Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-10-20
gelerteh Misrellany.
THE STRICKEN CITY.


publican writes from Chicago a very
graphic and detailed account of the great
calamity. We extract the following as
among the most horrible of the scenes
which he depicts:
THE GHoULs AMONG THE RUINS.
No sooner was the extent of the disas-
ter known abroad than the ghouls of the
race, who ever haunt scenes of disaster
and misfortune, began to gather. Thieves
mingled with the great stricken multitude,
and busily piled their vocation, even in
that dire hour of calamity. Williams seiz-
cd upon the fleeing inhabitants as they
came from their blazing houses, and en-
deavored to take what little remained to
them saved from the general wreck
Hackmcn and express drivers and car men
seemed to have lost all conscience, and
charged fabulous sums for conveying a
load from the scene of destruction to a
safe distance. Men who had large sums
Of money, endeavoring to convey it away
to places of safety, were beset by thieves
even in the street. in the garish light of
their consuming houses, and robbed of
their remaining all.
One instance is known of hackman
[exacting from a distracted husband $3.50
to convey his invalid wife from his burn
ing home to place of safety. Twenty
five dollars was regarded as very mode
rate charge for an express wagon to take
a load ten squares; $50 and $1OO we're
frequently demanded and paid for the use
of wagon and team of two horses for
half an hour. 1t seemed that half the
people of this class had turned out to be
thieves and robbers of the most dangerous
character. Instances are known in which
hackmen agreed to convey ladies from the
region Of disaster to a place of safety, and
when little way from the crowds delib-
erately robbed them of their jewelry and
whatever valuables they might have about
them, and thenlturning them out of their
cabs to take care of themselves.
When the fire was ragin galong Lasalle,
Clark and State stseetS "a sweeping
fOuWdIO OOWdIOS w 81. es4~G AseSu0
.dnlnh. teWgrl the i lat - !,
mercIaI houses were, anu an
effort made to save Bt valuable
goods. The harvest ofI6ss thieves began
at this time. The police had lost control.
Those intent on profting by the fire now
went in with great zest. They loaded
themselves with the richest goods, and
sought place of concealment. A bank
er had cash box in his hand containing
$50. 900, which he was endeavoring to
convey away. Three desperadoes seized
upon him with the intention of robbing
him. To prevent it he threw the box
with its valuable contents into the fire,
rather than yield it to these ghouls of dis
astrous fate.
THE STARVING MULTITUDE.
Monday morning broke with the fire
fend still sweeping onward in its devastat-
ing course through the North division
The great buildings. such as Farwell's,
Field, Letter & CO.. store. Crosby's opera
house, the Court House. fremont House,
Sherman House. Postofice. Exchange,
McVicker's, Tribune building, and the
great blocks around Custom House Place
on the South side. still blased up fercely
when kindled into fury by the fitful gusts
of wind. The smoke-cloud still hung
over the devastated district.
All night the houseless people. filled
with anxiety, and frequently startled by
fresh alarms, had watched the sublime
and awful conAagration as it hurried for
ward to fresh conquests over the proudest
works of man.
Many in the vast throng of anxious
spectators of the awful scene had been
startled by the first alarm, and left their
homes supperless; but the night passed
and the day came again, bringing no pros
poets of breakfast The sun mounted to-
ward the zenith, and yet the cravings of
hunger we're not appeased. The scene
became pitiable in the extreme. Thou
sapds of children, who had never known
what it was to want even for the luxuries
u life. now piteously cried for bread they
could not get. Men with haggard look
and blood-shot eyes, wearied by exertion
and anxious care, 'unrefreshed by slumber
or food, moved about with listless air,
and, if spoken to. frequently returned for
an answer vacant and meaningless stare,
as if reason and the power Of utterance
bad vanished together.
The day wore slowly away, and still
thousands had taken no food The cries
of the children became more boisterous
women wept, and even strong men bowed
in unutterable agony.
The wind blew clouds of dust, ashes
and smoke into their very faces, and en-
veloped and covered them up, until they
scarcely wore the sen1blance of human
beings. Nothing l ever saw. nothing l
ever read about, nothing the Imagination
ever conjured up. ever presented to my
mind so terrible picture of human woe
as the scene witnessed by the lakeside on
that terrible evening. There rolled up
the dark, portcntous clouds Of smoke,
mingled with the red tongues of fame.
mounting high up into the heavens, told