The free press. (Southern Pines, N.C.) 1898-19??, 1904-02-19
pesolatsd City Puts Up a Bold Fight
For Rebuilding
PfRMS GETTING READY TO REOPEN
The Property toss Hardly As dreaf
As al First Estimated - OUTSIDE
Assistance Appreciated Aut in NO
Case Asked For aud Not Needed.

An incident that inspired Inc NHoie
community with tremendous confidence
was the resumption OF business by the
banks, deposits being received and
checks honored in the usual way, Il
would be difficult to estimate the vol
uMe of transactions in this respect,
but according to the leading bankers it
was gratifyingiy large in view OF eX-
listing conditions.
The knowledM.tllat Baltimore's ter
tajnal facilities are intact and that the
grain elevators were not involved ia
the fiery tornado also served to pro-
Eote popular conviction that the
situation is not so dark as 1t has here
tofore appeared Indeed the optimistic
feeling is manifestly growing that the
calamity, though narrowing in every
detail will give the city an opportunity
TO re-adiust itself on new and more
modern plans and that a new city of
Imposing grandeur is to rise from the
ruins Of the old.
The progress which has been made
IN the work Of clearing the debris from
the streets in the burned district seems
almost magical. Baltimore street, which
al sunrise was confused mass Of rub
hist, is practically clean, and likewise
South street, one of the great banking
Thoroughbred Hanover street, near
where the fire started was made passa-
bic for wagons, and Pratt street, a long
avenue of trade, is clear of encum~
brances all the way through. The city
engineers department, the building in
spector aud the street cleaning depart
ment, all worked in conjunction. No
attempt was made to do more than to
clear the streets from curb to curb, the
debris being piled high on the side
walks and back of the building line
Many dangerous walls which over
hang the streets were pulled down. The
most ambitious attempts at razing
walls were on Liberty and Lombard
streets. At each of these places there
are hosting engines with wire cables,
which are fastened to section OF the
topping walls and then wound upon
on the spools. The Hurst building in
which the first started was pulled
down. All through the financial district
preparations are being made to open
safes and vaults. Those Of the German
Bank and the German Fire Insurance
Company We're opened and the cash
and books taken out uninjured. The
vault of the Marine Bank was opened
and found intact. In no instance have
the contents of any vault been seri
ously damaged.
The chamber of commerce has been
exceedingly active in sending bread
east to every center Of trade in this
country and Europe the assurance that
Baltimore is even now in condition to
transact all shipping. grain and foreign
trade, and that all other lines of bust
ness will be restored, to their normal
channels within the next two or three
months. The officials Of the chamber of
commerce announced that plans are
already HcdIlJ cotiIplelcu loI lHe "
building of thei: 100000 structure.
Many merchants and manufacturers
whose places of business were sWal-
lowed up In the coniagration have
signed contracts for rebuilding and
there are on all sides the greatest
signs of activity in this respect. All
are simply waiting for the city to clear
the streets of debris and give permits
sion to the owners of the ground to
lake possession. The matter of accept
ng aid from other cities, has not yet
been finally decided upon, according to
Mayor McLane. The fire did not reach
he residential section of the city and |
here is no actual restitution at this |
,ne. The Indications are that the ctl-