The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-26
Nearly Two Million Dol
lars in Black Ruins.
THREE PERSONS DEAD
Flames Consumed Block After Block
Hundreds Of Buildings Being Des.
troyed, and The Entire City Mas
Panic Stricken, and Hundreds
Were Rendered Destitute.
(By the Associated Press. }


Hot Springs, Ark. Feb. 25.-Fire
swept the southern portion of this
~ early today doing immense dam
Il &c and causing the known deaths
three persons. The losses are
riously estimated at from one mil
On to two million dollars. Three
Jared corpses have been found
among the ruins and as several per-
sons are reported missing. the death
list may be increased. The identity
Of the victims has not been estab-
lished. One of the bodies is sup
posed to be that of a female guest
of the Grand Central Hotel.
The fire. which started at $3.50
o'clock this morning was the worst
this State has ever experienced, and
in five hours had burned over an area
of one square mile. BLOCK after
block of residences. business houses.
hotels and other buildings were swept
away and the entire town was panic
stricken, although the fire was con-
fined to tho southern part of the city.
street car wires and telegraph and
telephone poles were destroyed and
these services were temporarily de-
moralized.
The fire swept area includes every
house on Chapel street. all on Mark
ct street from Central Avenue west:
Orange street to Grand Avenue and
a portion of Oak street.
Among the buildings destroyed are
the Grand Central Hotel. the Lee
House. Moody Hotel. Plateau Hotel,
Columbia Hotel. the county court
house. JAIL First Methodist church.
the Jewish acharch and residences,
and stores to large number. con-
servatively estimated at from zoo to
$50
The FIRE first started in the Grand
Central Hotel and it's origin is mys-
terry. All of the guests had retired
TO the night and only the night
clerk and Waterman We're on duty
when the flames We're discovered.
A strong north wind was blowing
a. d before the fire department could
rcacn the scene the flames spread
rapidly to adjoining buildings. A
General alarm was sounded and every
1gine i'm the city responded. Guests
The big hotels were awakened and
hundreds of those hastily dressed and
repaired to the scene of the confiag-
ration.
The fremen and police worked vail
liantIv but their efforts could not
check the onward march cf the flames
and to add to their difficulties the
water pressure gave out at five O'Clock.
Bucnet br;gades were then formed.
citizens and visitors alike volunteer
ing their services. Excitement was
manifested everywhere when the
flames got beyond control Many
lodging houses and cheap restaurants
were direct in the path ot the mr.
and the occupants were hurriedly
,pprised of their danger. Many III
,eir anxiety. Jumped from windows
M sustained severe bruises AMI
iocks.
At daybreak the wind Increased III
orce and famed the flames into
aathing glare which lighted up the
fntry for miles around. The flre
swept along Central avenue south
eating up building after building pc
fore occupants could recover thelr
yal,lables. Many of them barely es-
capped with their lives.
on the west side of Central avenue
n strip of woods covering about ten
acres arrested the progress OF the nre
to the west.
The Park Hotel through favorable
shift in the wind escaped possible de-
struction. The guests were hurriediy
summoned from their rooms ana
many of them packed trunks ana
vaIises and made their way to the
streets The Arlington and Eastman
Hotels were not in the threatened dis
trict.
After the fire had gained full head
way the streets became choked with
people Hundreds of those who had