New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-07-16
THE CHICAGO CALAMITY.
SCENES IN TIE RUINED DISTRICT.

THOUSANDS OF DEGRADED PEOPLE HOMELESS
lnY TELEGRAPH TO Tue rRIBUNEl
Cu,cAco. July 15.-The fire was checked at about
,r,dpiobt. Int not until it had gone two squares
north of Harrison-st and destroyed great NUMBER
of valuable buildings on Wabash and Mchlgan-ayes'
and on Safest walk over the entire burned aus
.rict this morning gave one idea of the extent Oh
the fire that il was impossible to obtain Iast ngn'
Entering the burned district from the north ana on
hlchgan-ave.. the point where the ire was many
conauered is found on Michigan-ave., between van
Ruren and JacksOn-sts.,th most important buildings
burned On Miclngan-ave. was the Michigan
Avenue Hotel. The fire of 1871, It may be remem-
hred stopped al this hotel in its progress along the
lake 'front.' and the building was temporarily occu-
ned by the proprietors of the fremont House.
P.tvecD this and the Gardner House which was
DESTROYED in 1871 and reOpened last year, several
bindings were burned. The Gardner House was for
n time in great danger, and most of the guests
sought shelter elsewhere. Had it ignited no one
ran tell how far the fire would have extended, as
the Matteson House on the opposite of Jackson-st'
md the Exposition building Oh the opposite side OF
Micaigan-ave would with difficulty have been
saved. The loss of these buildings would nave
brought the fire IN direct contact with the rebuilt
business portion of tine city.
NORTH nj the Michigan Avenue Hotel and on the
1arner of Van Buen-st., stands large Ouii'--s
octod since the fire of 1871. and used as an art gal
lrv and marble and stationery store. Although the
IRE extended beyond this. it almost miraculousy
escaped Its contents were removed, Dut were
being replaced this morning, apparently very HIte
damaged. Between Congress and Harrlson-SVs' the
same phenomenon repeated. hne dWelNng
Was DESTROYED while those on either side escaped e
Tho scene on Mchigan-ave. this morning was very
Il fur
was so hastily removed from the beautiful dwell
mos IN the lake front last evening, while the hre
,v.s s,veering down Wabash-ave., were collecting
3, and returning IL. IN many cases in q very DAM
aced condition. Many residents on that street tor
long time last evening refused 70 move rs there was
little choice between losing their furniture outright
and the injury It was TO incur If put out IL the
park
Crossing over 10 Wabash-av., came at once upon
the scene f the greatest pecuniary loss Here ana
on Safest were situated the most valuable build
lucs that were destroyed. Standing on WabaSh-ave.
Al the corner Of Van Buren-st, and looking towards
the southwest one could almost imagine that ne
was In the center of the cOnhagrauon OF ISL
brisk wind that swept across the river carried before
II the smoke and dust which rose IN blending CLOUDS
from the cellars filed with brick and mortar,
crumbliug stone and twisted iron. Here and
more substantial buildings. Prominent among
these were the remains of Alkcn's Theaer the Post
Office. and the First Baptist Church The last
especiaIlv was a stately ruin. Though the IRE had
completely destroyed the interior, the steepie tha'
part of 10 that was Of wood, and portion OF the
walls still stood and it only needed the absence OF
smoke. rank weeds spriuging up about II, and some
creeping ivy 70 complete the Illusion that age IN
stead of tire had done the work Of destruction
Wabash-ave. is IN ruins from Van Buren-st 10
little above Eldridge-court. The ire also crossed
over Van Buren-st. TO the north and took the nrst
huildiDr on the west side of the avenue. and
although a vacant lot interviewed between 1t and its
next neiehbor badly damaged the latter. About in
the center of the burned portion of the west sde Of
Wabash-ave. beginning al HubbaTd-court and ex-
tending south about halfway to Peck-court,
the ire apparently receded, and left
almost intact nearly half a square OF
building II then forced its way again into the ave
nue. and took It's the beautiful residence OF
Z. c.. Hail. On SJate-st., from Van Buren-st. TO
Harmon Canal distance OF about SIX squares, the
fire Was the hottest. Sate-st. was indeed It's back
bone extending lengthwise through the burned dis
trct and dividing into TWO nearly equal parts.
Atl0o'clock this morning nearly y hours after
tie lire had done the most of its work, the heat
which arose from the smoking piles of brick and
stone and was radiated from the partially
standing walls was so great az TO make
the street almost impossible. One OF the
city street railways extends through Safest and
for several squares where the fire was hottest, the
rails We're this morning found warped and twisted
a. though they had been bent III forge In some
places the bends of rails M nearly two feet
from the street drawing out the spikes that fastened
them down as though there nothing 10 resist.
The most noticeable ruin Safest is that Of the
This imposing building which had a frontage Of 1Go
feet on Safest. aud 100 on Van Buren-st. burned
at IOoclock Those who were on the roof watching
the progress of the ire were convinced that the
building could not be saved three four hours be-
fore went unless the fire could be stopped al Har
rIsOn-st.. north of which there were many wooden
buildings. The burning of the 81. James Hotel was
the most imposing sight of the whole cOnfagraton.
When the flames had finally asserted their suprem-
acy they wrapped the building with great
tongue Of ire that roared and cracked il mounted
hundreds Of feet above the roof
Tins was the climax of the confasratiOn. After
the ST. James had burned the hremen obtained con-
trol Of the fire and the great danger TO the beauti-
fully rebuilt portion Of the city nearly passed
The burned district west of Safest. comprising
about one-ha1 Of the territory over which the tire
extended. was covered with wooden shanties, and
has been swept clean almost though they never
had been there. To be sure the ground il black
with ashes and charcoal, but there seems to
have been almost nothing IN this whole dis
tnct' except the gaspipes and the iron ma
chlnery OF few manufacturing establishments.
That was not eombustible Tins region was
occupied almost exclusively by the poorest and
lowest classes OF Chcagos population. 1t was the
Five Points. the Ninth Ward and the Wata,-s+ 90
the city combined. large proportion of the negro
population OF Chicago lived here and three Of tber