Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-10-14

and ashes fell upon the multitudes until not 8
face but was blackened to an Ethiop's hue.
The Crosby Opera House, the fremont, thu
sherman, Woods Museum, Hooley,s Opers
House, and everything nearly on the north sids
or Lake street was completely licked up or gut
ted by the flames. The Court House. hayino
an iron roof, was thought to be fre-proof Be.
tween sixty and seventy prisoners were confined
in the cells In the base ment At this time IL wa
known that the water supply had failed, the
water works being gone. The fremen had ceased
their labOrs, and
APATHY AND DESPAIR
had taken possession of the citizens. The pro-
prietor of a large jewelry store on Lake street
erazed at the prospect of his inevitable losses
unlocked the doors Of his building and called on
the crowd TO help him carry into the street his
Stock. The rushing throng fastened into the
store and carried out rich silverware, costly
COCKS, and trays of various kinds of Jewels.
These were deposited in the center OF tho street,
but there Is too much ground for the belief that
the coveted loot was more the purpose of the
stock. large number of people had gathered
about the Court House, and clamored for the
turnkey to appear and release the prisoners. He
showed himself, and announced that the build
Ing was perfectly hTepToOf, no harm could re-
suit to those confined therein, and he should not
release the convictS. An individual denounced
IN a shTill voice this barbarity OF the turnkey,
and at once terrible roar of "Iynch the damned
rascaIl" outbellOwed the howiing of the wind.
the flames, and the mOmentary explosions that
had grown so frequent as to be disregarded.
The turnkey in dismay fled, and could not be
found, although pursuit was made. In answer
TO the
TUNULTUOUs ROARING OF THE MOB
the prisoners set mp howl, subdued by the
thick walls, but none the less appalling. In
twenty minutes from the time the courthouse
was in flames, without doubt the seventy con-
yiets were burned. What was done at the other
institutions in which prisoners were confined L
could not ascertain. The night wore slowly
away. 1t seemed if morning would never
dawn. As more and more a sense of the terrible
calamity became apparent, as the wind con
tinued undated, and as the lurid flames spread
in sn improbable line of miles in length for
ward, many persons threw themselves on their
kne6s in the streets and prayed yehemently for
heavenly succor. A half-mad enthusiast
mounted pile of furniture in Dearborn street,
and began rambling discourse, in which he
prophesied that the day of judgment vas at
hand, and called on all to make their peace
citizens as a crazy man escaped from conane-
ment. and hose was directed upon him. A
sudden drenching silenced the fanatic, and he
departed to find more complacent audience.
AT four O'Clock
THE GAs-woRKs BLBw UP,
and every house was left in darkness. The ex-
plosiOn shook the whole city, and aroused new
terror. Down at the various depOts all night
long the locomotives were busy drawing out
rolling stock and freight. Most of the freight
stored in the Michigan Central depot was
brought to a place of safety, and all of their
rolling stock brought beyond the reach of the
flames. No breakfast could be had in the entire
city, as the means of cooking had been destroyed
with the houses, and private families gave no
thought to what they should eat, being bent only
on saving their effects.
Ten thousand people, with immense piles of
household goods, were congrepated on the lake
shore as the morning dawned. These people
had saved but little provisions, and the cries of
the children arose in one long, lamenting wall.
No papers were issued from any printing Of
fee this morning. The city was without news
nor needed it any. 1t was a scene of misery.
The flames still roaring and advancing, the air
still fun Of cinders, the explosions still constant,
the water SUI ply exhausted, the firemen worn
out, the fire engines idle, the throng OF fleeing
citizens increasing, the wind still blowing fierce
", the smoke drifting still to the nOrthward, the
roar OF the flames still heard above ALL the cries
and complaints OF the pOpulace still resOund-
ing, and naught silenced but the bells Where
fore indeed, when the electric fluid was sending
through the length and breadth of the land the
news OF the woes Of Chicago, and awakening in
our cities chords of symPathy-why should the
tOlling bells seek to startle the mourning popu-
lace? So the bells alone were silent as morning
dswned, and all other noises rather increased
than diminished.