Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1904-02-10
$75,ooo,0OO BALTIMORE FIRE
BUSINESS SECTION ENTIRELY
SWEPT AWAY BY FLAMES
Conflagration Rages, With Fire Department
Unable to Resist It--City is Doomed.
No Fatilities as Yet Reported.


Baltimore. Feb. s.-Twenty blocks
Of the most modern and substantial
buildings. involving property valued
at from $30.oo0.000 to $4,000. 600
were destroyed by fire which broke
out at . few minutes before II
o'clock Sunday morning in the whole.
sale dry goods house Of John T.
Hurst & Co.
It has ragged with unrestrained fury
continuously ever since. and at mid
night it is stin unchecked. but ii
steadily eating its consuming way
westward on Baltimore street. afteI
having destroyed almost all the large
stores and warehouses in the whole
sale district around Hopkins place
and all the buildings on both sides
of Baltimore street from Howard to
Holiday streets. and Charles and Bal
timore to Lexington. and on Fayette
street from Charles to Holiday =.
Ever since about o'clock. wher
darkness came, the fire department
although aided by engines from Wash
ington, Philadelphia, Wilmington and
The surrounding suburbs. has been ut
terly powerless to make any effective
resistance to the consuming element
though for hours as many as ,400
streams of water we're thrown into
the flames. Indeed. 30 terrific has
been the heat ever since the FIRE start.
ed, and SO dense and suffocating the
volume Of flying sparks and burning
cinders. that It -waB difficult for. the
aremen to stand long within fighting
distance Of the flames. while early In
the afternoon several trucks and en-
gines were hopelessly disabled by
timbers.
Dynamite Used.
At Z o'clock the situation was %
desperate that Chief Horton decided
that the only thing left to do was to
dynamite buildings at threatened
points and thus prevent, as far as pos
sible, further spread Of the flames
In pursuance Of this plan, a number
of buildings on. South Charles street
between German and Lombard. were
blown up. subsequently. the splendid
structure Of j. W. Putback, notion
dealer, at Charles and Fayette streets
was dynamited and then the Daily
Record building, Ross drug store and
others. However. this heroic remedy
merely delayed, but did not seriously
impede the onward march Of the con-
fiagration and for two hours or more
the fire department was practically
helpless and resourceless In the face
of the roaring furnaces which sent
their fierce tongues 200 feet into the
air and which flied the heavens first
with a pail Of black funereal smoke
and then with livid sheets Of sparks
and. lurid cinders.
Licks Up Huge Structures:
Following .ne rapid destruction OF
the palatial commercial buildings in
the wholesale district. the cyclone ct
roaring names Durst into Baltimore
street. licAlng up witain q. few minutes
the seven story Mullins hotel like
some monster ana rapidly rolling with
irresistible tcrce uoth east and west
cutting Gown wholesale and retail
houses. manufactures. shops. jewelry
stores, furniture uepots and restaur'
ants. At Cnarles street the remorse.
less tide swept on down Baltimore
street, but also turned into Charles
street, where quickly engulfed the
II story Union Trust building.
People Fies for safety.
At 8 o'clock occupants Of the Daily
Herald, building At Fayette and St
raul streets. and Of the Record build
ing opposite were compelled to vacate
by the flames. as were the occupants
Of the Calvert and Equitable struc
lures, two OF the most massive o.Ace
buildings in baltimore. Down Balti
more street. q paraiAel wall OF roaring
cracking flames swept, consuming
everything in its course, speedily
reaching the Evening news building
from which -tne-e emp .oyes had to hast
lily ny, though not until valuable rec
ords had been removed. ohortly there
after the continental Trust company
IA story building took IRE. A blocl
below the American Newspaper builo
ing was enveloped In clouds Of spark
and burning. splinters.
The financial district, including
the chief banking and brokerage nrml
in South and German streets. SEEM
to be now doomed. and scores Of th'
city's leading hnanciers and business
men are scurrying IN and out Of thei
ofices. bearing packages or placinl
valuables in conveyances.
At 10:45 O'Clock the roof Of tn
building occupied by the Associates
Press took fire and the employees wer
compelled to vacate. though they ha'
time to take away with them thei
telegraph instruments. typewriter
and other valuable equipment.
The city hospital. corner Of Calver
and Pleasant streets. is removing +
other hospitals as rapidly as possibl
the "a patients in that institution.
| No Fatality Reported.
Seventeen injured were brought I
this hospital. most Of them nremer
p: =