The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-02-13
baltimore SWEPT
By GIGANTIC FIRE
Whole Business District of the Citv
Is Practically a Mass of
Smouldering Ruins.


erty, Hotels and Office Buildings
| Destroyed by the Flames, Which
Ragged for Twenty-Six HOurs-Loss
| Estimated ut Over $lOO,OOO,OOO.
Baltimore, Md, Feb. 9.-Seventy-
five blocks in the heart of Baltimore
were swept by flames that ragged %
hours before the conhagration was
brought under control OF the army of
tiremen at three o'clock yesterday aft
ernoon. From the burned district
$500 buildings have disappeared.
Estimates of the loss are as high
as s2O0,O0O,000. The loss will not be
business men, prosperous yesterday
morning, are poor to-day.
Homes Saved.
With it's business section a heap OF
ruins, with fully $4,000 persons thrown
out of employment, firms and great
corporations undoubtedly bankrupted,
Baltimore has only one thing for
which to be thankful. The homes Of
Its residents still stand untouched by
the great conflagration. Baltimore
has its homes, but no business and lit
tie or no food.
Troops Guard Ruins.
The center of Baltimore street is in
some places ten feet deep with bricks
and debris, but the fire in this whole
section is practically out, with the
exception of few points still ablaze.
Two companies of the Fourth regi-
ment, a squad of policemen from Phila-
delphia and a detachment of local
police are on guard over the ruins.
Sweeps Wholesale District.
Starting in the wholesale section,
the fire burned out every wholesale
house of note in the city, swept along
through the Baltimore and Fayette
street retail sections, destroyed all the
prominent Office buildings, leveled
banks and brokerage offices, as we'll as
the Chamber of Commerce and Stock
Exchange, in the financial section,
then sped on through the wholesale
about Exchange place. 1t finally
stopped at Jones falls. a creek that
runs through the city. but swept
along the creek to the lumber district
and the docks.
All the newspapers are burned out
and they were being issued from
Washington.
How the Fire Started.
The start Of the fire was in the base
ment of Hurst & Co.'s wholesale dry
goods house. After burning for about
ten minutes there was loud report
from the interior of the building as
the gasoline tank used for the engine
in the building exploded. Instantly
the immense structure collapsed,
sending destruction to adjacent build
ings in all directions and causing the
fire to be beyond control of the fire.
men.
Help from Other Cities.
All efforts of 70 engines, half of them
sent from outside cities, to stop the
progress of the contiagration were to no
purpose. In the face of all this fiery fury
man appeared to be absolutely helpless.
1t was fate the fire should spread itself
and man could not do more than look
on. Dynamite was used on many build
ings in order to make open spaces, but
proved almost useless. One detonation
followed another throughout the night
caused by the blowing up of thousands
and thousands of dollars worth of prop
erty, but still without avail. The flames
Simply jumped the vacent spaces and
attacked new buildings with renewed
fury
Town a Desolate Ruin.
The town tonight is dismal ruin.
From Fayette street down Holiday
street as far as German street, there is
no building left save the corn and flour
exchange at the corner of German street.
The clearing away of the ruins will take
months. Every standing wall must
come down and the whole accumulation
Of debris be carted away.
Ancient Structure Stands.
One of the remarkable freaks of the
fire was the saving of the United States
bonded warehouse, at Lombard and Cav
streets. 1t is only three stories high.
and was built in 1885, according to old
time methods of construction. 1t stands
tonight almost uninjured, while sky
scrapers supposed to be fireproof which
surrounded it are masses of ruins.
Roosevelt Offers Aid,
Mayor Mclean received the follow
Ing telegram from President Roosevelt:
white House, Feb. 8, 19O4.-Hon,
Robert McLain, Mayor Baltimore, Md.
II share the horror of our people at
the appalling catastrophe which has be-
fallen Baltimore. If there is anything
the federal government can do. pray
call on me.
(signed) ''THEoDoRERoosE
Legislature Acts.
The general assembly met at the state
house last night to consider plans for
The relief of the fire conditions in Bal
timore. Senator Gill. of Baltimore, in
troduced bill authorizing Gov. War
field to declare ten successive legal holi-
tn $h4 nj, ~ o1x nf&x |