Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-08

l spread the firemen realized that they had task before them which was too great for them to combat. Telegrams for fire engines were sent to Washing ton and Philadelphia, and six engines arriving from Washington and four from Philadelphia joined in the battle with the flames.
 Engines. from stations in Baltimore. Howard, Anne Arundel and Hartford i counties also arrived as soon as possi- ble, some of the apparatus travelling a distance of thirty miles and more
 Water plugs in every section within a radius of half mile from the fire were in use, and it is roughly estimated that there were $50 hose lines all play 1 ing at one time upon different parts of the confagration.
 l Owing to the great congestion of fire apparatus, the crowds of people and the general confusion many of the en- zines from out of town were unable to find a place where they would be of any service.
 All kinds of wires had to be cut to clear the way for the fire fighters. The block bounded by German, Liberty, { found to be doomed, and the firemen turned their attention to saving tue 1 buildings on Baltimore street east of 1 Sharp.
 The fire was beyond their control, and the flames ran from one building to an other in spite of the fact that the fire men had done their best to check the progress of the flames by soaking the structures with water.
 1 A tremendous explosion of about 15O barrels of whisky stored in the upper floors of 24 Hanover street hurled tons of burning matter across the street on ! to the roofs of the buildings opposite which the aremen were drenching with water in vain effort to make Hanover street the eastern boundary line of the confIa grafton. The flames Guivered for few moments under I the water, but soon ate into the build ings on the east side.
 Two truck wagons caught fire and were consumed, and an engine was buried by falling wall, the firemen fleeing for their lives.
 The whole city was notified of the condagration by a terrific explosion. A sharp, splitting roar went up with reverberating thunder. This was fol- lowed by peculiar whistling noise like that made by a shrill wind. The churches in the central section of the, city were filled with worshipers, many of whom became frightened and while no paIiics ensued hundreds of men and women left their seats and went outside to see what had happened. In a few moments the streets and pave ments all over the city were crowded with excited people. Another deafen- ing crash occurred, and dense columns of cinders and smoke shot up over the central section of the city and in a \ huge brown column moved rapidly to- ward the northeast.
 The fire department was helpless l with flames steadily travelling east ward on Baltimore and Fayette streets. The Union Trust building soon fell in. The Carrollton hotel then caught. The Herald and News build ings being apparently doomed, the oc- cupants moved out. The Sun also was forced out of it's office. Clouds of burn ing clnders cover the whole city.
 The fire soon reached the Continent al Trust building, a sixteen story structure, in which is located the main office of the Postal Telegraph compa- ny, and Manager B. H. Moore of the Postal company ordered the employees to leave the building.
 | The fire swept east on Fayette street, which is within short distance l of the courthouse, that occupies the block bounded by Fayette, St. Paul, I Lexington and Calvert streets. Oppo- site is the postofice, and adjoining this l is the temporary custom house, and opposite to this Is the city hall. The | Calvert office building at Fayette and St. Paul took fire, and the Equitable building, which adjoins it, is threat ened. The main office of the Western Union Telegraph company is located in the Equitable building, and the force had to leave for branch office.
 The roof of the building occupied by the Associated Press took fire, and the employees were compelled to vacate, though they had time to take away with them their telegraph instruments, typewriters and other valuable equip ment. They found refuge in branch office of the Western Union company on Gay street, from which this dis patch Is being sent. This office was soon vacated, as the flames broke out west and east of it, and volumes of sparks and blazing cinders and splin- ters went flying in every direction.
 For fifteen hours the fire was abso- lutely beyond control, and all the occu ! pants of buildings in the center of the city rapidly removed their valuables.
 At the City hospital, corner of Calvert and Pleasant streets, patients were re- moved to other hospitals as rapidly as possible. Seventeen injured were brought to this hospital, most of them firemen. They were suffering from burns, scalds and decorations. Nearly every physician in the city is in the fire district.
 Detachments of the Fourth and Fifth regiments have been called out and are patrolling the streets in the vicini- 1 Ivy of he G,o Siy,o