Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-09-25
ANOTHER COMPLICATION IN CHI.
CAGO.
Finy-scvcn Buildings Bai. ned, Cover.
ing u Portion Of Four Salunrex-Los.
Ex6).OOO.

Chicago was visited on Wednesda,
afternoon by tho most disastrous con
flagration that has occurred since tn,
memorable fire of Oct. 8, 1871. III,
fire originated in a two-story tram,
building at the intersection of New
berry avenue and the tracks of til.
Chicag>, Burlington and Quinc,
Hallway Company, and for
time it seemed as though thu
"great blaze" was about to be dnpIi
Gated. The conditions were extreme.
~ favorable for such an event. The
wind, being a Southwestern, almost ap
preached to gale the buildings
being of frame, were like tiuder-boxes,
and the many tons of hay stored in the
building in which the fire originated
gave it Roadway that very near defied
the best efforts of the fire department.
The flames soon swept through the
block to Halsted street. The stemmine
of the flaming food on the west of Hal
sted street was not accomplished until
it came to the packing-house Of
Richard NJ. Oliver, at No. 59a
Halsted street, corner of Wright
street. When furious gust of wind
that had in the meantime arisen, aud
threatened to aid the fire fend in lick
ing up everything that came in its way;
were blowing their tierccst, and carry.
ing the torches Of humiliation from
house to house, the fire leaped Halstel
street to the east side of that thorough
fare, and laid hold of the buildings
fringing it with the grasp of hun
dred-handed demon. Quickly the first
house on the northeast corner oil
Meaghcr street was in fanny
folds and then the second, third,
and fourth followed in rapid
succession. The small cottages, barns,
out-houses, ETC., located ON and in the
rea- of Measher, Catherine and Bar
Der streets, speedily succumbed when
the east side of Halsted street beganto
go. The northeasterly direction was
still preserved, and, as the fire went on
and on, jumping vacant lots, dancing
on the shipgled roofs, in hellish glee,
forced forward by the ever increasing
wind, and dashed into q frenzy
by every new object, it ate
it's way from Meagher to Cath
crime street, leveling the frames
that were in its way, aud taking about
three Fights of the square from Hal.
sted to Union streets. 1t then continued
its march, and held on its way to Bar.
Der street. Inch by inch, in the face
of flying sparks, binding smoke,
scorching flames, in suffocating atmos-
phere, and with tremendous odds
against them, the brave firemen
met their foe. A stand had been
made on the TANKS, and at Barber
street the Fire Department did the
work that proved the salvation of the
West Division. There they stopped ii
by sheer pluck, and all the plumber il
was allowed north of Barber street was
comprised in the store on the northeast
corner Of that and Halsted street and q
couple of dwellings in the rear. With
this the fire demon seems to have been
satisfied, and the city's annual sacri.
fee to the memorable monster was de.
clared complete,
The only loss of life, so far as re-
ported, occurred about 3 o'clock, in q
tenement building on the east side OF
Halsted street. A baby belonging to
a poor family that occupied rooms in
the house, was left with some goods
while the people we're moving ont.
Several loads had been taken away,
and as they We're entering to remove
the balance the roof fell in, and direct
~ afterward the structure collapsed.
OF course the infant must have been
calcined in short order.
A careful inspection of the ground
showed that somo fifty seven houses
were destroyed. These will not average
over $4,000 each IN value, making q
total loss of 1926, 600 on buildings. The
loss on the contents thereof, damage
done to buildings not destroyed and to
their contents, will probably aggregate
as much more, though many we'll
posted are Of the opinion that $3.50, OO0
will be an Ontside estimate.
The insurance will not exceed. as fal
as can be estimated, twenty per cent.
of the loss.
Seventy-fve families, numbering
about 300 persons, were rendered
homeless.
The excitement throughout the city
during the progress of the fire was in
tense, and fears were at one time en-
tertained that the fire would agrin des
olate the city. Happily these fear.