Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1871-10-13
Terrible Calamity by Fire---The City OF
~ Chicago Nearly Destroyed.


Chicago Nearly Destroyed.
On Sunday night last. between and 10 c.
clock, FIRE broke out in Chicago which has
destroyed the best and most beautiful portions
of the city. Thousands and thousands of
people have been rendered homeless and
penniless, and the estimated value of the
property destroyed is stated to be three hun
dred millions Of dollars, besides the breaking
up Of the trade relations that will require years
to recover from. Everywhere the deepest SYM
pathy has been awakened for the sufferers,
and prompt aid has been rendered as far as
it was possible, to alleviate the distresses and
privations of the destitute people.
The details, which crowd the city papers,
are most heart.rending and thrilling. The
following description will give some idea Of
the fury of the flames:
None but an eyewitness can form an idea
of the fury and power of the fire among the
buildings and warehouses on the south side.
The wind blowing a hurricane at times, it
seemed but the work of a moment for the fire
to enter the south end of the buildings 'front.'
ing on Randolph, Lake and Water streets,
and reappear at the north doors and windows,
belcbing forth IN fierce flames which, after
licking the opposite buildings and then issu-
ing from the buildings on both sides of the
street, would unite and present solid mass
Of FIRE, completely filing the street from side
feet above the house-tops. Thus was street
ID 10
would topple and fall into the sea of fire with
out an audible sound. The roar Of the fierce
element was so great that all minor sounds
were swallowed up. Many buildings situat-
ed along South Water street buried their red
hot rear walls in the water, into which they
plunged with hiss. The heat was so intense
at times that the burning buildings could not
be approached within $50 feet. The fire
after reaching the business part of Randolph
and South Water streets leaped the river to
the north side in an incredible short space of
time, and thence among the wooden buildings
on that side, reached the lake shore, after re-
ducing block after block of happy dwellings
to ashes. A scene of such utter powerlessness
in the face of an enemy was never presented
than that Of this people trying to combat the
FIRE, for the combat was not of long duration.
The people bowed their heads in anguish of
spirit and allowed the fire to have untram-
meled sway.
The fire is said to have originated from a
Kerosene lamp, which a boy took into stable.
He went to milk a cow, and the COW kicked
the lamp over, and the burning fluid scatter
ed among the straw. A single extinguisher
on the ground, or active work by the police
10 tearing down one or two shantics, would
have prevented the spreading of the flames /;
but the engines were waited for, and when
they arrived the 6renlen, stupe6ed by their
exertions ut FIRE on Saturday night, worked
slowly aud clumsily. Their Efforts were I'M
availing. The wind blew gale from south
west. The dispatches state that the terrible
food Of fire was stayed in its course during
the forenoon Of Tuesday.