Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-06
Fire Sweeps Large Area of the
City Of Hot Springs,
Arkansas.
GOV. HAYS TAKES CHARGE
OF THE WORK OF RELIEF
Public Buildings and City's Light
and Water Plant Among Prop
erty Destroyed.

HOT SPRINGS, Ark, September g.
Under personal direction Of Gov. George
w. Hays. the task Of providing for those
made homeless by the fire which last
night destroyed property valued at mill
lions of dollars in the eastern section Of
Hot Springs began at daylight today.
Several hundred volunteer firemen were
working to blacken the ruins in fear
that the smoldering embers might be
famed into flames again should q wind
arise. It had not been determined early
today whether the militia would be called
on to assist in relief measures. Under
orders Of Mayor McClendon all saloons
are closed and SO far there has been no
disorder.
Two hundred and fifty citizens, sworn
in as a special police force at a mass
meeting held last night while the fire
was at its height, continue to patrol the
fire-swept area this morning.
Definite figures as to the monetary
loss will not be possible until late today,
although it has been roughly estimated
at $1O,OOOO0O.
Fire Starts in Cabin.
The fre started in a negros cabin at
$50 o'clock yesterday afternoon and died
out at the foot Of West mountain, the
southern extremity Of Hot Springs, at
midnight, after reducing to q smoldering
mass of wreckage an area more than a
mile in length and from seven to ten
blocks wide in the eastern section Of the
city.
In the path Of the flames were manu-
| featuring houses, hotels, a number Of the
more pretentiOus residences and several
public buildings, which are in ashes 1t
less.
So far as can be ascertained there were
no fatalities, and the few persons hurt
suffered only minor injuries
Among the buildings destroyed were.
the city's light. water and power plants,
county courthouse, high school building,
Park Hotel, Moody Hotel. Princess Ho-
| tel, st. Louis, Ircn Mountain and South
ern railroad station and shops. the Ar
kansas Sanitarium. Smaller buildings by
| the hundreds were reduced to ashes
But few Of those whose homes were
burned saved any Of their household ef-
fects and guests Of the hotels gave little
heed to their 'yaluables and luggage Ia
their Efforts to -escape the -fa1less saa-.s.ss
The flames originated within several
| blocks of the United States Army and
| Navy Hospital and took q south and
| east course.
Buildings Burn Like Tinder.
tion occupied by colored people about
Church street and Malvern avenue,
where the fire started. made more than
ordinarily infiammable by an extended
drought, burned like tinder. Driven by
high wind the fire spread rapidly.
Within fifteen minutes 1t was apparent
that. the fre-hghting force of Hot
Springs was inadequate and an ap-
peal was made to Little Rock for aid
| Apparatus and men were sent, but the
conflagration was then beyond control
| Dynamite was resorted to when ii
was apparent that water would be OF
no avail, but this also failed to check
| the progress Of the flames.
The burned district for some dis
tance skirts the principal business dis
| tfict and several times the shifting
winds headed the fire that way, but
each time the free use of explosives
saved the section. Before nightfall
the task of checking the flames was
| abandoned and the combined fire fight
ing forces turned their efforts toward
keeping the fire away from the center
Of the city. This much was accom-
plished.
| Early in the evening Mayor McClen-
don ordered all saloons closed and
calleQ q mass meeting OF citizens at
! the city hall. Two hundred and fifty
special officers were sworn in to patrol
| the fire-swept district. There was no
disorder
Homeless Ones Provided For.
All the homeless have been cared for
temporarily. and plans have been
started to systematize the work OF
succor. Many offers of assistance in
fire-fighting apparatus, financial aid.
food and clothing were received, but 1t
| is believed that outside aid will not
| be needed.
Business was suspended except such as
was necessary in providing for the imme-
diate wants of those who suffered the
| loss of their homes.
/ AS q result of the destruction Of the
| water, light and power plants. street car
service was abandoned and newspapers
| and other industries which have depended
upon motive power from the city's plant
are crippled.
| General Manager Dillon Of the public
| utilities commission states that q tempo
rary light and power service will be
| established within thirty days and within
three months the public plants will be
| working to their capacity again. The
natural gas supply was not interfered
with.