The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-06-15
FIRE SWEEPS YAzOO CITY
Entire Business and Much of the
Residence Section Destroyed
LOSS ESTIMATED AT $4,000, 900

The Burned Area in the Mississippi Town
is Twelve Blocks Long by Three
Blocks Wide In All Twenty-eight
Blocks Are in Ashes State Militis.
Guar the Ruins.
Jackson. Miss.-Yazoo City. the
wealthiest town in the Mississippi
delta, located fifty-five miles north OF
this city. was swept by fire, and not
a single business house in the town
is left standing. Over 200 buildings
were destroyed and the loss is esti-
mated between two million and two
and a half million dollars. The first
figure will probable cover the total de-
struction. Hundreds of people are
homeless and destitute, and the town
is under military guard.
Three persons are known to have
been seriously injured. and rumOrs are
current that several negroes persisted
in the flames. but these reports cannot
be confirmed.
The devastation of the business dis
trict is complete. Tw~enty-eight blocks
were licked clean by the flames and
only the blackened brick walls and
%Smoldering emberS mark the spot
where handsome buildings once stood.
Of the total number of buildings de-
stroyed, about fifty were magnificent
residences, many of old Colonial archi-
lecture and occupied by some of the
wealthiest citizens of the South.
Soon after the fire started in the
residence of John Wise. at Main and
Mound streets. realizing that it was
beyond control of the local Fire De-
partment. Mayor Holmes sent out APP
pealS for aid. and the Jackson Fire De-
partment. headed by Mayor Hemming-
way, and the Greenwood Fire Depart
mcnt, headed by Governor Vardaman,
hurried to the scene on special trains.
The Jackson special made a record
breaking run. covering the distance of
forty-fve miles in forty minutes. An
hour after the arrival of assistance it
seemed that the fire was almost under
control. but shortly after 0on 1t
broke out afresh at the Calumet Club.
destroying that structure and moving
thence to the Magr ,lia Inn.
Every white church in town, the
Methodist. Baptist. Episcopal. Pres
byterian and Catholic, was burned;
both telegraphic offices. the Cumber-
land Telephone Exchange and the
Yazoo and Mississippi Valley passen-
ger depot. The four banking irstitu-
lions, the Elks Club. the express
offices and Postofice were swept away.
away.
The only buildings Of consequence d.
rectly exposed to the holocaust which
escaped were the Court House and the
Fannie ]. Kicks Memorial Library.
and through some queer prank Of fate
both of these were unframed, although
surrounded by fire on all sides.
Congressman John Sharp Williams,
the Democratic minority leader, was a
heavy loser, several buildings belong
ing to him being destroyed. His resi-
dence was fortunately spared. as was
also his magnificent library, said to be
II of the finest private collection Of
books in the South.
Mr.. Williams was one Of the heroes
of the day, and his cool head and quick
judgment was Of valuable aid to the
fre-fighting force. He was busily en-
gagged with the workers carrying fur
niture from burning houses, and doubt
less performed as much work of this
kind as any man in the city.