Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-06-26
dorc Than a Thousand
Buildings, Including Fac
tories, Laid Waste.
CAUSED BY EXPLOSION
One-Fourth of the Population
of the Historic MaSSaChu-
sets City Homeless.

Washington. June 26.-The presi-
dent sent the following telegram to
Governor Walsh:
lam sure speak for the American
people in rendering heartfelt sympathy
70 the people Of stricken Salem.
Can federal government be Of service
in the emergency"
salem. Mass. June 26.-The con-
Aagratiou which laid waste more than
a thousand buildings in historic Salem
is burning itself out today in the lev
eUed ruins. City officials after a care
FL compilation OF values figured the
total loss Al SIO.OO0,GJO.
The burned district followed the
Ines Of a rough semi-circIe three miles
IN length. varying in width from half
nile 70 a mile and a half Although
many we're injured there were only
two deaths The charred body Of a
woman was FOUND in a tenement
Ten thousand persons. One-half
of the citys population. are
homeless Before the fire had been
fairly checked relief measures and
plans for rebuilding were under way.
Governor Walsh spent the night
here and announced that 5000 tents
and 10000 rations would be shipped |
10 the city at once.
Noted Buildings Spared.
Most Of the noted buildings and /
museums. with priceless collections Of /
antiquities. were spared. The birth /
place OF NaIAeaEel Hawthorne. The /
House OF the Seven Gables" was .
threatened for a time.
The FIRE was started by the eNplOs- I
ION Of chemicals in the korn Leather |
company plant and the flames ragged /
10 hours This factory stood near the I
foot Of Gallows hill. famous as the I
hanging place Of witches in early CO.
lOuial days. in the western end OF the I
city A high wind carried the flames .
through the manufacturing district, .
thence sOutheastward 10 the heart of /
the city and across the thickly pOpu-
lated tenement district TO the water
front A shift Of the wind sent the
fire uOrthward along lafayette street.
where scores OF the city's finest resi-
dences burned The fire spread to an
other manufacturing district on the
shore OF the harbOr and destroyed
large factories.
Militia Keeps Order.
In the intervening area scores Of
business houses were swept away.
Salem hospital was burned, but the
patients were removed. A separate fire /
which the police say was inceadiary,
destroyed u buildings in North Salem. |
The militia is maintaining order
Martial law has not been declared. q
However.
A second body taken from the ruins ?
his forenoon was 50 charred the sex =
'ould not be determined. I
In the forenoon train and trolley I
ervice was resumed and thousands Of {
ightseers thrOnged the city Stores b
the business section, closed when 4
he electric light plant burned. re f
'Dened and that part Of the city re-
umed more nearly normal appear
nee Wagons and automobiles loaded
With food began to arrive from sur =
ounding cities at daylight
Relief Pouring In.
Relief for sufferers poured in today !
unstinted measure The greatest
'ss has fallen on factory employees, c
hiefy the French Canadians and
'oles. They comprise the majority
the 10000 homeless. They lost not
My their homes and personal be &
'ngings. but also employment The
'ss % the mill companies. commercial
buses, city Institutions and churches
protected 10 large extent by insur-
ice. The loss OF life. 80 far as 3,
loTn. Is restricted 10 three.
Secretary Garrison tpIegraphed that
necessary tents and equipment =
ouid be furnished by the national .
'Ternment- check FOR S25. 900 vas p,
ceived from Henry e. Prick OF Pitts =.
iTgn- National Director Bickness OF
e hed Crogs fs eXuected here this Al