The Cairo daily bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1870-1872, 1871-10-12

| ,"7'""No " tHc 'NplOslOn OF coal OIL
lamp instead of from the careles. use o
matches by boys. Both statements locat'
the origin OF the fire in the same house "a
the corner of Canalport avenue and Hal
stead street, in the southwestern part O
the city, between one and two miles from
| the court house, known as the pork-pack
! ing and lumber district.
THE PREMoSITIoSs or RUIN.
II was between nine and ten clock wheI
the alarm was given. One statcmen
| places the time rs late as ten O'Clock
! whilc others assert that the fire was iirs
| discovered about nine o'clock. II was
| probably, few minutes after that time
| The weather had been exceedingly dry
the wind was blowing almost a gale from
| the southwest. The fire, starting in
| neighborhood where there were numerous
lumber yards, planlng mills, and othei
wooden structures, fed upon these ligh
| combustlbles, and the flames spread with
incredible rapidity The whole heavens
were lighted Up with lurid glare Nast
| volumes Of flame seemed at time. to hav,
been detached by the fury of tie gale anC
| prcciptatcd forward over entire square.
kIndllng new fires TO feed other flame col
umns 70 lc hurried forward on their mis-.
sion Of devastation.
PROGRESS OF THE CONFLAGEATIoS.
1t was now little after 10 o'clock.
The fire had already made fearful havoc.
y vast tract, perhaps 80 or 40 blocks on
tue West Side north and south of Jack
son street was one great field OF fire. As
yet, the people on the East Side felt them
selves comparatively safe. They had lit
tie apprehension that the Are would cross
the river. The light from the burning
city illuminated the heavens with fear
ful glare. The streets were filled by an
excited multitude People from their
burning homes. The noise Of the roaring
tornado Of hamcs a. itswept onward in its
career oi devastation rose above the tu-
mutt and din Of the great houseless mult:.
iude That ued before l., dcvouring fury
Up 10 this time the inhabitants ON the
East Side had been hopeful. They relied
largely on the character of their iron and
stone front buildings. The track Of the
fire hcud was already nearly mile IN
length and half II mile wide. A vast
multitude, hurried from their burning
homes, were crossing the river before the
advancing coluns Of flame. The wind
whlstled and howlci through the streets,
and the bright light Of the fire every mo-
ment grew brighter. The heat in the Vi
cinity of the fire became intense as the
winds famed the glowing timber. tn n
whittier heat.
Sill in the lower mart of the CITY in ,ba
vicinity of the great hotels and hu.inoss
the feeling among the neonla was more
that of colnmiseration for the sufferers on
the west sid. and apprehen.ions for ,hnir
own safety. They did not as vet fullv
bc,euye TINT il would eros. the river
Still the wind reared through the stro,t.
and still tn, flames blszcd and cracked
among the umbcrs of fast consuming
dwelling. and sLop, along Jackson ,trect
anL .,rtb of that ttree. on the west side
The crowds in the streets. I'm the eastern
part of the CITY. were every moment crow
inc larger: the noise was 'iucrao.ipg II
wa. now rulIy evident that tho m. en-
cine, could do nothing T. resist TN, on
yard march or tb. AaIn.. 4 f..lirc of
unea.iness beyon TO nrcyudc the tbr,p1sipy ~
multitude in The strorts
TuE rIRE CROSSES THE RIVER
II now a little after II ocIock. The
fire was raging along the west side up the
river. extending from jackson TO Adams
street Men f9rgot the airht of Tine
momnnt. bacamo hours S1mc Luildings
I'm thn ueichborbood of Jackson street on
Tho eost sac wer. nroclo,ned IA he an rn
TLo Tack.on .troat brijgo wos ali a LIazn
Tho Insrt. of the neonIS on The ea.t .iJa
snnl wi,bin tbeIn They now r,Ilv ras-
Ii1oJ ,bo rnaoni,nde of dsngcr m. v,ind
,ya. tinyr;nS, rrsot sbee,s o7 ira d,w, i,,,o
the heart oftie city. Strong men ,rembled.
women shrieked. and children became
frantic.
In an incredibly short SPACE of time the