Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-10-19

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from going north on that side Of the
riverof Van Buren, street bridge, which
structure was speedily consumed. But
after taking al the buildings, lumber
piles, &c, within the area specified
above, the conhagration broke out
afresl on the east side of the river.
/ This sudden transfer of the devOuring
flames to the South Division was the
result Of the large shower Of sparks
and cinders which We're carried across
the stream by the gale, many OF them
lodging on wooden roofs, cloth awnings
and other combustible material, and
soon creating a sea of flames which
sent CONSERVATION to many a brave
heart.
BY this time nearly the entire popu-
latiOn Of the city had been aroused, and
the streets for mile or two surround
ing the scene of the disaster were
thronPed with excited, swaying human
ity, and with all descriptions of vehi-
Giles, pressed into service for the hasty
removal of household goods and per-
sonal effects. Every street resembled
second hand furniture store goods of
all descriptions being loaded and I'M
loaded here and there and everywhere,
in promiscuous confusion. Invahds and
cripples We're carried away on impro-
vised ambulances aged women and
helpless infants were speedily borne to
places of temporary or permanent
safety; people who were utterly over
come with excitement and fatigue We're
seen sleeping on lounges, trunks and
tables, in the streets; empty houses
were forcibly broken open and taken
possession of by homeless wanderers,
mace desperate by the awful surround
ings--in some instances rs many as
five families turned INTO one and the
same house Such spectacle was new
er before witnessed IN Chicago, and it
hardly has parallel IN the annals of
conhagrations.
After getting under complete head.
way in the South Division, the flames
spread with fearful rapidity, and soon
many of the most valuable structures III
that Division were involved in the gen
eral conhagration.
At about two o'clock in the morning,
the armory, large stone building on
the corner OF Adams and Franklin
streets, was reached, and ere long, from
this structure the cinders caught the
South Side Gas Works, on the oppo-
site side OF the Adams street. The de-
struction Of this vast reservoir of gas,
coal and coke was fearfully rapid
while the explosion created at frequent
intervals sounded like the roar Of ar
tillery.
BY this time it was evident that the
fire department could make no head
way towards subduing the conilragatlon
and that the flames were bound to
have it all their own way. Building af-
ter building, block after block, We're
reached by the devouring element, and
il seemed as if the entire city was doom
ed Safety elevators, huge railroad
deYots, majestic viaducts, vast yards of
coul end lumber palatial residences,
elegant business blocks--lu short every
species OF structure not absolutely
fire there is scarcely one
really fire proof building in the city
were all in turn encircled by the re-
morseless flames and speedily trans
formed into mass of black RUNS. The
many thousands Of spectators who
stood at the Madison street bridge, and
at other points on the West side of the
river, and behcld that vast ocean of
flame which extended from near 18th
etnorth to the main riyer and east
from the South Branch TO the lake
shore, will never forget the awfully
grand and thrilling spectacle. 1t was
something more than huge coutiagra-
ton which they gazed upon; it was
literally and truly q city on Hrc. The
area and the buildings then covered by
the flames were equal to large-sized
city-sav OF a hundred Thousand inhab-
itnts And yet the tire tiend was des-
tined to achieve still further conquests,
rs the sequel will show.
Onward swept the sea of flame, re
mursclessly consuming everything
which FIRE could destroy that lay in its
path, and not only did the flames
march northwarl and eastward. but
they also made slow but steady pro-
gress southwark, involving many OF the
finest residences ON Wabash and Mich
igau avenues, and all the other build
ings located between Harrison street
and the main river. in the South Dlyls-
ion. The glaring ciuders borne by the
fierce gale tloated across the stream
and lodged among the parched pine
roofs of several structures nearest the
water, and soon they were also wrap
ped in flames, which no power within
The hands of authorities or citizens
could reach. Ana then commenced the
dreadful ordeal in the North Division.
The fremeu worked like heroes, but all
in vain They were powerless to
prevent the spread of the
flames, and in less than an hour from
the time they broke out ON that side,