National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-10-20
The Great Fire In Chicago.

] WIZ mar III ne Nllh h''''' =. 80"
only n fefl Of ashes, and IN ono day, NJ
! il we're, millions upon millions of pro
/ perry have been swept away, and what Is
infinitely worse lives have been lost.
On Saturday night II serious fire visited
/ the CITY Of Chicago. II was confined to
portion of the city built up as all west
/ crn cities are Of small wooden buildings,
owned in great pousure by the occu-
pants thereof. Although several acres
of this description of property were
/ burned over, the loss was less than 500, =
900, but in fighting this fire to prevent its
! spread, every effort o. the large and eili-
Gent fire department of the city was put
forth, and fortunately the fire was oxtin-
Ruis.ed before reaching the business
portion Of the city, Unfortunately, how
ever, the iiremcn we're completely eX-
hnusted by their efforts and when on the
Sunday evening following, about .
O'Clock another fire broke out in barn
on West Taylor street, there was less
efficiency than usual, and from this in
significant cause, spmng conilagratlon,
which has destroyed one Of the leading
cities of the U non
The barn wa of II inhammable nature
and the flames spread rapidly, There is
but little Question, that had the fire
department been usually vigilant the fire
would have been checked. hut the wind
was blowing n terrible gale and the de-
vouring element spread SO rapidly that
the attempts made to stay its ravages
proved fruitless.
In the vicinity Of the binding where
the fire originated, the city was built up
almost entirely of wooden buildings,
closely packed together, tenanted by
carpenters, cabinet makers, oopers, var-
nish manufacturers, interporsed with
lumber yard, and stores of other equally
iphammable materials.
The fire soon reached Clark ST., upon
which the greater portion of the fine
business blocks were situated, all of
which We're destroyed. The Court
House, which was 30 years in building,
was swept away in 30 minutes. The
Sherman House, opposite the Court
House, the new Pacific Hotel, which was
soon to be opened, and said to be the
largest in the word and, indeed, every
hotel in the city was swallowed up IN
the sen Of fire. When the fire reached
State ST., toward the Lac, M attempt
was made to stay its progress by blowing
up the buildings i'll the vicinity of Field,
Letter II Co.'S magnificent dry goods
establishment, but this only seemed to
add to the fury of the flames. From
State street the fire advanced with una
bated fury to the North Division, and
/ scarcely vestige of the eight thousand
buildings on that side of the river Is left.
Taking a south eaSterIy direction, the
fire swept through Madison avenue and
Monroe street, extending distance of
about one nile and quarter, devouring
in its advance, newspaper offices, the9tres
hotels, public buildings, and hurdreds
OF the finest business houses in the city.
West of the Court House, embracing La
Sale, Wells and South Water streets,
upon which very large portion of the
business of the city was concentrated,
everything is swept clean. The space
burnt over covers an area of more than
five squares miles, while the value Of
the property destroyed is simply to be
conjectured, some placing it ut $780,,
coo, 900, and others even more than this.
1t was about | o'clock Monday morn
ing when the fire crossed the river at
Adams st, bridge and soon destroyed
the gas works, and then spread itself in
every direction. More than one-half the
population We're then rushing through
the streets in vehicles, which were oh
tanned at enormous prices, on foot, and
in every other way, with the choicest
household treasures in their arms and
on their backs in utter confusion, not
knowing whittier to go. Full l0O,-
600 people were homeless and houseess,
not knowing where to lay their heads or
get anything to satisfy the cravings Of
hunger.
AT noon on Monday the whole bust
ness portion Of the city from Harrison
ST., north to Chicago ave-, and east of
the river to Lake ave, was devastated,
embracing a district three miles in
length to a mile or n mile and half
in width. The flames swept through
the city with the rapidity of prairie
fire, and many persons must have perish |
ed.
1t is impossible at this writing to give
even an approximately correct statement !
of the losses, but II faint idea may be
formed when it is stated that every
bank in the city except two small savings
institutions, one on Twenty second
street in South Division, and one on
street in West Division, is
destroyed. All wholesale and retail eS-
the Postotfice, the Court
House, the Chamber OF Commerce, ev-
cry hotel in South Division except
Avenue Hotel, which, standing
On the extreme southern limit, escaped,
though it is badly scorched, every news
paper office, every theatre, the six larg
st elevators, the immense depots of the
Michigan Southern and the Illinois
Central Railroads (both the passenger
ind freight depots of the latter, more
han a score of churches, and much of
he shipping in the riger-are all de-
'5royed.
In another page and before going to
lress we shall be better able to give our
'eaders an estimate of the loss of prop
-rty and life. ,
The appalling disaster which has over ,
aiken Chicago recalls like fearful calami-
les to other cities 3
BY the fire in London, Sept. &c, A. D., 4,
-NO'' hHo" rs inc NIt'tt ihC, fuuSlItetS '
we're laid waste, 1920 houses were '
burned, eighty whine churches. $
On the 10th of December, 1885 New ,
York was swept by the devouring ele- ,
nent, and GAS of the most valuable
stores, the Merchants Exchange. the
south Dutch Church and property ,
ralued at more than SIS, 900, 600 was lost ,,
n the flames This confagration took :
,lace in the First Ward, east Of Broad :
way, and below Wall street. On July d,
9, lS45, another great fire occurred in d,
he City, between Broadway, Exchange ,
,lace, Broad and Stone streets, and s. :