The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-10-14

them. Many, unable 10 force their way through
tho confusion ct Division street, which WA al.
most equal to that at the crossing Of the Beresina
turned into the side streets, and made their way
TO North Avenue bridge, where they were able
to get out without great difficulty, though much
hampered by the railroad trains after they got
across there Not only teams, but foot.passen.
gers, carrying in their arms children and some
little articles Of furniture or wearing apparel,
wendell their weary way in the same direction.
One woman had nothing but silk sack, and
another was accompanied by child, who had in
its arms couple Of cats and little dog, and
crying itself, sobs out, "Dont cry, mama"
After getting out upon the prairie they settled
down wherever they could find room, some sit-
ting in rocking chairs and others upon blankets
on the ground. None of them said anything.
but all sat looking intently at the fire. which
was immediately before them. Many who had
teams went as far the Artesian we'll, where
they encamped around the large pond, which
supplied them with water. There they remained
| In the most forlorn and uncomfortable condition,
which was aggravated by the rain, which began
falling about II o'clock on Monday night, and
which caused a change from the warm and COM
Portable temperature Of the day to the piercing
chillness Of yesterday morning.
| LATE ON MONDAY EVENING
Chicago avenue bridge caught fire, and soon
fell into the river. 1t was even then almost
impossible to get over at Division street, on
account Of the teams which were even then
crossing. Everywhere the widest confusion
was prevailing. Families were separated,
and the members were vainly seeking for one
another. One policeman picked up three
months old child, which had been lost IN
some way. Since there was no use in facing
the flame, the engines arranged themselves
along the west bank of the North Branch,
| did the best they could all Monday in playing
! on the East and West Sides.
| The fire went further and further north
taking both sides of North avenue, and con-
tinuing beyond that
TILL IT REACHED wRIGHT's GROVE,
and Ogden's Grove, where it did not pro gress
so easily amid the wet timber The rain
which began falling on Monday evening
[ dampened the grass. and sensiby retarded IT.
Then it worked back again and got hold of
the coal heaps and lumber yards lying south
OF Chicago avenue, and made a clean sweep of
what was left there. So brilliant was the light
on Monday evening that it was feared by some
of those on the West Side that it would cross
over there and obliterate what was left of the
city.
| WHAT REMAINS.
| From KinZie street 10 Fullerton avenue i
three miles. At Chicago avenue. the North
Division, is o little over a mile wide. and is
still wider further north, until at Fullerton
avenue, it is nearly two miles wide. This
vast extent of territory is nearly as desclate
and empty as II was 80 years ago. The only
houses remaining are the Old Iowa elevator,
which fronts on the basin at the junction of
the branches and some of the low and insig-
nlticant frames on Kinzie down IN that quar-
ter. The width OF the river at that point.
and the direction of the wind, saved them.
Nr. McCagg's house was burned, but his
greenhouse was uninjured. The house of Mr..
! Mahlon d. Ogden, on Dearborn street and
Lafayette place. was not even scorched. The
| Tower at the Water Works remains. as do the
walls OF the main building, but il is minus
root. At one time it was hoped that Unity
! Church. which stands comparatively isolated,
would escape, but the hope did not last long.
A few houses were also left on Division street
near the river, and one block on Sophia street
near the park. All the rest has disappeared.
The block pavements, on which so much
money had been expended, and so much of
| which had been Land on that side of the river,
has become honey combed charcoal, and utter
| y useless.
The double engine at the water works is
not seriously injured in itself, but the founda-
lions are In such condition as to render run
ming it dangerous. The smaller single engine
| will require extensive repairs. The larger sin.
gle ingiEe is apparently uninjured Whether
any OF the engines can run depends upon the
| cylinders, which may have been sufficiently
heated to put them out of truth
1t appears that the readiest means to secure
a renewal Of water supply is to connect every.
thing that the town affords in the way of
steam pumping machinery with the boilers.
which are uninjured, and the mains. A large
horizontal engine, which formerly supplied the
city, lies in the Water Works yard, and could
probably render service. There are abun-
dance Of pipes and fittings in the city, and it
is possible to secure limited supply of water
within three days, if the matter is pushed. +.
l. WHAT WAS DESTROYED.
Among the Buildings of n,te on the North
Side which were destroyed were the Franklin,
Mosely, Lincoln, Piefson Street Primary, Elm
Street Primary, and other school buildings !;
the Clarendon Hotel on Clark street, the
North Side Stables, from which nearly all the
horses were saved, McCormick's reaper fac.
tory, the Chicago sugar refinery, the Galena
freight house, the Galena elevator, Lill's and
Sands breweries, the tanneries along the
North Branch, the German Theatre, at the
corner Of Indiana and Wells street. Unity,
New England, and Westminster churches,
the Church Of the Holy Name, the Cathedral,
the Hospital of the Alexisn Brothers, the
Jewish Hosplta: on La Sale street, the new
Catholic on the corner Of Sedgwick and Elm.
with the convent of the Sisters of Mercy, the
Chicago Historical Society, the Huron street