Smyrna times., 1871-10-11
Chicago in Ashes.
ONE oFTHE GREATEST FIRES ON RECORD.

On Saturday night one of the greatest fires
ever known i'll this country broke out In Chlca-
90, and as we write these lines the flames are
still raging. For four miles north and south,
by one mile in breadth, the flames have destroy |
ed everything, aud rendered one hundred thou
sand people homeless. Buildings are being
blown up to check greater progress, while
the inhabitants on the west side Of the river
are moving, in expectation that their homes
will be consumed. The thoroughness of the
devastation and the valuable fuel upon which
it has preyed, are seen in the statement that
it has swept away every bank but two, all of
the newspaper Offices, most of the churches
and depots, every hotel in the south division,
six elevators, all Of the theatres, the Post
office, Court house, Chamber of Commerce, all
wholesale and majority of the retail stores.
To add to the CONSERVATION, the wind has been
blowing gale and the water works have been
consumed, and also the gas works. The fol
lowing kilograms will give a faint idea Of the
terrible calamity One dated Monday morning,
II clock, says:
At about one o'clock this morning the fire
crossed the river at the Adams-street bridge,
and soon destroyed the Gas-wOrks The fire
then spread in every direction. At this hour
almost every building from Harrison st, north
to the Chicago river is destroyed inciullng all
the in> urance offices, banks, hotels, telegraph
single exception of the Tribune office, which
is fire prootj Couft-hOu>e, sherman House.
fremont House Palmer New Pacific Hotel,
New Bgoiow Hotel, and, in fact, ey, ,rything
else is swept clean. This district embraces all
the heavy business houses in the city. The
rain Of fire and birthstone upon Sudom and
Gomorrah can hardly b. compared to the de-
vastatlng rain OF the fire iend. In Chicago
more than one half the population are now
IL, n
are obtained at enormous prices, and on foot
with their choicest household treasures in THEN
arms aud on their backs, IN utter confusion
not knowing whittier to go. Fearful suffering
must follow, and Immediately tall On one nun
drcd and ftty thousand people at this mOmeu
l homeless hou>elc>s, not knowing where to lay
their heads or get anything to satisfy the crav
, ings nI hunger. Assistance Is badly needed
Food and water are wanted for thousands O
homeless people. The suffering is intense, an,
> there is no telling when the flames will be sub
durd The only salvation for the remainder D
the city is in the wind keeping in the presen
direction. Fifty Thousand people are home
l less. Most of them in destitute conditio,
: Unburnpd streets for miles are lined witt
household goods. No one dare think what tn
Il loss of life may be. The flames swept through
i the city with the rapidity of prairie fire, an
many must have perlshed. A special iron
EnGIeWODu, lIllnOlS, udIeu at ~ MOnQa.
morning says the fire was partially suhdue
by the departments from Milwaukee and othe
S cities, in conjunction with the Chicago tiremen
1t is not known whether any lives were lost
. but the streets are filled with people, man
8 mourning missing relatives and frien IS. Thou
q sands of people in vehicles are on the road
from the villages to aid the people in Chicago
The fremen and policemen are working lik
i heroes The fire has extended over a circui
= of three miles, aUd both sides of Chicago rive
" " are in ruins Thirty or forty vessels in tn
q river are now burning, and many more are de
stroyed. The finest blocks Of dwellings an
}, finest buildings in the city are in ashes. Ne'
a York, Philadelphia, and all the large cite
lc have proffered aid in both food and money
a. and the greatest interest is being manifesto
throughout the whole country for the sutferin
v city. The railroads have offered to transpol
ty provisions free, and President Grant has ol
it dered all the government provisions that Ca
al be spared at St. Louis and other places to
sent to the starving people.
70 Later NelrS
r. The fire is out 1t was extinguished by
[. heavy rain on Monday night, after burnr
IS. two days.