The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-02-08

crash of falling wallis. and now and
again the defamation of some explosion
sounded above the other noises.
After crossing Hanover Street there
was little to oppose the onrushing
flames and the blaze continued it's de-
| structive course without a check to
Charles Street. Prior to this time there
had been much talk of dynamiting. the
material was on the ground, and Roy
c. Lafferty. the Government expert
who had come from Washington especi-
ally to take charge of the work of dyna-
hitting the buildings. was on the ground
with his apparatus in readiness.
Beyond All Control.
BY this time 1T was thoroughly real
| lied that the flames were completely
beyond control and only desperate
measures could be expected to relieve
the situation. In this strait City En-
gineer Fendall and Mr.. Lafferty laid
charge in the building adjoining Arm
strong. Gator & Co.'S on the west and
set it off. The building fell with a crash
but the blazing ruins ignited the Arm
strong building and the situation was.
If anything. made worse.
Armstrong. Gator & Co.'S Building
burned rapidly. A large charge Of dyIa-
mite was let of in II. but the Structure
failed to collapse. and the idea Of de-
stroying it with dynamite was aban-
dcned.
! The flames by this time were rag *
fiercely all along German Street to
Charles, and it was then that Mr. Laf-
ferty set of six charges of dynamite.
each charge containing 100 pounds. in the
building at the southwest corner OF
Charles and German Streets. The ire
mendous force Of the explosions tore
out the massive granite columns that
supported the building and left it with
apparently almost no support. but the
walls failed to collapse and stood until
the flames had crossed Charles Street
and were eating into the block between
Charles and Light Streets.
Carrollton Burns.
The fire had meantime been communi-
Gated to the row OF buildings on South
Charles Street. between German and
Lombard Streets and all those places
occupied principally by wholesale pro-
duce and grain dealers. We're in flames.
Shortly before midnight the Carrollton
Hotel was in flames and the fire was
sweeping toward Calvert Street with ir-
,esistible fury.
The firemen working on the sou:f i side
had succeeded in checking the flames at
Lombard Street. ard as the wind was
blowing from the northwest there wus
no danger of It spreading farther in thar
direction. The western limit had also
been reached at Howard Street. and tho
danger was now TO the east and north.
The progress of the flames toward the
north had In the meantime been so rapid
as TO be- simply appalling From struc-
ture 90 structure they flew. licking u.,
the massive buildings as IL they were
composed Of paper. In the block between
German ard Baltimore Streets they flew
along, and almost before IT could be
realized me buildings along Baltimore
Street were blazing from roof to base
ment.
Millions in Ruins.
For time it was hoped the fire could
De Kept from crossing 10 the north side
OF Baltimore Street and the firemen
made a desperate effort to prevent il
The effort was useless however, and soon
the tan, narrow building of Mullins
Hotel began 10 dart out tongues Of
flame from several stories and I'm n few
minutes the entire building was an i'm
mense filming torch.
AZ almost the same instant the re-
mainder OF the buildings between Sharp
ana Liberty Streets were ablaze and the
fire began it's march To the north. The
small two and three story building on
Little Sharp Street burned comparative
~ slowly. and in this narrow space the
two Washington companies fought a
piucky battle with the devouring ele-
nent They were hemmed in on both
sides by fire and directed the streams at
the buildings, from which smoke and
flames were pouring. ut a distance Of
only two or three yards.
Down Fayette Street.
II was utterly. heartbreakingly use
less The flames darted rapidly from
place to place, and soon the entire south
side Of Fayette Street was I'm the grasp
OF the flames. Down Fayette to Charles
I they swept. and in a space of time that
seemed incredibly short the building oc-
cupied by j. u. Puts g. Co. was evil
IDENTIFY doomed.
Seeing that nothing could save Il. Mr..
Fcndall. acting under Instructions from
Chief Emerich, decided to destroy the
building with dynamite. in the hope OF
preventing the fire from crossing
Charles Street. The explosion was sue
cessful In accompl jsning the object. and
the entire corner collapsed instantly. but
this lad apparently no effect upon the
progress Of the fire. for almost before
the sound OF the falling walls had died
away the building on the east side of
Charles Street began to blaze, and It