The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-12-13
AND TANS STAND
GUARD OVER CORK RUINS
BY DANIEL O'CONNELL,
International News Service.

pIitIsu troops ana biaCk ana ian
police were on guard today about the
hrc-swept ruins IN the heart OF Cork,
under orders to shoot all Iooters on
sight.
The whole central part OF the city
was burned. with loss estimated at
81 100000.
Hundreds of persons are homeless.
Many have fled from the city in panic.
Many streets that were busting
arteries Of traffic forty-eisht hours
ago were only piles of fre-blackened
brick today. The business district
disappeared entirely. Four blocks
were wiped out entirely. Only the
walls of the city hall remain.
Firemen from Dublin arrived dur
ing the morning. They were met in
the suburbs and conveyed to the
scene of the fire by troops.
1t is reported that some lives were
lost in the burning buildings. but il
was impossible to check the civilian
population because OF the general
panic and the exodus of thousands.
The ruins were still smouldering
this morning. and the flremen, under
military guards, were still pouring
water upon the debris.
Large numbers of refugees from
the city spent the night nthe fields.
Their sufferings were intensified by
cold weather and snow.
CITY WITHOUT GAS.
Business is at a standstill in Cork.
Even the restaurants are closed. The
city is without gas.
1t is declared by Sim Fem sym
pathizers that before the fires broke
l.
policemen broke into shops and loot
ed them, carrying off the booty in
valises The confagration followed
an ambush OF military detachment
at Pillons Cross.
Martial law was enforced with the
utmost rigor on Sunday and today.
Cork had Gained down today after
passing through a veritable reign of
terror. During the height OF the con-
flagrRtion the city was filled with
tumult. Fusillades of shots rang
through the streets. Panic-stricken
mobs surged to and fro. Rioting
broke out in which many were
wounded. Three persons were re-
ported to have been killed.
Before the outbreak a number of
special constables had arrived in
Cork to reinforce the Black and
ans. some OIL THESE specials were
in the lorries that were ambushcd.
CITY HALL BURNED.
More than 100 buildings were burn.
ed or damaged, including tho city
all, which previously had been wreck.
ed by fire. The public library was
destroyed and the quay-side gu::ed.
The corn exchange. one of the fincSt
buildings in the city. was gut.cd. Two
OF the biggest stores in the city were
said to have been looted before being
burned. They were Grants dry goods
store and Egan's jewelry shop. The
Palace Theater and Cinema Hall were
flrc-swept
The outbreak which led to tn, ron.
flagration occurred at . o'clo,N Sun.
day night, when some one buried a
bomb into a lorry containing between
ten and fifteen Black and Tans and
specials" The lorry was wrecked
and all the occupants but nc driver
were wounded.
An hour afterwards. while people
were hurrying to their homes in
obedience with the curfew regula-
tions, large forces OF Black and Tan.
soldiers, and specials" appeared on
the streets and begen holding up be-
late0 pcueStTldnS. ffnllnR DrOke
out and many persons were taken TO
hospitals.
At the height Of the disorders the
electric lights went out and the city
was plunged In darkness. Suddenly
there was muffled explosion and
then flames shot upward from a
building in the heart OF the city
The flames quickly spread and soon
the whole sky was alight from the
spreading fires.
MAKE MANY ARRESTS.
Early Sunday the Black and Tans
began making many arrests. Some
Of the civilians arrested were &C.
cused Of setting street cars on fire
street car traffic and telephone
service were suspended and by af.
tcrnoon the heart of Cork rosembled
yerdun after the German lombard.
ments. Black and Tans, soldiers
and specials" have raided the resi-.
Dental districts continuously since
early Sunday morning searching for
arms.
This was the first appearance In
Cork of the specials" They are
unionists and were recruited and
trained at Belfast and Tyrone II
liz efared their presence will ado
fuel to the flames Of Irish hatred,