Evening journal., 1904-02-08
Hand Of Providence
Alone Can Save City
Fire Fighters From Cities Asked
for Aid Unable to Stop Spread
Of Flames Which Are ScOurging
the City

Publishers Press Special.
Baltimore. Feb. s. II q. m.-When day
broke over the stricken city Of Baltimore
the conhagration which had been rag
ling from 10 o'clock on Sunday morning,
worked with irreprcssible determination
70 wipe out the entire city.
Mans Aid Useless.
no effort of man 10 stem food Of fire can
avail.
only the hand Of Divine Providence can
silence the fearful scourge.
An nigh, long people crowded around
fro limits They hardly realized the hor-
ror of the situation. All. even policemen
and iftomeu are exhausted from their
fourteen hours steady fire fighting.
The militia and regulars who were called
out 10 preserve order and to guard stores
from possible pillase were speilbound BY
the grandeur OF the mighty flames that
licked building after building into ruin.'
Estimate Of Loss.
Tho loss is estimated TO be from one
hundred 10 two hundred million dollars.
No 1ne can exactly tell The heart Of
the city has been laid in ruins. Reinforce
menis from Harrisburg, Philadelphia,
Wilmington and Washington had arrived
during ;ho night.
rhc infusion Of new mon into the con-
nica HOWEVER. was without avail. They
vcre completely helpless and as bu'lding
after building fell IRE fighting apparatus
had 10 be constantly shifted ia position.
Started in Centre.
John r. Hurst & Co.'S wholesale dry
goods establishment on the northwest
corner Of Hopkins place and German street
whore the fire started, is almost in tho
centre of the Wholesale section. Il was q
six-story brick structure. packed from
Z basement 10 roof with dry goods and no.
4 ilons. much Of which was Of light and
nmsy nature.
The first warning that the place was
4 anre came when an alarm was received at
headquarters over the wires Of the auto
matte system which were connected with
the store. and this was about ten minu-
ties before II O'Clock. When the depart
ment came It was Immediately seen that
a fire OF considerable magnitude was
a burning behind the closed and shattered
doors and windows Of the establishment.
Before they succeeded in getting al the
blaze an explosion came. which shook al
that part Of the city and was heard foI
& explosion resulted from the contact Of the
5 flames with a quantity Of gasoline in the
q cellar which was used TO run an engine
E This is merely conjecture which could
not oe confirmed last night.
The frcmen and the pedestrians who
4 were casually watching the outcome Of
B the fire say that tho explosion seemed q
4 blow out every window in the building ant
a. o.. all as.
Masses OF burning clcth. laces ana frag
monts of what had been stacked Oh th'
shelves and floors Of the building wer,
hurled high in the air. Tho force of tn,
explosion. seemed % rend the roof. and
from the interior Was vomited q volcan,
Of brands and embers.
Amazing Swifsness Of Blaze.
The winds caught these up ana whiske,
them 10 and fro. uig,il they were eithel
saughi by the currents OF the gale tha
whipped the housetoDs or fell upon IN,
roofs and window lodges OF the near
by buidtngs Each seed OF fire germinate,
And produced woerri fruit ~i;h amaziu:
ccleri;y.
As ihc fremen were st7l rccoverln.
from The shock Snd conservation bred D.,
The upheavgl sn the FIRST building IN
stores or the opposite corners OF Hoplin
pace and German street started 20 burn
EXPLOSIONS Add Terror.
~ o'clock tremendous explosion O
about 10 barrels OF whisky. stored in IA
upper iloors Of = Hanover street. lsr-lc
tons Of burning matter across the stree
onto roofs Of Ghe buildings opposite
which the firemen were drcnching wit
water IN q vain hope TO make Hanovc
A stree. the eastern boundary line OF IA
coufagration. The flames quivcred for
few moments uader the water. but 500
ase into the Buildings on the east side.
Two truck wagons caught fire and wer
consumed, and an eagine was buried b.
a falling sail. TIE fremen fleeing Tor thel
al lives.
The whole city was notified Of the con
81 hagrat.on by a terrific explosion, whic
s. occurred not long after il O'Clock. .
81 sharp splioting roar went up with re
81 verber4ting thunder This Nas followe
i By peculiar whistiing noise like tina
: made BY a shrall wind The churches i
Tire centra! secsaon Of the city were file
WITH worshlpers, many Of whom bccam
frightened, and. while no panics cnsue,
hundreds OF men ana woiasn left thei
seats. and went outside to see what Ia