Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1904-02-10

rweniy'iour Business Blocks Buraed--,Ioss
will Reach far Into the Millions.

Baltimore. Md, February The fire
which broke out q few minutes before ii
O'Clock this morning in the W oiesale dry
goods house of John e. Hurst q Co., has
ragged with pnrestrained fury continu-
ously since, aud at midnight It is still nm
checked. but is steadily eating it's way,
eastward on Baltimore street, after hay-
ing destroyed almost all of the large
stores aud warehouses in the wholesale
district around Hopkins Place, and all
the bnildings,on both sides of Baltimore
street from Howard to Holiday street,
from Charter and Baltimore to Charles.
and Lexington, and on Fayettee street
from Chsries to Holiday, including about
twenty blocks of tho most modern and
substantial business buildings in Balti-
more, involving loss which cannot now
be estimated, but which has certainly al
ready reached thirty or forty millions of
dollars.
Every since about o'olook, when dark
ness came, the fire department, although
aided by engines from Washington, Phil,
adelphia, Wilmington and the surround
ing counties' and suburbs, has been
utterly powerless to make any effective
resistance to the consuming element.
though for hours as many as 400 streams
OF water were thrown into the flames.
BALTIMORE HAS BUT ONE PAPER.
Washington, February 7.--Trains from
Baltimore to night are crowded with leo
ple'leaving the Inflated city, or who have
been to look at the great fire. All wire
communication is cut off between this
city and Baltimore. Before this occurred
every newspaper Office except tho Even
ing World had either burned or had been
blown up with dynamite in the effort. to
stay the spread of the flames. The Balti-
more SUMS force came to Washington
tonight and will, through the courtesy
of the Star, publish an edition here.
UNDER MARTIAL LAW.
Baltimore February Sat the call of
Governor Warfield the Legislature met
in extra session this afternoon to author
ize the declaration of martial law.
The city is now under the guard
and protection of Federal and State
troops. Major General Corbin, com
manding the Department of tho East,
at New York, is enroute to take
military command of the city. He will
have under him one thousand United
States troops in addition to the State
troops now on duty.
SUMMARY OF FIRE LOSSES.
Baltimore, February S.-The following
summary was given out this afternoon at
O'Clock: tH
The burned area is more than TWO
miles square and is the site of the busi-
ness center of Baltimore. 10
Every newspaper plant, the telegraph
offices and the Associated Press have
been destroyed. .,,,,.r
The loss, estimated at 5000, ,OOO, 900
early In the day, is now reported to far
exceed these figures. s!'f
The fire, began early yesterday morning
in the wholesale house of Hurst g. Co.,
was followed by terrific explosions.
Washington, New York and Philadel-
phia and all neighboring cities rushed
fire apparatus to the stricken city. Seve-
raj thousand firemen have been fighting
the flames, which are now raging as fierce
as ever, without avail.
To-day has been declared legal holi-
day by Governor Warfield in order to
allay the financial excitement
The Legislature will be called in extra
session this afternoon to authorize tho
declaration of martial law,
The city is now being guarded by State
and Federal troops, augmented by thou
sands of deputies, policemen and firemen.
Buildings in tho path of the conflagra,
tion are being dynamited by firemeu.
Ships and tugs in the harhor have been
anchored in mid-stream to escape the
fire now raging on the waterfront
CONGRESS TO ASSIST BALTIMORE.
Washington, February S-A bill was
introduced in the House to-day by Rep:
resentative Enrich, of Illinois, appro-
priating Sl,00O,000 for the relief of the
sufferers from the Baltimore fire.
RIG FIREs IN UNITED STATES.
This great conhagration in Baltimore
brings to mind the other great fires of
the United States, as follows:
New York, December 10, 1S35-Num-
ber of buildings burned 674; loss ST.
100000.
Chicago, October, 1ST1-Number of
buildings burned II ,450; loss 500, 200, 600;
number of killed 25O.
Boston, November 8, 1S72-Number of
buildings burned 600; loss $4,000, 900;
number of killed ID.