The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-02-11

be without resources.
The monetary loss will probably
reach $3.50, 100000. Acres of most val
liable property in the dry goods. pro-
duce, lumber, shipping. railroad and
financial district have peen destroyed.
the origin OF the fire is said to have
been from spontaneous combustion.
but no evidence to this effect has thus
far been secured. The area of the fire
district extends from Liberty street
on the west toJ ones Falls on the east,
a distance of about three quarters of
mile, and from Fayette to Pratt
streets, north and south, a distance
of four city blocks.
Included in this territory were
number of financial establishments of
national repute, including the build
ings of Alexander Brown & Sons, the
Continental Trust company, the At
lantic Trust company, the offices of
the Baltimore & Ohio, the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad company, the Mary
land Southern and Chesapeake Rail
road companies and number Of lead
ing matters, haberdashers, etc.
The main Offices of the Western
Union and Postal Telegraph compan-
les were practically destroyed. Sever
al tons of dynamite were used to
blow up building in an effort to check
the spread of the flames. but even
this was unaYailing, and the strong
wind which blew the flying embers
hither and thither soon ignited other
buildings. All the buildings of the
Baltimore newspapers, including the
offices of Associated Press, were de-
stroyed. Several of the publishers
arranged Immediately to have their
editions printed on the presses of
Washington papers. These editions,
containing full and acurate accounts
of the fire, arrived early and were de-
livered to their regular customers.
Up to this hour, approximately 30
persons haye been Injured, including
one fireman seriously hurt. The city
government has been entirely suspend
ed and the city is under complete mil
itarv control. The city officials adopt
ed the most heroic measures to check
the flames and Governor Warfield has
telegraphed to the secretary of the
navy request to Immediately dis
patch here dynamite expert to work
on Quilted buildings where bare walls
are tottering at every shift of the
wind and threaten to endanger life
by falling at any moment. This de-
cision was reached at meeting of
the governor and the members of the
supreme benches 1t has well-nigh
spent itself. The residence section of
the city has not been affected.
The effect of the immense property
loss on the insurance companies is
subject of speculation, and fears are
expressed that some of the smaller en-
terprises may be forced to the wall
Governor Warfield went before the
legislature to ask that he be vested
with power to suspend all business in
Baltimore for ten days. He at first
thought of declaring martial law, but
after consultation with Attorney Gen
eral Bryan 1t was decided this could
not be done. This decision was reach
ed after many conferences with bust
ness men. The Fifth Maryland reg
iment is in charge of the burnt ruins
and will remain there indefinitely.
The progress of the fire has been
che cked. and it is burning itself out.
The last places to go were the ice
house and coal yard of the American
Ice company. The coal yards, which
spread out about 200 yards, was the
means of staying the march of the
flames on the south and Jones Falls
on the east. The Norfolk wharf of
the Baltimore Steam Packet COM
pany, which was stocked with barrels
of rosin and other miscellaneous mer-
chandise, was DESTROYED before the
fire had attacked the Merchandise
company's property. 1t took 81
hours to stop the progress of the fire.
At the urgent request of Senator
German and that of the Governor of
Maryland that the legislature of
Maryland would pass resolution
calling upon the national government
for military assistance, Lieutenant
general Chaffee, commanding the gen.
eral staff, sent telegraph orders to
Mayor General Corbin, commanding
the department of the east at New
York to proceed forthwith to Balti-
more and take military command of
the situation here. Nearly 1000 sol
diers have been ordered to serve I'M
der him.
The following includes partial list
of the individual losses of 100000 and
and oyer incident TO the conflargation.
The estimates cover buildings and
contents
John E. Hurst, dry goods, 81, $780,
900, over 81, 900, 900 insurance.