The union Democrat., 1871-10-14

CHICAGO, Oct 9-Noon whole husi.
ness portion of the city is in ashes from Har-
rison street North to Chicago avenue. and
| East of the river to the lake. The burnt dis
| trict embraces three miles in length and a
mile To a mile and half in width. Every
hotel bank. express office. telegraph office. the
alter and newspaper Office, with ali the whole.
| sale houses in the city are totally destroyed.
Many thousand dwellings ard the waterwnrks
are DESTROYED. Early this morning the wind
was blowing a perfect gale from the south
west, with a skv of brass No one can tell
what the end viii be. The only salvation
! for the remainder OF the eitv is in the wind
keeping in the present direction. Many thou
sands of people are homeless, and most OF
them in destitute condition. The unhurn-
ed streets for miles are lined with household
goods No one dare thirk what the loss al
life NAV be. The flames swept through the
city with the rapiditv of prairie fire, and
many must have persisted.
The simple fact that the great CITY of Chi
| cago is destroyed: that hundreds Of millions
of active capital have been ruined, and that
naar,y ne-,hird Of the Inhabitants are home.
less. rs enough to state. ANY atteu,pt to en-
hei''sh would be hut moekerv. As this awful
day draws tn close th6u,ands IF anxious
ewes watch the dense clouds Of smoke which
still roll over the burnt district with fear tina,
a sudden change of wind may fan the flames
There is. however. little cause Of apprehen-
sion. ReinforcAments of fremen from other
cities are constantly arriving Col. j J. S.
Wilson. Superintendent Of the DOOR. is in re-
celpt OF dispatches from the leading cities an
nouncng that aid is being forwarded for the
sufferers. The Mayor of ST. Lruis telegranhs
that SIC, 900 has been subscribed by the mer-
chants of that city. Cincinnati promises
100000. All this and great deal more
will he needed to relieve the Immediate rres-
sing wants. About three-fcurths of the Unit
ed States mails was saved and taken posses
sion of by Col. Wood, of the Post Cfice SER
vice.
CHICAGO. Oct 10 Noon The railroads
| East and South are sending no trains out this
afternoon. as all The cars in the city over Sun
day are consumed The incoming trains are
all behind time owing to the fires raging in
the woods and praires. The evening trains
will probable start out on time The mails
at the Post Office being consumed, of course
all the accumulation of mail matters fer to-
days delivery has been consumed. The mail
for the Stock Yards is taken from the incom-
ing trains for delivery here.
The water and gas works are both DESTROY
ed, and probably for some time the only sup
ply of water will be from the Lake All the
bridges across the Chicago river from Van
Buren, street to the Lake have been burned,
and the only means Of getting from one divis-
ion to the other is hy the tunnels entrances,
which are badly blocked
The newspaper offices have all or nearly all
been swept out Of existence. and their mate
rial DESTROYED. No papers lave been or will
he issued down town to-day. the Stock Yard
San heing the only Journal which escaped
confagration.
CHICAGO, Oct. lO-3:l0p. N.-Word is Just
brought that fierce fire is raging on Thirty
third street. This street is two miles south
Of the southern fire limit on the South side
and little less than that from the limit on the
West side. This has been set on fire for the
purpose, evidently, of DESTROYING the remain
ing part of the citv. largely occupied nv veal
thy residents. 1t is also known that two men
were caught in the act Of firing bindings and
were shot, and others led off with ropes around
their necks. As the wind is blowing ter
feet gale, the end cannot he foretod Fur
Their news will be forwarded as soon as re-
cei7ed.
UNION STocX YARDS. Oct 10.-I'he village
of Cassello. lind. on the line of the Fort
Wayne Railway. about thirty miles from Chi
cage, took fire from the fire aging in the prai
ries. 1t was entirely DESTROYED Fires are
raging in the peat beds near South Bend
lind J and fear Of extensive damage are en-
tertained, should high winds now prevailing
continue.