The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-10-12
CHICAGO
in ASHES ! !
A Fire Five Miles Long and
Two Miles Wide
Entire 3D.; R9sI Rss{I Palt? , The
ONE OF The GREATEST
FRIESlN THE WORLDS
HISTORY.
Hotels, Stores, Banks, Ele-
vators and Depots in
Ruins
the COURT HOUSE
AND POS1OFFlCE
And all the Newspaper
Offices Burned
LOSS OF LIFE |.
Hotels, Stores, Banks, Ele-
vators and Depots in
Ruins
THE COURT HOUSE
AND POSTOFFlCE
And all the Newspaper
Offices Burned
LOSS OF LIFE !
Loss Of Property Estimated
at $500,o0o,oo0.

Loss OF Properly eSllmdleQ
at S5oo,ooo,ooo.
CHICAGO, Sunday, Oct. 8,-l2:30A.x.
The most terrible conlsgration which
ever occurred in this city broke out
about an hour and half ago, and hav-
ing already swept over six entire blocks,
is still raging with Undated fury. The
fire started in the large planning mill
situated between Clinton, Canal and
jackson streets, about the centre Of the
block formed BY these streets. The
wind was blowing very fresh, and the
flames spread With almost incredible
rspidity, and in few minutes the en-
tire structure was a mass of FIRE. The
immediate vicinity is built up mostly
with small wooden tenement houses and
two story frame buildings, occupied a.
groceries, saloons, &c. The inmates Of
many Of these we're startled from their
slumber aud had hardly tine to rush
from their houses in scanty night attire,
leaving their household goods to de-
struction. In several instances child
rem were wrapped in blankets and quilts
to break the force Of their fall, and
thrown from the second story windows
to the ground.
When the alarm was sounded for
this fire, another Of considerable msgni.
tude was raging on Wells street, near
Adams, and several engines were neces-
sarily kept at work upon it. The rest
of the engines in the city we're soon on
tho grounds, but before they arrived
the FIRE had spread over SO large IN
area, and was so rapidly spreading, that
their efforts seemed ct little avail. Be-
tween Canal street and the river wero
several lumber yards, which were en-
tirely destroyed. The flames licked up
the wharves between Van Beuren and
Jackson streets.
A coal yard, containing thousands of
tons of soft coal, between tho tracks of
the G. & A. and P. & Fl. w. railroads
took fire and burned furiously. The
immense fire proof elevator of Vincent
Nelson & Co., was destroyed, with
thousands Of bushels of grain.
On Wells street the depvt is burned,
and everything within two miles north
and three or four miles east, west and
south has burned down. 1t is terrible
beyond description. No one can get
On east side from 18th street to Lake
street moth. 1t is burning up Ran.
dolph street wcst-tcn blocks burned.
Telegraph office burned. Fire still rag
Ing.
The Chicago aud 81. Louis, Chicago
Pittsbu1g, aud Pi,tsburg, Fort Wayne
and Chicago Railroad depots are burn.
ed A large number of lives lost
Vessels are now catching FIRE in all di.
rect,ous. All the south branch of Chi.
csgo burned. Thousands of people fill
the streets, rushing out Of tho building,
in many instances able to save only
their lives. Many persons have been
killed by the falling Of walls.
All the shipping is in flames nearly
as far up the river IS Bridge Park.
Tho wounded in the private house.
and hospitals we're taken out and bun
died into express wagons, and driven of
Whiskey was plenty, and many iremer
policemen aud citizens we're under 1t,
influence. The 6remen add others h,d
no water to drink but river water, o,
that brought long dis auce from III,
1 lake.
All hope Of checking tho FIRE in an!
direction by water (althoush the Mil
waukee and neighboring fire depart
ments had got on the ground) havin,
vanished, the work Of blowing up build
ings 10 intercept the progress Of tn
fire, was commenced Sunday evening
and the air was filled with brick an
mortar from the blowing up Of thes
structures.
CHICAGO, 9 P. M.-The fire eem
menced on the West Side, near Twelfth
street, where it burned Al blocks.
then crossed the river and took every
thing before it. Not even one buildin
is left standing anywhere 10 the busi
ness part Of the city. The Ere h,
reached two miles north of the rive
and is still burning furiously. Every
thing is swept clean from Harriso
street to Lineoln Park. The waite
works gave out early in tho day, an
there is no water to be had. The oil
vators and Field, Letter l. Co.'s wei
the last to burn, and now 70 building
l are left between the river and Par
, street. Harf3lv a brick ~ stone ia lei