Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1871-11-04
THE TERRIBLE CALAMITY.

A citizen of St. Louis who happened
TO be "n a witt to Chicago ut the time
of the great FIRE, writes ut length of the
trials, sufferings and miseries of the
populations, from which we extract the
following:
Think of the families separated by
this fiery 6end-many had to rush in
their night clothes out In the open air
and ran with all their strength to places
of safety and perhaps he immediately
driven away by the flames from thence
fathers, mothers. wives. husbands.
children, all separat ad-some findine
their graves in the cold waters of lake
Michigan, some burned. some finding
safety on the barren praires miles from
home none knowing where the lost
ones were and you can faintIy iumsine
the awful horror of this calamity, and
the suspense of these families. many of
whom are still hunting their loved ones
without snccess; many destined. alas :.
III
man language even describe it J? Then.
the sick and dying. women in confine
ment, many giving birth to children
along the bleak shores Of Lake Mich>
igan. aud 10 eve save Gods to witness
| am told by the physicians here that
as many as five hundred eases of pre-
mature birth have been reported. and
the many helpless mother< who gave
birth to children along the Lake can be
numbered by scores [ can only wern
MS hear this terrible tale One told
me last night, is almost too much for
human heart to bear. The dauehter-in
law of IL clergyman here gave birth to a
! child In the tli.ht along the shore, and
was separated from the family, and
neither mother nor child have been
i found. Arother--a lady in the Sher
| man House, was carried out in the arms
of her husband thcr new btrn babe
| clasIed to her breast. and both died in
! the fathers arms before reaching II
| place of safety The poor man, crazrd
| with grief was last seen along the shore
of Tie Lake with his head across hi-
| shoulder, Again | heard ol u fnc look
/ inr woman in II nght dress hcin. sren
wandering oiong the Lake shore with
| twin babes all Of whom have died with
out recognition, and been bur Ell by rhe
I city. Thcse are but few among the
many awful horrors uf tla' night The
people o' Ch'ctgo are welt n.h herctt
Of reason, and am only surprised that
they can think a'l act with any intclli.
gcnce AT all There - Snch terrible
anxiety also concerning the safety Of tn"
remainin. citv thar they tnke bpt very
lstle rest E.rctY one is in extreme
terror LIST a fire break our in Other
localities Lust ni.ht wa~ a terrible one
,he wind blowing perfect gale, without
water or gas in the sous hcrn division
aud even |, stranger, y"n mi4hf say.
among them. and one WIN has no'hJn.
to risk am in constant anxiety Mt nj .ht
and can well Imagine their feelings
OF relieving the distress, character and
extent of the rellct; can only say it i
a universal outpouring Of free will "tfpr
ings from every part of tho tnI'ed
States Its extent Is hounllcSs. Suf
ficiept food aud clorhing has been sent
to Chicago To feed and clofhe It's entire
population eor the winter. aud ~
think Of this mighty otFern. o fr"y.ly
aud generously forwarded to eur suffer.
ing humanity, my faith in hnm4n "a,
turr. in the tathrrhonl "f God aud III"
brotherhood Of man once more asserts
itself and to-day know th1t wc are
still united by bond which neither
the cares of the world. its falscuess or
its hollowncss can break -Bmlefin. "