Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-08

sistance of the National Guard of the
state and members of the regular army of
the United States government. aided by a
detachment of the members of the police
departments of Washington and Philadel-
phia, that the police of Baltimore controlled
the great mass of people in the fire district.
The members of the 4th and 9Th Regi-
ments, and a company of the LIST Regiment
from Annapolis, Md. responded to the mi
litia CALL sounded from the big bell in the
city hall building done about q O'Clock last
evening. The militiamen were called out
merely as a precautionary measure. AS
soon as 1t was realized that it would be i'm
possible to gain control of the flames as
early as had been anticipated, the municipal
authorities turned their attention to the pro-
lection of the various districts of the city
against thievery. burglary and like crimes.
Such offenSes came to the notice of the
authorities early in the evening. and 1t was
for that reason. together with the need Of
assistance. that Ii was deemed advisable to
call upon the guardsmen. As fast as the
militiamen arrived in the fire district, they
were divided into squads and assigned to
various sections of the burning district. To
large extent they replaced the policemen,
who. being thus relieved. returned to their
respective precincts for patrol duty in the
residential and the unaffected sections of
the city.
The fact that no deaths or serious injuries
as result of the fire had not been reported
up to o'clock this morning was regarded
by the police and fire officials as a remark
able feature of the catastrophe. The city
officials were at all times in communication
with every part of the flaming section,
though such communication was only main
tanned with the greatest difficulty, as there
Is practically no telephone or telegraphic
connections in the city.
The absence of loss of life was astound-
ing. under the circumstances. The danger
from the fire and falling walls was not all
that the firemen and assisting civilians had
n ora q re- of ha
ing district were for a time parse.s- net
work of live electric wires, and the danger
from these was even as great as that from
the fire and falling wallis.
SO far as known, Chief Horton of the
Baltimore fire department was the only
person who suffered injuries from such
causes. He stepped on a wire and received
severe shock but not one sufficient to
entirely incapacitate him for service. He
received prompt treatment. and at last re-
ports was actively engaged in fighting the
flames.
These wires. the majority of which were
trolley wires. were "alve" in various sec
tons of the burning district Broken cleo
trio wires dang,ed in many of the streets.
AS fast as these were repaired and the
cars gotten in a fair cond ton for opera
ton, the wires would again be broken by
falling walls and telephone and telegraph
poles Finally all attempts to repair the
wires and operate cIrs in the S, ction bo:d-
ering the flames were abandoned and the
current was shut off," This was done at
an early hour this morning.
City in Darkness
The electric light wires were also put
out of comm ssion. Aside from the glare
of the flames. the city was in total dark
ness, the gas light service having been
impaired by the fire. The electric light
wire also constituted an additional menace
to life for a time. They were shut OFF,
last night
Although unable to give anything like an
accurate estimate, the fire officials of the
city said they were of the opinion that at
O'Clock this morning the loss by fire could
be covered by $100,0G0000 Pres dent Gail
of the fire board when asked if he thought
the loss would be over s75,cO0,JOJ replied
that he thought it would be even more.
When dressed for conservative esti-
mate he said that at that time he thought
1t would not reach the hundred million
mark. He further stated that he had just
received reports 10 the effect that the fl ames
had crossed Jones' Falls into the extreme
southeastern section of the city and spread
Immediately across the falls there are
located a number of lumber yards and
pianinS establishments Facing Baltimore
street on the south bank of the falls is
Kernan's Monumental Theater The play
house was Immediately in the path of the
fire, and it is said was completely demol-
ished The flames quickly communicated
across the falls for several squares on each
side of Baltimore street, and the lumber
yards and planning mills were soon mass
of flames. According to reports at O'Clock
the flames were fast finding their way to
Broadway. the central thoroughfare of the
eastern section of the city. This street
and others in that section are closely built
up with clothing stores, factories, etc.
These, however, had not gone down in the
path of the flames al o'clock, but were in
imminent danger Their destruction will,
IT is learned, increase the loss by millions
of dollars.
THE mayor called meeting of his advis-
ers, and it was in this meeting it is said,
that the idea of dynamiting the buildings
in the path of the fire was voted as the
most expedient movement. The board of
fire underwriters held a meeting SUISSE
quently, however, and dsapproved the idea
of dynamiting. 1t was announced, 1t is
learned on good authority, that the under
writer's declined to be a party to any such
action. and declared that IL the city au-
thorites continued to dynamite the city
would have to stand the loss. This, Ii IS
said. checked the dynamiting.
The new court house, city hall and the
post Office were soon in the path of the
flames. and several times last night and
this morning it was thought that the struc-
lures would go down. The wind however,
changed at the critical moment and the
path of the fire turned from the northeast
to the southeast and sped along in the lat
ter direction varying in width from six to
four blocks.
Mayor McLane and City Librarian Wilbur
F. Coyle were guard at the city hail.
and the documents. maps books, &c, be-
longing to their respective office were
placed in the safe deposit vault of The
building. The furnishings of the building
were also torn from their fastenings and
made ready for removal at a moments
notice.
When seen by a reporter of The Star
early this morning Mayor McLane was at
tired similar to fireman and was working
Ike a Trojan. He could not give out any
statement beyond saying that he was COM
pletely overwhelmed by the great calamity
and said the people of Baltimore would
suffer greatly.
Gov. Warfield arrived in Baltimore from
Annapolis about 1926 last night. He went
Immediately to the court house building
and assisted in directing the efforts of the
ffremen in preventing the structures from
destruction. He learned of the fire through
the newspapers and came to Baltimore by
special train.
To party of newspaper correspondents
he said the fire was great catastrophe.
IF 1t was in my power" he continued Il
would issue order to suspend business
for the next ten days. l find however
after consulting the attorney general that
1 not vested with such authority /
will. however. tomorrow ask the legislature
of Maryland to enact law authorizing the