Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-07-26
THE BALTIMORE FIRE.
EXTENT OF THE DISASTER.
Further Interestine Particulars
The Washington Firsmen Do Good Service.

The STAR, extra, yesterday afternoon, and tn
full and interesting special dispatches in the sue
ceeding editions, set forth In such detail tn
origin, progress and extent of the fire raging /,
| Baltimore, that not much more remains to b.
| raid. Under the excitement, incident to tn
situation, the real extent of the calamity wa
somewhat over ted at first, and there wer
| fears of a repetition of the Chicago and Boston
disasters. The third edition of faR SrAR an
nounciDg that the firemen hal managed to con
troll the flames, brought feeling of relief t
| our citizens, who warmly sympathized with
their neighbors in the Monumental City.
THE WASHINGTON FIRKMEN.
The Washington firemen, as they hasteneC
| from the Camden depot, on their arrival il
| Baltimore, to the scene of the cOniagration
were greeted with cheers. When they arrived
| at the fire it was found that the plugs did no
have connections to fit their hose; but there wa.
water passing through the streets was turned Il
account by the construction of a dam, from
| which they obtained sufficient supply. Sc
well did they work, and so judiciously was the
water distributed, that many of the Balti-
moreans acknowledged that the first real check
the fire received was from the Washington
steamers. Among others to compliment the
Washingtonians was the Rev. Father Eoley
The locomotive which accomplished the extra
ordinary feat of running 40 miles in 80 minutes
was No 41S, and was in CHARGE Of Saml Buckley,
engineer. The train consisted of three Condo
las and one passenger coach, Capt. VIM. Bines,
conductor, and all in charge of Col. Koontz,
agent LOT tne railroad at w 2ShingtOn.
NEWSPAPER ROW DESERTED,
During the afternoon the representatives of
the press from Washington arrived in Balti
more in considerable numbers, and il seemed
last night that Newspaper Row must have been
deserted. Preston, Boynton, Harris, McFar-
land, and Gibson were among the newspaper
men who went over to the fire, and some had
as many as four assistants each.
THE BURNED DISTRICT.
The Sun of this morning editorially saws:
"The center of the burned district may be
located at the corner of Park and Clay streets,
near which point the fire had its origin in the
steam planning mill of Messrs. Jos. Thomas &
Sons. From that central point it spread to Clay
street, both east and west, near to Liberty and
Howard: on Park street, both north aud south
to Mulberry and Lexington. Within these
limits it consumed more than hundred build
ings, chiefly dwellings, several large manufac-
turing establishments, two costly churches and
the buildings of st. Alphonsus schools. While
no solid square was entirely consumed, the fire
IN its erratlc leaps consumed portion of them
For an explanation of the rapid progress and
extent of the contiagration, it may be said, in
addition to the peculiarly intiammable mate
rial which the fire had to work upon, it was de-
monstrated either that the city water supply is
defective, or the number of fire plugs for max
ing that supply available is insufficient OF the
fire department is insufiiciently supplied with
engines and hose, especially the latter tor plugs
that are STEW and far between
HOW THE FIRE WAS KNOCKED.
The fire, which lasted from 10 ID a. m. until
about p. m, when it became completely under
Snlnn-
did efforts of the tiremen. The theatre of the
conflagratiOn covered a density inhabited sec
ton, in which there were many old time houses
of wood and those peculiar antique structures
OF brick and timber that seem to be as dry as
pine bark in the wettest weather The firemen
knocked the blaze out wherever they could see
1t, and the result was a gaining of time on
every house until the whole force could play
upon certain point. Work by concentration
and detail, puZzel in itself, was never better
done and the manner in which it was handled
by the fire department is best illustrated by the
results, and in view of the great fires of the
past few years from Chicago % Constantinople
proves incontestably that the fire department. is
the best in the world.
The policy pursued was generally to abandon
alocality to the fire when il was beyond control
and to work where the flames could be subdued
regularly and Systematically. In this way the
fire appeared to burn leisurely at some points,
but the confagration as a whole was at no time
beyond control The result considering all the
dlsadv analogous circumstances, the prevalent
strong breeze. the closely built and dry condi-
ton of the houses, the numerous wooden build
lngs, the great heat of the weather as well as
Of the fire, were all disadvantages with whicb
the fremen had to contend. The result is emil
nently satisfactory, since Baltimore has been
saved, on almost similar conditions of faulty
structures, &c, from CONGREGATIONS like that
OF Chicago and other cities within recent years
LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
1t is estimated by the American that the loss
will approximate to one million of dollars. The
Sun says Good judges estimate the total
amount OF damage done Dy the fire low Is
between $500 COO and $500 900, but it is probably
more. The insurance risks are divided among
several Baltimore companies and few foreign
companies, but in no one of them to such an
excess over the others that the losses will be
seriously felt The largest amount of risks are
believed to be in the German.
THANKS TO WASHINGTON.
At meeting Of the Common Council of Bal
tilnore held last night Mr.. Orndorff offered the
following resolution, which was referred to the
zens OF Baltimore be, and they are hereby,
rendered to our sister city of Washington Tor
the prompt and efficient aid render 4 to us in
our time of need. To the meniuers of the
Washington City Fire Depar ment especial
merit is due for their gallant and valuable aid
and through their well-disciplined and effective
efforts much valuable property has been saved,
and another tie has been drawn between our
city and the national metropolis.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS.
The Baltimore American has the following:
Whilst the fire was in progress an incident
occurred that was suggestive as well as anu
sing. A colored boy came rushing out of
house carrying chair that had been good in its
day. but had evidently graduated downward
INTO Kltchen use. The master of the house was
standing on the steps looking after the loading
Of his goods, perspiring, frettiDg, and hurrying
up everybody. As the boy rushed out he seized
the chair, and, with preliminary expletive,
to be saved ?" dashed the chair to the ground,
breaking it into various fragments. The fea,
lures OF the boy, as he saw the best article of
kitchen furniture so ruthlessly destroyed, were
a study,
During the prevalence of the. fire, Sister Ri
nald, Cath airline Folb,) a devoted teacher in
St. Aiphonsus parochial school, after having
Jeen removed with others to the Convent of
Notre Dame, on Aisquith, near Eager street,
fell to the floor and died Immediately. DIR.
Cookery held a post norton, and pronounced
her death disease of the heart, caused by ex-
element. DIR. Walker, coroner, on hearing the
testimony of DIR. Cookery, deemed an inquest
A young man named @. A. Mittnacht who
lived on Saratoga street before the fire, while
engaged In saving furniture from a burning
house on Saratoga street, had his clothes set on
ire by flying cinder, and in q few moments
be was enyel0ped in flames. He ran down
stairs aud into the street, crying for help Sew
eral persons threw HIM down and covered him
with bed clothes until the flames were smOthered
but not before he was badly burned about the
body and face.
The scene after the fire was melancholy in
deed. After most of the engines had quit work,
and the ropes that restrained the eager multi
tude during the day had been removed Liberty,
Park and Saratoga streets were filed with
people who had come from all sections Of the
city to view the ruins. The pavements were
strewed with broken fragments Of furniture,