Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1904-02-12
CHEERING NEWS SPREAD RAPIDLY
The city Reioircd when Told the
confederation Had Been Checked.

The city ReiDiccd when Told the
tonnngrntion Had Been Check Il
Baltimore. Md. Feb. 9-The cheer
ing news that the confederation had
been checked spread rapidly over the
city. and the great crowds that all day
hai surged against the tightiydrawn
fire lines began 10 turn hOmeward I'm
less the wind. which now blows briskly
from the northwest. should change, it Is
believed that there is no further danger.
But the tired frcnen are taking no
chances. All over the burned district
they are fighting tho fierce flames
that still live In large piles Of ruins.
These fires are no menace. however,
for they have nothing TO feed upon out
side their present limits.
During the afternoon tho wall Of
flame ate its way in a sottlIcrly and
westerly direction toward the river.
Sporadic flames sprang into existence
and caused the withdrawal Of APP
paratus and men from the line OF bat
tie. Buildings. old and new, large and
small stores, shops, every Imaginable
class of business vanished rs the fire
swept onward.
Dynamite I.rd Freely.
A the day wore on the forefront OF
the fire neared Jones Falls, a small
stream that trends north and south
and divides Baltimore from that por-
ton of the city known az Eas, Bal
timorc. This little stream was the
last stand.
II the connagratiOn leap"d it; II by
flying cmbcrs or a rush Of flame the
fire could cross and gain 2 foothold
its extent could not be iorctold.
Tremendous efforts were made To
block it. Dynamite was used freely.
The fire apparatus was conferred and
all the SIKH Of the fire fighters called
into play 10 defeat IN" element thai
had eaten 40 millions Of dollars worth
Of property. And human skin and
pluck and grit and nntaltori-g courage
won. The fire was checked. But be
hind it lay a great guntcd waste Of
NOR" than 40 acres in extent.
srcctu;urs W"r" tvc-Stri"Lcn
Every street that led 10 N" fire area
was crowded with a"c-s'richcn spec
tatprs. Down the mario" pulch Like
sheets the black smoke hung dons"ly,
split now and hen By "A red glare Of
flame The crash Of fallins buildings
was lost In he roar Of exploding dyna-
mite a. 1t was ascd 10 dcrnrlish struc-
lures as yet untouched by FIRE.
The city WAS under the slrIc'cst Of
military control, All around the
burned area was stretched a Gordon
Of soldiers, Who held up MI cCmcrs at
the point OF the ba"JIct. Police
! brought from the nclghDOriug cities
patrulled The district. and On every
street near the limits OF tho fire area
paced armed soutinclH. In the early
hours Monday morning ihc army Of
fire fighters COPIED against oycrwhclm-
ing odds, and when dawn broke the
flames we're raging norccly along the
wharycs and focused about the great
powcrhousc of the United Railways
Co, which furnished the power for all
the street railways Of the city. Then
the flames ate their way with undi-
minished force southwark, following
the lines of Jones Falls, and were final
~ choked near the waters edge al
West Falls venue In the s~outheas'
section OF the city. There the flames
continued through the night, but only
in spots, and with diminishing fierce
ness. A dark gloom served TO assist
! tho watching thousand OF spectators
held behind the lines many squares
away to locate the flames.
Entire Blocks Wiped Out.
The burned area is a scene of con
plete devastation. NumbcilesS build
ings that were the pride Of Baltimore
costly and stately, and occupied fol
divers purposes, were guttci, and only
Y ~smoldering debris or walls or rem
nants of walls remain TO mark thu
t sites. The Baltimore American build
ing, one OF The first, Is now but
I smouldering debris. save for remnant!
aud front and side walls. Across
= South street. where stood the Baltimore
: Sun building, only the pillars tina
marked the front remain. Entlr'
books Just below there are wiped ont
: in some cases a wall left standing
u lsrnn, l,n ,otta gtrAnt ,Inun IIalJtl~,