The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-10-10
LAST NIGHTS DISPATCHES. :


Washiagton, October 9,--The fire is at
last under control. Three-quarters of the
city lying north of the river is in ruins.
Chicaqo, October 9--5 P. M.-The entire
business part of the city north Of Twelfth
street, on all sides of the river and branches,
is destroyed. Every printing office, hotel,
and railroad depot is burned. The whole
north side is reported destroyed. A large
district is still burning on the west side,
north of Twelfth street. siifal
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
off. as 4ii .aat6 b
: The wind is blowing gale from the
southwest. A change to the north Is al
most sure to sweep the entire residence dis
trict south of Twelfth stIeet.
1t is assorted that the water-works are
still all right, but that the water has been
shut off from the south side to supply the
demand on the north side. ,,,. g.
Thousands are leaving the city by every
available means. Great hunger and suffer-
ing is inevitable.
Every city and town offers assistance.
Buffalo subscribes 100000; Cincinnati,
s20O,0O0 st. Louis, SIS, 900. In reply to
these subscriptions, the mayor asks cooked
food for the suffering.
Firemen from other cities are en- route for
Chicago. Great credit is given the tele-
graph superintendents for what they have
done in getting communication from the
doomed city.
Ch,cago, October e-A5:3O P. M.-The
| II 90 Il cti1l On wit
relentless fury from Harrison street in the
south to Division street in the north, and
| from the river to the lake, an area OF four
miles in length by one in width.
The flames have swept everything before
them. 1t is estimated that at least 100, 600
people are homeless and in suffering con-
| dition. The streets in the districts still un-
burned are lined for miles with such house
hold goods as have been saved from de-
| struction.
Most generous offerings Of assistance, in
money, food, or anything else wanted, are
coming in from almost every city and town
| in the country.
The water-works are entirely destroyed.
Buildings are being blown up III the line OF
the fire to arrest its progress. 1t is now
believed that the spread of the fire south.
ward has been stayed at Harrison street.
but on the north side there is no diminu'
ton of its fury, and that entire division o
the city is evidently doomed to utter de
struction.
There are grave fears that the flames may
spread to the west side of the north branch
of the river, and the inhabitants of thu
streets nearest the river are already moving
to places of supposed greater safety. r
The Western Union Telegraph company
have now six wires working, east and south
running into temporary offices at the cor
ner of State and Sixteenth streets.
The Northwestern Railroad company
,, running trains on both its branches, whicl
, are crowded with fleeing citizens.
: A reliable gentleman has just arrive
+ e,.,rn the north division, who brings tn
;ave,, intelligence that the water-works ar
mini; nn;n;n,ef, God grant that it may prov
true. fl4.ssets.ssr, ~. LII.
mately correct statemen. OF the losses, ~
faint idea may be formed ,,yhen It Is state M
J that every bank in the city, excers two VISA s'''
i ings institutions on Twenty-sec0nd s,,ree
I in the south division, and one on handolR
] street, in the west division, are destroyed
all wholesale stores, all retail establish
, ments, the postoffice, courthouse, Chambt
! of Commerce, every hotel in the south d
vision, except the Michigan Avenue hote
! which, standing iii the extreme souther
I division, escaped, though badly scorche'
' and every newspaper office were destroye'
The Tribune building, which was SUI
!. posed to be fire-proof, finally suceumbe
Every theatre, six of the largest elevator
the immense dep6ts Of the Michigan, Sout
ern. and Illinois Central railroads, a SEQ
s of churches, and much of the shipping
e the river, arc all destroyed. Men WI
n were millionaires yesterday morning, a
IT nearly penniless to-day; but more terrih
A. than all is the fact that certainly many ha
le perished in the flames. How many no O.
q can tell. Perhaps no one will ever be at
le to tell; but it is known that many ha
~ ~ persisted, and there is only the heart-sic
y ening fear that the victims will be count
by scores. a n 9, 3. ,a ,.., .,
in Hundreds of horses and cows have be
S, burned in the stables, and on the nor
!. side numbers of animals which were
R leased from confinement wereso bewildeI
IN and confused by the sea of fire that 81
rounded them that they rushed wildly
and fro. uttering cries Of fright and pa
rs until scorched and killed. "tA ''--f
- - Any attempt at description of the seer
as of this appalling calamity would be ID
], " They are summed up in the facts that
~ u, once great city of Chicago is destroy
az, ON and that hundreds of millions of act
- capital here have vanished, and nearly o.
ar third of Chicago's inhabitants are housel
pit and dependent. To embellish would
mockery.