The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-10-28
Incidents Of the Chicago Fire.

sufferer by the Chicago FIRE related the
following terrible incidents to reporter of
the New York Standard:
On the base ball ground there were 50.~
900 people shivering. looking at each other,
children crying, men and women running
about distracted with the loss of THEN chill
dren. The people living on Michigan avenue
brought out oil paintings. which were
| jumped upon by rowdies and thieves. The
pavilion caught fire about O'Clock and
! the roughs stole cloths and everything. and
went to Randolph & Van Shaick's liquor
store. where they rolled out five barrels and
drank the contents, after which they were
| fighting all night.
saw one old man hit over the head with
a bed post. Numerous fights occurred in
! all directions. No news was brought in of
what was going on. | can give you no des-
crirtion OF the monsters in human shape
who roamed around the spot where they had
| taken refuge from the driving frs-drift. In
all Gods world l could not believe there
were such men in existence. Murderer.,
| thieves and lewd women commiugled with
beauteous and virtuous women. One noble
soul, whose name | could not ascertain,
| died with her babe, which had just come
| into the world few hours before. ] saw
an old gray haired Roman Catl olic priest of
some sixty years, lying stltfeued corpse,
his white hair smeared with blood. while
! his brains were scattered around. The
! poor victim had been trying to protect a
young girl from tie communicating grasp OF
a band Of desperadoes, and his reward was
being Drained with club and kicked till
! life was extinct. pray to God, reporter
that | may never see such an appalling sight
again. Men were there so intoxicated and
bedeviled that they fought under the in
t1uence of spirits among each other aud
dozens were the stabbing affrays which took
place. The mob reigned, and their reign
was Internal. 1t beggars description, and
makes me shudder to think Of it. Some
| groups were engaged in praying for Divine
mercy. but Lot of the class have described
They roamed round seeking what they could
steal, and polluting the air with their loath-
some talk. The numerous atrocities COM
mtted on poor hel pless girls. ladies by birth
and education. by this accursed aorde will
never be fully known in this world. How
many died that night do not know OF can
not guess. Suffice it to say that the deaths
were numerous. particularly women, 10 whom
the shock proved too great.
A CHICAGO correspondent says: Another
glance 1T the dcsolate waste which looks fol
all the world like the abandoned encamp,
| ment of host, and the nearest exploring
party is reached. There are only two ol
three workers aud three or four people look
ing on. The workers armed with pick axe
| and shovel are in whak>was the basement.
| The lockers on are the family, or part of it
who occupied the house. Carefully the cin-
ders. broken plaster and the brick are re-
moved, but it is a slow process, aud the
burned and still smouldering remains of a
! bed are discovered. "Ah!" painfully es-
capes the blanched lips of the old woman OF
the party who stands supported by man.
Something is said in low consolatory tone
The workers now proceed, still more careful-
| ly. and remove everything around and upon
the remnant of the bed. In a few minutes
more little crisped form is found. the mere
blackened trusk of a child; the poor moth>
er utters a piercing shriek. and is borne faint
| ing and insensible for the time. from the spot.
In Ontario street baby ten months old
was thrown from fourth story window,
and caught in blanket by men congregated
| below. 1t started head downwards. like
Sam Patch in his last leap, but gradually
gained the perpendicular, and alighted or
it's feet like an athlete. The infant was some
what worried for breath at first. and couldn't
scream worth a cent in its new wooIeE cradle,
but it gradually recovered equilibrium. and
in five minutes was serenely sucking its
thumb.