Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-17
W oRCEs TER
rrrsnNY. ocTOREm "a. 1871.
Er,cn,nr the CnInmitr.

There have been many conflicting statements
as to the extent OF the burnt district in Chicago
most of them extremely vague and some appar
entity much exaggerated, if they may be safely
tested by others more definite and detailed The
one which appears to be most trustworthy
though, when one attempts to follow its lines OF
map of the city, it is not quite Ineligible, is
attributed to a gentleman who has lived in Chi
cago eighteen wears, was formerly city surveyor
and is still prominent surveyor OF the city
His practical acquaintance with the subject and
his technical skill would seem to make him a
competent authority. The boundaries Of the
burned district as defined by him are thesc
"On the south, beginning a the corner Of De-
koven and jefferson streets, The line runs dag
onally TO the lake at the corner OF Congress
street and Michigan avenue. The lake bounds
the limit of the fire on The east. On the west
the burned district is bounded by diagonal
line from DekOven street 70 Adams street bridge;
thence due north about on the llne OF Market
street. where the fire crossed the main river;
thence again on an Irregular line, NIUE west
of north rOuChing the north branch OF the river
at Ontario street; thence north along the river
10 Chicago avenue. AT this point the track Of
The fire left the river, and proceeding nortnward
reached the corner Of Hurlbert and Centre
streets. west of Lincoln park; thence on 10 Bel
den avenue at the northern Limit OF the city.
The entire area Of this conhagration will not
exceed 1900 acres, space thirty times as large
as Boston common. The average dimensions CT
this area are half mile east and west by three
and half miles north ana SOUTH
Other accounts have represented the area
burned over TO be no less than 26O0 acres, or
nearly seven miles long from north to south,
and two miles in width. This, or something
81, D.,
In regard to the number of persons made home
less it is not yet possible to arrive at satisac-
tory estimate. One hundred and fifty thousand
is the usual statement, and no one, that we re-
member, puts it at much less than one hundred
thousand The latter number cannot much eX-
coed the truth, fit does not rather fall below it,
An approximate estimate can be formed
assuming the limits of the fire to be those given
above by considering the population of each
ward as given in the report Of the last census
Two wards, those numbered eight and nine,
were almost entirely burned over. These were
the most populous of any, and, together, had
more than fifty thousand people within their
limits, all of whom must have been deprived Of
home and shelter, OF ward seven, much less
than half the area is within the burned district
hnt the mart devastated seems 70 have been oc.
cun;ed chiefly nv DWELLING bouses very closely
builr and Inhabited Inv nconle Of fine noorer
class or wards five and six the same NAV he
said In wards one Two three and iour if is
not easy with no bqtter information than we
rossess 10 in5ra ,vbat ,,roportiop or tbe ipbabi-
+oprs dwaIt within the desolated area
br+ o,idad nv tba numerous accopnts
or tho character If tba h,i1dinps DESTROYED in
tbo+ section tho sou,b division II sooms roason-
oIl , sr,,,,os, tbot hole rho non,lo,;on Of those
,,.,r7s ,rar, h,,,.,od ont of honso and homo
The f,,,r ,,or1s h,d = ro,rIotion or "a COZ.
,,.,.as q o,1 70 other b,5 "A ee5 inboI,itonts
uo1r of s,oso 1i,,nc, :, +hosa soyen words
1-fl, IN tI,,,so in 7yorls 3 and r,ol,o an
,,,,roro,o os az ool,or,o,oss roonie IN tho citv
W. ILL, ,,is osti,,o+o i nat oI,ro1oooo, o.