Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-13
Tract in Business District One-and- One Halt Miles
Long and Half Mile Wide is Left
SmoIdering Ruin.
ESTIMATED 10000 ARE MADE HOMELESS
Relief Taken Up Promptly and is Announced All Funds Nec
essary Will be Raised Within
the State.

lied upon for substantial financial aid.
A temporary postoffice was established
early in the day and bureau OF in
formation organized.
! Mayor Asks for Help.
! Mayor Beck of Chelsea today issued
an appeal for outside aid. Subscrip-
tions may be sent to Thomas B. Frost,
treasurer of the relief committee.
VIII he Raised I'm State.
Acting Governor Draper today an
nounced the funds for the relief of
Chelsea can and will be raised in Mas
sachusetts.
| Offers Military Aid.
| Washington, April Is. = President
| Roosevelt has sent message of sym
1 pathy to the mayor of Chelsea, at the
same time offering any necessary as.
sistance from the army or navy for
the stricken city.
$50 Acres Covered.
Boston, April 13-An area of $50
acres of blackened ruins representing
nearly a quarter of the total area OF
the city marks the scene of the great
fire which swept through the business
section of Chelsea yesterday and last
might, turning 10000 people out of their
homes and causing property damage
Ftestfmafed at approximately $S,0UG,c 20
II Under Martial Law.
II Today the burned area is guarded
by militiamen and marines to prevent
possible looting and military regula
tions prevail throughout the city
Early today only three persons
were known to have lost their live!
in the fire, but it was feared the mum
ber would be increased when searcl
of the ruins was made. Over half /;
hundred people were injured but thi.
morning all were reported to be doins
well.
III Start Relief Work.
II Concerted efforts toward providin,
relief for the thousands of sufferer
were fairly started today. Actin;
Governor Draper issued a call for al
J early morning meeting of prominen
Boston business men to make plan
, for raising funds for temporary car
of the homeless. Mayor Beck has a
. ready received offers of financial al
, from many cities.
VI Started mt Dumping GrOunu.
e Starting near the corner of Cypres
: and Third streets, from the publ
f dumping ground, the blaze spread b,
fore a northeast gale straight acros
the city to the southeast, spreadin
J. out as it advanced until its nortl
l. easterly boundary reached the easter
s division of the Boston and Maine .ai
Y road, over which it leaped, and the
e swept on until checked by a sma
J. creek. On the other side it ereI
e along Second street until Broadwa
n was reached, then went along Esse
e and MiddleseX streets to the wat,
front at Chelsea creek and then leape
into East Boston.
gt Mile ana a Half I'm Length.
H. The distance from the point whe
e. the fire started to the creek is mi
,e and half and the greatest width
the fire is about half mile. Eve
to at the creek the fire was not whoi
ef stayed, for sparks blown across S
he fire to several houses and the p!a
ne of the Standard Oil company r
'n oil plant was still burning at daybre
and was practically destroyed.
The burned district includes a lar
CT number of manufacturing concerl
rs, stores, business houses, many cost
IS. residences, tenement blocks, church
RS and public buildings.
nc started as Church Bells Ring.
Boston, Mass, April 13-While t
nu church bells were calling the peol
nc to divine worship at 1890 o'clo
al yesterday morning fire, which rag
for IL hours. started in Chelsea,
.e Boston suburb. burned over an al
ies of one and one-quarter square mil
ou made 10000 people homeless, destr
ed 1000 residences, caused seve
deaths, many injuries, and dam;
his estimated at $6,O00,000.
yorj Famed by gale blowing go mi
a an hour. the flames were soon beyo
af- the control of the Chelsea departm
lar and reinforcements from Boston 6
re- half dozen other cities did not Sc