Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-02-10

tobeI, loii, was lH' DiBBest III lne
worlds history; in that the acreage
covered by the flames was more than
two thousand, but the pecuniary loss
was only sl92,OOO,OOO the loss of life
200.-Ed.)
Baltimore. Feb. l0.-The estimates
made by the insurance men is that
the loss will be about one hundred
and twenty-five million and the insur
ance from eighty to ninety million
They are agreeably surprised to find
that most all of the valuable securi
ties in the large office buildings and
trust companies are safe and they are
being recovered.
Baltimore. Feb. IA fire which
broke out a few minutes before II
O'Clock this morning in the wholesal,
dry goods house of John +. Hurst
Co.. has ragged with unrestrained fury
continuously ever since and at mid
night It is still unchecked, but Is
steadily eating its consuming way
eastward on Baltimore street, after
having destroyed almost all of thC
large stores and warehouses in tn,
wholesale district around Hopkins
Place and all buildings on both side,
ol Baltimore street from Howard tt
Holiday street. from Charles and Bal
timore to Charles and Lexington ant
on Fayette street from Charles TO Hol
liday, including total OF about twen
ty blocks of the most modern and sub
stantial buildings in Baltimore. in
volving a loss which cannot now b,
estimated, but which has certainly al
ready exceeded s30,OO0,O0O or $4,000,
000.
Firemen Powerless.
darkness came, the fire department
although aided by engines from Wash
ington. Philadelphia. Wilmington ant
surrounding suburbs. has been utter
ly powerless to make any effective re
sistance to the consuming element
though for hours as many as 40l
streams of water were thrown int
the flames. Indeed so terrific has
been the heat ever since the fire start
ed and so dense ana suffocating tn,
volume of flying sparks and burninl
cinders, that II was difficult for tn
ilremen TO stand long within fightini
distance OF the flames. while early II
the afternoon several trucks and en-
gines were hopelessly disabled by tim
bers.
Buildings Dynamited.
At o'clock the situation was 81
desperate that Chief Horton decide,
that the only thing left TO do was I,
| dynamite the building at threatene,
points and thus prevent, as far a
possible. the spread OF the flames. II
pursuance OF this policy buildings ol
Charles street, between German an,
Fayette were blown up. Simultar
eously the splendid structure of J. W
Puts & Co. notion dealers at Charlie
and Fayette streets. was dynamite
and then the Daily Record building
the Ross drug store and others. Blu
this heroic remedy merely delayed
but did not impede the onward marc
Of the flames and for two hours o
more the fire department has stopped
practically helpless and resourceless
In the face of the flaming furnaces
which send their fierce tongues 20
feet into the air. and which filled tn
heavens first with cloud of black
funeral smoke, and then with show
er OF lurid sparks and livid cinders
Following the destruction of the pala
tial commercial buildings in tn
Wholesale district. the cyclone O
flames burst into Baltimore street
licking up within a few minutes tn
seven.story Mullins hotel like som
insatiate monster. and rapidly rollin
with irresistible force both eastwar
and westward. cutting down Who'll,
sale and retail houses. manufactures
shops, jewelry stores, furniture en-
poriums and restaurants.
AT Charles street, the remorseles
tide swept on down Baltimore street
but also turned into Charles street
where II quickly engulfed the sever
story Union Trust building. startin
eastward on Fayette street.
BY S o'clock the occupants of tn
Daily Herald building at Fayette an
ST. Paul streets and OF the Recor
building opposite were compelled 4
vacate by the onrushing flames. a
were the occupants OF the Calvert an
Equitable structures. two of the mos
massive Office buildings In Baltimor,
Down baltimore street a parable
wave OF roaring. cracking fame
swept, consuming everything in Il
course, speedily reaching the Evenin
News building. from which the en-
ployes had to hastily fee. though nc
until valuable records had been r,
moved
So at this hour, II is certain tina
the Herald and American will not e
cut issues tomorrow.
The financial district. including tn
chief banking and brokerage firms o
South and Germain streets, seems [
be now doomed and scores of th
city's leading financiers and ousines
men are scurrying in and out of the
Offices, bearing packages of valuable
and placing in conveyances.
j A Grand Display.
| During all these hours the pyrotecl