The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-02-11
Baltimore Business Men Deter
 mined to Retain Trade,
TO ASK FOR FEDERAL TROOPS
Insurance Companies Offer to Advance 50 Per Cent of Claims, Which
 Will Greatly Facilitate
 Business Conditions.

Baltimore, February 10.-The situation in stricken Baltimore began to visibly clear today after a conference at the Belvidere hotel between Mayor McLane. special joint commission of the legis- lature, and a formidable delegation of representative business men. This confer ence was arranged with a view of meet ing in a practical way the exigency which this community now faces.
 The supreme question to be decided was that of calling upon the national govern ment for soldiers to take the places of the two state militia regiments now do- ing police duty in the burned district. The constitution of Maryland requires that no such request can be made of the President, except by authority of the state legislature The legislative commit tee was present to hear the views of the mayor and officers of the city on that point.
 Federal Aid Is Needed.
 A brief discussion showed the belief of those present that this is not time for sentiment to the ability of the state to take care of itself and that the United States were needed and needed at once.
 On this score 1t was shown that the mllitiamen were already much exhausted by their long continued sentry duty; that they should be relieved in order that trey might return to their several voca- tiors, and that the militia on active duty Is costing the state s500O0 day.
 Mayor McLane was particularly insist ent that to efficiently guard the hundreds of millions of treasure that lie buried be- faso !, the strong arm of the federal soldiers
 The announcement of the legislative committee that 1t would recommend at once the immediate passage of the nec- essary resolution, was received with pleasure by the officers and business men present.
 Will Pass Necessary Resolution.
 There is no doubt that within the past twenty-four hours the business men of Baltimore have aroused in an extraordin- ary degree to the importance of doing everything possible to keep their trade advantages from slipping away.
 Merchants and bankers have been con ferring today on this subject. and the prevailing conviction Is that 1t will re- quire the utmost vigilence to prevent the de1ection of a considerable volume of commerce to Philadelphia and New York.
 Situation Can Be Saved.
 It Is believed here that the situation may be saved if the debris can be cleared away and temporary buildings erected within four months. That a large per centage of the spring trade will be lost Is inevitable. There Is set resolution among wholesale merchants, however. that the percentage shall be as small as possible.
 The opening today of the board room by the chamber of commerce and the re- ceipt of quotations, the uninterrupted shipments of grain cargoes and the cer- tainty of state aid and the notification by some of the large insurance com panies of their readiness to pay 50 per cent on the losses. and the action of the legislature in asking for federal troops, constitute a chain of incidents which have contributed materially to the restoration of public confidence and cheerfulness.
 No Outside Aid Is Needed.
 Late this afternoon Mayor McLane re- considered his previous determination to announce that he would need outside aid. On this subject he said:
 "The situation here does not ustify such action. There Is no Restitution as yet. I cannot tell what may follow. We have a board of charities which looks after the city's destitute.
 ''Of course it may yet be necessary to ask for outside financial aid. In the course of the next few days I will be in a better position to definitely decide upon this matter. We have received by con tribution from various cities about s70O0 and additional offers of thousands of dol- l,aat do