Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1904-02-10
Baltimore HAS S5Q,0OQ,0OO RR[
City Suffers Most Disastrous Blaze in the His.
tory of the South

Front Street Theatre at least half
mile from the main conhagratio
which shows to what distance tt
fiery rain fell. The blaze was e.
tinguished by the firemen. assisted
. citizens.
For time considerable alarm wa
felt at the City Hospital. The Siste,
OF Mercy in charge of the institutio
were all at their posts, and an etfol
was made to keep the fact of the ccl
few cinders fell on the roof of the hos
fagration a secret from the patients.
pital, but were extinguished by tn
physicians of the house staff.
Eighteen women, two babies en-
seven nurses were taken from h
Maternity Hospital. on West Lombar
street. in police ambulances and givel
quarters at the city hospital. A woman
who was ill in bed with typhoid feve
was taken to the city hospital.
CITY TERRIFIED BY EXPLOSION
At 3 o'clock a tremendous explosion
of about 15C barrels cf whiskey stored
in the upper floors of No. 24 Hanover
street hurled tons of burning matter
across the street onto the roofs of the
buildings opposite which the firemen
were drenching with water in vain
hope to make Hanover street. the east
ern boundary line of the confiagration.
Here an engine was buried by falling
wall. the fremen fleeing for their
lives.
The whole city was notified of the
confiagration 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 peculiar whistling
noise like that made by shrill wind
The churches in the central part of
the city were filled with worshippeTs,
many OF whom were frightened. and,
while no. panics ensued hundreds of
men and women went outside to see
what had happened. In 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 huge brown column
moved rapidly toward the northeast.
Borne on the strong southeast wind
the. column of smoke blazing $cinders
sssf
,f cindders fell, compe cling pedestrians ans
10. doge redshot pieces of wood.
PEOPLE DoDGING FIRE BRANDS.
TWO more explosions followed, and
thousands of people hurried to the
scene OF the fire. OF all the specta-
tors. comparatively few saw the fire
itself. They could not get within halt
block OF it. Even the policemen guard
ing the approaches to the fire had to
shift their positions repeatedly and
dodge falling cinders. Pieces OF tin
G nv s feet square were lifted into the
air by the terrific heat, sailed upward
like paper kites. and when they
reached a point beyond the scene OF
the most intense heat, fell clattering
10 the streets.
RAGING WITH uNABATED FURY.
500 o. m.-The FIRE is still raging
with unabated fury. The fire depart
mont is helpless with the flames stead
ilv travelling eastward on Baltimore
and Fayette streets. The, Union Trust
building has fallen in. The Carrollton
Hotel is ON fire. The Herald building
Is apparently doomed, and the occu-
nants have moved out. The Sun is
preparing to move. Clouds of burning
cinders cover the whole city.
FIRE NEAR COURT HOUSE.
1920 D. m.-The fire sweeping east
ON Fayetteville street is within a short
distance Of the court house, which oc-
cunies the block bounded by Fayette,
Lexington and Calvert streets. Oppo-
site is the postoffice adjoining this
is the temporary custom house and
opposite to this is the city hall. The
Calvert office building, at Fayette and
St. Paul street, is afre, and the Equit-
able building, which adjoins it, is now
threatened. The main office OF the
Western Union Telegraph Company is
located in the Equitable building, aad
the force is leaving for branch Oh
fee. A number of buildings are being
dvnamited in an effort 70 sssD >the
FIRE.
11:45-The fire is still eesing iss Wsy
eastward on Baltimore street end o1
South and German streets, Including
the financial district. Mayor EcLsns
who has been on the scene all day ant
night. says it is utterly impossible e
make an estimate of loss. TIE :rt