The Tomahawk., 1904-02-19
Officials and Leading Citizens De-
eide Regulars Are Needed to
Police Fire District.
MAYOR TO APPOINT EMERGENCY
Committee TO AID AUTHORITIES
order Gradually Being Brought Out
of Chaos in Stricken C1ty-IWo
New Fires Reported During Night
Marriage License Bureau Doing
Rushing Business.

ing citizens; it was unanimously agreed
to report bill asking the United States
government to send soldiers to Balti-
more to police the fire district.
The committee will also report in ia
vor of an immediate relief approprla-
ton by the legislature Mayor McLane
announced that he will appoint an
emergency committee of representative
citizens to act as an advisory board to
the municipal authorities.
The conference was an extended one
and was participated in not only by
various state and city officials but by
a number of the leading business men
Of Baltimore. A full and thorough
discussion of the situation developed
general belief that it would be the part
of wisdom to take advantage OF the
generous offers of assistance that have
been so freely made. The citizen SOL
diers now on police duty are needed in
business and it was thought best to
ask for the regulars in order to per-
nit the guardsmen to devote them
selves to their usual avocations.
Order Being Restored.
Wednesday was another day Of cease
less labor on the part of the officials and
business men of crippled Baltimore.
System has been brought out OF the
chaos, and intelligently directed effort
is rapidly bringing conditions to tenn
porary working basis. The city is be-
ginning to see just where it stands. Its
great loss has been sized up, and with
cheerful pluck the labor OF rehabilita-
tion has begun.
Money and Securities Safe.
The vaults of the First national bank
were opened Wednesday, and it was
found that all the securities and monies
of the bank were as safe as on the day
they were placed in the vault. They
were removed to the American national
bank building, on Gay street, where
temporary offices will be opened.
Building Inspector Preston was an
extremely busy man, due to clamor for
permits by large business and financial
houses to rebuild. Mr.. Preston is en-
gagged in clearing all the streets that
run through the fire district. All loose
walls that can be safely raZed with
ropes are being taken down by the la
borers. All other walls that are danger
GUS will be blown down with explo-
sives.
Two New Alarms of Fire.
The night was marked by two new
alarms of fire, the fall Of number OF
walls and conditions Of extreme dis
comfort for the soldiers and policemen
on guard, the temperature dropping
about ten degrees, and a keen wind
blowing throughout the night The
weather conditions, it is thought, were
responsible for the falling walls, the
racking effect of the cold upon the heat
ed bricks and mortar aiding the wind in
bringing down several Of the ruins.
The firemen were called out early dur
ing the night by an alarm of fire, the
blaze originating in the engine room
of the lumber yard of William D. Gill
& Son, in the southwestern district, not
far from the burned lumber district,
though the fire was an entirely inde-
pendent one. Three companies and the
fire boat Cataract responded and eXtin-
guished the fire after it had done $500
damage to the lumber yard and an ada
cent pulverizer works. Later an un-
important blaze in the northern resi-
dence district again called out some of
the overworked firemen, but with these
exceptions the men spent the night in
their beds.
Marriage License bureau Busy
One branch of the city government that
is running in full operation is the mar
riage license bureau. 18 licenses being
issued Tuesday, and the rush continuing
Wednesday.
Buildings of all descriptions in the
downtown district are in great demand
for use as temporary Offices. Nearly all
of the banking and fiduciary concerns
have secured buildings or apartments
wherein they will conduct their business
until permanent quarters can be secured.
The financial center of the city has
been removed from South and German
streets to Saratoga and Charles streets,
seven blocks to the northwest of the
demolished stock exchange.
Estimates OIL Losses vary.
Insurance men seen Wednesday as
a rufe stick to the estimates made
Tuesday on insurance losses. There is
still a wide difference of opinion
among them. A minority express the
belief that when all adjustments have
been made the insurance companies
will not have to pay more than $780,
100000, while others think that $780,
100000 will not more than cover the
insurance. Between $4,000, 900 and
500, ,0OO, 900, however, is the prevailing
estimate So far as can be learned no
adjustments have been made.
By general agreement some of the
larger insurance companies have decid-
ed to advance 80 per cent. of claims in
order to facilitate business. This ac-
ton will materially relieve the local
financial situation.