Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-10

number of safes and vaults will be
found with contents intact.
The dynamiting early today, began
demolishing the shells of buildings in
the devastated district which are a
menace to property and life. The seven
story Law building was blown up, the
immense roof and walls falling with
thunderous sound that was heard
throughout the city. 1t is thought that
it will be necessary to dynamite the
nine-story Equitable building and the
story Herald building. The walls
of the latter overshadow and endanger
the new $1,500.000 court house which
Baltimore boasts of as the finest tenn
pie of justice in the United States ana
which escaped without material dam
age.
When it became known, today, that
there existed no need for the presence
of United States troops and they had
been turned back. there were general
expressions of satisfaction.
Every policeman who went on duty,
today, had instructions to watch for
crooks and arrest every suspicious per-
son. The police authorities have IN
formation that large number OF
crooks attracted by the frightful con-
| ditions and the crowds that are pour
| ing into the city on every train have
focked here, and the most urgent Or
| ders for the arbitrary arrest of every
SUSPICIOUS character are in force.
No vandalism of a serious character
has yet been reported. Special guards
have been detailed at the ruins of the
l a ;,l ;,,c y-a11ltC
Gaping the ravages of the fire might
be tempered with.
With one notable exception the
plants of the Baltimore daily news
papers were completely consumed in
the cOnflagration. The Sun building,
said to have been the first iron struct-
ure erected in the United States, this
event having taken place in 1856, is Il
shapeleSS mass, not the VeStige of a
| wall being left standing. The machin-
cry and presses are n total loss. OF
the American the same story may be
told. Its even-story building and an
neXes and all material are rubbish. The
| interior wood fittings of the seven
story Herald building were destroyed,
| but the floors are still intact and the
presses and machines in place, but
their value destroyed.
The German Correspondent building
at Holiday and Baltimore streets was
one of the last victims to the East Bal
| timore street flames. 1t was utterly
destroyed. as was the German Journal
on the opposite corner. The Evening
| News building is a mass of ruins. De-
spite the sudden eXigency which they
were called upon the face, the Balti-
more publishers have shown a Won
derful energy. The Sun and American
are getting out editions in Washing
| ton newspaper offices but filled with
Baltimore news. The paper that es-
capped the fiery maelstrom was the
Evening World. whose publication
office is on a side street just outside
of the fire line. The World is getting
out its regular editions and is besides
doing the press work for the Herald
and German Correspondent. All the
publishers are making expeditions
preparations to secure new buildings
and presses. The Evening News has
already purchased the plant of the
Philadelphia Times and is now having
it transported to Baltimore.
Baltimore, Nd, Feb. 9.--After 40
hours of hardest work by the fire
fighters the destructive cOnflagration
which has prevailed here. since Sun
day forenoon, was got under control.
With The exception of few buildings,
| $40 acres are devastated. During the
early morning hours several small
fires started among the ruins of the
I,,rn I,,,il al,,i,
was left to be destroyed.
No person is willing to estimate the
less. but the insurance men agree that
| it will reach at least $200.00O0G0. 1t has
| been decided that it would not be nee
| essary to send from New York city
three battalions of regulars" to assist
| in policing the city.
Throughout the night, the streets
| were quiet and there was little or no
connection anywhere in the city.
Probably never before has there been
| a fife Of such magnitude absolutely
without loss of life and SO remarkably
free from accidents. The only persons
seriously injured was Jacob Inglefritz,
n volunteer fireman of York, Pa. He
was unconscious when taken to the
arose that he was dead. He soon re-
vived. however, and was reported, this
morning. to be suffering only from
broken leg and minor injuries. Many
firemen were temporarily overcome by
the dense smoke in which they We're
forced to work but, today, sore and
infamed eyes and utter exhaustion of
body constituted their chief disabili-
ties. The police and the Baltimore
militia men are also suffering from the
same continuous strain but the arri-
val, last night and today, of an addi-
tional regiment of State troops and the
rest obtained, last night, by the over
worked police force who We're given
opportunity to get some much needed
sleep placed them in fair condition to
continue the preservation of order an
Ger the abnormal conditions which will
prevail in Baltimore for many days to
come.
No disturbance occurred during the
night, the first since Sunday in which
Baltimore has dared to sleep. Utterly
exhausted the people of Baltimore
went to rest feeling assured that the
flames were enti-ly controlled and the