American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-11-30

the grand buildings that twenty-four
hours before reared themselves where now
| was the abOminatiOn of desolatiOn, the
scene outlined so Enthusiastically and vaguely
was one of peculiar impressiveness.
Here and there over the wide area among
the tumbled chaos, where order and SYM
metry once reigned, portions of walls.
whitened by the intense heat. stood like
indistinct ghosts in their shrouds curling
upwards. small blue flames shaped like
knife blades were round their feet. 1t was
sad sight. Night came down to find the
wind again rising, and about one O'Clock
in the morning an explosion was heard.
The alarm was sounded, changing over
the city once more, and soon darkness fol-
lowed, except in the five places where the
fire again broke out. The gas had ex-
ploded in a store in the burned district. at
the corner of Summer street and Wash
ington. bringing to the front a danger al:
ready feared. The front of the store was
blown into the street an1 damaged the
windows on the opposite side of Washing
ton street. There were a great many
citizens on the street and regular STAN
pede was the result, which threatened
more serious consequences than the ex-
plosion itself. Declarations followed in
quick succession and it was with difficulty
the crowd, which, finding itself more
frightened than hurt, could be kept from
actually endangering itself. On Summer
street and Central court it was found that
buildings were in the grasp of the fire
which were believed until that moment
free from danger. The Park House was
close in the rear of the second cOnfiagra-
ton, and the great retail store of Jordan,
Marsh & Co., not twenty yards from the
flames. Here the firemen directed the water
from Il dozen steamers. If the fire had
passed this point the tall granite buildings
on the opposite side of Washington street
would be enveloped, and the end, as be-
fore stated, no one could foreteIl. The
camped out thousands of Chicago rose be
fore the minds eye and nerved the arms
of thousands to assist in the work. The
fact, too, that the buildings referred to
were stored with highly combusti5le mat
ter made it a matter of almost life and
death to win. The deniZens of Avon
street were instantly ordered to turn off
the gas and vacate their buildings. from
the lear of additional explosions. This
produced scene of horrible confusion.
Half-clad women rushed INFO the streets,
carrying their clothes and small valuables
in their arms. A great many of the FAM
lilies thus Ousted were generously received
at the Adams House. At this juncture
kilograms were despatched to various
points to send on again the engines. which
in the belief that Boston's calamity had
gotten over its worst, had been allowed
70 return home in the evening. This call.
despite the fatigue of the fireman, was in
stantly answered with the needed help.
The flames began to lap over the Park
House. and it was accordingly on the ex-
posed parts deluged with water. as well
as the store of Jordan, Marsh & Co. At
ter the first explosion it was found that
Mrs. Martha Hudson had jumped from
the first floor window of her house in
Summer streets, injuring herself fearfully
by bruises and burns upon the legs. In
another house on the same street the fire
men were just in time in putting up their
ladders to rescue a mother who was about
jumping into the street. The thieves
again seized their opportunity to rob by
rushing into houses. The presence of the
military and an angry and ugly feeling
with regard to lynching among the
restrained a great many from
their dastardly avOcatiOn. Il. e gas in the
city had been turned off, and the darkness
which followed sent great many of the
multitude to their homes.
AT o'clock the building which original
ly caught fire fell to the ground. The
flames were happily, by the means above
described. prevented from spreading to
the large buildings behind. Four other
houses, however, were added to the ter
rifle catalogue of losses, and at least a
million dollars to the value of property
destroyed of a total which fOOts up prob |
ably $500, 000, 600 and includes $50 dispos- |
sessed firm in twenty-eioht streets. By
five O'Clock this addendum to the catas- |
trOphe was subdued in SO far as drawing
its teeth for further mischief, and the
dawn of to-day brought a feeling of relief