Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1904-02-12
BALTIMORE'S AWFUL CALAMITY.
Business Section Wiped Out by CONFEDERATION
Sweeping Eastward, Crossing Jones Falls. 5
THOUSANDS OF BUILDINGS DESTROYED-LOSS BEYOND
ALL ESTIMATE.
Martial Law for Ten days. and Legal Holiday Until Feb
ruary 18th, Inclusive.

there were a number of fires OF
Baltimore and Gay streets. The fir,
was spreading in all directions from
building to building as the strons
wind would shift first to one quartz,
and then to another, carving 8
rain of sparks and sitting vapoI
that made life on the streets block,
from the fire almost impossible.
The hremen at IL o'block were
apparently powerless, In spite of ad
dltional help that came from New
York, Wilmington and other points,
and District Chief Emericb ex.
pressed the situation by saying sim
ply:
"We are in the hands of God"
HE'LL OF FLAME.
Baltimore street, German street
and fayette street were veritabie
nells OF flame from that time on.
With a great roar the fire swept
across Calvert street in many places.
The Equitable, Con tlnental. and
Maryland Trust Buildings on that
tnoroughfsre. supposed to be of a
fireproof character, burned like so
much finder and demoralize6 the
efforts of the tiremen to check the
blaze at that point. Building by
building on Baltimore aud German
streets was destroyed until South
street was reached. For half hour
the rain of embers for blocks ahead
OF the blaze, carried hither aud
thlther by the gale that blew from
the west, had been of a terrible ma.
ture. The clothing of men and wo.
men on the streets blocks ahead
caught fire, and buildings began to
blaze a long distance ahead of the
solid wall of the general confIagra.
ton. The Neale Building, at Balti.
more and Holiday streets. was
ablaze before the main fire reached
that section.
About balf-past eleven o'clock the
lre had eaten its way through to
South street in many places below
the american office. The Sun build.
ing caught, and a moment later
1ames were seen licking their way
through the various floors of the
american building, which had been
deserted by everyone who had been
IN 1t but short time previous busily
engaged in getting up the news of
the fire for the regular morning edi-
ton, which was destined never to be
published.
AT THE HOUR OF MIDNIGHT.
On and on went the fire, and mid
night found it down to Gay street in
sections all the way from Baltimore
street to Pratt street. Hour by hour
he lire progressed, the efforts of
he hremen, as they were forced
steadily back, seeming truly of pig
ny character. BY quarter after mid
night practically all the banking
md brokerage community, includ.
ng the Stock Exchange building.
lad been wiped out of existence.
Two hours later the flames had
cached to the Monumental Theatre
N Baltimore street and were sweep-
ng through the entire section to
.ratt street, almost to the falls for
he eastern boundary.
At 4:30 o'clock Monday morning
tremendous crash indicated that
ne immense power house of the
United Railways and Electric Com
any on Pratt street, near Jones'
falls, had gone down, and at this
lme 1T was realized that the entire
ectlon from Baltimore street south
D the water front was doomed.
FLED FROM THEIR HOMES.
The long stretches of lumber
ards on West Falls avenue from
RAFT street to the waters edge fur.
ished the flames with much mate
al in that section. Between 9 and
D o'clock Monday morning the
ames were devastating a big resi-
entail session east of the Falls.
Residents of the entire eastern
'ctlon of the city south of Balti.
lore street, which was being Gov.
red continually with a shower of
.azing embers, remained awake all
lght packing up their belongings
preparatory to a hasty flight. In
'lte of this precautior, however
ANY householders lost practically
! of their belongings by remaining
ntil the fire had swept down upon
lem. Men, women and children
ere seen struggling through the
reefs under great burdens of house.
DID goods, and every class of con.
,yance was pressed into service.
leven o'clock, just twenty four
ours after the fire had its origin in
he Hurst Building, found the
ames still sweeping onward more
ian a mile ahead of the original
)int.
SOME ESCAPED.
The City Hall, Postoffice and
ourthouse are said to be badly
orched but otherwise undamsped
Two financial concerns, whose ,
'mes were directly in the path of
e flames, were practically unharm.
!. These were the Mercantile
rust Company and Brown Brothers'
ank' The escape of these build.
gs Is attributed to their lack of
EN-. e
There are millions and tens of I
illions of dollars in currency and c
10, and In A No 1. securities lock. c
up IN safes and vaults which lie a
meath the ruins of ban ks and other t
siness houses. The recovery of
Is vast wealth will be watched with !
ave concern. d
FEW LIVES LOST.
A number of firemen and others 4
re injured, only a few fatally. y
he most marvellous thing about the i
e was that it was practically free .
I'm loss of life. In that respect il !,
a. II n