The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-10-14
The Chicago Fire.

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One of the greatest conflagrations
of modern times, and the greatest
that ever happened in the United
States, has just occurred in Chicago.
The fire commenced last Sunday
night. and was still raging at five
o'clock Monday evening. 1t was es-
timated that $780, 900 900 Of proper
ty was destroyed, and 100000 people
left houseless. Thousands of people
were leaving the city by every pos
sible means, to save their lives.
Great hunger and suffering was said
to be inevitable, for want of food and
exposuretocold. The strectsin that
part of the city not burned, were
lined for miles with such household
goods as had been saved from des-
truction. "The entire business part
fthe city north ofTwelfth street, on
all sides of the river and branches, is
destroyed" From Harrison street
to Division street, and from theriver
to the lake, an r of four miles
long and one wide, hasall been swept
off,
at is impossible to give approx
mately or correct statement OF II
losses, but a faint idea can be formed
when it is stated that every bank III
the city, except two savings instltu-
tions on Twenty-second street, South
Division, ard oneon Randolph street,
West Division, are destroyed. All
wholesale stores, all retail establish
mepts. post-office. court house. cham
Der of commerce, every hotel in the
South Division, except the Michigan
Avenue Hotel, which is standing on
the extreme southern limit, escaped,
though badly scorclied; every news.
Daper ofiicc-the Tribune building,
Which was supposed to be t%ireproof,
finally succumbed. Every theatre,
six largest elevators, the immense
dcpets of the Michigan Southern and
Illinois Central railroads, both the
passenger and freight depots Of the
latter. more than a score of churches,
and much ofthe shipping in the river,
all destroyed.
Men who we're millionaires, yes
terday morning, are nearly penIiless
today. But more terrible than all,
is the certainty that many persisted
in the fames-how many, none can
tell, perhaps none will ever be able
to tell-but it is certain several per
sons persisted. and there is heart
sickening fears that victims will be
counted by scores.
Hundreds of horses and cows
have been burnt in stables, and on
the north side numbers of animals
though released from confinement,
bewiidered and confused by the sea
of fire which surrounded them, that
they rushed wildly to and fro utter
ing cries of fright and pain until
scorched and killed.
"Any attempt at a description OF
the scenes of this appalling calamity
whould be idle; the simple fact is
that our great City of Chicago is
destroyed ; that hundreds OF millions
of active capital here have vanished,
and nearly a third of Chicago's in
habitants are houseless and depen-
dant.
"Any attempt to embellisll would
be o mockery. As this awful day
draws to n close, thousands Of anx-
ious eyes watch the clouds of smoke
which still roll over the burnt district,
with evident dread that a sudden
change in the wind may turn the
flames on that portion Of the city yet
spared. There seems, however, little
cause OF apprehension of it, as fire
men from other cities T constantly
arriving"
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