The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-05-23
Big ATLANTA FIRE.
FLAMES, STARTING IN OBSCURE
NEGRO QUARTER, CUT WAY
NEARLY no PIEDMONT
PARK.
Dynamite Checks The COnfiagration-
Finally Wins in Battle Against Fire,
After About Sevcnty-fve Blocks
Have Been DestrOyed-City Under
Martial Law With Relief Plans
Making.

Atlanta. May 21.-Fire that swept
through approximately Is blocks in
the residence section of Atlanta from
Decatur street north h-northeastward
TO Ponce de Leon avenue late today
caused a loss that Mayor Gambler to-
night estimated at $3,0OO,O0O. One
woman, Mrs. Bessie Hodges, died of
shock and GO We're treated for minor
hurts.
From $500 to 5000 homes were
destroyed according to Mayor Cand-
ler and others who toured the lit
tered zone around the burned dis
trict late tonight The homes ranged
from flimsy negro cabins to handsome
residences along Ponce de Leon val
Med at $4,000 or more each. Many
homes in this beautiful residence Sec
ton were destroyed by dynamite
which finally conquered the flames af-
ter the fire department aided by fire
fighters from a half dozen nearby
cities had failed. E.
The burned area was guarded
throughout the night by the Georgia
guardsmen and members of the off,
GERS reserve training camp at Fort
Mcpherson. Local police early in
the night turned guard duty over to
Col. Charles r. Noyes, U. S. A., in
command of the Fort Mcpherson
training camp.
There were few reports of looting
and the only arrest made up to late
at night was that OF a man charged
with attempting to- steal a piano.
Throughout the burned area. which
in some places was only block wide
and in others ranged to several blocks,
hundreds Of fires smouldered long
after midnight. The wind that blew
In gale this afternoon and swept
the flames over the sheets Of water
that fire fighters threw up, had died
down late tonight, however, and both
Mayor Gambler and Fire Chief Cody
expressed the opinion that there was
no further danger. One reason that
the fire gained such headway was that
fremen were fighting blaze in West
End, residence section across town
from the big fire, that broke out short
ly after noon. There were several 9TH
er small fires in the afternoon and
these led to reports OF incendiarism.
German spies" was heard every
where, and Fire Chief Cody intimated
that he thought the flames might be
incendiary. II have made a thorough
examination Of the entire section,'
Mayor Gambler Said. in reply to
this, "and can positively state that
the fire is not of incendiary origin"
The mayor and members of the
Chamber of Commerce arranged a
mass meeting Of business men for to-
morrow to raise a fund for the suf-
ferers and tonight the Red Cross and
Associated Charities housed scores at
the Auditorium armory in churches
md private homes. Preparations were
made to furnish breakfast to 5000.
Thousands of homeless persons to-
night were being fed and housed in
the Auditorium armory, the negro
Odd Fellows hall and in hundreds of
private homes.
For six hours dynamite was re-
sorted to and it finally won the fight.
Fighting apparatus sent from other
cities was Of some aid and will be
OF more as acre after acre of smoul-
dering ruins tonight await water TO
make them safe.
Only one death had been reported
tonight. Mrs. Hodges died of shock
after her home burned. Sixty in
Jured persons we're taken to hospitals,
but it was reported none was seriously
hurt.
Approximately IS blocks were de-
vastated but the area can not be COR
rectly estimated by blocks. as after
the fight at Ponce dc Leon avenue
the flames skirted that thoroughfare
on the south side Of the street FOR
|sOme distance.
Officials tonight would not hazard
a guess at the monetary loss. The de-
stroyed buildings ranged all the way
from shacks occupied by negroes to
homes up to $4,000 or $4,000. Some
estimates were between $2,OOO,O00 or
81. 1000. 900. but they neither came from
sources nor were based on calculations
to give them weight.
The fire started in the Skinner Stor-
age and Warehouse plant near De-
catur street lust east Of Fort street