The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-10
IS ARISING
 FROM ASHES Baltimore Begins Work Of
 Rehabilitation. LOSS PUT AT $l25,0O0, ,000
On These $o0,O0O.OoO of
 Insurance Was Carried.
Secretary Shaw Says Money Will Bt
 Furnished from the Sub Treas ury-Safes, and Vaults With. . stood Fierce Heat.

Baltimore, Feb. 9.-Amid ruins still hot and smoking, Baltimore has begun its resurrection. With the dawn of a clear winter day, whose brightness was in It. self an inspiration, the apathy of yes- terday gave way to energy, and from the Governor of the State to the least private citizen. the people of this distressed city aroused themselves to meet the appalling conditions that confront them.
 Representatives of the insurance com panies met today and estimated the losses at s125.O 900. with insurance of 800 600, ,O00.
 It was day of conferences. The Gov ernor, the Mayor and various municipal officials met and threshed out the prob lems. From this conference came de- cision that Baltimore for the present needs no outside help, but will endeavor with her own resources and those of the State to meet the emergency. At this conference also was developed the ma chinery for an advisory legislative corl- mittee to act in conjunction with the Leg islature.
 Military Problems.
 The military officials had unusual prob- lems to decide and solved them in mil itary manner, for tonight every pass that has been issued giving entrance to the fire lines was revoked. No civilian may pass the cordon of soldiers which. after forty-eight hours of continuous duty, tO- night stretches around the fre-swept des- ert. where lie safes and vaults contain ing untold treasure.
 With equal promptness the Chamber of Commerce held general meeting and issued a formal announcement that re- fiected the prevailing hopefulness, de- clarinE there are already such evidences of recuperation that all are encouraged in the hope of the early restoration of every branch of trade."
 The Stock Exchange members met and decided to rebuild as soon as possible. The same story can be told of practically every commercial body, while on every hand is evidence of private effort toward rehabilitation.
 Temporary Offices.
 Old buildings, long unused, and private residences near the business section-ln fact, every available structure bears crudely lettered signs on board or cloth, announcing that within is the temporary office of firm. The names on some of these signs are those that rank high in the financial and commercial circles of the world and in those temporary offices men who for years have known only ma hogany desks, work on deal tables and plain boards. Labor Is in demand and the newspapers already contain display advertisements for men to begin the work of clearing the ruins.
 All things considered, the public stock taking that engrossed the business world of Baltimore today was satisfactory. But this does not mean that the great fire was a lesser calamity than has been pictured in these dispatches. The bald fact is that 40 acres of business buildings. repre- senting property to the approximate Vaiue of $l25, 900 was destroyed within the tourney of a clocks hand.
 History is marked by few calamitles SO vast and so costly in actual values but with the passing of the first great shock and prostratlon, the brighter side is coming uppermost and realization Of what Baltimore escaped is dawning.
 Vaults and Safes Unhurt.
 great cloud was lifted this afternoon when 1t was discovered that practically All the vaults and safes of the financial concerns whose buildings were destroyed were unhurt. tremendous loss in ac- curities had been anticipated ana when vault after vault yielded up It's treasure Inharmed, the joy of the guardians was boundless.
 From one trust company's safes alone Danars to the amount of more than S2OO,- 0OO 900 was recovered. The news cheereu t,a whole city and encouraged immediate and thorugh investigation. MerchahS and their assistants, smoke-soiled ahoD e grimmed, hollow-eyed from anxiety ana loss of sleep, worked like laoorers III the smoking ruins to uncover their safes ana in nearly every instance they were re- warded by intact contents.
 Another surprise was the discovery that two financial concerns, whose homes were directly in the fercest sweep or the flames, were practically unharmed. These uere the Brown Brothers bank and the Mercantile Trust Company. The escape of the structures was due to their lack or height. being but four stories high and surrounded by taller buildings the flames rushed over them.
 Sub-Treasury's Holdings.
 There are between $11 ,OOO, 900 and $12, ,000,- O0O now in the valuts of the sub-treasury, of which over $7.OOO,00O is In gold. The remainder consists of currency, silver and minor coins. This amount Is inadequate to meet the emergency demands of the trade of the city.
 With considerably more than three fourths of the leading banking institutions of the city destroyed and their vaults buried in the debris and therefore inacces- Sible though lntact' the puSlneSS men or the city are seriously embarrassed in the transa action of business.
 Assistant Treasurer Dryden and Cashier Nice are taking every possible measure to meet the necessities arising from the lack of banking facilities. In their steps they have the hearty cooperation of the Treasury Department, which has express ed a readiness to ship any amount of money that is needed. even If the need stretches into the millions. When MT. Dryden telephoned Secretary Shaw he told him the situation in detail. Mir. Shaw told him that the reserves of the treasury were at the disposal ofBaltimore and directed that business be transacted immediately at the sub-treasury regard less of the public holiday until Tuesday,