Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-22
DECISION rs REACHED
COMMITTEE WILL RECOMMEND A
LOAN OF SIX MILLIONS.
Question of Its Negotiation Perplexing
Special Election Necessary-Ef-
feet on the Subway@Distress.
p,spatcb to The Evening Star.

in the burned district, ana TINS ueclsioH, IL
is confidently expected, will be adopted by
the mayor and city council. This action
was forecast exclusively in these dispatches
to The Star last week. This sum will de-
fray the expenses incident to the widening
of all streets in the burned area and the es-
tablishment of two public parks.
The question of negotiating this loan at
the earliest possible date is one that is
causing the city officials considerable con-
Germ. Under the state constitution city
cannot float loan until the plan
has been put to popular vote. commit
tee is now at work on an enabling act 10 De
laid before the legislature, which, when
passed, must be ratified at an electlon. Un-
der present conditions the ennabnng act
could not be passed upon until the NoveIn-
ber elections, and, therefore it is likely that
a special election will be called for early
next month.
City Solicitor Bruce has given his opinion
that in no other way can the loan be float
ed, and that a special election is imperative
in order to expedite matters.
No Trouble Anticipated.
1--WE don't anticipate the slightest trouble
in securing loan just as soon as the en-
abling act is passed by the legislature and
adopted by popular vote said CITY Con-
troller Heffner When the legislature gives
us authority we will do the rest, and there
will be no trouble in obtaining the money:
The citizens committee also decided TO
recommend that two-thirds OF the cost OF
improvement be borne by the municipality
and that property owners be assessed FOR
the remaining one-third. This suggestion
has met with general popular favor, ana
conditions are such that harmonious ef-
forts on the part of city officials and busi-
ness men are assured in the rebuilding of
the commercial center, and this augurs well
for the early rehabilitation of the burned
area.
f1,a at 1t,yxyQI QIyd
has been made, and the report, which will
be submitted TO the mayor today shows
that over 95 per cent of the conduits in
the burned district were not damaged by
the fire.
Regarded Remarkable.
This is regarded as somewhat remark
able In view of the fact that every man
hole had a direct connection with a build
ing which had been a veritable furnace
When it first became apparent that the nre
would assume great proportions every
manhole was flooded with water, thus
driving out the gas and preventing expio-
sions.
Only two subway explosions occurred
during the progress OF the nre-One at
Exchange place and Holiday street, ana
the other at West Fayette and Little Sharp
street-and in each instance the damage
was confined to the manholeS and Will not
exceed $50. Assistant Subway Engineer
Edwards regards 1t as very fortunate that
flood the manholes, because otherwise great
explosions would have occurred and pos
sible great loss of life among the fire fight
ers have followed
The electrical commission, which has
supervision over the subways, has directed
Chief Engineer Phelps to refuse permits for
the erection of poles on which to string
wires and to compel the applicant to place
their wires under ground. This order will
be enforced to the letter, and poles erected
without permits will be chopped down by
| the subway engineers department.
May Prohibit Skyscrapers.
One result of the fire will probably be the
pc ssage of city ordinance prohibiting the
erection of skyscrapers in Baltimore.
Building Inspector Preston has not yet had
sufficient time, apart from his duties In
supervising the work of clearing up the
debris, to formulate a definite plan In re-
gard to new building regulations, but his
| tentative idea is to limit the height of all
buildings to eight stories.
1t is probable that manufacturing plants
will be limited to four stories in height.
Although the legal holiday period will ex-
pire tomorrow, Inspector Preston has de-
cided to hold up all applications for per-
mitS to do repair work until all the Struc-
lures left standing can be thoroughly in
spected by his staff of assistant inspectors.
In the meantime the city council will be
asked to rush through the new code regu-
lating the erection and repairing of build
ings.
President Henry M. Hall of the New
York underwriters has sent to Mayor Nc
Lane letter containing number of sug-
gestions for incorporation in the building
regulations to be adopted.
Advises Stringent Laws.
The letter advises that stringent laws en-
| bodying all known precautions to make
| buildings fire resisting be passed, and that
| at once. before reconstruction is begun and
| mistakes made which will afterward be i'm
| possible to correct.
| President Hall also suggested the New
| York building laws as models, and inclosed
copy of them to the mayor. This organi-
| cation includes in its members companies
which sustained 90 per cent of the losses in
| the fire.
the fire department. The city now has
| thrty-two steamers and hose carriages and
| it is probable that the number will be in
| creased to forty or forty-fye steamers AMI
| hose carriages.
The members of the board of fire COM
missioners and Chief Engineer Horton are
| a unit In favor of an increase in the num-
Der OF hremen and additional fire apparatus.
| 1t is also likely that pump line from the
harbor to the center of the city, will also be
| established
fires. as the line could be connected with
| the winter towers and aided by the pumping
station throw a powerful stream of water
| over the burning structures.
Favor Pump Line.
The business men OF the city who suffered
| losses in the fire are in favor of the sug-
gested pump 1ine and assert that such an
| Improvement would greatly augment the
| water supply for fighting flames and should
| have been put into operation years ago.
| II developed today that number OF
firms whose establishments had been laid
| In ruins have decided to pay all their en-
ployes one-half wages until such time as
they can resume business. This has caused
the relief committee much qualification, az
| that body has a great task before 1t.
Even now there is much distress and
suffering among the poor. and 1t is feared
that the relief fund now In hand will
soon be exhausted.
Distress Situation.
John NJ. Glenn of the relief COMMITTEES
who is perhaps more competent to dis
cuss the distress situation than any
other person in the city. says that he Is
confident sufficient funds can be raised
to relieve cases of distress until normal
conditions are again resumed.
Another factor that will greatly tighten
the strain on the relief committee will