The Savannah morning news., 1904-02-14
MAYOR PLEASED
BY PUBLIC SPIRIT
HOPES FOR GREATER CITY
THAN BALTIMORE WAS BEFORE
THE CONFEDERATION.

Now, Says Mayor McLnne, Is the OPP
portunity to Improve the Business
section-some Firms Were Unable
to Meet Their Weekly PayrOlIs.
Cash Was Not Available Miss
Roosevelt 8 visitor in Baltimore.
Baltimore, Feb. 13.-Mayor Robert
McLane voiced the pervading send-
nent in Baltimore to-day when he said
10 the Associated Press:
We are going to recover from this
calamity and will emerge a greater and
better city than before.
Il am very much encouraged" the
Mayor added, with the spirit and grit
shown by our people in their deterni-
nation to go ahead and assist in the
rehabilitation of the city. I realize
with the average citizen that now is
our opportunity to improve the bust
ness part of Baltimore. The question
of converting certain blocks into pub
lie reservations will be considered and
a definite conclusion reached"
There is some disappointment, espe-
cially among business men, who have
valuable property buried under the
ruins, over the determination not TO
send federal troops here to police the
fire district, but Gov. Edwin Warfield
is firm in his insistence that the SOL
diers are not needed.
Saturday, which is usually recognized
as pay day, brought joy to some thou
sands of Baltimore employees and sor-
row to other thousands. Some firms
paid off their clerks and workmen and
others did not.
Inability to secure cash was the reA-
son for the failure of most of these
firms to pay. Every effort had been
made by them to get their pay rolls
ready, but they found this impossible.
Great Volume of business.
Strange as it may seem, the volume
of business done in Baltimore this
week has been tremendous, and prob
ably exceeds that of any month in it's
previous history. This refers more to
purchases than to sales although
many firms which were burned out
never ceased taking orders, and kept
their statesmen on the road selling
goods.
The principal transactions have, of
course, been in real estate and build
ing and repairing contracts. The
great amount Of fitting up and remod-
cling buildings for temporary locations
renders 1t difficult to obtain the serv-
ices Of carpenters and builders.
The decisive way in which the Bal
timore and Ohio and the Pennsylvania
Railroad Companies responded to the
situation is the talk of the city. Spe-
cial trains to bring fire companies and
police protection were ready at almost
a moments notice. The run of
freight train by the Baltimore and Ohio
from Washington in thirty-six min
utes, carrying fire companies, Is a rec
ord.
EARLY THE ,,,or,g,o r,,fIat~~. T-.~o.
tor Preston and City Engineer Fen
dali determined to raze the dangerous
walls that are standing in the burned
district as quickly as possible A no.
tice to this effect was Immediately
sent to Gen. Riggs, asking that no
more permits be granted to persons
to enter the fire lines, except to the
press and to those who had interests
within the fire lines. but outside Of
the district to be dynamited Gen
Riggs acted accordingly.
Miss Alice to See the Sights.
Miss Alice Roosevelt. accompanied
by Messrs. Wadsworth and Long, came
10 Baltimore late this afternoon to take
a view of the ruins. The party arrived
at the Court House at $3.50 O'Clock in
an open barouch, and were received by
Gen. Riggs and staff and Police Mar
shall Farnan. They were escorted into
the marshals office, where Gen. Riggs
Informed them of the danger of ven
turing too far into the devastated dis
trict, and a4id that he would allow
them to drive UP Fayette street, where
fairly good view could be obtained.
This was acceptable to the party, and
Capt. Pierce and Lieut.. Wadsworth
were sent to act as their escort.
Marshall Milton. an employee of the
Consolidated Gas Company, while ell
deavoring to climb over a tar vat at
the company's work in Canton, in or
der to view the fire. made a misstep
and fell into the boiling liquid, and be-
fore he was rescued, was probably ia
tally burned over his entire body from
his neck down.