The Savannah morning news., 1904-02-09
FURY OF THE FLAMES
CHECKED IN BALTIMORE

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yards, and the piles on one side were
blazing constantly and on the other
throwing off clouds of steam, caused
by the water turned on wood, heated
almost to the point of ignition.
The President street station of the
P. w. & B. Railroad is used for bar
racks for the militia, which is enforc-
ing martial law. The building caught
fire a number of times, and whenever
the door opened a shower of sparks
was carried inside. In front the lum-
Der piles furnished finder for the
flames, which were ever creeping for
ward, yet the men who had been
pacing the streets all night lay in the
sleep brought on by exhaustion.
Residents and business men of the
East Side are not yet fully assured of
their safety and through every window
may be seen anxious, affrighted faces.
Moving vans, push carts and vehicles
of all kinds fill the streets, carting
household effects and valuables to
safer sections.
PIOOyOOOsuOOs
Col. j. Frank Supplee, a competent
authority on factory statistics, es-
Inmates that the number of persons
thrown out of employment will reach
$4,000. Others have estimated the en-
forced idleness at greatly more.
Inspector of Buildings Preston, aft
err making a careful study of the
burned district, placed the building
loss alone at $15O,OOOOOO.
Tonight it is feared that aid must
famine will be an added phase of the
situation. Restaurants are entirely
without food, and the destruction of
the commission houses along the
wharves has shut off the means of
supply. Hotels are but little better
able to feed their guests, it is ad-
mitted the variety will be lessened at
once. Preparations are being made
to rush supplies from New York, in
order to avert suffering in homes.
NJ. & NJ. T. Co.'s Buildings Saved.
d
/ BILE to locate the spot where the march
of the flames was stopped. After the
| burning. of the Maryland and American
Ice Companys plants near the Union
docks, few buildings were destroyed.
The ice houses held the flames for three
hours, though in the meantime the
Norfolk wharf was consumed. The fire
boat Cataract and several New York
engine companies held this dangerous
neighborhood, and when the fire en-
tered the American Ice Company's coal
yards, it was kept under control. The
next building in line was the Damast
Packing Company's plant, and this
was but little damaged.
Wilson's lumber yards, DeMead
Mating Companys buildings, the Mer-
chants and Miners transportation
Company's buildings. and a number of
others virtually were snatched from
the" burning.
Local fire officials extend unstinted
praise to the fire companies from New
York for the brave stand they made at
the edStGIiI eklu VI LIE itlC DSils
and again they were driven from their
position, but at the coal yard, they
made a last stand and won.
Cheered by the News.
The cheering news that the confla-
grafton had been checked, spread rap
idly over the city, and the, great
crowds that all day had surged against
the tightly drawn fire lines began to
turn homeward.
Unless the wind, which now blows
briskly from the northwest should
change, it is believed that there is no
further danger. But the tired firemen
are taking no chances. All over the
burned district they are tonight fight
ing the fierce flames that still live in
large piles of ruins. These fires are
no menace, however, for they have
nothing to feed upon outside their
present limits.
During the afternoon the wall Of
fame ate its way in a southerly and
westerly direction toward the water.
Sporadic fires sprang into existence
and caused the withdrawal of appara-
tus, and men from the line of battle.
Buildings old and new, large and small
stores, shops. every imaginable class
of business, vanished as the fire swept
onward.
AS the day wore on the fore front
of the fire neared Jones Falls, a small
stream that trends north and south
and divides Baltimore from that por-
ton of the city, known as East Bal
timore.
This little stream was the last stand.
If the confiagration leaped it, if by
flying embers or a rush of flame the
fire. could cross and gain foothold, its
extent could not be foretold. Tremen-
dous efforts were made to block it,
Dynamite was used freely. The fire
apparatus was conferred and all the
skill of the fire fighters called into play
10 defeat the element that had eaten
IN millions of dollars worth of prop
ertv. Human skill and pluck and grit
and unfaltering courage won. The fire
was checked. But behind 1t lay
great. Quilted waste of more than lao
acres in extent
Every street that led to the fire area
was crowded with awe-stricken spec
tators. Down the narrow, gulch-like
streets the black smoke hung densely,
split now and then by red glare of
flame. The crash of falling buildings
was lost in the roar of exploding dyna-
mite. as 1t was used to demolish struc-
lures as yet untouched by fire.
The city was under the strictest of
military control. All around the burn
ed area was stretched a Gordon of SOL
diers. who held up all Corners at the
noint of the bayonet. Police brought
from the neighboring cities patroiled
the district, and on every street near
- ti,,.t4g - the Are area nacad aryanI