The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1904-02-13
CITY OF BALTIMORE
is SWEPT BY FIRE
All Efforts Fail to Stop Progress of Conflasra.
tion-Loss May Reach SlOO.OOO.OOO-
Eight Firemen killed---Militia
Is Ordered Out.

as the gasoline tank used for the engS.e
In the building let got. Instantly the
immense structure collapsed, sending
destruction to adjacent buildings in all
directions and causing the fire to be be-
yond the control of the fremen.
| The first attempt at dynamiting was
| In the large building of Armstrong Ca
tor & Co., but 1t failed to collapse, and
attention was turned to the building a.
the southwest corner of Charles and
| German streets, where six charges CT
dynamite, each charge containing 100
pounds, were exploded. The tremendous
force of the explosions tore out the mas
sive granite columns that supported
the building and left 1t with apparently
! almost no support, but the walls failed
| to collapse, and stood until the flames
had crossed Charles street and were eat
ing into the block between Charles and
Light streets.
The progress Of the flames toward the
north had in the meantime been so rapid
as to be simply appalling From struc-
ture to structure they flew, licking up
the massive buildings as II they were
composed of paper. In the block be-
tween German and Baltimore streets
they flew along. and almost before 1t
| could be realized the buildings along
Baltimore street were blazing from roof
to basement. For a. time It was hoped
the fire could be kept from crossing the
north side OF Baltimore street. and the
firemen made desperate effort to pre-
vent It, The effort was useless, how
ever, and soon the tall. narrow buildings
of Mullins hotel began to dart out
tongues of flame, and the remainder of
the buildings between Sharp and Lib
erty streets were ablaze, and the fire
began its march to the north. The
flames darted rapidly from place to
place, and soon the entire south side Of
Fayette street was in the grasp of the
flames.
Dynamite Fails to Check II.
Down Fayette to Charles they swept
and the building occupied by Puts &
Co. caught Seeing that nothing could
save II, II was decided to destroy he
building with dynamite in the hope of
preventing the fire from crossing
SHdTttS SlIttl. lie thDlOSlOH was ollC-
cessful in accomplishing the object, and
the entire corner collapsed instantly but
this had. apparently no effect upon the
progress OF the fire. for almost before
the sound Of the falling walls had died
away the building on the east side of
Charles street began to blaze, and it
was evident the blocks between Charles
and St. Paul streets were doomed. In
desperate, but futile, effort to prevent
the fire going further to the east build
ing after building was dynamited in this
block, but 1t was all of no avail. and the
fire proceeded steadily onward.
Courthouse AElnze.
The. Daily Record building was soon
in flames, and not many minutes later
the fire had leaped over st. Paul street
and lofty, massive Calvert building
began to emit smoke and flame. The
Equitable building, just over narrow
alley, quickly followed, and these two
immense buildings gave forth a glare
that Lighted the city for miles around.
Soon the large building of Hall, Head
lington & Co. on the northwest corner of
Charles and Fayette streets was blazing
brightly. With scarcely pause the
fire darted across to the east side of
Charles street and began to lap up the
handsome building of the Union Trust
company, while at the same time the
large buildings to the west of Hall, Head
lington & Co, occupied by Wise Brothers
G. Oppenheim. Obernderf & Co. were
! aflame throughout Down Fayette
street to the east swept the flames, and
later the new courthouse was ablaze.