The New York herald., 1871-10-11
SATDRDAY'S FIRE in CHICAGO.
The Prelude to the Drama Of the
Great CondagratOn.
Twenty Acres OF Buildings
I Burned.
Esven Rundrcd Thousand Dollars Worth OF
Property Consumed.

IlVpClty VUhSuuiUus
FEE LOSSES AND IMsURANCEs.
lrrom tue Chicago Tribune Chc last number lssuedl
( OF Sunday, Oct. 81
DISCOVERED.
A Tho sounding OF tho fire alarm from box 24s AT
pbout eleven O'Clock last night was the solemn pre-
}ude to one OF the most disastrous and imposing
connagrations which has ever visited city, which
pas already enrolled in her annals numbers Of such
htsitations many OF them SO terrible that they can
perve as cras in her history. For days past alarm
pas followed alarm; but the comparatively triling
}osses have familiarised US 10 the pealing OF the
Court House bell, and we had forgotten that the
Absence OF rain for three weeks had left everything
pm 50 dry and innammable condition that spark
might start fire which would sweep from end to
knd OF the city.
Only q few minutes elapsed after the striking OF
gne alarm before the flames were seen swccping TO
Ehe sky, and tho lurd light that iilumned the n0ri
Hon grew more ana more powerful, casting its bril-.
Riant rays in every direction, bringing out in bold
feef the fronts OF the buildings which faced from
pn quarters. The wind, seeming to rise as the
names did, set from the southwest carving with 1t
In its onward rush streams OF sparks, cnders and
ASy with dazzling spangles, sweeping northeast
Ward like hight Of thousands OF meteors, but fall
png steadily In merry shower OF rain, over that
proad area embraced between the river, the South
Branch, Wells street and Jackson street. the lighter
ncs going far over on the North Division, while the
Heavier and more dangerous ones fell before they
Teached that point. They dropped with great force
on tho ground to the occasional danger OF foot pas
Nengers and the soaring OF horses, and sh0wered
upon the roofs Of buildings inspiring onstant fears
fhat other CONGREGATIONS would break out aud that
y terrible broad area woudbe covered by the dames
and put it out Of the power OF the engines to combat
them.
Late as Il was, the splendor OF the flames and the
wonderful briliancy OF the sky were such AZ to at
6ract enormous crowds from every quarter. The
ensely populated quarter Of the West Division lying
near the Are would have, OF nscr been sufficient to
choke up the surrounding streets with dense ana
fmpassable crowd, but, as the IRE showed no signs
of abating they came from greater and greater dis.
sances, forcing their way down Clinton street. in the
centre Of which, near Adams, were half dozen
isolated street oars, utterly unable, for time to
Come, to get back TO their stables and getting over
engines, made their way down 10 Jackson, near
which the lire began. and stopped there, caring
1Othing Tor the smouldering runs which lay be-
1ond that point. Tney crowded quincy, Adams ana
JackS0n streets on Tie side OF the i1ver, while
others far more anxious, were fearful that the blaze
might at any moment leap across the South
ESanch and sweep toward The filled streets leading
10 and on tue east side Of tho South Branch.
At first the concouTse was all from the West Side,
put as time passed on They began TO come from
across the water and ~ the blazing vadnct and
She police made Adams street bridge inpaSsable,
they swept IN solid mass across Madison street,
meeting as they crossed the returning stream OF
enadyisabie TO stay there after twelve o'clock Tue
ltridRe and the approach on Madison street were
covered with men aud women, alone aud altogether
who found there favorable point Tor watching the
FLAMES, while they were generally out OF the reach
OF the falling cuders. The ,lauuct aI Adams street,
VITA Its blazing woodwork. stood out la bold relief
And beyond and underneath It nothing but q wild
swhirlwind OF Games, opscured ior moment by
added brilliancy. The nre, burning close down
30 the river, and impeiled eastward BY
the wind, seemed 10 one looSing from the bridge
10 have almost reached across The water, and 20
nave partially consumed tiiat as wen as tne more
ing. Above the sound OF the connagraton OCCASION
ally TIC scream ol tne engines or the thunder ol
falling beams and tumbling houses. fhe snarp
smell OF smoke filled The air Win us oppressive
pdor. . 49,. ,,ao- =.
Adams were the relics OF the household gods oil The
people VINO had been living on the east side OF tue
Strcet sometimes piled on drays or wagons bst
kcnerally piled upon the sidewalk After the ad-
soinlng houses had proved 10 small TO contain them,
their raJed ana deapnaoed n "
S)n around and among them were their unolIu.
pate possessors who mad been waneleu so
for the religious services Of the morrow, anu VINO
Instead Of getting up 70 dress Tor & onufSn, ,H % ionhd
and nv for their lives. Those who were near JACK
son street could look eastward across . weltering
hoa of dre through which, black aud desolatc, ran
1ackson street. ike some road cutting through the
Internal regions. From the wrecks OF burning
buildings, from rapidly consuming lumDef piles,
and more Slowly but more steadily burning coal
heaps, rose thousands OF Jets oil namo MnlrlmX W
with them pillars Of smoke, through Wnlcn loOmeu
M the taller buildings along tue river or the sen
der masts and bazng rigging o, some vessel IN lae
sver 50 Grand ana 80 move, was .ae speesac,e
less by night did not wal and moan anu mug tnen
half clad babies tighter to their oosohis, ss is the
forward. They did not stop to see what they had
lost or to inquire into the condition of what they
had saved, put watched with intease admiration
che terribly beautiful spectacle which unioded Itself
before them.
men and the eastward tendency OF the WIND mad
preserved the houses facing west on Clinton street.
the southern snes being mere shells and helr cond
ZION improving as one went north, thonh they we're
: all much scorchcd and rendered uiiihhaelIioe ny
she se and i.s opposins ,enn nl
:ments generally barred he view yot through alloys
and occasional breaks lii ihe rdiilngs one csuld
xhere ges view into the ur1ac3 Gaich lay beyond
red and supnurous ghlpscs, a. II one we're gazing
through the portals OF hell. " one wasted any llne
upon those individuals ThC stood beside their pos
sessions, and tho only persons Who approached
Ahem were in search OF attenuation concerning their
possible insurance to wG'oh they generally repIied
that they mad none aeu ney replied at all 10 what
they often considered yey unnecessary and ratier
other inquiries were a.so mace as TO whether any
persons were missing or had been injured; but
while IL Is Impossible, 30 great was the confusion,
90 ascertain much concerning H. 1t ~ beyond doubt
fhat one person was seriously injured and another
Ia most likely missing Tor ever, unless some portion
of her bones should have escaped the action OF the
raging names which enveloped them. Mrs. Down.
lng was an old woman who lived IN one OF the
houses on the north side Of JACKSON street, near
Canal, and WHO, surprised in her sleep by the ad-
vancng fre and stupefving smoke, would have been
unable 10 escape without foreign aid Happily this
was afforded by o printer OF the name of Robert
Eampsic, who succeeded Ill carrying her our, but
not untlI she had been severely burned, nor did ne
Va
n house on Jefferson street. not far 90. where she
rAceIYnr medical Attention. INT Mhlle she