Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1904-02-11

were drawn a bloc or two away from
the burnt district and from the fire,
and no one was allowed to 60 beyond
the limits except by written orders of
the officials. There was very little
disorder, as most of the people were
greatly depressed by the calamity.
The saloons were closed by order of
the city authorities.
Not one human life was lost by the
great fire, and very few persons were
hurt. A fireman from York, Pa, had
his leg broken and his head cut, and
Chief Horton of the Fire Department
was stunned by an electric wire; other
injuries to fremen were reported, but
were trifling.
1t is believed that the insurance on
the burned buildings and their con-
tents will reach nearly $75.000,000.
1t was at first thought that the insur-
ance companies would be unable to
stand the heavy losses, but announce
ment was made yesterday that the
companies would meet their obllga-
tions in full This will be a great
help to those who lost so heavily from
the fire.
Business is very seriously interfered
with in Baltimore. The Governor Of
Maryland proclaimed legal holiday
of ten days to allow time to shape up
affairs, but this, of course. causes
good deal of inconvenience for the
time. Many persons and firms are
unable to get ready money from the
banks, especially from those that wer'
burned, and funds are scarce. 1t is
believed that all the vaults are intact
and the money and securities in them
are safe.
1t is estimated that fully $4,000
persons will be thrown ont of employ
ment or affected in one way or anoth-
er by the fire. Many manufacturing
establishments were destroyed and
their workmer have nothing to- do.
Statesmen and employees have no bust
ness to attend to, travelling men are
recalled from the road heads of firms
and managers have no place Of busi-
ness. Many men who were rich last
Saturday are poor today.
There is a feeling of great despond-
ency and depression among the people
OF Baltimore, now that the excitement
of the fire is over and the full extent
of the calamity IS known. Hundreds
Of firms will be unable to transact
business for months to come, and 1t
will be years before the burned dis
trict can be rebuilt. With material
of every sort high and labor costly
and capricious, building operations
will be enormously expensive, Never
theless, there are those who are hope
full, and there is disposition to re-
build far better than the old, with
modern buildings, on wider streets
and with improved sanitary condi-
tons. Eminent architects and ex-
perts will give their best efforts to
improved conditions
The newspapers of Baltimore were
all bun ned out of house and home. but
they have been getting ont their Is
sues regularly. The Sun is being
printed from the office of the Washing
ton Star, and Tuesdays papers were
delivered here yesterday. The Balsi-
more papers are excellent and have
wide circulation in this section, and
they have been greatly missed.
The Linthicum Rubber Company
had a stock of goods on hand worth
$4,000. John McCleary, well
known here, is a salesman for the
firm, and when it was seen that the
building was doomed the books were
carried down to the Herald building,
a good ways off For fear, however,
that this might not be entirely sale,
a part of the books were taken still
further, to the B & O. Central build
ing Both of these structures were
soon envelope5 in the flames and the
books were lost after all
A well-known liquor firm had
hundred barrels of a popular brand OF
whiskey In its ware-rooms. The fire
threatened it and it was loaded on
drays and carried to distant ware
house for safety. Later the ware
house was destroyed with every gallon
of the liquor, while the building from
which it had been taken escaped.
H L Melvin, son of Capt J. S.
Melvin, of this county, was burned
out. He had mems furnishing store.
Chas. A. Licklider, who had his
insurance Office in the Equitable Build
ing, was also burned out, but saved
the books and papers.
The first news of the fire reached
Shepherdstown about 5 o'clock Sun
day evening. 1t was thought that
the first reports must be exaggerated,
but later news showed the situation to
be even worse Richard Spohn kept
the telephone exchange open until
midnight, and had communication di.
rectly to Baltimore He gave start
ling but accurate reports of the fire,
and as be told Of the destruction of
the big wholesale houses, the splendid
buildings and the newspaper Offices,
the greatest interest was excited.
EIy,e iou;d Cram Rain is an old