The progress of the flames toward the north had in the meantime been so rapid as to be simply appalling. From structure to structure they flew, licking up the massive buildings as if they were composed of paper. In the block between German and Baltimore streets they flew along and almost before it could be realized the buildings along Baltimore street were blazing from roof to basement.
For a time it was hoped the fire could be kept from crossing the north side of Baltimore street and the firemen made a desperate effort to prevent it. The effort was useless, however, and soon the tall, narrow building of Mullin's hotel began to dart out tongues of flame and the remainder of the buildings between Sharp and Liberty streets were ablaze and the fire was marching north. The flames flew rapidly from place to place and soon the entire south side of Fayette street was in their grasp. Down Fayette to Charles they swept and in a short space of time the building occupied by Putts & Co. was doomed.
Seeing that nothing could save it, it was decided to destroy the building with dynamite in the hope of preventing the fire from crossing Charles street. The explosion was successful in accomplishing the object as the entire corner collapsed instantly. This had, apparently, no effect upon the progress of the fire, for almost before the sound of the falling walls had died away the building on the east side of Charles street began to blaze, and it was evident the block between Charles and St. Paul streets were doomed.
In a desperate but futile effort to prevent the fire going further to the east building after building was dynamited in this block, but it was all of no avail and the fire swept steadily onward.
The Daily Record building was soon in flames and not many minutes later the fire had leaped over St. Paul street and the lofty and massive Calvert building began to emit smoke and flame. The Equitable building, just over a narrow alley, quickly followed and these two immense buildings gave forth a glare that lighted the city for miles around.
It was thought that the fire could be prevented from crossing to the north side of Fayette street and here again a desperate stand was made by the firemen. Again it was useless and soon the large building of Hall, Headlington & Co., on the northwest corner of Charles and Fayette streets, was blazing brightly. With scarcely a pause the fire leaped across to the east side of Charles street and enveloped the handsome building of the Union Trust company, while at the same time the large buildings to the west of Hall, Headlington & Co., occupied by Wise Bros. & Oppenheim, Oberndorf & Co., were aflame throughout.
Down Fayette street to the east the flames swept, and soon the new courthouse was ablaze. The fire area then extended along Liberty street north to Fayette, east to Charles, north to Lexington, south on Charles to Baltimore street, east on Baltimore to Holliday and from there in spots to Center Market space.
When it was seen the courthouse could not be saved the court records were all removed to the northern police station, two miles and half away. The Continental Trust building, a thirteen-story structure, caught at the tenth floor and was totally destroyed after burning like a great torch. The private bank of Alexander Brown, located at Baltimore and Calvert streets, in the very heart of the fire district, a one story stone structure, miraculously escaped annihilation, the surviving building out of a great spread of two square miles of costly structures that caught the early morning sun that fateful day. Sunrise that disclosed naught save ruin, chaos and confusion.
Thus raged the warfare of man against a relentless hungry element for 27 hours. It was 11:40 Sunday morning when the fire started. At 2:40 Monday afternoon the joyful news was spread that the allied fire departments had the flames within control. Hotels, banks, business houses, factories—in fact everything in the heart of the city was swept away. All the local newspapers save one were destroyed, the street car systems were without power to operate and the lighting facilities were sadly crippled. Towering ruins loomed up on every hand, swaying in the breeze and jeopardizing life. And still the countless fires in the burned district raged on, illuminating the heavens and clouding the atmosphere with dense smoke against which myriads of sparks twinkled like miniature stars.
The last places to go before the fire started to burn itself out, were the icehouse and coal yard of the American Ice company. The coal yard, which spread out about 200 yards south of the icehouse, was the means of staying the march of the flames on the south and Jones falls on the east. The Norfolk wharf of the Baltimore steam-packet company, which was stocked with barrels of resin and other miscellaneous merchandise, was destroyed before the ice company's plant was reached.