The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1906-09-13
BALTIMORE OF Tssg pUTvsRs
Flreproof Struosures, Widened Streets
and Growing Commerce.

- ~ .-a q #rsF :
Rlreproof structures, Widenod Streets
and Growing Commerce.
The area ravaged by flames consisted
Of 80 city blocks. or moro than Leu
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 vera 1882 buildings, and with the
exception of about 50 of them, every
one was laid low either by flames or
by city officials in fighting the fre, and
the section, which before the fire had
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 the burned district was mar
row and uuaDle to accommodate the
city's rapidly increasing trade, and the
main thlIs planned wae the widening
Of these streets. Baltimore street, the
most important thoroughtsre and the
dividing line of the north and south
streets, was not Widened, though agita-
lion of it held up improvements on the
thoroughfare for more than thres
months and it was several times before
The city council. Business men who ss
: that time opposed the widening and
won their fight have In many instances
admitted they were st fault, but too
lata. In addition to widening streets,
the city made provision for large
plaza on the west front Of the court
house, building which cost nearly
s4,0O0,00O and Is considered one Of the
very finest OF its kind Ia the worlo.
The city has also planned 10 take pos
session of all the property south OF
Pratt street and extending to the water
front. 1t 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 a5S lots upon which the habilita-
ton of the burned district depended,
aud on these permits for 44S structures
have been issued or applied for. But
ss these 4A6 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
mgs which occupied all the 95S lots in
the burned district before the fire
amounted to S10,S40.975, which Is S4,-
C93,145 less than the declared cost OF
The new ones erected or now in course
If construction.
All of the buildings are as thorough
" fireproN as man can make them. IL
Is doubtful If any city in the country
las as many areproof buildings at rhia
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 q
particle Of wood in them. Practically
all Of the new buildings have metal
window frames, with metal sashe8 1T
ted with wire glass on the most ex-
posed parts.
A large number OF the new buildings
are OF concrete construction. In fact,
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 tho largest
building constructed Of concrete IN Bal
time Is tho new hcme OF the Baltimore
News. This building occupies large
lot on the southeast corner OF Fayette
and Calvert streets, and has just been
completed. One warehouse is now be-
ing erected which is entirely OF con-
crete, tho ouside walls being dressed In
q manner closely resembling limestone.
= IN rebuilding the city the general
tendency has been to erect buildings OF
medium height rather than skyscrap-
ors.
Despite the fact that the fire demon
strated that wooden pavements VIII
burn, Baltimore has paved some Ct her
streets with wooden blocks since the
FIRE. The wooden blocks have been
used principally on the streets IN tha
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 q source OF great an
noyance. Most of the streets in the
burned district have been paved with
Belgian blocks, however.