The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1871-10-12
ALL THE PRINCIPAL BANKS, WHOLE
SALE AND RETAIL ESTABLISH
MENTS, NEWSPAPER OFF1-
CES, AND A SCORE OF
CHURCHES DE-
sFFf STROYED.
The Fire Still Raging,
s 90 LIVES LO S T
Several Incendiaries Hanged b!
the Citizens.
THE CITY TO BE REBUILT IMMEDI-
ATELY.

CHICAGO, Oct. 9.-T'he most terrible
con ffagration that ever occurred In the
limited States hes been in progress in this
city for nearly a hours, laying the whole
business portion of the city and one fifth
of all the buildings in ashes.
The fire broke out last evening between
and 10 o'clock, in a barn in West Tay
lor ST., and owing to the infiammable
nature Of its contents. the building was
wrapped in flames before the fremeu
arrived. From this Insignificant source
sprang this terrible calamity
The portion of the city where the fire
originated was built up almost entirely Of
wooden buildings, closely packed together,
tenanted by carpenters, cabinet makers,
coopers. varnish manufacturers, ,interspers.
ed with lumber yards and stores Of other
equally inhammable materials. The
wind was blowing terrible gale and the
devouring element spread SO rapidly that
all attempts to stay its ravages proved
fruitless.
The fire soon reached Clark, st, upon
which the greater portion of the fine
business blocks were situated. all Of which
are, destroyed. The Court House, which
was 20 years in building, was swept away
in 80 minutes. The Sherman House,
opposite the Court House, the new Pacific
Hotel, which was soon to be opened, and
said to be the largest in the world and,
indeed, every hotel in the city is swallow
ed up in the sea of fire. When the fire
reached State St, toward the Lake, an
attempt was made to stay its progress by
blowing up the buildings in the vicinity
of Field, Letters & Co.'S magnificent dry
goods establishment, but this only seemed
to add to the fury of the flames. From
State St, the fire advanced with unaoated
fury to the North Division, and scarcely
vestige of the 5000 buildings on that
side of the river is left Taking a south
easterly direction, the fire swept through
Madison ave. and Monroe st, extending
distance of about one mile and quar-
ter, devouring in its advance The Tribune
building, Crosby's Opera Houre, McVick
er's Theater, aud hundreds of the finest
business houses in the city. West Of the
Court, House, embracing Lasalle, Wells,
and South Water-sts., upon which very
large portion of the business was con
centrated, everything is swept clean. The
space burnt over covers an area of more
than five square miles, while the value
of the property destroyed is simply to be
conjectured, some placing it at 500, 0,000,,
900, and others even more than this.
1t was about l o'clock this morning
when the fire crossed the river at Adams
ST., bridge and soon destroyed the gas
works, aud then spread itself in every
direction. More than one, half the popula,
tion are now pushing through the streets
in vehicles, which are obtained at enor
nous prices, on foot, and in every other
way, with the choicest household treas.
ures in their arms and on their backs in
utter confusion, not knowing whittier to
go. Fearful suffering must follow, and
almost immediately. Full 100000 peo
pie are at this moment homeless aud
houesless, not knowing where to lay their
heads or get anything to satisfy the crav,
ipgs of hunger.
At noon, the whole business portion OF
the city from Harrison ST., north to
Chicago ave-, and east of the river to
Lake ave-, was devastated, embracing "a
district three miles in length to mile or
a mile and half in width The flames
swept through the city with the rapidity
of prairie fire, and many persons must
have perished.
AT this hour 6 p M the awful work
of destruction still goes on with relentless
fury. From Harrison St, in the south to
Divisonst. in the north, and from the
river to the lake, an area of four miles
long by one mile wide, the flames have
swept everything before them.
The streets in the districts still uuburn
ed are lined for miles with such house
hold goods as have been saved form
destruction. Most generous offers of as
sistance in money, food, or anything
wanted are coming in from almost every
city and town throughout the country by
telegraph. The Mayor has responded to
several offers, asking that cooked food be
provided as soon as possible. Firemen
are on their way here from Cincinnati
st. Louis, and other cities. The water
works are entirely destroyed. Buildings
arc now being blown up on the line OF
the fire to attempt to arrest its progress
1t is believed that the spread of fire
southwark will soon be stayed at Har
rison ST.; but on the north side there i.
is no dimiuution of its fury, and the
entire division of the city is evidently
doomed to utter destruction. There are
grave fears that the flames may spread t.
the west side of the north branch of the
river, and the inhabitants of the street.
nearest the river are already moving tt
places, it is supposed, of greater satisfy
/ The Western Union Telegraph Company
have now six wires, working east anc
south, running into a temporary office a
the corner of State aud Sixteenth SITS