The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-10-19
THE GREAT FIRE AT CHICAGO.
Terrible Scenes.

was partially got under; but another Gre broke
out oil Sunday night which ragged with nnpar-
alleled and appalling violence, until Wednes-
day, consuming great part Of the city. The
smouldering embsn continued to burn up to
Saturday night last, when heavy rain effect
ually extinguished the fire.
Chicago being the greatest lumber mart
in the world, It is largely built ofwood, ex-
cept in the portions devoted TO business
and fine residences. The sidewalks in the
greater part Of il are of wood, and the
streets are paved for seventy miles with
wooden blocks. There are three rivers, the
North Branch, South Branch, and the
Main River. These come together some.
what like a letter T, the Main River forming
the stem. The banks of the rivers were
lined with immense lumber-yards full of in
hammabe yelow.pine. At the time the
FIRE broke out there was gale blowing
from the southwest. The fire spread SO
rapidly that many lives were lost at the
outset Among the wooden buildings, the
lumber yards, the great elevators, and the
shipping lying at the wharves in the narrow
river, it got such a start that all the .exer-
lions OF the tiremen, were futile. The wind
swept the flames across the south Branch
into the very heart of the city, among the
great granite odd marble buildings. Even
those accounted absolutely fire.proof went
down before the uoleat heat. 10 add to
the terribleness Of the situation, the water
supply failed. The rt-house, from tho
top ofwhich the great fire-alarm bell, one
OF the greatest ever cast, had sounded its
Sharp and terrible peals for twelve hours.
was burned. The Chamber OF Commerce,
one of the finest exchanges in the world,
went down with it.
All the grea: marble buildings, all the
theaters, all the newspaper offices, all the
great publishing houses, all the wholesale
stores, all the principal retail stores, the
finest residences, the finest churches, and,
what is worse, the houses OF hundred and
fifty thousand people, and the employmeuts
by which they earn their bread are all
swept away. These hundred and fifty
thousand people wander houseless in the
streets, without even food.
STArEMENroP THE REFUGEES.
very crude reports by telegraph cannot
begin to give an adequate idea Of the
great CONGREGATION. The story of the
dreadful hours Of Sunday night aud
Monday morning, as related By eye
witnesses, surpasses anything that ever
has been published At late hour
last night, says the New York World,
party of eleven persons arrived direct
from Chicago.
From Mr.. Palmer, who is thoroughly
acquainted with the topography and
population of the burnt city, we CLEAN
the following:
The city has for some weeks been
ripe for such a disaster. Saturday
afternoon there were several small alarms
sounded, but none amounted to much
until about 10 o'clock. At IL We look.
ed out of the windows aud saw the sky
crimson with the reflection from the
flames, aud at midnight the glare lit up
the streets, and even sent out brilliant
fame over the lake. Everybody 10 the
house CHE fremont House) was up all
night, fearful Of what might happen.
All day Sunday the excitement contin-
ued, but it was not until night that the
worst came. From the roof of our
hotel we looked over the doomed city.
A strong wind was blowing at the time,
and yet the flames seemed to go in all
directions, like nm expanding scythe
moving great swathes with frightful
rapidity. We could think of nothing
else but hell. The flames were 10 some
places like huge waves, dashing to and
fro, leaping up aud down, turning aud
pouring now and then great column
Of smoke aud blaze hundreds of feet
Into the air, like solid, perpendicular
shaft OF molten metal. In other places
it would dart out long streaks, like
mammoth anacondas, with Kissing, feiy
tongues. Theu these serpentine shapes
would stoop down over the blazing path
into the yet unburnt buildings, which
seemed pierced aud kindled instantane.
ously. There were also pillows of fame
that rolled along like water, submerging
everything in its course. Now and
then, as some explosive material was
the place would seem like
the crater of vast volcano, puffs of
smoke and flashes of light, and millions
of sparks and cinders being scattered 10
all directions. Sometimes the air would
be full Of them, aud gusts of wind would
float them, like flocks of birds. hither
and thither. Occasionally there we're
cindcrs OF more than two feet 10 length.
Showers Of these were Enthusiastically
raining down everywhere. Our faces
we're stung, and our clothing now aud
then set on ERE, until we got umbrellas
and held them as shields over US.
There was terrible fascination 10 gazing
upon the seine. It was unearthly, hid !,
eous, terrific. Our eyes seemed riveted
so that We could not withdraw them.
There were miles of FIRE, mountains OF
fame, waves Of light, flashes, clouds and
brilliant scin:illations. With the aid
OF glasses We could see the streets
thronged with people fiyiug for their
lives. Children we're carried screaming
with terror, women were shrieking, men
shouting, aud all running. We saw
some old and sick and helpless carried
on stretchers--some apparently dement,.
ed or stupefed were dragged alonss
Close to their heels, and 10 hot pursuit.
came the bclching, roaring aud crack.
ling flames. 10 some places they actus
ally advanced as fast as man ran.
The most awful Of all was the thunder
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