The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-04-02
Fl AUGUSTINE IS
| SWEPT By FLAMES
rive Hotels and Court House
Destroyed and Other
Buildings in
Peril.
A1D FROM NE1GHBoRs
Tire Wa. Burning FierceIy This Morn
Ing and Beyond the
Control Of the
FIremen.
k1p FROM NE1GHBoRs

|tIJnited Press Leased Wire Service j
ST. AUGUSTINE. Fla. April a.
Fire which has been raging along the
hay front of st. Augustine since early
today has destroyed many Of the
buildings along the bay and five OF
the smaller hotels, ths C1airmont, the
Magnolia, the Munson, the Ben
nett and the Florida have
been either destroyed or dam
aged. So far as known no lives have
bean lost and troops and police are
on guard to prevent looting while the
fremen battle against the flames.
Guests in the smaller hotels which
we're burns ed or menaced, filed the
streets during the early hours to
watch the flames and soon reinforced
+ BY the tourists from all over the coun-
| try who were stopping at the two big
hot els, Jammed every place Of van
|tage. AS the two latter hotels are in
| the centre of the city they SO far are
not in danger but 1t Is still feared
that the entire city may be in danger.
The area so far burned is inclosed
within Charlotte, Treasury. Hypolita
lend st. George streets. In that dis
[,rict practically all the buildings OF
note have been destroyed or badly
damaged and the flames are sweeping
ION toward the bay front One OF the
most important structures destroyed
70 far was the court house and a
score Of dwellings,.
Assistance has been asked from
Jacksonville and other nearby cities.
Troops from the U. s. barracks are
under orders to take sharp measures
If any looting it attempted. So far as
known no lives were lost, but the con-
fusion is SO great this viii not be Ger
tain until the fire Is under control
and canvass OF the Inhabitants Of
the burned district Is made.
St. Augustine boasts that it is the
Oldest city in America, having been
settled by the Spaniards in 1865 1t
is built on plain only few feet
higher than the sea level. Despite
the erection OF palatial hotels, the
city retains many of its quaint faa-
tures in narrow strests. shell build
ings and oyerhanging balconies and
gardens OF tropical plants. The Plaza
do ia Construction is in the centre OF
the city and extends to the sea wall.
thres quarters of mile in length.
Among the ancient ruins at St
Augustine are the city gate, Fort San
Marco and a house built by the
Huguenots in 1864, said to be the old
est in the United States.
An unknown woman leaped from
the third floor OF the Florida house
and was removed to the hospital with
a broken back. She cannot possibly
recover and is unconscious. The
guests in this hotel were panic strick.
en- and c. A. Libbey, lodger, also
leaped from the second floor breaking
his leg. The famous vedder house.
oldest hostelry in America. was total
~ destroyed. It contained the price
less collection OF the st. Augustine
Historical society.
The fire started in the kitchen OF
the Florida house before daylight. It
gained strength and totally sstroyed
the frame structure almost before the
fre department could begin to fight
the flames. Guests fed In their night
clothes in panic OF fear. All lost
their personal effects.
The two city blocks in which the