| Show I t J I f c cI L I rf C y I G n nEk a p J i l M 1 rs j y n iy t Ek Q t i J STREET i s t 1 lY j i fin i-i i M fa Cl d. d r Sl z A Ua i lna Arl m. m j w r 1 a 1 na l il laS Ch a v S' S J AV ff 8 S I 5 t t 1 t S 'S a IJ r 4 7 17 lg 1 1 M a 3 T r Y f P r rY 4 r yr t fP 4 4 t I Ir ti f r J r i. i il s f Ly Cr At c 11 1 l' l r JA 1 i Tf Ai FJ s fIL recovery of Baltimore from the I great greal tire lire fIre of February 7 i and s s. s iwi i j which swept over o acres of lan land Including 86 blocks G of the richest business s section of the city ell destroyed 15 buildings build build- buildings ings and four foUl him lumber er yards s which with their Uler contents have been estimated at from to tP has hns been little short of marvelous and now within with with- in 31 30 months the district Is at leant h a l 85 per cent rebuilt I anti anO that portion of o the I city Is 11 covered tJ by blocks of or magnificent office au and warehouse s of or the thc most mOEt modern type Statistics arc are always Interesting for comparison and c the thu fire destroyed th the following story one buildings building 1 I an one and one half one half one half buildings g s. s t two story WO t 2 two one and and ate lt r buildings three story three three-t tor buildings K 10 three and and three ono half story stor buildings story four tor 29 9 to and half ut-a ut one nd s ar buildings a S. S liO n story five lOr buildings buildings- b buildings 3 one and t ry U 13 story six buildings h humid tt 11 Ii story seven 1 V of l 1 story eight 2 ten story 2 story eleven n bull J gr 1 I twelve story bull 1 I s lory tor buIld iA ex were all h buck brick Jck The fon foregoing hut but in addition r the thc following frame ra me s.- s. 47 li onesto story one buildings 1 I story half building J two story buildings S 1 story six Grand total 15 1526 buildings S 4 I lumber yards ard The records o of of ot the building Inspector show that the great fire I b JO C-JO permits to to el cr t h in iii time the follows fol fol- follows new district have granted as lows 1 f 50 4 story one building i e 10 one and one and one half D buildings 63 five two story build buildings 5 two one two ont st ry buildings 1 lei three story building Irv story four-story w story five Z 30 3 story six building t S' S 11 10 story seven jf it 5 cl story eight ht building r Y 2 story nine 3 ten len story glory building building- 3 twelve twelve-s Iton tory gU I I. 1 I thirteen story story n burl In b 9 P t 3 Mory building bindings Value valt altH these i o deClared declare the According tl lo to their st structures represent but rt the W places estimate Tat Ta I of oC the th Ap I the the tile value a at t n OO K to the urea fir s of the he fax Tax court tt e a eulue ulue J of oC buildings is d destroyed W was wAp J 1 W tJ wan i t wane At l o m that first glance gla e eit it e- e s dr and 1 Ul f. f C pcr- pcr j traits t Issued the Ih r e vou d be great grent t cover cove r but bUl Structure Vi man many of ot the new from 2 to I 1 12 lotI lots an and nd qC total to taken laKen number num num- nun her ber of rots lt Jo of tl e n were wel V about TOO OO in III for tor etc etc ele Jj r the widening n of u t Im fI ot of lots figuring out the per tags Include th the dock l- l not oC though It I figured In rho ho rr CO accounting or orth t r s destroyed ed th w In the the UC la coif g gration Those tb the who w went nt through awful Cui Bun Bunday ra ration will for l n w never The There e day ay and anI the days that lh the c that were Inan did mild not think many who oer o'er c city could ever recover and there many It would ie e fI five c l ten or predictions even cven twenty that S' S before w would Tr It ever r be rebuilt t who h v r wr re many lIt w o r isa- isa not who were a d there we f o thousands governor Warfield at al once Issued a u proc- proc on declaring seven days days n-days legal holi lilt day In order to help th the banks and business busi busl- business ness men whose Ial paper r was Va maturing and the city authorities realizing that the fire rire would not nol work the havoc at first thought ht promptly declined all outside aid though thought the state stale Ics Ics-I legislature lature promptly appropriated ap ap- for a relief fund and this proved am ample le us as of or it ft was wila returned A At t the time the fire rIre was considered an awful calamity but subsequent development develop develop- ments ment have demonstrated that the thc was fter all a blessing in tn disguise as s It I aroused the thc people eo le from Crom a lethargy e and aDd d enec made them an n energetic g etc progressive class classable classable able to rc realize aU and Ira grasp the tho meaning of the Mie 01 word 1 hustling The business m men n whose stores were destroyed destroyed de de- quickly sought temporary quarters and in nile alleys and back rooms they o opened their establishments all the thc while sending out tons of solicitations for business by mall assuring their out out-of- town patrons patro that the fire made macle little difference to them and that all nil orders could be filled al at short notice That was wall the spirit that showed Itself all aft o over r the city and It was the tho spirit th that t won because during tho the following six months more mOIe business than ever was done and more mont money was made For yards and all years one of or the greatest rente t drawbacks to the old business section on had been Its narrow streets and with the thc steady Increase of oC business the thc thoroughfares thorough thorough- fares R were vere so crowded that traffic was greatly gl hampered Before the fire Ire plans for Tor the thc widening of oC some of oC the streets md had been pr prepared pared but there was was- one obstacle and that was waR the great cost since nut not only did the thc land Jand have ave to be bought but bUl the warehouses as us well When that section was vas a mass of oC dering runs ruins Mayor Mayol McLane coiled called together together to together to- to gether a n. committee of oC the loading citizens of at the city and the thc Situation W was S talked over It was decided to appoint a n. trill- trill emr emergency oncy committee to to consider the Improvements to be made a week Week the committee submitted Its report re to- port wh which lh has hoa since been en carried out and which contained the thc following suggestions sug- sug Hopkins Place cut through to Liberty street t. t forming n u plaza and making a 0 straight thoroughfare north and south Houth with Park avenue widen from Lombard street a north from 55 sr feet foet lo to 70 10 feet and andr r from Pratt street north Hanover street Cut street Cut through from Batmore Bat Bal more street t to Fayette street with uniform uni uni- form torm W. W lh of or C 6 5 feet Charles street Widen street Widen t from Lombard street to Faye Fay Ale te street from Cram rota 4 feel to feet Light street Widen street Widen from Baltimore I street to Pratt street stroH from Cram 5 to feet and St. St 1 Paul Widen street street Widen from tram Baltimore street to lI r t from om tom 30 97 to CG t feet et cut grade to tn meet inoel pew pets grade of Fayette street street widen len from from SO ao to 0 06 Cli 6 feet between W Foy Payette M nd nd Lex Lexington streets Directs to provide for plat for In front of oC court court- h house 0 Calvert street treet Widen street V from Baltimore street to Fayette Ue street from GI Cl to SI 81 feet Commerce street Widen street Wl Widen len from Crete Exchange Place to Pratt from 1 10 60 f feet West l Falls Avenue Cut Avenue Cut through h from L Lombard street to Baltimore street with witha a Q w tt width cf cr SO 50 feet German Germun street street-Straighten street Straighten and w widen den from former WI widths of ID 59 and 58 feet respectively re re- cly to uniform width of oC SW feel eel between H Hopkins Place PIKe a and nd J. J Light t street flUEtt st Lombard 11 street n tC t.- t. I t-II t from rom Chaile- Chaile zI T r hr D 45 4 TO JO 5 3 fl- fl FEET r M t fr 2 f H JT y j.- j. j f J s-s- s J iv i v 4 i j Y x B W jj 5 x r 1 t r M r A ArM 5 n r lr f. f x Jr 2 ET ET t r 31 t street to Center nl Market e t Spa Simi from tiU II feet reel to 1 W feet flet f et 1 xee pt the portion forum form I ing Ill Place Pratt Widen street tr ct- ct from Light street et to i Jones Jonea Fall F ally from CO feet to feet reet n r de ih th lu entire southwestern tern portion r of ol the district t. t raising the beds of ot the streets from four COUto to o six Ix feet The carrying out of ot lime sug suggestions for Cor K the improvement of tho the street was waR a I Stupendous task ask but the Burnt District Commission Comm Wet was n Indefatigable aull and anti where property properly owners would not accept what was considered C fair lr valuations for their lots lot the matter wn wo sifted out In lit the th courts and he be It said Kald to the credit of or the latter r the wo work k was Va pushed through h and speedy settlements were made mad Ovel Overcoming oming all ob obstacles the work o of I the progressed rapidly and today Ui j thoro thoroughfares are arc copt com completed and 1 t ved d. d addIng to the city's street ui am ura a 3 Square feet a as follows fol fol- fol 01 lows Vs I Square Feat St. St Paul Patti s street plaza Place 8 street t r I st str street eel et I St. St Paul aul surest surest- t- t Light to Pratt Prat Sl Street stroet lt f Culvert s cl et 1 i 3 I Comm o. o s t re 6 UP I W West WIl Il fl ilp avenue German street 3 Lombard t t t Pratt street avenue There was wils o a movement movement to W widen I Baltimore re Itt street but th this 8 wits WILlS finally abandoned but lut gut a law w was WAt s passed Ing all structures str In jn th the thc district df to be built buit flush with th the building line lint and ill um n 4 that manner tin till pavements pavement were wen made mad at it Ila least l two feet wider on each cadI side thus adding somewhat to limo tho width of ot the Streets And Lind making them far tar more handsome hand hand- some Borne i The Tho settling of ot the he street and tho ing off oft of or tho mho now lines caused some Nome delay to the thc rebuilding but several Meveral men took chances and tho time first permit to erect a u structure on Centre Market 1 Space was vas granted grantee March 7 i. i and anel the time first buildIng build build- Ing erected was a n on story one stor affair on East Kast Pratt PIaU street and was occupied March 23 Another similar building was erected on Light street but when the Improvements Improvements Im Im- Wl wet were r f. f made to that thorough thorough- fare laro the time building was partially covered and had hud to be 00 demolished They were pioneers however and th they thoy y he helped to restore time the confidence ln and the nt the new street grades and lines fines were established hed the time work of or rebuilding went on II rapidly It was less than nine months that work had n advanced so tiO far flu hll het I mime Die he Burnt District was WilS no more store and bo ho more nunie of New District DIM Dis t was given En to lo II It Th The namu was well deserved let cd and as IlIJ hf h. h hundreds of ot fine warehouses stores and orn office bill buildings Id Ings a arose ose from rom time the ashes the ao ad advantages of or the w streets were wre rapidly lIy perceived perceive and ami there lucre has hos be been cn some regret expressed that Baltimore Baltimore Balti Balti- more street t was not so improved I What Whal was WOI thought tho to lo have been one ono of th the greatest blows to time the ell city was waK theo the tho lose o of the lie great wharves 8 between Light street treet and tho the Jones Jolles Fails It way was absolutely necessary that the facilities for rOI bo ho restored I and the state legis legis- lature authorized a loan of for 01 I time the purpose ll subject to the thc vote of the people pc The Thc IJan to together with another I for tOI j m for or s' s s' s t 1 i our one for or 00 to develop llop the lilt city fly Annex one ono for tor for or the enlargement of tho the parks park and building of oC boulevards houll ono for 3 JS 1 for the bull building ing of a hu lingo hugo o 20 10 O sallon gallon water storage reservoir one for tor for street et paving ono one for for or public schools and otle omle for 01 for increasing Increasing the limo fire department dc- dc was unanimously ly carried and work on ou time the piers Is now under wa way These structures will he be from to 1250 fe feet t lon long and nd each IS 1St r feet t wide They will have a floor urea area of 0 square fret and will ha have a n valor tn frol frontage o of or fc feet t. t The Tho water WAhl In front of them will b be dro drudged dredged e 1 to a depth of ot 30 rJ feet feel and they will thus be bc able to take lake care of the thc maritime interests o of the port as never before blore In th the tho ry of or the tho city The Tho destruction of ot old Center Market together With tint the Maryland l Institute which OCe occupied the thc upper floors was another another an an- other loss 1098 to the thc ell city but to today stood the d market building which did service Ivlee for a re century there Is III arising a 11 of as fine fume market buildIngs build build- buildings Ings as alS can an h he found and they a It wholesale produce market a wholesale llio fi fish h market and n a sc general retail market the thc topography of that sl street r ot was wag also ohm changed anti and the buildings face west In Instead stead of or the ibo north us formerly These wilt whit cost To the lie stranger walking gh the New Now District today It hardly seems possible possIble pos pos- sible that such ar area could have been built bunt up lip in III such auch a short chort Urn time On er e every side idu one sees secs solid blocks o of b each of pleasing architecture and all allI I blending Into tho the harmonious whole be- be solidity and strength Learning j their lesson from rom the fire tire many own own- f. f l jjr Ea ut ii 4 1 t f fI I sl A I a f ai t r N A AI I 13 FOlI ll a 2 POET Off O avIT WID D t 4 T TO 8 kf 1 FeET E T U 1 gI arY tz 1 i r g eK t ers rebuilt their structures lIres 0 of fireproof material and ste ste. stel l terra cotta colta and conCrete concrete con con- I crete nt entered lar largely el in the work thus making practically impossible another such conflagration The banking Interests o of the time city suffered suffered suf sut- frell by lIy the lo loss s of their homes fully hilly a as s score o of them going down in ni the thc wreck but hut In n every c Instance their v vaults ull were found to h lie 10 Intact and alii business busness was J promptly rc resumed In temporary temporal quarters quarters 1 ter while their helm new quarters being erected In the rebuilding of their homes tho rho banks s showed that they were among I the foremost In enterprise and no city in j I Ithe the time world can boast o of as man many beautiful banking houses as Baltimore Practically all of them are ure one star story but they arc are of generous proportions an and arc of magnificent cent architecture an and their Interiors are arc fl resplendent thc finest Imported marbles mar mar- bios bles sot set off ocr With Ih fixtures Of bf bro 1 bronze brono o and furniture of maho mahogany any It is 18 estimated t wn in buildings Baltimore banka ha anka hat e expended cd I e Ati ll r J-j J gate te tH ho W ho u Th lL Similar spirit hs its did II thousands of or others whose hOBe property proper proper- ty tyUS was US destroyed an and the splendid office buildings warehouses and stores are mute evidence of or the say never courage characteristic of or the time American rho Tho Johns Hopkins hospital the chief revenue ue of or which was WIlS Invested In rentals rentals rentals rent rent- als in the destroyed area was In a peril perilous ous condition after the fire fir b by reason ceason of the thc heavy loss |
