The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-02-12
ostDisastrousFrein in or1d's History

entire city east Of the falls IN jeopardy
A score Of times flames OF fire were
found tapping the sides Of lumber
niles on the east bank OF the falls
Heroic measures stayed the onsweep
OF fire.
A Gale HELPS the Flames
throughout the terrible contest IN
which hremen and fire wased for su-
humanity was handicapped
hy a gale which carried burning
brands far over n heads OF the
workers n beyond the reach OF the
hundreds OF streams OF water poured
into the raging furnaces But for
the work of volunteers in seeking out
and extinguishing these embers. IL -
almost certain the burned area would
have been twice larger than II Is
About rs squares. or l4o acres are in
ashes. extending from Lexington
street on the north 10 Pratt street
on the south. from Liberty street on
the west. to Jones Falls on the east
Loss Above One Hundred Million.
Insurance companies have opened
temporary Offices in the
Hotel. but their representatives, de-
cline 10 estimate the loss. The an
swer of one is typical Of all:
Its too big. We have not figures
10 describe il. Make IL above n
hundred millions. That's the best we
can do"
The same INDIGESTION was shown in
regard to estimates concerning insur-
ance.
The city was early placed under
martial law and thus all danger of
footing in the doomed district was
prevented. Word was received to-
night that General Corbin OF New
York would be here tomorrow TO take
command of the Federal troops. The
presence OF two regiments OK militia
as an adjunct to the police, which
were augmented by details from Phil
adelphia and Washington resulted in
the maintenance of the best OF or
der.
No one dares TO guess what would
jumped n Falls. The struggle
tonight has been with the one end Of
combining the fire to the west side OF
the muddy little stream.
That this effort was successful is
merely the result Of fire burning it
self out and coming in contact In
front with the concentrated labors
of nearly a hundred fire companies,
aided by the powerful fire tug, the
- <lSaAai aiAa oSoAAA AHh1 =
rible heat, driven from the burning
district, across Jones Falls. igniteo
buildings and lumber piles. Furious
hand TO hand fights occurred, which
fortunately for the residents OF East
Baltimore. were won by the firemen.
For several hours in the lumber dis
trict of the east side, volunteers
watched every ember. Bucket bril-
gades formed to prevent n d~estruc-
tive Loo re tho na-,4. ..-~-- a -
row streams. Had the fire gained q
foothold in the cas-, side lumber
yards, it is conceded nothing ould
have stopped the onslaught and the
departments would have been power
less to prevent damage as great, if
not greater than that of the Chicago
fire.
Free Use of Dynamite.
Dynamite explosions nave been
constant today. The programme
adopted last night of blowing up
buildings in an attempt to stay the
progress of the flames was continued
until the fire was under control. Then
the dynamiters turned their attention
10 razing tottering walls which threat
ened TO collapse. The result was al
most constant cannonading and the
decorating was heard in all parts o!
the city.
With the fire under control. the
blackened waste which lies in the
wake Of the sea of flames. presents a
view, terrible in its ~pyrotechnIc gran
deur. 1t can be likened best 10 oceans
OF great coke ovens. each shooting
III: its thousand tongues of flames
from pyramids of brick. stone and
cement. Where the fire has died out
nothing remains but waste. froh
which rise hundreds OF towering in
secure shafts of the same color
These are all that is left Of what
We're once handsome office buildings
storage, wholesale and business
houses of all kinds.
Business Poorly Protected With In.
a
The loss Will not be accurately es-
timated for weeks, for business men
prosperous yesterday morning. ARE
poor today. EXPRESSIONS heard AMONG
these men as they peer into their
collapsed properties reveal an as
founding number who were only
poorly protected with insurance.
AT 1880 O'Clock the northern linn
its of the fire had travelled from Fay.
cite street to Eastern avenue. A
this point. half a dozen fire com
panies were fighting from the rear
while other companies were fankina
on the Jones Falls and the Liberty
street borders. Sandwiches and cof-
} Zee were served from drays and Goa.
was fed TO the engines from vehicles
no larger. Many of the men were
almost famished from their long and
dangerous detail and the hot food
was a God send. Every bridge owe,
n Falls held a score of fremer
n not frequently they were com
PEELED to turn their attention from
the towering piers 10 put out flames
on the floor beween them and deec
water. Both banks of Jones Fall,
were lined with lumber yards and the
piles on one side were blazing con.
stantly and throwing off clouds o.
steam caused by the water turned
on wood. heated almost to the poinl
of ignition.
Militia Enforcing Martial Law.
The President street station of the