Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-15
REAL WORK rs BEGUN
RESURvEYING OF THE BURNED
DISTRICT IN BALTIMORE.
Work of Clearing Debris to Begin This
Week-Organiza Of Com
mittees for Work.
special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
BALTIMORE February 1J.-The real
work looking to the resurveying of the
burned commercial ard financial district of
the city will be begun this week. The leg
isiative committee OF the citizens emergen-
cy committee is engaged in drafting a bill
for introduction in the legislature at An
napolis early this week, giving the mu-
nicipality power to condemn such land as
may be necessary to carry out the plan of
public improvement in that section.
This plan. an outline of which was pub
lished in these dispatches to The Star last
Thursday, has in most instances met with
the approval of the mayor and other city
officials. and with some few minor changes
will De adopted, and all that is necessary
for the work to proceed is the passage of
the enabling act by the legislature.
Work to Be Well Organized.
The citizens committee will meet again
today. and it is expected that the an
nouncement will be made of the subcom
mittees on finance. street improvement,
height of buildings, building laws. legisla-
ton. taxation. federal relations and debris
organization is perfected the mayor will be
notified. and the municipal officials and the
citizens committee will cooperate on the
speedy rehabilitation of the destroyed area.
Citizens committee Is purely an advisory
body and will perform such duties may
be requested by Mayor McLane, who is
chairman ex-officio of the committee.
Mr.. William keyser. the well-known cap
italist. is chairman of the committee, and
William II. Buckler, secretary having been
elected at meeting of the committee held
Saturday afternoon.
Committee on Relief.
The citizens relief committee, appointed
by Mayor McLane to take entire charge of
all aid to sufferers from the fire. has organ
lied, with Jeffrey r. Bracket as charm m
An executive committee. consisting of
8. Niles and Miles White. was named by
Chairman Bracket and 1t was decided to
have this committee at once make careful
inquiry and ascertain if any suffering ex-
lists or is likely to exist as a result of the
fire, and make a report to the mayor this
week. Pending this inquiry applicants for
aid will be referred to the several charity
organizations of the city, and these bodies
will be reimbursed for the additional ex-
pense.
Chairman Bracket later issued the fol-
lowing statement, setting forth the position
the committee will take on relief work:
Charity and Business.
There is a splendid spirit of hopeful
ness and mutual helpfulness today in Bal
timore. This spirit should mark any work
of charity as well as of business. En-
plcyers will do all in their power to pro-
vide work at the earliest possible moment
for former employees; secretaries in diff
ferent localities. churches and friends will
all come to the aid. without publicity, of
needy persons who are well known to
them.
For the homeless and for persons in
need from no unusual cause, no action
will be taken by our committee. The ex-
listing charitable agencies should deal with
these cases now as formerly. City officials
in charge of cleaning and other work in
the burned district will be asked in taking
on men to give preference to those who
have lost work by the fire.
Money Used for Actual Necessities.
There should be clear understanding
that all the money received by this commit
tee is intended to be expended for meeting
actual necessaries of living for those per-
sons who lost employment result of the
fire, or for enabling persons to start anew
in occupations in which they can earn a
livelihood.
Persons in need" Chairman Bracket
in conclusion says, ARE expected to try
every available resource before receiving
aid from charitable agencies
The extension of the legal holiday period
until February % has had the effect of still
further restoring confidence in the business
community.
Interests Demanded Extension.
AS a matter of fact. while all the banks
are perfectly sound conditions are such
that resumption of business today might
have resulted in disaster in certain quar-
tiers. and it was the knowledge of this fact
that induced the financial interests to re-
quest Governor Warfield to extend the Pc
Rod.
Then, too the municipality faced ser
ious problem. 1t was feared by city officials
that applications for permits to build and
repair in the burned section would be hled
and could not legally be refused.
The granting of a permit of this char
acter and the beginning of work might seri-
ously interfere with the plans for widening
the streets. Hence the city officials are
much gratified over the extension and the
mayor and city council will be invested
with power to condemn such land as may be
needed for improvements by the time the
holiday period expires.
Mayor Optimistic c-sr Future.
Mayor McLane is most optimistic regard
ing the future of Baltimore. What the
future may develop cannot be foreshadow
ed, but / am of the opinion that greater
and grander city will rise from the ashes
of old Baltimore" said the mayor to The
Star correspondent today.
Baltimore is now FACING the crisis OF
its life" he continued "A terrible disaster
has swept the city. wiping out its most i'm
portant business section, thus paralyzing
it's greatest industries. The work of re-
Mobilization is one that concerns every in
dividual; it calls for wisdom, foresight,
cool judgment and common sense. There
should be no hasty action, no rash moves,
and the aim of every citizen should be to
build greater Baltimore.
although a great deal has been ac-
complished in the way of clearing the
streets in the burned district, the greater
portion of the work remains to be done.
Begin to Clear Debris This Week.
"Thus far our efforts have been directed
toward clearing up the debris, in order
that business men might get at their safes
and secure their contents, and thus be in
position to resume their business in tenn
porary quarters.