The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-07-15
CHICAGO AGAIN I
Destructive Fire Raging in the
City's Heart.
Large Tract Of Land Burned Over.
Loss IMMENSE-PROBA Loss
OF LIFE.

CHICAGO, July 1.-THE fire started about
$50 p. m, i'll some small houses near 4th Ave-
nue. and Polk street. 1t was first blown south
ward by stiff breeze, but the wind soon shift
ed ana by sunset it was blowing a gale from
the south, sending the fire toward the central
part of the CITY,
Second Despatch.
CHICAGO, July "A, Up. m.-Another confa-
grafton is raging in the heart of the city. AT
hait-past six O'clock the flames had almost
maze clean sweep up to the corner of Sd
Avenue and Polk street, burning up the houses
of thousands of people. At the above corner
the nre department commenced the process of
blowing up buildings with gunpowder, but the
buildings experimental with were small wood
en- affairs and only had effect to quicken the
blaze. The wind is blowing very fresh from
ABOUT south west. The fire is now on the verge
OF the fire line OF our big fire at Harrison
street.
The west side of Wabash avenue is now in
full blaze, which takes many a stately building
in Its course, which offered haven of refuge
in the winter of 1871. The fire is Just imnedi-
ately in the rear of the First Baptist church,
and should that structure 90 down the fire will
have clean sweep to the northward and cas- /
ward, an the Exposition building wil in all
likelihood be the final prey of the fire, and as
that is immediately on the Lake shore, there
will be nothing for the fire to feed upon pro-
vlded we have the good fortune not to have a
change of wind
A dense black pail of smoke is hanging over
the expected course of the fire, dropping its adj
vance messengers of cinders on the roofs of the
buildings Although p-ivate citizeus are do
ing their utmost to prevent the fire getting a
hold upon their homes, yet the effort is as flu
- rs for child to make the attempt. The
rear OF the advancing furnace has the sound of
our old calamity, and nothing short of its final
plung into Lake Michigan will quench it,
flInC 81 aAt. /, Il
ton are crowded with teams of every descrp-
ton loaded to their utmost capacity with
household goods. Store keepers also who are
SO fortunate as to secure team are endeavor-
ing to save their valuable stocks Whenever
vacant space north of the fire can be found it
Is at once filled with goods of all descriptions
and varieties.
The heat is very great and there is no doubt
that in addition to the pecunary losses we will
have tomorrow the loss of lives, as it is next
to impossible for a fire of this magnitude and
fury burning through as closely settled a dis
trict as this without calling for many a burn
ing sacrifice.
As the post Office is directly in line with the
fire, its employees will have all they can do to
save the mail matter in the building, and con-
sequently there will be no mails from the city
this evening, and there can by no possibility be
one sent before tomorrow evening.
The principal lines of the Western Union
Telegraph Co., running east through State
street, have all been burned, some 40 wires, but
as the lines on Canal street are out of all posi-
BILE danger, there will be no interruption of
tele9raphlc communication.
The fire has burnt over, so far, about half
mile in length and some four blocks in width
and although the explosion of gunpowper is
still heard every little while. there is bat little
hopes of staying the fire short of the limits
given above.
Third Despatch.
CHICAGO, July IA, s 30 p m-The Post-office
building has been burned. A large brick
building on Wabash avenue that checked the
flames in the old fire seems to hold them in
check now. The tiremen are using every exer-
ton to stay the spread Of the flames northward
into the rebuilt district. The mails in the post
office were all moved before the building was
burned, to safe place. AT this hour the wind
has died away somewhat and the hope is now
that the fire will be kept from spreading
Fourth Despatch.
The fire broke out at the corner of 18th and
Harrison streets, and has now swept to the
corner of Harrison and Lake streets. The
Gardiner and Matteson Houses are in danger.
The firemen have no control over the flames.
Fifth Despasch-The Fire Checked.
10 p m.-Fhe fire swept into and over the
elegant First Baptist church on Wabash ave-
nue. and what was before sunset one of the
most elegant and costly church edtices in the
city in now heap OF ruins. AS it was very
evident from the course of the fire and strength
of the Wild about half-pasJ six this afternoon
that the postoffi e building was In probability
doomed, Gen. Macarthur postmaster, made ar
rangements to remove the mail matter to a
place of safety. All needed teams were at
once pressed into service and by 8 o'clock the
last loaded wagon left the building. At ten
minutes past eight the building caught fire,
The sgind by O'Clock had almost died away,
which assisted the fire department greatly in
becoming masters of the situation.
At toe corner where the postoffice was sitn
ated, Wabash avenue and Harrison street, the
very point where the previous great fire was
stopped, our hremen seemed infused with SUI
perhuman efforts to prevent the fire spreading
into the rebuilt district. The building on the
southeast corner was a large BRICK dwelling
house and by making buwark Of this against
every coming sheet of fame, the prospect of
holding this building and saving it, thereby
preventing the progress of the fire through to
Michigan avenue, was quite promising at
$50 O'clock whereas the northeast corner of
the streets occupied by the postoffice was then
mass of flames, very heavy and high
brick building adjoned the postoffice on the
north. There is no doubt that the spread of
the fire north of Wabash avenue from this
point has been checked.
Among the buildings destroyed on the east
side of Wabash avenue was the church form
ery occupied by the congregation of Robert
that the contlagration should be checked and
the very building, spared by the previous fire
should now be one of the last to succdmb this
time.
The mails were all removed to the sub-station
on the corner of West Washington and Hal
stead streets, between Eldridge Court and Har-
rison street on the east side of Wabash avenue.
Some dozen handsome buildings were destroy
ed. The whole of the west side of the avenue
between these limits every building was lev
eled to the gIound, and looking west the same
dead level of ruins is presented as was wildly
engraved on the memories of our inhabitants
in 1871. The losses estimated by this fire in the
destruction and rmoval of goods and furniture
is in all probability as great as the actual loss
on the buildings destroyed up to $50 p. M, fol
it takes but moderate sized fire to induce
Chicago people to move out their goods and
chattels. About every store along Wabash
avenue and State street as far north as Manroe
street. was removing its goods or the most
valuable part thereof, to places of safety, and
the dwelling houses in this apparent line of the
fire were not slow in following the same in
stinet of self-preservation by the removal Of
everything portable frgm cellar to garnet.
The destruction entailed by this speedy and
hurried exodus will never figure among the
losses sustained by insurance companies. 1t is
very probable that should the fire be stayed
where it now is, considering the area burned
over the losses to insurance companies will be
very light although hundreds of families LOST
their all and have been rendered homeless. The
bad have suffered with the good, and probably
that section of the city would not have been
purified of its slums SO effectually in the next
fifty years as it has this evening in the space
of three hours
1130 p. M.-The southern bounds Of the fire
are No. 475 Wabash Avenue, just south o.
Eldridge Court, No. SIS State Street. near Har
mon Court, and 253 Third Avenue, between
Peck Court and 18th Street.
In the corner of Peek Court and Wabasi
Avenue is the only point where the flames havi
any hold. The fire orig 1ated in paint man
ufaaturing shop on tie corner of 18th and Clarl
streets. Some workmen were mixing pain
and an explosion occurred which ignited the
building.
On the north the fire has broken out on thu
corner of Michigan avenue and Congress street
MIchigon Avenue Hotel is on fire. 1t is prob
able the Exposition building and Art CALLER,
| can be saved.
Sixth Despatch.
1920 p. M.-The fight with the fire is now oil
! State Street and Wabash Avenue, between Val
| Buren, and Harrison Streets. The flames seen