boston store, a huge furniture es-
| tablishment belonging to w. W. CIeve-
| land & Son, who were also proprietors
of the fibre factory. 1t leaped across Da-
| Wis street and took course right through
| section where block after block OF frame
| buildings, mostly occupied by negroes, had
| been erected. Here is where the fire de-
| partment lost control as simultaneously
in half dozen places, some of them six
blocks from the main fire, roofs were seen
| to burst out in flames.
Fire Turns Back.
1t took just four hours for the flames to
consume every building in its wake for
six or eight blocks wide from Davis street
near where 1t started, to the Hogan creek
viaduct, a distance of over one and
half miles, then it doubled on itself and
came roaring up the principal thorough
faxe of trade, destroying everything in
what was the original Incorporation of
Jacksonville.
Right into the heart of the town the
flames swept. The Windsor hotel, the st.
James, (both fine winter hotels, were con-
sumed in an incredibly short time. The
opera house followed and then row upon
row of elegant residences went up.
In the Teeth of the Wind.
The flames caught the freight
warehouse of the Atlantic, Valdos-
ia & Western railroad and began
from there on its backward march in
the teeth of the wind until it reached
Jones boatyard. The wholesale grocery
store of F. & H. Dowling company, Muller
& Co., and dozens of smaller concerns
were slowly wiped out
The flames swept down in the rear OF
the United States hotel, and that, with
the Law Exchange, was doomed. Mean
time the county courthouse caught fire,
and another splendid edifice was soon a
total wreck
Some of the Losers.
From the United States hotel the flames
again jumped across the street and the
line OF march was taken up again, only
to be checked when the last building, near
Mccoy & Hogan's creek, had not been
destroyed. Among the houses that sue
cumbed to the flames at 8 o'clock on Bay
street were the Mowpawk block. the Gar
diner building, Furchgott's mammoth dry
goods house, Benedict & Pollak's whole
sale dry goods, Christie Drug company,
McAllister's, wholesale liquors; Cohen
Brothers, dry goods; Iseman & Skinner,
wholesale grocers; 1. q. Baird paints 2.
A. Beurs, hay and grain; Florida Hard
ware company, e. F.. Clark's furniture
house, Henry Clark, carpets; D. E. Cooper.
| furniture; lettings & Richard, furniture;
Hakisheimer, grocer; estate Of McNerry,
wholesale grocers; Coleman, tailor; 9
dozen drug, retail grocery, millinery and
other stores and summer wholesale but
ter and cheese store.
The hotels destroyed include the Wind
sor, St. James, Placide. United States,
Girard, Glenada and Oxford.
Deaths From Excitement.
w. w. Cleveland, in whose premises
! the fire originated. and who was OF tAe