Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-10-22
Great Fire and Loss Of Life
in Chicago.

A disastrous confagration. attended
By a dreadful loss of life. occurred in Chi
cago, on Monday night. The fire broke
cut in Nos. Ill and 1I3, South Water ST.
and property 10 the amount Of between
100000 ant 100000 consumed The
origin Of the calamity has not yot been
satisfactorily ascertained. The greatest
misfortune attending the fire, was the sac
rifce Of human life Nineteen bodies had
been exhumed from the smouldering ruins
up to Tuesday evening. and it was thought
all had not yet been recovered. In regard
20 those still missing The Times says there
Is 10 longer any doubt that Mr.. RUSSELL. an
at,achee of tina! office persisted in the con-
hagra,ion ; bat that his body with others.
Was reduced entirely to ashes by the in
tense hca.. and will not therefore be found
The great loss of lf. was attributable to
the falling walls of the burning buildings.
The Chicago Times says:
." We have looked upon many scenes of
distress. but taking all things into consid-
era ion, the scenes Of yesterday were truly
heart-rending. From the hour it was known
that this sad calamity had taken off human
victims, there has rested on the community
painful resllessness. nervous desire to
know the worst, and know it all. As the
news was communicated throughout the
city on Monday, that beneath The walls Of
these burned buildings were deposited hui
man bodies. wives and sisters, mothers
fathers. brothers and children looked out
in anxiety for the return of absent ones
When tie breakfast time was over. and
dinner come and gone. and the shadows of
the evening sun grew long and dark, and
s.ill the loved ones came not. that anxiety
became intense. When night fell upon the
earth on Monday. there were dozens of az
oniZed hearts donmed TO another nights
uncertainty; and around the smoking ruins
throughout that long night. faithful wives
and daughters kept vigil. Cold, and smoke.
and darkness chilled no heart that night !;
the strong hope that the horrid wreck would
not disgorge the mangied rcmains o: loved
oncs. shut out all external feeling and yet
fear. with its skepiical hand. would lead
the watchers to the brink of the smoking
chasm. and point out amid the shaPeless
mass. with terrible distinclness those forms
50 dearly remembered. Dawn found those
watchers at their post. The early laborer
found them grouping Intellectually in the
cellars. and throughout the day yesterday,
they were there. AS each body was dis
covered and borne through lake and Clark
streets to the Coroner's Office. these poor
distressed creatures would follow it.endeav.
.oring to penetrate lis sable covering TO see
Il it we're indeed the form they wished il
uas not.
when each body was uncovered, and
the time for recognition WAS come, it was
painful TO witness the scene. Wives who
had mournfuly clamored for their husbands
for many hours. hung back and fea ed to
look upon the mangled, burned flame. lest
1t nigh prove too truo that such an object
was ali that wa. left of the bold, vigorous
manhood that had gone forth to the ire in
all the pride of life. Children walled in
plaintive tones for sight Of their fathers,
and shrunk back horror-sfricken from the
ghastly corpse. denying with childish pride
that such was their beloved parent. Oh.
the agony Of those hearts which yesterday
bled in anguish over the disfgured bodies
OF kindred who can f.thom the depths OF
their sorrow who can describe the cease
less torture OF their distress ~