Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-05-01
Most of Retail Section
and Many Residences
Burned.
LOSS IS s6,OOO,O 1000
City Hall the Only Public Build
ina Left-ThouSands Are
Left Homeless.


broke over the stricken city today hun
dreds OF groups of men, women and
children were seen huddled around bon
fires or stretched along the edge OF the
smoking ruins, endeavoring TO warm
and dry themselves.
Although rain brought discomfort TO
the homeless, II was means Of bring
ing under control the confagration
which last night and early today de-
stroyed one-third of the city, including
some Of the finest homes and all pub
lie buildings. with the exception of the
city hall and the greater part of the
retail section
LOSS Is ss,0oO,0oo.
The property loss is estimated at So
200. 900. The loss OF life, so far as
known. is confined to two persons, with
half a dozen injured.
The attention OF the authorities was
directed today toward housing the
homeless and feeding the hungry. To
aid the police a company of militia was
ordered out for guard duty.
STARTS IN HAY SHED.
The fire started In the hay shed of
j. Frank Green on Broad street, and
in short time was sweeping through
the city in a northwesteriy direction.
Mayor Mullen called out the local
company OF the national guard and
placed the city under martial rule.
Portland, Lewiston, Augusta, Old
Town, Brewer and every other city
and town within reach were asked for
help and sent 1t.
Half an hour after the first alarm
had been sounded nearly a dozen
buildings were In flames and the fire
was sweeping northerly up Broad and
Exchange streets on either side of Ken
duskeag stream. IN it's pathway were
banks, Office buildings, the public IL
brary, and other structures, all Of
which were destroyed.
PHONES CUT OFF.
The city was soon shut on from tel
ephonic communication by the burn
ing OF the central office of the New
England Telephone & Telegraph COM
pany, and calls for aid from Portland,
Lewiston and Augusta were sent out
by the wire chief OF the company, who
climbed a pole and cut in on a trunk
line
burned in the early stages of the con-
fiagration, but later they established
temporary stations outside the fire
zone and communication was resumed.
SEVERAL ALARMS SIMULTANEOUS.
There are varying reports as to the
exact spot where the fire originated
Several alarms were sounded, almost
simultaneously. In addition to the fire
at the corner of Broad and Exchange
streets the firemen found a blaze in a
bicycle repair shop in the rear of the
telephone ofice. Both spread with such
rapidity that the firemen were help
less
One OF the few buildings to escape
destruction was the city hall This
WAS in the direct path of the fire, but
the flames leaped over it. It is at Broad
State, and Hammond streets. At this
point the flames crossed the Kendus-
keag and continued along both sides
of the stream.
AS il burned north the path of de-
struction grew wider. while sparks
started innumerable other fires. many
of them a considerable distance from
the main confiagration.
DYNAMITE USED.
An Intellectual attempt was made TO
stay the progress OF the flames by dyn-
amiting several blocks. including the
Smith and Strickland buildings, Ioca-
ted in a triangle formed by Hammond
and Central streets and the Kendus-
keag stream, but the fire bridged the
chasm.
Among the buildings burned during
the early stages of the fire were the
Haynes & Chalmers building. the
Hodgkins block. the Fiske building,
Fairbanks & Co.'S building. and the
Bangor public library. Then followed
the telephone Office. the postofhce. the
Office OF the Bangor Daily News. the
Morse Oliver block. a seven-story struc-
ture i'm which was located the Offices
Of the Bangor & Aroostock railroad:
the Windsor hotel. and several