Gilpin observer., 1904-02-11

itary Control.
Baltimore, Feb. 0.-When darkness
fell last night the people OF this
stricken city knew the worst was
over. The flames, which for more
than twenty-four hours, had swept re-
sistlessly through the heart of one OF
the worlds greatest markets of trade,
were checked. An army of firemen
from many cities, working unwearied-
1y and aided by a muddy little stream.
finally conquered a fire which will
rank among the worlds great conGa-
grations
Worn out by night and day of ter.
rcr, the great crowds t at watched the
ruin of their city. turned homeward.
and after midnight the streets were
deserted, save for the police and mi
litia who guarded the burned area.
To the south red GLOW marks 140
acres of vastation-seyenty-fv
squares of property that represented
values to the extent of from S75,000,-
900 to $125,000,000. Not even close
approximation can be made of the
loss. No guess can be made of the in
surance.
Not a single life has been lost and
not human being has even been dan
gerousl.' injured. The hospital lists
consist of minor burns, with the cx-
ception of Jacob Ilgenfritz, fireman
from York. Pa. He has a fractured
leg and is badly burned.
So far there has been no call for
I
many quarters, from sister cities. from
from corporations and from private
citizens, but Baltimore can not say
whether or not it vill be needed or
accepted.
Men talk in figures that are appal-
ling and almost incomprehensible in
their vastness. An expert. the city
building inspector, estimates the loss
In buildings alone at s150O00.000. On
the other hand, 1t is said that insur-
ance estimates do not place the total
loss at greater figure. So far there
has been no systematic attempts TO
fix the values that were represented
in the district which Is q devastated
waste
The city is overcast with gloom.
The stores are closed in nearly all
streets. The avenues are full OF
jostlirg people, talking of one sub
ject. Apparently there is but one
cause for gladness and that is that
there are no homeless. The resi-
dence section of the city escaped.
This phase Of the situation relieved
the officials from any thought other
than the saving of property.
A score Of times flames of fire we're
found tapping the sides of lumber
piles on the east bank of the falls
In some instances the lumber was
tossed into the falls. and this. with
similar heroic measures. stayed the
on-sweep OF the fire. Throughout that
terrible contest. in which firemen and
fire waged for supremacy. humanity
was handicapped by a gale which car
ried burning brands over the heads Of
the workers and beyond the reach of
the hundreds of streams of water
poured into the raging furnaces. But
for tine work of volunteers in seeking
out and extlngu!shing these embers.
it Is certain the burned area would
have been twice larger than 1t Is
About seventv-five squares are In
ashes. extending from Lexington
street on the north to Pratt street on
the south; from Liberty street on the
west to Jones' Falls in the east
The city was early placed under
martial law and thus all danger of
looting in the doomed district was
eliminated. Word was received thai
General Corbin would IL here today
to take command of the federal troops.
The presence Of two regiments of MI
litia. as an adjunct to the police. re-
resulted in the maintenance of order.
No Further Danger.
The cheering news that the con-
fagration had been checked spread
rapidly over the city and the great
crowds that all day had surged against
the tightly drawn fire line began to
turn homeward. Unless the wind.
which blows briskly from the north
west. should change It is believed that
there Is no further danger. But the
tired flremen are taking no chances.
All over the burned district they arc
fighting the fierce flames that still
live In large piles of ruins. These
fires are no menace. however. for they
have nothing to feed on outside their
present limits. During the afternoon
the wall of flame ate its way in a
southerly and westerly direction to-
ward the water. Sporadic fires sprang
into existence and caused the with
drawal of apparatus and men from
the line OF battle. Buildings. old and
new large and small stores shops.
every Imaginable class of buslress.
vanished as the fire swept onward
AS the day wore on the forefront of
the fire neared Jones Falls. small
stream that divides Baltimore from
that portion of the city known as East