Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-02-11

which broke out a few minutes before
II o'clock yesterday morning in the
wholesale dry goods house of John Es
Hurst & Co. has ragged with unre-
strained fury continuously ever since
and at a late hour this morning was
still unchecked, but was steadily eat
ing its consuming way eastward on
Baltimore street, after having de-
stroyee ali of the large stores and
warehouses in the wholesale district
around Hopkins Place and all the
buildings on both sides of Baltimore
street from Howard to Holiday
street, from Charles and Baltimore TO
Charles and Lexington and on Gay
cite street from Charles 20 Holiday.
including a total of about twenty
blocks of the most modern and sub
~stantial buildings in Baltimore, in
voIving a loss which cannot now be
estimated. but which has certainly
already exceeded fifty millions of dol
lars-
Firemen Utterly Powerless.
Ever since about 6 o'clock last
night, when darkness set in, the fire
department, although aided by en-
gines from Washington, Philadelphia,
New York, Wilmington and the sur
rounding suburbs, has been utterly
powerless to make any effective Ie-
sistance to the consuming element,
though for hours rs many as 400
streams of water were thrown into
the flames. Indeed so terrific has
been the heat ever since the fire
started and so dense and ~suffocating
the volume of flying sparks and burn
ing cinders that 1t was difficult for
the firemen to stand long within fight
ing distance of the flames, while early
in the afternoon several trucks and
engines were hopelessly disabled by
falling timbers. At 7 o'clock the sit
uation was so desperate that Chief
Horton decided that the only thing
left to 70 was
To Dynamite Buildings
at threatened points and thus prevent
as far as possible the spread of the
flames. In pursuance of this policy
buildings on Charles street between
German and Fayette, we're blown up.
simultaneously the splendid struc-
ture of j. w. Puts & Co., notion deal
ers at Charles and Fayette streets,
was dynamited, and then the Daily
Record building, Ross drug store and
/ others. But this heroic remedy mere
ly delayed but did not impede the on
ward march Of the flames, and for
two hours more the fire department
stopped practically helpless and re-
s~ourceless In the face of the flaming
furnaces, which sent their fierce
tongues 200 feet into the air, and
which filed the heavens first with q
cloud OF black, funeral smoke, and
then with a shower Of lurid sparks
and cinders.
Following the destruction of the
palatial commercial buildings In the
Wholesale district, the
Cyclone Of Flames
burst into Baltimore street, licking
up within a few minutes the seven
story Mullins hotel like some insati-
ate monster and rapidly rolling with
irresistible force both eastward and
westward. cutting down wholesale
and retail houses. manufactures.
shops. jewelry stores. furniture en-
poriums and restaurants.
At Charles street. the remcrseless
tide swept on down Baltimore street.
but also turned into Charles street,
where 1t quickly ensulfed the eleven
story Union Trust building. starting
eastward on Fayette street.
BY 5 o'clock the occupants Of the
Daily Herald building at Fayette and
st. Paul streets, and OF the Record
building opposite. were compelled to
vacate by the onrrushing flames. as
were the occupants Of the Calvert and
Equitable structures. two of the most
massive once buildings In Baltimore.
consumes Everything In IT. courst.
Down Baltimore street, q parallel
wave Of roaring. cracking flames
swept, consuming everything In its
course, speedily reaching the Evening