Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-09-12
Terrible Fire i'm Baltimore City-Burn.
ing of Holiday Street Theatre.
From the American of Wednesday,

from the American of W ednesday.l
AS we 60 to press, at 8 A. NJ, fearful
fire is raging, which. before this reaches
the eyes of our earliest readers, may have
developed in the most destructive conf1a-
grafton that ever scourged our city. About
| half-past two o'clock this morning the Hol-
liday Street Theatre was discovered to be
on fire.
Before the alarm was sounded the flames
were bursting through the roof, and in a
| few seconds the central portion of the city
was lit up with the Iurid glare of the burn
ing building. The wind is blowing from
the northeast, and driving the flames to-
wards Baltimore street. The fire is beat
ing against the new City Hall with great
fury, but it is hoped that the marble walls,
iron frames and slate roof will successful
| ly resist its consuming rage. 1
The Baltimore City College stands next
to the theatre, on the corner of Holiday
and Fayette streets, and at this writing g
| A. M the upper story of that building is
on fire. It will certainly be burned. The
wind is carrying the sparks into Baltimore
street, and they are dropping over the roofs
/ of some of the finest stores and warehouses
in the city. IF there is combustible spot
in the blocks of buildings bounded by
Fayette, ST. Paul, Lombard and Gay streets
this terrible shower of burning fragments
will be sure to find it.
AT o'clock the scene was one of awful
grandeur. Holiday Street Theatre still
stood stately and erect, with the exception
| of it's cupola, which some minutes before
| had tottered and fallen, but it was literal
| ly building of flame. Its front was as
~ 4ouoha6 hint tho roof q of
| fire; from the interior the spirals of flame
shot up towards the heavens, while the
massive cornice was enwrapped with flame.
A strong wind was blowing from the north
east; and carried a rain of cinders and
sparks as far up Baltimore street as the
corner of Calvert, so steady that men bent
their heads as they ran through it and en-
deavored to shield themselves.
| From the windows of the theatre the jets
of fire shot out and writhed along the front
of the building, which, for long time,
withstood their influence and remained in
4 tact. At the St. Nicholas Hotel. next door
there was tremendous confusion. The
house was full of guests, many of whom
were people connected with the theatres
Trunks, chests, and boxes came tumbling
out of the windows and doors, half-dressed
men were rushing madly to and fro, while
women stood in their night dresses, just as
they were reused from their slumbers, some
wringing their hands and weeping, while
others were imploring men to help them
with their goods to get out of the reach OF
4 the flames. The old High School building
was already in flames, and the fire had ex-
tended to some of the small houses on Fay
cite street, adjoining the rear entrance Of
the theatre.
The broad white front of the new City
Hall was illuminated with the fierce glare
until every line of its marble tracery stood
out bold and strong against the dark back
ground. On Holiday street the fireman
were fighting the flames, in the face of the
fierce heat, keeping steady streams of wa
ter directed upon the theatre, and the two
buildings on either side of it. But it was
too late to do any good for the theatre
The old edifce was as dry as finder inside
and the flames poured up from the vortex
of its interior with an irresistible power
Mems faces blanched even in that ruddy
light, as they heard the rush of the fire and
each asked the other-What next? The
rain of fire fell so thick and fast down Hol-
i liday street that no one could stand unpro-
tected from the burning brands, and the
spectators covered under the lee of the
i walls and gazed on the scene. AS the
sparks were borne bv the wind over North
and Baltimore streets, number of avn
ing and roofs caught fire. They were quick
ly extinguished. Barnard's and Peppers
restaurants were both in danger from this
Ecause, but buckets and hose saved them.
The Fire Department was vigorously al