South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-05-22
NO DEATH MARKS
ATLANTA'S BIG FIRE
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on Decatur St, just east of Fort st.
burned several blocks of small
houses clean, jumped over FIVE low
brick buildings and a row Of small
shacks, and then swept on unob-
structed into the better residence
sections. A large part of the dew
astation, however, was in neigh
borhoods composed largely of homes
ranging in value from $4,000 to So
600.
Some of the most serious losses
were in the section where dynamite
was used, scores of pretty homes in
comparatively new district of the
city being blown up. The dynamit-
ing began at Boulevard pl at about
( o'clock but the fighters were soon
driven back.
Blow Up Whole Blocks.
Aided by wide Ponce de Leon av.,
and the slowly dying wind, soldiers,
hremen and private citizens blew up
whole blocks of houses. Now and
then a home on the north side Of
the avenue would catch fire, but for
almost two hours these outbreaks
were stopped. Then the flames
gained a foothold acI Oss the street,
swept on a block to Vedo way and
later tonight we're moving slowly on
in a northeasterly direction.
Between Edgewood av. and De-
catur ST., at the start of the fire,
the flames confined themselves to the
section between Boulevard pl and
billiard st. At Edgewood they NOV
ed eastward as far as Prospect pl. in
spots wiping out a block now and
then.
Whole Section Laid Waste.
Practically the entire section
bounded 5y Hilliard st. on the west,
av. on the south and North ay. on
the north was laid waste.
At North av.. y. Jackson ST. be
came the western boundary and with
a slight change in the wind the fire
moved steadily on in a nOrtheasterly
direction. 1t never got nearer Peach
tree St, the main thoroughfare of
the city. than seven blocks. although
at times momentary change of the
wind threatened in that direction.
Firemen had been fighting a small
blaze in the big Atlanta cotton ware
house. where military supplies are
stored. and at the same time six
residences in the west end were
burning when the alarm came in
from Deca tur st. As many companies
as could be spared were sent TO this
section, but it is doubtful if the en-
tire department could have check
ed the confagration developing there
under the high wind.
The blaze started i'm the Skinner
Storage company's plant which is al
most surrounded by small frame
houses.
Many Move Out i'm Fear.
Vagaries Of the wind caused great
alarm in sections that afterwards
proved safe, and tonight for blocks
on all sides Of the area of destruc-
ton. household goods we're piled in
every open space. These were guard
ed in most cases by national guards
men who also were pressed into all
kinds Of work.
Several hundred buckets we're
rushed TO Ponce de Leon av. when
the fight conferred there. Each soldier
was supplied with one and whenever
a tiny blaze started on a roof it was
quickly eXtincuished The presence
Of the soldiers directing traffic and
guarding household goods and keep
ing people from the danger zone
gave an appearance of martial law.
AS far as had been reported tonight
good order was maintained.
The fire had swept only a few
blocks before relief measures on a
large scale we're undertaken by the
Red Cross and the Associated Chair
ties who Joined forces. other so
cieties and hundreds Of individuals
volunteered for the work.
Food was provided at the Armory
for 5000 people Army trucks, ex-
press wagons and private automo-
biles were pressed into service 10
handle the foodstufs, the relief
workers announcing they were go
ing 70 feed everybody who is hun
CRY"
Hundred Children Housed.
At the Armory cots also were
provided. Among the refugees cared
for were A hundred small children
from the Home for the Friendless
Hundreds of Negro houses We're
swept by the flames and their Occu-
pants were left destitute. a large
building OF the Negro odd Fellows
was filled with cots and Negro
churches threw open their doors Ia
Negro sleeDers. Many Negroes were
housed in private homes.
Mayor Chandler issued Q state