The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-08-09 00:00:00

THE GREAT FIRE AT BALTIMORE.

detailed account& of the great fire at Ilaltimore are con
tared In the New York papers of the 26th Wt. The follow-
ing are extreeta therefrom

" In the centre of the city is a district of three
squares embraced between Liberty-park, Lexington
and Saratoga streets. Between Lexington and Sara-
toga street. is Clay street, a small thoroughfare, in
which was situated a number of sash and box factories.
It was in the large sash factory of J. Thoaras and Son,
in Clay-street, that the fire originated. A pile of
shavings lying near the mouth of the furnace was
ignited by the sparks from it, and though the men on
duty made strenuous endeavours to extinguish the
rapidly spreading flames, they gained headway
with inch rapidity that the workmen were driven
from the building. On either aide of it were similar
establishments ruld rows of small frame buildings
with shingle roofs, upon which the burning cinders fell
lii such numbers as to speedily spread the fire along
the whole street westward to Park and eastward to
Liberty. It was at first expected that this would be
the boundary of the fire, but the flames were suddenly
seen to extend southward to Lexington-street, and
northward to Saratogaddreet. So Deg as the flames
only embraced Clay-street, the fire was not considered
of serious consequence, an the building were email and
comparatively worthless ; but when the fi sines ex-
tended to the handsome stores anti residences of Sara-
toga and Lexington streets, the greatest alarm
was visible in the city, and a multitude of people
hurried to the scene of the conflagration. Spreading in
these directions, the flames soon enwrapped the Central
Presbyterian Church at rhe corner of Saratoga and
Liberty streets, and the first English Lutheran Church
In Lexington-street. The Presbyterian Church was
one of the finest buildings in the country. The stout
walls crumbled under the intense heat, and fell into the
burning pile with a crash that resounded for squares
around. The handsome furniture of the church and
its great organ were entirely destroyed. The English
Lutheran Cnurch was also entirely destroyed, leaving
no vestige but its walls. The buildings on the north
anti south fronts of the fire were mainly stores,
having valuable stocks of dry goods on hand,
and most of these were destroyed either by fire
or by water. On the south side of Saratoga was the
immense sch .1 under the control of the Brotherhood
of St. Alphonsus Cathelic Church. It was burned to
the ground, but as there were no pupils within it at
the time there WAS no loss of life. St. Alphonsus
Church was in great danger for a while, but the wind
suddenly veered ti the north-west and carried the flames
back upon the district which was already burning. The
efforts to save the church were most heroic. Men
mounted upon the outside of its lofty spire, and with
buckets of water deluging its blazing roof. The flames
wire subdued, Immediately arljoieing it were palatial
residences of some of the wealthiest inhabitants of Balti-
more, and these were saved only from destruction by the
most earnest effort.. It must be understood that al-
though the exterior boundaries of this district were occit.
pied with handsome stares and residences, the interior
consisted very largely of the dwellings of poor people.
'rhe smsternatiou of these is ople is impossible to
describe. The scene was intuit terrifying. Men,
women, and childern were throwing their household
goods and furniture into the streets, and rushing iabo u
in the wildest terror. Their wild scampering., the
screams of the wolueu, the crash of falling walls, and
the roar of the 11911104 and the steady pressure onward
of the firemen who were sparing nothing in their en-
deavour to reach the tl Ames, made up a scene of
horror. The sky was cdarkerred with smoke clouds.
amid which the flames leaped up and created such
• beet that men could scarcely live under it.
The streets were filled with all description of g rode,
Forte., lately there was pa lies of life, although sick
pi reins and children were occasionally removed from
houses with scarcely a breath left in therm Another
phase of the fire remains to he told. While it was burn-
leg within the district mentioned, the flame. sprang clear
across the square between Saratoga and Mulberry
streets, and had lighted upon buildings in Mulberry.
street. rhe first edifice on fire in this section was the
Maryland University. which had a portion of its walls
and roof burned. Next to it was the Maryland
Academy of Arts; the walls of this were also burnrd,
but the statuary and paintings were unharmed.
A row of fine homes in Mulberry street were de-
etroyed, but at this point the ti rules had ceased their
ravager, the firemen had brought them under control
by fighting them from both sides, ad by four o'clock
this afternoon peace and quiet were restored. Des-
patches from here had created an immense excitement,
and tenders of serristance from Washington and Phila.
delphia were freely made. These were only PA far
availed of as to accept a couple of engines from Wash-
ington, which were sent over its thirtyinino minutes,
and helped much towards subduing the fire. Sister
Rinaldi, a nun in the sonvent attached to St. Alnhonsus
Church, died of fright. In estimating the total loss
there is a wide difference of opinion, some placing it as
high as 800,0410 dollars, lint experienced insurance
rien to-night thought that between 500,000 dollars and
600,000 dollars will cover all losses."