New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-10
BALTIM0RE'S COURAGE.
EHE DECLINES OFFERS OF HELP IND PITCHES
BRzYELY INTO THE WORK OF CLEANING UP.
The of Bas and Trust Companies Found IntatBasness
Men Open Temporary Otces-t Guard of Burned District

rsSrfmore Feb. e.-Arnid ruins stin hot and
SMOKING. Baltimore has begun Its resurrection
win The dawn Of clear winter day, whose
trsrhfness was IN itself inspiration. the
so~ssy of yesterday gave way 20 the energy OF
Y srcusec effort, and from the Governor OF the
VI 6sate TO the least private citizen the people Of
kks oistressed city pulled themselves together to
tnsst the appalling conditions that confront
thsn-
II was q day OF conferences. The Governor
the Mayor ana various municipal officials met
and threshed out tie problems that are theirs
~ virtue OF public Office. From this conference
rarne @ decision that the city FOR the present
needs no outside help. but VIII endeavor. with
her own resources ana those OF the State to
meet the emergency. At this conference also
was developed the machinery for al advisory
legislative commission TO act IN conjunction
with the legislature.
Tie military officials also had unusual prob
TENS 20 decide and solve. for tonight every
pass that has been issued giving entrance 20 the
fire lines revoked. No civilian may pass the
cordon Of citizen soldiery which. after forty
eight hours OF continuous duty. tonight
stretches around the fre-swept desert. where lie
hafes and vaults containing untold treasure.
These were the chief happenings OF q gov
ernmental character.
with equal promptness. the Chamber OF Com
1nerce held a general meeting and issued for
mai announcement that reflected the prevailing
hopefulness declaring there are already euch
evidences OF recupeTation that encourage ell n
the hope OF the early restoration OF every branch
pf trade"
The Stock Exchange members, keyed TO the
sarne pitch Of energy, met ard decided TO re-
build as soon possible. The same story can
BE told OF practically every commercial body.
while on every hand is evidence OF private
Effort toward reha utilization
TEMPORARY OFFICES ALREADY OPENED.
Ola buildings long disused. private homes near
ths business section-an fact. every available
structure bears crUdey lettered signs on board
90 cloth announcing that within is the tempo
snry Office OF a firm. The names on some OF
these signs rank high IN financial and COM
snsrcisi circles. Labor Is IN cemand ana the
nswspaperB already contain display advertise
znents for men 20 begin the work OF clearing
fhe ruins
AL things considered. the public stock taking
That ensrossed the business world OF Baltimore
sc-esy was satisfactory. But this does not
snsan that the great fire wss q less calamity
shan has been pictured previously. The words
thst have been hurried over telegraph wires,
restored by almost superhuman energy 20 meet
n waiting worlds demand FOR news, have given
IN inadequate conception OF the catastrophe
The bald fact Is that one hundred and forty
acres OF business buildings representing prop
erty 10 the approximate value OF S125 oo0e 600
were destroyed. History is marked by few cs-
isnities more costly. but with the passing OF
the first great shock and prostration a realiza-
zion Of what was escaped is dawning HAD not
that shift OF wind occurred on Sunday night
there would have been another story a story
OF death. and OF thousands who tonight sleep
safely in their homes suffering for shelter
Such q sequel would also have been written
except for the magnificent last stand ot the gal
liant frenen and volunteers at the little sewer
like stream os Jonex's Falls. But Providence ana
brave men worked hand in hand 20 avert the
horror Of q residence section conhagration, and
the story OF the great fire is told IN figures OF
wealth instead OF human lives.
MONEY AND SECURITIES UNINJuRFp
n great cloud was lifted this afternoon when
q was discovered that practically all the vaults
and strong rooms and safes OF the financial con-
Germs whose buildings were destroyed are IN
hurt tremendous loss in securities had been
anticipated here, and when vault after vault
yielded I'D Its treasures unframed the Joy OF the
guardians was boundless
From one trust company's safes alone papers
% the amount OF more than S2o00o0O0o were
recovered The news cheered the whole city, and
encouraged immediate and thorough investigs-
ucn. Merchants and their assistants smoke
seized and beg-imed, and hollow eyed from anx-
iety and loss OK sleep worked like laborers IN the
smoking ruins TO uncover their safes, ana IN
nearly ever Instance they were rewarded by
unin1ured contents
Another surprise was the discovery that three
financial concerns whose homes were Directly IN
tne nercest sweep OF the flames were practically
unnamed These were the Continental Trust
Company. Brown Brothers' Bank and the Ner
camille Trust Company. No one ventures 10
oner an explanation OF the remarkable escape of
these buildings in the centre of heat SO intense
that metal trimmings OF skylights melted and
orappeo through onto desks In the Mechanics,
Bank the time locks on the vaults were san
running
- yss no figures on loss ana assurances thst