The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1904-02-12

Baltimore, Feb. 8.-Twenty blocks
of the most modern and substantial
buildings, involving property valued
at from 30,000,000 to $4,000, 900,
were destroyed by fire which broke
out at a few minutes before IL
o'clock Sunday morning in the whole
sale, dry goods house of John T.
Hurst & Co.
1t has ragged with unrestrained fury
continuously ever since, and at mid
night it is still unchecked, but is
steadily eating it's consuming way
westward on Baltimore street, after
having destroyed almost all the large
stores and warehouses in the whole
sale district around Hopkins place
and all the buildings on both sides
of Baltimore street from Howard to
Holiday streets, and Charles and Bal
timore to Lexington, and on Fayette
street from Charles to Holiday.
Ever since about o'clock. when
darkness came, the fire department,
although aided by engines from Wash
ington, Philadelphia, Wilmington and
the surrounding suburbs, has been ut
terly 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. Indeed, so terrific has
been the heat ever since the fire start
ed, and so dense and suffocating the
a
cinders, that it was difficult for the
firemen to stand long within fighting
distance of the flames, while early in
the afternoon several trucks and en-
gines were hopelessly disabled by
timbers.
Dynamite Used.
At Z o'clock the situation was so
desperate that Chief Horton decided
that the only thing left to do was to
dynamite buildings at threatened
points and thus prevent, as far as pos
sible, a further spread of the flames.
In pursuance. of this plan, number
of buildings on South Charles street,
between German and Lombard, were
blown up. subsequently, the splendid
structure of ]. w. Putback, notion
dealer, at Charles and Fayette streets,
was dynamited and then the Daily
Record building, Ross drug store and
others. However, this heroic remedy
merely delayed, but did not seriously
impede the onward march of the con-
f1agration and for two hours or more
the fire department was practically
helpless and resourceless in the face
of the roaring furnaces which sent
their fierce tongues 200 feet into the
air and which flied the heavens first
with a pail of black funereal smoke
and then with livid sheets of sparks
and lurid cinders.
Licks Up Huge Structures.
Following the rapid destruction Of
the palatial commercial buildings in
the wholesale district, the cyclone of
roaring names burst into Baltimore
street, lichlng up within few minutes
the seven story Mullins hotel like
some monster and rapidly rolling with
irresistible force both east and west,
cutting down wholesale and retail
houses, manufactures, shops, jewelry
stores, furniture depots and restaur-
ants. At Charles street the remorse-
less tide swept on down Baltimore
street, but also turned into Charles
street, where - quickly engulfed the
IL story Union Trust building.
People Flee for Safety.
At 8 o'clock occupants of the Daily
Herald building at Fayette and St.
Paul streets, and of the Record build
ing opposite were compelled to vacate
by the flames, as were the occupants
of the Calvert and Equitable struc-
lures, two of the most massive ONCE
buildings in baltimore. Down Balti-
more street, a paranel wall of roaring,
cracking flames swept, consuming
everything in its course, speedily
reaching the Evening News building,
from which the employees had to hast
lily fly, though not until valuable rec
ords had been removed. shortly there
after the continental Trust company's
IA story building took fire. A block
below the American Newspaper builo-
ing was enveloped in clouds of sparks
and burning splinters.
The financial district, including
the chief banking and brokerage firms
in South and German streets, seems
to be now doomed, and scores Of the
city's leading financiers and business
men are scurrying In and out of their
offices, bearing packages or placing
IL L..