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

ter how astite, could, however, do any
thing (which would retard the progress
of the work OF destruction. so rapidly
did il go on. laying low first one and
then another structure. some OF one
and two stories. and others rearing
! their lofty heads to the sky. Tier upon
tier was enveloped in roaring flames
and smoke. and buildings which Il took
months 10 rear were I'm as many minutes
leveled 10 the ground in some instances.
so that scarce one brick or stone re-
manned upon another.
In less than an hour. in fact. before
noon. half dozen city blocks were
afiame and the buildings in each one
of them laid low. The firemen fought
With great bravery against terrific odds
only TO see their efforts accomplish ap-
pareEtly no good results. The streams
OF water seemed to be like pouring oil
upon the flames instead of dampening
fluid calculated to extinguish fire
Across the narrow streets. carried by d
strong wind. the flames leaped. spread
ing in all directions. but more espe-
cially and with greater rapidity and
greater devastation in the direction Of
the prevailing wind. Ass II bent upon
| joining forces with that deadly agent
of destructiOn-fire-that other clement
OF nature-wind-seemed to shift now in
this direction. now in that. to almost
all points Of the compass, so as to make
IT possible for buildings on all sides
Of the burning district to get into the
pathway OF the flames
The City Aroused.
BY this time the entire city was thor
oughly aroused. and excitement ran
Nigh The first to rush to the scene
at the inception Of the CONFEDERATION
Were those who happened to be. at II
CLOCK. In the downtown section. They
/ were Followed short time afterward b,-
! the Worshipers In the churches down
Town. in which there were many I'm the
various congregations who left before
the close of the services and hurried To
| the scene. ~
BY the time the services we're CON
Guided the hundreds which the churcbes
contained, all arrayed in theI~ sunday
pest were congregated about the burned
isIrlct- These were supplemented by
thousands who hurried downtown from
their homes as soon as appraised of The
terrific coniagration and cboked thu
narrow streets and passageways with a
throng of humanity. all powerless 10 do
lhnything which would in any way tend
/ to lessen the disaster.
AS the flames spread, devourinR one
structure after another, the crowds were
gradually beaten back, but the police
| had great difficulty in keeping them
IN check. and were exceedingly for
tunate in preventing serious loss
OF lie. So far as is reported at this
ume, not more than two or three per
sons have lost their lives, which is con-
sidered remarkable for such enormous
Ion, 90
nremen were more or less injured in
their efforts. Many of them who have
heroically working now more than TWEEN
ty-four hours have been without food
Tor that time, and, Of course all have
been entirely without rest and. what is
worse. their work must continue una
DATED Tor days TO come in extingulshinR
the smoldering embers after the fire is
under control
Help From Washington.
Shortly after noon il became apparen4
that the local firemen and the Baltimore
ire-fghting force were entirely made
qrate to handle the situation. and that.
the entire business section of the city
was doomed TO destruction. Then Il was
/ that Mayor McLane decided to summon
assistance from the outside to assist in
the work of staying the fury OF the fire.
All of the surrounding towns were APP
praised of the situation and asked to
/ contribute whatever help IL was within
their power 10 render.
A dispatch was sent TO Washington
also calling for help. The message found
Commissioner Mcfarland In church, but
/ he quickly realized the enormity of the
disaster which must obllge Baltimore to
send to Washington for help. and ac-
]
gines with necessary equipment and
crews be dispatched at once to the
stricken city. Arrangements were made
/ quickly for a special train over the Bal
/ timore and Ohio. Chief Belt and Fire
Marshal Sidney Bieber were directed to
/ accompany the engines and apparatus.
Engines From Elsewhere.
Help was also asked for from Whining
ton. Philadelphia. Camden. and even as
far away as New York. and TO each re-
quest a prompt response was made. and
in an incredibly short time after the
messages from Mayor McLane to the
chief executives Of these cities had been
received the fire fighters were on their
way 10 helpless Baltimore. During the
/ heighth of the conflagration the demand
/ for water became so great that IL was
! use salt water, which, in some instances
/ will doubtless prove Of great damage to
/ them. II was the only way, however.
/ that streams could be gotten 20 pluy
/ upon certain sections Of the BURNING
/ district. Accordingly the pumps were
set at work I'm the waters OF the bay
I along the wharves and many streams of
/ the saline fluid were poured upon the
! seething flames.
Resorted to Dynamite.
! AS the confagration spread apace
with undated fury. il soon became ap-
parent that its progress could only be
/ impeded by resortinS TO the use OF dy-
Mantle TO blow up huge structures
/ which stood I'm the pathway or the
/ flames i'm order to create an open space
about the burning district and force the
( fire to die out by reason OF having moth
ing more to feed upon. the idea being
10 confine the flames in the smallest pos
sible area in order that II might sooner
be gotten under control.
II required but little more than the
suggestion To cause the officials OF the
| city 70 resort TO action. The situation
was such that extreme measures must