White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1871-10-12
Dreadful Conaagration!
City Of Chicago i'm Ashes!
The Entire Business Portion
Of the City Burned!

-
Of the City Burned!
An the Asvswpaper omoes Do
stroyed!
Great Loss of Lffe.eeenes or
Terror!
.eei ,C::S - e Ss.:sses siss III:
L0og ooa I've Ws4e.
CHICAGO, October e-Shortly after ono O'Clock
this morning the fire which raged 30 furiously
last night was got under control. It proves not
to have been SO devastating as was supposed last
night, the district burned over embracing but
four instead Of six blocks, reported last night.
The district 10 bounded on the north by Adams
street. west by Clinton. south by Van Buren,, and
east by the Chicago river Some four or i've
buildings within this district escaped destruction,
among them Vincent, Nelson & Co.'S grain ware
house, one Of the largest in the city. The grounds
! ! burned over were COVERED with lumber, coal and
wood yards, planning mill, box factory, vinegar
factory, &c. and large number Of dwellings and
saloons of the poorer classes. close estimate of
the entire loss places it at from two hundred and
fifty to three hundred Thousand dollars, with
probably one half Of that insurance.
CiicAGo, October 6, II, p. m.-The fire hend is
abroad again tonight. At 945 the fire broke out
ON Dekowen street, between Jefferson and Clin-
ton, in the West Division and spread with great
rapidity. At this hour some four blocks are bur-
ming and there seems but little hope of staying
the flames. The wind is strong and the fire sur
ges through the frame buildings with fearful
blocks burned were closely built, with two-story
frame houses, occupied as dwellings, stores, boar
ding house, saloons, &c, and the loss will proba
bly, be greater than that Of last night.
12.45 q. m.-To-night is the most awful in the
annals of the city. The fire has already swept
over space at least three times as large as that
of last night and is still rushing On with greater
fury than has marked any stage of its progress,
the engines appearing almost powerless. Fire
Aiarshall Williams has telegraphed to Milwaukee
for all the fire engines they can spare. Not less
than 800 buildings have been entirely destroyed
and more than that number of families rendered
homeless. The wind is blowing almost gale
from the south, aud showers of sparks and brands
are sweeping over the city, threatening dcstruc-
tion on every hand.
LIS, A.M.-The FIRE is raging with greatly in
creased fury. 1t has spread almost with the veo-
city of the wind, and has rached West Union
street, distance Of more than mile from here
it started, and covers breadth of nearly half u
mile, reaching from the river to Jefferson street
The district already burned embraces large
number of lumber yards, the freight depots of the
Chicago and st. Louis, and Pittsbnrg, Ft Wayne
and Chicago Railroads, and an immense amount
Of other property valued at several million Of dol
lars. The prospect Of arresting the fire now seems
ten fold less than Nh hour ago, and no one can
tell where it will stop. Fire brands were blown
across the river and set wooden building close
by the gas house fire. The flames have spread
in every direction, and the prospect il that the
gas house will be destroyed and the city wrapped
in darkness.
A terrible panic is prevailing throughout the
whole city. Almost everybody, men, women aud
children are in the streets, and praying, weeping
IL
looks as if the whole city might be destroyed
large number of lives arc believed to have been
lost, but nothing definite is known. The alarm
bell is now ringing with increased peal the de-
sign being to call every sleeper from his bed. The
panic is increasing, and the people are almost
crazy with alarm, vessels in the river catching
fire in every direction, and all the south side
of the river will probably he destroyed.
las A. MA raging, roaring hell Of fire envel-
Opes twenty blocks of the city. 1t is already
within block of the telegraph office where this
dispatch is written, and is weeping on in whrl-
wind of fame, against which human efforts are
powerless, and it is impossible to tell where 1t
will stop. The bridge across Van Buren, street Is
Wayne railroad tracks, ears and depots are swept
away. No language can describe the awfhl
scenes. The flames sweep through the blocks of
wooden houses with the rapidity of prairie fire.
Thousands Of people fill the streets, rushing ont
of their buildings in many instances barely in
time to save life.
2:lO A. M-The block across the street from the
telegraph Office is on fire. The wires have failed
and they are probably burned down.
9.30 A. M-The entire business portion of the
city is destroyed. AL the banks, express and
telegraph offices; all the newspaper offices, except
the Tribune; six elevators and water-works are
gone. There is no water in the city. Not less
than ten Thousand buildings are already destroy
ed. There has been burned distance of five
miles and still raging with the wind blowing
gale. -,sl5.
CBnAeo. Ortoler 9.-T1e whole bnsincss DOR
tion Of the city il in ashes from Harrison street
north TO Chicago avenue and east of the river to
the lake, a piece about three miles in length by
a mile or mile and q half in width. Every hotel.
bank. exprcss of6ce. telegraph office, theatre and
ncwanaper Office viii, ali the Wholesale houses i'm
tIe eity are totaly dcsfroyed. MANY thousands of
dwellings and the wstcrworks were DESTROYED
early this morning. The wind is bkwing per
feet psl, from the southwest With n sky of brass.
No one can tell what the end will be the only
say.tion for the remainder of the city il in the
wind keeping its preaent direction. Fifty thous-
and rs,ooie are homeless n,tst of whom are in n
destitute condition. -Tl,e unburned streets are
lined for ,niIes with household goods. No one
darr think what the loss of life NAV be- The
flames swept through the city with the rapidity
of nrair;e fra and many must have perisbci.
The western IIn;on Tsscranh Comnany have