The New York herald., 1868-02-01
THE GREAT FIRE IN CHICAGO.

From the Chicago Journal, Jan. 20.
hours. converted ono entiro Ave story marble front
business palace and the best portion OF the finest
able able CONT Contents ~ into A'Ia mass ' Of s%oaldsrina @
ruins and worthless ashes II was the most
is at east four mes creator than that Of the great re
or 1859 which broke out Lake street. just west OF
the river, and burned over four blocks also greatly
exceeds in destrucveness tho terrible Lake street fro
OF 1857 though happily, unattended by the sickoninQ
loss OF human life. which rendered that conagration
The origin or last nights fre is wrapped in mystery
few minutes before seven O'Clock young man board
ing at No 80 Michigan o. saw three "or men on Mns %
and Al Lake street. the bookstore OF s. G. Grggs
h Co. In ess than minute thereafter he saw smoke
bursting through the upper windows aud he immedi-
The Fire Department, headed BY Chief Harris, WAS
y Of on hsa se
volume OF smoke pouring from the windows OF tho
upper (ffth) story, and il was not until at least
nftecn minutes thereafter that flames burst through
Nos. 80 and Al formed a portion Of that magni-
0cent Ave story Iron front business palace,
avenue extending south half block the and
west nearly to State street. on Lake street. This was
known 'Burch's buiding far and near, its beauty
and strength rendering 1t ornament to the city II Is
now mass of ruins. Within hour from the time
that the flames shot through the windows eree gallo
of wind from tho west bad driven the-h1 entirely
through the building to Wabash avenue, and within
another hour the Wabash avenue front was also dcs.
troyed and tho walls in crumbling ruins. On the op-
poste side of Wabash avenue stands the mammoth dry
goods house Of j. " Farwell Co. Tho escape OF this
building miraculous. The nre in Burch's building
was the fercest and hottest we ever saw The flames
leaped entirely the street. rendering II
sary to keep four streams Of water directed against
the almost red hot walls Of Mr. FarwelPs building,
which, however escaped in somewhat snged and
damaged condition.
While the fire was at It's height In the Burch building
flake Of fire descended into an area of No. 90 on the
north side OF Lake street. between Wabash and Michigan
avenues occupied by Carson, Piro & Co., Wholesale
dry goods dealers, and coming In contact with
the goods another confagratOn almost in.
stanty in full blast. The fire speedily communicated
with the highly combustibe contents Of Burnham Van
Schaacks wholesale drug store. adjoining the east,
and Notwithstanding the desperate Efforts OF the hremen
the flames reached across the alley, and within hour
ve story marble front block extending east to
Michigan avenue was In ruins was also an adjacent
building TO the north, on Michigan avenue.
Here renewed the fierce fight OF the frcmen, in
which they had been the victors Wabash avenue to
the Adams House. which was now In Imminent
danger Michigan avenue. Guests poured out oil that
hotel aud with bag and baggage sought cooler quarters
The house saved however thanks to the hercuean
abors OF the remen and this their decisive victory
tho conagraton, the most destructive that ever
visited Chicago.
But for the fact that had rendered
tho roofs OF buildings roproof the connRraton would
have t}een much disastrous Such continuous az
showers Of sparks and myrads Of flaming torches
before seen driving through the air The adoin
ing streets agl0w with living Goals OF fire that
rained down. while out over lake as Far as eye
could reach, could be traced the flight Of the fiery
shower
Al least fifty thousand people shivered in the cold or
tinued II intensely cold night, but tho crowd
showed no perceptbie thinning out
The fire originated on the south side Of Lake street.
between State and Wabash avenues. and destroyed
everything down TO Wabash avenue and around the
corner TO the alley half way TO Randolph street. The
second break out occurred on the horth side OF Lake
street, between Wabash and Michigan avenues. and
burned its way to Michigan avenue and to the north
along that avenhe nearly TO South Water street.