Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-20
CAN BEGIN IN TEN DAYS
MAPS AND PLANS ALREADY PRE-
PARED FOR A REsURvEY.
Mayor and COMMITTEES in Accord at
Baltimore-Many Cases Of Dis
tress-Trained Workers.
special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

BALTIMORE, Nd, February 20.-City Of
f1cials are today confident that the work
OF resurveying the burned district with
view to widening the streets can be begun
within the next ten days. AS heretofore
announced tn these dispatches to The Star,
City Engineer Fendall has map and plans
already prepared for the Improvement of
streets, and everything is in readiness to
proceed with the work. All the streets in
the burned area have been cleared of de-
bris and portions of buildings left stand
ing are being rapidly leveled by the use of
dynamite.
Considerable delay in clearing up the de-
bris has been Occasioned by the fact that
great portion of it cannot be removed
until settlement of all insurance claims
has been made. and this has prevented the
building inspector from putting 5000 more
men to work.
Claims Must Be Settled First.
In regard to this phase of the situation,
Chairman Paul Turner of the general loss
committee of the underwriters said to The
Star correspondent today: IT am sorry that
the progress of the work has been de-
layed. but the debris must remain until all
claims are settled by the insurance COM
panies. The debris IS worth probably $10.-
100000, and that is quite an item to the
underwriters. In some cases the salvage
is practically nothing; in others a great
deal
"This is taken into consideration when
settlement is made, and therefore the de-
bris must remain until all losses are adj
justed."
An important decision has been reached
by the municipal board of estimates to the
effect that no benefits will be charged
against property owners where streets are
widened, and that the city shall assume
nnSf tic of bon, in,
accordance with suggestion made by the
citizens emergency committee The usual
rule in condemnation proceedings is to pay
the property owner the price set upon the
land, minus the appraised value Of the ben
eft derived
Mayor and Committee in Accord.
Mayor McLane and the citizens commit
tee are a unit on the street question. II
am heartily in favor of the plan to widen
Streets said the mayor to The Star cor
respondent today, land I had frequently
advocated such a plan, wherever feasible,
before the fire occurred.
Take our principal thoroughfares-
Pratt German, Lombard. Baltimore and
Light streets-intO consideration. From
sunrise to sunset there was congested
condition, and the blocking of traffic was
almost hourly occurrence prior to the
fire. These streets are SO narrow that
when truck backs up to curb to load or
unload all Other franc is stopped, ana IL
seems to me that such a condition should
be remedied now that the opportunity pre-
sents itself.
II am also in favor of an ironclad rule
against the granting of permits for the
erection of show windows beyond the
building line
Gases of Distress.
The charity organizations report that ap-
plications are being received from many
tn
10th to report that they were in distress.
Failure to open up the entire fire area for
work in clearing away the debris and the
delay by some merchants in resuming bust
ness owing to inability to secure convenient
locations, are cited by the charity organiza-
ton officials as the causes of this distress
'If the work of rebuilding would only
start up" said Secretary w. s. Ufford of
the Federated Charities today, hosts of
men, particularly laborers, who now form
the majority of sufferers, could get employ
ment, and that would relieve the situation
to a great extent.
1--WE are now expanding about $500 day
in supplies for stricken families and in a
weeks time that sum will be doubled. About
300 persons have already applied for aid.
quite a number of them having been clerks
with families dependent upon them.
.'It is impossible to estimate how much
money will be needed to relieve the dis
tress. Thus far we have only drawn upon
mittee will have to aid us soon.
Trained Charity Workers.
To expedite the work of extending relief
the Charity Organization Society has OBJ
tanned trained workers from New York,
Philadelphia and Washington to help the
local force in investigating applications.
At the Hebrew Benevolent Society head
quarters it was stated today that their re-
Haf exhausted that
Zens relief committee would be called upon
for assistance as the list of applicants for
aid was increasing daily.
1--WE distributed yesterday about $780,
said President Joseph Miller. THE major
ity Of our sufferers are tailors who lost
their machines in the fire. we nave gone
security for a number of new machines for
them in order to enable the men 10 starr
up again..
The Italian Relief Society is also in pretty
sore straits. Antonio Bell, who is in charge
of the relief work, says the resources OF the
society are entirely exhausted and there
ara about 400 Italians who are in need or
Immediate assistance.
No Damage From Blasting.
There has been published a sensational
report to the effect that the work of
dynamiting walls had shattered windows
in the court house and rendered many
buildings unsafe This is denied by the
city officials who assert that no damage
to surrounding property has resulted from
the blasting.
Building Inspector Preston, when asked
about the matter today, said: THE work
| of leveling the ruins must be done ex-
| peditiously as possible, and dynamite is
| the only agent we can employ. The utmost
| care is being exercised in its use, however.
/ and we are very careful that damage shall
| not result to adjoining properties. l feel
| that the publication of the yarn to the
| effect that the court house had been dam
| aged by the blasting was inspired by GER
| tain parties whom 1 had refused permission
| to remove certain effects from the ruins OF
| their building"
| Meeting of Mothers Club
| The Mothers Club, conducted in connec