The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-03-06

1
Department Almost Hciplcss-Wo-
man Drvps Dead From SHOCK
Sleeping Man and Cigarette Cause
Of Fire
Tampa. Fla, March THE entire
extreme northeastern section OF the
city proper was destroyed by fire,
which ragged uninterTuptedly from 3 a
m- TO l p. II. today. The area burned
covers So acres or lS1 city blocks
and 30S buildings were destroy
ed.
The burned section included four
large and one smaller cigar factory
and numerous restaurants. saloons
boarding houses and over 200 dwell
lings occupied by eigarmakers. The
factories burned were: NJ Slachelberg
4 Co, loss $l00, 600: MI Perez & Co,
loss $50, 900; Gonzalez, Fisher a. Co,
loss $40 1000: Esoerg, Gunst & Co,
branch of StachelDerg, loss $4,000:
Fernandez & Bro, loss 10000. All
factories carried large stocks OF to-
bacco and cigars. The area swept by
fire embraces all that portion OF the
city between Twelfth AID Michigan
avenues and Sixteenth and Twentieth
streets.
The fire originated in the boarding
house, of Antonio Diaz, 1714 Twelfth
avenue. and famed by strong wind.
spread out, fan-shaped, defying the
efforts of the entire city fire depart
nent, which was crippled by very
weak water pressure, owing to the
smallnesS of the mains in that Sec
ton. Occupants of over 200 dwelling
iyTo n
out, attempting 10 save but little OF
t.eir belongings. One fatality is re-
ported a Cuban woman in delicate
condition, who dropped dead from the
shock, her body being rescued from
the burning house with difficulty. In
tie big factories, it was possible only
to save the most valuable Office rec
ords, books, etc, and the valuable
stocks Of leaf tobacco and manufac-
tured cigars ready for shipment were
left to the mercy Of the flames.
Fire Chief Savage was overcome
by heat, but recovered later.
Citizens volunteered assistance 10
the hardworking firemen, but the
spread of the flames was so rapid that
little effectual work could be done.
| Among buildings other than facto-
] ries destroyed were the hotels and
! cafes of Perez & Castro and Maximo
! Caras, six saloons, Il restaurants and
| 10 boarding houses The car barn OF
| the Tampa Electric Company, contain
! ing 20 cars, was endangered, but owing
to the destruction of trolley wires
cars could not be moved. The big
Seidenberg branch factory of the Ha-
bana- American Cigar Company was
also reached by the flames, but was
saved and st. Loseph's Catholic con-
! vent and academy barely escaped. The
| fire finally burned itself out at the
extreme northeastern corner of the
city.
Fully half of the people rendered
homeless were out OF work, owing to
the dull season in the factories and
also practically out of funds, and their
shelter became an immediate problem
St. Joseph's convent was opened to
them by order OF the Jesuit fathers
and many found lodgings there, while
others were accommodated in homes
throughout the city. Besides these
thousands of men will be out of work
owing to the burning of the factor
les. The insurance Is estimated al
not more than half of the loss. Tele-
grams were sent to Lakeland, Barlow
and other nearby towns for fire ap-
paratus, but later were countermand-
ed.
In the Stachelberg factory was de-
stroyed a solid silver case in which
cigars of the firm were displayed al
the worlds fairs and expositions. val
ued at s25, ZOO. At the home of Miguel
Rodriguez, eigarmaker, the corpse OF
child in a coffin awaiting funeral
services was cremated.
The state militia was placed on
guard tonight in the burned district
to prevent depredations.
Edgar J. Stachelberg, manager OF
the Stachelberg factories, said that
other quarters would be secured and
operations be resumed within a weekk
Tampa, Fla, March 2.-The total
loss sustained by yesterdays fire is to-
day estimated at 100000 the build
ings burned being mostly cigar fac
tories and residences of the men en-
ployed in them. One thousand persons
are homeless and four thousand de-
pendent on the factories for employ
ment are out of work The fire ragged
for four hours, famed by high north
east winds, the local fire department
being almost helpless to check it's
progress.
Charitable organizations have start
ed relief work and fund Of s. 900 has
already been raised.
Ihe blaze it said to have been
started by a man falling asleep with a
lighted cigarette in his mouth from
which hjc cIofhac uaS iOnifed Outaide