The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-10-12
CHICAGO.
Origin and Spread Of the Fire.
Hundreds Have Perished.
LOSS ABOUT $3O0,0O0,0
The Insurance $2OO,OOO,OO0.
Clear Account by an Eye Witness
LOSS ABOUT $3OO,oO0,O00'
Clear Account by an Eye Witness
Thrilling Scenes and Touch.
ing Incidents.

From the Cincinnati Commercially
DEAR SIR-Having just returned from
the appalling scene Of ruin and desola,
tion at Chicago, I have thought it might
be satisfactory to your readers to have
something from an eyewitness more
definite and detailed than the meager
telegraphic reports furnished in your
paper Of to-day. ! can not, it is true,
present satisfactory details, such as the
public most desire to know, respecting
the loss OF life and property; there was
too much tumult and confusion to allow
of accurate information on many points
about which the public are most anx-
iou.. But OF come things I can speak
definitely.
|. Your cut, representing the burnt
district, is, in the main, correct.
2. The destruction Of the business
portion of the city is literally as com.
plete as the dispatches have stated. |
have noticed no exaggeration in the
reports / have read. 1t ia scarcely pos
sible to effect q more complete destruc-
ton OF Chicago as a business city than
has been effected. The estimates Of
loss, which reach as high as three hun
dred millions, may be considerably
exaggerated. That cannot be known.
1t was not known when left to what
extent the county records, bank depOs-
it's, and business documents intrusted to
safes, had been damaged or lost, and Of
course no one can soberly guess the
amount Of actual loss.
3. The estimates Of the number un-
housed and left destitute are not exag-
gerations. There must be from one
hundred thousand to one hundred and
fifty thousand left without houses, and
most of them without food; very many
of them without clothing.
This much l deemed it best to say on
the start, before alluding to any OF the
scenes or incidents Of this terribly
magnificent confagration, as these facts
are of more interest than any more
descriptive or narrative statements.
| reached Chicago on Sunday morn
ing at 7:30 on the Pittsburg, Fort
Wayne and Chicago railway, in time to
witness the devastations Of the fire OF
Saturday night. The enormous piles OF
live Goals left in the desolate lumber
yards were so many fiery demons
threatening the safety OF the city, and
wanting only to be lashed into excite
ment by an angry wind to spread mis-
chief and ruin everywhere. The ex.
ceeding dryness of the season-the large
number OF frame buildings contiguous
the high elevators within reach-the
unworthy character of the roofs and
cornices Of many Of even the brick and
stone buildings OF the business portion
of the CITY; ALL to a discerning eye,
revealed that the city was at the mercy
of the winds and the flames.
Moreover, even the so-called fire.
proof buildings Of Chicago were not
fire-proof | doubt if the stone they
use in building can ever be relied on.
Itis limestone. The best of it has more
or less lime in it, and cannot stand
before the heat OF an immense confla.
grafton. Their brick are also inferior.
But the confidence Of the people in
their fire department, aud their cheerful
trust in good luck, silenced these fears,
and wh en- the fire broke out afresh in the
evening there seemed to be no fear that
the engines would not be able to master
it. Near midnight, moved by fears |
was unable to suppress, l ascended to
the roof Of the house Of my host-H.
II. Honore Michigan avenue, to
note the progress of the fire. 1t was
evidently spreading extensively, and the
gusts of wind, which were sometimes
so strong, as to compel us to brace our
selves on the roof, threatened immense
mischief. But as the wind bore rather
west OF north, we felt that our part Of
the city was not in danger, and we ven
tured 10 seek rest apd sleep. Within
an hour we were reused with the infor
nation that the flames were approaching
us. A hastv glance satisfied us that
the river had been crossed, and the fire
was moving diagonally toward the lake
in a northeast direction. Still it wa:
hoped, from the northwest bearing o.
the wind, which had risen to a gale,
that it's eastward progress would bt
stayed before it reached the most valu
able portion OF the city. 1t was pain
fully interesting to look at men whose
whole fortune, in magnificent buildings
was at the mercy Of the fire, trying K
persuade themselves that by some
streak of good luck the fire would b:
arrested before it reached their treasures
"The wish was father to the thought
But 10 spite Of these agonizing wishes
the stream Of devouring fame KEEP
moving on, ever against tn,
wind, or only tacking sufficiently t
pursue its course diagonally toward th
lake. Now eDsued scene Of wildes
excitement. The people, aroused to
sense of danger, made frantic efforts 4
save their property. The streets wer
soon thronged with frightened and frar
tic crowds Of all classes and description!
and the mixture Of the solemn an
painful with the ludicrous and divertint
was such as is seldom seen. Horse
carriages. go-carts, wagons, drays. ham
carts, wbeelbarrows, come with me
harnessed for horses, and women an
children pushing behind-the vehicl,
loaded with every kind Of houssbo