The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-03-08
REBUILDING BALTIMORE
A City Beautiful to Rise From
the Ruins.
NEW SERIES OF STREETS PROPOSED

Ex.Governor Brown Heads a Move
ment to Take Advantage of tao De-
struction Wrought by the Fire and
Beauty Baltimore's BUSINESS Dis
tricts-Lover Buildings Suggested.
With characteristic American energy
Baltimore has awakened to he situa-
ton in which it finds itself and is TAX
ing measures not only for s%traighten-
ing out the intricate tangle of business
interests created by the fire, but to rise
above the disaster and make it. If pos
sible, the stepping stone to improve
ments, which, while long recognized as
necessary, would have forever remain
ed impossible had it not been for the
recent con1agration, says a staff CORE
spondent of the Philadelphia Press.
In brief, if measures which are al
ready we'll under way are at all sue
cessful, there will rise from the burned
district in Baltimore a new city. and
just as Rome was improved after it's
historic contiagration and the London
VI OAdl1CS ~. lOoC lIOM AIS ASHES W
future betterment so on the ruins in
Baltimore there will eventually rise a
new Baltimore.
Ex-Governor Frank Brown is ut the
head of this large but thoroughly bust
nesslike scheme.
The former governor said:
II know this fire is considered terri
BILE, and it is terrible, but at the same
time it's a fact, and since it's a fac.
we've got to make the best Of it. Well,
as the. best of it l believe we "a find
a way to make this horrible catastro-
phe Baltimore's golden opportunity.
with the support Of the assembly
and the people, and with the backing
of the business interests, l believe that
we can rebuild the burned area along
thoroughly modern lines that will make
it better not only to the eye and to the
health, but to the pocketbook of the
city than it ever vas before. That's
what l believe we can do-modernize
the business section, replace the old
crooked streets, such as Light street.
with thoroughly up to date thorough
fares, broad and open and lined with
handsome and really fireproof build
ings."
Ex-Governor Browns plan is the lay
ing out Of a whole new series of streets
in the fire area nearly as radical as
that which under the second empire
did so much for the permanent ina
provement and identifying of Paris.
1t has not, of course, as yet become
definite as to details, but 1t is more
than definite as to purpose, and it's ad-
vocates are hourly increasing among
Baltimore's public men.
William Harrison Hodges, senior
partner of the firm of Hodges & Leach.
! one of the best known architects in
Baltimore, is among its warmest sup
porters and adds that he is sure that
such other fellow craftsmen as Doug
las H. Thomas, Jr., Ghequier & May
and Thomas G. Kennedy will be of his
own mind in the matter. He says:
81 have seen the results of such
drastic methods in Paris. l have been
in Rome during it's process of mod
e%rnization, and l was in Jacksonville
when that city was rebuilt after its
disastrous fire. SO that l think I'm
qualified to express an opinion on such
an occasion as this, and my opinion un-
qualifiedly is that the plan is as ex-
cellent as it is sweeping.
"Of course the chief difficulty just
at present is that we don't at all know
what is left in the burned district and
what buildings still standing are quail
fed to remain so. But that would all
come in time. M
II don't believe this fire will shake
peoples faith in the modern fireproof
building, but l do believe that it will
open peoples eye to the usefulness of
such devices as automatic sprinklers-
that did good service here-and to
what I've always contended-that no
building is freproof that has any wood
In its construction.
"Last of all, I'd suggest lower build
ings. l think we've been putting up
our buildings too high and that en-
gineers have been sweating the beams
or getting them too light. But. how
ever that may be, I know that if l
had property down in that district I'd
be glad to give up a part Of it for the
sake Of wider streets"
In this, it may be added in conclu-
sion, others who do own some Of the
property agree with Mr.. Hodges.
A Radium Punch.
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