, 1873-07-16


Applications for admission, information, etc.,
should DO directed to On. q. r. W1LnuR,
Jacksonville, Ill.
THE GRAND RAPIDS FIRE.
Ono Hundred ISuildlngs Destroyed.
From, tho Grand Hapfds (lftch:, Edqlt, July. "A.
Yesterday afternoon, Sunday, the 18th, at Il
quarter past O'clock, tho tapping Of the fire
bell on the Kont stroot engino-house startled all
enrg.
A thick black smoke rollingup from the Bridge
Street House, visible from noarly every part Of
tho city, gave assurance TINT f1ro was doing its
bost with some highly inaamnlable substance.
The origin Of tho fire may aa well DO alluded to
bo known about II moro than 1t present.
Tho lostler OF tho stable Of tho Bridge Street
House reports TINT ho anW two mon, whom ho
did not know, passing out at roar door Of tho
stable, ono Of whom had cigar IN hia mouth:
manure, thrown out from and lying par-
TALLY against the southwest corner Of
tho stable was soon to DO afro. 1t was very
dry, aB was tho Atablo md all its contents, Of
course, and In al incredibly short time the
whole structure was wrapped In solid fire and
smoke, which heavy and wavoring wind from
THO southwest was hurling on both sides and
driving forward.
Tho stable Ind not got fully to burning boforo
d GMNA1aA QuhAAlIt-uUuHb At3u HAIQnn OH tho
west Of tho ntable was also blazing, In this
house there wore quartored dozon or more
SwedcB and Norweglnns, whoso effects wero all
wiped out clean and eudaonly with tho house.
simultaneously with tho movement on tho wost
s of to h9 ho atsS saat s ne q a9s ped
Whero wore tho Sandusky House, kept
BY g. II. Wagner, tho blacksmith shop OF
Kinney & Mitoholl, Cunmings' livery-atablo,
and dwollings to the north Of these, on tho sume
Of tile wind, next north Of tho stable, lay horao
owned by Frank Boxheimor, and occupied by
Charles Herbstrit, and hvo other dwellings
shcao boing on tho west Hide OF tKent to Hastings
street.
Tho buildings above described wore nil (oxoept
perhaps tho last ono on tho block OIL each Bido)
burning moro or lcss before a stream OF wator
could 30 got although tho engines were station-
ed and had their ateam up in MI astoniBhingly
ahort time, tue flremcn at once realizing tho
fearful prospect before tlom, and working with
terrific onergy during the whole time Of the con-
aagration, aud till long after it's limits Ind been
renched.
The brick block of stores, shops, and tono-
mentH, owned by Fobig and Ra!hmRt1l, waB heat
cd through, md smoked at times, but by great
exortio1is it waa kept from catching. The Swod-
ish boarding house foil to aBlloa beneath it's cast
wall, without burning it i; but the Grand Rapids
through tho two upper atorios, bringing tho fro
to face Canal street, with hoat so unBupport-
ablo that only by turning tho nozzeB upon them
solYea, and by occasionally loaping into the canal,
could tho firemen thore stationed endure it.
but oil through the rebt Of TINT block, north
to Hastings street, aud through tho block cor
nering northeast upon tho ono in which the fire
started, bounded by Kout, Ottowa Hastings,
and Trowbridgo Streets and through tho no1th
half Of the block south Of that, it was ono roar-
ing sea md tempest OF 1amo, rosistlesH, terrible,
dotlant, and overwhelming.
Tho wind seemed to steadily strengthen by tho
ruin 1t fed upon, and by this time had shifted
from little Houth OF weBt to about duo south
west, md had Increased to AL absolute gale.
Tho descriptions of the Chicago and tho Peshti-
20 fires were hore Btrikingly brought to mind.
Masses of blaze wore continually hurled through,
tho air horizontally above the houses without
any apparent substance accompanying them.
Sheets Of blazo soomcl to sottie down from
tho armament and begin dovouring tlo roofs Of
houses half q block to Toward Of the ncarost one
burning in tho principal mass, leaving several
mot yet ignita1 hotwocn, but for d short time
only. Massive tree tops suddenly dried to Q
nothing but a Bmoking trunk aud li,nbu were
loft. Streams Of blazo ran swiftly along tho
plnnk sidewalks, doyonring them suddenly.
Ont-houHos, fences, and ahrrlbbery molted away
at 0 touch Of tho fiery breath.
The tmo of gr0ntcst alarm Wleu the conIla-
grafton rode OH tho high tide Of triumphant
power, and it looked aa IL it would level oyery-
thing 81 far as to Collbrook, began three-quar-
ters Of an hour utter the fire broke out lasting
from 6 O'Clock to half- ,-past--ono long, dreadful
half-hour. During this time more than hum
drod families, mostly poor people, aud principal
ly Germans and 1lo}nndors, wero distractedly
hauling tioir household effects out Of doors aud
pitching them out Of windows, with tho usual
ing, by breakago or otherwiAo, tho demolition Of
tho property they strove to savo. It waa hard
sight to look at poor men and womon red iu face,
rocking with sweat oxerting themselves to
desperation. ovorloadinE themselves. and rush.
ing frantieally with tlloir furniture. bedling,
trunks babos, and cradles. to places Of apparent
safety, and, on returning with another load, find
Ing they must carry them still further awuy.
Tho household goods Of at 1east one hun
dred families were 90 removed, some OF
throe or four tinos, till driven at last to tho
foot Of tho steep part Of tho blum before thom
as barrior to oil further efforts they fled for
their own lives in agony, leaving everything they
had to destruction. Perhaps one-third as mnny
moro families managed to save somo Of tholr
things. Fow. If any, saved any considerable
portion.
From halt-pnst to o'clock tho wind yeored
moro to tho west or nearly as it was at tho start
Of tho fire. ThiH dcadenod the haadway Of the
tho bluff, and gavo tho Champion ExtinguiBher
opportunity to work along the north side OF
Irowbrldgo atrcct, on houses whore sparks
flashed up. Tho south side Of tho street is tho
northern limit Of tho fire.
by Il qnarter-paat G o'clock, or, to speak with
moro certainty. by half-pasrG 6. tho final limits OF
Tho cont]agratiou beca1lo p]anly marked out.
and sense OF blossed relief came oyos the Gu
lire community.
Tho onginuB remainod at work. playing on the
most threatening ruins still blnzing, and guard
ing weak points, till some time after the heavy
rain began falling, which WIS nbout halt-past 10
o'clock.
IA list Of tho principal loases and insurances
VAS given in our isuue Of yeatortay.-Ep.
rn1nuNE.l
LynchinE in Louisville.
From Tho .Nesu albany, Ledger .Iuiy IA.
We learn that case Of lyncl,ing occurred hear
ho Louisville Rolling Mill, OIL Brook Btreet, be-
,weon Main and the rivor, Louisville, this morn
ng about 8 o'clock. We understand tho facts to