The San Francisco call., 1904-02-09
Continued From Page II. Column

almost to the point Of igniting.
The President-street railroad station
is used as barracks for the militia,
which is enforcing martial law. The
building caught fire a number of times
and whenever the doors were thrown
open a shower Of sparks was carried
inside.
J. Frank Supplee. a competent au-
thOri.y on factory statistics, estimates
that the number of persons thrown
out OF employment viii reach $4,000.
Others have estimated the enforced
fdleness at greatly more.
A complete list Of the buildings de-
stroyed and the firms burned out would
be a business directory Of the burned
area.
HEROIC FIRE FIGHTERS.
All Of the out OF town fire compa-
nies. because Of the utter exhaustion
of the local men, were given a free
hand during the morning and early
afternoon. More than score OF COM
panies were here from New York. Phil
adelphia, Wilmington. Washington and
miles Of Baltimore. Their duty was to
check the flames in their onward
march southwark. This was a rather
difficult task, as both sides Of Jones
Falls are lined with lumber yards and
old buildings which proved to be tin
der boxes. At every street the stream
is spanned by a small bridge and on
each bridge two and sometimes three
engines were standing, taking water
from the creek.
The New York fremen, who were the
last TO arrive. were the last to stand
the brunt Of the flames and when the
IRE began 70 burn itself out in the
c0alyard Of the American Ice Company
seven of their steamers were backed
up against bulkhead of the pa
tapsco River.
The burned district, comprising 40
acres Of a rough drawn right angle
triangle. tonight is piled with heaps
and masses Of brick, stone and twisted
iron. from which occasional walls Of
the more substantial structures tower,
some seemingly ready TO fall at any
instant Flames still rising from many
OF the ruined buildings and the burn
ing gas from the broken mains give
light for the fremen, who are pressing
steadily inward from the border Of the
burned region.
KEEPING BACK THE CROWDS.
The cordons of guards completely en-
circling the FIRE area have restricted the
rumber Of spectators within a mini
mum, ropes being stretched across the
entering streets, with the armed mem
bers Of the Federal and National Guard
on duty 10 keep back the crowds In
the crowds We're found not only the
inhabitants Of Baltimore, but many vis-
itors from Washington. Annapolis. VIII
mington and surrounding towns. even
as far away as Philadelphia. The
gatherings are remarkably quiet and
orderly.
Inside the lines the streets were en-
numbered with the debris Of fallen
brick walls. but aside from this there
was little difficulty in penetrating any
street, the flames having so far burned
themselves out that few Of the streets
were made impossible by heat
Pratt street running from one end
10 the other Of the fire. area, was pass
able throughout its. length and was
used as thoroughfare by those per-
mitted within its lines. Great fool
hardness was exhibited by some per-
sons who ventured recklessIy into the
more dangerous streets, between un-
supported and tottering walls, which
even fremen avoided. but nothing was
done TO protect them, the police be-
ing almost entirely confined to the
encircling lines Of guards
The clearing away Of the ruins will
be an affair Of months. Every stand
ing wall must come down and the
whole vast accumulation of debris be
csrted away.