Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-10-16
THE NIGHT OF FIRE.


The story Of the great fire at Chicago will
never be told. Language Is impotent TO per-
tray the horrors of that one night of flame that,
ia the short space Of twenty hours, reduced
one Of the wealthiest and proudest cities on the
Western continent to one bleak, black mass OF
ruins and her most afiuent citizens and mer-
chant princes to a condition OF beggary. But
one week ago it would have been regarded
as the dream ola lunatic, had any one predicted
the fearful devastation that has been wrought
by the fre-demen in the great Western metrop-
oils. Devastation so terrible ruin so complete
never has been seen since the palaces and the
mosques Of Constantnople were swept from the
face Of the earth by the terrible scourge that
marked an era in the history of the Middle
Ages. And it is to be doubted If even that
scourge was marked with such widespread de-
structon such awe-inspirng sublimity and
such paralyZlng results as characterized the de
structon Of Chicago. Il has been reserved for
those who We're IN that city on the
night Of Sunday last and the sue
ceeding day, to witness the most dazzling and
appalling spectacle ever beheld By mortal eyes;
spectacle that will be held in remembrance as
long as memory holds its sway. Poe must have
had a conception Of such night when he wrote
his famous stauza Of The Bells
clear the loud aarum bells
Brazen bells
What tale Of terror, now, their turbulency tells
la The startled ear Of night
How they scream out their alright
Too much horrhed 10 y eak,
They can only Shrek, Shrek,
Out Of tune,
IN "A clamOfous appealing TO the mercy Of the ire,
ia mad expostulati5n with the deaf ana fpnte
hte,
Leaping higher higher, higher,
With q desperate desire
And resOute endeavor,
NOw--nOW TO st or never,
~ me side of the pale-faccd moon.
oh, the bells. bells, bells,
What tale their terror tolls
Or despair.
How they clang, aud clash, aud roar,
What horror they outpour
OH thc bosom o, the palpitating air Z"
The First Fire.
Ga Saturday night the immense lumber and
coal yards lying on the west side Of the river
between Van Buren, and Adams streets north
aud south and between Clinton street and the
river east and west, comprising four entire
blocks were devastated by fire. In addition to
the lumber and coal yards the district contained
from fifty to sixty small frame houses, several
manufactures and freight house belonging to
the Pittsburg. Fort Wayne and Chicago Rail-
road Company. The fire was checked at Adams
street through the almost superhGman efforts Of
the Gremen who labored until late in the day of
sunday. The contagration had been one of the
most destructive in the history Of Chicago, but
it proved to be but Slight foretaste Of what
was in tore for her.
The Alarm
Scarcely had the engines returned to their
houses aud the wearied fremen sought lit
lie rest ere the Court House bell pealed out an
alarm Of fire from section Of the city but three
Z blocks south Of the one on the previous night.
I Five minutes later, at half past ten o'clD ck a
general alarm was sounded, quickly followed by
second and third. Few of the citizens had
retired to rest, and the lurid glare that lighted
the sky in the direction indicated by the alarm,
gave them warning that the horrors of the pre-
we KEEL n ba far
The fire department was promptly on hand a.
the scene OF the cOntiagratiOn. IL was ascer-
tanned that il originated in barn at the corner
OF Dekoyen and Jefferson streets and was
spreading with frightfu rapidity toward the
north aud northeast. high wind prevailed at
the time, and carried the burning embers far
into the heart Of the city. The small frame
houses in the vicinity were soon wrapped in
fumes and went down in cloud Of smoke and
lire with a rapiiity that almost Surpasses belief
The fremen had stationed themselves north
ward Of the fire, but were driven from their
positions time and again. Scarcely could they
find time TO bring a stream of water TO bear
upon the bindings ere the flames were
upon them, aud they were obliged to
retire still further. Stubbornly they
fought every inch OF ground with the fire
but that element, which is so faithful servant
but so relentless a master, had gained the upper
hand Of them, and they soon found that il was
useless to contest the ground in that direction.
.
spread. 1t was hoped that when the district
burned on the previous night was reached, the
fire would die out of its own v0tiOn; but no
fears felt that it would leap the river to the
south side. House after house was swallowed
an by the fiery monster, pile after pile of lum-
Der was transformed into q heap of living fame
and the Gremen, bsffed at every point were
obliged TO fly for their lives
The Leap Of the River.
A 81 "a
new horror presented itself A huge tongue of
flame leaped across the river at Van Buren,
street, and almost simultaneously large row
Of frame buildings vas enveloped in flames
Al the same instant the gas works on Adams
street caught fire, and in less time than il takes
30 tell the story the old armory became huge
pyramid Of flame. The grand old structure, that
had stood the perils of many year and had
been an eyer-precent menace to evil doors
crUmbed to fragments beneath the touch Of the
fire demon and disappeared from sight forever.
The Spectators.
BY this time probably hundred thou
sand spectators had assembled in the
vicinity of the fire. hurryIng hither aud
thither, and gazing with awe-struck faces at
the terrible devastation spread out before them.
Ii was grand spectacle, although calculated to
inspire the goomiest forebodings.
FITS Progress.
spread TO the wide expanse Of shantes and
frame buildings in the far-famed and odorous
ueghborhood of Conley's Patch and Wells
street licking up everything in its track with
lbs Unsuitable NAV. Like deadly simeon the
cinders, smoke aud Ere sped along the street.
arc uud corners and over the business part of
the city. LaSale street. the financial head
quarters of the city, was reached, and building
after building burst out in flames. Like tor
rent he mad demon sped onward. One after
another of the gigantic granite piles crumbed
70 dust and fell crashing into ruins. BRYAN
Block, the Insurance Building, Oriental Hall
the finest Masonic building ia the world and
FarweIl Hall, caught fire.
The Death.kneU.
Then the Court House bell pealed forth.
Ching c,ang went the mammoth bell its tones
rlsiug far above the din OF the streets the roar
Of the devastating demon and the bowling Of
the wild tornado. Peal after peal rent the air
striking terror to every heart, for we then knew
that all was lost; that Chicago
the proudest city Of the continent. was
doomed TO destruction. Louder and louder
/ rang The bell and faster and faster sped the hell
q ire, Men women and children rushed
through the streets, trantically endeavoring to
save few OF their personal effects from the
devouring element, All was confusion and IN
roar and flame. Every face was blanched with
terror rs the rapacous monster eaped and gal
loped forward, destroying with a breath the
uhest creations OF human ingenuity, deyouring
At one fell swoop the strongest and most dura.
ble granite walls and toying with hideous
playiulness with buildings that had been built
expressly to resist bis utmost power
The Release OF the Prisoners.
When il seemed inevitable that the Court
House must fall. the doors Of the prison in the
basement were thrown open, and the criminals
there confined were released. Like devils in.
carna'e they rushed pel-mel into the street
yelling and cursing with the utmost fandisbl'
ness. fastening 20 the district threatened by
the eouuagration, they commenced serie, Of
-uL rL-ns ALmlst mnnnralInlna - IL. - =