St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-07-24

perated accounts of the city's destruc-
ton reached us. Long trains of empty
cars on the ILL.,, central and Mich, cen
trail railroad rushed passed, laundering
through the darkness, without so much
as a headlight. to publish their coming,
or red light, to bring up the rear.
A visit this morning to the "Burnt
district" only confirmed the sad story,
and brought us face to face. with the
CHASTITY ruins, still smoking from the
effects of the fire ficnd's hot embrace.
An arear of sixty acres, had been swept
of its buildings, in Il little more than
seven hours
The scene ..beggirs description
Parents looking for their children ;
thousands. rushing to and fro; the
hungry homeless, houSeleSs, pennileSs,
some seated calmly by il few pieces
of furniture. others moving back to the
unframed houses from which they had
been frightened merchants cooling of
their safes, eager for look at the con-
tents. gangs of workmen already put
ting up telegraph poles, or re-fittIng
the fearfully warped and twisted rails
of the street railroads e; old women
with ii half melted teakcttlc and bent
up stove hook, toting Off their only eff
fccts ; boys poking the ashes foI old
pennies and thousands of SightSeerS,
all with begrimcd faces. aud intlamcd
eyes.
The fire started in an old rookery full
of rags. at No. 527 South Clark Street,
just north of Twelfth. just across an
alley was barn filled with hay. The
brisk wind soon communicated fire to
this barn. which burned so quickly
that the two or three horses which it
contained could not he removed. Next
in order. and near ut hand. WAS an oil
refinery, which waS soon Il Scctlng
maSs of flames. Before the third alarm
had been given. calling the entire fire
department. the fire had made aston
s'iN III INV l'N viz sun
hul> lining Clark Street. and Third and
Fourth avenues. The wind from the
Southwest (hc same aS in ~ blew Il
hurricane. and in IN hour many acres
had been burned over
The flames soon wrapped in their
fiery embrace. and swept with IL .'bcSom
of dc>truction." Third and Fourth
avenues. and State street. thence to
Wabash, and finally t" Michigan avenue.
on the Lake front :and nnIthward from
Twelfth on the south. to Jackson on
the north about twenty squares. or
nearly sixty acres.
This fire has done much to assist the
It"m0n'S E,WSd,ic. State street. which
suffered most. being lined with saloons.
Probably from 100 to 100 drinking
places were wiped out among others
the great wholesale liquor house OF
O'Nirl. The social evil interest. also.
received ii most ritbcrjny rchmkc: the
many m0jSonS dc IIni>j,. of Third and
Fourth avenues. bcin" dcvnurcd hv the
greedy flames.
Among the more important buildings
DESTROYED we've the p">totiicc building.
S5O.n0O: First Baptist church, SIm.OOO:
old church of the Messiah. 50. HO
Olivrt Baptist (c"lorcd) church. : To-
600: Jewish Synagogue. $:n.noO: st.
MarN'> Catholic church. SIDO.Om
Queens Chapel. ~I5.m~ Ad,Iphi The
after. SI5.ihW: st. James Hotel. and
furniture. Sl5n.WW Continental Hotel. |
Michigan Avenue Hotel. and Woods |
Hotel.
What the next effort OF Chicago. in |
the WAY of Il fire will he. facts. not i'm |
aginati"n. alone can unfold.
I"uI> very TrulN.
WV. II. IInLMES.