Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-02-12
III. l.. LANG.
Scientific Optician.
StauntOn. Va.
THE GREAT BALTIMORE FIRE.
I40 Acres or rs Blocks Barned-Mone-
try Damage Estimated at About
100000. 900.

Fire broke out Sunday morning II
the wholesale dry goods house of John
E. Hurst & Co., on Hopkins Place,
Baltimore, and in very short time
half dozen OF the big business houses
were in flames. A gale was raging at
the time and the efforts of the fire. de-
partment to check the fire were I'M
availing. The Dire continu ed its terri.
BILE march all day, and about night
kilograms were sent to nearby cities for
aid and in short time ten departments
were on hand, but still the terrible con-
fagration ragged, and it was not until
Monday noon that the fire was gotten
under control.
The burned district is within tho
territory bounded on the weat 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, Bald.
erson, Elliott. Hollinesworth. and
Cheapside streets
Passing southeast along the basin.
the following, large docks were destroy
ed; McClure's, Patterson s, Smiths,
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 Mills
streets.
The district thus swept by the fire
comprised rs blocks and nearly $500
buildings.
No attempt is made to give a COM
plete estimate of the loss, but it is
thought it will be between $50, 000, 900
and 5000, 1000. 900. Building Inspector
Preston places the building loss alone
at $3.50, 900. 900.
The only building in the burned area
that stands staunch is that of the Safe
Deposit and Trust Company on South
street below Baltimore. Its interior
woodwork on the northwest is scorch-
ed, but otherwise it is uninjuTed.
The fire will take leading place
among the three great flre catastroph e.
in the history of the country.
The opinion is expressed by an insur.
ance expert that the insurance compa-
MES will be able to meet the losses
caused by the fire.
Gov. Warfeld has declared the city
under martial law and ordered a sus-
pension of business for 10 days. State
and Federal troops have been evading
the burned district with orders to
shoot any hooters that many be found.
Among the heavy loosers were a
number OF firms we'll known to Staun-
ton people, Daniel Miller & Co., the
head of which firm is the father Of Mr..
H. Clay Miller, damaged 81, 500. 900; R.
M. Sutton s. Co., with whom Mr.. 8. P.
Nottingham is connected, damaged
81, 500 900; Mr.. G. G. Berry, formerly
of Staunton, lost everything; Witt,
Joyner y Co.. with whom Mr.. M
Henry Witt is connected. damaged
$780, 900. The Baltimore Sun, News
and Herald Offices were completed de-
stroyed. The list of property ant
buildings destroyed is too long for oul
space, but the above will give SOM
idea of the extent of the damage done
The State Legislature held meeting
the following night to take action il
regard to it.
All of the Baltimore papers were OF
our streets Monday afternoon. Ate
their buildings were destroyed. the
made arrangements with their Wash
lington brethren and got their paper
out. With such energy and enterpris
as this it will not be many DAYS DC
FORE they will be 10 Gated in their ow
/ city again.
The great Chicago fire, October 81
1871, burned over 81 square miles, d.