Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-10-18
Stricken Chicago.

taken the city OF CnlcagO Is TOO absorbing 70
-uhside in day CT a week, and 50. for some
time to come, aught that in any way relat c
thereto will he read with avidity and pom
dered carefully. Our Western exchanges
come filed wi h accounts Of the fire, some
written by eve-witnesses, others the testI-
m0nv Of sufferers by the fire, all more OF less
interesting, and ali revealing new horrors.
As early as Monday afternoon tradesmen
began to be crazed by the thoughts OF what
thew must lose thew lost common sense,
ana put pillage into the minds of the peo-
rle. Grocers and clotbiers opened ti'eir
shop doors and let whoever chose take what
ne would. a ieweer in Lake street so far
forgot his duty a good citizen, when the
public was threatened with danger, that be
actually opened his store. ran into the street
and begged passers-by to help him save his
treasures; and of course they were not 10th
t aceede 10 hi- request, and openly pocketed
Watches, necklaces and diamonds, and coolly
IS ked away The good jcweler himself had.
lye a foolish citizen, cOutrived to make law
-e--ness take on the appearance of law.
such scenes as these occurring throughout
ID city made a mob Of the people ordinarily
.aS-abldlnc enough They could not save
their own property, yet they might reim-
1sr-e themselves for their losses by taking
the abandoned property of others Is it came
u their way and irnm abandoned goods 70
those merely separated by lock and key ana
door, the step was easy.
a Mr.. Farrar reports the scenes in Chica-
~ during Monday and Monday night as ap-
railing in the extreme. Many persons
became crazsd and jumped into the rIvcr.
while several stabbed and killed themselves
ia their desperation Those in the immedi-
ate nciZhhorhood of the fire attempted to
save their property, loading it on wagons
If G hOr-es, ecOmIng wIldand unmlnagea' l.,
rushed through the streets knocking down
mcn, women and children, and dashed on
INTO flames. and were destroyed. Children
were lett 10 care for themselves, end sat on
the eurhst0ncs waiting for their fathers and
mothers z he fire would seem 70 cease for
few moments, then rush on with rei0uh'ed
vig0r, sweeping everything before it, eating
it, way INTO the Nicholson pavement, which
was one sheet Of flames for miles
Tie relief committee from Cincinnati have
ru the muuifccut contr buttons OF that cIry
lul1 shape which VIII not only prove Of great
practical benefit 10 the sufferers, but VIII
mtke the assistance rendered permanent tor
-ae winter. They are erecting an immense
-Jur-auu-e. copplcte 10 all its details, mt the
rear Vt tie rcIghJ depot of the Great East
crn Railroad Iu the vicinity Of west-sIdr
Already they arc distributing 5000 gallons
Of sup daily.
Au ac..ut- agree ttlt thc heat OF the
..m-- was Intense isv ia all conception
l.rralu walls rt Stone 0r brick or iron,
w..l ROOTS .l tal -A4a material. Won
rumble away l8e -a-i before II. The
Ir.us. prc-suen s.It their presses ruunn1,
r.Ihlng off the outside Of tie paper, while
rae trr ragged IL. around them. At length,
10 tire latest moment Tor escape they became
aware that the building was not tre proof.
3 correspondent thus cells 81 the sudden
vengeance, that bcie'I a bold thief.
Seeing the cashier Of one Of the banks
ru-l into bis office rs the flames were bear
a- almost upon the building, the thie'
watched bis exit. It was not long before
tle utIclal appeared with bis arms full OF
money rackage- and bonds, and no sooner
a.l he appeared than the thief Frustrated
l.-l with "a ow upon the side Of the head,
--f grabbed a portion Jt the treasure
D. ..eu.lan ~ an instant saw was done and
grst.'eJ the villain. VINO drew a pistol and
-hJ- tine faithful officer through the heart,
ui then spTaug through the excited crowd,
b.ludi-hng bis pistol and cudeavUring %
make good uIs escape But the sight, with
all The surrounding circumstances, had mad
!cueI tho hy-tauIers % frenzy, and they fell
upon ,he wretch Ike So many tigers, tearing
him liiub from limb and literally dtsembJw-
cling hlm
s Mr- Stevens. returning home from his
hurung store with "a sad heart, Gays Fhe
sre tac'e that presented itself q him IN
many Of the side streets was one that he viii
never forget. The rmOke was dense. and G.
had to place handkerchief over his mouth
-l c-ea Z smothc ing lie saw, he thinks, 10
..-- lhau twenty men, women and children
.rire around him from exhaustion and some
Ie -.Iled iu looking behind as he was
Irreits AWAY. De- saw the flames gaining
a.u. aud .hJv thr uproar OF all lie could
H..acs hear the piercing scream Of some
& ..rtauatc beng. Mr.. Stevens remained
u whole m9rninE around the fire, and was
yen from one place % another
ror mile and a hil along the river the
..ac ...z ono ofawfuI grandeur. The ship
p. Z. iI5Gc buildings, warehouses, hotels,
.,.l cll and lumtcr yards were IN one vast
Shame. The air was full OF flying cmbers.
Another merchant, describing his narrow
escape from the flames ,.rcatc- the following
.--- u.,g occurred scene that fr.Za our
N..a. Ar the intersection Of Randolph and
n rE-- streets was large building, Call0iA s.
H-eI ..- u.G.es. The janitor resided on the
..l.-4 l.Hr with bis family. consisting o.
wife .ai our children. BY some NEAR s
they were unable 10 escape. Surrounded by
t-- lre, tlcv asceuded to the roof. The babe
4 l.r.e h.v. chung to her skirts. Two glr
u.r. e4~ped IN the arms Of the father Their
shouts were but family heard over the no"
a. tle winds and the roar pt the fImcs 4 Z
-asC tie heat became SO intense that the 10
imam was overcome and fell 10 the root. Inc
.t-.er wildly threw out his hand ana stag
z.red. rrIthcd and sank by his wife 5 side
Iaat Was all Of that tragedy. We slekened
80 she -ight,aud hurried down to the street
which was pretty we'll deserted. Then along
the BANKS Of the lake we wandered more ike
dead caan living men. We heard anu ed"
mourning and suffering that al the books III
the W rid could not hold the account OF. e
we're comfortably fixed in life one week ago,
an4 now we arc penui'c cSs. We have no doubt
,hs5 ucendiaric- dId part ~ the work, ana
Tor robbery and rava-c
Attic Fremont House the elevator became
useless, and the sleeping guests, larS.
number being ladies, hurried down stairs
he chatter OF the re noval Of trunks and the
hurrvin, of d3mestics impeded the passage
ways Several persons IN their eaScrnes>
jumped down The stairs and IImPed away
Others, in their haste, lett beneath theli
pillows watches and money, only discovering
their losses when they had reached the
Iir-iSau Central Depat-then supposed L"
Je / perfectly safe place. \ crowd OF per
sons hastencd thitlcr. sorne carrying beds.
some sewin- m4chine-, and one lady nad SIX
canary birds IN a cagc in one hand, and az
immense family l.i5ie in the other She sad !:
'' was determined 10 BRING of these II l
lost all tie rest. Another young Womat
was seen carrying two large portraits, eyl-
IDENTIFY those Of her father and mother She
was but partially clad, and amongst all hel
household wealth sought to preserve these
fllal mementoes as being to her most precI
ous
The lady school teacher heretofore mem
toned, tells some strange experiences:
e One incident combined the pathetic with
the rdIcuIOns. Two blncks bcYond where