Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1901-05-08
JACKSONVILLE'S BIGFIRE
Millions Of Dollars Worth OF Property
Burned in the Florida City.
10000 PERSONS ARE HOMELESS

Fire Started From - Isit of wire In = Shred
ding Machine in n Fibro worxs-IsS
Blocks OF Private Dwellings and Busi-
moss Houses Destroy Jed-DsmnEe. II -
Estimated. Amounts to SIS 100000.
Jacksonville, Fla.-The most disas-
trous fire in the history OF this city be-
gan Friday shortly after noon in
small factory, from q defective wire.
according TO the best belief. and
burned for nearly ten hours. In that
time property damage estimated
from $4,000, 900 10 s15,OOO.OOO was
caused.
According to the city map. 100 blocks
were burned, many OF them In the
heart OF the business and residence
section. The estimate OF houses TO tho
block is ten. hence 1900 OF them went
up In smoke. Many of the finest pub
Ia and private buildings were de
siroyed, including hotels. theatres,
churches and residences.
The burned district reaches from
st. Johns River on the south, n dis
tance OF not quite two miles. The
width OF the dcsoated area is thirteen
blocks. Within this space practically
everything Is hlackcncd ruins. ON Bay
street, the principal mart of trade. the
Western Union Telegraph Company's
building IS the first building standing
going west. Everything east OF Laura
Bay is gone.
The suburban settlements. with the
exception OF la Villa, are intact. La
Villa was badly hurt. Thousands Of
persons trampcd the streets, homeless.
with practically all OF their worldly
possessions upon their backs. The
stations OF the railroads, situated in
the southeastern section. were turned
into temporary lodging houses ana hos
pitals. Luckily the weather was fine,
so that there was no suffering on that
score.
Seven hotels. including the Windsor
and st. James. Il theatre and nearly
all the business buildings are gone.
The ST. James was the principal hotel
OF the city. Il brick structure. five
stories high. 1t was the winter home
OF many Northern millionaries.
Started at the corner of Lee and
Monroe streets, the fire was spread
with great rapidity by the high wind.
which almost amounted to gale. 1t
was soon seen that the local fire de-
partment could not cope with the
emergency and appealing messages.
asking help were sent To nearby cities.
Brunswick. Ga. sent one thousand
feet OF hose and three tiremen by
special train for Jacksonville running
sixty miles an hour. Two fire engines,
with crews. came from Savannah on
special train.
When the fire reached Julia street
1t was roaring furnace and seeming
ly beyond control. The local military
companies were called out TO keep
back the crowds. and the Fire De
partmcnt began to use dynamite TO
blow up houses q block away to pre-
vent the fire spreading. SO fierce was
the blaze. however. and so strong the
wind. that sparks and burning shin
giles were thrown five or six blocks,
setting aiire roofs Of houses in adj
vance OF the department.. Senator Tai
iafcrro'S residence and other adjoiu-
ing houses were soon ablaZc.
Desperate efforts were made to
save the Windsor and st. James
hotels. but both were quickly wrapped
In flames. For about an hour the
patrons OF the Windsor had been busy
packing. and they went away loaded
with trunks and grips. Leaping across
the street from the Windsor. the
flames caught the Sells House and then
the HethodiA parsonage. y few min
utes later the Trinity Methodist
Church was on fire. The Opera House
block followed. Once the fire got
started on Main street the closely
Built buildings went one after the
otheI Paint shops with barrels OF
oil in stock were plentiful, and as they
caught nre the blaze rose hundreds
OF feet and started fire In buildings
across the street.
The City Building went. the Fire
Department Building. the Armory. the
County Court House. the Clerk office.
with the county records; the Criminal
Court House. the City Jail and the
Graded Schools and the Catholic
Church and Orphanage. st. Johns
Episcopal Church and the convent AL
most all the large buildings in the
city were burned up In less than four
houra
The Chief OF Police has ordered all
saloons closed until further notice.
Mayor Bowdcn says the property
loss will exceed $15.OOO,0OO. Ten
thousand to fftecn thousand people
are homeless