The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1904-02-12
BUSINESS SECTION ENTIRELY
| SWEPT AWAY BY FLAMES
-onflagration RACES, With Fire Department
Unable to Resist lt--City is Doomed.
1 No Fatilities as Yet Reported.

Baltimore, Feb. 8.-Twenty block,
{ the most modern and substantial
buildings, involving property valued
t from $3O,OOO.OOO to $4,000, 900
Fere destroyed by fire which broke
ut at few minutes before II
'clock Sunday morning in the whole
ale dry goods house of John T
Hurst & Co.
1t has ragged with unrestrained fury
pntinuously ever since, and at mid
light it is still unchecked, but is
teadily eating its consuming way
eastward on Baltimore street, after
aving destroyed almost all the large
ores and warehouses in the whole
ale district around Hopkins place
nd all the buildings on both sides
Baltimore street from Howard to
Holiday streets, and Charles and Bal
more to Lexington, and on Fayette
reet from Charles to Holiday.
Ever since about 6 o'clock, when
arkness came, the fire department,
though aided by engines from Wash
>on, Philadelphia, Wilmington and
be surrounding suburbs, has been ut
Prly poweriess to make any effective
Rsistance to the consuming element,
Dough for hours as many as 400
freams Of water were thrown into
pc flames. Indeed, SO terrific has
pen the heat ever since the fire start
4, and SO dense and suffocating the
plume of flying sparks and burning
Fnders, that it was difficult for the
Femen to stand long within fighting
fstance Of Ine flames, while early in
pc afternoon several trucks and en-
zines were hopelessly disabled by
|mbers.
Dynamite Used.
At Z O'Clock the situation was so
operate that Chief Horton decided,
pat the only thing left to do was to
Hnamite buildings at threatened
Pints and thus prevent, rs far as pos
|ble, a further spread of the flames.
pursuance Of this plan, a number
buildings on South Charles street,
etween German and Lombard, were
|own up. subsequently, the splendid
Fructure of ]. w. Putback, notion
ealer. at Charles and Fayette streets,
las dynamited and then the Daily
|ecord building, Ross drug store and
khers. However, this heroic remedy
|erely delayed, but did not seriously
hpede the onward march Of the con.
hgration and for two hours or more
Ae fire department was practically
eipless and resourceless In the face
the roaring furnaces which sent
leir fierce tongues 200 feet into the
= and which flied the heavens first |
nth pail of black funereal smoke |
nd then with livid sheets OF sparks
I'D lurid cinders.
Licks UP Huge Structures.
Following LIE rapid destruction of
|e palatial commercial buildings in
|e wholesale district, the cyclone Of
|aring names burst into Baltimore
rect, ltcAing up wltnin few minutes
70 seven story Mullins hotel like
|me monster and rapidly rolling with
resistible force 10th east and west,
ltting down wholesale and retail
'uses. manufactures, shops, jewelry
pres, furniture 0epots and restaur-
rs. At Charles street the remorse-
% tide swept on down Baltimore
reet, but also turned into Charles
rect. where quickly engulfed the
story Union Trust building.
People Flee for Safety.
At o'clock occupants Of the Daily
raid building at Fayette and st.
VI streets. and Of the Record build
opposite were compelled to vacate
the flames, as were the occupants
the Calvert and Equitable struc- :
es, two of the most massive Once !
lldings in Baltimore. Down Balti- !
re street, paranel wall of roaring, ,
ckling flames swept, consuming :
in it's course, speedily
ching the Evening News building,
m which the emp.oyes had tol hast :
fly, though not until valuable rec
8 had been removed. shortly there- 3
sr the continental Trust company's J
story building took fire. A block :
ow the American Newspaper builo- :
was enveloped in clouds of sparks
burning splinters.
he financial district, including
chief banking and brokerage firms a
South and German streets. seems '
De now doomed. and scores Of the p
g leading finanoiers and business o
are scurrying In and out Of their p
'es. bearing packages or placing s
tables In conveyances. n
t 10:45 o'clock the roof Of the p