The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-12-20
BALTIMORE OF THE FUTURE.
Fireproof Structures, Widened Streets
and Growing Commerce.

Fireproof Structures, Widened Streets
and Growing Commerce.
The area ravaged by flames consisted
Of 80 city blocks, Or more than l4U
acres, bounded by Liberty, Baltimore,
Fayette, Lexington and Gay streets,
Jones Falls to the water front and
Pratt and Lombard streets. In this Sec
ton were 1882 buildings, and with the
exception of about 80 of them, every
one was laid low either by flames or
by city officials in fighting the fire, and
the section, which before the fire hao
been the finest in the business district,
was left practically territory OF un-
improved land, says the New YORK
Herald.
Immediately after the fire Baltimore
began planning Improvements. Every
street in TIE burned district was mar
row and unable to accommodate the
city's rapidly increasing trade, and the
main thing planned was the widening
of these streets. Baltimore street, the
most important thoroushfare and the
dividing line Of the north and south
streets, was not widened, though aglta-
ton of it held up improvements on the
thoroughfare for more than three
months and it was several times before
the city council. Business men who at
that time opposed the widening aad
wo1 their fight have in many instances
admitted they were at fault, but toe
late. In addition to widening streets,
the city made provision for large
plaza on the west front OF the court
house, building which cost nearly
81 ,0O0, 900, and is considered one Of the
very finest Of its kind in the Worio
The city has also planned to take pos
session of all the property south OF
Pratt street and extending to the WAFER
front. It will build new docks and will
lease space on them to individuals and
corporations, system similar to that
in vogue in New York city.
With the property condemned for the
Improvements named, there were actu-
ally 95S lots upon which the habillta-
ton of the burned district depended.
and on these permits for 446 structures
have been issued or applied tor. But
as these 446 permits in many cases rep
resent two or more lots, about ITO OF
the 95S have been covered or will soon
be improved with new buildings.
The tax assessments on all the build
ings which occupied all the 9oS lots IN
the burned district before the fire
amounted to S10,S4O975, which is S4,-
Os3, Jas less than the declared cost OF
the new ones erected or now in course
of construction.
All of the buildings are as thorough
ly freproof as man can make them. 1t
| is doubtful if any city in the country
has as many freproof buildings at this
| time as Baltimore In the construction
only improved methods were used, and
there are quite number OF buildings
about the city now that have not a
particle of wood in them. Practically
all of the new buildings have metal
| window frames, with metal sasnes NJ
Ted with wire glass on the most eS-
posed parts.
| a large number Of the new buildings
are of concrete construction. IN TACT
there are now more concrete buildings
in Baltimore than in any other city IN
the country. Builders say that this
has been found to be one of the best
methods of construction, being solid as
well as freproof. Probably the larges,
building constructed Of concrete In Bal
time is the new home Of the Baltimore
News. This building occupies a large
lot on the southeast corner Of FayeIte
and Calvert streets, and has just been
completed. One warehouse is now be-
ing erected which is entirely OF con
! crete, the ouside walls being dressed IN
manner closely resembling limestone
In rebuilding the city the genera
| tendency has been to erect buildings O,
medium height rather than shyscrap-
ers.
Despite the fact that the FIRE demon
strated that wooden payements vii!
burn, Baltimore has paved some OF her
| streets with wooden blocks since the
fire. The wooden blocks have beer
used principally on the streets in the
vicinity of the court house, It having
been found that they deaden the SOUND
of passing cars and wagons, which be-
fore the fire was source Of great an
/ noyance. Most Of the streets in the
burned district haye been paved with
Belgian blocks, however.