The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-09-06

HOT SPRINGS. ARK, Sept. s.
THE Valley Of vapors" rs sleeping In
darkness tonight, save TO the south
bers OF fifty city blocks. representing
h CONFEDERATION, the greatest in the
history OF Hot Springs, computed IN
and cents q los sof over s4.-
boo. 600.
AT least 2,so0 persons are home
less ton.g hit Sumo Of tnem arc be-
Ing cared for by friends who escaped
he IRE, others have moved TO the
kuburbs Of the city and are sleeping
bn the ground. In the business sec
Ion Of Hot Springs are piled the few
belongings that were saved from the
various business houses and homes.
These goods are being guarded Five
business blocks are included In the
Fifty the flames consumed.
Late tonight the fire is eating tts
way towards the extreme eastern
trnit Of the resort. devouring every
house in It's path. West mountain
ZONES close to where the confiagra~
ion must stop. The wind is still
blowing staffly in hat sparseiy set
led district. Theer is danger of the
nountain catching fire.
business Destroyed.
HOT SPRINGS, ARK. Sept. s.
Fire swept the entire eastern
business section OF this city this af-
ernoon destroyed hundreds OF bust
hess and residence buildings and swept
terrftoy seven to ten blocks In width
Ind ten to fifteen blocks in length. and
was still burning late tonight. with
little chance OF checking II. Until the
lire has burned Itself out. IA gale
bf thirty TO forty miles an houx fan.
ned the flames and human Ingenuity
pould make no Roadway in checking
Is onward rush.
The fire originaxedon Church street,
three blocks east of the government
reservation and near the army and
lavy hospitals. 1t swept southeast
way from the hospital and reserva-
ion for an hour. when the rising
Wind shifted In direction and carried
I again in the direction of the busI-
less section. taking the public utilities
plant and every business structure on
Malvern avenue.
Fire Sweeps South.
Crossing Malvern venue the Are
wept south. burning the Ozark san
tarium and beautiful high schoo
building, when the shifting wind
current again carried the flames to
puachita avenue. sweeping a wide
pathway. destroying the Garland
county courthouse and for a time Sc
Fiously threatening to turn back in
ts path and sweep down the main
business section OF Central and
puachita e n
BY heoic efforts Of the Hot Springs
Ind Little Rock fire departments. the
after having arrived by special train,
he FIRE was kept from turning back
bn Central avenue but there was no
checking the flames in the direction
he wind was carrying 1t, and build
ne after building was destroyed In
he space Of a few minutes.
At s o'clock the fire was still un-
fhccked sweeping southwesteriy In
he direction OF the district known as
South Hot Springs.
Following are some OF the principal
buildings destroyed within a shor,
pace OF two and a half hours:
Buildings Destroyed.
Park hotel, Water. Light and Gas
plants; Ozark sanitarfum; High school
building; Central Methodist church;
Garland county courthouse: Moody
hotel: Sigler apartments; Iron Noun
ain station and shops; Bitou rink. and
| n unknown number of business
blocks, smaller business buildings and
fesidences. many Of them in a palatial
fesidence section.
At S:l5 the wind was abatinE and
he fury Of the fire was slightly abated
but II In still burning in a section
Eomposed Of frame houses w blocks
rom the start of the business district
hear the Western Union building and
he long drought has made them ready
tuel for the flames 1t Ia impossible
1t this time to estimate the loss
There were no casualties reported. but
number Of injuries.