The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1871-10-14

cause, that more than five hundred
persons have been burned to death.
Four men were seen to enter o
burning building, and in moment
they were overwhelmed by falling
wall.
There was crowd of men around
the corner of building trying to save
property, when the wall yielding,
some were buried beneath it.
About twelve or fifteen men, women
and children rushed into the building
of the Historical Society, fire-proof
building, for safety; in few minutes
the flames burst up and they were
burned to death.
Among those who took refuge in
this building was the venerable Col
onel Samuel Stone, eighty years old,
for a long time connected with the
society; also John B. Girard and
wife, and Madame lie Pelgram, a noted
music teacher. 1t is feared that DR..
Frear and family were also burned, as
they have not been seen since.
Mrs. Edsall, whose husband was
murdered last week, and who was
suffering from an illness, was carried
for protection to a building which was
afterwards burned, and it is feared
she also perished.
All books and papers of the Histori-
cal Society, including the original copy
of the famous emancipation proclanla
ton of President Lincoln, for which
the society paid sos, 900, was destoyed.
1t is feared large number of chill
dren inmates of the Catholic Orphan
Asylum ON State street have been
burned, as many of them are miss
ing.
On Chicago avenue father rushed
up stairs to carry three children away,
when he was overtaken by the flames
and perished with them. The mother
was afterwards seen upon the street a
raying maniac.
In the same neighborhood family
of five persons perished. The list of
such fatalities is very large, and can
only be verified after the smoke shall
have cleared away.
A careful survey of insurances to-
day, shows that there We're policies on
property destroyed for over $780,
000, 900. Add another 300, ,000, 900 to
this sum, and fair estimate can be
reached of the loss.
ALI leading merchants who have
been seen, express a determination to
resume business at once.
The EgeniRg Journal and Tribune
h &, Hv,1NE.,h 81, -.
row.
A special session of the Illinois Leg
isiature has been called to aid bnsi-
ness men In providing employment
for the poor, apprehending that suffer-
ing may Cause crime.
Additional federal troops have been
called for.
CHICAGO, October 10.-Origim and
progress Of the fre.-Late on Sunday
evening boy went into stable on
Dekayen street, near the river on the
the west side, to milk COW, carrying
with him kerosene lamp, which was
kicked over by the cow, and the burn
ing fluid scattered among the straw.
This was the beginning of the fire.
A single extinguisher on the ground
or active work of the police in tearing
down one or two shanties, would have
prevented the spread of the flames,
but the engines were waited for and
when they arrived the firemen, stupe-
fed by their exertions at the fires on
Saturday night, worked slowly and
clumsily. Their efforts availed not.
The wind from the southwest blew a
gale and the flames shot rapidly from
house to house, and from board yard
to board yard.
Meanwhile it had crossed the river
north of Twelfth street to the south
side and extended to brick and stone
business blocks, and the railroad and
freight depots and manufacturing es-
Establishments, when the full extent OF
the damage was realized for the first
| time.
The fire department, already tired
worked like heroes, and the mayor
and city officials, who had supinely
rested, now began to exert themselves
but the opportunity had been lost the
time when a thorough organization
could have blown up buildings or pre-.
pared for an emergency, was neg
lected, and it was now a fight for life
The wind blowing stiff gale had
possession of the flames, and the
beautiful buildings, Chicago's glory
lay before them.
Thence Harrison, VanBuren, Adams
Monroe and Madison streets were soor
reached; intervening blocks from the
river to Dearborn street on the easi
side being consumed. Three-quar-
ters of a mile of brick blocks were
consumed as if by magic.
1t being Sunday the proprietors and
employees were all at their homes
completely unconscious of what was
transpiring; those who saw the flames
supposed it was the remaining of Sat.
urday nights fire, and having conf.
dence in the fire department, were
more unconcerned; but between
eleven and twelve o'clock a rllmor got
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