The Washington times., 1904-08-07
SIX MONTHS SINCE
BAL INORE'S FIRE
Figures Show Great Prog
ress in Rebuilding.
NEW STRUCTURES GOING UP
Represent an Outlay of Eight Millions
in Burned Dis
trict.
NEW STRUCTURES GOING UP

BALTIMORE. Aug. Six months
ago tomorrow Sunday. February p the
great IRE started which destroyed most
Oh balumore's business and financial
section
DuIlhs these six months many build
ihgs nave been completed and occupied.
WINE hundreds are now being erected
OF provided for. The energy and
progress made by BaItlmoreans has
aroused the admiration of visitors TO
the city.
Marvellous Figures.
The following figures give an idea OF
the work in the burned district:
Building permits issued IN the
burned district. 20
Money represented in building,
nearly -.-...-.......-..--.....3 IS 000 OO0
Men employed on the work les
IlInated) ----.---------.----.-. I5O6o
Weekly wages to employees in
the burned district (estimated) $4,000
F. A. Wells. vice president of the
Wells Bros Company which erected
the Hotel Belvedere and IS REBUILDING
TIE Union Trust Company, was IN Bal
t4more a few days ago, and the progress
made in the burned district made a
great impression on him Wells Is a
native Of Chicago. and was living in
that city at the time Of the Chicago
conflagration in 1S71
intendent for the company. Walter
Tenny Smith. Wells said that he was
amazed at the enterprise and energy
displayed by BaltimOreans in rebuild
ing the city. The class Of buildings
being erected. Wells thought, was ex-
cellent. although he said there were not
as many fireproof buildings being erect
ed as there should be
Baltimore Compared With Chicago.
The progress made by Baltimore as
compared with Chicago during a CORE
spending period shows that Baltimore is
ahead of the Western city's record.
Wells said that there were more build
ings erected in Chicago within six
months after the fire than are now being
erected in Baltimore, but the character
Of the structures was entirely different
After the Chicago fire Chcre was a
great rush TO return to tho burned por-
ton Of the city 10 resume business As
a consequence, hundreds Of One-story
temporary shacks 0ere erected. but
compare lively few fine and substantial
buildings. In Baltimore IL mas been diff
ferent. BaitimOreans, Mr.. Wells said.
should boom their city, and they have
ample room TO dwell on the work ac-
complished in this district within this
short time.
2zo Building Permits Issued.
There have been 90 building permits
inspector since the fire, and tie aggre-
gate cost of the buildings is given at
s., ss2, 300 This amount does not repre-
sent the total amount to be expended on :
these structures. as there is much work
on buildings which exceeds the cost
given in the building permits.
In addition TO this, the reconstrU ction
Of the steel frame buildings. which is
not included in the number given, adds
materially 10 the amount being expend-
ed. When all the work IN progress Is
taken into consideration. il i estimated
that nearly s.. 900, 900 is the amount rep
resented in the rebuilding work now in
progress.
There are some buildings for which
contracts have been awarded within the
last few days, but for which building
permits have not been issued Notable
among these IS the Chamber OF Com
merce Building. the contract for which
was awarded a few days ago. This
structure viii be among the nneSt n
the city. and Will cost over S2eo. 900.
The warehouse for the Johns Hop
kins Hospital, on South Street, and
other contracts have been awarded, but
the building permits have not been is
sued.
OF the permits issued the buildings
are divided into the following classes
One-story buildings. ...................... "A
One and one-half-story buildings 1
TWo-Story buildings. -.----.-.-..-------.-- 30
Three-stOry buildings .-.-....-.-......-... %
Four-story buildings -----.----------.---- =
Five-stOry buildings. ..--....-....-....-.- 40
SiE-story buildings -.---------------------
Seven-stOry buildings .-------------------- 1
TWelve-stOry buildings. i
Sixteen-story buildings. -.....-....-..---- /
Plans are being prepared for many
handsome structures, among when are
some of the buildings 10 be occupied by
the different banks OF the city and large
commercial houses.
Nearly 1900 Buildings Burned.
There were between 1,200 and 100
buildings destroyed in the IRE and be-
tween $500 and 5000 business establish
ments affected. When the buildings IN
course of erection, together with those
for which plans have been prepared ana
those which are now being Designer,
have been completed, when VIII pe IN
about six months Baltimore VIII nave
no reason TO feel ashamed OF the year
work
A number Of firms have returned TO
the burned district and are now con
Quoting business There was no ueiay
on the part Of Baltimore merchants 10
get back 10 their old sites, ana 4oout
the first TO resume business was I1enIy
S. Tharle, commission man. on Atarsn
Market Space. who opened an new
building completed IN twenty-nine IayS,
on April /.
On NAV 1. lust two months after the
fire the first manufacturing plant be-
gan oDera tion after rebuilding its build
| ing and installing new machinery. This
was d II. Dreyer & Co. located at the
Southeast corner OF Lombard and Con-
cord Streets. At first the eastern SEQ
| ton OF the city was Tar IN the lead
| in building operations. Now there are
| many handsome buildings being erected
/ in the western section, which IS rapidly
| decreasing the eastern sections lead
Insurance Losses Paid
| Insurance losses thus far paid amount
10 800 ia $751; 81. which is estimated TO &c
nearly one-half of the total loss In re-
| building the city there are now over
* 600 men employed. while the weekly
| nsxrrou II is estimated, amounts TO about
| sr51 on Hundreds OF these men are from
! ether cities where building operations
/ are slow at present, due to labor trOu-
| bIes and the high price OF material. thus
| nrobably saving many families from
! xrant The labor troubles here have been
! sonparatively few Several OF the unions
after the fire came forward and an
| DotInced that they would place no OBJ
! Staele in the way Of rebuilding the city,
and would make no unreasonable de-
! mands. This decision has been strictly
| adhered to. There have been cases
/ where the men working on buildings
4 have demanded more pay, but in this de-
mand they were not supported by their
! ~espective unions. and Ii was no more
than an individual fight.