Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-24
HUNDREDS ARE HOMELESS
Many Public Buildings and Sixty
Residences Destroyed.
OUTSIDE AID IS SUMMONED
Blaze, Starting Mysteriously in Rear
Of Frame Structure, Is Famed
by Strong Wind.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

LAKE CHARLES. La. April 2S.-lr
three hours this afternoon a fire. which
originated at $3.50 o'clock In an out
house In the rear Of a frame building
on Ryan street between Pujo and
North Court and spread thence to the
immense two-story frame building
which was formerly the Lake Charles
Opera House. but was condemned as
unsafe after the Iroquois disaster
wiped out property conservatively
estimated at 100000 to s1.000,O00. A
brisk wind blew from the west, the ole
wooden building which proved a torch
was as dry as tinder, and, although
the entire fire department answered the
call with great promptness, the water
thrown from the hose turned to steam
before il touched the buildings
The old opera house was in the midst
of a nest of wooden structures, all old
comprising the remnants or the business
section which had not been torn down
and rebuilt of brick. Fifteen minutes
after the fire started the flames reached
Ryan street and caught in similar
cluster of old buildings just north of the
Catholic church property, on which was
located all of the church and schocI
buildings belonging to the Catholic con-
gregation and destroyed them in a twink
was realized a heroic effort was made
to check the fire. but it was in vain. First
the rectory went, then one of the school
buildings in the rear, then the big con-
vent building, the church and finally the
new brick school building. Across Bilbo
street the flames caught the st. Clair
Hotel By this time the wind shifted to
the northwest and the big Calcasleu
courthouse. located on the block Just
south of where the fire originated, and the
city hall on Kirby street. across from the
Catholic church property, both caught
fire
Outside Help Asked.
In the meantime all of the sawmills
sent men and fire equipment to the CEN
ter of town and telegram was sent ask
ing Beaumont and Jennings for aid. The
fire steadily waged its way south and
east until it made a pathway through
the residence section about two blocks
wide and nearly half mile long
Some of the finest residences in Lake
Charles were destroyed almost before the
panic stricken occupants had realized their
danger. BY the time help arrived from
outside at q O'Clock the fire had practt-
cally reached the limit of its destructive
ness. The streets adjacent to the burned
district were blocked with tangles Of
household goods. About sixty residences
and four hotels lay in ruins and several
hundred people were homeless. Several
houses far from the scene of the main
confiagration caught fire. and one, that of
Mrs. 7. b. Reynolds, was entirely con-
sumed.
While the fire ragged business was sus-.
pended in the city and hundreds OF
people assisted in lighting the fire and
helping to move the rescued goods to q
place of safety. number of persons
suffered severe burns and light injuries
in fighting the fire, but. so far as can
be learned no one was killed or sert-
ously hurt. The homes Of Lake Charles
were thrown open to the sufferers, and
a score Of warehouses was placed at
the service Of those who desired to
store their goods in safety.
Militia Guarding Ruins.
The Sisters Mariantes and the board
ers at the school. numbering score
or more were taken care of by the
Sisters of the Incarnate.
Company X of the Louisiana National
Guard was called out and, with corps OF
extra policemen, is guarding the ruins TO-
night The burned district equals In area
about seven blocks. The walls OF the
courthouse and city hall are still stand
ing. but it is believed that both buildings
are virtually ruined.