The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-02-09
$ BLOCKS OF BALTIMOEc
 HEAPS OF SMOLDEyslNG RUINS
Flames Destroy Between $1OO,.OO,OOO and $3OO,- OO0,OOO Worth of Property in the Maryland Metropolis Casualty List Small, Only One
 Person Being Reported Killed

-
 
 
 of nearly a hundred fire companies, aided by the powerful fire tug. the Cataract. l Again and again the terrible heat, driver from the burning district across Jones Falls, isnited buildings and. lumber piles. Furious hand to hand fights occurred which fortunately for the residents oi East Baltimore were won by the firemen. Bucket brigades were formed to prevent the destructive leap of the flames across the narrow stream. Had the fire gained foothold in the cast side lumber yards 1t Is conceded nothing could have stop ped the onslaught and the departments would have been powerless to prevent damage as great if not greater than the Chicago fire.
 DYNAMITE USED TO
 -'-------~ CONQUER THE FIRE Dynamite explosions have been frequent today. The plan adopted last night of blowing up buildinga in. attempts to stay the progress of the flames, was continued until the fire was under control. Then the dynamiters turned their attention to raging totterins walls which threatened to collapse. Tho result was almost con stant cannonading and detonating was heard in ali parts of the city.
 With the fire under control the black ened waste which lies in the wake of the sea of flames presents a view terrible in its pyroteehnic grandeur. It can. be likened best to oceans of great coke ovens. each shooting out its thousand tongues of flames from pyramids of brick, stone and cement. Where the fire has died out nothing remains but blackened waste from which rise hundreds of tower ing. insecure shafts of the same color. These are all that is left of what were once handsome office buildings, storage wholesale and business houses of all kinds.
 The loss will not be accurately esti- mated for weeks, for business men, pros- porous yesterday morning are poor today. Expressions heard among these men as they look into the collapsed property re veal an astounding number who were only poorly protected by insurance. GREAT DANGER LUkHED
 .---.--.-.. ON EVERY HAND The high winds made iG near impossible for any one to pass through the streets bordered by crunbIihH.. walls. without grave danger to personal safety. ,Tangled masses of wires. cross and .recroSs the streets and were lashed % furiouly by the wind that they coUlastave proved nc more dangerou had they been alive.
 Ruins could De seen swayfng back and forth, appafefit1y ready every minute tc collapse. Many did fail during the morn ing. Flying glass. dust and sparks and embers filled the air. Tn that fearful district men prominent in commercial life were found. Many with heat -blistered and smoke-begrimed faces had been up all night and as the morning broke were taking the first inventory of losses.
 At 12:SO o'clock the northern limits oi tho fire had travelled from Fayette Street to Eastern Avenue. At this point half q dozen fire companies were fighting from the rear while other companies were Thanking on the Jones Falls and the Lib. erty Street borders. Sandwiches and cof- fee were served from drays. Many of the men were almost famished from their long and dangerous detail. LUMBER YARDS ON BOTH
 SIDES OF STREAM
 Every bridge over Jones Falls had a score of firemen and not infrcquehtly they were compelled to turn their attontion from towering pyres to put out flames on the floor below them. Both banks o1 Jones Falls were lined with lumber yards and the piles on one sido were blazing constantly and on the other throwing eff clouds of steam caused by the water turn ed on wood heated almost to the point of ignition.
 Tn that district no one knew whether the sun shone except those who had come from the northern districts. The clouds Of blinding, choking smoke totally ob- scured the sun and the wind from the northwest carried a spray of rain-like orops or water from across the falls.
 hn been checked the fire companies started hack over the course of the district. at- tempting to diminish the flaming ruins and prevent another outbreak. Moving vans. push carts and vehicles of all kinds fll the streets, carting household effects and values to safer positions.
 5o,Ooo ESTIMATED
 THROWN OUT OF WORK.
 Colonel J. Frank SuppIec. competent authority on factory statistics. estimates that the number of persons thrown ouf of employment will reach 50,COj. Others have estimated the enforced idleness at greatly more
 Inspector Of Buildings Pressen. afta, making careful study of the burned die. trict placed the buildings alone at $50. OOO. GOO.
 Tonight it is feared that aid must coroo from adjacent cities and a partial fam. inc will be an added phase of the sit,,a- tion. Restaurants are entirely witbou. food and the destruction of the common houses along the wharves has shut ofY tbo means of supply. Hotels are but little better off and though they say they arc able to feed their gueSts it is admitted the variety will he l-ssened at once. Pro l. arations are being made to rush supplies from New York in order to avert suffer ing in homes.
 Local fire officials extend unstinted praise to the fire companies from New York for the brave stand they made at the eastern end of the fire belt. Time and again they were driven from their position but at the American Ice Com pany's yard they made a last stand and won.
 CHEERING NEWS IS
 SPREAD WITH RAPIDITY
 The cheering news that the conhagrI- tion had been checked spread rapidly over the city and the great crowds that all day had surged against the tightly drawn fire lines began to turn homewarL. Unless the wind. which now blows oriSr- ly from the northwest, should change, 1t is believed that there Is no further danger But the firenen are taking no chances. All over the burned dstric; they are tonight fighting the fierce flames that still live in large piles of ruins Ihese fires are no menace, however, Tor they have nothing to feed upon outs3e their present limits
 During the afternoon the fire ate its