The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-02-12
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ny's safe alone. papers to the amount
OF more han $200, oo0.0 900 were recover
ed. The news spread over the Whole
city and encouraged immediate n
thorough investigation. Merchants and
their assistants. smoke-soiled and be-
grimed and hollow-eyed from Anxiety
and loss OF sleep worked like iaoorers
in the smoking ruins to COZ their
safes, and in nearly every instances
they were rewarded by intact contents
Another surprise was the discovery
that two financial concerns whose
homes were directly in the path or the
flames, were practically unnar1ned-
These were the Mercantile Trust Com
pany and Brown Brothers Bank. Inc
escape of these buildings is attributed
70 their lack OF height. They do not
exceed four stories n as they were
surrounded by lofty structures Inc
flames swept over them. I
There are between 81. co., 900 and W.
0oo, 600 now in the vaults OF the SUD
treasury, OF which over sI,0oo.oc0 are IN
eo,d. The remainder consists OF cur
rency, silver and minor coin. rms
amount is inadequate to meet the
emergency demands of the trade OF the
city. With considerably more tnan
three-fourths of the leading banking ID,
situations of the city DESTROYED ana
their vaults buried in the oeprls anu
therefore inaccessible. though happily
intact. the business men OF the city are
seriously embarrassed in the transac-
lions OF business.
Supplying Banking Facilities
Assistant Treasurer Dryden n
Cashier L. H. Nice are taking every
possible Measure TO meet the necessi-
ties arising from the lack of banking
facilities. In their steps they have tue
hearty cooperation OF the treasury
department, which has expressed q
readiness to ship n amount or money
that 10 needed, even IL the need
stretches into the millions. Wnen NJ.
DRYDEN telephoned Secretary SHAW ne
told him the situation in detail. Hlr.
Shaw told him hat the OF the
treasury were at the disposal or Baltl-
more and directed that business DE-
transacted Immediately at the SUP
treasury. regardless of the PUBIC non
day proclaimed until Tuesday, the laln
instant by the governor OF the state
Yesterday. The extraordinary action
was deemed best to meet the enerSen-
cv TIL m the doors were open
ed, the heavy demand for money pc
| gan and from all parts of the city came
| persons clamoring for silver ceruncates
| Of small denominations, fractlohai sh-
yer and minor coin.
Guarding the Vaults.
Small notes and small silver were
| most HeeQeQ. Inc llDeIai
ments of cash supplies promised from
Washington will greatly relieve the SIT
/ uation. 1t is probable that the first IN
staIlment will be upwards OF seVeral
hundred dollars. though the figures are
kept secret in accordance with the IN
variable custom of the government
The utmost precautions against at
tack on the vaults were put into force
and a heavy military guard safe guard
ed every room, corridor, window ano
walls of the building. The detail con
sisted OF 58 men Of the Twenty f1rS'
Company, coast artillery who came
from Fort McHenry at the request O.
the sub-treasury authorities. Captain
T. T.. Brady was in charge. One or wv
men were posted at every window useC
by the paying teller. receiving. telie1
and other officials who dealt direct-3
with the public and at every corr e
stood an artiLeryman. Men were post
ed beside the vault, others patrola
the cellar under the building. Will
every approach to the structure, Whct
occupies a block in the heart OF tn
city at b edge Of the burned area
was heavily guarded and sentries KEEP
the public from ali the sidewalks OF
every side of the building. These pre-
cautions were in contemplation or IN
presence of the vast crowds, OF
chaotic conditions in the business 81 -:
stricken city and the large number q
criminals that have come here.
Outside the area this afternoon an
tonight, the streets were filled wit
tramping thousands. Multitudes o
people and residents as we'll as the ou
OF town folks who came flocking to tn
city on every train spent the earl
hours of the evening on the section jus
back of the fire lines. gazing at tn
wrecked buildings. Solid ines OF spec
tators stretched almost the Who'll
l loo-+h oe tho hnrdorC of the fire. sven
district and back from for many book
all along the line surged such crowd
as Baltimore had seldom seen.
From the suburbs and the outlyini
country districts, came an army of Wis
itors, many of them driving carriage
that showed signs of the muddy ri a
Dads. But it was an orderly crow
and gave no trouble to the police o
soldiers. AT the dnks. adjacent to tn
fire section, guards Were stationed. ..
the great broad plaza between tn,
court house and the city postofiice tn,
crowd was roped off and in the squaT'
thus formed the First Regiment of tn
Maryland national guard was stationed
frequently being put through tn
manuel of arms to warm I'D the ha-
frozen militiamen.
Government Buildings Escaped.
One of the most remarkable freaks o
the fire was the escape of the big gov
eminent holdings. The flames w.ouS1
destruction on ali sides of this grcul
OF structures, except on the mort
These buildings are the city hall, III
United States court house, used as t..
temporary headquarters of the sub
treasury pending the erection OF tn
new building and by the customs Office
the p~ostoffice building which also con
tanned the United States marshals Of
fee and the Office OF the collector o
internal evenue. All to the south o
this entire group is complete destruc
ton, but these buildings escaped viii
out a scratch.
At the city ~postoffice, the usual rou
tine has been resumed. Nam me
were occupied in returning the "valuabl
mails from the sub-StationS whenc
they had been removed Sunday. and i
taking packages from the vaults
Firms in the burned district are serve
by the various carriers in charge q
Il tho. eaation OF na- zddracsaS zEhip