The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-10-12
The Great Fire.
Chicago in Ruins.


Il
The most terrible conflagration
that ever occurred in this city broke
out about an hour and half ago,
and having already swept over six
entire blocks, is still raging with an.
almost undated fury. The fife
started in large planning mill, sit
uated between Clinton and Canal
and Van Buren, and Jackson streets,
about the centre of the block formed
by these streets. The wind was
blowing very fresh, and the flames
spread with almost indescribable rap
idity. In q few moments the entire
structure was mass OF flames, The
immediate vicinity is built up with
small wooden tenements, and two
story frame buildings occupied as
groceries, saloons, etc, The inmates
of many of these houses, startled
from slumber and had barely time to
rush from their houses in the scanty
attire Of night, leaving their house.
hold goods to destruction. In sew.
eral instances children were hastily
wrapped in blankets and quilts to
break the force of the tall and
thrown from second story buildings
to tho ground. When the alarm
sounded for this fire, another of
considerable magnitude was burning
on Wells st. near Adams, and sever
al engines were necessarily kept at
work upon it. The rest of the on.
gines of the city were soon ON the
ground, but before they arrived
the fire had spread over so large an
area and was so rapidly spreading
that their efforts seemed to little
avail. Between Canal street and
the river there wore several lumber
yards which are entirely destroyed
At this hour the fire has made q
clean sweep from Van Buren, north
two blocks to Adams street, and west
to Clinton street. two blocks from
the river The wharves between
Van Buren, and jackson are burning
and the woodwork of the western
approach to Adams street bridge is
destroyed. A large coal yard con-
tanning thousands. of tons of soft coal
and situated between the tracks of
the Chicago & Alton and Pittsburg &
Fort Wayne railroads and the river,
Is on hrc and burning furiously. a
light wooden structure occupied as
an express Office was in flames at
midnight, and is undoubtedly des-
trcyed. The scenes in the vicinity
OF the condagration are undesirable
Half the population of the city seems
gathered there. Tugs in the river
are engaged in towing to places of
safety the vessels moored in the
neighborhood, while locomotives are
hastily pulling out the number OF
cars standing on the track in the
path OF fire. At this writing it is
impossible to give an estimate of the
losses, but they are already very
large and the FIRE appears to be
scarcely checked go far as could BID
ascertained when the reporter left
the scene Of the fire. No lives are
known to be lost, yet it will be ST.
most miraculous If such should prove
to be the case.
LATER.-1:30 A. NJ, The fire is ar
parently raging as fercely as ever.
The block of buildings on the north
side of Van Buren, street, which was
thought an hour ago would be saved !,
are now wrapped in flames. Almost
superhuman efforts are being made
to stay the progress of the fames.-
The losses probably already amount
to millions and the end is not yet.
On Saturday night, Oct. the 7th,
at about 81 o'clock, a fire broke out
in Chicago, which has already proven
the most disastrous in the destruc-
ton OF property which has occurred
IN this country, since tho night OF
Dec, 10th, 1882, when the greater
portion Of New York was annlhila.
ted by the great destroyer
1t broke out on the North side.
among some old rickety combustible
buildings, not far from the depots of
the Pittsburg and Fort Wayne, and
Chicago and st. Louis Railroads.
At the time of the first appearance
ofthe fire the engines in that neigh
borhood were away at another fire
which allowed the destroying angel
to spread with fearful rapidity, d.
rectly enveloplng the Depots
allowed named, and at once igniting
coal yard near by, which contained
over eight thousand tons of coal.
At this time a feaful hurricane was
blowing from the north aud west, |
which was driving the fire across the |
river and on to the center of the |
great city.
At liz p. M, six blocks were total
y consumed, and the fire was sweep. |
ing on in Its irresistible course.
bidding defiance to the desperate !
energies Of the people, aided as they |
were by all the engines in the city,
which could be brought to bear.
The scene of terror which ensued
bids defiance TO mortal pen to depict. !
1t was with the greatest difficulty
that the occupants of hoases were
got out OF their rooms and out of the
reach OF the Ere, before their homes
we're envefoped. Thousands of peo-
pie escaped with nothing on them,
except their night.clothes.
Doubtless hundreds of people have |
persisted, but we have up to this
time OF writing no details of the loss .
of life.
In reply to our enquiries of the
Burlington operator, we learn that
all the telegraph lines and offices in I
the city of Chicago are destroyed,
and that the latest word from
that city up to 1925 a. IN. is that
The details are too awful for repeti-
ion. Col. John Givin, Superinten-
lent D. V. Railroad has Just re-
viewed the following dispatch from
Chicago TO Ottumwa.