The age-herald., 1901-05-05
CITIES OFFERING AID Property Loss is Now Estimated
 At S1O,OOO,OOO THE SCENE BEGGARS DESCRIPTION For Two Miles There Are smouIdering Ruins of What Once Was the
 Most Beautiful Section of
 the City.
THE SCENE BEGGaRs DESCRIPTION

Jacksonville. Fla, May 4.-Jackson- ville's great ire, which began yesterday, has burned itself out. One hundred and forty-eight blocks of beautiful city have been laid waste. The loss will not be known even approximately for week, but 1t is believed 1t will amount to about x10O00, ,000
 There are many rumors af1oat of loss of life, but as every undertaken in the city was burned out, 1t is impossible to obtain an official report One story which is consistently reiterated Is to the effect that party of men and women driven to the docks by the fire were compelled to jump into the water and that several of them were drowned
 Mary Hogan. negro, was burned in her house and her charred remains were bur fed by friends this afternoon. The burned district Is thirteen blocks wide and two miles long and extends from the St. Johns river, where 1t burned ten docks, to the waters edge, to Catherine street on the east, Orange on the north and Davis to the west-this immense area was swept as clean as floor. The city is under martial law and all | of the available state militia is on duty in the streets of Jacksonville. Some or der is being brought out of the confusion. Jacksonville is Iacng the emergency calmly and has organized for relief work
 10000 People Homeless.
 Ten thousand people are homeless and many of them left on afternoon and night trains for St. Augustine and other coast cities and nearby towns, while numerous river craft took many to little places on the St. Johns river. Supply stations have been established in various parts of the city and all day they have been thronged by the hungry. The prompt action of Secretary of War Root in rendering the use of the barracks at Fort Barrancas, near St. Augustine, was received with gratitude on every side. The East Coast train leaving here at o'clock this after noon carried over 200p people to St. Au- gustine who hope to receive temporary shelter from the government
 committee was appointed at a meet ing of citizens this afternoon to wire the Governors of the various states to send all tents they can spare to Jacksonville. it will be weeks before anything like permanent shelter can be provided for the homeless thousands, and Jacksonville for some time to come will be city of tents. The relief fund raised by the citi- 
 afternoon amounts to S15,000 This was augmented tonight by a telegram from the Armour Company of Chicago instruct ing Mayor Bowden to draw for 5000. Other firms have made offers of 5000. Subscriptions are being received from many places The city of Jacksonville has not yet made an official appeal for aid. There seems to be some objection to this. but it is based mainly on the as- sertion by many leading citizens that Jacksonville and Florida can meet the emergency and care for its own.
 The following telegram was received from the Governor:
 Tallahassee, Fla. May -MacWilliams, Adjutant General: Your call for Gaines vile, Orlando and Stark companies ap- proved. Have appointed L'Engle Brown and Rogers special relief committee, ,plac- ing s20000 at their disposal.
 (Signed) W. s. JENNINGS, Governor.
 Martial Law.
 At z o'clock this morning Governor Jen- uings declared the city under martial law.
 Colonel Lowell of the First Regiment is in command of the troops. The following troops in addition to local companies, ar- rived during the day and are on duty:
 Governors Guard, Tallahassee Coum- bia Rifles. Lake City; Sewanee Rifles Live II.
 Major Bradshaw, under Colonel Lowell, @ in immediate command of the troops
 The city is patrolled and the entrances to burned districts are watched by armed guards
 Military headquarters have been estab- lished on the vacant lot behind the Fed eral postoffice building. Passes are neces- sary to enter the lines in any part of the city.
 The suburbs of Jacksonville stood our today like oasis in the desert of desola. tion. From Bridge street to Laura street . thin fringe, three blocks deep, stands uninjured along the river front. but to the eastward. nothward and westward of Henming Park, an unbroken bed of ashes meets the eye, in which gaunt chimneys rear themselves like monuments in for gotten city. Some of the tenants had piled furniture about, spreading over this | blanket which made tent. In many cases these coverings were only enough to serve for baby. Some had brought | frying pan, some coffee pot some having money to get bread, all were shared In turn. Over the gathering occa- sionally shrilQed the mourning of a me- gress whose child was missing, to be fol- lowed by sobs in every key that told of the habit of repression in the Caucasian and the savage frankness of the African. During the progress of the fire hundreds of people moved their goods out into the street but it was impossible to get drays to. cart the goods away and furniture, books and bric-a-brac were burned up.
 Dug Hole In Yard.
 pr. Stout saved his library by digging 8 hole in his yard in which he buried his books wrapped up in a blanket. This plan was followed by several people, some who buried their trunks in the same manner.
 Drays loaded with furniture and trunks filled the street all day. Homeless people plept on improvised beds near their furni-