The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-10-25

s-=s:sz.z-s;s,'szz-rs zszrr,z-sEzzs.E::=-z71is
perfect Bedlams. The FIRE marched
two miles down those avenues. Many
who had removed some of their light
baggage, by paying in some cases as
hig|, rs 800 for vehicle, saw them
burn mp because they could not suhse-
qnently procure vehicles at any piice.
DR.. PayEe lost valuable scientific
cabinet, many other va!nahIcs, and he
fears that he loses also q sum of money
on deposit in the Fifth National Bank,
which was burned down. All h e
guests made their escape from the
Sherman Honse, but none of the prop-
erty was saved. A St. Louis lady, on
her return from the East, was at Tie
Sherman House, sick, but she was
conveyed to the Sisters Hospital out
of reach of the flames.
| The scenes that were witnessed on
the streets were of the most borrow
ing description. Women tainted, and
in some instances fell dead on the
| sidewalk, and children screamed and
were trampled under foot. l saw
strong, healthy men cry like children
when they reioined their families, from
! whom they had been temporarily sep
aratel amid the terrific din, alarm and
confusion. TO add to the frightfui
scene, men would yell like demons
when the flames bursted out from the
large structures, as if edited by the
spectacle. The faces of every one
were blackencd by the smoke and
dust. Ladies' with diamonds on their
fingers had dirty faces, with eyes and
ears filed with dust. To add to the
distress, there was a great deal OF
hunger and thirst. With the lake in
full view, it was impossible to obtain
drink of water to Stake thirst. All
the engines sent from Detroit, Mill
yankee aud other cities were perfect
ly useless, on account of the absence oil
water.
We saw wagons rushing through
the streets, loaded with goods, going
at such a rate that they were pitched
out. AS fast as articles would drop of
they wonld be picked up, and carried
away by the finder. The mob would
supply themselves from the stores, in
many instances with what they wanted
In some cases the proprictoys would
tell the spectators to help themselves
to what they could carry, preferling
this to seeing it destroyed. But this
generosity was unusual. 1t was gen
orally reported that some of the resi-
dents on Wabash avenue were inhospi-
table. They refused to open their
houses to the sufferers, and begrudged
them anything to eat or even to drink.
1t was a common thing to pay from
$50 to $500 for transporting children
and baggage to place of safety. The
expressmen seemed perfectly heartless
I A man from the third story of q
house on Madison street tunbled back
into the flames, while engaged in put
ting wet blankets on the roof. In ten
minutes after the blankets were put on
! the roof, the building was in flames
We saw people drunk and noisy. The
police were utterly demoralized, and
some of them would walk into stores
and help themselves to hats and coats.
The first fire was subdued Sunday
noon; the second broke out in a new
place; it is said i'll grocery. The
devouring element seemed unwilling
to spare anything. The fire moved
along sparing buildings IN some places
then it would como back and destroy
| what was left behind in It's earlier pro-
gress. In some cases the brick walls
would crumble to power.
| The walls of the Postoffice, although
the building is fire. proof, are left stand
ing. The heat was so intense that
! fire. proof structures were useless to
stay the progress of the flames.
| All the prisoners in Jail, numbering
l75, were turned loose except three,
who were in for capital offences.
1t is the opinion of DR.. Payne that
within the coming two weeks there
will be twenty thousand citizens from
Chicago in st. Louis. Hundreds were
seen at the railroad Office begging for
transportation.
STATEMENT OF C. r. CAMPBELL.
Mr.. G. r. Campbell, an attache OF
the Chicago Postoffice, arrived here
last evening, leaving, Chicago at a quar-
ter past nine o'clock Monday evening.
He has lost his little all in the wild
flames. He informs us that the whole
of the North Side of Chicago has gone
up in the cloud of smoke, together
with the South Side to the Tiver, and
the West Side from Canal Court to
Adams street, including the bridge.
The St. Louis depot still stands, but
the express Office, on the South Side,
is burned.
The people are swarming about des-