The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-02-16
BUSINESS IS RESUMED
Baltimore Banks Reopen and Inspire
City With Confidence.
CLEARING AWAY THE DEBRIS
Streets In Fire Swept Section Made
Passable and Dangerous Walls
Pulled Down-Many Contracts For
Rehuildinu Siuned

Hdl htN the iHonA fittllWi hhN anu P"i
timore has yet made in emerging from
the dark cloud brought upon 1t by the
great connaeraton OF last Sunday and
Monday An incident that inspired
the whole community with tremendous
confidence was the resumption OF bust
ness by the banks. deposits being re
ceiyed and checks honored In the
usual way. u would be difficult Ia es
innate the volume Of transactions in
this respect. but. according 10 the
leading bankers II was gratilyingly
large In view of existing conditions.
The knowledge that Baltimore's ter.
minal facilities are intact and that the
grain elevators were not involved in
the fiery tornado. has also served 10
promote a popular conviction that the
situation is not so dark as il has here.
tofore appeared. Indeed. the optimis-
tic feeling is maniicstly growing that
the calamity. though narrowing In
every detail will give the city an op.
portunity 10 rcadjust itself on new
and more modern plans. and that q
new city oil imposing grandeur Is to
rise from the ruins OF the old.
The progress which has been made
i'm the work OF clearing the debris from
The streets in the burned district seems
almost magical Baltimore street
which was a confused mass of rubbish.
is practically clean. and likewise South
street. one of the great banking thor
oughiares. Hanover street near
where the fire started. was made pas
sable for wagons and Pratt street. a
long avenue Of trade, is clear OF in.
cumbrance all the way through. The
city engineers department all worked
in conjunction. SO attempt was mau"
10 do more than 10 clear the streets
from curb 10 curb the debris being
piled mp ON tine sidewalks and back OF
the building line. Many dangerous
walls which ovcrhung the streets were
pulled down The most ambitious al.
temps al razing walls We're on Liberty
and Lombard streets. AZ each Of these
places there are hosting en zines. with
wire cables. which are fastened to a
section of the topplin2 walls and then
wound mp on the spcola. The Hurst
building. in which the ARE started, was
pulled down
All through tha financial district
preparations are being made To open
safes and vaults Those Of the Ger.
man bank and the German Fire In
surancc company wero opened and the
cash and books taken out uninjured
The vault OF the Marine bank was
also opened and found intact In ~
instance have tine contents OF any
vault been seriously damaged.
The chamber OF commerce has been
exceedingly active in sending broad
cast to every center OF trade In this
country arl Europe the assurance
that Baltimore g. even now in condt
ton ~ transact an shipping grain and
foreign trade. and that all other lines
0f business win be restored 90 their
normal channels within the next two
or three mo-t.s. The officials of tie
chamber OF commerce announced tn:t
plans ere already nearly completed
r9r trr rohuillns of their 5000 1000
structure
Many me-ohante and manufactures
whose places of business were swai
lowed up in tho conformation hoy
signed contracts Tor rabuildins. AM
there are ou an sides the Creates
slens oi activity in this respect Al
are simply waiting for the city g.
clear tine streets OF debris and civ.
permission to The owners Of the ground
To take possession.
Among the messages Of sympathy
received was a communication from
d. Falconio. the apostolic delegate at
Washington containing the following
from the pope:
Rome. Feb 10-IIis holiness. deep
" moved by the news OF the great ca
lamitv which has recently visited the
CITY OF Baltimore. desires your excel
lcncy to convey TO the honorable
mayor and the people Of Baltimore his
sincere sympathy He prays that they
stand the severe loss their city has
suffered. and that it will continue to
progress
Cardinal MERRY DEL VAL"
The leading savings banks in the
CITY combined In a public announce
ment that none of them have suffered
any loss OF securities b. the fire. and
that they will be open for business on
Monday.
A composite estimate Of the total
lose from the fire by p expert repre-
sentatives OF leading insurance com
panies outside OF Baltimore. places the
figures at $4,000. 600 Some OF them
think that the total loss will be re-
duced to s70.o00o0o. as much salvage
s being dug out OF the ruins which
was thought 10 have been destroyed.