Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-10-19
500 Persons Burned Alive!
Losses Estimated at Three Hun
dred Millions. @ i
Unparalleled in History.

4 =
The Chicago confagration hal
had no parallel in ancient or mod
ern records. The only one at al
comparable to it was the grea
fire of London, which spread ovel
336 acres, destroying 1920
houses, 80 churches. and many
public buildings. The historic
confagration of Moscow in 1912
as Napoleon describes it was the
spectacle of ga sea and pillows of
FIRE, a sky aud clouds of flames
mountain of red rolling flames
like immense waves of the sea,
alternately bursting forth and ele.
waiting themselves to skies of fire,
and then sinking into the ocean
of flames below"
In New York, 1885,, as many
as GAS houses were burned in one
fire and $20,000,000 in property
destroyed. There have been sew
eral great fires in New York, sew
eral in Pittsburgh. and San Fran
cisco, but none like that in Chi.
cago has ever occurred. N
CHICAGO, Oct. 10,-The fire
continued 20 burn all last night on
the North side, but this morning
is under control. 1t is literally
true to say That there is nothing
remaining of that side from the
river north to Lincoln Park on the
north, and from the north branch
/ of the river on the west to the
lake on the east. This portion Of
the city, except along the main
river where where there were bu.
siness blocks, was occupied by
dwellings, and two-thirds Of the
population is German and Scandi
navian.
These are now homeless, and
there are some in the frame build
ings on the northwest section and
others on the prairies without
shelter.
Throughout the day yesterday
renewal of fire was looked fer, and
and change of five degrees in the
direction of the wind at any time
would have led to that result
There would have literally been
no refuge for any. Every one
had their clothing packed, ready
to start for the prairie at any mo-
ment, but God averted this last
possible addition to our disaster.
Five hundred soldiers are on
duty-this precaution was neces-
sary, for as remarkable as it may
seem, there were fiends who still
sought TO extend the disaster
Two men caught in the act of fir
irg houses on the west side were
seized and Immediately hung to
lamp posts, one on 18th street
near the river and the other three
miles away on Claiborne Avenue
on the north side. This summary
action has checked the thieves
and murderers this morning.
Late Sunday evening a boy
went into stable on De Haven
street, near the river, on West side,
to milk COW, carrying with him
a kerosene lamp. This was kicked
over by the cow and the burning
fluid scattered among the straw.
This was the beginning of the
great fire.
A single extingnisher on the
ground, or active work of the po-
lice in tearing down one or two.
shanties, would have prevented
:he spreading of the flames, but
the engines were waited for, and
when they arrived the firemen,
stupifed by their exertions at the
fire on Sunday night, worked
slowly and clumsily. Their eff:
orts were unavailable. The wind
from the Southwest blew a gale,
and rapidly the flames shot from
house to house, and from board
yard to board yard, until the dis
trict burned before night was
reached.
Fire engines were powerless for
saving, all that men could do was
to blow. up buildings. but this
availed but little. The Times,
Tribune, Post, Republican, Jour
nal and other newspaper Offices,
the Western News Company,
Black6eld & Letters establishment,
the Drake block recently built,and
Farwell & Cos, all were soon in
ashes.
1t seemed that no sooner had the
flames struck wall than it went
directly through, and q very lew