The Republican journal., 1871-10-12
TERRIBLE FIRE IN CHICAGO
Nearly the whole City Destroyed.

urday night, in aplaning mill, near Clinton
street, Chicago, and spread with terrible
rapidity among the wooden buildings and
lumber yards. The prevailing drought,
which had made the buildings as dry rs
finder, with the lack of water, tended to
aid the flames, which ragged almost with
out himrance A dispatch of Sunday
morning says
The inmates of MANY Of the houses started
from slumber, had hardly time to rush out IN
their scanty night attire, leaving their house
hold goods to destruction. In several instances
children We're hastily wrapped in blankets and
quilts to break their fall and thrown from
second story windows to the ground. When
the alarm was sounded for tins ire another OF
considerable magnitude was burning on W all
street. near Adams. Several engines was
necessarily kept at work upon this fire. The
rest of the engines in the city were soon on the
ground, but before they arrived the fire had
spread over so large an area and was so rapidly
spreading that their efforts seemed of little
avail.
Between Canal street and the river We're
several lumber yards, which were entirely de-
stroyed. At this hour the fire has made clean
sweep from Van Buren, street north two blocks
to Adams, and west to Clinton street. Three
Jackson streets, are burning, and the wood
work of the western approach to the Adams
street bridge is destroyed. A large coal yard
containing thousands of tons of soft coal and
situated between the track OF the Chicago and
Alton and Fitchburg and Fort Wayne railroads.
is on fire and burning turiously.
The depot of the Pittsburg. Fort Wayne and
Chicago and the Alton and st. Louis Railroads
is situated north of Adams, and between Canal
street and the river One of the buildings. a
light wooden structure occupied as an express
Office, was in flames at midnight and is UNI
loubtetly destroyed. The scenes i'll the vicinity
of the contlagration are understandable. One
half of the population of the city seems gathered
there. Tugs in the river are engaged in towing
to piace of safety the vessels moored in the
neie1lborhood. while locomotives are hastily
pulling out ears standing on the track in flames.
AT last this fire was got under control
Bat immediately another contlagration
broke out in the Western Division, which
soon became more formidable than the
first one. We copy from the dispatches
CHICAGO, Oct. 9.-1.45 A. NJ. Tonight is
the most fearful in the annals of the city. The
fire which comm enced at 10 7. NJ, has already
swept over a space of ut least three times AS
large rs that of last night, and is still rushing
on with greater fury than has marked any stage
of lis progress. The engines appear almost
powerlesS. Fire marshal Williams has inst
telegraphed TO Milwaukee, for all the steame rs
they can spare.
The coniiagration has already devastated ut
least twenty blocks, mostly composed of the
smaller class of dwellings inhabited hv poor
people. Not less than three hundred buildings
have been entirely destroyed and more than
that number of families rendered homeless
The wind is blowing almost gate from the
south and showers Of sparks and burning brands
are sweeping over the city threatening de strllc-
ton on every hand. The tower of the court
house caught fire from flying brands, but was
eNtingushed by the Waterman. No description
can give an adequate idea of the terrible scene
The fire started in arrow of two story W OGDEN
tonementS on Dekoycn street. between .jetfer-
son and Clinton, and, as was the case last night
spread with terrible rapidity. Before single
engine could get on the road half the block was
III flames and burning fnriously. The entire
department were soon on the ground and at
work. For 4 time il seemed probable that they
would succeed in combining it to iutir or five
blocks. The wind was blowing freshly when
the iife started and increased 10 a gale and
suddenly the flames seemed to spread in every
direction. becoming beyond the control of the
fire department.
SECOND DISPATCH.
A. VI. The fire is still raging with increas-
ed fury, and has spread almost with the velocity
of the wind and has now reached West Monroe
street, a distance of more than a mile from
Where it started. and covers a breadth of nearly
hat Il mile. reaching from the river to Jefferson
street. The district already burnt embraces an
immense number of lumber wards and freioht
lepots of the Chicago and st. Louis and Pitts
burg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroads. The
property already destroyed counts many
millions OF dollars, and perhaps the half is not
told. The task of arresting the flames now
seems five fold greater than an hour ago, and
no one dare venture an opinion as to when or
where il will stop.
THIRD DISPATCH.
CHICAGO, oct. % A. NJ. The fire Tonight
Is the most terrible in the annals OF Chicago
1t has already swept over twenty blocks and
is raging with undated fury under a fierce
southern gale. The city is in a panic. and HE
people are rushing to and fro in the streets in
terrible excitement. Trains have been sent TO
neishboring cities for steam fire engines, as our
force Is poWcrleSS.
The fire has now extended mile from where
1t started, Dekoven street, and has reached the
vicinity OF the Telegraph office. opposite the
Court House, and is mile wide. The tee-
graph Office is threatened with destruction
One OF the finest blocks in the city. opposite
that office. is now on fire. The fire hes crossed
Chicago River. The wind spreads the fire in
all directions.
FOURTH DISPATCH.
10 A. NJ. The flames are raging with in
creased fury in every direction and Gods
mercy can only save the city from utter de-
,truction. \ fearful panic prevails all through
the streets where the people are rushing to and
fro and weeping and waing. The fire is ap-
preaching the telegraph office and it will
probably have soon 10 be vacated. Brands
from the fire We're blown across to the east side
of the river and set wooden building on fire
directly opposite the Chicago gas house, and
the names spread in every direction among the
adonings The prospects are that the gas
house will he DESTROYED and the city wrapped
in darkness.
a terrible panic is prevailing throughout the
city. Almost everybody, men, women an
children are in the streets 1t now looks rs if
the whole city might be destroyed. Large mum
bers OF lives have been lost but how many cam
not be known until the lire has been arrested
he alarm bell has just commenced ringing
an increasing peal, which il intended to call
every sleeper from his bed The PANE is in
crelSing and the people seem almost crazy with
alarm. The vessels in the river are catching fire
i'll every direction, and all on the South river
Will probably be destroyed. A raging roaring
hell OF fire envelopes twenty blocks of the city.
1t is already scorching the block of the tele-
graph Office where this despatch is written, and
sweeping onward whirlwind of flames against
which human efforts are fruitless, and it is i'm
possible to tell where it will stop The bridge
across Van Buren, street is burned The cars
on the track Of the Chicago and Alton and Fort
WAYNE, railroads. with their freight houses, are
streets, rushing out of their dwellings in many
instances barely in time TO save their hives
The block Immediately across the street from
the telegraph office, one OF The finest in the city
is now in flames.
2lj A. NJ. The operators are leaving the
Western Union Telegraph office, but will pro-
badly open communication at some other point
! in the city.
CHICAGO. Oct. 8, 10 A. NJ. The entire bust
ness portion of the city is DESTROYED all the
Banks, Express and Telegraph Offices, all the
| newspaper offices except the Tribune, six Ele
| yators and the Water Works have been burned
| fhere is no water in the city and not less tina,
len thousand buildings have already been de
troyed.
| The fire has burned Il distance of five miles
and is still raging. The wind is blowing gale
and il will be impossible to get any reliable de-
tailed particulars for some time, as there is onl,
one telegraph wire working, and that only t.
the suburbs
! CINCINNATI, Ohio, Oct. 9. The Mayor ha
| telegraphed the Mayor of Chicago offering tb,
services of the fire department if needed. 1t i
reported that many houses have been blown III
IN the effort to stem the conflagration, but with
| out effect. A mass meeting is being held here
presided over by Gov. HAYES, for the relief O
the Chicago sufferers.
BUFFALO. N. Y, Oct. .. The following par
hculars of the great fire at Chicago, are obtain
ed from j. n. Crittenden, operator of the West