The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-22

lousas streets in two story frame build ing It then spread to a feed store. From there it jumped to three wooden struc- lures. The roar of the flames could be heard for miles,
 | The Star and Crescent hotel, a brick structure. next caught. From that mo- ment the fire seemed beyond control Driving ahead with awful rapidity. 1t swayed from side to side Sparks reached out blocks ahead. These ate steadily to- ward the more thickly populated section of the city across Buffalo bayou
 Women Barely Escape Bolts of flame became detached. light ing on some house two blocks distant A score of times women barely had time to seize their infants and dash into the streets.
 As the fire advanced. throngs of citizens in night dress raced in all directions for safety. cool headed persons. recognizing the danger. assumed leadership of the half crazed and compelled them to go to the rear of the fire zone.
 Small homes to the northwest of the city soon filled with the popuace inl- poverished. Even before daylight the work of placing these in still other sec lions of the city was begun. At daybreak organized relief was be- gun. Practically every home in the city was opened to the refugees Never be- fore had such conditions confronted the authorities. In many of the burned homes there were cases of sickness. Afflicted and sick were forced to run for their lives.
 Got Early Headway
 The fire was raging over five blocks be- fore it was an hour old. Several hundred thousand feet of cedar lumber were stored near the Hudson pencil factory. a fro eo bof that spectators perched on a railroad bridge were forced to retreat. Hill street bridge was turned so as to prevent the fire crossing that structure. A few minutes later work men burned the International and Great Northern bridge. At one point the sparks swept across the bayou and gained a foothold. This was near the plant of the Houston Packing company. Sparks set fire to hay in the barns. but the private fire fighting apparatus managed to keep the flames confined to the barns.
 Tramps Take to Water Two tramps sleeping near the Hud son factory did not awaken until that plant was a seething cauldron. They attempted to retreat in the direction of the railroad tracks, but were driven back by the heat and smoke. The Fourshe was the only avenue of escape left and into it's chilly wa ters the men plunged. They swan to safety before the gaze of thousands standing on the bluff. Among the heaviest losers was the Cleveland Compress company. located near Buffalo bayou. This plant was erected less than two years ago. The loss Is estimated at nearly $2,000, 900. Beneath the sheds and in the railroad yards adjoining were upward of 32,000 bales of cotton and other merchandise. Every stick in the plant was consumed, exposing to the spectators an acre or more of smouldering cotton that may burn for days.
 Cotton Compress Burns
 The McFadden Southern Compress This plant was located about a quarter of a mile further down the bayou. At the Standard Compress company it Is estimated the loss will aggregate near ly s1 100000.
 Early 1t was difficut to estimate, the number of families made homeless. The burned zone In the Fifth ward covers ground that yesterday was densely tentions and others modest, were wiped out.
 Several thousand men are tempora- rily thrown out of employment. The railroads were heavy losers, much roll ing stock being destroyed. Trains were delayed. The telegraph companies were hampered
 The fire still slowly burns.