Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-03-22
City of Paris Is Wiped Off
the Map by S10,0O0,0OO
Con1agration.
RUM0R 80 LIVES LOST
Reported Death Toll Heavy
Not Authentic-Rush
Aid to Victims.

Paris, Tex, March pa state
ment issued by Mayor McQuistion
today placed the damage in last
nights fire at between SS,000,00
and SlG.000.000. The known deaths
are three. The first casualty
in last nights fire became
known here at 10 o'clock today
when the body of John Straub, ne
gro. was found i'm the ruins Of his
home in the negro quarter.
Mrs. W. ]. Bailey, aged about 50
died early this m0rning from heart
failure caused by excitement. Mrs.
&C. B0uld. an aged woman. whose
house on South Main street, was
burned. is missing. 1t is feared
that she was burned TO death.
At one O'Clock the fire had extended
to the west side of the public square
and was consuming the courthouse,
the new federal building and the new
high school. From that time until
morning the flames spread. burning
an additional twenty-odd blocks and
eight or nine hundred residences.
Paris, Tex, March 22-With ap-
proximately 10000 persons homeless
the entire business section of Paris
wiped out by fire and from 1900 to g.
600 dwellings destroyed, the flames,
which started shortly after 3 o'clock
yesterday afternoon, still were burning
at different points in the city at day
break today. The property loss, from
the most authentic sources, stands at
from two and half to three and half
millions of dollars.
Rumors; vague but persistent, were
that from 10 to 80 persons had lost
their lives. Confirmation, however,
was lacking, and while considering the
property damage, it seemed miraculous
there should have been no deaths, the
opinion of those best informed was
that no person had met death.
Food Problem Serious.
Thousands of homeless men, women
and children were being cared for as
best possible early today in private
residences, railway stations and the
few remaining public buildings. The
question of making definite arrange
ments to care for these unfOrtunates
vas expected to be taken up by the
city authorities early. Food supplies
Sill be the most serious problem, ey-
cry hotel, restaurant and grocery in
the city having been destroyed.
The wind, which was blowing gale
when the fire started at $50 yesterday
and which had abated considerably
shortly after midnight, shifted at day
light and the fire was slowly travelling
in southerly direction, spreading the
flames throughout the southern resi-
dence district, but, in a freakish man
ner Jumping whole blocks in its prog
ress.
Fire-fghting apparatus from Dallas,
Greenviile, and other nearby cities was
assisting the local department in
bringing the flames under complete
control.
Estimates Of the money damage done
by the fire were placed today at about
$4,000 900 although 1t was impossible
TO get an accurate accounting OF the
loss. An unusual fact IN connection
with the fire was that there was no
loss Of life and so far as reported no
injuries Daybreak showed fires Still
burning in some section and with
about one-third of the city untouched
by the flames. Here and there more
substantial small brick building or
residence set aside from the path OF
the flames, stood unframed.
Brick walls, bIackened by heavy
smoke, and extending into the air I'VE
and six stories, were being razed by
dynamite, with safety zone roDed on.
Flames Raze Carolina Town.
Greensboro. n. c., March 22.-Spray,
n. c., north Of here, was burning this
afternoon. Practically all structures
IN the business district were reported
destroyed and the flames were spread
ing. Spray has 5000 population and
10 of the largest cotton and WOODEN
mills in the state.
Nashville Is Burning.
Nashville, Tenn, March "a hre
which started in a small dwelling
hear the corner of Sixth and Main
Streets this afternoon, driven by high
wind, is sweeping southeast through
East Nashville. Houses in two blocks
sle on FIRE.
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