Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1904-02-11

dISGu&Alo "a tnG hrs dIFlSSu mere early
and were delivered 10 their regular GUS
toners.
All electric power is destroyed. No
street cars are running.
No one can tell today the extent eli
the disaster. which now has reached
proportions far in excess of the CHI
cago fire OF 1871, hitherto the greatest
fire In the United States.
To describe ii in detail Is simply an
impossibility, Just as it is impossible
at this time to give an adequate idea
OF the amount lost. the number OF build
Ings destroyed, or the firms which have
gone out of business. These facts will
not develop for days to come.
i Al NARROWING SIGHT.
The streets in the burned and burn
ing districts present scene at once
thrilling. pathetic and narrowing.
Scores upon scores of palatial, modern,
and SO called ffreproof buildings of yes
ferday, are today so many piles of
grim and blaclrened debris.
The devastated portion of the city
\ is closely patrolled by the police OF
this city. Philadelphia and Washing
ton, the state militiamen, and four
companies OF regulars from Fort Nc
Henry. No one is allowed to enter the
prohibited lines except by special per-
mission. So far there has been no loot
l ing reported
Almost everywhere there is in evil
dence a feeling of awe and terror over
what has happened, and of solemn APP
prehension of what may follow. The
common remark OF citizens is that Bali
/ tfmore has received a blow from which
it cannot recover for years.
GREAT SUFFERING AHEAD.
1t is anticipated that there will be
4 much suffering and restitution follow
! ing upon the heels of the destructive
er city officials are already discussing
4 the most ready means to relieve want.
1T is estimated that 10000 people will
be thrown out Of employment, and
many will be without resources.
/ At noon the area stretched for blocks
along the harbor in the southeast sec
| tion Of the city. The firemen were
working bravely but against fearful
odds. The area was enveloped in
/ smoke, that rose In great volumes and
rolled away over the rest of the city
/ Stretching back along Jones Falls
/ is a host Of buildings Quilted by the
flames. From Lombard street bridge
/ destruction.
DYNAMITING RUINS.
/ The firemen are dynamiting buildings
| and walls in the burning area, and the
] intonations of explosions and the shrill
whistles of fire engines add to the In
| describable horror of the scene. Every
few minutes the fall of walls can be
heard.
Travel through the district is fraught
with greatest danger, and even in the
outlying parts of the district the flames
can be seen eating their way through
the ruins, while tottering wallis make
/ gx,rr sd $50. n
LEGISLATURE TO MEET.
Governor Warfield has called an ex-
! ira session Of the legislature to meet at
o'clock this evening to empower him
to declare the city under martial law
and suspend all business for ten days
The governor stated today that every
safe and deposit box and vault in the
various institutions is absolutely safe
| and all records are preserved.
Governor Warfield after a conference
with Mayor McLane today declared
legal holidays. The necessary legisla-
ton will be introduced at Annapolis
! tonight to suspend business for a week
or ten days, making that period prac-
tically legal holiday.
/ The blackened remains of a fireman
We're found in the Quilted Equitable
building this morning. Chief Engineer
Horton, overcome during the fire yes
terday, is reported as resting easy to-
j day
/ North of Baltimore street the fire is
/ still burning on East Fayette street as
far as Gay street, but unless the wind
shifts to the south the flames probably
will be confined to this section of the
north side.
About midnight the wind, which had
been blowing strongly from the south
west, began to come In a gale from the
northwest. At this hour the flames had
reached Market Space and were driven
toward the water front. and all build
ings from Baltimore street dawn to
Pratt street were soon a roaring mass
of fire.
From then on Pratt street became the
center Of the fire, which burned block
after block Of business structures on
! that thoroughfare from Charles street
eastward to the falls
Roughly speaking, the fire in its
course described half circle on it's
northern and western edges, curving
from Lombard and Liberty streets to
! Fayette and st. Paul streets, then
| sweeping around toward Market Space
and Lombard streets. The effect of this
course of the fire was to describe an im-
mense question mark.
Dynamite proved most useless last
| night, when building after building in
more streets was blow up in order to
| stay the flames. It seemed as If the
/ fire laughed at such paltry efforts for
| the flames simply jumped these vacant
spaces and licked up the buildings on
| the far side.
/ Lumber yards all along West Falls
avenue from Pratt street to the waters
edge, and tremendous business, stor-
age and warehouse section between
| South street and Jones Falls. from
! Fayette to Pratt, are a niass OF ruins.
REGULARS ARE SENT.
Marshal Farnan received a tele-
phone message from the commandment
at Fort MeEdenry asking If any milf
tary assistance were needed. The mar
shall promptly answered that the gov
eminent buildings Were threatened and
/ regulars could be used 10 advantage.
Al detachment of thirty -four men from
different companies was sent to the
city. Marshal Farnan directed that
they be thrown out around the post
office building, subtreasury and GUS
tom house, adjoining the federal court
| building.
The regulars were fully equipped
with several rounds of ammunition and
bayoneted guns. The army regulations
were enforced and only members of the
press were allowed through the lines
who could give the password. The
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