New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-10
VAULTS STOOD THE TEST.
SECURITIES SAVED.
Papers and Money Found IN Good
Condition.

Baltimore. Feb. e.-An investigation Of the
ruins Of several Of the banks and trust COM
panies in the destroyed section to-day disclosed
that their vaults and contents were absolutely
intact This discovery will enormously reduce
the estimated losses. Taking early advantage
Of the permission TO examine their properties.
the officers OF these corporations went into the
ruins To their establishment. in many in
stances. the strong rooms and safes opened to
the combinations and revealed paper amounting
TO hundreds OF millions. absolutely unscorchad.
The news spread rapidly. and the first
cheer that has come to tighten the gloom. Its
eject was everywhere apparent. for the fnan-
cial life of some of the city's greatest institu-
tons depended on the safety Of vault contents.
I. A. Beasley. assistant secretary Of the Con-
tinental Trust Company. said:
Our vaults are absolutely intact I have tust
made e thorough examination and find that
can better be Imagined than explained when II is
taken into consideration that we have stored in our
! Our building is also in iue condition. The iron
Iect Is now on his way TO this city 10 make thor
ough ins!ection OF the building. We win at once
been slightly damaged. we could open for business
81 moments notice IL only the debris were cleared
away We nave opened temporary headquarters
business connected with company.
The Continental Trust Company's building
cost S1.425.0Oo, and was In the direct sweep of
the flames.
The most remarkable and fortunate escape Of
any company within the fire belt was probably
that Of Brown Brothers. bankers whose build
ing is at the southwest corner OF Baltimore and
Calvert SITS. This building is directly opposite
the Continental Trust Company's structure and
II was at this point that the flames were the
fercest. Alexander Brown. a member Of the
firm. took a reporter through the building
Every vault was intact Not desk in the
carpet on the floor of Mr. Browns private office
was in the same condition as when the bank
closed its doors Saturday afternoon. The
only damage to the building caused by the
bricks falling through the skylight.
Charles r. Spence. second vioe-president Of the
Mercantile Trust Company. was one Of the hap
piest fnanciers within the fire belt. and he could
scarcely control his exultation. He said:
when opened vaults this morning. could
/ scarcely believe my own eyes When the doors
ties were absolutely nt7ct. Not paper was
scorcncd and save for slight eoTeri3g Of dTsf
that there had been FIRE There is practically no
Gamassd We Would be reSdv 10 o5e9 our Doors
to-day II the debris was cleared away.
The Mercantile Trust Company's building is
directly in the path OF the flames. one block
below the Continental Trust Company and
Brown Brothers & Co. IN Calvert-st. The
walls Of the building are apparently intact
Allen McLane. receiver for the Maryls I'd Trust
Company. told substantially the same story. He
said:
Everything IN the vaults Of the Maryland Trust
in them The floors OF the big structure held beau
ufully. and are apparently uninjured l cannot say
They are terra Gotta. and from superficial exam
inat.on IL would seem that they have cracked TO
, some extent
The building OF the Maryland Trust Company
is directly opposite the Mercantile structure.
The Offices Of the Baltimore Trust and Guar
antee Company were In the Equitable Building.
at Fayctte and Calvert SITS This building was
destroyed. but Robert c. Davidson. president
% the Safe Deposit Company. said:
The integrity OF our vaults is not doubted. An
examination shows that the paint on the doors. and
even tn curtains arc intact I've are WAS not w wo Wa1i
20 snow Is. how to get into them. The Equitable
making an attempt TO get into our vaults. / have
a few securities in the vaults. and I'm not worry
. Ing about those.
George C. Jenkins. director o: the Mechanics
Bank. at East German and south-sts. said:
have just made an examination OF our vaults
can state positively that all the books and funds
building was directly il the path OF the hereest part
The floors certainly in good condition
II g. Wilcox. cashier Of the First National
Bank said that that institution had received
only nominal damages. The roof fell through
and injured the time locks on the vault doors.
and this he said. was practically the only dam
age
John r. Bland president Of the United safes
Fidelity and Guarantee Company. said that he
did not think that his company would be AFFECT
ed in the slightest. He said;
o,- Investments and securities are in the vaults
e. a lie n
Warmed We removed all of our books and records
a. soon saw that the names were gaming on
the Fire Department
The Merchants National Bank. at Second and
south sts was one of the most fortunte insti-
,utiors In the fire belt. With the flames roar
ing on all sides. this structure was the last IN
that vicinity to catch fire. and. when all other
structures were twisted iron and burning
hers tbe Merchants National stood intact.
When the building was entered to-day. IL was
found that the time clocks were stll working.
and that the inside of the structure was prac-
ticaliy unframed
+ 7 Michigan third vics-president OF the Safe
T1e,osit and Trust Company. OF Baltimore. said:
The Sun Building saved Us. You see We are al
most sound were previous 10 ire me- n
iarea numbcr OF our depositors have called to-day
70 assure themselves that vaults escaped with
ont damage. We could transact business TO-DAY II