Frank Philip Scrivener and Louise Carmelite Gwynn (my great-grandparents) were married in Prince George's County MD in 1899 and then took up residence in Baltimore at 105 E. Lafayette Avenue. Frank worked as a bookkeeper for the Gottschalk Company. Their only child, Frank Philip Jr. was born in Baltimore in August 1900. 
When the Great Baltimore Fire started on Sunday morning, February 7, 1904, Frank was a sturdy 4-year-old and like most of the city, the Scriveners were probably looking forward to a quiet afternoon at home. The fire started at the Hurst Building, located at Hopkins Place and Liberty Street, fortunately not in the area where the Scriveners lived.
At first, the fire fighters at Engine Company 15 thought it was a small fire in the basement of the building that could be fairly easily contained. But the fire rolled across the ceiling to the elevator shaft, setting off an explosion that blew off the roof and shot embers through the broken windows of nearby buildings. By noon, the fire chief had summoned all of Baltimore's Fire Companies and sent out a call for help from surrounding areas. The wind blew the fire toward the Court House and City Hall, destroying everything in its path.
By 1:30, fire companies from Washington had arrived, only to discover that their hose couplings did not fit Baltimore's fire hydrants causing problems in getting sufficient water to battle the blaze. This issue was repeated with many other responding companies and was one of the factors that led to a standardization of fire equipment.
Meanwhile, the smoke and noise of the fire engines attracted a horrified crowd watching the destruction of dozens of blocks of the city. Militia had to be called in to keep the crowds under control. Spectators crowded the roof of the newly constructed Belvedere Hotel, 11 blocks north of the fire. I'm sure my great-grandparents could hear and see the chaos, but with a young child, they probably did not rush out to witness it. In fact, they were likely making plans on how to escape should the fire come their way. The electric street cars were no longer running, but the B&O railroad station was outside the fire zone and brought in carloads of fire fighters, reporters, and business men with buildings in Baltimore, as well as the simply curious spectators.
As night fell in Baltimore, the glow from the fire could be seen up to a hundred miles from the city. The streets were clogged with wheel barrows and handcarts as residents struggled to get at least some of their possessions out of the path of the fire. The financial district and the harbor area were pretty much decimated although City Hall was miraculously spared. I'm sure that the Scriveners, devout Catholics that they were, joined thousands of others in heartfelt prayers for their safety and the salvation of the city. As the fire threatened the Little Italy section of Baltimore, the parishioners of St. Leo's gathered on the east bank of Jones Falls and prayed to St. Anthony to deliver them. They vowed that if their homes and beloved church were spared, they would hold a yearly festival in his honor. The fire shifted and the festival is still held every year in thanksgiving. The Baltimore Sun (whose building was destroyed in the fire and was forced to print its papers out of town and ship them in by train) reported that the fire was officially contained by 5 PM on Monday, February 8. More than 1500 buildings were completely leveled and another 1000 severely damaged, about a $100 million loss to the city. Fortunately very few deaths were recorded from the fire.
Within a few years, Baltimore had rebuilt, widened the streets, and celebrated in 1906 with a grand parade of 1400 fire fighters proudly marching past newly constructed buildings. I'm sure that the Scriveners were there among the cheering crowds.
Although my grandfather was very young during the Great Fire, it must have made an impression on him. As an adult, he helped to found the first volunteer fire department in St. Mary's County in Leonardtown in 1928, one of ten charter members of the company. I'm sure he was inspired by the memories of the Great Fire of Baltimore.
https://www.digitalmaryland.org/fire/ ]
No comments:
Post a Comment