The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-04
STORY OF TIE FIRE.
Graphic Details Related by One Who
Witnessed the Conhagration-

The following story is from special
correspondent who left Jacksonville
early at a time when the excitement was
at its height
Yulee, Fla, May 4.-Fifteen million
dollars worth of property gone up in
smoke and 10000 people made homeless
is the result of a bit of wire accidently
getting into the Shredding machine of
the American Fibre company at
the corner of Davis and Union streets
The fire started between the hours OF
owing to this fact the loss of life will be
comparatively small. The fibre factory
was a wooden SHE'LL full of infiammable
material and in a few moments it was
in a mass Of flames. The wind, which
was already blowing strong from the
southwest, seemed to be possessed with
sudden fury and soon was carry
ing destructive embers all through the
city, the fairest portion Of which lay
right in the course of the wind Some
delay was experienced in sounding an
alarm, and the engine at the waterworks
suffered a mishap and nothing more
than ordinary pressure could be obtain
ed By this time the flames had swept
TO the Boston store, huge furniture eS-
tablishment belonging to W. w. Cleve-
land & Son, who were also proprietors
of the fibre factory. 1t leaped across
Davis street and took a course right
through a section on which block after
block Of frame buildings, mostly oceu-
pied by negroes, had been erected. Here
is where the fire department lost con-
dozen places, some Of them six blocks
from the main fire, rooms were seen to
burst into flames. The wind, rising
higher and higher set on fire whole rows
of buildings and attracted at first q
crowd OF curious sightseers who seemed
to be fascinated by the sight until they
learned that their residences too were
in danger of total destruction. It took
just four hours for that resistless sea of
flames to consume every building in its
wake for a space of six to eight blocks
started, to the Hogan street viaduct.
over one and a half miles, and then not
satisfied with eating out the heart of the
residential portion of the city, it doubled
back and came roaring up the principal
thOrOughfare of trade, destroying every
thing in what was the original incorpor-
alton Of Jacksonville.
From the humble homes OF the Door
to the elegant residences of the well 10
do was but a short journey for the
flames After passing Bridge street, the
first house to sucumb was the mansion
of former Councilman Stansel1. Then it
seemed that wherever there happened to
be a single roof the flying embers found
Judgment. Blocks away from the main
fire other fires would break out.
Right into the heart of the town the
flames swept. The Windsor and the
st. James. both fine winter hotels. were
consumed in an incredibly short time
The opera house followed, and then
row upon row of elegant residences
went UP. AS the viaduct leading over
the marshes of HOgan's creek to East
Jacksonville was reached it was plain
that the limit of the progress of the
flames westward had come The hope
OF the people grew strong that the
worst was over. but as far as the
money value of the damage was con-
cerned the worst was vet to come. Just
as the material for the flames was ap-
parently consumed, a shift in the wind
sent a roaring sea of flames southwark
toward the river Then 1T was begin
ming to dawn upon the minds of the IN
fOrtunates who had sought refuge at
the river side that they were in danger
of being cut off and suffocated. A rush
was made for the South Jacksonville
ferry, and hundreds were carried over
to the other side Then came the most
thrilling scene of the entire day The
flames caught the freight warehouses
of the Atlantic, Valdosta & Western
railway and began from there on their
march backyard in the teeth of the
wind Slowly but surely the fire ate its
way against the wind. taking either
side of Bay street until it reached
Jones boat yard. The wholesale gro
Gerry store of F. & H. Bowling COM
pany, the store of Muller & Co. and
dozens of smaller concerns We're slowly
wiped UP. While the flames failed to
cross the open space known as Jones
boat yard. a new danger threatened. i
The flames swept down in the rear of
the United States hotel. and that with
the law exchange was doomed. Mean
time the county court house caught
fire, and another splendid edifice was
soon a total wreck.
From the United States hotel the
flames again jumped across the street,
and the work of destruction continued
only TO be checked when the last build
ing near Mccoy and Hogan'S creek had
been destroyed Among the houses that
succumbed to the flames on Bay street
We're the Mohawk block, the Gardner
building. Furchgott's man moth dry
goods house. Benedict & Pollack's
wholesale dry goods store, the Christie
Drug company's building, ATeAlIister's
wholesale liquor store. Cohen Bros dry
goods store; r. D. HOrsen, dry goods
store: 1zman & Skinner, wholesale gro
Gerry; 4. IL. Baird, paint store: w. "A.
Bours, hay and grain stores Clausson,
wholesale grocery; Florida Hardware
company's store; E E Clarke. furni-
ture house; Henry Ozark, carpets; ID. 4
z. Cooper, furniture; Fetting & Rich