St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1902-08-09
The Washington Fire.

of several parishes; the shipping
and receiving point for towns In
the radious of hundreds of miles,
was destroyed by fire.
Every building in the town was
not burned, not even half, but the
business portion, the heart and
life, of the town, is now represented
by heaps of ashes and yet srnolder-
ing Goals. It Is q pitiable sight |;
even a mournful sight, for
the groups of men and women
and children who are gathered
round the ruins every hour
of the day, silent and down
cast, give the scene mournful,
graveyard appearance. AT nights
the guards do faithful duty, watch
ing the property not destroyed, and
the appearance Of the wake is per-
feet.
Tuesday afternoon, at 4 o'clock,
q call came from Washington for
assistance, as the town was on fire,
and threatened with destruction.
No one at the time thought that
the most destructive fire that ever
occurred in this section of the State
had began. A call alarm was at
once sounded by the Hope Hook &
Ladder Go. No. /, and in less than
an hour the boys We're In Washing
ton fighting the fire. When the
company arrived the fire was we'll
under way, several buildings hav-
ing already been burned-in fact
the fire was then beyond immedi-
ate control. 1t was burning on
both sides of Main street. Wash
ington was entirely unprepared to
fight fire-the town was at the
mercy of the fiery fiend, toy in
its awful embrace. When the Ope-
lousas boys arrived the Washing
ton people were exhausted by the
unequal battle, and the sight of re-
lief was greeted with cheers.
The fire boys went into the fight
like gallant fellows that they are.
1t did look indeed like the battle
was futile; that the fire would just
have to be permitted to burn to its
hearts content, or until there were
no more buildings left to feed its
appetite. The town seemed DOOM
ed. The fiery monster seemed de-
termined to wipe 1t from the map.
One building after another, north,
south, east and west, went under.
One building was not well afire be-
fore the red monster would shoot
out its tongue and lick the hot roof
of building on the other side, set
ting it afire. It was an awful sight,
one that will ever remain vivid in
the memory of those who saw it.
The roar OF the fire, as 1t swept
everything before it, climbing tall
oaks and pecan trees, then going
down after low-roofed cabins, en-
circling stately residences and
wrapping its fiery arms round
prosperous business establishments
was intermingled with the shrieks
and means and cries of women and
children. Mother would embrace
baby aud call to Heaven to save
their little home. Gray-haired
grandma would look at the prop
erty of loved son or daughter
that she had been watching accu-
mulating for these many years go
in smoke, and supplicate for mercy,
her sobs shaking her tottering
frame. The old negress, with her
mattress and Pillow, her all, safely
at her feet, would gestulate wildly
crying @Jedgment day dun cum."
1t was an awful, frenzled sight.
The fire was at first attacked di-
rectly, but 1t was soon discovered
that this would not do, that STRAIT
agic measures would have to be
adopted. The buildings immedi-
ately next to the fire, on all sides,
were abandoned, and the water and
salt were used on the buildings
not almost ready to ignite. Tn
this way the FIRE fighters had time
to prepare for the onslaught of the
fiend, and the effectiveness of this
method soon proved its wisdom.
Buildings were cut down in less
time than it takes to cut down
tree, and big gaps made between
buildings and the fire on all sides.
Then salt and water were used on
the next buildings. For nearly
four hours the battle was fought,
and when victory crowned the
efforts of the exhausted fighters, a
sigh of relief and thankfuIness
went around.
The Lafayette firemen arrived
on special just as the fire was
subdued. They are a fine looking
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