Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-10-09
THE GREAT CHICAGO.
FIRE.
SPECIAL DISPATCHES 70 THE
ARGUS.
800 Prisoners Perish !!
The Greatest Fire Since the
Burning Of Moscow.
Chicago Totally
destroyed.

l
The conAsgrstion still RACES with una
bated violence. Oar citizens begin to de-
spsr. The water in the plugs gave out
last night, and we are now utterly helpless.
A kind Of whrlwind has been created by
the flames, which carries masses Of burning
material high in the air, and scatters them
broadcast over the city. A deuse COLUMN
Of smoke rises TO an immense height. The |
spectacle 10 one indeed terrible to contem- |
plate.
The Ere strsamed across the river at day
light and at this date has consumed all
that part of the city contiguous to Van
Buren, street. The devastation ia beyond
calculation. A gale fsom the lake is still
blowing, setting oil human efforts at de-
fance. -Four of the steamers have blown
up, and only six are left. Assistance is
expected from the FIRE department of Mil
waukee and other points
The best part of the city has been laid in
. ashes. The Sherman House, Briggs House
I Metropolitan Hotel. Woods Museum, Ire
0 mont House, and Merchants Insurance
i Company's Building, and other splendid
Q structures are in ruins. Il is reported that
II the Offices OF the Times, Tribune Post, and
Republican are destroyed. This dispatch
comes from the Union Stock Yards, and il
n is impossible TO distinguish facts from ru
mOurs, but the probabilities are that al
= these Offices are burned. The best of the
city is irretrievably gone. All the splendid
% residences along Wabash and Michigan
d Avenues are in danger. A perfect psni'
prevails.
1t is also reported from the city that tn,
&c Brunswick Billiard Hall, Board Of Trad
- BOiding, Bryan Hall, STEMS Bazaar, Bry
y ant 4 STATIONS Business College, and 81
contiguous establishments are gone Fror
81 the location of the Ere this is doubtless true
'" MONDAY MORNING, $50 o'clock-t
y rumored that everything has been sweE
clean from Polk street north to Lincol
e. Park. The beautiful stone depot buildin
lie Of the Chicago, Rock Island d Pacific an
ID the Michigan Southern rosds, is gone, 6
he well rs all the property adj accent. The cit
Sn telegraph Office is burned, and all ooum,
rn nication cut of with ST. Louis and easter
it points. In fact, Rock Island is about ii
only point TO the westward which can
ap reached, and that only by way of the q mic
,rs Stock yards, several miles from the seen
LaSslle street is strewp in ashes. tt
finest insurance buildings in the city a.
be- destroyed. Coal yards and elevators a.
nR destroyed by the soors. The fire still rage
ne thousand alarming rumors prevail I'll
NJ post office is gone.
Or. The distance from Polk street TO Linool
We Park is about six niles-reported des,ro
ne ed. May be an eIaggerssiOu.
~ CHICAGO, MONDAY, lOA M.-All Chicag
:" is on FIRE. The Western Union, Gree
Western, Atlantic & Pacific, and Pacific
Atlantic telegraph Offices we're totally
sir ssroyed. The Court House, Sberms
Try Briggs, and fremont House, Post Ofie
he Board of Trade Office, c., r. L P. Ra
7er hOoO DcpObf hCluC LlOteIs L lbiu, lIeitof
ne. Co., J. V. Farvell, and in fact every body
en burnt out. All the city banks are burne
be and in fact all the business part of the cit
Yep and the FIRE is still raging. The burnt d
CIV. srict reaches from about 18th street mort
lies and from Canal street, on the west side,
Ave the lake. The business part of the city
re- entirly gone, and the fire is still ragin
The fremen are exhausted; wator has give
out business entirely suspended.
'O UNION SToCK YARDS, ii M.-When Il
steamer Long John" blew up, twelve pc
sons are said to have been killed. II
Fire Queer" was also blown up. The e
" gine on the water works broke down, tn
3 cutting off the supply. The origin of ,h
vast conhsgratiOn is presumed to have be-
:, accidental.