The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1917-05-22
Some of Best Residences Of
City Destroyed-Mili-
tary Warehouse Saved.
SCORES INJURED
FIGHTING FLAMES
Mcpherson Soldiers Called
Out-Denied Fire Was
of Incendiary Origin.
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.

Atlanta, May, 21.-Fire starting
near Decatur street, just above Fort
street this afternoon, swept north
ward and reached Merritts avenue.
Many blocks of negro shacks were de
stroyed and also some of the best
residences in the city. Soldiers from
Fort Mcpherson were called to aid.
100 Blocks by s P. NJ.
At six o'clock it appeared that more
than hundred blocks had been fire
swept. No estimate of cost can be
made, but it will run into millions.
The origin has not yet been deter
mined. The flames moved in the di-
rection of the Ford automobile as
sembling plant, skirting along Ponce
De Leon avenue, destroying many of
the city's finest homes.
Thousands are already homeless.
An emergency field hospital was es-
tablished by the Fifth Georgia regi-
ment near the heart of the blaze,
where numbers of cases of minor in
Juries are being treated.
Dynamiting was resOrted to in an
effort to check, several different
paths Of the flames.
Dynamiting No Good.
Despite the dynahiting, the fire
crossed Ponce De Leon and swept
northeast, carrying everything before
it. I1ynamiting is also proceeding in
the direction of Peaghtree as the wind
threatened for a time to turn some of
the blaze westward, toward that
street, ten blocks away. The fire area
now covers a strip from Decatur to
Ponce De Leon street, a distance OF
more than a mile and two to eight
block%in width, including some OF
the city's best residential sections.
Thousands Homeless.
The fire is still raging, but the
of early control is brighter
Some sixty persons have been taker
to the hospital, mostly with minor
injuries. One woman, Mrs. Bessi,
Hodges, died of shock.
Relief work was quickly put in the
hands of the local Red Cross and AS.
ISOLATED Charities. Food and cots
were taken to the auditorium of thu
armory to provide for five thousang
homeless. Many were taken into pri
vate homes.
In a statement, Mayor Gambler to
night denied reports that the fire wa
of incendiary origin; the fact tina
three fires started at the same TIM
gave rise to this report. There wa
also a slight blaze at the Atlant,
warehouse, where government mill
tary supplies are stored.
Under Control.
It was reported at ten o'clock tina
the fire which was sweeping tht
northeastern residence section of At
lanta, was checked, and would 500
? be controlled. kilograms sent {
Montgomery and Birmingham askinl
for fire apparatus were cancelled
Continuous dynamiting along Ponc
De Leon avenue, where the mai
fighting against the late blaze
taking place, is believed to be a fac
tor in controlling the fire. Fire Chic
Cody expressed the opinion that tn
fire would be checked before it reach
the Atlanta ball park.
Seventy Five Blocks Burned.
Approximately seventy-fve block
were devasted. Destroyed building
range all the way from negro shack
to eight thousand dollar homes.
The blaze started in the Skinne
Storage and Warehouse plant, nea
Decatur street, and on account O
dryness and a high wind, it sprea
rapidly north and northeast. Stric
orders were issued tonight that moth
ing be removed from the street
where soldiers guard piles of persona
effects Of thousand citizens, one ma
was arrested for trying to steal
piano, the only case or looting re
ported.
Mayor Gambler and leading men
bers of the chamber of commerce, de
clared tonight Atlanta wei care fc
her own homeless without outside al,
although offers are greatly apprec
ated. An emergency fund has bee
started and a meeting was announce
for tomorrow to further the relic
work.