The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1901-05-09
ANOTHER
CALAMITY.
THE SOUTHERN CITY or
JACKSONVILLE KAvAG-
ED BY A FEARFUL con
FLAGRATION.
GREAT loss-IHousAnos HOMELESS.

Over One Hsndrcd Forty aiocks Go Up
In smoks-Hoteis. Theasrss. ChsrcAs.
and Everything wiped Ost Disass.r
As To Loss or Iife-An Appeal For
Help.
Jacksonville, Florida, May a.
The most disastrous fire In the his
tory Of this city began yesterday
shortly after noon i'm q small factory,
from defective wire, according 10
The best belief and burned for near
ly ten hours. In that time a prop
erty damage estimated from $I0,-
100000 to Sl5, 100000 Was effected.
According to the city map one
hundred and forty 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 300 of them went up
in smoke. Many of the finest pub
lie and private, buildings we're de
stroyed, including hotels, theatre,
churches and residences.
The casualties cannot be accurate
ly estimated tonight. That there
were several seems to be well authen-
ticated. Among them was that 10
the Fire Chief, who sustained bad
fall. The Mayor ordered all of the
saloons closed, and has impressed
people help to clear the wreckage.
The Mayor at late. hour, stated
that he estimated the loss at S15,-
100000 and that 10000 to I5, 900
people were homeless.
The situation is one approaching
desOlatiOn in large section Of the
city.
The burned district reaches from
Burbridge street on the north, to
the st. Johns River on the South, a
distance of not quite two miles.
The width of the desOlated area is
thirteen blocks. Within this space
practically everything is blackened
ruins. On Bay street, the principal
mart of trade, the Western Union
Telegraph COmpany's building is the
first going west. Everything east
of Laura on Bay is gone.
At 1915 O'Clock the fire was un-
der control, having practically burn
ed itself out. The suburban settle
m"nts, with the exception Of l.,
Ni.ia, are intact. La Villa was
badly hurt. The extent of the dam
age cannot be told until tomorrow.
Thousands OF persons are on the
streets tonight homeless, with prac-
tically all their worldly possessions
upon their backs. The depots of
the railroads, situated in the south
western section, have been turned
into temporary lodging houses and
hospitals. Luckily the weather is
fine, SO that there will be no suffer
ing on that score.
| The city is under martial law and
all of the available State militia is
on duty in the streets. Some order
is being brought out of the con-
fusion. Jacksonville is meeting the
emergency calmly and has organ
. lied tor relief work. 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 20
little places On the st. Johns river.
Supply stations have been establish
ed in various parts of the city and
: all day they have been thronged by
/, the hungry. One story, which is
5 persistently reiterated, is to the eff:
r feet that party of men and women
: driven to the docks by the fire were
| compelled to jump in the water and
: that several of them were drowned
e A sail boat that was at the bOat
: yard was made use of by ALFRED
s Ball, a member of the Jacksonville
4 Rifles, who lives in Springfield su
]. burb. at Third and Main streets
Mr.. Ball says: "There certainly
Y were many lives lost at that point
d The shrieks and cries for help tina
came to my ears during the frs
moments of the four hours tnat
was in the river were heart-rendins
:, and awful. was utterly helpies
= to aid. am positive that at lea>
= five persons were drowned at tha
. place. 1 got IN sail boat at Gard
: ner's yard, at 5 O'Clock. There wer
= labout Is persons aboard, two ne
" groes among the number. Whe
: we got into the boat every avenu
of escape was cut off. We got
line to the steamer Edith, and sh
x pulled us from the dock. A m9
, ment later the line parted. Tw
Q boats drifted alongside and eigh
persons tried to get into then
Both boats capsized. / saw severn
go down and drown. Several {
those who got out of the sail boz
y were swept under the wharf at th
ne foot of Market street, and thin
,g all must have perished. got
ar the wharf and for four hours he
is to the piling. When was rescurt
,e, I was badly burned about the hea
70. felt body float against my le1
n and tried to lift 1t to the surfac
d. but failed. Undoubtedly the
were many lives lost at the foot
Market street"
Says Arthur GUNNER. of Z
Gunner Lumber Company: "V
St heard the shieks and calls for he
an as we steamed from the wharf
the last minute. We heard nuI
raj bers of persons were In peril on t
be- wharf and made for the pier aga
m A sail boat was cornered in I
The docks. Young Coxsetter, Of
:. Augustine, SWAN to the steam