Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-09

inquiry at the city hospitals failed to dis
close single case that required hospital
attention. This was regarded as singularly
fortunate. nv
City Wears Martial Aspect.
The city was in the hands of the soldiery
as completely as though martial law had
been declared. The 4th and 9Th Regiments
and Troop A of the Maryland National
Guard, which had been on duty since Sun
day. were reinforced late last night by the
1st Regiment. the various companies. of
which were scattered Throughout the state.
The last of these did ndk Arrive until early
this morning. Gen. FtGgS, brigade COM
mander, and the meIabets Of his staff
the city hall. Gen. Rigs, Col. Warfield and
Lieut.. Woodhouse wereSup all night. At
every street corner aftut the burned sec
have been powerless to prevent the footing
the the ruins but for thh assistance of the
military. Regular troopS from nearby forts
guarded United States property anywhere
near the fire section. Major General Corbin,
with several members of his staff, arrived
In Baltimore early in the evening. and after
consultation with Gen. Riggs returned to
New York leaving member of his staff to
commander. Before leaving Baltimore,
however, Cen Corbin telegraphed New
York countermanding the orders for the
transportation of United States troops from
appear at that time that they would be
needed
Military Controlled Easily.
The militia had things well in hand
throughout the night. There was abso-
lutely no disorder. Many drunken men
were found on the streets, but they were
quickly taken up by the police and sent to
the nearest station house. The central po-
lice station, on the edge of the fire zone,
near the post office building was filled with
men who had imbibed too freely early in
the evening. and they were being sent in
from all sides throughout the night. Dur
ing the entire night but one case that had
even a suspicion of the appearance of loot
ing came to the attention of the police A
man was arrested on the edge of the fire
district with six boxes of cigars under his
arm. He was just emerging from a small
cigar store which was found open. The
back of the store had been burned, and easy
access was obtained. The man was taken
to the station house and all the stolen prop
erty was recovered.
AT midnight the firemen were still work.
ing assiduously at the ruins. Down on the
water front, In the district where the lun-
Der yards were to be found, the fire blazed
brightly. This was the bright spot in the
city. Here and there in the ruins broken
gas pipe shot forth flames and lighted up
the surroundings. and the torches used by
the f1remen added to the glow. The blocks
about this section of the city were black
in contrast to the brightness of tho flames
Navigation of the streets was difficult in
the extreme. Where there was light enough
to see the pavementS were strewn with
rubbish and ruins. Where there was no
light the Icy sidewalks made walking ex-
tremely difficult, and the burned section
could only be approached on foot.
Ruins Are PICTURESQUE.
The scene on the site of the fire was pic
turesque even in its desola don, more 50
than 1t could possibly be during the day
Here and there among the ruins, as far as
the eye could reach, tall chimney or the
section of an Office building doomed up
black against the glowing sky. The win
dows burned red against the blacHness of
the standing walls. Telephone teleyra phi
and trolley wires coiled about every lam
post or tree or pole. The trolley poles were
bent at right angles, and in fantastic
shapes, and many were thrown to the
ground. The streets ran rivers of water
which later froze solid There was little
wind during the night, and the atmosphere
was unusually still. The occasional crash
of falling wall, just topping after its sun.
ports had been destroyed was the only
sound that disturbed the mono .1nous huff.
puff of the fire engines.
In the streets removed from the burned
section the crowds seemed noisy and CAV
enough, but when the people approa ched
the fire they lost their gaiety. They seemed
TO appreciate for the first time what il all
meant to them.
Blackened Walls Awaken Memories.
Toward midnight, when few visitors were
left, and only Baltimoreans gazed on the
ruins that had been monuments of their
commercial supremacy, the work Of more
than two centuries the scene was almost
funereal 1t seemed as though every one
of the thousands who looked stoldiv at the
blackened walls, lonely chimneys and dense
masses of broken brick and stone and
twisted iron and steel, had 4 persona. in
terest in the buildings that were DESTROYED.
Each appeared to feel that he had suffered
a loss that was irreparable, and each seemed
striving to hide his feelings rs best ne
could. Ne
The soldiers paced to and fro attending
strictly to their duties. When approached
the sentries politely answered all the uues-
ions put to them or referred inquirers to
others better informed. There was a feel
ing or sympathy among all the people. The
militiarism that holds Baltimore In its
grasp Is no stern tyrant. 1t treats. the
citizens whose property it is guarding
with the utmost consideration and permits
the greatest freedom Of movement within
the lines laid down In the orders Of the
brigade commander
The police force seemed demoralized dur
ing the night The patrolmen paced their
beats in a perfunctory manner and seemed
lest in dream.
Fremen Too Busy for Sentiment.
The members Of the fire department had
little time to indulge in thinking of the dis.
aster or dwelling upon its sentimental fea-
lures They were kept too busy working
over the ruins. Water was thrown on all
the smoldering buildings, even those around
Hopkins place all night and continued dur
ing the day. The smoke clouds were thick
this morning at daylight in fact it was
night in the city for some time after day
had come to the suburbs. In the heart of
the burned section the rays of the sun die
hot penetrate the thick clouds of smoke
and steam until long after 1t had lighted up
the hills about Baltimore.
When the city awoke this morning it
was with realization that an awful thing
had happened. The people whose places Of
business were still standing hurried to their
work in an attempt to work off some of the
nervous strain under which they had suffer-
ed since Sunday. Others went once more
to the ruins to look and to watch another