Evening star., 1907-05-05
BLESSING IN DISGUISE
Good Results of the Great Balti-
more Fire.
WIDENING THE STREETS
improvements That Were Much
Needed Established.
SEWER SYSTEM INAUGURATED
Destruction of Ramshackle Structures
That Were an Eye-Sore - New
Wharves and Fish Market.
EY WILLIAM F. CURTIS.
Special correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.


S.rrirl Correspondence of The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
EALTIMORE,.M Md. May l. 1907.
The hig fire broke out Sunday morning,
February = 1901 just before IL o'clock.
when the good people of Baltimore were
on their way to church. 1t was one of the
greatest ConfiaErations that ever happened,
hat. like that of Chicago. which was even
greater in extent and in the amount of
destruction. everybody now recognizes it
blessing in Disguise This blessing
WAS purchased at an expense of about
SitDuoo'oO including buildings stocks OF
goods. store and Office fixtures and furni-
turr. personal effects and other assets. The
tax commissioners reduced the assessment
on the burnt district about Sl3,0e10lO as
representing the taxable value of the i'm
provrmyrts destroyed. The insurance COM
pdni"S have paid about SI2.UJO,OO1. and de-
frulted On several millions more because
the losses absorbed all OF the assets of
several local companies. Seven companies
paid out all their surplus and capital.
closed their Offices and went out of buSi-
Ross. The Insurance adjustments were
easy and simple and nearly all claims
We're promptly paid. There were COM
plicalions such occurred in Chicago and.
more recently, III San Francisco, and very
few controversies or appeals to the courts.
Nearly 80 per cent OF the S2.O00,OoO of In
suraHce was foreign money, from Europe,
New York. New England and Philadelphia.
and was therefore of actual assistance In
rebuilding.
1t Is a remarkable fact that not one hu-
man life was lost because of the fire, and
very few persons suffered injury. This Is
largely due to the fact that, being Sunday,
the business district was practically de-
serted. The employees of the factories.
warehouses. stores and other places were
scattered throughout the residence portion
of the city y;there were no buyers or visitors.
the streets were empty and those who oc-
cupied the tenement houses in the burnt
district were at home with their fam.l
and could easily assist them to escape.
The fire burned continuously for about
twenty-four hours. 1t began to subside
about IL o'clock Monday morning, but was
not extinguished until there was nothing
left to burn. The buildings consumed num-
bered l,526 without including docks and
lumber yards. They occupied area of
eighty-six blocks and about 14O acres.
No one knows how the fire began or
was caused, but it began in the basement of
a siX-story warehouse and is supposed to
have been slumbering for several hours.
IL probably originated from some act of
CarcleSsneSS toward the close of business
hours on Saturday, but that will never be
determined. The burnt district was largely
covered with old. rickety buildings. too good
to tear down. but a disgrace to a great rich
city like Baltimore. Even the owners are
glad now that they were swept away be-
cause they have learned that new buildings
OF freproof construction and modern con-
veniences bring them much larger dividends
than the old ones On the sites of the most
disreputable. ramshackle blocks of brick
and wood has risen a group of business
houses of tasteful architecture and indie
structible material. Many of the streets
have been widened and newly paved, and
the city authorities are introducing mod
ern improvements which have long been
needed and demanded by the people.
Regeneration of the City.
Since the fire, building permits have been
granted representing an expenditure of $780,
G>533l: in 1904 they amounted to S16.Ss9,-
l96; in 1925 they represented $4,000, 5s3; in
1906 they represented s19,196.652.
The tax assessors have added about s16,-
G00C0 to the assessments.
About 30 per cent of the burned district
has been rebuilt or partially completed.
Previous to the fire the building permits
averaged about $I,0C0,000 a year For the
year 1893 they represented an expenditure
of s. 6i2 30I.
These figures do not include the expendi-
lures of the municipality in the regenera-
tion of the city Before the ashes were
cold the citizens got together and organ
lied for work. The necessary legislation
was Immediately sought from the state
assembly. which was then in session at
Annapolis. and loans amounting to S19,-
GJO.OW were authorized for public improve
ments. OF this amount S6,000,OO0 was ap-
structiOn of docks and $4,000 600 for the
construction of sewers. which. strange to
say, Baltimore never had before. 1t was
a sewerless city. The remainder of the
money was used to pay the expense of
widening several streets in the business
section. which were very narrow. total
Of more than ten acres has been added to
the street area In the congested sections
and all of the important streets except
Baltimore street, the principal shopping
street OF the city. have been widened.
Everybody now regrets that Baltimore
street was allowed to remain so narrow
II Is. The mistake is universally realized,
bur the influence of the Baltimore American
and the Continental National Bank, which
occupy prominent corners. was strong
enough to defeat the will of the people.
Wise Administration.
Everybody praises the executive ability
and the wise and broad-minded policy of
Mayor Timanus. who came into power
three months after the fire. succeeding
Mayor Robert McI4ane, who committed
suicide. Even the leaders of the opposite
party give Timanus credit for clean and
efficient government. Under his admins
tration there has been no graft, no scan
dals All impartial citizens agree that
the civic morality of Baltimore at present
Is unprecedented, not only In that city, but
IN the country. This is largely due to a
fight which has been made by Charles II.
Grasty of the Baltimore Evening News,
who is independent in politics, but for a
clean, honest. progressive government.
The public improvements were conducted
by 1.-The burnt district commission" orig
inally appointed by Mayor McLane March
II, 1904 four weeks after the fire 1t was
composed of Col. Sherlock Swami. chair
man; Charles X. Lord, Reuben Foster and
John 7. Graham, with the mayor as a
member ex-officio. Mr.. McI4ane died May
30. when he was succeeded by Vice Mayor
+. Clay Timanus. president OF the second
branch of the city council. little later
John w. Snyder was appointed in the place
of Mr.. Foster, who resigned. Two of the
members of the commission were demo-
Gratis and two republicans, but political
considerations have never had any weight.
At no time has any one attempted to bring
politics into the management of public i'm
provements.
Fortunately the municipal treasury had
nearly S5.OO0.000 in cash at the time of the
fire, the proceeds OF the sale of stock in
the Western Maryland railway belonging
to the city, and that sum. with the Sl9,-
4, Ars-. Lon, hos erfxy fha