Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1904-02-11


out few minutes before II o'clock yes
terday morning in the wholesale dry goods
house of John Z. Hurst & Co., and ragged
with great fury and continuously. AT
midnight it was still burning and still eat
ing its way in the eastern section OF the
city. After having destroyed almost all
the large store houses in the way around
Hopkins Place, all the buildings on both
sides of Baltimore Street, from Howard to
Holiday, from Charles to Baltimore, and
Charles to Lexington, and on Third
Street from Charles to Holiday, including
total of about thirty blocks of the most
modern and substantial business buildings
In Baltimore, entailing loss that cannot
now be estimated. Ever slnce about T.
O'Clock last evening when darkness came
on the fire department has received dc
tachments from Washington, Philadel'
phla, Wilmington and other surrounding
sections, but has been utterly powerless to
overcome the flames. For hours as many
as four hundred streams of water were at
work on the flames, but seemed to have
no effect upon it. The heat has been so
,rrific and the smoke 50 dense since the
IRE started, that it is with the greatest
difficulty that TIE fremen can work.
Early in the afternoon yesterday num-
Der were disabled by flying timbers. AT
7 O'Clock last evening dynamite was used
at certain points to prevent, as far as pos
sble, the spread of the flames. BY 8
o'clock the publishers and officers of the
Herald building and the Record building
were compelled-to vacate.
Down on Baltimore Street, roaring
flames made their way, and the Evening
News building employ es had to leave.
The American newspaper building was
next attacked by the flames, and the en-
ployes here also had to move out. AT
l0:40 the roof of the building occupied by
the Associated Press took fire and the en-
ployes fed. They found refuge in the
Western Union Telegraph office on Gay
Street. All occupants of buildings in the
center of the city began to move their
vauables. At 11:45 the temporary cus-
tom house and postoffice caught fire. One
hundred and fifty policemen arrived here
from Philadelphia to assist the Baltimore
police Reliable information as to the
true character of the extent of the fire Is
difficult to obtain, owing to the fact that
the Western Union and other telegraph
lines are seriously crippled. The wind
which has been blowing a gale, has shift
ed, thus changing the fire to river front
In fact it is said the flames now have
practically nothing TO work on in the east'
ern section, owing to the fact that there
remains nothing more. A good many
people from Washington who either bad
relatives in this city or out of curiosity
came to the city yesterday. The scene
was, however, go strenuous that the large
majority were glad to escape from tue
city. 1t is said here that one railroad
company now refuses to carry passengers
from Washington to Baltimore.
The three leading newspapers Of Balti-
more we're printed in Washington today.
The Sun was given the use of the Wash
ington Star plant, the Herald and Ameri'
can we're printed in the Washington Post
establishment, and all got out extra edi-
tions.
When day broke over the stricken city
this morning, which has been for hours in
the cruel flaming billows of fire, doing
greatest damage to the financial and busl'
ness centers, everything was in darkness.
People had been unable to realize their
great loss. The conAagration which began
at 10 o'clock Sunday morning, was still
raging. No effort of man could avail to
control the fire, All night long people
had surged around the fire limits, and
hardly comprehended the horror of the
situation. Even the policemen and fire.
men were overcome by the hard fight
against the flames.
The military and regulars called out 10
preserve order and guard the stores from
possible plllage, we're spellbound by the
mighty flames that licked up building
after building.
The loss is estimated at from one hun
! dred to two hundred million dollars.
The heart of the city may have been
ruined. The majority Of the dreprool
buildings costing thousands of dollars,
were as easy victims of the flames as store
houses and oil houses. At midnight the
Gremen we're still fighting. The reinforce
ments from philadelphia, Washington
e and Wilmington had arrived
At IL o'clock this morning the fire con
( tinues to spread eastward, but is mol
burning as fiercely, and there is hope tha
, it can be subdued in few hours. Th'
4 lumber district near 0'Donnells whar
e has been practically consumed, and ther'
0 is little material left for the flames to feeC
: on in that district.
. Monumental Theatre on Batlmor'
s Street is threatened, and will possibly fal
:, victim to the coDhaeration. All th'
electrical plants have been destroyed, anC
n no street cars are running. One fireman
& reported killed.
Baltimore, Feb. S.-Bsltirmore is stag
> gering tonight under the fire loss whic