Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-10-19
The CHICAGO FIRE.
Destruction and Devastation.
The RESUMPTION OF BUSINESS
Chicago will Rise Again

fend. On Saturday afternoon, Sept.
3Oth, conhagration visited that city in
the shape of the destruction of bonded
warehouse and property to the amount
of about 100000. During the week
following several minor fires took place
in the city, the engines and firemen re-
naming in their houses scarcely three
hours at time without call, and on
Saturday evening, Oct. 7th, about IL
o'clock, while engaged in extinguishing
a FIRE on Wells street, South Side, an
alarm was sounded from box No. 243,
West Division This alarm, it was as
certained, was occasioned by the dis
covery of fire in the boiler room of the
planning mill of Lull & Holmes, situated
on Canal street, between jackson and
Van Buren,. All the engines not en-
gagged at the Wells street fire Immediately
repaired to the scene of destruction in
the West Division, but before they got
into operation the building in which the
fire originated was enveloped in flames.
The absence of rain for the past three
or four weeks, has rendered everything
so dry and infammable in Chicago, as
well as elsewhere throughout the West,
that a spark will start o fre-wiH
sweep for miles without interruption.
Only few minutes after the striking
of the alarm, flames were seen sweeping
to the sky, and the lurid light that il
Illuminated the horizon grew more and
more powerful, casting its brilliant rays
in every direction, bringing out in bold
relief the fronts of the buildings which
faced the burning element. The wind,
which was blowing very strong from the
southwest, carried with it sparks, Gin
ders and partially burned pieces of
wood, which covered the sky in daz-
zling spangles, and fellin fiery showers
upon the buildings lying north and
northeast of the burning mill. These
soon ignited, and, at one o'clock were
one mass of flame or charred ruins. By
this time every engine in the city, and
those belonging at Bridgeport and Blue
Island, were at work trying to arrest the
progress of the devouring element.
This, however, was not done until nearly
a fifth block was destroyed.
The boundaries of the confagration3
were as follows: Between Clinton and
Canal streets, about three-fourths of
the area south toward Van Buren, street.
Between Canal street and the river,
about nine tenths of the area south
toward Van Buren street. Between
Canal street and the river, and Adams
and jackson streets, the entire area.
Between Canal and Clinton streets, and
Adams and jackson streets, about
seven.eighths of the entire area. On
the east side of Canal, north of Adams,
about one hundred feet frontage, this
being the freight sheds of the Adams
and United States Express Companies.
As nearly as can be estimated,
the total area burned over covers about
twenty acres, which is by far the largest
district ever devastated by fire in Chi
cago, even eclipsing the famous confa-
grafton of 1857.
On jackson street, aside from the
planning mill above mentioned, and the
lumber yard connected with it, the
property consumed consisted of dwell.
ings, barns and outhouses, which were
all old and dry as tinder. Clinton street
north of jackson was also covered With
dwellings and a few small carpenter
shops. On Canal street in the rear OF
the planning mill was a box factory OF
Mr.. Foster which was destroyed.
Among the most prominent sufferers
on the east side of Canal street, next
the river were the Union wagon works ;
Chaplin & Foss, manufactures of lath
and shingles, John Sheriffs & Son, lum.
Der dealers B. Holbrook, coal dealer
W. E. johnson, coal dealer; and the
blacksmith shops of the Pittsburgh and
Ft. Wayne R. R. Co. The m;liority oi
the sufferers on Adams street between
Canal and Clinton were families who
lost nearly all they had The. Adams
street viaduct was wrapped in flames ano
damaged to the amount of about ST. 900
The losses in the above fire cannot be
less than million dollars.
THE WEST SIDE.
Last night about nine o'clock a fire
broke out in barn on the corner O
Twelfth and De Koven streets, occa
stoned by COW kicking over lamp
An alarm was quickly sounded, but the
high wind prevailing at the time caused
the building to burn and the fire tt
spread rapidly, and before the engines
reached the ground several buildings
were in flames and the fremen were
forced to give way to the devouring ete
ment.
ITS COURSE. -91
The fire spread rapidly in an easterly
and northeasterly direction, devourins
everything in its track, and soon the
two blocks from Jefferson to Cintor
and from Clinton to Canal, were envel
oped in one sheet of fame Crossin.
Canal street, the fire crept steadily
along the river, forcing everying of al
inhammable nature to succumb. Yes
sells and canal boats were forced to GU
loose, and float away as fast as the,
could, to prevent being burned Stead
lily forcing the firemen to retreat, tn,
fire made its way northward betweet ] ef
ferson and Clinton streets, to Van BureI
street, where it ceased, between thost
streets, but kept on burning between
Clinton and Canal streets, and from
Canal street to the river. AT Van Bure1
street the fire crossed and burned wha
was left In that vicinity by the fire O
Saturday night. Everything on tn,
river front, from Taylor street to Adam
street, was burned. Among the mos
prominent buildings along that side O
the river were the Chicago Dock Com
pany, the St. Louis and Alton freigh
depot, large planning mill and sasi
factory. The National Elevator, which
stood the test of fire all night, fnall,
caught from the intense heat, ant
about three o'clock on Sunday mornin,
the building was one sheet of flame
making one of the grandest spectacle
witnessed during the fire. The Adam
street bridge, which stood the fire Q
Saturday night well, took fire about l:
o'clock on Sunday night, and wa
burned to the waters edge while stand
ing open. s1I
THE SOUTH SIDE.
About twelve o'clock the fire sprea
across the river in the neighborhoodi {
Taylor street, and swept every thing i
its path. The Gas Works were 500
consumed, and from thence north an
east the fiery element flew along witt
undated fury, taking everything in it
course.
THE HOTELS. tts}II
All the prominent Hotels of the cit
are in ruins-The Pacific, Sherman
fremont, Briggs, Palmer, BigeloW
Metropolitan. Matteson, besides do,
ems of other smaller carayanser;es soat