Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-05-22
ATLANTASWEPTBY
FIRE--l4 BLOCKS
OF SMOKING RUINS
Area Six Blocks Wide and "a
Long Burned In Heart Of
Residence District
ONE LIFE WAS LOST and
SIXTY WERE INJURED
Loss VIII Total Millions.
Other Cities Aiding the
Thousands Of Homeless

I Atlanta, Ga, May 22-Having burn
ed through the heart of Atlanta's resi-.
dence district, making 10000 persons
homeless and destroying at least three
million dollars worth OF property. one
4 of the worst fires the south has ever
known, was finally gotten under control
here early today. There was only one
death. Miss Bessie Hodges died from
shock. Sixty persons were injured
/ The cause of the fire, which started
in storage house on Decatur street, is
unknown. Fire authorities believe it
was incendiary. Mayor Gambler be-
lieves it was accidental An investiga-
tion is in progress.
Today's great task is caring for the
thousands of homeless and destitute who
lost everything in the flames.
Vandalism was throttled before dawn
by the arrival of student reserve of
ficers from Fort Mcpherson, who are in
control of the situation. The only ar
rest so far was that Of man who tried
to steal piano standing on the side
walk.
Red Cross nurses and dozens Of volun-
| teers cared for the homeless men, wo-
men and children wandering through
the devastated district where their
homes had been. assasssaaassssar.lzs,sa..-s,
! Residential sections untouched by the
blaze threw open their doors to the
sufferers and Mayor Gambler an
nounced that while outside offers were
its own. The fire was brought under
control only by the liberal use of dyna-
mite. Private residences were blown up
on every side Of the fire. Even then
the blaze was so fierce it rached out
and licked up piles of furniture in the
streets and adjoining alleys
But Little Saved.
Seventy-five residential blocks of the
city were wiped out.
Few in path of the fire saved more
than they could carry. People were
slow to appreciate the rapidity of the
fire IS approach, even hours after its
start. The blaze progressed as fast as
man could walk.
Families and individuals got away in
every sort of conveyance and on foot.
Many of them thought the city was
doomed. Hundreds came struggling
| back along country roads this morning.
Acres Of beautiful homes were blown
from their foundations i'll the IL hour
fighting. The heavy detonations
thundered and shook the city through
the night, adding to the terror and mis-
cry of the homeless folk hurrying off
into the darkness from the great blaze.
Fire fighting apparatus from the
neighboring cities rendered able service
and today continued to direct streams
cf water on the long line of smolder-
ing ruins.
Burned Like Tinder.
Starting in the Skinner storage and
warehouse plant near Decatur and Fort
streets, the blaze quickly spread to
small frame buildings nearby. Dry as
finder, they added fuel to the flames
which rushed north and northcastward
on the wings Of gale,
| When the alarm reached the fire de-
partment much apparatus and many men
were already out fighting two other
blazes. This handicapped the depart
ment and gave the fire its start. This
also gave rise to reports of incendiar-
ism.
| Funds were being received today by
the local Red Cross and the Associated
| Charities for the care of the homeless.
Both white and black were cared for.
A path of smoking ruins, six blocks
in width and "a in length extends today
from Decatur street to Tedado Way. In
cluded in the swath are the ashes of cot
tages and of mansions.
Heroic Fighters.
Heroes faced the advance of the
flames at every turn. Pc 'onal belong.
ings of inestimable value were rescued
from homes in the path of destruction
An endless stream OF automobiles pour
ed up leading thoroughfares toward the
safety zones up town, bearing vaiu
ables.
Flurries Of wind sprang up tanning
the blaze to unreasonable fury. These
gales caused tongues of flames to Leap
great distances ahead Of the main fire
Lashed by the wind, burning structures
sent showers of sparks to envelope vast
spaces, precipitating countless blazes
which rose beyond control before the
fire fighting forces could cope with
them.
Scores Of firemen, soldiers and civil
ians were overcome. 1t was no uncom
mon sight to see man in khaki or fire
man prone on the pavement while min
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