The Farmville herald. [volume] (Farmville, Va.) 1890-1934, 1904-02-26

perhaps an inexcusable impulse seize6
me TO go aud sea business Baltimore II
ashes. ] said to myself that ! haC
rather see il than 90 10 the ST. Louii
exposition or hear Patti sing, and 50
went. And not that love to look II
upon trouble or see the faces Of friends
after death. / prefer to remember
them living, with the health CLEAN IN
their eyes and the health glow on thell
cheeks, and the result is that while
am not afraid Of the chamber Of sick
ness am of that Of death. And why
1 should have so desired to see Balti-
more in ruins rather than remember II
in all its architectural strength and
symmetry, | have not as yet found an
answer.
Suffice to say | went and my first
glimpse Of the wreck | caught from
deck Of steamer as 1t plowed its way
through the ice gorge which had gath
cred in the Patapsco.
Charred and blackened marble stood
out in striking contrast to the places
Of thrilling life when / last saw them,
and just beyond the eye caught
glimpses Of lone chimneys, crumbling
walls and indescribable mounds Of de-
bris. Among the first to leave the
boat after it had made the landing !
started in quest of the once familiar
places without the aid Of guide OF stop
ping to ask questions. But had not
gone far before / was stopped at the
point Of bayonet, aud the soldiers
command to "halt.p am law abiding
generally, but especially so under such
conditions. There was no need to dis
cuss the matter and so after having
peered into the gap made by the flames
moved TO another arc Of the circle
only 20 fluid another vigilant sentinel
on duty. Another peep IN upon
smoldering ruins and on I went until 1
had well nigh encircled the wrecked
areas and had taken in some concep-
ton Of the appalling ruin.
The presence Of the soldiers was Of
essential value, for not only was the
city crowded with lockers on but with
looters a. well. In some parts Of my
Journey about the once busy center now
instinct with the stiffness Of death IT,
self. was permitted to stand in close
touch with some Of the ruins, and es-
pecially was this true Of some Of the
spots with which ! was most familiar.
For a season had an office in the
mammoth Equitable building, and
though it bad been reported as a total
loss. / found its giant steel frame still
standing in all its majestic splendor
The ca.ket remained, but the jewels
within had all been consumed, for there
was not a vestige Of fixtures or furnish
ings To be found. And hard by the
colossal Continental Trust Company
reared its proud head as high in mid
air as ever, though the devouring
flames had claimed all that had been
so valued within.
| tried hard to learn by personal in
spection what remained Of the great
newspaper plants, the Sun, American,
News. aud Herald, but the watchful
soldiers kept me back, and could only
catch a glimpse Of the places where
the editors and reporters wrote and the
printers labored while others slept, and
the ponderous presses put into per-
manency the thoughts that breathed
and the words that burned. And just
here passing tribute to the heroic
men Of the press, the last to leave their
desks and cases, and the first to be
found working hard at Others before
the ashes had cooled or even the flames
mad died. The heroism Of life reaches
no higher point than in newspaper
offices Of the age. News is no longer a
mere thing ofiut rest but Of inestima-
ole value As well. HE that regardeth
the clouds will not SOW" but the man
who ignores the papers will suffer be-
cause Of Ignorance.
Yes | found once busy Baltimore a.
silent as the grave, but outside the
-trickened center the current Of life
tbrobbed with renewed force and the
great throng went hurrying by with
quickened pace. Business men were
hunting new work shops, wagons drag
eed heavily under loads rescued from
the flames, curiosity seekers choked the
streets, hotels and restaurants were
crowded as bee hives are, men without
Jobs looked sadly on the spots where
the stores stood, the fair typewriters
sighed DER the wrecks Of their ma
chimes. old men shook their heads and
bowed DER the loss Of that which the
energy and thought Of a life time had
accumulated, young men hopefully
said. "we will come again" and over
and above it all the lusty yell of the
newsboy could be heard announcing
the latest extra, all about the great
fire and the big battle" From one OF
those "extrasn / read this from the
city's courageous chief magistrates
Baltimore is grateful for generous Of
fer Of outside aid, but as yet Baltimore
is master Of the situation and respect
fully declines" Her own soldiers
guard the ruins, though Gen. Corbinr
with regulars at his command, offered
TO do so, and her own people will care
for her own people though eighty mil
lions Of fellow citizens rendered theli
contributions.
In spirit such as this We have SURE
prophecy Of Baltimore rebuilt on ye'
l e. f.urdaffon stones and with IA