New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-03
Thousand Tourists in Peril
as Five Hotels Burn in
Historic Town.
PRICELESS RELICS
LOST IN MUSEUM
Two Hurt Jumping Out Windows,
One May Die-CourthouSe
and Theatre Destroyed.
rBy Telegraph to The Tribune

St Augustine. Fla. April . rive
hotels. housing more than 1000 tour
lists: the courthouse. a theatre and sew
eral homes were destroyed early to-day
I'm Ire which devastated a quarter
Of square milo from the heart of tins
ancient city TO Matanzas Bay-the show
place OF St Augustine. The property
loss is estimated at from 100000 "a
$4,000 None was killed.
The fire started in the Florida House.
The fact that all escaped before the en-
tire building was in flames is remarkable
Miss Alice NJ. Smith. of Amherst. y. s,
a winter visitor is the only person re-
ported in a critical condition. She was
seriously injured by jumping to the
. street from a fourth floor.
The Central House, Lynn apartments.
Monson House and Atlantic House were
he other hotels burned.
Reseuers Display Courage.
Harry Hindsley and II. l.. Willoughby,
ir., Of Philadelphia; Oscar lvanoewsky'
James Wilson. Augustus Craig. and Po-
mar Creighton Bennett Of st. Augustine
and some Of the local police and firemen
we're among those who displayed unus-
lal courage. Hindsley, Iyanoewsky, VIII
son and Creighton saved the Magnolia
Hotel guests.
There is little suffering, owing TO the
fact that the fire was confined TO the
business and residential district. Relief
stations have been established. The des-
,itute have been housed and supplied
With clothes.
The Genovar opera House, the Power
Boat Club house. nine residences ana
several cottages were burned. The we'd
der Museum. one of the oldest buildings
on the continent. containing priceless
relics Of the Spanish period, was de-
stroyed.
detachment Of hremen was sent from
Jacksonville. and with its help several
buildings We're saved from destruction.
Among them was the Magnolia Hotel and
the new fraternal building.
soon after owners of homes in the path
n the fire began moving their household
goods to the street a company of state
militia was detailed to aid the police, and
an information bureau was established
To rounite families which became scat
tered in fleeing from the flames.
Some Carried Down Ladders.
Firemen first turned their attention to
r,scuin- quests at the Florida, many OF
whom were carried down ladders. Occu-
rants of the other hotels were warned
and many fed into the streets without
any attempt 10 save their personal be-
longings.
The ballots in yesterdays good roadS
bond election were in an open hall of the
courthouse. and but for the efforts OF
County Commissioner Townsend would
nave been destroyed. 1t is not believed
that records in the freproof vaults oil the
County Clerks Office will be damaged
When the fire attacked the Power Boat
Club building. on the bay front, IL was
the presence of mind of Charles Hop
kins. the manager. that saved SoO'0Oo
worth Of speed craft. he cut the moor
inss of the valuable boats, and they sailed
unframed TO a safe harbor in the bay.
The list Of homes and other buildings
DESTROYED includes Clarence Rogers s. resi-
dence Mrs. Elizabeth Smiths residence
Nook cottage, j. D. Puller's residence
Monson cottage, Gould #. Buffers resi-
dence and cottage. the homes Of George
w. Corbett and DR.. G. w. Potter, the
Josenh fat building and the Sallas and
Sanchez buildings.
The origin of the fire has not been eX'
plained