The New York herald., 1871-10-20
THIEVES AND MURDERERS
The Reign OF Terror After
the Ruin.

the Ruin.
CHILDBIRTH UNDER CHILLY STARS
CHICAGO Oct l6 1871.
The sun SHINES to-day on square miles OF ruined
walls and rugged streets heaped with unsightly
rubbish. week ago to-day this same space
smoked and named with furious devastation, and
only ten days ago It was covered with stately edi-
nces which seemed built for eternity ana pcopled
with hundred thousand souls who grew rtcn, and
married and were given in marriage, even as men
shall do the eve Of the last day OF fire and wrath,
Chicago de,e'dd est. Chicago Is wiped out
The story OF its obliteration has been very fully
told in the columns Of the NEW YORK HERALD and
the terrible picture presented with all the vgor and
enterprise which marked the same HKRALDH
description or similar, though less serious catas-
tropne OF New YORK in 1885. II one had heart and
time TO mornIize he might an analogy no less
truthful than interesting between those TWO great
American institut0ns-ChlcagO and the aERALD-
the twin wonders OF the time and the Continent.
They are nearly of an age; the career or each has
been marked by an enterprise and energy almost
as bounllesS as the success which vailed thereon;
each has been the highest and most representative
type OF Americanism. Here the parallel ends. To-
DAY Chicago lies IN the dust and ashes Of numilia
tion and the HERALD lives to chronicle her agony.
And as sure as the HERALD has seen her rise, her
progress and her fall, sure Is the HERALD Of 1885
or 1908 to see and record ner growth till she be.
comes IN population, in influence and In trade the
equal Of New York.
So full rave your reports been that all that now
remains for me TO do is to give the statistics and
figures which have not been published as yet 10
Gull from my notebooks and memory few incidents
OF interest which may have ESCAPED your attention,
and finally to review the situation "a it now exists
and, In so far as can, forecast the future Of the
city.
Statistics 1rst The FIRE originated on De Koven
and Jefferson streets at tnrty-rwo minutes past
nine on sunday evening Octobe I, and terminated
the morning Of Tuesday, October 0. In the house
or DR. Dyars. On the south side OF the river one
block was left standing-the Lynn block, at Lake
street bridge. On TIE north side one house-the
residence Of Mr.. Mahlon d. ogden, corner OF North
Dearborn street and Lafayette place-was left un.
touched. The track OF the fire was about three
miles long by one and half mile wide. The area
covered was about 1850 acres the houses burned
numbered q, 600. There we're rendered homeless OF
thrown out Of employment 10000 OF whom 20, 0Ot
10 $4,000 nave left town and about 60 900 tine re-
cpients OF public charity. The losses win probably
foot uD as follows
On buildings. sT5 900 00C
On personal property and furniture .... 81 500 00O
TOTAL. $272- 500 600
TO this may be added the following items:-
Depreciation In real estate ......... 81 90 OO0 900
Loss on ia business tprofts only. ...... 00o0 900
Cost OF sustaining sufferers. 5000. 900
Total Sios ooo, 900
la all, the loss win foot up about $475oo0 900,
without including probable loss from suspension.
Inc insurance cannot yet be ascertained, but VIII
probably amount TO about $52 o0o 0oO OF which from
tasooo,0oo to $40 ooo, 900 win be paid The number
Of bodies recovered thus is about ninety fve but
II ia safe to conclude that 200 people met their
death In the flames. The losses BY theft are varl-
ousy estimated at from 81, coo. o0) to S. O0O 0OO
The origin OF the FIRE may be stated, as 1t will be
historical woman named Scully, residing on
DE Koven street. had sick calf, and went out WITH
candle to attend 10 its wants. The candle was
overturned, and the flame set the loose hay on nre;
the building or dry wood bazed up In q moment,
and the re spread so rapidly that ten houses were
burning when the brigade reached the spot.
The fire burned In two columns-one between
Clinton and Jefferson streets, the other between
Clinton and Canal streets. The wind which was
very hlgh blew from the southwest, driving the
names directly to the northeast. At the same time
the fire ate into the wind both east and
west One column moved much more rapidly than
WAS
checked by the purne district OF Saturdays Are.
They crossed the river In two places and struck
across the south side in an air line, one column
rushing nercely forward, overpowering all resist
aDce the other spreading more SLOWLY 10 the south
and west and being checked at Harrison street by
blowing up houses. The progress due west was so
SOW that though 1t was only midnight when the
flames crossed Madison street. two blocks from the
river, IL was broad day those two blocks were
bur ned. On the north side the fire ran far more
RAPIDLY, tie light wooden buildings fairly melting
away before It. 1t stopped only because there was
nothing more TO burn.
The progress OF the fire marked by one peou.
liarity-it resembed a warlike advance and battle
The wind CARED the embers and burning brands to
great distance, ana thus little skirmishes were
always going far IN advance Of the main body.
The advanced guard or light divisions followed
these, and swept away the buildings which had re-
sisted the flying sparks, but eft the great blocks
tue Custom House, Sherman House Post once, Trf.
Dune building, 4c-asmost unscathed, until the
main BODY travelling more slowly came up and
the s,ght was terribly grand. Perhaps q 3
showed where the embers had slighted. A
lew hundred yards nearer nve or six
other had broken out Behind these again came 4
long and unbroken line Of name, sweeping away
everything light, ann behind this was a confusion OF
smoke and name burning nearer the ground, while
here and there stood up the stouter buildings each
nsme and smoke. 1t was this that barled the lre.
men. They could never reacn the outskirts OF the
nre- II they moved back and took fresh position
the fire went over their heads and nanked them.
or the scene, eloquent as your reporters have
been, you nave as Yet had no adequate description
can ], although familiar with Its horrors, pre-
tend paint faithfully enable your read
ers 10 see t as II There are men living who
saw the great fire In New York; many have seen
Paris all ablaze; but these were nothing beside
what NAV be called the great fire of the world.
There were perhaps I5) 90 200 900 people in the
streets, sll shouting win excitement; the air was
rent with tie crash OF tumblipg walls the Mss OF
water. the ceaseess pant pant OF the engines, the
explosion OF gunpowder, the braylng OF trum-
pets, the Mapping OF tine flames, the roar
OF tue wind ana The hrazen clang OF the great
bell. There was fire eyerywleI The streets
where the tar in the OF The Nicolson pavement
x.yff -, atlala