Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-10

the center of a heat so intense that metal trimmings of the Skylights melt. ed and dripped through on to the desks. Tn the Mechanics bank the tsme locks on the vaults wesS sttll rum nl1g. As yet no figures on loss and insur. ance that can be regarded as official are obtainable. A careful canvass of insurance experts, builders and bust. ness men placed the loss in round fig | ures at $125, 100000 and the insurance at from $S0,0O0,O0o to $90,o00O0O. 1t is probable that these estimates will stand with slight change when the final figures are written. Much val uable property that lay in Mondays fire path was saved by the prompt ef- forts of merchants, and in that section the stock losses will be lighter than elsewhere. -..
 In declining aid proffered the city officials have taken pains to define their position. The blow that has be- fallen Baltimore has aroused an in tense civic pride in an effort to fight out its salvation; but, as Mayor Mo Lana expressed 1t, the city will not hesitate three minutes to ask assist ance if it becomes necessary,
 A careful investigation as to the origin of the great fire, which start ed in the Hurst building, has been made. It was at first reported that the blaze started from the explosion of gasoline engine in the cellar, but this is now given an emphatic denial
 Henry $. Hurst of the firm of John gasoline in the building and that the fire did not have it's origin in an ex- plosion of this liquid in the Hurst building. This statement was subse- quently corroborated by signed state ment issued by $. W. T. Hopper x Sons, insurance agents and brokers, who said that after careful inspections by deputies of their firm and of the Fire Underwriters association they were satisfied that there was no gaso. line in the building,
 MT. Hurst said that he, and Charles George q trusted employee, were the last persons to leave the building at 6:30 D. m. Saturday and that all the electric lights were turned off by switch. It is not denied that the fire originated in the Hurst building, but how 1t started is yet to be learned.
 One of the most remarkable freaks of the fire was the escape of the big government buildings. The flames wrought destruction on all sides of this group of structures except on the north. These buildings are the city hall, the United States courthouse, used as the temporary headquarters of the subtreasury pendi,ss the erection of the new building and by the cus- toms office, the postoffice buildings, which also contained the United States marshal's office, and the office of the collector of internal revenue. All to the south of this entire group is complete destruction, but these build ings escaped without q scratch.
 The military grip on the ruins has: been frightened to the limit, and for the present 1t Is impossible for any one to pass tho line of soldiers around the burned territory unless on a pass per- sonally issued by Brigadier General Riggs for official business. This was decided upon at Q conference held at which were present tho governor, Gen. eral Riggs and Mayor McLane. It was found that so many persons had se- cured possession of passes or other wise gained admission that it was thought advisable to prohibit every body. Tn the safes and vaults buried under the ruins are hundreds of nlil- lions Of dollars worth of securities, negotiable paper and cash, which the authorities feel they cannot leave ex- posed to even those who were granted passes. The burned area, it will be re- membered, includes the whole finan- cial district of the city, the entire wholesale territory and many office buildings.
 All the military and police passes heretofore issued were revoked, and soon after that troops were sent into the desolated tArritory to clear 1t of every one found. So rigidly was the mo pass' order enforced that physi- elan who has two patients just within the roped off section on the eastern side of the area was refused a pass, but was accompanied by an officer to the homes of tho sick persons.
 A revival of the fire lagt night in the lumber yard of William D. Gill & Son, at the extreme southeastern limit of the burned territory, caused a new alarm to be sent in, Four companies and a fire boat, the Cataract, respond ed, and late at night the blaze was un- der control.