Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1904-02-11
FLAMES SWEEP BALTIMORE.
More Than Fifty Millions Gone Up in
Smoke and the Fierce Fire
Is Still Raging.

Baltimore, Feb. Fire which broKe
I cut a few minutes before IL O'Clock
/ this morning in the wholesale dry
soods house of John E. Hurst 6 Co,
has raged with unrestrained fury con-
1 tinuously ever since, and at midnight
/ 1t is still unchecked, but is steadily
eating its consuming way eastwardly
on Baltimore street, from Howard to
Holiday street, from Charles and Bal
| timore to Charles and Lexington, and
on Fayette street from Charles to Hol'
iday, including total Of about twenty
blocks of the most modern and sub
stantial buildings in Baltimore, involv-
ing a loss which cannot now lie esti-
mated. but which has certainly al
ready reached forty millions OF ool.
lars.
Ever since about O'Clock, when
darkness came, the fire departments,
although aided by engines from Wash
ingion. Philadelphia. Wilmington and
the surrounding suburbs, has been ut
| terry pow erless to make any effective
resistance to the consuming clement,
though for hours as man, rs 400
streams of water were thrown into the
| flames
Buildings Dynamited.
Indeed. so terrific has been the heat
ever since the fire started, and SO
dense and suffocating the volume OF
flying sparks and burning cilders, that
it was difficult for the firemen to
stand long within fighting distances
of the flames, while early in the after
| noon several trucks and engines were
hopelessly disabled by timbers.
At o'clock the situation was SO
desperate that Chief Horton deci1ed
that the olly thing left to do was to
dynamite buildings at threatened
points and thus prevent, as far as pos
sible, further spread of the flames.
In pursuance of this plan number
of buildings on South Charles street,
between German and Lombard, were
blown up. Subsequently the structure
of j. W. Puts & Co., notion dealers,
at Charles and Fayette streets, was
dynamited, and then the Daily Record
building, Ross drug store and others.
But this heroic remedy merely de-
layed, but did not seriously impede the
onward march of the conflagration, end
for two hours or more the fire depart
ment has stopped, practically helpless
and resourceless in the face of the
roaring furnaces, which send their
fierce tongues 200 feet into the air,
and which filled the heavens, first with
pail of black funereal smoke, and
then with livid sheets of sparks and
lurid cinders.
Beyond All Control.
At this hour the fire is absolutely
beyond control, and all occupants OF
buildings in the center of the city are
rapidly removing their valuables.
The city hospital, corner of Calvert
and Pleasant streets, is removing to
other hospitals as rapidly as possible,
the twenty-four patients in that insti-
tuition. Seventeen injured were
brought to this hospital, most of them
f1remen. They were suffering from
burns, scalds and decorations. Nearly
every physician in the city is in the
fire district. So far as known at this
hour, no one has been killed.
Detachments of the Fourth and Fifth
regiments have been called out and
are patroling the streets in the vicin-
ity of the fire, guarding property and
keeping order.
Fortunately thus far the confiagra-
tiol has not reached the residence por-
tion of the city, but fires are breaking
out in East Baltimore, and the indi-
cations are that the residence streets
will he invaded
The indications are that not sin.
gle morning newspaper will be able
to get an issue this morning, with the
possible exception of the Sun, which
has an auxiliary plant. There are five
morning papers here, three English
and two German.
The Baltimore & Ohio railroad of.
flee building has been destroyed and so
has the Maryland Institute of Art
| building.
At 11.45 the temporary custom
house adjoining the postoffice caught
fire. One hundred and fifty policemen
from Philadelphia arrived here to as
sist the Baltimore police and mill
tary.
Telegrams for fire engines were sent
to Washington and Philadelphia, and
about ] O'Clock six engines arrived
from Washington and four from Phil.
adelphia. and Joined in the battle with
the flames.
Engines from stations in Baltimore
Howard, Anne Arundel and Hartford
counties also arrived as soon as pos.
sible, some of the apparatus travelling
distance of thirty miles and more.
/ Water plugs in every section within
a radius of half mile from the fire
| were in use, and it is roughly estimat-
ed that there were $50 hose all playing
at one time upon different parts of the
confiagration.
Out of Town Engines Hampered.
Owing to the great congestion of fire
apparatus, the crowds of people and
the general confusion, many of the en-
gines from out of town were unable to
| find a place where they would be OF
any service.
With loud roars wall after wall top.
pied into the streets and firemen ran
for their lives.
All kinds of wires had to be cut to
! clear the way for the fire fighters. The
lock bounded by German, Liberty.
Sharp and Baltimore streets was early
found to be doomed and the firemen
turned their attention to saving the
buildings on Baltimore street, east OF
Sharp.
The fire was beyond their control
and the flames ran from one building g
to another in spite of the fact that the
firemen had done their best to check
the progress of the flames by soaking
| the structures with water.
The loss is already more than $780,
900. 900. and the fire is still fierceIy
burning.
New York Called On.
New York, Feb. S.-1:45 a. ma