The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-02-17
Business District Devastated To
Extent Of $50 Acres.
$500 BUILDINGS bestowed.
Fire Department Aided by other Cities
Fought the Flames More
Than 80 Hours.
LOSS ESTIMATED s,2s, 1000, 900.

ing the entire wholesale, retail and
business section Of the city to the
extent of about 140 acres In area.
The fire department. although aided
by engines from Washington and the
surrounding counties and suburbs,
was utterly powerless to make any
effective resistance to the consuming
element though for hours as many as
400 streams of water were thrown in.
TO the flames
Chief Horton decided that the only
thing left to do was to dynamite build
ings that threatened points and thus
prevent, as far as possible a further
spread of the flames. In pursuance
of this plan a number of buildings on
South Charles street between German
and Lombard streets were blown up.
The district swept by the great,
seethlng wave of fire embraces 10
blocks and nearly $500 buildings
Conservative estimates place the loss
as exceeding 5000. 100000 The burn
Ing blackened ruins are now under
military guard.
The burned district Is within the
territory bounded on the west by Lib.
erty street, on the north by Lexington
street, on the east by Jones falls and
on the south by the basin. Within
this district were the big structures
on Fayette. Gay, Lombard, Charles.
Balderson, Ellicot. Hollingsworth and
Cheapside streets. Passing southeast
along the Basin the following large
blocks were destroyed: McClures.
Pattersons, Smith, Frederick, Long
and Union. Small thoroughfares
which do not extend as far north as
Lexington street, and which were in
the path Of the flames, are Commerce,
Frederick and Mill streets.
Every daily English newspaper in
the city has lost its plant. The plant
of the Daily Record, a legal and real
estate paper, at the corner of Fayette
and st. Paul streets. went first. The
Herald building, of modern construc-
ton, on the opposite corner, was va
Gated at 1920 p. m. The force of
writer's and printers stuck valiantly to
their work Of issuing extras until
forced out by the police. 1t was in
tended to dynamite the structure. to
stay the flames, but the building was
burned before this could be done.
The Baltimore News building. on
Baltimore and Grant streets. burned
records and valuable papers were
saved. The last. or fourth extra was
ready to go to press when the police
ordered the building cleared. The
Baltimore American, nearby was burn
ed at / o'clock. and an hour later the
Baltimore Sun building was in flames.
The Sun sent a staff of men to Wash
ington at midnight. and. through the
nj 20 L.,
city, and by almost superhuman work.
was able to issue its paper at the
usual hour this morning. The Herald
and News are using the plant of the
Washington Post.
Terrific Explosions.
The people were first notified Of the
conila2ration by a terrific explosion
which occurred some minutes after II
o'clock. Sunday morning. A sharp.
splitting Ioar went up with reyer-
berating thunder. This was followed
by peculiar whistling noise like that
made by shrill wind. The churches
In the central portion of the city were
filed with worshipers. many of whom
became frightened. and. while no pan
les ensued. hundreds of men and wo.
men left their seats and went outside
to see what had happened. In a few
moments the streets and pavements all
over the city were crowded with eX-
cited people Another deafening crash
occurred and dense volumes of cinders
and smoke shot up over the central
section of the city. and in huge
brown column moved rapidly toward
the northwest. Borne on the strong
southeast wind, the column of smoke,
blazing cinders and even pieces of tin
roofing spread over the center of the
city and rain of cinders fell. compel.
ing pedestrians to dodge red hot
pieces of wood.
A tremendous explosion Of about $50
barrels of whisky stored in the upper
floors of "a Hanover street hurled tons
OF burning matter across the street On
to the roofs of the buildings opposite
which the firemen were drench!ng with
water in vain hope to make Han
over street the eastern boundary line
OF the conflagration. The flames quiv-
cred for few moments under the
water. but soon ate into the buildings
on the east side.
Two more explosions followed and
thousands of people hurried to the
scene OF the fire. OF all the specta.
tors, comparatively few saw the fire IT,
self. They could not get within half a
block of IL. Even the policemen guard
ing the approaches to tie fire had TO
repeatedly shift their positions to es-
cape falling cinders. Pieces of tin six
by eight feet square were lifted into
the air by the terrific heat, sailed up
ward like paper kites. and, when they
reached point beyond the zone of the
most intense heat. fell into the street.
Twenty-Five thousand men and wo.
men are out of. employment. The in.
surance companies have to meet the
greatest losses they have encountered
since the Chicago fire. 1t is expected
that IL local fire Insurance companies
will fail. Many OF the New York, the
New England. with the Western and
foreign companies. will be extremely
hard hit.
There are hundreds of ruined mer.
chants. 1t will take years to restore
the city.