The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-02-08

requisition as the flames continued to
spread the firemen realized that they
had task before them which was too
great for them 10 combat. kilograms
for fire engines were sent to Wash
ington and Philadelphia, and about
/ o'clock six engines arrived from
Washington and four from Philadel-
phia and joined in the battle with the
flames. Engines from stations in
Baltimore, Howard, Anne, Arundel
and Hartford counties also arrived as
soon as possible, some of the appara-
tus travelling a distance of thirty
miles and more. Water plugs in every
section within a radius of half mile
from the fire were in use. and it is
roughly estimated that there were $50
hose all playing at one time upon diff
ferent parts of the conf1agration. Ow-
ing to the great congestion of fire APP
paratus, the crowds of people and the
general confusion, many of the engines
from out of town were unable to find
place where they would be of any ser
vice. With loud roars wall after wall
toppled into the streets and fremen
ran for their lives The fire was be
from one building to another in spite
of the fact that the firemen had done
their best to check the progress of the
flames by soaking the structures with
water.
The whole city was notified of the
confagration by a terrific explosion
which occurred some minutes after II
o'clock. A sharp, splitting roar went
up with reverberating thunder. This
was followed by a peculiar whistling
noise, like that made by a shrill wind.
The churches in the central section of
the city were filed with worshiDpers,
many of whom became frightened,
and while no panic ensued, hundreds
of men and women left their seats and
went outside to see what had hap
pened. In a few moments the streets
and pavements all over the city were
crowded with excited people. Another
deafening crash occurred, and dense
columns of cinders and smoke shot
up over the central section of the city,
and in a huge brown column moved
rapidly toward the northeast. Borne
on the strong southeast wind, the col
umn of smoke, blazing cinders, and
the center of the city and deluge
of cinders fell broadcast. Two more
explosions followed and thousands of
people hurried to the scene of the
fire. Of all the spectators compare
lively few saw the fire itself They
could not get within half block of it.
Even the policemen guarding the ap-
proaches to the fire had to repeatedly
shift their positions and dodge falling
cinders. Pieces of tin six by eight feet
in area were lifted into the air by the
terrific heat, sailed upward like paper
kites, and when they reached a point
beyond the zone of the most intense
heat, fell Gathering to the streets.
The fremen who We're Obliged to
stick to their dangerous posts edged
into doorways for shelter from the rain
of hot missiles Crash after crash
could be heard within the burning dis
trict, but even the firemen could not
tell from what building they proceed
ed. In the seething furnace of flame
all sense of the direction of location
of buildings was lost. Walls and floor
ing fell in thunderous roars that
echoed for blocks away. Hundreds of
merchants and business men with Of
fees in the threatened district were
notified by Watchmen and police.
Nearly all took steps to have their
books run to a place of safety.