Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-10-03
From Chicago.
THE LAST TWO FIRES
CHICAGO. Sept. 18th, lo15-

CHICAGO, Sept l9ih' 100
Editor Free Press and Time.
If there is any one subject, more than an
other. upon which Chicago man, can
write intellirently, it Is that Of "iire-
Nearly two years have passed since the
:. Fjre-dend'' made such sad havoc here,
leaving our fair city a mass of ruins, ana
rendering thousands homeless and PENN
less: vet those terrible hours are still FRESH IN
onr memories and when the signal warns
us tbata eonhasratisn Is bursting forth
from some section Of oar city, We shrink IN
terror. Fancy. then, the feelings OF those
who on Wednesday evening heard the gen
eral alarm. sounded. indicating that a con-
Aagration Of more than ordinary magnitude
was raging. At the time, high wind pre-
vailed from ue southwest; and those
knowing tie location trcmblel, and with
pale faces. and beating hearts repaired to
the scene of destruction. Every thing that
could favor a widespread contagration was
presented. Originating in tie southern
portion Of the western division Of the city,
in region thickly covered with light frame
buildings-mere finder b0xes-with the
wind blowing towards the very heart Of the
city. it seemed as though a repetition OF
that most disastrous catastrophe of Ocio-
Der. ISL. was to be repeated,-but thanks
70 an energetic fire department. aided by
the earnest cooperation oi-our citizens, all
quickened by SO terrible an experience, that
dread calamity has been avoided; and al
though many buildings have been reduced
to ashes. and hundreds rendered homeless
vet 1t was confined to limits that were Meth
er ornamental nor useful to oar city
Il would seem that fate las ordained that
the error committed by the early settlers Of
Chicago, in erecting such fral buildings,
must be wiped out, ere the city shall reach
that eminence that is ineyitably her portion,
and which She 50 justly merits. Aboutiour
blocks Of buildings were swept by the
flames, with loss Of nearly $4,000. and
an insurance Of Ssl, 92j. We had scarcely
recovered from the shock caused by the
foregoing, when on last evening We heard
the fatal peal Of the alarm, announcing
that again the fiery element vas at work,
and another fire was in progress, even more
dangerous. from the fact that il was raging
in the very heart of the city. The fire de-
partment, though weary from their efforts
on the preceding evening, battled the flames
with commendable energy. Drawing CANCERS
that those not at the scene cannot justly
appreciate.
Though last night fire was comparative
ly small in extent, it required skill and cool |
ness Of Judgment to confne il within such F.
limits The estimated loss j. 81, 800. with /
an insurance Of about So. 400.
Our Exposition building is rapidly APP |
preaching completion. The exterior j. |
about finished, while the interior j. rccciy- /
ing the finishing touches. Standsare being I
erected for the display of goods, and every |
where great activity prevails, insuring the |
faithful fulfllmcnt of the announcement (
that it viii be opened on September 2jth.
Applications for space TO the number Of five /
hundred have been refused. it al being
taken 4 month since. There viii be many
novel features in connection with the exhi-
bition that only Chicago could conceive.
We will render fall description at tie
time Of the opening. Gen. McArthur. our
postmaster, proposes TO establish branch
Office in the building. for the reception and
distribution Of mails. adding greatly to the
convenience of exhibitors. and iu-uriug
more rapid dcliy rics. Ia fact, everything
that has been suggested that viii be essen
tial TO make the Exposition the most COM
plete and successful of any ever held on this
continent has, or will be. adopted
Chicago proposes to show TO the world
that She has other aspirations than that OF
mere money-getting that She honors in
dustry, science, and art and seeks 10 ad-
vance the interests of all that Is useful,
beautiful, and wonderful