Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-08
The Use of Dynamite.

1ne use Oh OyuAulte.
President Gail stated to a Stars repre-
sentative about o'clock this morning that
| he believed the attempt to stop the progress
| of the disaster by blowing up buildings with
| dynamite had been entirely unsuccessful
| He said that in almost every instance the
| flames reached and enveloped the structure
| to be blown up before the wires could be
set. He held the opinion that if the dyna-
hitting had been carried on farther ahead
| of the burning portion the effect might
have been the opposite. OFTEN when an ex-
plosion made q great rent in some building
| the rent served only as a huge gateway for
| the inruShing of the terrible tongues OF
flame.
1t is understood that a meeting of the
| board of insurance underwriters of the city
of Baltimore was held shortly after noon
yesterday, and that the board came to the
conclusion that 1t was not necessary to
blow I'D buildings with dynamite in order
| to save property. and that they would as
sumo no responsibility for the same.
This shifted to the municipal government
all responsibility for buildings thus destroy
ed that were not reached by the fre. 1t Is
said that this action of the board of under
writer's in measure hindered the fighting
of the fire. The city. however, assumed the
responsibility without much hesitation.
It is stated that a government dynamite
expert was sent from Washington to the
scene of the fire. and that the explosions
were all conducted by him. Thus far it has
been impossible to confirm this statement
at Washington.
A Dramatic Reception.
The arrival at Baltimore of the two
Washington fire companies, Nos. and 2.
that left their home city shortly after II
O'Clock last evening, was very dramatic. 1t
was just ahead of train carrying a num-
ber of newspaper men and a throng of ex-
cited Washington sightseers
The engines and hose trucks were loaded
on fiat cars and were taken off the minute
the train reached Baltimore.
The Stars representatives accompanied
the fire companies down Liberty and Light
streets to the river front, between burning
buildings and cheering crowds Of people.
Directly in the face of the flying sparks
the horses were pulled up and with all dis
patch water was secured, and fresh streams
began to play on the scorched walls.
Some difficulty was experienced at first in
making the hose of the Washington depart
| ment fit the Baltimore plugs, but as neces-
sity required 1t a device was soon planned
whereby they we're tied in a satisfactory
| manner.
When at $50 this morning the report
came the advancing column of fame had
| reached Broadway, the distressing nature
of the situation was impressed upon the
people with renewed force. 1t meant that
the residence district of the poor in south
| eastern Baltimore would suffer.
One Newspaper Office Saved
The office of the World, situated on
Calvert street near Lexington, almost in
the way of the blaze, was the only news
paper building in the city that escaped de-
struction. From late in the afternoon un-
til midnight it was momentarily expected
that the little building would be consumed,
and everything was put in readiness for a
hasty departure. Clearly in sight of this
structure, could be seen the big buildings
of the Herald and the Sun, going up like
mere tinder. At first 1t was thought that
the Heralds structure could be saved, and
the employees did not leave until the last
moment, saving only their typewriters and
the files of the paper.
But all the while the Worlds stan looked
on unmolested from up the street. At 10
o'clock the only Baltimore extra paper of
the night was put on the streets from this
office
The Heralds force was invited by the
managing editor to take refuge here and
if 1t was so desired. The Herald men spent
some time in the building contemplating
the acceptance of the latter part of this
invitation, but shortly before midnight
the heat in the vicinity and fled, confident
that the last paper in town would go up
in smoke and flames before long. How
ever at late hour this morning the place
was still in safety.
The Herald and the Evening News and
the Sun brought their forces to Washing
ton, the last named having been rendered
the use of the plant of The Evening Star
and the others that Of the Washington
Post.
Collapse of the Sun Building.
The collapse of the Sun building at East
Baltimore and South streets was one of
the most interesting speetacles of tire
fire. The structure, Familiarity known as
the Sun iron building" made good
stand against the seething fire fiend and
was about the last building of the older
type in that immediate section to fall.
Soon after the removal of the more val
uahle documents and loose fixtures from
the structure the flames leaped across
South street to the Sun building from the
building of the Baltimore American, which
had just succumbed. The iron structure
withstood the scorching bravely, and
many times bystanders thought 1t would
serve as an obstruction to the fire and
thereby give the firemen an opportunity
to make a better stand against the flames
in the square Immediately south of the
office.
Even after the windows of the struc-
ture had given way to the intense heat
the building looked as If 1T had fighting
chance for its existence. The wind, how