The evening times., 1896-05-19
SCENES AT THE RUINS.
Crowds Watched the Engines Con
Time the Fight Against the Fire.

Crowds Watched the Engines Con
time the Fight Against the Fire.
Many people were surprised this morn
ing when they awoke and Icadin The Times
about the big blaze that had occurred IN
their midst, but their establishment was
nothing compared TO thauof the countrymen
who came in fIoIn the neighboring farms
with produce TO sell
They used to stand right where the fire
| was raging, and as they drove up and saw
| the destruction that had Eeen wrought
they could hardly fiud words in which to
express their feelings.
The widest sort or rumors quickly spread
throughout the country and the later ar
rivals were prepared tosec the city in ashes.
One story was to the effect that the Balti-
more and Ohio depot had been burned and
| another was that the Capitol was mass
Of flames. 1t is difficult to say whether
or not the truckers were pleased when they
learned the true state OF affairs.
The scene in the vicinity of the fire this
morning was. an animated one. Louisiana
avenue was crowded with vehicles of all
| kinds and description, while pedestrians
struggled TO force a passage through the
Jam.
| In front of william L. Clarke & Co.'S
ruined store engine No. was owing
n stream OF water upon the smoking ruins,
| while at the corner of Ninth and II streets
engine No. was performing a similar serv-
| !ce
Not withstanding the immense amount of
water thrown upon the flames, they were
hard to subdue, and every once in whilean
tnfsi,,
however, would be quickly cxtinguished.
SAVING THE PROPERTY.
The flames were well in hand before day
light Many of the merchants managed t.
save considerable nr their property. aud
much Of it is piled up in front OF the dam
aged buildings, covered with canvas.
Little effort has yet been made to straight
en- things out.
| Insurance adjusters and agents Were
| looking over the field while the merchants
were roaming around in Il helpless sort of
II manner.
In front OF Clarke & COS store, No.
926, where George Giles lost his life. is
an immense pic Oftwistcd and broken iron
pipe. frame work. bricks and other debris.
Behind the front wal! is an indcScriha bic
mass OF iron, wood. bricks. mortar. con-
| tents of the store, all blackened and burnt
Tie great amount of water poured upon
the fire has made n number of large holes
Oh the sidewalk, aud i'll many places the
earth looks as though it would cave in.
One of the strange freaks of the flames
IN the Louisiana avenue side was the
rscape of T. NJ. Walker x Co.'S produce
store. at 93S. The large building to the
east OF ii was almost completely Gutted.
| while Benzingcr's bazaar. on the west, is
an entire wreck; yet the only damage
suffered by Walker & co. is through
water. The goods are thoroughly wet.
TIE wooden horse on top of Bcnzngers
bazaar has lost all its former beauty. but
stands upon the remnant OF roof as proudly
as ever. The fire burned away its head
| and also part of its side. Its usefulness as
an advertisement is forever gone
WALLS HAVE FALLEN.
can be more plainly seen. The walls OF
most OF the buildings have fallen showing
the Interior of the structures. while the
side walk is stIewn with all sorts of
| vegetables.
Barrels upon barrels of potatoes. pa rtly
roasted by the intense heat, have been
|
corn and other products of the farm and
| garden are being tramplcd by the immense
| crowds passing along the street Here the
merchants are beginning to bring order out
| Of chaos. Mr.. G.. Taylor Wade's place was
badly damaged, but lie was opeu as usual
this morning.
The outer side of the pavement was
| crowded with huckstcrs. who bet ween their
| soil In.t
| Indeed, the whole street wore a much
more joyful air than would be expected.
Some of the men are heavy losers, but
they are bearing up braveiy.
| A Times reporter made Il tour of the
street this morning. on every available
box, stand, barrel or anything that would
afford seat men could he seen reading an.
account of the fire in The Times. House
wives. with baskets on their arms jostled
one another in their efforts to see all the
sights, while dainty misses tripped lightly
| over the potato-strewn ground and didn't t
mind putting their little feet in puddles
of muddy water so long as they could see
| anything.
| Notwithstanding the large crowd. buying
| in the early part Of the day was very light.
although it probably improved after the
| curiosity OF the would-bc purchasers had
been satisfied.
| The places where the firemcn met their
| tragic death was most eagerly sought out
and the policemen on duty had all they
| could do to keep the crowd outside the
ropes. Many expressions of sympathy We're
| heard for the afflicted families. and had
n collection been taken up a substantial
| amount would have been raised.
| The furious storm this afternoon blew
| down some of the interior walls in the
| burned-out block. No damage to life or
limb resulted