Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-02-13

I
buildings on Baltimore street east OF
sharp.
Ihe tire was beyond their control. and
/ sc flames ran from one building to an
oder III spite OF The fact that the fire
mon had done their best 10 check the
progress Of~the flames by soaking the
! structures with water
4 tremendous explosion Of about 1JC
| barrels Of whisky stored III 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 drenchine
with water IN vain effort to make
| Hanover street the eastern boundary
| line Of the connagration The flames
quiyered for few moments under
| the water, but soon ate into the build
ines on the east side.
Fortunately the conhagratIon did not
reach the residential portion Of THE
city, but fires broke out In East Balti
more. and many of the residence
streets were invaded.
Not single morning newspaper was
able 10 get out m issue this morning,
with the exception OF the sun, which
has an auxiliary plant There are five
morning papers here, three English and
two German.
Tho Baltimore and Ohio railroad Of
flee building has been destroyed and
lie Maryland Institute Of Art building.
The temporary custom house adjon-
ing the postoffiee was destroyed one
hundred and fifty policemen from Phil
adeIphia are assisting the Baltimore
police and military attachments.
The first attempt at dynamiting was
in the large building Of Armstrong.
Gator & Co, but Il failed to collapse,
and attention was turned TO the build
ing al the southwest corner of Charles
and German streets. where six charges
Of dynamite. each charge containing
100 pounds, were exploded The tire
mendous force Of the explosion tore
out the massive columns that support
ed the building and left il with APP
parently almost no support, but the
wallis failed to collapse and stood until
the flames had crossed Charles street
tween Charles and Light streets
While there We're no casualties to
speak Of the great army Of fire fighters
performed many daring, feats in their
desperate efforts to stay the flames.
Many times they We're driven out of
closeand hot places just as walls came
topping down. The last large building
10 fall ya.t. IN all
Jones falls nearly caught five men.
They were on the roof and directing
their efforts to an adjoining structure
when warning shout was sent up that
the interior of the building on which
they were standing was mass of
flames. They found their way 10 a tin
gutter, whore, one by one, they hung
on, stretched out their arms and grasp
ed a telegraph pole which was planted
close TO the structure They slid down
and had not reached the ground when
the roof fell in with a roar. This was
only one instance Columns could be
written of hairbrcadth escapes made
during the twenty-seyen hours battle
with the flames
tent authority on factory statistics, es
Inmates that the number of persons
thrown out of employment viii reach
10000 Others have estimated the en-
forced ileness 1T greatly more.
Inspector Of Buildings Preston, after
making Il careful study OF the harmed
district placed the building loss alone
Mt $15O.oO00OO
With the dawn OF n clear winter day
whose brightness was in itself an in
SEPARATION apathy gave way to the en-
crgy Of aroused effort aud from the
governor Of the state To the least pri-
waite citizen the people or this dis
tresscd city pulled themselves togeth-
or to meet the appalling conditions
that confront them.
1t was day of conferences. The
governor. the mayor and various mu-
nicipal officials met and thrashed out
the problems that are theirs by virtue
of public office. From this conference
came decision that Baltimore for the
present needs no outside help, but VIII
endeavor with her own resources and
those of the state TO meet the einer-
geucy. At this conference also was
developed the machinery for an add
visoTy legislative commission TO act in
conjunction with the legislature.
With equal promptneSs the chamber
of commerce held Il general meeting
aud issued formal announcement
that reflected the prevailing hopeful
ness. declaring There are already such
evidences OF recuperation that eucour-
age ali in the hope OF the early restora-
ton of every branch of trade"
From one trust company's safes
alone papers to the amount of more
than 5000. 100000 We're recovered The
news cheered the whole city and en-
couragei immediate and thorough in
vestig1tian. Merchants and their as
sist,nts, smoke soiled ana bcgrimel
ana hollow eyed from anxiety ANA loss
OF sleep worked like laborers in the
smoking ruins 20 uncover their safes.