New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-22
Scores Injured as $5,00O,-
Mo Damage Is Done to
Residential District
Buildings Dynamited
To Check Flames
Red Cross and Troops Pro.
yiding Shelter-lncendi-
airy, Says Fire Chief
tBy Telegraph 10 Tho Tnbynel

"a $5,O0O,OuQ was zone to-uaE, anu
,-obably 10000 people were rendered
homeless by a fire which swept the
,or;hern residence section of Atlanta
,.is afternoon. Scores were injured,
IN. the only death reported is that of
Mis-, Bessie Hodges, from shock. The
ere was only brought under control
rear midnight.
Probably d hundred blocks have been
swept by the flames and scores Of
hOuses dynamited.
Mayor Asa G. Gambler issued a
statement tonight that the fire was
not ineendiary. but Fire Chief Cody
S;sagrees with this, and the Police and
Fire departments will cooperate in an
Investigation.
Fire departments from half a dozen
nearby towns we're aiding Atlanta fire.
men in the battle, and other companies
are still coming on special trains. The
Rcd Cross has opened headquarters to
aid the homeless and the hungry.
Thousands Of dollars save already been
contributed as relief fund. The 5th
Regiment, the 18th and a part of the
student officers were brought to At
lAnta from Fort Mcpherson to help
prevent any looting.
The wide area in the sweep of the
flames was a scene Of indescribable
esrfusion. The flames moved in some
instances as steadily as a man would
walk. but ever the householders kept
ahead Of its march, and in this way no
one, as far as is known, was trapped
IN brrning house.
Starts in Storage House
The FIRE started in a storage house
or Decatur Street. just east of Fort
Street. burned several blocks of small
houses, jumped over five low brick
Buildings and row Of small shacks
and then swept on unobstructed into
he better residence sections. A large
part OF the devastation, however, was
IN the neighborhoods composed large
y Of homes ranging in value from
$500 10 $4,000.
Some of the most serious losses were
in The section where dynamite was
used. scores of pretty homes In a
eomparatively new district of the city
being blown up. The dynamiting be-
gsn a, Boulevard Place at about 4
o'clock, bot the fighters soon were
driven back.
As soon as the blaze had crossed
in,o the white residence section the
people in its path seemed quickly to
realize their danger, and the depart
IRE of families in every kind of con-
reysnce began. As the fire advanced
he streets became a tumble Of carts,
automobiles and trucks piled high with
furniture and bedding. Babies rode
atop huge delivery wagons with their
mothers holding handfuls of quickly
snsiched belongings. Men in their
shir. sleeves who had fought the fire
on neighboring houses so that il would
rot reach their own homes got away
With only the clothes they wore. and
many finally were forced TO seek
safety zone, 10 hunt for hours for
their families who had preceded them
ou. OF the burning area.
Many houses, surrounded by flames.
collapsed in heaps. it was said. before
the FIRE actually reached them. Sew
srzl streetcars stalled by lack of power
we're caught in the path and consumed,
and hundreds of trunks and piles OF
furniture dragged into the streets met
the same fate.
Citizens Committee Formed
The dramatic struggle TO stop the
spread OF the fire reached climax at
nixhtfall, when the fire fighters made a
stand at Boulevard Place and began
cyaamiting a wide area TO protect the
Ponce de Leon section. The effect was
only partially successful. and an hour
later the dynamiters had 20 begin their
work over again two blocks beyond the
avenue A lull in the wind favored their
work and tonight they were about
aolding their own. though many still
feared that before morning the flames
again would gain headway and burn
'neir vay through &c the edge OF the
city.
The thousands of homeless were being
sred for tonight by citizens COM
nftsee and by the Atlanta Red Cross
shapter. Most OF them were quartered
N public buildings. =
Aided by wide Ponce de Leon Ave
soe and the slowly dying wind, SOL
Hers- frcmen and private citizens blew
whole blocks Of houses. Now and
'nen home on the north side OF the
.senue would catch FIRE. but for almost
We hours these outbreaks were
Topped. Then the flames gained foot
se'o across the street, swept on block
tsdo Way and late tonight were
rsetion.
Between Edgewood Avenue and De-
.te'ur Street. at the start Of the fire,
ae namss confined themselves to the
ucn between Boulevard and Hill
ua Street At Edgcwood they moved
""ard as far M Prospect Place. wip-
C00fss.~s>& - f-~x De-