Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-07-23

to the lake side, The wind blowing
fresh from the South. The First Bap-
list church has been destroyed, and al
this time the flames have reached the
postoffice. Assistance has been asked
from all adjoining towns Telegra,
phic communication is nearly suspend,
ed.
Second Dispatch.
GREAT DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY
THOUSANDS RENDERED HOMELESS.
CHICAGO, July 14.-Another con
fagation is raging in the heart of the
city 1t broke out on Twelfth street
and at half past six o'clock the flames
had made almost clean sweep up to
the corner Of Third avenue and Polk
street, burning up the homes of tbous.
ands Of people.
At the above,corner the Fire Depart
ment commenced the process of blow
ing up the buildings with gun powder,
but the buildings experimsnted with
were small wooden affairs, and the
process would only have the effect of
making greater blaze of them.
The wind is blowing very fresh from
about south southwest, and the fire is
now on the very 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, and
which offered haven of refuge in the
winter of 1871. The fire is just i'm
mediately in rear of the Baptist church,
and should that structure go down the
fire will have clear sweep northward
and eastward, and the Exposition build
ing will, in all likelihood, be the final
prey of the fire, and as that is immed-
lately on the lake shore there will be
nothing for the flames to feed upon,
provided we have the good fortune not
to have change of wind.
A dense black pail of smoke hang
ing over the expected course Of the fire
dropping it's advance messengers of Gin
ders on the roofs of buildings. Al
though private citizens are doing their
utmost to prevent the fire getting a
hold upon their homes, yet the effort is
as futile as for child to make the at
tempt. The roar of the advancing
furnace has the sound of our old calami-
ty, and nothing short of its final plunge
into Lake Michigan will quench it.
Our streets within mile Of the con :
dagration are crowded with teams of
every description, loaded to their utmost
capacity with household goods. AL
though storekeepers, who are so for
tunate as to secure team, are endeav-
oring to save their most valuable stock,
Whenever vacant space north of the
fire can be found it is at once filed
with goods Of all varieties Men, wo-
men and children are doing all they
can to save their little all and bring it
to some place Of safety.
The fire from this time % P. NJ on
will burn up as much in five minutes
as it has previously done in fifteen,
considering the value of dollars and
cents
The heat is very great, and no
doubt that in addition to pecuniary
losses we will have to mourn the loss
of lives, as it is next to impossible for
fire of this magnitude and fury, and
burning through as closely settled
district as this, without human sacri-
fee.
AS the postoffice is directly in line
of the fire its employees will have all
they can do to save the mail matter in
the building, and consequently there
will be no mails from this city this
evening, and there can by no possibili
ty be one sent before tomorrow even.
ing.
The fire has burned over, SO far,
about half a mile in length and four
blocks in width, and although the ex
plosion of gun powder is still heard
every now and then, there is but little
hope Of staying the fire short of the
limits given above.
Third Dispatch.] =
TH OFFICE ,DEsTRoYED-rHE
FLAMES BEYOND CONTROL, &c.
CHICAGO, July 14-The fire broke
out at the corner of Twelfth and Iar-
ris streets and has so far swept TO the
corner of Harrison and Lake streets.
The postoffice has been destroyed, but
the contents were saved. The Gar.
diner and Matteson houses are in dan
ger.
The fremen have no control over
the flames, and the excitement is in
| tense.
| CHICAGO, July 15.-The limits o.
the fire are as0follows On Clark street
No. 535, which is about Twelfth street