Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-21
THOUSANDS HOMELESS,
BUT NO DEATHS OCCUR
Concentrated Efforts of Firemen
Save Business Section.
FACTORIES SUFFER HEAVIEST
Greater Part of Loss Confined to
Cotton and Lumber Industries.
Catholic Church and
School Razed

HOUSTON. Tex, February al.-Im-
pelled by gale that s~ap' In With one
of the coolest northers OF .he winter,
flames swept through the enstern saction
of Houston early today. causing loss
estimated at from six to ten million
dollars
At least twenty-five blocks of the city
have been destroyed Scores OF Gotta ses
were destroyed. Several big :nanutae-
turing plants were burned down. Thou
sands of persons are homeless.
The greater part of the loss is confined
to the lumber and cotton industries.
Forty-five thousand bales of cotton
stored in warehouses and congresses
were burned. This item alone sets
loss of s2.OoO,OoO.
The fire started in cottage near the
Southern Pacific railroad tracks soon
after midnight. Its origin has not been
definitely established. A roaring wind
picked up the flames and hurled them
to neighboring cottages and boarding
houses. With a flash these ignited.
ing these. the forty-mile gale carried
them two and three blocks.
Within half an hour after the FIRE
broke out a great area of small resi-.
dences was in flames.
1t spread rapidly to. manufacturing
plants that bordered on cottages and
boarding houses where hundreds of work.
ingmen reside.
Confne Efforts to Warning.
The fire spread so rapidly that firemen
for the time abandoned attempts to check
the flames, instead devoting their energies
to warning hunseholders. Possible loss
Of Jife was thus averted.
At the big manufacturing plants and
cotton congresses city frement and vol
unteers, had organized to fight the on
rushing flames.
Walls and roofs of the plants were
water soaked. This water was licked
up in the fash Of an eye by the ad-
vance guard Of sparks. however. and
when the great columns Of flames
reached the factories they succumbsd
as easily and with less resistance than
rows of the cottages.
An hour after the flames began their
irresistible advance the firemen or
CANNED for a final stand at Buffalo
bayou, a small stream that divides
the eastern part of the city from the
main section. Every piece Of re-fight-
ing apparatus was stationed along the
banks of this stream. which. IL passed
by the FIRE. meant the destruction Of
the entire city.
AS the advancing columns of fire began
to hiss toward the bayou banks hundreds
of streams of water were hurled into
them, checking. little by little. their prog
ress. At some of the narrower portions
of the stream the flames leaped across.
but the more substantial buildings they
reached did not afford the tinder-like
fuel heretofore encountered. The fire
was checked.
No Casualties Reported.
Thousands of persons were driven from
their homes. In the cold of the norther
they suffered slightly from exposure. Re-
lief work was Immediately set under way.
however. and food and clothing provided
for the refugees Many persons were
hurt during the fire. but so far as cad be
determined there We're no Casualties.
Inc burned area is at least mile ana
half long, at points quarter or
mile wide. and embraced long rows OF
cottages and solid streets Of manufactur-
ing plants. 1t was swept clean by the
flames. Nothing was saved. Some thrifty
cottagers and boarding house keepers set
their furniture on the sidewalks before
the flames reached their homes. but as
soon as the fire came the piled-up be-
longings went the way OF the destroyed
homes.
One of the first of the more pretentious
buildings attacked was the brick Star and
Crescent Hotel. Occupants had been
warned Of the oncoming flames and all
escaped without injury.
Roaring Flames Give Warning.
The roar of the flames gave warning
of their coming. Hundreds of persons.
giving no heed to their night attire.
rushed from their homes as they heard
the roar of the fire. Women carrying
babies women at whose skirts small
children clung. gathered in homes OF
nearby neighbors for refuge. only to
be driven out few minutes later by
the further progress Of the fire. Fire
men organized leaders among the men
of the burned area. and these, mar
shaling the refugees. led them to the
rear of the flames and out of danger.
Homes were quickly provided for
these people in other residence sections
pared by a relief committee and there
was comparatively little suffering.
destruction of baled cotton and manu-
plants makes up the bulk of the
reached about $iO0U.0OO. Losses on resi-
dences and household effects may bring
the total to a much larger figure
Catholic Church Razed.
Among the mills, factories and plants
either totally destroyed or seriously dam
aged By the fire are:
McFadden Southern Compress and
\. ..rehouse Company, Dew Brothers
sirup mill, Houston d Liggett Lumber
Company, Rogers Paint Company. Mag
nolia compress, Hudson's pencil factory.
Houston Packing Company (slightly
aamaye). Ed H. Hsrrell lumber yards
compress. the Cooperative
Company. Acme mill, st.
Patrick's Catholic Church and Catholic
school operated in conjunction with the
church.
PHILADELPHIA, February 21-
George II. McFadden Bro. cotton
merchants of this city. received q mes
sage from their manager in Houston to-
lay that it Is estimated from $4,000 to
O,000 bales OF cotton were either de-
'troyed or damaged in the entire Hous-
on fire district There were two or
hree thousand bales In the McFaddan
compress. which was deetro1Ad.