Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-10-13


ness hou ,cs, and all of its m magnificent printing
offices have been swept to destruction by this del
uge of fire.
The particulars Of is origin. progress and re-
suits, 50 far as We can CLEAN inform ton, are thus
described
now TnE FIRE CAUGHT.
Meanwhile we give a report of the fire and
its incden 5, specially prepared for the Associ-
ated Press. by those who witnessed and fought
the flames Throughout.
Late Sunday evening boy went into stable
on DeHaven street, near the river on the west
side, to milk COW, carrying with hm kere-
sene lamp. This was kicked ,er by the COW ard
the burning fluid scattered among the straw.
TuE OPPORTUNITY LOST.
This was the beginning of the great fire.
single fire extinguisher on the ground or the ac-
tive work Of the police in tearing down one or
two shanties would have prevented the spread
ing of the flames but the engines were waited
for, and when they arrived, the frcmen stupe-
fed by theiy excrinns at the fire on Saturday
night, worked slowly and clumsily. Their ef
forts we're unavailing, The wind from the South
west blew gale, aud rapidly the flames shot
from house ia house, and board yard to board
yard until the district burned the night before
was reached. Meanwhile the flames had cros-
sed the river north of Twelfth street on the
South side, and made fer The brick and stone
business blocks. railroad freight depots, and
manufacturing establishments.
THE DANGER REALIZED.
The full extent of the danger was realized for
the first time. The Fire Department, tired out,
worked like heroes the Mayor and his city
government, that bad supnely resettled now be-
gan to exert themselves, but the opportunity had
been lost. The time when thorough Organiza-
ton could have blown up buildings, or prepared
for the emergency. was neglected
1t wasnOw fight for life. The blowing Of a
stiff gale had possession of the flames, and the
budiugs-Ch Chicago's gory-lav before them.
Harrison, Van Ruren, Adams. Monroe and Madi-
son were snon reached, the Intervening blocks
from the river to Dearborn street on the east be-
ing to1sumcd. Three quar- ters OF a mile of brick
blocks were consumed as if by magic. 1t being
! Sunday the pioprietors and employees were Mt
! LONE utterly unconscious of what was transpir-
| ing. Those who saw the flames supposed it was
the remains of Saturday nights fire, aud having
| confidence in the Fire Department, were unarm-
! ed, but between Il and l2 O'Clock a runner got
abroad that the fire was in the business portion
! of the city.
The people commenced running, and horses
were brOughti into reQuisihon TO take the propri
tsrs to the cunfagratiou.
What scene met their gaze The Board oi
| Trade rnoms. Court House Western Union Tel
egrapb, Associated Press Offices, and u idreds
/ OF other buildings, eall IN flames. The air
was filled with live Goals, which were hurled
north and east like Il besom Of destruction. Til,
fire engines were powesless for saving. AL
that men could do was 10 blow up buildings, bu
this avaed but little. The Times, Tribune. Pos
Republican, Journal, and other newspaper offices
the Western News Company, Blockh field Il Lett.
er's establishment, the Drake block (recently
built,) FIrwell Co., all were soon in ashes.
THE VERY PAYMENTS BURNED.
1t seemed that no sooner had the fumes strucl
n wall than they went directly through, and
very few minutes suflIced to destroy the mos
elabOrately built structure. The walls melted
and their very bricks were consumed.
The wooden pavements took fire, making
continuous sheet of flame two miles long by
mile wide. No human being could pOssibl,
survive many minutes. Block after block fell
the red hot Goals shot higher and higher, AM
spread further and further, until the north sid
Of the lake south was a vast sheet of fame fror
the river to the lake.
FLIGHT OF THE HOUsELEss PEaPLE.
There were from fifty to sevcnty.hve thousan
men. women and children, fleeing By every avail
able street and alley to the southwark and west
ward attempting to save their clothing and thei
lives. Every available vehicle was brought in
to requisition for use, for which enormous price
were paid, and the streets a2d sidewalks preser
ted the sight of thousands of pers9ns ant horse
nextricably commngled. Poor people Of &
]
Europe, China and Africa, mad with excitemeu
: struggled with each other to get away. HUI
dreds were trampled under foot Men and wu
men were loaded with bundles and their house
: hold goods to their skirts were clinging tende
children half dressed and bareiooted, all seek
ing place of safety. Hours afterward thes
, might have been seen in vacant lots or on tn
streets far out in the suburbs stretched in III
dust. These are the suffering, these the lamb
1 whom Christ now calls on the rich world to fee
f and clothe.
God help them if the heart of man shall prov
I obdurate!
FRIGHrFCL LOSS OF LIFE.
J 1t is fearful 10 think of the loss of life. II
conjectured, and with good cause, that near fv
hundred have been burned to death. We sa'
fur men enter a burning building, and in a m,
, ment they were overwhelmed by falling wall.
> An EYs wiTNE IS ACGOUNT-GRAPIC DESCRIPTION
: THE SCENES AT TUG FIRE.
e Cincinnati Gazette reporter was introduce
t last evening to MIR. J. Webb. a brcklayer b
\ profession, who was formerly resident of th
city, but has lived in Chicago for the last for
, years. He left Chicago last Monday, and reache
Y here yesterday. MIR. Webb is very cet
headed young man, and told more straghtfo
E ward and coherent story in the hasty talk ii
. reporter had with him then ninety nine men OF
, ofa hundred could have given under the san
e Circumstances.
r His statement was substantially as follows :
During Thursday night there were seve
i, small fires. On Friday night four blocks burne,
c mmeneng at Polk street. The Fire Depar
. ment worked all night, and in the morning
f when the fire was pretty well under conlrl
= they let four engines go home to rest. Sunda
3 night the fire broke out again, ut the corner
u Clinton and Polk streets. The
ORIGIN OF TPE GREAT FIRE,
= a. understood it, was in stable, in which
boy slept. lie had a small kerOsene lamp vii
> hin, which he left burning In tossing arour
: while asleep, he upset and broke the lamp. tt
flames were communicated 10 the straw, al
{ Om there they spread with fearful rapidity.
bu ned on Polk street what had been spared /
the previous fires, and crossed over to the Arm
. ry and the Gas Works. After the latter tol
} fire the flames spread among the wooden hull,
:, ings on Madison street like wild fire down
S Wells street. The wind was blowing gal
and the heat was 50 intense that blocks If burr
ing wood as large as that (pointing to Webster
Unabridged Dictionary went sailing throug
the air and fell ON the roofs of buildings, setln
them on fire. II crossed the Madison sire
bridge, burning that, as well as the Polk sire
bridge. The heavy iron supporters Of the bridl
were melted, so great was the heat, aud SUI
, down, letting the bridges fall into the water
l. Scott & Munn's central elevator was burned.
Il When left it had run up as far as Twelfth 5
IL burned down 10 Lake, aud from Lake TO Sout
A u"'eT hAlng lne SAT- uocks OF the TrOpell'
= Company, and the grain elevators on III. mort
' 81 le. II swept from Water street clear up
i Lincoln Park. Menear's lumber yard. on II
: South branch, was burned, with $500 900 wort
of lumber
: Meanwhile the Fire Department was partl
Q crippled, About half past 1 o'clock Sunda
a night the Rice Engine No. 10, and Hook an
Ladder Go. No 2 were at work at the Brigg
e House. The fremen did not know that the 70,
I, WAS ON fire and all of sndden il fell in aud Ii
frcnen had to run for their lives leaving the et
gine aud ladders, as the horses had been Ia ke
: away. Engines Nos. 10 and IL we're also loi
az the corner OF Lake street and Fifth avenue
. No man can form any idea Of the heat in III
streets. In some places express wagons ile
with gods were going along the streets all
flames. The Nicelson pavement took fire, an
burned from culb 10 curb, making the streets ia
passable in many places.
IL. h. .af.. ..rk Al. n