Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-03-09
DEATH BY FIRE.
Account of a Terrible Occurrence at
Chicago.

1 1AACu1O.
. From the Tines. March 6.
Last night was wild one for fire. an,
especially snch one as broke out earl
in the evening, on Canal street, nea
Randolph. The west wind blowed furi
ously, and was accompanied with dam
snow.
The alarm was sounded at half past
O'Clock in the evening, and in few mo-
ments after the warning notes of thu
faithful old bell were changed out. The
whole West division seemed enyslepeC
IN cloud Of fire. The state Of the atmo-
sphere was so peculiar that even the
lamp lights became maryels Of illumina.
ton; but when the great sheet Of flame
shot up from Canal street, the air seemed
to glow itself.
1t was soon discovered that the alarm
was caused by fire at Nos. Ar, As, 45,
and AZ Canal street, in Wisdom & Lees
planning mill. D.
The light and combustible material
soon gave the fire an impetus which
could not be withstood, and, by time the
fremen reached the spot, the whole in
side OF the building was wrapped in
| flames. -
In short time there were several
streams Of water playing upon the burn
ing building, but it was evident from the
first that it could not be saved, and the
attention of the fremen was directed to
prevent the spread Of the fire to the adj
| joining structures, and in this direction
| their efforts were needed, for these ad-
| joining buildings on the same side Of the
street were mostly constructed Of frame,
and were so much lower than the burn
ing building that the danger Of their ig-
milton from the sparks and flying cinders
was very great.
As the doomed buildings progressed
toward destruction, the whole neighbor>
hood became alarmed, and men left their
stores and habitations to stand guard
over them. The inside of the burning
building was filled with the lightest Of
combustible material, and as the flames
rea; hed it the winds caught up the fire.
brands and spread them far and wide for
blocks around.
In the shortest space Of time after the
alarm was given, an immense crowd had
collected around the scene Of devasta>
ton, and as the danger OF general con-
tiagratiOn became imminent the excite
ment grew intense.
A THRILLING SPECTACLE.
At this juneture, when it seemed as
if some action must be taken to prevent
the spread Of the flames besides pouring
on water, five fremen, with the usual
intrepidity Of their class, mounted to the
roof OF the burning building, and were
engaged in directing the hose, when,
with a loud crash, the roof fell in, and
all but one of those on the top were pre-
cipitated into the burning mass below.
The other details Of the catastrophe
sink into comparative insigniiicance be-
side this terrible calamity. The APP
proach Of the grim monster at any time
is sufficiently terrible but to die in such
a manner, martyrs to the tiend they
were SO manfully battling, was indeed
sickening. Accustomed to see him peril
life and limb in the protection of our
property and our firesides, showing q
daring not free from recklessness ct
times, perhaps, but, nevertheless, a dar-
ing calling into requisitiOn many Of the
nobler attributes OF the true hero, it is
always with shudder that we see him
exposed to great or unusul dangers, and
a whole community mourns when one
falls at his post The deep,
half>uttered, half~suPpressed groan Of
horror that escaped the assem-
bled crowd. rs those four brave fellows
dropped into that surging lake of fire, as
the thought was simultaneously i'm
pressed upon all that they were beyond
all human aid and were even then
literally being roasted alive, must have
been heard to be appreciated. This feel
ing, deep as it was before, was greatly
intensified as the shTieks Of the unfortu-
nate victims became audible. These
lasted for a very few minutes, and could
be plainly heard distance Of over
block. 1t was with a sigh Of relief, real
izing that their case was entirely hope
less, that the last of these heart-rending
shrieks was heard, indicating that the
fortunes Of the poor fellows were ended.
Words are Inadequate to do justice to the
sickening scene and of the sounds that
can be conjured up by the most vivid
Imagination, none can equal the wall that
was heard last night from that cauldrOn
Of fire. Long may it be before it shall
be necessary to chronicle the details OF
similar catastrophe
The immediate cause of the accident
is surprised to have been the blows of
the hook and ladder men, who were en-
gagged in cutting an opening through the
root, for the purpose of obtaining access
to the flames below with streams of
water. The timber OF the roof, already
greatly weakened By the flames were
unequal to the weight of the blows
given, and, without the slightest warn
ing, the whole were pTecipitated below.
One fireman upon the root, Chas. Miller
by name, a member OF Hook and Lad
der Company No. L, with great presence
of mind, saved himself in the following
manner: Feeling the roof giving way be-
meath him, he gave a sudden and desper-
ate spring, and caught the telegraph wire
which ran near the building. For about
two minutes the brave fellow chung to
the wire with his hands, working him
self "hand-over hand" to a point accessa-
BILE by ladder in the hands Of his COM
panions, and then for another minute
| seized the wire with his teeth, to partly
relieve his hands, into which the wire
was cutting deep cash. In this man,
ner he supported himself until assistance
| arrived, and he was saved.
Deep down in the smOuldering debris
of once mighty fire lie all that remains
of George Burgh, of Thomas O'Brien, Of
Peter Marietta, and of Charles Whit.
It will be the painful task to-day, of wills
ing hands TO endeaV0r and find some
token of the four poor fellows who are
buried therein; and, if they succeed in
the most minute particular, let the same
be we'll taken care Of For q city will do
them honor forever afterward. In con
clusion, it may be Of interest to state
that the life Of each Of the deceased was
insured for s., 500, as are all the mem
bers Of the fire department in this city.
These accident policies are purchased by
the citizens of Chicago, who are at all
times ready to do all in their power to
protect the members of the departm ent.
|
A ISLANDER BY TELEGRAPH,
Among our Washington dispatches Of
Tuesday night the following item ap-
peared.
ut Al. 4