Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-02-12

ine Onlcago lire of 1871 did not
equal baltimore's. About 5000 600
0O0 OF property was DESTROYED in
Baltimore, with only about $780,
100000 insurance. Seventy We
blocks were burned, embracing $500
buildings.
Inc burned district is within the
territory bounded on the west by
Toward street, on the north by Lex
ington street, on the east by Jones
rails, and on the south by the basin.
PASSING southeast along the basin the
following large docks were DESTROYED:
merchants and Miners, Boston
wharf, Norfolk wharf, Mcclure, Pat
,ersons, Smiths, Frederick, Long and
Union. From pier 2, the Weems
wharf, south on Light street the
wharves escaped.
SOMETHING SAVED.
1t is thought about all the money
vaults of the banking institutions
are intact. The Government has
come to the rescue of the financial
institutions for the time being.
Some doubts have been expressed
as to the inability of the insurance
companies to stand the loss, but it is
now thought there will be little
trouble on this score, as the insur-
ance was widely distributed among
hundreds of companies.
FIRE SEEN HERE.
The glazing reflection from the
IRE was seen throughout Baltimore
county. The effect upon some of
the eolored population was to arouse
intense fear. and many of them be.
iieyed that the day of Judgment
had come. They gathered in groups
and prayed and sang, and not until
the day dawned did they become
pacified.
Sunday night the attention of
number of Irvingtonians was at,
tracted by a glow at the North
which was then thought to be
Northern lights, but which it is
pretty certain was the reflection of |
Baltimore's cenflagration.
AFFLICTED ALL.
Men, gaunt and fierce, met the
flre enemy and were hurled back. |
crushed and defeated, only to make
another stand and be beaten back |
sgaln. 1t was devastation complete, |
and in the democracy of despair
great magnate and lowly laborer
were reduced to common level and
struggle In the savage desire to STAY
the awful destruction. The frantic
efforts to save property were general.
While the property of the great
financial magnates was being swept
out of existence in the financial sec
tons, the humble belongings of the
tenant jewellers of High, Albemarle.
Exeter, Pratt, Lombard and other
streets were threatened and were. in
deed, consumed. Some were paral-
yzed and awoke to action too late
when every vehicle was in reouisi-
ton and every avenue of escape. for
aught save life, cut off. These paid
the penalty with the total loss of the
pltItul things that made up their
homes. Their grief was more pa
ehetic, because more volatile than
that of the business men of the GEN.
ter of the city. All'were dumb with
despair and could find no words to
httlngiy express the appalling sense
OF disaster that overcame them. Men
for generation had worked aud
schemed to build up that which
was utterly wiped out in an hour.
The ambitions of a lifetime were
swept away, and rich and poor alike
felt the sting of it.
1t Is estimated that as MANY as
10000 persons will be thrown out
OF employment, and many of these
and their families will be without
resources.
REPORTERS VIVID STORY.
a member Of the staff of the .Sun
said that the fury of the fire was be-
You'd description. "I have seen big
tires Ill New York and Chicago he i
said, "when block after block would |
fall before the sweep of the flames. 6
but nothing that approached in '
terrible fury the catastrophe that c
fell upon Baltimore. The flames /
swept down the streets with the on b
ward rush and fury of a tidal wave. 4
Great, pillows of fire two hundred i
feet in height would fill the space a
between the buildings, and sweeping r
from side to side, blot out of ex- O
stence a skyscraper as though il f
we're box of matches. One moment u
hey stood in the stately beauty of c
stone and marble; moment later, a
and they were not. The flames .
would dash against their sides, beat
n the massive walls, leap from win
lows and roofs, and then would come
he collapse. The Union Trust o
6ailding, one of the handsomest in j
he country, seemed to vanish al Fl
most as looked. The city was q is
mass OF whirling, burning, blind ~
ng embers. In the Sun office, where j
We sat at work over our desks. the lc
opy paper would burn as we wrote. Up
N the streets the embers fell in ii
heets and rose and fell again. as CT
ne swift wind carried them along! Al
everywhere were drawn and an. "
'ulshed faces, and the marks of OF
lesolation." sf.4s c,
THE BAND PLAYED ON. +,
One of the strong contrasts of
ne afternoon was the scenes in the =
Maryland 1unehs'rooih, Baltimore
treet, near North. The place was w
,ri llSaofIu w