New-York tribune., 1901-05-04
RAPID SPREAD OF FLAMES.
SWEPT THROUGH FOURTEEN BLOCKS
OF HOUSES USED
TO STAY THEM

TO STAY THEM
Jacksonville, Fla. MAY AT 12:45 o. m to-
day the most disastrous fire in the existence Of
Jacksonville broke out. The buildings on the
entire length of Beaver-st. from Davis-st. TO the
creek on Liberty-st.. have been totally destroyed.
This is fourteen solid blocks OF residences. For
the same distance Ashley and Church sts have
both been completely blotted out. When the fire
reached Bridge-st-, in its eastward course it
veloped in flames three blocks-Duval and Mon
roe SITS. and the north side OF Adams-st burn
ing up that entire part of the city. and running
fourteen blocks TO the Duval-st bridge
How much further in that direction the city
is burned it is impossible to learn. the street be-
ing impossible, but it is feared that St. Luke's
Hospital burned and report reached the
city that the Presbyterian Church in East Jack
sonviIle IS abIaze.
If this is correct the fire must have extended
five blocks further east The confagration has
burned over. as far as Is definitely known a
distance of two and half miles long by half
mile wide.
When the fire reached Julia-st- it was a roar
ing furnace, without any prospect of being put
under control
The local military companies were called ouS
to keep back the crowds. and the Fire Depart.
ment began to use dynamite to blow UP the
houses block from the fire and thus prevent
the flames from spreading. So fierce was the
blaze, however. and so strong had become the
wind, that millions of r!z5 and flying burning
| shingles spread over five OF six blocks. setting
| the roofs Of the houses on fire in advance OF
| the department.
TWO HOTELS CATCH FIRE
Soon Senator TaIaferro's residence. and then
the adjoining houses on the block were ablaze.
Desperate efforts were made to save the Wind
and rha Et hut hofb
houses were quickly enveloped in flames For
about an hour the guests in the Windsor had
been busiIy packing their trunks. and went away
loaded with trunks and grips. some, unfort-
unateIy, to the United States Hotel. but most
Of them Riverside.
Leaping madly across the street from the
Windsor. the flames set fire to Sells House and
then the Methodist parsonage. few mo-
ments later the Trinity Methodist Episcopal
Church was mass of flames The opera house
block followed. and the Richards and Living
stone boarding houses. desperate effort was
made to save the Baldwin mansion which was
recently purchased by the Elks for $4,000 No
earthly power could save this building. and that
entire block and the one west Of it was quickly
a mass of flames.
once the fire got started in Main-st the closely
adjoining buildings went one after the other.
Paint shops with barrels Of oil in stock were
plentiful in this district. and they caught
Are one after the other the blaze rose hundreds
Z
across the street on fire
EXPLOSION IN HARDWARE STORE.
Then the Hubbard hardware store caught and
the people scattered when they saw what had
happened Hundreds of pounds Of powder and
a great deal Of dynamite stored in this
building Ten minutes passed when suddenly
there was roar. and the building collapsed Ike
an eggshen The dynamite and the powder had
exploded. The fremen at this time were Work-
ire- in great danger.
S,artridges began to explode and bullets began
to Av around so the effort to fight the fire at
- - y.tt 60 :. +j,,s ba6 "a he Abandoned rhfa
was only the start of the most intense part of
the fire. The new FurchgOtt Building was soon
ablaze and soon the Gardiner Building was also
a mass of flames. Down the street the hre
spread with rapidity. and in short time the en-
tire part of Bay-st.. from Merket-st- TO Matn-st.
and extending for five blocks back. was burning
all at once.
CITY BUILDINGS GO.
The city building went. the Fire Department
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 beggars description.
At $50 p. the fire was checked at the in
tersection Of Laurel ana Bay sts.. where the
Commercial Bank stood. which went up in
flames, the Western Union Building being Just
across the street, and not being damaged.
Among the prominent hotels burned We're the
St James. the United States. the Plaede and
the Windsor.
II is impossible at this hour 10 ascertain the
losses. but il is said by insurance agents that IL
will be between SS.OO0.0OO and S9.OO0.00O.
Six lives are reported lost in the confagration.
The Mayor has called a meeting Of the City
Council for tomorrow TO consider ways and
means for relieving The sufferers.
The plans of the city, as prepared by the city
HI
and a part Of another clock. The estimates Of
residences to the block in the residential district
is ten. and in the business section the blocks
were solid
The Chief Of Police has ordered all saloons
closed until further notice.
Mayor BOwden says the property loss viii ex-
ceed S15.O00.0G0 Ten thousand 20 fifteen thou
sand people are homeless.
THE BEST Of EVERYTHING