Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1904-02-10
FIRE RACED ALL DAY SUNDAY
Toword Midnight the Fire Began
Eating lis Way Into the Financial
District -rIayor rlcLean Says the
Loss Canuot Se Estimated.

baltimore. Special.-The most de-
structivc coanagration in the history
OF Baltimore occurred here Sunday IN
the wholesale dry goods business dis
trict. raging practically unchecked
during many hours. completely de-
stroying scores of the largest bus
ness houses IN the wholesale district,
involving losses which cannot be esti-
mated as the fire was still burning
fercely when night fell. Owing TO the
wide c.,tent Of the calamity it will be
tomorrow before even an approximate
estimate can be made, though it is
certain that it has already exceeded
$4,000, 600 The fire was still burning
at nightfall but was under control.
No loss of life was reported at this
hour
BROKE OUT ON HOPKINS PLACE.
The fire broke out shortly before IL
o'clock this morning in the wholesale
dry goods store of John 7. Hurst &
Co. on Hopkins place. in the heart
of the business district. with a series
of loud explosions. which We're heard
in remote parts of the city, and spread
with fearful rapidity. In half an hour
there were dozen big warehouses in
the wholesale dry goods and notions
district burning fcrcely. The entire
fire department was called out. hut was
utterly pOWcrless to check the spread
of the flames, which were aided by
the high winds. and by noon there
were sava5e fires in at least 80 big
warehouses. ana the conhagration was
steadily eating its way into successive
blocks, east, north. west and south.
On Baltimore street. the blocks be-
tween Liberty and Sharp streets was
soon abiaze then came the next block
east to Hanover and after that the
block on the south side to Charles
street broke out into flames. the Con
sUlidatCd Gas Company's building ana
Ochm's Acme Hall burning ficrcciy
Meanwhile there were stores north
of Baltimore street being similarly
consumed. Mullins Hotel caught an,
other buildings near it caught West
OF Liberty street. on the south side
of Baltimore street, the block was
doomed and the big bargain house al
SO caught Down in Hopkins place
where the conflagration started.
Hurst's building and other Wholesale
houses on both sides of the street
crumbled and fell.
The big dry goods houses of Daniel
Miller 81 Sons and Il. n Sutton 6S
Co were soon aaame. and along Ger
man street-east and west. from the
Hurst building-therc were dozen
buildings burning
Mass & Kemper's big Wholesale
store on Baltimore street, quickly
succun.bed to the flames. On Hop
kins' place the Hopkins Savings Bank
and the National Exchange Bank
were gutted by the flames. Across
the street were the ruins of John f.
Hurst & Co, and next to it Hechl. Jr..
& Sons. were in flames
THE BLOCK. A CAULDRON.
All these buildings were swept away
by the flames. and the whole block
was nothing but cauldron of fire.
At 1870 o'clock Mullins Hotel. a
seven story structure. at Liberty and
Baltimore streets, was in flames from
garnet to cellar and its great height
and narrowness acted as a torch All
the guests had been ordered out. and
none. consequently, was injured.
Though every bit of fire-fighting ap-
paratus in the city was called into
requisition as the flames continued to
spread. at 10 o'clock six engines ar
rived from Washington and four from
Philadelphia. 1t is roughly estimated
that there were $50 hose playing on
different parts of the connagration at
the same time
FINE Rim FOR THEIR LIVES.
Wall after wall toppled into the
Streets ANA lremen ran for their lives.
All kinds Of wires had to be cut to
clear the way for the fire fighters. The
block bounded by German. Liberty,
Baltimore and Sharp streets Was
early found to be doomed. and the
fremen turned their attention to saw
ing the buildings on Baltimore street.
east Of sharp. but the fire was beyond
their control.
Red hot. cinders ignited the roof OF