Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-07-22

w ASHlNGlON, July H. elt grams
received here tonight, report another
large fire In Chicago which
Destroyed over - Halt Vile
Of the southern portion % the city. 1t
began on Twelfth street on the South.
side and so far it has been confined to
old Rookeys, but il is feared that It will
extend TO the Lake side the wind
blowing fresh from the southwest.
The First Baptist church has been de
stroyed, and by this time the flames
have reached the po>toflice. Assist
ance has been asked for from the adj
joining towns. Telegraphic commu-
nication is nearly suspended.
CHICAGO, July l4.-Another contla-
grafton is raging in the heart of the
city. 1t broke outin 18th 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 homes Of thousands of
people. At the above corner the fire
department commenced the process of
Blowing Up Buildings
with gunpowder, but the buildings eX-
perimented with were small wooden
affairs and the process would only have
the effect of making quicker blaze of
them. The wind is blowing very fresh
from about south of Southwest. The
fire is now on the verge of the fire
line of our biz fire at Harrison street.
West side of Wabash avenue is now
In Fun.BIazc,
which takes many u stately building
in its course that offered u haven of
refuge in the winter of 1871. The fire
is just Immediately in rear of the First
Baptist church, and should that struc-
ture go down, the fire will have . clear
sweep to northward and eastward, and
the exposition building will, 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, provided we have the
good fortune not to have a change Of
the wind.
CHICAGO, July 15-23O A. M.--The
limits OF the fire are as follows On
Clark street, No. 535, which is above
18th street on the south, and above
Polk street on the north on Dearborn
street the Southern limit is near l2th
street and the northern limit Polk
street. On Wabash avenue, Harmon
Court forms the southern boundary
and the southern limit being between
Jackson and Van Buren, streets.
On State street in the Southern limit
is Harmon Court, the line extending
on the north nearly to Jackson street.
Third and Fourth avenues are burned
nearly their whole length. The fire
burned number of houses on
Michigan avenue, but has not damaged
that street to any great extent Some
twenty blocks are burned. The loss is
Yariously estimated, but it can not he
given with accuracy. | will not be
less than four million dollars, and will
probably not be over six millions.
This is covered by about two-fifths in
surance, which il distributed among
numerous companies, since the great
fire companies have been very careful
not to take large risks in one locality.
The following are the largest losses
The Jewish synagogue, $50, 900
Quinn's Chapel, $4,000; the Adelphi
Theatre, SO 600; st. James Hotel, and
furniture, $3.50 900; the Postofiice, $50.
600; the First Baptist Church, Sl0O,.
600; the Church of Messiah, S25, coo
Olivet Baptist Church (colored)
1000.
A number of serious casualties are
reported, and several persons were
doubtless lost in the flames. The fire
is now completely under control, and
no further anxiety is felt for the safety
of property on the north side of the
city.
How the Fire Originated.
The fire, yesterday, originated in 6
low frame building used for storing
rags, and adjoining an oil factory thai
stood between Fourth avenue anC
Clark street, on Taylor street. There
was a stiff southern breeze blowing Sc
that by the time the flames had con
sumed the small dwellings, stables
carpenter shops and other buildings
were filled with oil, paper and rag
and reached State street. where ther,
were substantial business houses, they
were like the heat of a furnace and al
consuming in power.
what the Newspapers Say.
The newspapers comment strongl.
on the folly of allowing wooden build
ings in the city limits. The mos
prominent among the business losse
are the st. James Hotel, VIM. Bode
man, druggist, the Remington Sewing
Machine Company, Remington 4
Sons, gun and pistol manufacturers
Rasmussen Bros, boots and shoes
4. 4. Cnarlesi lamps ana feHectofs, n
Slode, carriages, a. Wheeler hard
ware G., NJ. Cheney, sale stables tn
Prussing Vinegar Works, Schweerer
& Huper, stoves, &c, b. f. GivandaU
trested rings, &c, p. NJ. Plat, clothing
p. & II. Mayer and l.. c, Chase d Co
saddles and harness, A. Schrefertem
Bro, furniture and manufacturers, NJ
w. d f. Tester, furniture, range;
&c, Frost & Co, wholesale liquo
dealers, John ID. Mclean & Co., stove
and ranges, II. & NJ. Nuberger, furni
ture, Van Bramer Il Flood, hardware
and many others. The fire burne
over fifteen squares, taking bit
and half block here and there. Lump
ing the whole of the burned avenue
it Is about half mile long and littl
less in width and embraced tumbl
down shanties and Palatial avenu
residences.
The Losses.