Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-03-22
TWO-TH|RDS OF
PARIS, Texas,
FIRE RUINED
Nine Thousand People
Homeless and Facing
Food Famine.
PROPERTY LOSS
TOTALS MILLIONS

Estimate Of Mayor Places Loss Be-
tween $sooo,ooo and sc, ,ooo, 900 -
High Winds Carry Flames From
Cotton Compress to Business and
Residential Seetions-Honnsless Seek
Refuge in Remaining Buildings.
Paris. Tex, March pa conserva-
tive estimate Of the number Of people
made homeless In last nights fire in
the business district here was 5000.
according to Mayor McCuistion. Altho
the city Is without food. there was ap-
parently little suffering.
Rumors, vague but persistent, were
that from ten to thirty perosns had lost
their lives. Confirmation. however, was
lacking. and while. considering the
property damages. it seemed miraculous
there should not have been many
deaths. >;
Caring For Homeless.
Thousands of homeless men, women
and children were being cared for as
best possible today in private resi-
dences, railway stations and the few re-
naming public buildings. The question
of making definite arrangements to
care for these unfortunates were taken
up today. The food supply is the most
serious problem, every hotel. restaur-
ant and grocery In the city having been
destroyed.
The wind. which was blowing a gale
when the fire started at o'clock yesr
terday eyeninS. shifted at daylight and
the fire was directed toward the south
ern residence district OF the city. but in
q freahtshs manner. Jumping whole
blocks In its progress.
Properly tass $500 900.
alaf6nent suAd ~ Mayor Me-
dln qeax rlAcsd IT, ,dAnaae1 ln
iii ~ Sirs. ssf between 81 oo6. 900
VA sars.y 49,, i .a4sse,sns .ossfssy = hss 3
been made fo permit mo TO announce
definitely the number OF homeless" !" the
statement adds. aThe known deaths are
three. .szo IS -s,... :,
Two thirds Of City in Ruins.
Two thirds OF the town has been laid
in ruins. The remaining third was the
refuge last night and early today Of
those whose homes had been swept
away. ,,g -
such as remained Of the city's public
buildinEst were crowded with women
and children until daybreak Depots.
open stores and often the open air be-
came sleeping stations for those whose
living routine had been shattered.
Few OF the men slept last night. Most
OF them worked trying to stop the
flames. Those who gave up exhausted
found places to rest on lawns. 49,.
Clearing City Streets.
~ Work OF clearing the streets by an
.orsanixed force under the direction Of
Mayor McCuistion was started, today.
AItho the task loomed asmost tmpos-
eible, rich men and laborinE men will
lingly joined in the squads which had
made good progress in Kidding the bus
mess section of ashes. charred timbers
and crumbled brick walls. A several
days job faced them, but they went at
1t diligently. s--.. .....
Volunteer workers from other cities
were given places in the brigade.
'S Food Supplies Short.
The food situation was seriously men
aced today by the arrival Of hundreds
az sishtseers from nearby towns. at
tracted by the bright glow in the shea-
yens last night. Railroad service is un-
hampered. Trains arriving on four
5roads TODAY brought food and clothing.
but according to those in charge OF re-
lief committees, not enough to supply
the thousands Of stricken people.
! s Thirty Blocks in Ruins.
The fire started in the warehouse OF
! tf,e Long Transportation Company IN
~. sn,,fhArr mart Of the city and
quickly spread to the Paris Cotton
compress. Thirty blocks OF residences
ana business buildings are In ruins.
The names made clean sweep OF
the southern portion OF the city.
burned pathS, three and four blocks
vide extending 20 the public square,
Z sai.szs,.a = large open space arrested the
c0tirssGof the fire temporarily.
A s1surried survey of the business
4 district Of Paris at 1880 Tuesday
I s1srht showed only fifteen out Of more
!. than i40 business buildings still stand
inr. and thus far unmolested from the
are. which was still burning at that
hour. having passed the public square
into the north side residential dis
trict. 81 f5
Wind Aids conflasration.
ieaT = ,.esA residences In the fashionable
part of tfle city, smaller houses in
the factory and small districts, and
s,sbstantial brick buildings were raZed
BY the fire, which was famed by a
brisk south wind.
This section has been without rain
for more than fifty days and the
frame buildings we're quickly con-
stunned. The Paris fire department was
powerless to stop the onrushing flames.
scarcity OF water was also an .rnpedi-
ment. a- 81
Just how the fire started is not
known. The compress, with hundreds
ba les ssf cot On WIS first consumed
The lire ti1en spread to adjacent resi-
3 aa.,,sS. tftaN rsnnalv In rather and <s4
! s.sss:s <sasee sss..ct inn
4 All Within An Hour,
F ri .ls sI6hteen blocks from the CONF
{ prs6n ID skhes cenlsr Of the business dis
fxict hl6 district wAs swsDt w