Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-12
This Work Alone Will Cost
Baltimore 100000.
Resumption Of Business by Banks
Inspires Confidence.
Matter of Accepting Aid Has Not Been
Decided.


confidence was the re-
of business by the banks. de-
posts being received and checks hon.
ored in the usual way.
The knowledge that Baltimore's ter
minal facilities are intact and that
the great grain elevators were not in
volved i'm the fire has also served to
promote a popular conviction that the
situation is not so dark as it has here
tofore appeared.
The progress which has been made.
today, in the work of clearing the deb
ris from the streets in the burned dis
trict seems almost magical. No at
tempt was made to do more than to
clear the streets from curb to curb, the
debris being piled UP on the sidewalks
and back of the building line. Many
walls which overhung the
streets were pulled down.
All through the financial districts
preparations are being made to open
safes and vaults.\ Those of the Ger
man Bank and the German Fire 1nsur-
ance Company, Baltimore and Hol-
land streets, were opened and the cash
and books taken cut uninjured. The
vaults of the Marine Bank were opened.
this afternoon, and found intact. Not
one instance has been heard Of a vault,
the contents of which have been Sc
riously damaged.
The Chamber of Commerce, the di-
rectory of which includes some of the
wealthiest and most influential mer-
chants, has been exceedingly active, to-
day, in sending broadcast to every
center of trade in this country and
Europe the assurance that Baltimore
is now in prime condition to transact
all shipping, grain and foreign trade
and that all other lines of business will
be restored to their normal channels
within the next two or three months.
Many merchants and manufacturers
whose places of business were swallowed
up in the confiaSration have signed con-
tracts for rebuilding and there are on all
sides the greatest signs of activity in this
respect.
The matter of accepting aid from other
cities has not yet been finally decided
upon. according to Mayor McLane. The
fire did not reach the residential section
of the city and there is no actual desti-
tutloH lIlS tlIlC. lt IiuitotioIo al
that the citizens of Baltimore will be
fully able to take care of all cases of
want that might present themselves The
mayor feels grateful for the many prof
fors of aid fl ON the citizens of this coun-
try and from foreign lands.
President Harry F. West and Second
Vice President Lincoln X. Passmore of
the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co. Phil
adelphia. called on Mayor McLane, this
afternoon. and offered to loan the city
Immediately half a million dollars if the
municipality was in need of money.
Congressman +. c. Wachter of this city,
also called on the mayor to see if Congress
could do anything. The mayor replied
that he as yet had seen nothing to JUS
tify an appeal for aid.
Offers of aid from outside continue to
pour in on the mayor and messages of
sympathy without number are still accu-
mulating at the City hall.
Baltimore Md, Feb. 11.-Three hun
dred laborers reported to Street Clean
ing Commissioner Wickes, today. They
were divided into squads and marched
into the burned district. Accompanying
the wOrkmen were hundreds of carts
and trucks.
Besides this force. several hundred
railroad workmen began to take down
the iron pillars and girders left stand
ing around the ruins which in their
present position. constitute an element
of danger. The whole city has been
rOunsed to the necessity of pushing for
ward the resurrection of the ruined
district.
The magnitude of this work may be
realized when it is estimated that the
mere clearing away of the debris will
cost about 100000.
A number of individual merchants
and bankers announced, today, that
they have already made definite ar
engagements for the erection of new
structures.
Already fully a thousand firms have
found quarters in other parts of the
city and others are still seeking places
where to put only a desk. Desirable
locations are scarce and old buildings
which stood idle for years have been
quickly seized by burned out concerns.
In numerous instances business houses
outside the fire area have given up por-
tons of their buildings to unfortunate
firms.
Brig. Gen. Laurawan Riggs, who has
been summoned to Annapolis to appear
before the bar of the house of delegates
and explain why he refused to permit
his troops to recognize passes issued
by Gov. Wakefield, left for the state
Capitol, today.
The general explained that he was
not acting independently nor was he
in absolute control Of the situation. He
said that ever since the troops were
called out he has been working in con-
junction with the police department.
Inc mayor. the marshal of police, and
himself have held frequent confer
ences and everything done had first
had the approval Of these officials.
Speaking of the order revoking all
passes Gen. Riggs said:
After thorough inspection of the
burned territory it was found that
many persons had gained admission to