Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1871-10-09
FIRE At CHICAGO
NEARLY THE KNTIRE CITY
Es~TROYED-IMMENsR Loss
OF PROPRRTY-A FEAR
Full An ID OvERWHRL-
NAM CALAMITY.
SEVEN OR EIGHT THOUSAND
LIVES loSTl .......ln
THE FIRE STILL RAGING

CHICAGO, October S-12:30 A. ~
The most terrible conflagration ever
occurring in this city broke out about
an hour and a half ago and having
already swept over six entire blocks,
1t Is still raging with almost undated
fury. The fire started in q large plan
ing mill between Clinton and Canal
streets and Van Buren, and Jackson
streets, about the centre Of the block
formed by these streets. The wind
| blowing fresh the flames spread with
| incredible 'rapIdity In q few minutes.
The immediate vicinity Is built up
with small wooden tenement houses
and two-story frame houses, occupied
as groceries and saloons. The inmates
OF many houses, startled from their
slumbers, had barely time to rush
from their houses In scanty attire,
leaving their household goods to de-
struction. In several Instances child
rem, hastily wrapped In blankets and
quilts to break the force Of the fall,
were thrown from second story win
dows to the ground. When the alarm
sounded for this fire, another OF con-
siderable magnitude was burning on
Wells street. near Adams, and several
engines were necessarily Kept at work
on It. The rest Of the engines In the
city were soon on the ground, but be-
| fore they arrived the fire had spread
over so large an area and was so rap
idly spreading that their efforts seemed
| Of little avail. Between Canal street
| and the river were several lumber
Yards, which are entirely destroyed.
At this hour the fire has made n clean
sweep from Var, Buren, north two
blocks to Adams, aud west to Clinton,
two blocks from the river. The
wharves between Van Buren, and
Jackson are burning, and the wood
work Of the western approach to Adj
ans street Is destroyed. A large coal
yard, containing thousands Of. tons OF
soft cosl. and situated between the
tracks of the Chicago and Alton and
Pittsburg and Fort Wayne Railroad
tracks and the river, Is on fire and
burning furiously. The Immense
grain elevator Of Vincent Nelson q
Co., one OF the finest In the city, IL
Immediately adjoining, and though
intended to be tire-proof, there seems
little doubt 1t will be destroyed, as the
intense heat to which 1t Is subjected
will crack the slate with which 1t Is
| covered. It contains many thousand
bushels Of grain Of all kinds. The
depot Of the Pittsburg and Fort Wayne
and Chicago, Alton and st. Louis
| Railroads Is situated north OF Adams
and between Canal street andthe river.
| One Of the buildings q light wooden
structure, occupied as an express
| office, was In flames at midnight, and
Is undoubtedly destroyed. The scene
In the vicinity of the CONFEDERATION Is
indescribable half the population OF
the city seems to be gathered there.
Tugs In the river r engaged In tow
ing to places of safety vessels In the
neighborhood, while locomotives are
hastily pulling out the great number
Of cara standing on the track in the
path ofthe flames. At this writing 1t
Is Impossible to give estimates OF the
| losses. ...ra, D.
CHICAGO, October $3.50 P. M.-The
fire is apparently raging as fierce as
ever. Tile block Of buildings on the
north side Of Van Buren, street, which
was thought an hour ago to be saved,
is now wrapped in flames. The ele-
vator Is safe. So far the fire seems to
be spreading south and west. The
wind now IS directly from tho south
and blowing hard. The entire Fire
Department Is now on the ground and
making almost superhuman efforts TO
stay the flames. The loss already runs
into the millions, aud the end Il mol
\ vet. 800 - q 80 -3sg