The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-10-10
A DOOMED CITY.
CHICIGO DESTROYED By FIRE.
Ten Thousand Houses Burned - The
Great City In Ashes-An Appeal for
Football the Public buildings Burn
ed to the Ground.

(By Southern and Atlantic Telegraph Company
NEW YORK., October 9-l2 NJ.
The most destructive fire ever known on
this continent is now raging in Chicago.
The irebr oke out at II o'clock on Saturday
night, and was extinguished after half mil
lion dollars worth of property had been con-
sumed. The immense grain elevator of Nelson
i Co. was saved. But at 9 o'clock Sunday
night another fire broke out in the western
district two miles distant from the court
house. This fire spread with fearful rapidity.
Whole blocks Of buildings (twenty in all) were
consumed. The wind was blowing freely
from the saAth, and burning brands, flying
otter the doomed city, threatened total de-
struction. The immense lumber-yard with the
freight depots next caught fire, and these ad-
ded to the fury Of the confagratlon.
At this time the fire is still raging, and is
wholly beyond the control of the fremen, who
are completely exhausted. The fire swept
over the city. All the telegraph offices, sher-,
mans Bridge, the courthouse, the Fremont
House, the board of trade rooms, the postof-
fee are destroyed. The business part of the
city is levelled to the ground. From North
ahd Canal and to the lake the city is heap
of blazing ruins. There Is no more water.
The loss is estimated at FIVE hundred millions
From the Associated Press
WASHINGTON, october s-12 NJ.
The whole of Chicago is threatened with de-
struction. Thirty-four blocks are already
burned. The mayor of Chicago has sent
message to the mayor of st. Louis, asking for
food for the sufferers. The mayor says the
city Is in ashes, and the water works are burn
ed to the ground. At latest accounts the fire
was spreading In southerly direction. The
superintendent OF the Alabama Railroad tele-
graphs that the fire has reached Wabash ave-
nue. lin the southeasternquarter Of the city .and
Immediately upon the lake, and is still ad-
vanclng. His location is three miles south Of
Wabash avenue and he expresses the opinion
that the fire will reach him before night.
A dispatch from Chicago dated 10 A. n. to-
day SAYS that the entire business portion of the
city is destroyed. Among the buildings burn
ed down are all the banks, all the express and
telegraph offices, all the newspaper offices ex-
cept that of the Tribune, and six elevators.
There Is no water in the city. Not less than
ten thousand buildings have been destroyed,
the confagratlou spreading over an area of
FIVE miles, The fire is still raging, and the
wind is blowing gale. 1t will be almost i'm.
possible to get any trustworthy details for
some time, as there Is only one telegraph line
working, which only reaches to the suburbs.
Mr.. Wilson, the superintendent at the
Chicago telegraph Office, telegraphs that
every banking house and railroad depot in the
city is burned. He is trying to get an office
0established, but the fire Is coming down
Wabash avenue, and he expects to Ge burned
out before night.
The Fire Raging at Noon-action OF
President Grant.
WASHINGTON, October 90 P. n.
At noon the Chicago fire was raging with
unabated fury. President Grant has tele-
.graphed the commanding general at Chicago
to issue rations and clothing to the sufferers.
II the supply there Is insufficient, St. Louis is
to be called on.
The Latest-Appalling Proportions Of
the Disaster.
NEW YORK, October 9.
A report Just received says the fire is burn
ing as far south as Harrison street, and as far
north as Chicago avenue, and badly on the
west side.
trhe mayor OF Cincinnati telegraphed the
mayor of Chicago rendering him the fire de-
partment and provisions. Many houses have
been blown up to stem the confagration, with
out effect. A mass meeting Is being held In
Columbus, Ohio, Governor Hayes presiding,
fo1 the relief Of Chicago
The Crosby Opera House is destroyed. Loss
now estimated at fifty millions. The Palmer
House is burned. The chief engineer of Gin
cinnati, with three engines and. hose, has
started for Chicago.
ENGLEwooD, Ten MILES FROM CHICAGO,
MONDAY, IL o'clock A. N.
Half of the city Is destroyed, and the flames
continue almost unepposed. The gas works
and courthouse have been destroyed; all the
heavy business houses are burned, and hum
dred ara fifty thousand people are houseless.
Fabulous prices are paid for vehicles to carry
valuables from danger. The bridges havebeen
DESTROYED. The loss of life is unknown, bet
the streets are filed with people looking for
the lost. Madison, Market, Clinton, Jefferson,
Buffalo and Griswold streets are In ruins, and
both sides of the Chicago River are mass OF
&Rlns. All efforts to save the courthouse and
gas works were futile. Thirty or forty vessels
are burning now, and many have been de-
stroyed. Every man In the city is called on to
do duty. Nearly every bridge over the Chi
cago River is burned. All Is terror.
LArER.-The fire in Chicago is at last under
control. Three-quarters of the city lying north
of the river Is In ruins.
& CHICAGO, October 9-5 P. N.
The entire business portion of the city north
of Twelfth street, on all sides Of the river and
branches, has been destroyed. Every printing
Office, hotel and railroad depot are burned,
and the whole north side is reported to be de-
stroyed.
A large district is still burning on the west
side, north of Twelfth street.
The fire has been stayed at Harrison street.
From thence to Division street, and from the
river to the lake, an area of four miles long
and one wide, is all swept of. The wind is
blowing a gale from the southeast, and a
change to the north ls almost sure to sweep
the entire residence district south OF Twelfth