The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1904-02-11
Firemen Are Utterly Helpless and
Fire, After Raging ~ Hours,
Burns Itself Out.
Dynamite, Used to Shatter the Large
Buildings to Stop the Progress,
Proves Of No Avail.
Horror Started by an Explosion and
Flames Soon Beyond Control
City Under Martial Law.

Baltimore Sunday night because of a
terrific confiagration which started in
the forenoon.
The monetary loss will probably
reach 5000, DOC, 900. Square miles of the
most valuable property in the whole
sale dry goods, produce, lumber, ship
ping, railroad and financial districts
have been destroyed.
Fire Burns Itself Out.
At 2:40 p. m. it was announced that
the progress of the fire had been
checked and that it was burning itself
out. The last places to go were the
ice house and coal yard OF the Amer
lean Ice company. The coal yard,
which spread out about 200 yards
south of the ice house, was the means
OF staying the march of the flames on
the south and Jones' Falls on the east.
The Norfolk wharf of the Baltimore
Steam Packet company, which was
stocked with barrels OF rosin and other
miscellaneous merchandise, was de-
stroyed before the fire had attacked
the merchandise company's property.
1t took ~ hours to stop the progress
OF the great fire.
Many Big Firms Are Losers. +
Included in the burned territory were
q number Of financial establishments
of national repute, including the build
ings Of Alexander Brown & Sons, the
Continental Trust company, the Union
Trust company, the Atlantic Trust
company, the Offices of the Baltimore
G Ohio, the Pennsylvania Railway
company, the Maryland, Sou thern &
Chesapeake Railroad company, several
steamship companies and a number of
leading hatters, haberdashers, etc.
The main Offices Of the Western Union
and Postal Telegraph companies were
deserted long before midnight and the
buildings which they occupied are
practically destroyed.
All the Baltimore newspapers are
burned out and they were issued Mon
day morning from Washington.
Several Persons Injured.
Up to 1880 p. m. approximately IS
persons had been injured, including
one fireman seriously hurt while work.
ing in the burning section. The city
government has been entirely suspend
ed and the city is under complete mill
tary control.
At noon the burning area stretched
for blocks along the harbor in the
southeast section of the old part Of
the city. The fremen were working
bravely, but against fearful odds. The
area is enveloped in smoke that rises
in great volumes and rolls away over
the rest Of the city. Stretching back
along Jones' Falls is a host of build
ings Quilted by the flames. From the
Lombard Street bridge looking west
ward is a scene of utter destruction.
What once were large substantial
structures are now a mass Of smolder-
ing debris, q few walls here and there
standing like sentinels oyer the ruins.
Huge piles of %smoldering bricks, tan
gled networks of electric wires, a few
remnants of walls and here and there
telegraph poles burned and %smoldering
are all that remain to mark the prog
ress of the conhagration in that sec
ton.
/. Much Suffering Expected.
1t is anticipated that there may be
much suffering and restitution follow
ing upon the heels of the destructive
visitation, and Mayor McLane and
other city officials are already discuss
ing the most ready means of relief. It
is estimated that as many as 10000
persons will be thrown out of employ
ment, and many Of those and their
families will be without esources.
Brig. Gen. Rags, commanding the
state national guard, who has charge
of the street patrol, has issued strict
instructions to guard against any pos
sible looting Of partially destroyed or
abandoned houses. So far there have
been no instances of looting reported.
Calls Extra Session of Legislature.
Gov. Warfeld has called an extra
session of the legislature to meet Mon
day evening at eight o'clock to en-
power him to declare the city under
martial law and suspend all business
for ten days. The action was taken
after a conference with Attorney GEN
eral Fran. who advised the governor
that he I'd not have authority to re-
lieve tn RI authorities of RESPONSE
bility wiiLou, tie authorization of the
legislature.
Monday was declal cd a legal holi-