The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-10-11

STARTLED SlumDer, had barely time
to rush from their houses in the scanty
attire Of night, leaving their household
goods to destruction. In several in
stances children were hastily wrapped
in blankets and quilts TO break the
force of their fall, and thrown from
second story windows to the ground
When the alarm sounded for the fire,
another of considerable magnitude
was burning on Wells street, neal
Adams, and several engines were nee
essarily kept at work upon this. The
rest of the engines in this city were
soon OH the ground, but before they
arrived the fire had spread over Sc
large an area, ard was so rapidly
spreading. that their efforts seemed O.
little avail. Between Canal stree
and the river were several lumber
yards, which are entirely destroyed n
this hour. The fire has made a clean
sweep from Van Buren, street north
two blocks to Adams, and west to
Clinton three blocks from the river
The wharves between Van Buren, and
jackson streets are burning, and the
wood work of the western approach Il
Adams street Bridge is destroyed. A
large coal yald, containing thousands
of tons of soft coal, and situated be-
tween the tracks of the Chicago ani
Alton and Pittsburg and Fort Wayne
Railroad and the River is on fire anc
burning furionsly.
CHICAGO, Oct. 8.-About one o.
clock this morning, shortly after send
ing my last dispatch detailing the
progress of the fire in the western dl
vision, the flames were arrested and
under complete control of tire depart,
ment, and | am now enabled to give q
more intelligent and greatly modified
estimate of their devastating effects -
The space burned over embraces foul
blocks, bounded on the north by AID
ans street. west by Clinton, sonth by
Van Buren,, and east by Chicago riv
Ell. Some four or five buildings within
the limits named remain uninjured,
among them Vincent, Nelson u Cos
grain warehouse, n of the largest in
the city, which escaped any serious
damage. This is due to the fact that
piles Of anthracite coal lay between
the burning buildings and the elevator,
and by the continual application Of
large quantities of water to the coal
piles, they were prevented from burn
ing. The grounds burned over were
covered with lumber yards, coal
yards, wood yards, a planning mill, box
factory, vinegar factory, &c, and a
number of dwellings and saloons OF
the poorer class. A close estimate Of
the entire loss places il at from two
hundred and fifty to three hundred
thousand dollars, with probably one
half of that insured.
CHICAGO, Oct. 8-11:30 P. M
The fire tonight, in the West division,
is now raging with undated fury
The fire commenced near Taylor ST.,
midway between Delavan and Jefier
son, and is spreading in every direc-
ton. 1t covers at least four blecks
at this hour, and still seems beyond
control. The blocks are built Up solid
ly. almost exclusively of two story
frame houses occupied as residences,
boarding houses, saloons, groceries,
&c. The loss is already large and it
is now feared that it will prove more
destructive ia its character than the
one last night. 1t is impossible yet to
learn but a very few names of the suf-
ferers. The entire list will probably
embrace several hundred. No appro
pirate estimate can yet be made of
the total loss as the progress of flames
have not yet been arrested. Will try
and get further particulars.
CHICAGO, Oct. 9-12 as A. NJ
Tonight is the most awful in the n
nails of the city. The fire which COM
menced at 10 p. M. has already swept
over q space at least three times as
large as that of last night, and is still
rushing on in its path of destruction
with greater fury than has marked
any stages of its progress, the engines
appearing almost ~powerless. Fire
Marshal Williams has just telegraphed
to Milwaukee for all the steamers
they can spare. The confagration
has already devastated at least twenty
blocks mostly composed of the smaller
class of dwellings, inhabited mainly by
poor people. Not less than three
hundred buildings have been entirely
and more than that num-
Der of families are rendered homeless.
The wind is blowing almost q gale from
the south, and showers of sparks and
brands are sweeping over the
city, threatening destruction on every
hand. Since this report commenced
Two additional alarms have been
and the tower of the court
house caught from a flying brand, but
was extinguished by the Waterman on
the tower. No description can give
an adequate idea of the terrible scene.
The fire started in a row of low tene-
ments OF Dekoven street, between JET.
ferson and Clarion, and, as was the
case last night, spread with terrible
rapidity. Before a single engine
could get on the ground half the block
was in flames, and burned fufiously.-
The entire department were soon on
it seemed probable that they would
succeed in combining it to an area of
four or five blocks. The wind, how
ever, which was blowing freshly when
fire started, increased to a gale, and
suddenly the flames seemed to spread
every direction, becoming entirely
beyond the control of the fire depart
CHICAGO, Oct. 9-1:15 A. M
The fire is still raging and with in
creased fury, and has spread almost
with The velocity of the wind, and has
now reached West Monroe street, a
distance of more Than q mile from
where it started, and it covers a
breadth of nearly half mile. reachinu