Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1913-09-12
HOT SPRINGS SWEPT
BY FLAGRATION
Block After Block in Busi-
ness Section Burn.
HOUSES ARE ALSO DESTROYED
Flames Lick UP Business Structures
After Devouring Many Homes
in the Poorer Residence
Section of City.

Hot Springs Ark.-Fire which broke
cut here Friday afternoon soon swept
the southwestern section of Hot
Springs, then attacked the busi-
ness section. Estimates by the mayor
at 10 o'clock placed the loss at that
time from $4,000, 900 to $10,000O00 By
that time 40 blocks had been burned
and the fire was under control.
Fire Attacks Business Section.
The fire paced through the south
business district to the residence dis
trict in the south portion of the city.
The fire originated on Church-st,
about three or four blocks east of
the government reservation and near
the army and navy hospital. 1t swept
southeast away from the hospital and
reservation for half an hour, when the
rising wind shifted in direction and
carried it again in the direction of
the business section, taking the pub
lie utilities plant and other business
structures on Malvern-av. Crossing
Malvern-av the fire swept south, burn
ing the Ozar sanitarium and the high
school building, when the shifting
wind current again carried the flames
to Ouachita-av, sweeping wide path
way, destroying the Garland county
courthouse and for a time seriously
treatening to turn back in it's path and
sweep down the main business sec
ton of Central Ouchita-avs.
Wind Fans Flames.
BY heroic efforts of the Hot Springs
and Little Rock fire departments the
fire was kept from turning back on
Central-av, but there was no checking
it's resistless sweep in this direction
the wind was carrying it and building
after building was destroyed in the
space of a few minutes, sweeping
southwesterly in the direction of the
district known as South Hot Springs.
No casualties have been reported so
far. Within fifteen minutes from
the time the fire started it was wholly
beyond the control of the fire depart
ment.
The wind increased in fury as the
flames spread and frame and brick
business blocks were razed in few
would no sooner get located for an
other desperate stand than the fire
would sweep past them and break out
in a dozen different places at the
same time.
One of the first big structures to
go was the electric light and power
plant, and as night grew on the city
was in darkness save for the flames
which lit up the whole city. Shift
ing wind currents changed the course
of the fire on three different occasions
at times blowing 40 miles an our.
Changing winds twice threatened to
turn the flames back along the Central
and Ouchita-av business district
which would have meant the destruc
tion of the entire city. There was nc
chance of checking the flames, but at
the corner of Central and Market-sts
the combined fire departments made a
last determined effort to save the
business and reservation section and
succeeded in diverting the course oi
the fire in the direction of South Hot
Springs.
Principal Buildings Destroyed.
Following are some OF the principa
buildings destroyed: Park Hotel
Water and Light plant, Ozark SAM
tarium. high school building, Centra
Methodist church, Garland county
courthouse, Moody hotel, Sigler apart
ments, Iron Mountain station ant
shops. Bihou rink and an unknown
number of business blocks, smallel
business blocks and residences, man!
of them in palatial residence sec
ton.
The fire broke out in a dwelling oc
cupied by negro family and soor
communicated to surrounding houses