Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-10-19

When the.fre was raging IN the lumber
yard of Sheritfs & Son some six or eight
men were surrounded by fire and could
not get out. They were in imminent dan
ger Of being suffocated or burned, and, as
a last resort they tumbled one Of the bla-
! zing stacks of lumber into the river, and
made q sort of raft.upon which they pad
died their way in safety to the opposite
bank.
Deadly diseases call for sharp remedies.
It was singular sight to see the men be-
longing to the coal yards hauling heavy
trucks and wagons and precipitating them
into the river This was the only method
to be adopted to save them under the cir
cumstances. About fifteen trucks and
twenty-five wagons were in this manner
thrown into the river.
On Chicago avenue father rushed up
stairs to carry three children away, when
he was overtaken by the flames and per-
ished with them The mother was after
wards seen on; the street, = on the north.
west side, raving maniac. In the same
neishborhood family of five persons per-.
ished. The list of such fatalities is very
long and can only be fully verified after
the smoke shall have cleared away. There
are hundreds OF families on that side who
saved no clothing, but barely their lives.
20 None but an eyewitness can form an
idea of the fury and power OF the fire.
among the buildings and ware houses on
the south side The wind blowing hur-
rcane ct times, it-seemed- but the work OF
moment ior the fire 10 aenter-'the south
end OF the buildings fronting on-Randolph,
Lake and Water streets, and reappear at
the north doors and windows, belching
forth IN fierce flames which often licked
the opposite buildings, and then the
: AaneS issuing forth from the buildings on
both sides of the street, would unite and
present solid mass Of fire completely
filling the street from side to side, snd
shooting up a hundred feet above the
hopse=tops. Thus was street after street
sfilled with fame. HageNwalls would top
pie and fall into the sea of fire without an
audible sound The roar OF the fierce
element vas so great that all minorsounds
were swallowed up Many buildings sit
uated, along South Water street, buried
their 1ed-hot rear walls in the water, into
which they plunged with hiss.
The heat was so intense at times that
the burning buildings Hcould not be; ap-
preached within 150 feet The fire, after
reaching the business part of Randolph and
South Water streets, leaped the river to
the north side in an incredible short space
of time, and thence among the wooden
buildings on that side, reached the lake
shore, after reducing block after block OF
happy dwellings to ashes.
- a scene of such utter powerlcssness, in
the face OF an enemy, was never presented
as that of this people trying to combat
the fire. for the combat was not OF long
duration. The people bowed, their heads
il anguish OF spirit, and allowed the fire
to have untrammeled sway. While there
are many instances of generous devotion
on the part of the rich and poor, in divi
ding with7the destitute, there are painful
instances of meanness and seltishness.
One person was trying to remove valua-
bic papers from an Office, and asked two
firemen to help him, but they refused un-
less he paid them fifty dollars. The papers
were destroyed
Drivers OF express wagons have taken
500 and even $500 for an hours use OF
their vehicles in getting the distressed
people away from. danger. Among the
sad scenes was the appearance OF. men
and boys beastly intoxicated around the
streets of the north division, where the
saloonkeepers' stocks of liquor were turned
into the streets. There can hardly be any
doubt that many of these wretches found
their death in the flames One poor man
had crowded for refuge into water main
living in the street, near the water works,
but the fire found him even there and
robbed him of life.
From all the bridges in the vicinity OF.
the great fire the scene was one Of unpar-
alleled, terrible beauty The dense col
umn of smoke, driving before the south
easterly gale thermilhons Of burning Gin
ders, carried by the force Of the wind over
mile from the theatre Of confagration,
and the dense, fiery glow OF the destroy
ing element itself, Illuminating the entire
city, made up a panorama OF grand. but
terrible features.
EVERYTHING was rendered 50 plain by
the gigantic flames that the ropes on the
vessels in the river stood out in stronger
relief than they would have. done in the
light OF day, while the gallant fireAen
drove their horses. coming from the
South Side fire, right over the burning
bridge at Adam street, calling forth -ths-
admiration Of all beholders The num-
of spectators was beyond precedent, every
alley and lane, as well as the principal
streets, the cross yards Of vessels and the
roofs OF houses were garisoned with anX-
ious and excited citizens. watching with
interest the progress OF the flames.
CHICAGO. oeiober. 1.-The rain which
commenced at midnight continues. II
las extinguished The remaining fires say
ins many thousand tons Of coal and 4ncl-
ling apprehensions Of further fires.
The gold in the Custom House WAS
melted and the greenbacks destroyed.
QUE3Ec OCTOBER l3.-Ihe military has
been ordered by the IIo.ne Government to
tender all the tents and blankets in The
Dominion to Chicago.