The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-13

other foreign power that tho Corfederncv
was not recognized during the war be-
tween tho States. ,s.j6
IN viow Of iii these facts, 1t Is not STIR
pitsing that so,ithcri,ers are glad to hear
Of the successes Of the laps, and II they
finally bring tho Russian bear to terms,
there will be general rejoicing among the
southern people.
Riggs's Dilemma.
Brigadicr- General Lawson Riggs Of the
Maryland militia. finds himself In COM
tempt Of the Governor and Legislature OF
that State.
Those eminent civil authorities Issued
passes to themselves md their subordl-
ilates and to some other persons 70 visit
the ruins III tho burned ditrlct Of Balti-
more; but Riggs having command there,
refused to recognize the passes.
It never occurred to him, or II 1t did, 1t
did not weigh with him at all that the
Governor Is the oninander-in-ch OF
the military forces Of the State. and prob
ably llad right to glvo such an order
or authorization as he did.
Proceedings have been taken in both
houses of the Legislature looking to an
arraignment Of General Riggs for his
discourtesy, not to say contempt, In the
matter. a, IA
Whether General Riggs ''lost his head"
MS the saying Is, IN the excitement of the
moment, or was actuated by Il deliberate
and we'll conceived purpose not to allow
my one to enter the burned district, we
arc not informed. We are inclined to
believe, however, that tho general acted
from prudential reasons, fearing that If
visitors were allowed to go into the for
hidden district there might be- loss Of life
from falling walls, or that unworthy per-
sons, avaling themselves Of the oppor-
tunity, would sneak in with the official
visitors and find opportunities to nppro-
pirate property not their own.
The record made In Baltimore shows the
smallest percentage Of looting and riot
Ing ever known to accompany a. great
fire No doubt, General Riggs rigid rules
contributed to this result We trust he
may safely escape tho rage OF the DIG
wigs" OF the State capital.
baltimore has applied to the Legisla-
ture for authority to borrow, Temporal
rlly, such sum or sums Of money not
exceeding in the aggregate $4,000 Oo ms
may be necessary TO meet the emergency
crested by the fire Of the 9TH and sth
instant.
It Is now asserted that the fire did
not result from an explosion Of gasoline
but OF gas. Oftener than the average
person supposes gas escapes and Ills
the room where the leak appears. The
gas inspectors OF Richmond have some
experience in this direction. Often and
over have they been in danger when they
visited cellars to Inspect meters.
The Hearst building, where the Balti-
more fire appeared, was supplied with
gas lights of non-extnguishabe"
character. They We're simply dimmed to
the minutest degree. It Is suggested
that the pressure became more than nor
nalIy low and that the lights went out
when the pressure Increased again the
gas escaped filled the building and was
eventually ignited by tho furnace,
--==========
1t appears that the loss of the Johns
Hopkins Hospital will hardly be as much
as 81, 900, 900, as heretofore reported, but
that it will be very great is certain. Out
OF about ninety buildings belonging to
the Hopkins estate sixty-four were de-
stroyed 1t is impossible to get an esti-
mate Of their value. The lots and i'm
provements thereon are estimated at
Sl,SOO,OOO. The superintendent OF the hos
pltal guesses that it will require $4,000
tc restore the buildings.
All the property was insured. but
whether the policies exist is uncertain.
They were locked UP in q vault which
WAS destroyed. We are told that the
greatest effect this financial loss will
have upon the work of the hospital will
be to curtail the work OF It's free ward.
The Baltimore fire Ought to. make
Farnlvile look after her hose and fire
apparatus in gencral.-Farmville Her
aid. The sparks will hardly fly that far
and, II they should, Farmville should not
forget that a lively fire a few years ago
was one Of the best investments Farm
vile ever made.
Colonel Watterson and Colonel Bryan
have not met yet, and IL their friends
can help it, they will not meet at any
carly date. So the war correspondents
need not rush to the front.