Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-09
SERVICES NOT NEEDED
Lieut.. Moore's Squad Returns
From Baltimore.
MILITARY IN CHARGE
VIEW OF THE STRICKEN CITY'S
FIRE-sWEPT AREA.
Thousands of People Out Of Employ
ment and Number of Fami
lies Homeless.
MILITARY IN CHARGE

Maj. sylvesters policemen and detectives
who reached Baltimore last night about
o'clock, under the command of Lieut.
Moore, learned that Marshal Farnan did
not need their services at that time. The
troops were practically in possession of the
burned district, although there was a large
sprinkling of uniformed policemen on
guard. From Camden station the Wash
ington men marched in the direction of po-
lice headquarters. They had gone but a
short distance before fixed bayonets brought
them to halt. Policemen had passed
them through the lines where they were On
duty, but the soldiers demanded more com
plete explanations before they would break
the lines. In a short time the squad had
passed the last fire line between the rail-
road station and the headquarters of the
Baltimore police department. and the uni
formed men were drawn up in line on the
pavement, while Lieut.. Moore and the de-
tectives accompanied by an Evening Star
reporter, entered the building and met Mar
shall Farnan. The police chief showed the
effects of the terrible strain under which
he had been laboring since Sunday morn
ing when an alarm turned in by one of his
men, at the request of a Washingtonian,
gave the first intimaton to the general
public that fire had started In the ousi-
ness section of the city.
While the marshal was grateful for
what Maj. Sylvester had already done for
the stricken city, he told Lieut.. Moore that
he had ample force last night and that his
men could return home. He said he Thought
no more Washington policemen would be
needed. but that he would not hesitate to
send for aid should he need it,
The few members of the Baltimore detec-
ave rorce who were at hea dQuarterS had
been on duty so many consecutive hours
that they were about played out. This
force was badly crippled because of an &C
cident that occurred to Capt Pumphrcy
chief of the corps while he was hurrvine
over the streets in the vicinity of the fire,
He slipped and fell, breaking his leg. His
injury will necessarily keep him away from
the office for some time Detective Narl-
Hagan is acting in his stead, and has 10
remain in the office most of the time to
give orders and hear reports
II was apparent that the work of the de-
partment was terribly demoralized OWN,
to the fire, and but little was known Of
headquarters concerning what was grin,
on IN sections of the city remote from The
burned district. Reports We're not being
received from the men on duty throueboui
the city, and no effort was being mad 70
report fire losses or casualties such as is
done during ordinary fires
Thousands Out of Employment.
I'VE know very little about whas &c soin.,
on remarked headquarters ma, to
detective from this city. practically no
messages are being received, and there has
not been an official report of injury to fire.
men or others received here. We do reolize
tnat the hre has thrown more thnn fftv
Thousand people out of emplovn,enf ma
mat that VIII cause more trouble later on
fn ,rn ~, aiisIhih g else t "i'. be laoossib:e
LOT the city to carry so many peonIe and
AID. In my opinion, will have TO come frn,,,
sources outside of the state,
- was reported that the occupants of
some or the smaller houses in the h,rra
uistrict nad saved part of their effects ana
nad spread their beds on vacant Iots a 90 e.
Instance from the fire. Statements made
py some members of the Baltimore noIice
! iolce lndicated clearly that many of the
coppers did not relish the presence Of IT,
soldlers in the city. Some of the men were
cutspoken IN their opposition, but Others
were pleased at the assistance heinz ran
aered by the troops 1t was conceded that
the fire will burn for a week or moro ana
by the time the flames have finally died
away the police will be in condition to do
regular duty, and again give the entire citv
the necessary protection
me matter Of what is to be done with the
unemployed was freely discussed in police
circles, and while some suggested that the
general government will have to come to
their rescue others thought the people of the
city VIII be able to care for them 1t was
suggested by some police officials that the
state legislature might appropriate a large
sum of money and pay some of the sufferers
TO 90 work in connection with guarding
property IN the burned district This, of
course, will not be necessary until the SOL
diers have been withdrawn
Many Merchants Lose ALL
While 1t is true that many merchants were
fortunate enough to save some of their val
uabes, an official said, it is equally true
that many others did not save so much as a
pin. Thousands of dollars worth of dia-
monds and jewelry are in the debris. but
there is no telling what the fire has done to
them. 1t Will be several days vet before an
attempt will be made to look through the
ruins to see If there is anything to be saved
from the wreck. There are hundreds of fire.
proof safes in the mass, and the work of
getting them out and examining them will
have to be done in a systematic manner in
order to prevent looting. 1t is yet too early
to tell just how the salvage work is to be
done, but the police say there will have to
be police supervision of some kind, and that
only authorized persons will be permitted
within the confines of the burned area while
the work is going
Detective Summers of the Baltimore office
conducted party of Washington officers
and an Evening Star reporter through a
portion of the burned district, starting from
the headquarters in the court house Just
across the street from the Headquarters
piles of timbers were burning, and OCCASION
ally there was to be seen a bright light
made by the burning of gas where the sup
ply could not be cut off without causing
trouble in other sections of the city. Less
than one square from the central home of
the police departments there were shells of
some of the large mercantile houses and
even nearer We're piles of brick, stone, iron
and other material, all that was left of
what were once 'fireproof' structures. The
party of Washingtonians was guided over
the narrow streets that had been complete
ly oblterated by the debris.
Guide Designates Streets.
"This" the guide would say, lis Howard
street, and he would then proceed to point
out where some particular merchant had
lost all his possessions. At some points
where he would say the visitors were on a
particular street they would be several feet
above the cobblestone pavement. and We're
compelled to climb over the piles of debris
and get through the network of fallen
wires. Many of the wires had carried the
electric currents for the trolley roads, while
others had been used to supply lights for
the city. Smaller wires belonged to the
telegraph and telephone companies.
How fortunate Washington Is in the mat
ter Of overhead wires the Baltimore tle-
tective remarked a number of times, when
the members of the little party found IL