The Saint Paul globe., 1904-02-10

BALTIMORE, Md, Feb. 9.-Amid
ruins still hot and smoking, Baltimore
has begun its resurrection. With the
dawn of a clear winter day the apathy
Of yesterday gave way to energy, and
from the governor of the state to the
least private citizen, the people Of this
distressed city aroused themselves to
meet the appalling conditions that con-
front them.
1t was a day of conferences. The
governor, the mayor and various nlu-
nicipal officials met and decided that
Baltimore for the present needs no out
side help, but will endeavor with her
own resources and those of the state to
meet the emergency. At this confer
ence also was developed the machinery
for an advisory legislative commission
to act in conjunction with the legisla-
ture.
The military officials had unusual
problems to decide and solved them in
a military manner, for tonight every
pass that has been issued giving en-
trance to the fire lines was revoked.
No civilian may pass the Gordon of cit
iZen soldiers which, after forty-eight
hours Of continuous duty, tonight
stretches around the fire-swept desert
where lie safes and vaults containing
untold treasure.
Voices HopefuIness.
The Chamber of Commerce held a
general meeting and issued a formal
announcement that reflected the pre-
vailing hopefulness, declaring there
are already such evidences Of recupera-
tion that all are encouraged in the
hope of the early restoration of every
branch of trade"
The Stock Exchange members met
and decided to rebuild as soon as pos
sible. The same story can be told Of
practically every commercial body,
while every available structure bears
signs announcing that within is the
temporary office of a firm. The names
on some of these signs are those that
rank high in the financial and CONNER
cial world and men who for years have
known only mahogany desks work on
deal tables and plain boards.
Labor is in demand for the work Of
clearing the ruins.
All things considered, the public
stock taking that engrosses the busi-
ness world of Baltimore today, was sat
isfactory. But this does not mean that
the great fire was a lesser calamity
than has been pictured in these dis
patches. The telegraphed descriptions
have given but an inadequate concep-
tion of this catastrophe of a century.
The bald fact is that 140 acres Of busi-
ness buildings, representing property to
the approximate value of 1925, 200, 900
was destroyed within the journey of
clocks hands.
History is marked by few calamities
SO vast and so costly in actual values,
but the brighter side is coming upper
most and the realization of what Bal
timore escaped is dawning.
Securities Are Unframed.
A great cloud was lifted this after
noon when it was discovered that prac-
tically all of the vaults and strong
rooms and safes Of the financial con-
Germs whose buildings were destroyed
were unhurt. A tremendous loss in Sc
curities had been anticipated, and when
vault after vault yielded up it's treasure
unharmed the joy of the guardians was
boundless.
From one trust company's safe alone
papers to the amount of more than
$200,000,0 900 was recovered. The news
cheered the whole city and encouraged
immediate and thorough investigation.
Merchants and their assistants worked
like laborers in the smoking ruins to
recover their safes, and In nearly every
instance they were rewarded by intact
contents.
Another surprise was the discovery
that two financial concerns whose
homes were directly in the path of the
flames were practically unharmed.
Those were the Mercantile Trust COM
pany and Brown Bros bank. The es-
cape Of these buildings is their lack Of
height. They do not exceed four stories
and as they were surrounded by lofty
structures the flames swept over them.
There are between $11, 100000 and
$12,OOO,OOO now in the vaults of the
subtreasury, of which over 81 900, 600
is in gold. The remainder consists of
currency, silver and minor coins. This
amount is inadequate to meet the
emergency demands of the trade of
the city. With considerably more than
three-fourths of the leading banking
institutions Of the city destroyed and
their vaults buried in the debris. and
therefore inaccessible though intact
the business men of the city are seri-
ously embarrassed in the transaction
of business.
Secretary Shaw's instructions.
Assistant Treasurer Dryden and
Cashier L. H. Nice are taking every
possible measure to meet the necessi-
ties arising from the lack of banking
facilities. They have the hearty CO.
operation of the treasury department
which has expressed a readiness to
ship any amount Of money that is
needed even If the need stretches into
the millions. When Mr.. Dryden tele-
phoned Secretary Shaw he told him
the situation in detail. Mr.. Shaw told
him that the resources of the treasury
were at the disposal of Baltimore, and
directed that business be transacted
Immediately at the subtreasury re-
gardless Of the public holiday pro-
claimed until Tuesday, the 18th inst
by the governor of the state yester-
day.
This extraordinary action was deem
I'd best to meet the emergency. The