Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-11

In AoA v Lille " IN
bosom Of destruction. Fire engines were
q bpoweriess for saving, all that men could do
8 was to blow up buildings, but this availed
I but little. The Times, Tribune, Post, Re
pSsbIican, Journal and other newspaper
Offices, the Western News Company, Black
field q Letters establishment, the Drake
block recently built and Farwell & Co.'S, all
were soon in ashes.
Melting Rricks-wOOden Pavemenfs.
1t seemed that no sooner had the flames
struck a wall than it went directly through,
aud very few minutes sufficed TO destroy
the most deliberately built structure. The
walls melted and the very bricks were con-
sumed. The wooden pavements took fire,
making a continuous sheet of flame two
miles long by mile wide. No human be-
ing could possibly survive many minutes.
Block after block fell and the red hot Goals
shot higher and higher and farther and
farther, until theaNOrth Side Lake South
was vast sheet of flames from river to
lake. At one time so hemmed were the
people it was expected thousands must per-
ish. The Sherman, fremont and other
hotels were emptied of their guests, and a
ing through with trunks, or sack, or bag
on their shoulders fleeing amid the flames
for their lives. Those who could made for
the remaining bridges; others got next TO
the lake shore and so to the SOUTH
The Defence OF the Tribune Building.
Oneblock in all the vast business section re-
manned at daylight, the Tribune block.
! The Customhouse and Honore block in
| hid hllrn no
had fought the flames here thought at last
that this block could be saved. A parcel Of
men under Samuel Medill swept off the hot
Goals and put out the flames on the side
walks, and another lot of men under
the direction OF Hon. Joseph Medill
| watched the roofs. At half past seven
O'Clock this appeared safe, and most men
went TO get rest or food. A number went
to sleep in the Tribune building, but there
was change of wind, the flames reached
Wabash avenue, State street and Michigan
avenue and down, McVicker's Theatre
caught fire, in a few moments the Tri-
bune was in flames; at the last mo-
ment the sleeping men were aroused and
rescued from the flames. By 10 O'Clock
forenoon this remaining block was in ashes.
Thousands Of Flying Refugees.
Now was to be seen the most remarkable
sight ever beheld in this or any country.
There were from fifty to seventy-fve thous-
and men, women and children fleeing by
| every available street and alley to
the southwark and westward, at
tempting to save clothing and their
lives. Every available vehicle was brought
into requisition, for the use of which enor-
nous prices were paid, and the streets and
sidewalks presented a terrible sight; thou
sands of persons and horses ineXtricsbly
commingled; poor people, all colors and
shades and every nationality, from Europe,
China and Africa, mad with excite
ment, struggled with each other to get
away. Hundreds were trsmplcd under
foot. Men and women were loaded with
bundles and their household goods, to whose
skirts were clinging tender infants, half
/ dressed and bare-footed, all seeking place
| of safety. Hours afterwards these might
| have been seen in vacant lots or on the
| streets far out in the suburbs, stretched in
! the dust.
/ These are the suffering, these are the
| lambs whom Christ now SEALS on the rich
| world to feed and clothe. God help them
! if the heart of man shall prove obdurate.
Soldering Scenes.
One of the most pitiful sights was that of
!
with bundles, struggling through the crowd,
| singing the goose melodies,
"Chickery, chickery, Craney Grow,
i went TO the well TO wash my toe" etc.
There were hundreds of others likewise
distracted, and many rendered desperate
! by whisky or beer which, from the excess
of thirst and In the absence of water, they
( drank in great quantities, and spread them
! selves in every direction and were terror
! to all they met.
800 Persons Burned Alive.
/ 1t is fearful to think of the
| loss of life. 1t is conjectured, and with
/ good cause that near 800 persons have been
burned to death. We saw four men enter
burning building, and in 4 moment they
were overwhelmed by falling wall There
was a crowd of men round the corner of
the building, trying to save their property,
! when the wall, yielding, some OF them were
buried beneath it.
These were on the south side. On
the north side twelve or fifteen men, /
women and children rushed into the bull
, dings of the Historical Society, fire proof
| building for safety; in few minutes the
! flames burst up and they were burned to
death. Among them is the venerable Col
( sam Stone, long connected with the society.
! He was eighty years Of age. Also John B.
/ Gerard and wife. Mademoiselle DePelgraye
a noted teacher of music, persisted. 1t
| is feared that DR.. Frear and
family also were burned, as they
were in the building and have not been seen
since. Mrs. Edsall, whose husband was
murdered last week, suffering from Illness,
was carried away for protection to a build
! ing which was afterwards consumed, and it
= r u = I. A IL,
and papers of the Historical Society, includ-
/ ing the famous emancipation proclamation
/ of President Lincoln, for which the Society
paid So, 900 were destroyed. Ii is feared that
( large numbers of children, inmates of
| the Catholic Orphan Society on State street,
also burned as many of them are missing
On Chicago avenue a father rushed up
I stairs to carry three children away when ne
/ was overtaken by the flames and persisted
! with them. The mother was afterwards
+ seen on the street ON the Northwest Side
raving maniac.
In the same neighbOrhood family of five
| persons persisted. The list of such fatali-
ties is very long and can only be fully veri-
fed after the smoke shall have cleared
away. There are hundreds of families on
that side who saved no clothing, but barely
! their lives. Among these is the family of
! Perry Smith, formerly President of the
Northwestern Railroad Company.
Later-Three Hundred Millions Con.
sumed.
4 careful survey of the assurances to-day
! shows that there were written on the pro-
property destroyed over two hundred mil
! lion dollars; add another hundred million to
/ this sum and fair estimate can be reached
/ of the loss. All the leading merchants have
been seen to express their determination to
! resume business at once !; this includes
! heavy houses. John V. Farwell, Field,
Letter Il Co., Sprague, Warner & Co.,
/ FarweH & Co., and Field 81 Co., saved
I exchange and three hundred thousand to
/ half a million dollars in goods. Both firms
! have already established headquarters on
! the west side.
Field, Lighter & Co. have just issued
/ the following circular;
| To OUR PATRONS: We have saved all
our books and papers, and have opened
an Office at No. so Calumet avenue.
We trust you fully appreciate our
situation, and all who are indebted