Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-10-13
The Chicago Fire
S5OO,OOO,OOO LOSS!
1000 Acres Burned Over !! s!
MANY LIVES LOST f.!
100000 People Homeless |!

The news from the Queen City of the
West during the past week has been Of the
most appalling nature-in fact almost too
dreadful to be believed. The entire bust
ness portion Of the city is laid waste by
the fire fiend. Every newspaper estab
lithment is laid in ashes. All the hotels,
the great business blocks, dry goods hou
ses, banks, Court House, Opera House, ell
evators, dcp1ts, telegraph and express off
Offices, are all gone to ruin. It is the most
fearful fire on record. The old London
fire was comparatively nothing TO the de
struction Of The city Of Chicago. There
are thousands Of families destitute of ev-
erything. The prairie around the city is
covered with refugees.
We take from our exchanges the follow,
ing news in regard to this great fire.
CHICAGO, Oct. 9-l:45 A. NJ.
A raging, roaring hell Of fire involves 20
blocks of the city. Already it is within a
block of the telegraph Office where this dis
patch was written, and it is sweeping on
ward in whirlwind Of flames, against
which human Efforts are powerless, and ii
is Impossible to tell when it will stop. =
the bridge across TanBuren ST is burned
the shipping in the river, the cars on the
track OK the Chicago & Alton and Fort
Wayne reads, with the immense freight
houses there, arc swept away.
No language can describe the dreadful
scenes, as theAames swept blocks of wood
.en houses with the rapidity of prairie fire
Thousands Of people fill the streets, rush.
ing out of dwellings,, in many instances
barely in time to save their lives. (rhe
operator has left, and he says the office is
aurnings
,CMcAGo, Oct. s.
A fire is now raging in the West Divis
ion, which appears to he az large as thC
great FIRE last night. Che alarm was river
from box 745, on the corner Of UalSIeaC
street and Canalport aveRUe, e distance 0
,about two and a half &lsiies from the Court
House j will necessarily &)e Aate before
rany particulars canhe ,obtaincd.
Chicago, Oct. :9--l0:45 4. NJ.
The Chicago Dock, Nelson, Munger &
Armour, Ii. Wheeler and &he 'Galcna Gle,
wator arc cotnElotely destroyed Che Gem.
tsral was safe at last accounts.
Farweii Hail, the Opera House, Field
Letter & Co.'S dry goods house. the Ii55
une and Post offices aud the water works,
kre ali burned,
CHICAGO, Get. 0-l24 a. a. 81.
Tonight is the most awful in the annals
OF the city The fire, which commenced
st 10 O'Clock a. NJ. has already sweep over
u space st least three times rs large as that
AT last night, and is still rushing on ca ITS
path Of destruction with greater fury than
has marked any stage OF its progress, the
engns appearing to be almost powerlss.
Fire Marshall Williams has just telegraph
ed to Milwaukee for all the steamers they
can spare. The CONFEDERATION has already
destroyed at least twenty blocks, mostly
composed Of the smaller class Of dwellings,,
Inhabited mainly by tho poorer people.
Not les, than three hundred buildings
have been entirely destroyed, aaed many
more than ttat number OF families
are rendered honseiess. The wind is blow
ing almost a gale from the south, and the
sparks and burning brands are spreading
over the city, threatening obstruction on
every hand.
Since this report commenced, two addi-
tional alarms have been started, and the
tower Of the Court House caught from fly
ing brands. but was extingUished by the
watchmen in the tower. No description
can give an adequate idea Of the terrible
scene.
CHICAGO, Oct. 10.
The great Ere commenced on the corner
Of Twelfth and DeCovan streets, at hall
mast 8 o'clock, eccasioned, it IS said, by a
COW kicking over a lamp, The fire
spread rapidly in an easter'y and north
eastsrly direction, to Jefferson street and
Clinton. and from Clinton and Canal it
swept onward, crossing Canal street to
the river. everything going down In its
terrible path, until it reached Van Buren,
street. where it ceased between these
streets. and burned to the river, Every
thing en- the river front. from Taylor
street to Van Buren, street, was burned
Ats o'clock, A. NJ, the great National
Elevator caught fire and was consumed,
throwing lurid sheet of fame high up
Into the heavens.
The raging element crossed the river
about twelve o'clock near Taylor street
and with its fiery tongue licked up, as If