Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-02-09
BALTIMORE FIRE SWEPT.
More Than s1oa,ooo,ooo Destroyed in
the Centre Of the City.

More Than s1oo,ooo,ooo Destroyed in
the Centre Of the City.
One Of the most disastrous fires In
the history of the country swept the
heart of the city-of Baltimore during
Sunday and yesterday, destroying prop
erty to value beyond reasonable es-
timation.- but, hardly less than sloo'-
OOO, 900.
The fire broke out at a few minutes
after II o'clock in the wholesale dry
goods house Of John E. Hurst & Co.,
and famed by a strong wind spread
with resistless fury to adjoining build
ings, consuming block after block and
street after street, until 1t began TO
look as If the entire city was to be
blotted from the earth. 1t Is thought
that the fire originated from sponta-
neous combustion in the cellar OF the
Hurst building, and that an explosion
of gasolene contributed to its more
rapid spread.
The fire department was on hand
within a very few minutes after the
discovery of the flames in the Hurst
building; but the firemen seemed to be
as children. Burning brands! and Gin
ders went high In the air and fell III
showers . on the neighboring roofs
which, almost instantly 1t seemed be-
gan to smoke and blaze.
1t was not more than half hour be-
fore the fire department began to real
ize the desperateness of the situation,
and telegrams were sent to Philadel-
phia, Washington, Wilmington, Del.'
and other nearby towns and cities for
aid. All Of the. cities: responded and
before dark Sunday night more than
400 streams were playing on the flames
at different points along the line OF
destruction; but without appreciable
effect.
Seeing the fruitlessness Of the ef-
forts of the firemen, Chief Horton de-
cided at about 7 o'clock Sunday even
ing that he must resort to measures
more heroic than water, and he began
an attack with dynamite. Large build =
ings that stood in the path of the
confiagration and which seemed DOOM
ed anyway were blown up; but even
this remedy seemed to be Of but small
effect, as the blazing brands and Gin
ders easily leaped such gaps and COM
municated their flames to the still In
tact buildings beyond. Among the
buildings dynamited were the offices
of the Baltimore Sun, the Baltimore
American and numerous others as fine
as the finest in the city.
Among the difficulties with whlch
the firemen met was, the network OF
wires overhanging nearly all or the
principal streets. These included tel
egraph, telephone, electric light and
trolley wires, and their cutting was
attended with more or less danger.
Often before the wires could be cleared
out the flames had already spread
to the buildings adjoining and desper-
ate and tedious work went for nothing.
The city hospital, corner of Calvert
and Pleasant streets, was In the path
of the flames. Some seventeen or
eighteen injured men, mostly firemen,
suffering from broken bones, burns
and decorations were taken into it dur
ing the day; but at about 10 o'clock
Sunday night they with the regular pa
tients had to be moved to what was
thought to be a safer locality.
Do4o &c fnrrth
fifth regiments of United States troops
stationed in the city were called out to
assist the police in patrolling the
streets and guarding property.
1t was not until dark last night that
the people began to hope that the fire
was under control. 1t was not subdued
through the efforts Of the firemen; but
just burned out. There was nothing
else for it to feed upon. 1t left 14O
acres of smoking ruins, marked by
crumbling walls and tall chimneys.
The residence portion of the city, or at
least a large portion Of 1t was saved
by a muddy stream known as Jones
Falls. The fire crossed the stream In
places; but was held back at other
places, the dividing waters thus as
sisting the firemen in their heroic ef-
forts at defense.
A Terrible View.
With the fire under control, says
dispatch of last night, the blackened
waste which lies in the wake of the
sea of flames presents a view, terrible
in it's pyrotechnic grandeur. 1t can
be likened best to oceans of great coke
ovens, each shooting out it's thousand
tongues of flames from pyramids of
brick. stone and cement. Where the
fire has died out nothing remains but
waste, from which rise hundreds of
towering. insecure shafts Of the same
color. These are all that Is left OF
what were once handsome office build
ings, storage, wholesale and business
houses of all kinds.
The insurance men have already
opened temporary offices with a view
to adjusting losses as far as possible.
They are unable to determine on any
thing like satisfactory estimates. AL
though there were scores of large busi-
ness concerns without any insurance