The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-10-12
THE CHICAGO FIRES.


Saturday night about eleven o'clock a
fire broke ous in Hull 6 Holmes planning
mill between Clinton & Canal and Van
Buren, s. Jackson streets Whom the
alarm was sounded for this fire another
of considerable magnitude was burning
on Wells near Adams,and several engines
were necessarily kept to work upon it,
The rest of the engines were soon on the
ground, but before they arrived the fire
had spread over 50 large an area, and
was 50 rapidly spreading, that their
efforts seemed Of little avail The fire
continued uncontrolled till it had burned
over a space Of four blocks, bounded on
the North by Adams street, west by
Clinton, South by Van Buren, and east by
Chicago River. On this space was d lum-
Der yard, wood yard, coal yard, planning
mill, vinegar factory, and a large number
of dwellings and saloons Of the poorer
class. This was considered the largest
fire Chicago had ever had, and the loss
was estimated at $250,O90 to 10000, with
probably one half that amouaS of in
surance. THE saddest result of the fire
was the burning to death of Mrs Margaret
Hadley, living on the north side ofJack
son street, who, being suddenly surrounded
by the flames, was urable to escape"
On Sunday evening about nine o'clock
another fire broke out ON the west side,
generally said 10 be on the corner Of De
Koven and Twelfth streets, and to be
caused by cow kicking over lamp in a
stable in which q woman was milking.
It has also been located on Farquhar
street near Jefferson, and has been attri
buted to incendiarism and to n careIessly
used pipe or cigar. It has also been at
tributed to a fight in saloon by which
a stove with fire was turned over, and by
one man, as reported by Milwaukee
paper, to carelessness of the fireman in
not oxtingushing the first fire. from which
he says 1t originated.
Great as the fire of Saturday right wa.
it was comparatively nothing to the fire
which broke out Sunday morning Their.
was a strong wind from the Southwes
and every thing being as dry as finder
the fire swept every thing before it, like
fire running over prairie. All Tia,
steam fire engines of Chicago were en-
tirely inefficient to stay its progress. An(
many of them being rendered useless Ant
the firemen exhausted, help was called
for from other cities, and Milwaukee ant
others sent on their firsmen and steam
fire engines. But the FIRE rushed on un
impeded in its progress from De Kovel
street through the business part OF tn
city, across the Chicago River, and On t.
Lincoln Park, laying every thing vast
before it. De Koven street bounds thu
fire on the south. "The Michigan
Avenue Hotel marks the southern limi
of the fire on the lake shore front" LAX
Michigan bounds it on the east, Lincoll
Park on the north, and the North Brancl
of the Chicago River and Jefferson stree
on the west. With but few execution
every thing within was laid waste. Fo
more particular accounts of the destruc
4ion of buildings, loss of property, il,
cidents &c. we refer to another column 0
this paper. The first report that all j
Jail had been burned alive was not true
The doors were opened and all released
The loss Of life has been great, over tn,
hundred dead bodies already recovered
And from one hundred thousand to tw
hundred thousand persons are houseles
and homeless, and many are destitute {
God and clothing and theImeans to obtai
them. And, along with all the devast
ton, incendiaries and thieves are bus
plyin their vocation, and some are r