Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-09-25
NUMBER 25.
ANOTHER CONFEDERATION IN Gil.
CAGO.
Ftny-scycn Bufldings Bu' ned, Cover-
ing Portion Of Four Squ1res-Loss

Chicago was visited on Wednesda
afternoon by the most disastrous con
dagration that has occurred since tn
memorable fire of Oct. 9, 1871, Th
tire originated in a two-story Tram
building at the intersection of New
berry avenue and the tracks of tL,
Chicag, Burlington and Quinc,
Hallway Company, and for
time it seemed as though th,
"great blaze was about to be dupIi
Gated. The conditions were extreme
~ favorable for such an event. Tn.
wind, being a Southwestern, almost ap
preached to q gale the buildings
being of frame, were like tiuder-boxes
and the many tons of hay stored in thu
building in which the fire originated
gave it a headway that very near defied
the best efforts of the fire department
The flames soon swept thronRh the
block to Halsted street. Tie stemmina
Of the flaming food on the west of Hal:
sted street was not accomplished until
It came to the packing-house oi
Richard NJ. Oliver, at No. 59a
Halsted street, corner of Wright
street. When q furious gust of wind
that had in the meantime arisen, aud
threatened to aid the fire f<nd in lick
ing up everything that came in its way,
were blowing their fiercest, and carry
ing the torches 81 annihilation from
house to house, the fire leaped Halstei
street to the east side of that thorough
fare, and laid hold of the buildings
fringing it with the Bfasp Of y hun
dred-hauded dea,on- 3. Quickly the first
house sOn. the northeast corner OF
Meagher street was in fanny
folds and then the, second, third.
and fourth r., followed = in rapid
succession. The small cottages, barns.
out-houses, ETC., located on and In the
rear of Meagher, 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 shingled roofs, in hellish glee,
forced forward by the ever increasing
wind, and dashed, into = frenzy
by every new object, it ate
its way from Meagher to Cath
crime street, leveling the frames
that were in its way, aud taking about
three-eights Of the square from Hal
sted to Onion streets. 1t then continued
it's march, and held on its way to Bar.
Der street. Inch by inch, ii The face
of flying sparks, binding; smoke,
scorching flames, in snffocating atmos-
phere, and with tremendous odds
against them, the brave firemen
met their foe. A stand had been
made on the tanks, aud at Barber
street the Fire Department did the
work that proved the salvation of the
West Division There they stopped it
by sheer pluck, and all the plunder it
was allowed north of Barber street was
comprised in the store on the northeast
corner of that and Halsted street and .
couple Of dwellings in the rear. With
this the fire demon seems to have been
satisfied, and the city's annual sacri-
flee to the inexorablc monster was de-
clared complete,
The only loss of life, 80 far as re-
ported, occurred about 8 o'clock, in q
tenement building on the east side of
Halsted street. A baby ,belonkipR to
q poor family that occupied rooms in
the house, was left with some goods
while the people were moving out.
Several loads had been taken away,
and as they were 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 81, 500 each in value, making q
total loss of 3125, 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, 600
will be an outside estimate.
The insurance will not exceed, AZ far
as can be estimated, twenty per cent.
Of the loss.
Seventy-five families, numbering
about 300 persons, were rendered
homeless.
The excitement throughout the city
during the progress of tho fire was in.
tense, and fears were at one time en-
that the fire would agrin des-
Olate the city. Happily these fears
proved groundless.