Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-06-05
4 Great Csa1sgrstlsa h Chlsags.
Tremendous Destruction OF
Property.


One Of the most disastrous conflagrations
that has been witnessed in Chicago for many
Q day, says the Timss Of Saturday, bsoke
out at half past 10 o'clock last evening in
~ agricultural warehouses Of lessrR. J.
Hollingsworth 4 Co., Aessrs. Stoddard 4
Cock. and Aessrs Furst, Bradley 4 Co., =
large block Of two story frame buildings sit
uattd ct ths corner Of West Lake and Gin
ton streets. How the Are originated could
not Be ase9tained, but 10 supposed to have
originated n the ofice Of Stoddard 4 Cook,
which = situated about the middle part Of
ths block.
The Gre burst out and spread with fright
fdl rapidity, and in the course Of ten min
utss il seemed - Though no human power
could arrest its progress. The dry frauo
buildings were one white mass Of flame,
which lit up the whole length Of Lake
Street, and cast glare upon the sky which
might have been seen from every part Of the
city.
Immediately in the rear Of the machine
wareheuass there 10 40 extensive lumber
yard, owned by Mr.. T. NJ. Avery, extending
oask TO the alley which runs between Olin-
ION and Canal streets. Il WAS fully stock.
Cd, there being over one million feet piled
Up. The flames coon reached the enormous
psleo, and In spite Of the most strenuous e.
Sosts Of the FIRE brigade, the whole yard WAS
blazing roariae mass Of Are. Then the
neighb0rs around The vicinity became scri-
o0aly alarmed, Asd = nym6ss q household
eeu sAong Canal direct threw the contents O.
their houses Wholesale in the street. TIT
women, with their children in their arms
1ed terrified from tho awful blaze which
ossosd 70 be spreading. iuriossly in every
direction. The scene ct this time Was grand
and terrible. The large building 1t the op
posite corner. - seen from distance, seem
Cd y glow red hot, % that - ono approach
"a nearer Il, Il became absolutely painful e
gaas upon. Still the flames made rapid pro
ersss. Tha 0semsn rsdopblsd their efforts
every engine Wa upon the scene but all
thsif s&orts appeared futile. Tho Immense
staek1 Of lumber were one white, glowing
snAoGy !snd throughout the yard might be per.
ceiyed, - i were, great piles Of red-hot ma
tsEhL $500 shooting up in pinacles, some
Anfne Together In confused masses Of ruin.
Rvs like some gigantic roaring oven Of the
QSp0. Before l2 o'clock tho whole block
al ode mass Of ruins.
The stock il Mr. Hollingworth's ware
Aouse u estimated 1t about go, 900, which
oooseFsd BY insurance to the extent Of on
b 09h 900. The stock in Sto.ldard L Cooks
and - rurst, Bradley L Co.'S warehouse,
WAs S6oiit equally heavy. Both are parti-
ally assured. About 400 men were employ
- in various capacities by these three Is
tahlisl1nsnee. That Of Hollingworth 4 Co.
VA only iSe the manufacturing Of machines,
80 Aho etbers were for the sale Of them
Veg littl6of any value has been saved from
eho'esasd wreck. The safe and books Of
6esddafd 1 Geek were saved BY Mr.. J. An
d6sR Ne keeper q . gvcery store on the
0Qpesita side q Lake street, who, q the risk
= his life, vent through the windows and
oaeesooed in getting them out. He escaped
With several severn Injuries. Another man,
8. B. H0fi6dt 6eIoneing 70 one Of tho FIRE
engines, Wa badly injured, in attempting
% rescue 1ome furniture.
lConsi0egable damage va sustained BY the
AouaSs Sdjoining the warehouses. Adolph
Bsess, sash, door, and blind maker, lost
eboat 5000 worth Of stock. lnsursncs
5000. W.. Clettenberg, sigh painter, lost
ahout 81, 900. He il net insured. The liv-
~ stable, owned BY F. Aehsing, immsdi-
atsly adjoining the lumber yard, was con-
pletely destroyed, His loss . about %, 600.
60 ~etoa DO hAd IN insufancs ore ,OO0.-
Two ics-houses, owned BY Mr.. Mehring.
were alae destroyed; loss about $1,000.
The ltsb sustained BY NJ. Avery 10 estimat.
a It 30, 900. There was0 one million
Sssesf dry lumber in the yard, and Il was |
supposed thAt at least 500, 900 feet he'd been
sgea1msd- TAs sams yard was destroyed BY |
H 81 ths fan cf 1859.
Is Wa nearly ? o'clock this morning be- |
1oee The flames Were entirely subdued.
U~->D>--
Tn overwhelming influx Of negroes into