The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-10-17

soon the head is not distinguishable, but i
one mass OF gore and pulp. In Halsted street.
youth about sixteen was caught kindling
fire, with the intent of spread ng the flame
through the city. When last seen. he had one
arm completely wrenched out OF the socket
and was then being conducted to the place
execution. The mob had got possession o
these two last cases. but as rule the hanging
was done in purely justifable manner. nc
cruelty being used, but merely to make an ex
ample to the other desperate characters.
AT THE COURTHOUSE
We pushed through the multitude. and finally
obtained place in the tower. Here we had
an extended vision of the devastation. The
more Internal than human. Below US in the
square among the crowd we recognize man
| who has often preached in6del sermons, OF
rather Trades from the steps, and frequently
was stopped by the police on account OF the
great disturbance he melted. Now he was
aud shouting, "Where Is God, now? Where is
God now? Show US the angels" &c. This
he continued until an officer colared and
thrust him into the basement, where his raw
ings were less audible. But, great God what
a view. We had. Acres and blocks in the
Western Division were PROSTATE, glover.
ing, smoking, and cleaning with nearly
consumed force, while pillars of flame
and clouds of smoke marched along like mon.
ster gnomes or fire fend hosts making fiery
war and destruction to the doomed city. Over
all was canopy of cinders OF brilliant
hues floating, whirllng. and fickerln5 like
erial "Will-o'-the-Wisps." tremendous wind
to o. shift in ali directions The crowds
could be seen in the streets huddled
together stupehed with fear. gazing like
demented ones upon the awful panorama.
The lurid glare gave everything crimson
hue, and the moving figures in the avenues
seemed like imps OF birthstone Horses were
| terrified, and snorted and neighed. as they
were tremblingly forced to 60. The cries OF
children and parents seeking each other in
vain were more than heartrending.
THE MOST PIrIABLE SIGHTS
| we're The sick children. half dead, lying
crouched on the sidewalks, In many cases
with barely any covering on them. In Clark
street one instance occurred where two little
girls were lying terror-stricken cheek by jowl
with their dead sister, whose remains pre-.
sented narrowing spectacle. She had been
TOO too late to escape from under falling build.
| ing, and had Just been eXtricated and laid by
| the little lacerated forms oil her almost dead
| sisters.
THE WHOLE OF THE POPULATION
appeared to have been suffering from sore
eyes, the dust, hot binding dust. having reI-
dered many temporarily blind. Men, women
and children were to be seen running about
| for any gauze.like material that would act as O
protection to their eyes. Little children were
crying plleously, rubbing their eyes, which
were swelling under the scorchlng Influence OF
carrying their families out OF what they con-
sidered danger, and depositing their loads by
| the wayside. hurry and rush would sue
ceed, and when the disconsUlate parents would
return for their offspring, having been burned
out OF house and home, they were nowhere to
be seen. Instances such as these were to be
| met with at every corner OF the street; women
running wildly about shriekiog out the names
of their
LOST CHILDREN,
fearing lest they had got crushed under some
falling building. or been destroyed In the
seethfng fire. When that part of the city oc-
cupied by the demimonde was destroyed, the
poor wretches were to be seen mingling with
the crowd. Persons were not too stringent
in drawing distinctions at such time, but
herded together, rich and poor, high and low,
the scorching fire making no distinction to
persons. but treating them oil alike the same
US IL did In Sodom and Gomorrah.
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.
Just now occurred O scene that froze our
blood. At the intersection of Randolph and
used for offices. The janitor resided on the
| fourth floor with his family, consisting of a
wife and four children. BY some means they
were unable to escape. Surrounded by the
| fire, they ascended to the root. The babe was
| in the mothers arms, and another child, lit
tie boy, clung to her skirts. Two girls were
clasped In the arms of the father. Their
shouts we're but family heard over the howl
of the winds and the roar Of the flames. At
last the heat became 80 Intense that the woman
was overcome and fell to the root. The father
wildly threw out his hands and staggered,
wrIthed and sunk to his wlfe's side. That was
allor that tragedy. We sickened at the sight.
THE CRUSH AND CONFUSION.
| Beer and other drink was selling at o fear
| full price at the saloons. no other beverage ex-
| isting for the peorle, the water having been
destroyed. At The then existing hotels no food
or drink was obtainable; the servants were to
/ be seen thrown in all manner Of positions
snatching u few hours rest. The mayor OF
| Chicago having prohibited the use of hre or
| light after dark, q tremendous rush was made
on candles, which caused the price to Increase
to fifty cents each. The heat OF the fire at the
| State street railroad was so intense that the
| track had become bent, and was gnarled and
crooked, standing quite two feet from the
sleepers. Many persons caused their luggage
| to be conveyed by the trains, but owing to the
| hustle existing at the time, the owners have
| been unable to discover II their baggage has
| been destroyed, or 1T Is still in existence. AS
| the vans filled with furniture were filing up the
avenues, no notice was taken OF any less for
tunate neighbor whose chattels had been left
| In the middle of the roadway; the horses were
made TO pass right through it, the cry was
| every man for himself, the greatest destruc-
| ton prevailing on every side.
Latest from Chicago.
CHICAGO, October l6.
There was furious gale on Saturday, blow
| ing the irebrands In all directions, and pros
trating the walls. Fortunately, 1t had previous.
| y rained steadily. The supply Of food Is am-
| pie. Dead bodies are continually found.
The Chicago banks pay fifteen per cent. at
once. and resume their regular business on
the 18th. R H. Hurlburt, comptroller of cur
rency, certifes to the solvency Of the Chicago
national banks.
Jay Cooke, McCulloch & Co., of London,
have telegraphed donation Of one thousand
pounds sterling to the mayor of Chicago. The
house in New York had given $4,000, and the
Philadelphia house s5000-making s25, 1000
from this banking house and its branches.
The Pacific Insurance Company's liabilities
| at Chicago are two millions. The company
goes into liquidation.
The banks will open for business tomorrow,
a.. 49,, G,.ll l-a1