Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-07-23
ANOTHER GREATFIREIN CHICAGO.
Sixty Acres Burned Over and 1000
Houses Consum ed-Loss S5,00o,0OO.

from 5000 to 10000 persons homeless.
The Tribune of the 18th gives the follow
ing account of its origin and progress F:
The fire commenced in that portion of
the city known as Cheyenne, between
Taylor and Twelfth and Clark streets.
and Fourth avenue. This part of the
city consists of the worst rookeries
imaginable, most of which are occupied
as houses of ill-fame. The alarm was
struck from the corner Of Twelfth and
Clark streets at halfpast four o'clock, and
few minutes afterward, when the first
engine arrived, the whole area from No.
0U3 to 523 Clark street, through to Third
avenue, was in flames. The wind blew a
gale from the southwest, and in spite. of
the efforts of the firemen the
fire crossed Third avenue, communi-
eating to Quinn's Chapel (colored), on
the east side of that street. The spread
OF the flames southwark on Clark was
checked at No 527, although the build
ings from 527 to 537 are badly damaged.
The grocery, corner of Taylor and Clark
streets, and the adjoining four houses.
Nos. 497, 499, sol and SOB were saved
and are now standing solitary and alone
IN the midst of a vast wilderness of
blackened ruins. The building on the
northeast corner of Clark and TAYLOR
caught fire at about five o'clock and
slowly burned northward until it reached
467, where it was checked.
The southern limit on the west side of
Third avenue is the large wooden dis
tillery of G. C. Russell s Co., No. 27S.
This rookery was saved through the ex-
ertions of the workmen of the place.
who turned out, twenty strong, and put
all their steam pumps into operation,
thus preventing the spread of the con
f1agration southwark on that street.
From this point the fire spread with fear
full rapidly in a nOrtheasterly direction,
and at about 5 80 o'clock it had burned
through to the corner of Taylor and
State streets. The strange phenomenon,
namely the jumping of the flames and
communicating to buildings whole
squares distant, was again witnessed on
this occasion.
While the fire had not crossed to the
north of Taylor, Mrs. Pryor's millinery,
on the northeast corner Of Polk street
and Third avenue, commenced to burn,
and, in spite of the eXertions of an en-
CINE and numberless citizens, was soon
burning from top to bottom. Shortly
afterward, at about six o'clock, the Ger
man Methodist Church, corner of Third
avenue and Polk street, caught fire in
the steeple, and at the moment it COM
menced to burn the bell in the tower
gave one loud stroke, although there was
nobody in the church at the time.
At about 6 o'clock it had burned
through to State street. Nothing
could be done to stop the fury of the
flames to the north, therefore the atten-
ton of the firemen was mainly directed
to the south, and they checked the spread
of the fire in that direction at No. SIS.
The southern limits of the fire on Fourth
avenue are No. 1854 on the west side and
No. 253 on the east side, about ten houses
north of Twelfth street.
AT about lIalf-past six o'clock the fire
crossed State, communicating to the
building No. 500, opposite Taylor, and
thence burned north on both sides of
State. On the corner of Wabash avenue
and Peck court, at seven o'clock, whes
the fire was going at rapid rate toward
Wabash avenue, the reporter met Aid
Campbell and Police Superintendent
Rehm. Mr., Campbell wanted to blow
up some of the buildings, but Rehm de-
clined to aid, as he had not the power to
do So Mr., Campbell said he had spoken
to the Mayor about the same thing,
but the Mayor peremptorily de
clined to do any such thing. The
reporter passed on to Wabash
avenue, and there met Mayor Colvin,
who seemed to have lost all energy
and power. He said he could do moth
ing.
At twenty minutes to seven o'clock
the First Baptist Church, an immense
stone structure on Wabash avenue, be-
tween Peck and Eldridge courts, caught
fire, from whence the flames spread rap
idly south, and, at seventeen minutes
past seven, Woods Hotel, corner of State
and Hubbard Court, was burning.
From here the flames extended north
and south along both sides of Wabash
avenue, leveling the fine business struct-
ures which line that throughfare, until
the fire was finally got under control
about midnight, having broken through
to Michigan avenue only at Congress
street. The alley between Wabash
and Michigan avenues prevented the
further spread of the fire toward the
lake.
The flames at $50 o'clock had reached
the south end of the St. James Hotel
and it was evident that in less than ten
minutes the interior would be all afiame.
At this moment just as the cOrnice
Of the hotel caught fire, Mayor Col
vim appeared at this point and gave
orders to blow up the hotel On being
asked what buildings he intended to
blow up, the Mayor said he would if nee
essary blow up all the buildings on the
south side of Van Buren, street from
State street to Michigan avenue. In
answer to the question whether he had
anyone competent to do the work thor
oughly he replied somewhat angrily that
of course he had. The competency of
the individual was shown about twenty
minutes later when the slow match was
lighted. The crowd had been moved
back nearly a block; the three engines
stationed at this corner had been drawn
off, necessitating their idleness for at least
fifteen minutes the powder was carried
into the center store, the match was
lighted, and about half dozen persons
scampered out of the front door as if
fleeing the wrath to come. The crowd
held it's breath, and those nearest the
doomed building Crouched in doOrways
and behind walls to obtain protection
from the shower which would be apt to
follow the explosion. The lamentable
izzle that did follow was only effective
in thoroughly preparing the building to
burn rapidly and fiercely. There was
muffied thud, and scattering puff of
smoke and broken glass few out of the
front of the store into the street Not a
brick was disturbed, nor even the glass
of the adjoining stores broken. The
floors were made into kindling- and
the fire was started at the bottom of the
building instead of the top. The result
MaS th ~ II, ti-e 1rnin11tes the Erhnla h11iIa