The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1901-05-08
JACKSONVILLE'S LOSS.
Florida City Almost Destroyed
Sy Terrible Fire.

Over u Hundred Hooks In the Heart OF
the Town Wiped out-SiN People, Prob.
ably Mere, BuI ned to Death-Properiy
Loss Estimated to Be More Than sIO,-
100000.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, May AT
l2:l5 p. IN. yesterday Jacksonville exper-
fenced the most disastrous fire OF her cx-
istence. The buildings on the entire
length Of Beaver street from Davis street
to the creek on Liberty street have been
totally destroyed. This is Ii solid blocks
Of residences. For the same distance
Ashley and Church streets have both
been completely botted out. When the
fire reached Bridge street, in its eastward
coure, it enveloped il flames three blocks
Duval, Monroe and inside OF Adams
burning up that entire section Of the city
nnd running II blocks to the Duval
street bridge.
The plans of the city as prepared by
the city surveyors show that 1870 blocks
were burned and a part Of another block.
The estimates OF residences TO the block
in the residential district is 10 and in the
business section blocks were solid
The local military companies were
called out TO keep back the crowds and
the fire department began to use dyna-
mite to blow up the houses a block away
and thus prevent the fire from spreading
So fierce was the blaze. however, and so
strong had become the wind that. mil
lions Of sparks and flying burning shin
giles spread over five or six blocks, set
ting the roofs OF the houses on fire in ad
vance of the department. Soon Senator
Taliaforro's residence, and then the ad-
joining houses ON that block were ablaze.
Desperate efforts were made to save
the Windsor and the st. James hotels.
but both houses were quickly cnveloped
in flames. For about an hour the guests
in the Windsor had been busily packing
their trunks and wen, away loaded with
trunks and grips.
Leaping across the street from the
Windsor the flames set fire to Sells
house and then the Methodist parsonage.
A few moments later the Trinity Meth
odist Episcopal church was a mass Of
flames. The Opera House block followed
and the Richards aud Livingston board
ing houses. \ desperate effort was made
TO save the Baldwin mansion, which was
recently purchased by the Elks for SlS,-
OO0. No earthly power could save this
building, aud that entire block and the
one west Of il was quickly a mass Of
flames.
Once the fire got started on Main street
the closely adjoining buildings went one
after the other. Paintshops with bar
rels Of oil in stock were plentiful in this
district and as they caught on fire one
after the other the blazcs rose hundreds
Of feet high and quickly set the other
buildings, across the street, on fire.
Then the Hubbard hardware store
caught aud the people scattered when
they saw what had happened. Hundreds
of pounds Of powder and a great deal Of
dynamite was stored in these buildings.
Ten minutes passed when suddenly there
was a roar aud the building collapsed
like an cggshcll. The dynamite and the
powder had exploded The iiremcn at
this time were working in great danger.
Cartridges began to explode and bullets
began to fly around, SO the effort TO fight
the fire at this point for time had to be
abandoned. This was only the start Of
the most intense par: Of the fire. The
new Forchott building was soon ablazc,
and soon the Gardiner building was also
n mass Of flames. Down the street the
fire spread with rapidity and in a short
time the entire section of Bay street from
Market TO Main street, and extending for
five blocks back, was burning all at
once.
The city building went, the fire depart
mcnt building, the armory, the county
courthouse, the clerks office with the
county records. the criminal courthouse.
the city Jail and the graded schools and
the Catholic church and orphanage, st.
Johns Episcopal church and the convent.
Almost the entire city of magnificent
buildings was burned up In less than
four hours. The scene was one that beg
gars description.
At $50 p. IN. the fire was checked at
the intersection of Laurel and Bay
streets, where the Commercial bank is
located, which went up in flames, the
Western Union building being just across
the street and not being damaged.
Among the prominent hotels burned were
the st. james, the United States, the
Placide aud the Windsor.