The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1917-05-23
ATLANTA FIRE ON monday NIGHT DESTROYS
SEVENTYFIVE BLOCKS IN NEGRO SECTION
and THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS

l through approximately seventy-five
sblock in the residence sect of At
2slanta from Decatur street north and
3northeaseward to Ponce De Leon ave-
niue late today caused loss that
Mayor Gambler tonight estimated at
$3,000,000 One woman, Mrs. Bessie
Hoges, died of shock and sixty were
{, treated for minor hurts.
From 1900 to 5000 homes were de-
stroyed, according to Mayor Gambler
and others who toured the Uttered
zone around the burned district late
tonight. The homes ranged from finn
sy negro cabins to handsome resi-
dences along Ponce de Leon avenue
valued at $1,000 or more each. Many
homes in this beautiful residence sec
tion were destroyed by dynamite
which finally conquered the flames af-
ter the fire department aided, by fire
efighters, from half dozen nearby
cities had failed.
Troops or Guard.
The burned area was guarded
throughout the night by 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 COM
mand 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 Il man charged
with attempting to steal a piano.
Civilians were not even allowed
within blocks of the fire area and
newspaper men who went through
with passes were halted at every cor
ner and their credentials scrutinized
The guardsmen had their rifles.
Smouldering Fires.
Throughout the burned areas, in
some places was only block wide
and in others ranged to several
blocks, hundreds of fires smouldering
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 fircmen were fighting blaze in
West End, a residence section across
town from the big fire that broke Que
shortly after noon. There were sew
eral other small fires in the afternoon
and these led to reports Of incendi-
arism.
lntimatcs Incendiarism.
German spies," was heard every
where, and Fire Chief Cody intimat-
ed that he thought the flames might
be lncendiary. 81 have made thor
ough examination of the entire sec
ton"
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 morning to raise fund for
the sufferers, and tonight the Red
Cross and Associated Charities housed
scores at the auditorium armory, in
churches and private homes. Prepara-
tions were made to furnish breakfast
to five thousand.
Soldiers on Guard.
COL Noyes, with headquarters in an
automobile repair shop near the burn
ed district, had mapped out the burned
area early in the evening and placed
his companies to guard various sec
tions. Strice orders were issued that
nothing be removed from streets, va
cant lots and yards. Night Chief Of
Police Jett and Col. Noyes agreed
that to allow anything to be removed
would invite looting. There had been
little of that late tonight One man
was sent to police station charged
with trying to steal piano that he
had found on the sidewalk. That, ac-
cording to Night Chief Jett, was the
only known case Of looting. For
blocks on either side of the actual
burned district no civilian could enter
except on pass signed by the mayor,
police officials or Col. Noyes.
Under Police.
"Our work is being done strictly
hn Al l..