The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-05-08
Jacksonville Destroyed by Fire.

JA''kSoNFlLLE, FLA, May 4.-Ihe
fire which broke out yesterday noon
and wss aided in it's work by south
west gale had spent it's force by 0
o'clock last night. Tho damage is
enormaus. A hundred and forty eight
blocks were swept away by flames,
and. as far as known, seven people
lost their lives.
!Ss1TUTis ere in circulation that q
party of twenty people, driven to the
docks along the st. Johns river, were
forced into the water ard ;ost, at
tempts at rescue by boats being futile.
The river is being searched.
The city was placed under martial
law at o'clock this morning. All the
local companies of tho State militia
have been on duty since midnight and
on orde~ of Gov. jennings, military
companies from four cities are speed
ing to Jacksonville by special train.
Extra police have been sworn in and
every able bodied man not doing duty
In some capacity in the tire-swept dis
trict. is impressed into service.
Tho negroes are huddied in groups in
different parts nf the city and fear OF
an attempt at lawlessness by them, al
though not openly expressed by the
whites. is the reason for the large mil
itary force ordered here.
Fire companies from Savannah, Fer
nandina, Ocala and other cities were
necessary to effect tho quenching of
the flames.
Losses by the fro will not be known
for week. The rath of the flames
thirteen blocks wide is nearly two
miles long. Practically all of old
Jacksonville has been destroyed, moth
Ing bsing left but a few surhurbs and
the riverside, the mostfashionable part
of the city.
1t is believed that the fire was the
largest in proportion to the size of the
place that ever visited ary city.
A distressing feature was the loss by
many families of libraries, pianos and
household goods, after they had been
moved to Supposed place of snfety.
Street car service has been At g COIN
plcte standstill since yesterday after
noon. The city was in darkness.
Electric light circuits were interrupted
and the gas plant destroyed.
A conservative estimate places the
number homeless people in tho city Mt
10000. Most 0f these spent the night
in the parks, or the docks. on barges,
and some slept on what few belongings
they had managed to save from the
general wreck.
A meeting was called at 10. 80 O'clock
to take action looking tn the a!!e7ia-
tion or the suffering. 1t is expected
that IN appeal to the people of the
United States calling for aid will be
issued some time during the day.
Leading business men and insurance
agents estimate tho total loss of pro-
perty ut ten to fifteen million. Tho
st. James Hotel, which was destroyed,
has been closed since April 10. The
losssof this building was S175,O0O.
Among the buildings destroyed were
tho Emery Auditorium, tho Board of
Trade, st. James Hotel, Windsor Ho-
tel, Seminole Club. Daily Metropolis,
City Hall and market, Gardner build.
ing and the largest Office building in
the city, the Hubbard building.
Mayor BOwden said to the Associated
Press representative this morning:
"Say to the world, please, that the loss
To Jacksonville is greater than ever be-
fore inflicted by fire in the South.
estimate tho loss of property at S15.-
O0o,'cD. There is no hint Of lawless-
ness; the people of every race and con-
dition have shown the most helpful
spirit to each other, and / cannot tiud
words of com,neEt:::;s,n enough to ex-
press my admiration for the work done.
The progress of the fire was so rapid
and the heat was SO flerece that it was
only tho helpfulness and obedience
shown that prevented terrible loss Of
life"