Large fire of Baltimore

The Grand fire of Baltimore of 1904 made rage with Baltimore, Maryland, of Sunday February 7th until Monday February 8th 1904. Close to: 1231 Pompiers were mobilized to control this terrible Incendie.

Unfolding

The Feu was first of all announced in the buildings of the John Hurst and Company to 10:48 and was propagated quickly. At 1 p.m., units of Washington, cd. arrived. In order to stop the fire, the authorities decided to use a Pare-feu and of Dynamite R the buildings close to the flames. All these various techniques were ineffective.

One of the reasons of the width and the duration of this fire was the absence of Standardization of the equipment of the firemen. Although Van of fire of the neighbouring cities (such Philadelphia and Washington) as well as units of firemen of New York, Wilmington and of Atlantic City moved in reinforcement, much could not act because their fire hoses could not be connected to the mouths with fire of Baltimore. Consequently, fire burned during nearly 30 hours, destroying 1.526 buildings on nearly 70 blocks of houses.

Just after the disaster, the words of the mayor Robert McLane were included in the press of Baltimore:

“To suppose that the hearts of our fellow-citizens will not leave not grown this test, it is to suppose that they are not true Americans. We must work so that one does not remember the fire of 1904 like mark of a decline but well of a progress. ” He then refused the proposals for an assistance, informant: “Being with the head of this municipality, I can only be grateful sympathy and material assistance which were proposed to us. But all these proposals, I answer about in these terms: “Baltimore will take care of itself, thank you”” .

Two years later, the September 10th 1906, the Baltimore-American wrote that the city had been concerned its ashes and that “One of the greatest disasters of modern times had been transformed into blessing”

Consequences

It was believed for a long time that the disaster had not made any victim. Many works treating of this subject take it again and the commemorative plaque carries the following inscription:

“lost Lives: no”

However recent discovered calls this fact into question. A newspaper of time, the Baltimore Sun , brings back the discovery of the remainders carbonized of a Afro-Américain fished out in the port a few days after the fire, close to the place of current mooring of the USS Constellation. The reason for which this disappearance remained been unaware of during nearly one century is unknown. The Racisme is however suspected of having been able played a part.

: 35000 people also lost their use of the continuations of the disaster. After this fire, the city was rebuilt with materials offering more fire resistance, such as the Granit.

H.L. Mencken survived the fire but the offices of its newspaper, the Baltimore Herald , were destroyed. He tells this episode and his consequences in the final chapter of Happy Days , the first volume of sound Autobiographie. He writes that he entered there like a child, full with the energy of youth, and that he left there almost a such man ripe age.

The Large fire is also commemorated in the folk Chanson : “Baltimore Fire. ”

Fire fire I heard the cry

From every breeze that master keys by

All the world was one sad cry off pity

Strong men in anguish prayed

Calling out to the heavens for aid

While the ugly fire in ruins was

Fair Baltimore the beautiful city

This song can be translated as follows:

With fire, fire, I hear the tears

Of each breeze which passes to me to side

the whole world was not more that one sob of compassion

Of the powerful men, in distress, requested

Requiring the assistance of the sky

While fire extended in the ruins

Brave Baltimore, beautiful city

External bonds

Jensen, Brennen (September 3,2003) Charmed Life: Lives Lost: One Baltimore City Paper

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Large fire of Baltimore

Unfolding

Consequences

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