The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1871-10-17 00:00:00

AWFUL FILM AT CHICAGO.

IMMENSE DESTRUCTION OF BANKS,
THRATRES, HOTELS, AND OTHER PUBLIC
BUILDINGS AND PROPERTY. 100,000
PERSONS HOUSELEBB.
The whole bullet :es part of Chicago has been destroyed
hi a fire, which coinuioneed on Sunday night, and eon-
tiou,l for 24 hours.
All the wholesale warehouses, banks, public buildings.
the ft-ee, gent hotels. six grain warehoirfes, much
',Hiving, and ten thousand houses were burnt.
One hundred thowond persons were without shelter.
waterworks were d.stroyel, so that firemen were
powerkss, end three equate miles of the oily were
reduced to ashes.
The loss is estimat.fd at one hundred and fifty million
dollars.
The authorities of the principal cities are forwarding
supplies of food, biding, sad clothing, and have milled
relief meetings. The President has ordered military
stores to be sent to the relief of the sufferers.
Many lives Lave been lost.
The shares of the r.ilways centering at Chicago are
depressed, and lel:white& and previsions have advanced
In consequence of the fire.
Meetings have been had throughout the Pountry for
Disks money to buy SUMO clothing and provisions for
the sufferers, end help is rooming from all quarters.
The conflsgration in Chicago raged until an early hoar
on Tuesday morning, when a heavy rain fell, ex-
tinguishing the flames.
An area of five square miles has been destroyed.
Hundreds of buildings were blown up to stop the
progress of the fire. It is estimated that over 100,000
per..nns are hmeless.
The cities and towns thronghout the country are
subscribing liberally in aid of the sufferers by the
burning of Chicago. The railroads are transporting the
relief Mona free. Thrasands of homeless families are
encamped In the vicinity of Chiang°, and the Govern-
ment has sent 500 soldiers to not as a guard.

Eldit persons caught plundring have been hanged.
Plithanxi.ritta, Wednesday (1 a.m.).—The great fire
at Chicago began in a stable on Sunday night. A boy
took • kerosene lamp into the stable in order to mdk •
cow. The animal kckei the lamp over, which set are
to the place. The burning flui I ran on to the wooden
pavements and oau.e t an extension of the disaster.
The people became crazy with excitement, and many
were trampled to death • others were burnt. The loss
of life is estimated at 500.
Several incendiaries were caught ycsterday, and were
either shot or hanged.
The money loss is estimated now in Chicago at
$300,000,0)0.
Cuicago is one of the most marvelling features in the
history of the United States. Up to 1831 it was only
in Indian trading poet, and even In 1840 its population
did not exceed 8000. From tho latter period, how•
evet, it ruse rapidly in population and wealth. It has
long been known as the great trading city of the far
West. There the grain of the West and other impor-
tant productions Me collected for transport to the sea-
board and to Europe. In 18-.7 the city contained 137
manufacturing establishmmtv. Many of the leading
railways of America converge towards that city. The
population is little short of • quarter of • million.
The city is beautifully situated on ran inclined plain
extending along the shores of Lake Micnigan for many
wiles An area of five "roars miles is now said to be
re 1ue..!1 to ashes. Chimer, abounded in public buildings,
',chiding a fine Custom-heuee. a Caurt-house, AO
armoury, a cathedral, several spacious churches, large
libraries, hospital', and busks.
l'ititAnneitia, net. 12.—The district burnt covers
nearly nine square miles.
Tivi city is under Martial Law; many thieves and
Incendiaries were arrested at first, but now order pre-
, Tails. The parsons arrested were generally summarily
dealt with.
. More than 100 dead bodies have bolo found.