Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-02-10

'This morning q half dozen of New
York city's most powerful steamers ar
rived by special train and their coming
gave new impetus to the efforts to check
the flames by putting fresh men into the
fight, the Baltimore fremen, as well as
the out-of-town men who arrived earlier
having been exhausted by their all-night
struggle against such terrific odds.
"All electrical power has been de-
stroyed and no street cars are running.
Gale Fans Flames.
About midnight the wind, which had
been blowing strongly from the southwest
with a tendency to switch to the west
ward, began to come i'll a gale from the
northwest At this hour the flames had
reached Market space and were headed
directly for the tenement districts, across
the falls, where frightened foreigners were
working like demons to save their house
hold effects.
Temporarily the change in the wind
saved them, for the flames were driven
toward the water front.
'All buildings from Baltimore street
down to PRATT street soon were a rOaringt
mass Of flames"
Fire Raging Furiously.
Baltimore, Nd, Feb. SO a. M
There was little sleep for the 100000,
residents Of Baltimore last night becauseI
of the terrific condagration which started
Sunday forenoon. While there were moi
lives lost, the monetary loss will proba-'
bly, reach S20O,000.O0O
Acres Of the most valuable property I'M
the wholesale dry goods, produce, lum-
have been destroyed. At this hour, not
withstanding heroic efforts on the part
| Of the local fire department, reinforced by
almost numb erless iremen from Wash
tngton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, New
ark. n. j.. Newark, Del, Harrisburg. and
| ovI, y h0,x
IS is" raging enls as furiously as ' It was
an hour after it originated in the
cellar of the John E. Hurst COM
pany at Liberty and German streets.
Its origin is said to have been from spon-
! taneous combustion. but no tangible evil
dence to this effect has thus far been Sc
| cured
Area of the Fire District.
The area of the fire district extends
from Liberty street on the west to Jones
Falls on the east, about three-quarters Of
a mile, and from Fayette to Pratt streets,
! north and south, distance Of four city
blocks. Included in this territory were a
number Of financial establishments Of ma
ticnal repute, including the buildings Of
Alexander Brown & Sons, the Cont
mental Trust company, the Union Trust
company, the Atlantic Trust company,
the offices Of the Baltimore & Ohio, the
| Pennsylvania Railway company, the
Maryland Southern, and the Chesapeake
d Ohio Railroad company, several steam
ship companies and = number OF leading
| hatters, haberdashers, etc. The main Cf-
fees Of the Western Union and Postal
Telegraph companies were deserted long
before midnight and the buildings which
they occupied are practically destroyed.
Several tons Of dynamite were used
| during the day and night to blow up
buildings in an effort to check the flames,
but even this was unayailing and the
strong wind which blew the flying embers
hither and thither soon ignited other
/ buildings.
All Newspaper Offices Burned.
All Of the buildings Of the Baltimore
! newspapers, including the offices OF the
| Associated Press, were destroyed by mid
night Several of the publishers arranged
! Immediately to have their editions printed
on the presses Of Washington papers.
These editions containing full and accu-
rate accounts of the fire arrived here early
this morning and were delivered to their
regular customers. o
i At this hour the fire has attacked the
I wharves, piers and docks Of the harbor,
! and seems to be spreading to the south
eastern section Of the city
Start of the Fire
The start Of the fire was in the base
ment of Hurst & Co.'S wholesale dry
goods house at 1915 Sunday morning.
| After burning for ten minutes or SO
there was a loud explosion from the in
terror of the building as the gasoline
tank used for the engine in the building
let go. Instantly tLa immen ;e structure
collapsed sending destruction to adjacent
buildings in all directions and causing the
fire to be beyond control of the fremen.