Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-10-10

/ The alarm bell has just commenced ringing an
increasing peal, which is intended to call every
sleepcr from his bed The panic is increasing
and the people seem almost crazy with alarm
The vessels in the river are catching fire in every
direction and all on the South river will probably
be destroyed. A raging, roaring hell of fire
envelopes twenty blocks of the city. 1t is
| already scorching the block of the telegraph
office where this dispatch is written, and sweep
! ing onward whirlwind of flames against which
human efforts are fruitleSs, and it is impossible
to tell where ii will stop. The bridge across Van
| Buren, streets burned The cars on the track of
the Chicago and Alton and Fort Wayne rail-
roads, with their freight houses, are swept away
| Thousands of people fill the streets, rushing out
| of their dwellings in many instances Darely IN
| time to save their lives. The block immediately
across the street from the telegraph once, one
| of the finest in the city, is now in flames.
| CHICAGO, Oct. 9-10 A. M.-Ihe entire Dusl-
ness portion of the city is DESTROYED, all the
| banks, express and telegraph offices, all the
newspaper offices except the tribune, SIX eleva-
| tors, and the water works have been burned.
There is no water in the city, and not less ,han
ten thousand buildings have already been de-
stroyed. The fire has burned distance of FIVE
miles, and is still raging. The wind is blowing
a gale, and il will be impossible TO get any reia-
BILE detailed particulars for some time, as there
is only one telegraph wire working, and that
only t o the suburbs.
The fire now RACES on the north side, cast of
Wells street, extending up to Chicago avenue in
a northeasterly direction. 1t is being checked
TO the windward on the south and west sides.
The wind seems TO blow hard and to be chang
ing toward the south. | think the fire reaches
toward the great Central depot and that it is
probably destroyed. The Lake Shore and
Michigan Southern, and the Rock Island rail-
road depots, the city water works, the fremont
house, Sherman house, Crosby opera house,
etc, are among the buildings destroyed. The
elevators on Main and River streets must have
been burned, as the fire was raging on both
sides at seven O'Clock this morning when | was
there. Thousands of people are homeless, and
the losses will exceed fifty millions of dollars.
One third of the city is in ruins. All banks,
insurance offices, warehouses and elevators
have been destroyed. Fully ten thousand build
ings have been burned. The fire is still raging
and the wind is blowing a gale. There is no
water. The fire is now coming south on Wabash
avenue, and will probably reach us here where
a temporary telegraph office has been estab-
lished, before night
OTHER DISPATCHES.
Boston, Oct. 9.-Oue Of our principal mer-
chants has received the following dispatch from
leading lawyer and large real estate owner:
CHICAGO, Oct. 8, 1871.
To Geo. e. Richardson, Deroashire street, Bos-
ton.
Chicago is in ashes. The calamity is awful
Miles are burned over, Send donations from
Boston for the suffering people. The water
works are burned, and the telegraph destroyed.
c. A. GREGORY.
CINCINNATI, Ohio, Oct. 9.-The mayor has
telegraphed the mayor of Chicago offering the
services of the fire department if needed. 1t is
reported that many houses have been blown up
in the effort TO stem the coufagration, but with.
out effect. A mass meeting is being held here,
presided over by Gov. Hayes for the relief of
the Chicago sufferers. The mayors of nearly all
the western cities have proffered relief and as
siStance 10 the mayor of Chicago The chief en-
IL,
three engines aud hose cars, has started for Chi
cage.
LATEST YESTERDAY AFTERNOON.
ENGLEwooD, ten miles from Chicago, Oct O.
II 4. M.-The work of devastation continues.
More than one-half of the city is already de-
stroyed, and the flames continue their ravages
almost unOppOsed. At about one O'Clock this
morning the fire crossed the river at Adams
street bridge, and soon destroyed the gas works,
and then spread itself in every direction. At
this hour almost every building, from Harrison
street north 10 the Chicago river, is destroyed
including all the insurance offices, banks, no
tells, telegraph offices, newspaper establish
ments, with the exception Of the Tribune Office,
which i hre-prOot, the court house, Sherman
house, fremont house, Palmer house, new Pa
cihc hotel, new Bigelow hotel, and, in fact
everything else Is swept clear. This district
embraces all the heavy business houses IN the
city. The rain Of fire ana birthstone on SOdom
and GomOrrah can hardly be compared TO the
More than one-half of the population are now
rushing through the streets in vehicles, which
are obtained at enormous prices, on foot, and in
every other way, with the choicest household
treasure 10 their arms and on their backs, in ut
ter confusion, \ Ut knowing whittier TO 20. Fear
ful suffering must follow, and almost immedi-
ately. Full 10000 people are at this moment
homeless and hOuSeless, not knowing where 10
lay their heads or get anything TO satisfy the
cravings Of hunger.
1t appears by these dispatches that the fire
had found lis way TO every important part of
the city. 1t began in the southern part, went
| uorthward with great rapidly, and had passed
| through the business part Of the city, crossed
| the main channel Of Chicago river, and gone
! beyond nearly mile and quarter The dis
patches in our teegraphIc columns give some
account Of the destru :ti0n in this part Of the
city. From Division street at the north to Har
risOn street at the south, the distance is two
miles; and district that will average more
than a mile wide, lying between these two
streets, is burnt over. How much has been
burned in the districts west Of Chicago river and
its south branch, has not been told; but the two
fires began west Of the river, and the destruc-
ton caused by the fire was on that side. See
the last nights dispatches for the latest news.
In speaking Of the county offices, yesterday,
We might have said, as we do now, that Mr.
William o. Brown of Royalston, the county
commissioner whose term expires this year, has
proved an excellent officer, OF sound judgment,
diligent and conscientious. Having found him
efficient and faithful, the county cannot afford
TO lose his services. Mr.. Brown, we understand,
is willing to accept denomination. 1t is rare
that a county commissioner leaves Office at the
expiration of his first term, and this is no case