The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-10-14

over DJ the COW auC the DdIutuS sCdb-
tered among the straw. This was the be-
ginning Of the great fire. single extin-
guisher on the ground, or the activs work Of
the police In tearing down one or two shan
ties, would have prevented the spreading Of
the flames. But engines were waited for,
and when arrived the fremen. stupiied by
their exerrions at the fires on Saturday night,
worked slowly and clumsily their efforts
were unavaiing. The wind from the south
west blew a gale, and rapidly the flames shot
from house to house and from board-pils to
board pile, until the district burned the night
before was reached. Meanwhile the flames
had crossed the river. north of Twelfth street.
spread to the south side aud made for the
brick aud stoue business blocks, railroad
freight depots and manufacturing establish
ments.
The full extent Of the danger was realized
for the first time when the Fire Department,
already tired out, worked like heroes. The
Mayor and his city government. that had
supinely rested, nov began to exert them
selves. bat the opportunity had been lost.
The time when a thorough organization
could have blown up the buildings or pre-
pared for the emergency. was neglected. 1t
was row a fight for life The wind was
blowing, and stiff gale had possession of
the flames. and the beautiful buildings. Chi
cago's glory, lay before them. Harrison.
Van Bnren, Adams. Monroe and Madison
streets were soon reached and the intervening
! blocks from the river to Dearborn street on
the east were being consumed. Three quar-
| ters of a mile of brick blocks were consumed
as if by magic.
HEARTREND1NG SCENES.
By tep O'Clock in the forenoon was to be
seen the most remarkable sight ever beheld
| in this or any other country. There were
from fifty to seventy>6ve thousand women
and children fleeing BY every available street
and alley TO the southwark and westward.
attempting to save their 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 sight of thousands of
persons and horses extricably commiuged.
Poor people, all colors and shades and every
nationality from Europe. China and Africa,
mad with excitement, struggled with each
other to get away. Hundreds were tram-
pied under foot, men and women were load
ed with bundles containing their household
goods. to whose skirts were clinging tender
infants half dressed and barefooted, all seek
ing a place of safety. Hours after wards
they might have been seen In the vacant
lots in the streets far out in the suburbs +,
stretched in the dust. These are suffering
These are The lambs Whom Christ nou caus
on the rich s0orld to feed and clothe." God
keep them if the heart of man shall prove
obdurate.
EPISODES.
One of the most pitifu. sights was that of
middle aged woman on State street. loaded
with bundles, struggling through the CROWD,
inging the Mother Goose Melody. ""Chick>
cry, chickery, craky crow, l went to the
we'll to wash my toe" &c.
There were hundreds Of others likewise
distracted. and many rendered desperate by
! whisky or beer, which, from excessive thirst
in the absence of water, they drank in guam
titles. spread themselves in every direction,
terror to all they met.
FRIGRTFUL Loss OF LIFE.
1t Is fearful to think of the loss of life. It
is coajectured. and with good cause. that
nearly FIVE hundred have been burned to
| death. We saw six men enter burning
building, and in a moment they were over
whelmed by falling wall There was a
crowd Of men around the corner OF this build
ing. trying to save the property. when the
walls yielding. some of them we're buried
beneath. These we're on the south side
On the north side twelve or fifteen nen,
women andchildrsu rushed into the build>
ing occupied by the Historical Society, a
6re-proof building. for safety. In a few
minutes the flames burst up, and they were
burned to death. Among them is the ven
erable Col. S. Stone. long connected with the
Society. He was eighty years of age Also
John 3. Gerard and wife, and Mademoiselle
De Pelgrone, a noted teacher of music, per
ished. 1t is feared that DR.. Frear and fami-
ly also were burned. as they were ia the
building and have not been seen SINCE
All the books and papers of the Historical
| " he tOio g 81
famous Emancipation Proclamation of Pres
ideat Lincoln. for which the Society paid
$25 900. were destroyed.
Mrs. Edsall, whose husband was murdered
last week, then suffering from illness. was
carried away for protection to a building
which was afterwards consumed, and it is
feared she also perished.
| BURNING OF THE ASYLUM ORPHANS MISSING.
1t is feared that large number of chill
dren and infants of the Catholic Orphans
Society. on State street. were also burned, as
many of them are missing.
On Chicago avenue a father rushed up
stairs to carry three children away, whep he
was overtak en- by the flames and persisted with
! the children. The mother was afterwards
seen on the northward side raving maniac
In the same neighborhood family of five
persons perished. The list of such fatalities
is very long. and cannot be fully verified till
after the smoke shall have cleared away
There are hundreds of families on that side
who saved no clothing. aud but barely their
| lives. Among these is the family of Perry
Smith. formerly the President of the North
western Railroad Company.
THE LOSS FULLY $500. .000, 900.
LATER-A careful survey of the insur-
ances to-day shows there were written on
the property destroyed over two hundred
millions of dollars. Add another hundred
millions to this sum. and fair estimate can
be reached of the loss. All the leading mer-
chants who have been seen, express the de-
termination to resume business at once.
CINCINNATI. October 10.-Twenty> >three
| dead bodies have been found Dispatches
received here state that the fire has been
subdued on Thirty first street and Is now
| comnlatelv under control No fnrther dan