Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-10-10
The Great Fire in Chicago.

According to the Geographic dispatches the
fire at Chicago spread over the most compact
and valuable portion Of the city, sweeping
nearly everything that could be destroyed along
the whole lake shore, from Division street to
Harrison street, distance of nearly four miles.
This is nearly two-thirds Of the city front on
the lake, and the line Of destruction is said to
extend from mile 10 mile and a-half west
ward embracing the fine mansions on Wabash,
Michigan and Indiana avenues, and all of the
heart Of the city, both east AMI west Of the
river.
| Meetings have been held or called in Boston,
! New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Cincinnati,
| Albany, and other cities to raise funds tor the
relief Of the sufferers by the fire. The subscrp-
lions arc large.
| President Grant requested Secretary Bclk-
nap to telegraph to General Sheridan, saying
it was the President wish that he issue provi-
sions and clothing to the Chicago sufferers from
the supplies he has at his disposal and if these
prove insufficient, to call on the military au-
thorities at ST. Louis for the same purpose.
1t is feared that many persons have persisted
in the flames.
A dispatch dated Yesterday afternoon says {:
1T is now believed the spread ofthc fire south
ward has been stayed at Harrison street, but
on the north side there is no elimination of its
fury, and that entire division Of the city is
evidently destroyed
Another dispatch says 1T is expected
that another telegraph Office will be opened dur
ing the night at point two miles south Of the
leaving their instruments reported the wind
had veered around to the north, and was drlv-
ing the flames back and southwark The fire
had already reached the neighborhood of the
Office, and the men were compelled to flee
their last words we're:
'There now appears to be no hope OF saving
the southern portion OF the city"
Money, food and clothing are being sent
from all quarters for distribution by the Mayor
of Chicago, Thousands Of people IRE home
less The weekly report Of the grain market OF
Chicago, made up on Saturday evening last,
was that the amount on hand, stored in the
several elevators, all of which are reported to
have been destroyed was eleven million bushels,
about half of which were wheat, and rye, and
the remainder corn and oats Here is one
species of loss that will probably come up to
twelve million dollars in value.
PAss-ABLE ,JoKE.-An editor in Harrisburg
lost his pass on the railroad, and requested the
officers of the road to secure the arrest Of any
man, who should present it The next
day he found the pass in the pocket Of his
Sunday trousers and proceeded to take a trip
upon it, AS soon as he offered ii to the con-
ductor that faithful official knock ed him on the
head with his lantern, called in three brakemen
and the baggage-master, dragged him, despite
his frantic struggles, along the floor into the
baggage car, where brakeman sat on him
while the conductor BATTERED him up so he
would keep quite; an3 then they searched him
to ascertain what 9th er thefts he had been per-
petratlng. With tie exception Of a ticket to
the circus, that man had upon his person alb
solutely notiing but railroad passes! He had
passes over all the main roads and branch lines,
and feeders and sidings in the State OF Pennsyl-
vap.a. lie had free tickets over all the rail
roads in the eastern, southern, middle, and
western States and in four of the Territories.
The conductor concluded that he had caught
the greatest pass-kleptomaniac that the world
ever saw But when he got back to Harrisburg
the affair was explained. And now, if there
is any one editor in the State who is completely
sick Of ''gentlemanly conductors, that editor
resides in the atnte capital. -Phthdelphtu
Dispatch.
The Washington Patriot says:-"The estab-
lishment of MessrS. Wallace 4 Sons, at An
sonia, Connecticut. recently turned out the
largest magnet which was ever manufactured.
1t is the largest and most powerful in the world;
and while it was in process Of manufacture, it
played havoc with the regularity Of the time
pieces carried by the gentlemen who were
engaged in its structure, or experimenting
with it. 49,