Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-10-09
M .sW'FUL CALAMITY!
GREAT FIRES INCHICAGO,
Sad Loss of Life and Terrible De-
struction of Property.
"a Raging, Roaring He'll Of Fire."

struction Of Property.
"A Raging, Roaring He'll Of Fire."
series fthe mos destructive CONGREGATIONS
which ever occurred in this country, or perbans
i'm any other, have laid the city OF Chicago i'm
ashes. A fire broke out at IL O'Clock on
Saturday night in planning mill between
Clinton and Van BURN and jackson streets.
The wind was blowing very fresh and rapidly.
and IN a few ninutes the entire structure was
mass OF ire. The immediate vicinity is built
up mainly of sm all wooden tepement houses and
t~o-story frame buildings occupied as groceries,
a oons, &c.
A Scene Of Terror.
Inc inmates of many of the best houses
startled nom slumber, had barely time to rush
ost in their scanty night attire leaving tbar
houses ard goods TO destruction. In several in
stances Children, wrapped in blankets and quilts
to break the TALL, were thrown from the second
story window to the ground When the alarm
sounded Tor this fire another of considerable
magnltide was burning on Wells street, near
Adams. Several engines necessarily kept at
work upon this fire. The rest of the engines in
the city were on the ground, but before thew ar
rived me hre had spread over so large an area
ana was so rapidly extending that their efforts
were of little value. Between Carol street and
the river there were several lumber yards, which
were entirely destroyed.
The Fire Eade a Clean Sweep
from Van Buren, street north, two blocks to
Adams street, and west to Clinton, three blocks
fIom the river. setween Van Buren, and Jack
son streets, the Buildings were barning, and the
woodwork OF the western approach to the
Administered bridge was destroyed. A large
coal-yard, containing a thousand tons of soft
coal standing between the tracks of the Chicago
roads and the river, caught fire and burned
furiously. 1Ge depot OF the Pittsburg, Fort
Wayne, Chicago, Alton and st. Louis railroad
Is situated OH North Adams, and between Canal
NJ huil lin
lpht wooden structure, occupied as an express
Office. was in flames at midnight
AT $50 o'ciock yesterday morning the fire was
raging as 1ercely as ever, and the block OF
buildings On the north side of Van Buren, street
was Wrapt i'll flames. The glare from the burn
ing buildings lighted the streets for half mile
away, 10 that one might see to read. The entire
IRE depaz'ement was on the ground and making
almost Superhuman efforts to check the flames.
The space burned over up to yesterday morn
ing was covered with lumber, coal and wood
yards, planning mills, vinegar factory and a
large number OF dwelling-houses and saloons of
the poorer class.
A Woman Burned 10 Death.
Mrs. Margaret Hadley, living on the north side
OF jackson street, being suddenly surrounded
by the flames, was unable to escape. Her re-
mains, burned TO cinder, were found yester-
day morning near her home.
Another Fire Last Might.
"A dispatch received last night, dated at II
O'Clock, says ga fire, which appears rs large as
that OF last night, is now raging in the western
near Taylor street, between Delaware and JEFF
fersm. 1t is spreading in every direction, and
covers at least four blocks. At this hour il still
seems beyond control. The blocks are built ND
solidly and almost exclusively two-story frame
bouses, occupied as residences, boarding houses
saloons, groceries, &c. The loss is already large
and 1t IL BOW thought it will prove more dis
sstrous in its character than the one last night
Three HUNDRED miles Driven from
Their III ONES.
At $50 this morning the flames had reached
he Vic init nff Gala
rators were compelled to leave. Railroad trains
were sent to neighboring cities for additional
hre engines, and the entire city was in a state of
great excitement A dispatch dated Las this
morning says;-''The fire has already swept
over a space three times as large as that of last
night, and is still rushing on i'm greater fury than
appearing almost powerless. Fire Marshal viii
liasns has just telegraphed to Milwaukee for all
The steamers they can spare.
The contagratiOn has already
DEVASTATED TWENTY BLOCKS,
mostly composed of the smaller class Of DWELL
lngs, and inhabited by poor people. Not less
than three hundred buildings have been entirely
DESTROYED, and more than that number of fam
HES rendered homeless. The wind is blowing a
most fearful gale from the south, and showers of
sparks and burning BRANDS are sweeping over
the city, threatening destruction on every hand.
The tower of the courthouse caught fire from
flying brands, but was extinguished by the
watchmen of the tower.
The Fire Department POwerIexs.
No description can give an idea OF the terrible
scene. The fire started i'm a row of two-story
wooden tenements on Deckoven street. between
Jefferson and Clinton streets, and as was the
case last night, spread with terrible rapidty
Before single engine could be got on the road
half the block was in flames, and burning rap
idls. The entire department was soon on the
probable they would succeed i'm combining it to
four or five blocks. The wind, blowing freshly
%hen the hre started, increased to a gale, and
suddenly the flames seemed to spread in every
n do
partment.
A.BeIt Of Fire a Mile Long.
At2 a. IN: the hre was raging with resistless
fury, and had reached West Monroe street,
distance of more than a mile from where il
started, and covered a breadth of nearly mile
fI0m the river TO jefferson street. The district
Der I'd lumber yards and the freight depOts of the
Chicago and ST. Louis and Pittsburg, Fort
Wayne, and Chicago railroads, and the property
destroyed counted up many millions of dollars.
A dispatch says The task OF arrestinp the
flames now seems five-fold greater than an hour
ago, and no one dare venture the opinion as to
where and when il will stop. The flames are
raging with increased fury in every direction
ands
GODS MERCY CAN ALONE SAVE THE CITY
from utter destruction. A fearful panic pre-
walls through the streets, where the people are
Iushing 10 and fro, weeping and wailing. The
1re Is approaching the telegraph office, and it
VIII probably soon have to be vacated"
During the night the panic among the people
continued to increase, and the alarm bells were
ringing increasingly.
Vessels in the River Caught Fire.
and II seemed probable that they would all be
destroyed. Late this morning a dispatch came
saying
A RAGING, ROARING. HE'LL OF FIRE
enyelops twenty blocks of the city, and is al
ready within blockof the Western Union Tel
egraph once, where this dispatch is written,
sweeping onward as whirlwind of flame,
against which
HUMAN EXPORTS ARE POwEELEss,
and IT is impossible to tell where it will STOP
The bridge across Van Buren, street is burned
The cars on the track of the Chicago and Alton
and Fort Wayne railroad, with the freight
houses, have been swept away. Thousands of
people fill the streets rushing out of their dwell
ines In many instances barely In time to save
their lives.
The last dispatch from New York this
morning said: Z" There IL no Geographic
communication with Chicago. The flames
reached the telegraph Office, which was aban-
doned at 2:15 q. m, Chicago time, and since
which no kilograms have been received"
Later particulars will be found in our tele-
graphic columns
LoNeFELLow From the Turf
Field and Fdrm. THE annexed proposition from
Mr.. Babcock will explain itself: ssThere have
been many regrets indulgedin and many excuse
made for the defeat Of Lonfellow by my horse |