The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-07-22
Particulars Of The Great EilG.

CHICAGO, July l5.-Our citizens
are reviewing the situation this morn
ing, and congratulating themselves
that they have escaped the destruc-
ton of the most important business
portion of the city, which appeared at
one time imminent. This time the
fire originated in a low frame build
ing, used for storing rags, and ad-
joining an oil factory that stood be-
tween Fourth Avenue and Clark
Street, on Taylor Street. The great
fire of 1871 originated in q stable.
In both cases the fire commenced in
the center of a neighborbood occupi-
ed by wooden buildings. There was
also a stiff southwest breeze, so that
by the time the flames had consumed
the small dwellings, stables, carpen-
ter shops and buildings filed with oil,
paper and rags, and reached State
Street, where there were substantial
business houses, they were like the
heat of a furnace, and all-consuming
in their power. Thus the conditions
for a great conhagration were not
wanting. Fortunately after burning
up nearly twenty blocks, and destroy
ing the First Baptist Church, two
other church buildings, the Postofice,
Michigan Avenue and st. James
Hotels, the Inter- Oceanic and other
elegant blocks erected after the fire OF
1871, and q number offine residences,
the flames were stayed right at the
very doors of the heaviest business
blocks and three or four Of the best
hotels.
The Tribune says, editorialiy
Every cool-headed observer of the
fire must have felt that we have paid
a light penalty for allowing our mag
nifcent business centre to be sur
rounded with wooden rookeries, and
we have come off cheap. The great
gilded martyr around which the fag.
gots have been so ~profusely piled.
has not yet been burned to death.
Perhaps this calamity will show us
how to save it, perhaps not. There
are some sixty acres of burned terri
tory between the faggots and the
victim. This gap may be the means
of saving what is left; if so, thank
God. The predestinated fate O
every wooden building in the large
cities is to be burned sometime. We
have now offered up sixty acres o.
combustibles Is a sacrifice to the gent
US offree institutions, meaning thereby
the freedom Of every man to keep a
finder box and an oil factory where it
suits him best. Would that we coulC
say this is the last of such mad folly
1t is not. Chicago still has thou
sands upon thousands of wooder
shanties to feed future fires, and q
down they will, all in good time
The Times and Inter Ocean alst
speak in strong terms CT the folly 0
allo wing the erection of woodeI
buildings within the city limits.
The following are the exact limit
of the fire as viewed this morning
The fire burned q small portion o
Clark Street, near Twelfth, where j
originated; thence took Third an,
Fourth Avenues between Peck Cour
and Twelfth Street, and burned then
as far as Harrison Street. Stat
Street was burned from Harmon
Court to Van Buren,; Wabash Ave
nue., from No. 452, neal the corner q
Peck Court, to No. 167, near Va
Buren,. Michigan Avenue has bee,
burned from Harrison Street to Va
Buren, Street, a short distance. Th
business buildings burnt out on th
east side ofState Street number 80
on the west side, ninety-six; on th
east side Wabash Avenue twenty-siS
on the west side, thirty-four; o
Michigan Avenue, twelve; on n
east side of Clark Street, fourteen
on the north side OF Van Buren, Street
+ six on the south side, six; on til
north side of Polk Street, eight; O
the south side, four; on the mort
side Of Harrison Street, twelve; o
the south side, sixteen; on the sout
f side of Twelfth Street, thirteen; o
the north side twenty-five.
The following general description
of the progress Of the fire, and tn
efforts of the fire department to &c
it under control, is furnished by tb
Times: Nearly east Of the shant
where the fire originated was tb
large brick oil factory of Fitch Bros
the interior of which, with the larg
tanks Of oil, was all ablaze before th
arrival of the second engine. Tn
heat emitted by the burning of its in