The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1872-11-14
THE HEART OF THE CITY LAID WASTE
CHICAGO,s WOE ECLlPSED I
LOSS 100, 600, 1000!
BosroN, Mass Nov

destroyed by any similar conilagrat'on; not
even excepting the fearful devastation BY
the dre.fend at Chicago Starting in the
most central portion Of the wholesale bus.
iuess section Of the city, hundreds Of the
most extensive aud elegant warehouses
have been tapped up by the flames aud re-
duced to ashes IN o few moments. Banks,
mercantile md manufacturing houses have
been destroyed in the general ruin, aud
whole blocks Of buildings, where but yes.
,erday the active aud busy scenes Of COM
mercial prosperity were enacted, are to-
day heap OF smou'dering ruins.
The sea Of fire, which is still 6ercely
raging, covers an area Of two hundred &C.
res. The scenes and lessons Of Chicago
are again repeated. Thousands Of clerks,
workiDg.girls and men are thrown out Of
employment, aud the misery already crea.
ted bcggars description. Competent judg'
es estimate that the losses by this teaflu!
calamity will not fall short Of OO.OUO,.
900, while the indirect losses to merch.
ants aud employees can never be estimated.
The fire was FIRST discovered ut about sew.
en- o'clock Saturday evening, aud before
fifty people had reached the deserted streets
in the great business center of the conAa.
grafton large volumes Of smoke aud crack.
ing flames were bunting out Of the rear
end Of alarge dve-story granite building
on Summer street. 4 the flames began
to spread through TN STORY beneath the
roof, and before an engine or hose Was on
the ground, great volumes Of flames sud
denly burst out from the rear or lower sto.
rles Of the building. In less than twenty
minutes the whole broad facade was one
sheet Of lurid fame, aud the heat SO iu.
tense as to force the 6remen back, aud
away from the immediate vicinity BY
this time strong wind bad created and
the flames began to spread over Summer
street to Kingston street, and despite all
efforts Of the bremen 10 every branch o!
the department, fire was communicated to
building after building aud in less than an
hour the flames were bursting on. Of the
roofs all up and down the fronts Of these
immense structures. BY this time tho
VIVID bad Increased to nearly gale, and
the flames having the entire mastery Of
everything, swept from story to story aud
from roof to roof and FROM block to block,
and from corner 10 corner, and street 10
street. driving the fire from every vantage
ground they could secure, aud rendered ali
their exertlous useless and futile.
The area covered by the fire embraces a
district bounded by Washington street on
the West, and the wharves on the East,
aud from State street on the north to
The Erie depo. on the South. This
section embraces the most extensive aud
valuable OF the wholesale portion OF Bos.
ton aud includes such prominent streets
as Summer, Franklin, Milk, Federal,
Congress, Pearl, Water, Broad, High,
Kingston, Kllby. Devonshirc aud many
others.
The Banks and newspapers destroyed
are the National Bank of North America,
the National Revere Bank, the Contucu-
tai Bank, the Mount Vernon National
Bank aud the Emlgrant Saving Bank. =
The only daily paper destroyed is tue Ev.
enlng Transcript, although the Evening
Traveller aud Boston Post buildings are
considerably damaged.
The widest excitement exists among
all classes OF community, aud the streets
are packed with people, men, women aud
children. Thousands have come ia from
surrounding towns, aud al! the churches
have suspended services. Carts and draws
OF every description have been employed
all last night aud all the day in removing
merchandise to places Of safety. A large
force Of the city military and a battalion
of marines from the Navy-yard are under
arms, protecting the avenues Of approach
to the fire. aud guarding property Pc
lice from Providence, and even from Nan