The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-10-13
Relief for the Sufferers.
Prompt Responses from the Principal
Citles.
Full Particulars of the Fire.

over ak entire blocks, still RACES with
unabated Jury. The fire started in
large planning mill situated between
Clinton aud Canal aud jackson and
Van Buren, streets. about the center OF
the block formed by these streets. The
wind Is blowing very fresh, the flames
spread with almost incredible rapidity.
aud IN q few minutes the entire struc-
ture was mass of fire. The immedi-
ale vicinity is built up mainly OF small
wooden tenement houses aud two story
frame buildings occupied as groceries
and saloons, aud the inmates, many OF
them startled from their slumbers, had
barely time to rush from the houses IN
the scanty attire of night, leaving their
household goods to destruction.
In several instances children were
hastily wrapped in blankets aud quilts
to break the force of their fall, and
thrown from second story windows to
the ground.
A close estimate of the entire lose
place IL at from S250,0O0 to $300,00
with probably one half that insured.
When the alarm for this fire was
sounded, another fire of consid-
cradle magnitude was raging on
Wells street, near Adams. Several en-
gines were necessarily kept at work on
this. The rest of the engines were soon
on the ground, but before they arrived
the fire had spread over so large al erea,
and was SO rapidly spreading, that their
efforts seemed of little avail.
Between Canal street and the river
were several lumber yards which were
entirely destroyed. AT this hour the
fire has made a clean sweep from Van
Buren, street north two blocks TO
Adams, and west to Clinton, three
blocks to the river. The wharves be-
tween Van Buren, and Jackson streets
are burning, and the wood work of the
western approach to Adams street
bridge is destroyed.
A coal yard containing thousand of
tons OF soft coal, and situated between
the tracks of the Chicago, Alton, Pitts
burg and Fort Wayne railroads and the
river. is burning iuriously.
The immense grain elevator of Vim
cent, Nelson s. Co., one of the finest in
the city, is Immediately adjoining /;
though Intended TO be are-proof, there
seems to be little doubt but that it will
be destroyed, as the intense heat to
which il Is subject will crack the slate
with which both roof and sides are Gov
cred. Ii contains many thousand BUSH
els OF grain of all kinds.
The depots of the Pittsburg & Fort
Wayne, and Chicago, Alton & ST Lou
| il railroads are situa. Ell north of Adams
and bel ween Canal street and the river.
| One or the light wood structures,
| occupied an express office, WAS III
| flames AT midnight and ID undoubtedly
| d s'ruyed.
LATER, l 80 A M.-The fire Is appar
emily raging as iiercely as ever. he
block VI buildings un Ihr north >ide o.
| Van Buren, street, " hich II was though IN
all hour ago would tie saved, is nov
~ raped in famps. The elevator IL
>ate 90 iar, Hnd the fire seems To br
| spreading III a souIhw est direction, not
| with standing the wind il now directly
rom the south aud blowing hAI d. 1 he
glare from The bl .Zimg buildings lights
The si cells tor halt IA mile away, 81 thai
| one MAY See tu read.
The fire department are now on the
ground and making almost superhu
man etferts to stay the flames.
The losses will probably already run
into millions, and the end Is not yet.
Shortly after one O'Clock this a. Nd,
the flre, which ragged SO furiuusly last
| mig ht, was got under command, and
| proves not to have been so devastating
as was supposed last night, the district
burned over embracing but four instead
of six blocks, a. reported last night.
The district is bounded on the north by
Adams street; OH The west by Clinton /;
on the sonth by Van Buren,. and on the
east by the Chicago river. Some four
or five buildings within this district
| escaped destructionS there being among
them Vincent, Nelson & Co.'s grain
warehouse, one of the largest in the
city.
The grounds burned over were COW
cred with lumber, coal and wood yards,
Touring mill, box factory, vinegar
factory, &C., and a large number OF
Ia. 0f hn
classes.
IL P. A.-The flre-fiend Is abroad
again tonight. AT As fire broke
out on DekOvon street, between Jeffer-
son and Clinton, and spread with great
rapidly. AT this hour some four blocks
are burning and there seems but little
hopes of staying the flames.
The wind is strong and the fire sur
ges through the frame buildings with
fearful velocity, taking everything in
its passages.
The blocks burned were closely built
with two story frame houses, occupied
as dwellings, stores, boarding houses,
| saloons, etc.
The lOss will probably be greater
than that of last night.
LATER, IL :45 A. M.-To-night is the
most awful in the annals OF the city.
The fire has already swept over q space
| of at least three times as large as that
of last night, and is still rushing on
with greater fury than has marked any
stage of its progress. The engines ap-
pearing almost powerless.
Fire Marshal Williams has telegraph
ed to Milwaukee for all the fire engines
they can spare.
Not less than three hundred build
| ings have been destroyed and more
than that number of families rendered
| homeless.
The wind is blowing almost a gale
from the south and showers of sparks
aud brands are sweeping over the city,
threatening destruction on every hand.
THIRD DIsPAIcH-1 :l5 A. N.
The fire has greatly increased in fury.
| II has spread almost with the velocity
of the wind, aud uas now reached West
Union street, distance of more than u
mile from W here il started and covers
All area of nearly hall a mile, reaching
from the river to Jefferson street. The
district already burned embraces a
large number OF number yards. The
! freight depots of the Chicago and St.
Louis, PitIsburg, Fort Wayne and Chi
cago railroads are among other proper
", valued at several millions Of dollars.
Fhe prospect of arresti1g the fire
now seems Ieuiold lees than an hour
ago, and no one eau tell where it will
stop.
Fire brands were blown across the
river and set fire to the building close
TO the fir. The flames spread in every
direction, and the prospect is that the
gas house will be destroyed and the
city wrapped in darknese-
A terrible panic is prevailing through
out the whole city. Almost every body,
men, women and children, are in the
streets, and praying, weeping and wall
ing is heard in every direction. Il now
looks as If the whole city might be de-
stroyed. A large number of lives are
believed to have been lost, but nothing
definite Is known. The alarm bell Is
now ringing with increased peal, the
design being to call every sleeper from
his bed. The panic lie Increasing and
the people are almost crazy with alarm.
The vessels in the river are catching
fire In every direction, and all on the
south side Of the riEaF VIII probably be
Ssskvysa,