Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-10-19
The Grnnt Fire I'm Chicnpn.

which has visited the ill-fated City of
Chicago. One of the leading commercial
cities of the Union, which few days ago
was u mart of life and activity is now
only field of ashes, and in one day, as
it were, millions upon millions of pro-
perry have been swept away, and what is
infinitely worse lives have been lost.
On Saturday night n serious fire visited
the City of Chicago. It was confined to
n portion of the city built up as all west
en cities are of small wooden buildings,
owned in great measure by the occupants
thereof. Although several acres Of this
description of property were burned
over, the loss was less than $500, 600, but
in fighting this fire to prevent its spread.
every effort of the large and efficient fire
department of the city was put forth,
and fortunately the fire was eXtinguished
before reaching the business portion of
the city. Unfortunately, however, the
firomen We're completely exhausted by
their efforts and when on the Sunday
evening following, about 9 o'clock an
other fire broke out in barn on West
Taylor street, there was less efficiency
than usual, and from this insignificant
cause, sprang conAagration, which has
destroyed one Of the leading cities of the
Union.
The barn was of an inhammable nature
and the flames spread rapidly. There
is but little question that had the fire
department been rs vigilaut as they
usually We're the fire would have been
checked but the wind was blowing II
terrible gale and the devouring element
spread so rapidly that the attempts made
to stay its ravages proved fiuitless.
In the vicinity of the building where
the fire originated, the city was built up
almost entirely of wooden buildings,
closely packed together, tenanted by
carpenters, cabinct-makers, coopers,
valnish manufacturers, interspersed
with lumber yards and stores of other
equally inhammable materials.
The fire soon reached Clark ST., upon
which the greater portion Of the fine
business blocks were situated, all Of
which were destroyed. The Court
House, which was 20 years in building,
was swept away in 30 minutes. The
Sherman House, opposite the Court
House, the new Pacific Hotel, which was
soon to be opened, and said to be the
largest III the world and, indeed, every
hotel in the city was swallowed up in
the sea of fire. When the fire reached
State ST., toward the Lake, an attempt
was made to stay its progress by'blowing
up the buildings in the vicinity of Field,
Letter & Co.'S magnificent dry goods
establishment, but this only seemed to
add to the fury of the flames. From
State street the fire advanced with una
bated fury to the North Division, and
scarcely vestige of the eight thousand
buildings on that side of the river is left.
Taking a south-easterly direction, the
fire swept through Madison avenue and
Monroe street, extending distance of
about one mile and quarter, devouring
in itsadvance newspaper Offices, theatres,
hotels, public buildings, aud hundreds
of the finest business houses in the city.
West of the Court House, embracing La
Sale, Wells and South Water streets,
upon which a very large portion of the
business of the city was concentrated,
everything is swept clean. The space
burnt over covers an area of more than
five square miles, while the value OF
the property destroyed is simply to be
conjectlred, some placing it at $780,
COO, 600, and others even more than this.
1t was about o'clock Monday morn
ing when the fire crossed the river at
Adams st., bridge and soon destroyed
the gas works, and then spread itself in
every direction. More than one-half the
population were then rushing through
the streets in vehicles, which were OBJ
tanned at enormous prices, on foot, and
in every other way, with the choicest
household treasures in their arms and
on their backs in utter confusion, not
knowing whittier to go.
Fully 100000 people We're houseless
and homeless, not knowing where to lay
their heads or get anything to satisfy
the cravings of hunger.
At noon ON Monday the whole bust
ness portion of the city from Harrison
street north to Chicago avenue, and
east of the river to Lake avenue, was
devastated, embracing district three
miles in length to II nile or mile and
a half in width. The flames swept
through the city with the rapidity of n
prairie fire, and many persons must have
persisted.
1t is impossible at this writing to give
even an approximately correct statement
of the losses, but faint idea may be
formed when it is stated that every bank
i'll the city encept two small savings in
situations, one on Twenty-Second street
i'll South Division, and one ON Randolph
street in West Division, is destroyed.
All wholesale stores, all retail establish
ments, the Postoflicc, the Court House.
the Chamber of Commerce, every hotel
i'll South Division except the Michigan
Avenue Hotel, which, standing on the
extreme southern limit escaped, though
it is badly scorched, every newspaper
Office, every theatre, the six largest ele-
yators, the immense depots of the Mich
igaN Southern and the Illinois Central
Railroads (both passenger and freight
depots of the latter), more than IA score
Of churches, and much of the shipping
i'll the river-are all destroyed.
in another page, and before going to
press, we shall be better able to give our
readers an estimate of the loss of life
and property.
Men who were millionaires yesterday
morning, are penniless to-day; but more
terrible than all is the awful certainty
that many human being have persisted
in the hames-how many, no one can
tell. Perhaps no one will ever be able
to tell but it is known that many have
persisted, and there is only heart. sick
ening fear that the victims of the
fiery monster may be numbered by
scores.
Hundreds of horses and COWS have
been burned in the stables, and on the
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