Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-02-08

night long the people crowded around the
FIRE limits. They hardly realized the hor-
ror of the situation, all, even the police
men the fremen, exhausted from their
fourteen hours steady fire fighting, the
militia and the regulars, who we're called
out to preserve order and to guard the
stores from possible pillage, were spell
bound by the grandeur OF the mighty
flames that licked building after building
into ruin. The loss is estimated to be
from 800, 900, 900 to $500, 900, 900. No
one can exactly tell. The heart of the
city has been lain in ruins. Magnificent
"freproof' buildings, costing hundreds
of thousand of dollars we're as easy prey
to the fiery demon as the storage houses
and the oil plants on the water front.
At midnight the wind had shifted.
The city hall building, court house and
postofice buildings, which seemed DOOM
ed up to that time we're saved by the
action of the wind, but the change drove
the flames down to the water front, into
the oil houses and shipping concerns.
When it was seen that this section of the
city was doomed, countless trucks and
laborers were pressed into service, and
the work of removing as much of the
wares as possible was begun. At one
O'Clock the police and militia stopped
the trucks and men from again entering
the doomed district The fire engines
were Withdrawn, and that not too soon.
The sparks had set fire to buildings two
blocks further down on the water front
and delay would mean disaster to those
engaged in the removal.
At s o'clock this morning the flames
had eaten out swath a mile long and
blocks wide. The great Chicago disaster
of 1871 now bids fair to be eclipsed.
The citizens of the panic stricken city
are fighting desperately to stem the tide
of crimson that now threatens to engulf
every business house of importance
within the territory of trade. Every
inch of hose, every pound Of steam and
every hand at the disposal of the Balti-
more fire department and neighboring
cities have been at work on the fire since
Sunday noon. More engines, more
men, and more horses are now hurrying
from Washington, Jersey City, New
York and Brooklyn. But in spite of
the floods of water being deluged over
blazing roofs and quivering walls, the |
destroyer is still reaching out its myriad
arms like gigantic octopus and gather
ing in block after block of valuable
property. The dynamiting of the build
ings on the edge of the fire zone, plan
determined upon late yesterday after
noon as means of stopping the fire,
proved a failure, as the demolished
buildings were rendered only the more
inhamable and furnished stepping stones
for the progress of the blaze.
Baltimore, Feb. s, 11:15 a. m.-The
storm of fire covers every thing south of
Fayette street to Light, thence north to
Lexington, thence west to Liberty, thence
south to Hopkins place, thence south to
Pratt street, thence east to Bowley's
wharf, and Pratt street, thence in q d.
rect line to point on West Falls avenue
FIVE hundred feet north of Block street. |
The area includes 40 acres. At IL |
o. clock it is believed the loss from the |
conhagration will reach one hundred |
and twenty-five million dollars to build
ings alone, which added to the contents
will make at the lowest present estimate
of underwriters and Aremen two hundred |
and fifty million dollars. With regular
and State troops everywhere about the
devastated district, business paralyzed, |
and awe-stricken townspeople thronging |
the streets, Baltimore is literally strick-
en- city.
Hundreds of tiremen have succumbed
to the terrible work, the no spital emer-
gency wards being filed. Their places
have in many cases been taken by citizens.
The fire is sweeping toward the docks
which are doomed. Chief Emerich is in
charge ofthe fire fighting forces, displace-
ing Chief Engineer Borton. Former
Chief McAfee, for several years retired,
his services, and is directing
4 portion of the line.
Governor Warfeld says that every safe
deposit box ard vault in the various in
situations was absolutely safe, that the
records were preserved and that it was
next to impossible for serious danger to
happen to documents contained therein.
The blackened remains of one fireman
Joseph Elginfritz were found in the
Equitable Building this morning, where
lie had rushed to get line of hose to the
oof early yesterday.
President j. NJ. Hood, of Baltimore =
Street Railways. has been missing since
last night, and it is feared he may have
lost his life. 1t is believed now that few ,
iremen have been killed.
The stupendous extent OF the disaster
5 typifed by the fact that the Evening
World is the only Baltimore paper being
published in the city today. Its build !
ng escaped the flames. u
ii a. m. The wind has changed and I
5 now blowing northwest carrying the /
ames southeast into the lumber district 2
fire is still raging, showing little effect
f the heroic efforts of the fire department
'hich has been reinforced by companies .
rom surrounding cities. t
Baltimore, Feb. s, 1870 a. m. The fire a
las now reached the Baltimore & Ohio s.
nd Pennsylvania freight terminals and a
as spread to the lumber district. The a
Iater supply is giving out. c
Baltimore, Feb. 8, 1l:55 a. m.-The a