Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-02-11
BALTIMORE'S CALAMITY
WHAT OF THE FUTURE?

Beginning about II o'clock Sunday morn
ing in the big dry gools establishment of
John e. Hurst s. Co, on Hopkins Place, a
fire which ragged for nearly thirtysix hours,
burned out the heart of Baltimore's business
section. 1t extends from Howard street on
the west to Jones Falls on the east and at
some points as far north as Lexington street
and from Baltimore street generally, south
to the water front From the bridge on
East Baltimore street west to Frederick ST.,
most of the houses were saved but in dam
aged condition. Every "skyscraper" ex-
cept the Fidelity was burned and experts
say they must come down, The steel frame
stood in every instance, apparently unharm
ed. but windows, doors and many partitions
are out and one can look straight through
them at every story. The B. g. .. central
building. corner of Baltimore and Calvert
streets the Carrolton Hotel, Maryland In
stitute. Chamber of Commerce, The sun,
American and News buildings, these with
the great wholesale and retail dry goods,
notions and clothing establishments cover q
loss that could not have been equalled any.
where else in that city in an area three times
as great as that chosen for the path of that
fire. An odd fact is that while the fire
burned up to and alongside of three big pub
lie buildings, the Court House, Postotflce
and tie City Hall, the south side Of Fayettc
street there having been totally destroyed,
these Il rec buildings escaped, the latter two
entirely and the Court House having been
but slightly damaged by the heat. The new
Custom House has been damaged to an ex.
tent that will require rebuilding, the intense
heat on all tour sides having Clipped the
hard stone facing Of the walls, while all the
wooden staging and scatfoldng in the inte-
ror burned.
The wreck of walls and overhead light,
power, telegraph and telephone wires makes
a picture If the most appalling dcsola,ion
The writer succeeded in getting through
the fire lines into the burned district on Mon.
day, spending several hours therein and the
widest Imagination of the newspaper artist
will never over draw the pictures of twisted
iron, swaying walls, fallen and tangled wires
encountered streets, smoking interiors and
odd preservatlons that may be seen in the
section visiied-Batimore street west from
Jones Falls to Frederick, thence south to
the street south of the new Custom House
and thence west to Holiday street.
On the corner Of Frederick and -
streets an iron electric light post and bracket
and the glass globe was seen absolutely in.
tact, while not one hundred feet away stones
were Clipped from the Custom House walls
by the heat.
The city ls under martial law and will be
for ten days aud during this week entire it
will be legal holiday III Baltimore; the State
militia has been called out and, during the
reign of martial law, will be in authority in
the city BY order of the military authority
AL drinking saloons in the city were closed
on Monday.
The firrmen ut no time after the fire got
under way fought it from the front or en-
deavored to stop its progress; lhev attacked
it on the sides and prevented it from spread
ing; until the wind changed from south to
north west they were fairly successful in
preventing it from spreading, but when it
started eastward they could only fight it TO
any advantage on the north side and they
succeeded IN getting it to the south side of
Baltimore at Frederick, although 1t was as
far north as Lexington when it started east.
The property loss at this time is but the
barest estimate and widely different esti.
mates, ranging from seventy five to two
hundred and fifty millions have been made.
The Loses at the Chicago fire amounted to
one hundred and eighty seven millions and
i, is probable that the Baltimore fire will not
be as great.
The effect of the fire is viewed differently
by different people; some believe that foreign
capital will come forward and that Baltimore
will be rapidly rebuilt and that fine modern
buildings will take the place of those burned
and that in the end the city will be benefited
while others fear that it will be staggering
blow from which It will take some years TO
recover The latter say that Baltimore lacks
the capital of northern and the vigor OF
western cities and that it does not possess
the trained, youthful energy that rises supe-
rior to crushing blow That it is terrible,
paralyzing, Is certain, but every Marylander
will hope for the best for their chief city and
will be more than willing to have the last
possible item of State aid extended to the
stricken city. The State is rich and practi'
cally out Of debt, while Baltimore, already
heavily taxed, will have burden added
which should I've lightencd by the State in
every possible legitimate way.