The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-07-15
BY TELEGRAPH
ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT
By the Western Union Line.
Vmee NolihWest cor. Of Main and Monroe sts
CHICAGO.
THE DOOMED CITY.
Another Devastating Visitation.
"BehOld how Great q Matter a
Little Fire Kindleth."
Full Particulars of the Ter
rible Disaster. aA.
Tremendous ExertiOns Of the
Fire Department.
Other Cities Coming to
the Rescue.
Tremendous ExertiOns Of the
Fire Department.
Other Cities Coming to
the Rescue.

Other Cities Coming to
the Rescue.
CHICAGO, June 14.-The FIRE started
about 4:S0 P. N. in some small frame
houses near Fourth avenue and Polk
street. 1t was at first blown southwark
BY s,stif breeze, but the wind soon shifted
and by sunset the wind blew a gale from
the south, sending the fire toward the
central part Of the city.
CHICAGO, July 14.-At, hsli-past
o'clock the fire had made almost clean
sweep up to the corner Of Third avenue
and Polk street, burning up the homes ol
thousands OF people. At the above cor
ner the fire department commenced the
process OF blowing up buildings with
gunpowder, but the buildings experimen.
ted with were but small wooden affairs
and would only have the effect Of making
a quicker blaze Of them, the wind
blowing as 1t does very fresh from about
southwest. 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 away a
stately building in its course which Of
fered haven OF. refuge inLthe winter Of
1871.
The fire is just Immediately in the rear
ol the First Baptist Church, and should
that structure go down, the fire will have
q clear sweep to the northward and east
ward, and the exposition building will in
all likelihood bethefnal prey OF the fire,
as that Is Immediately on the lake shore,
and there will be nothing further for the
fire to fall on, provided we have the good
fortune to not have q change Of wind.
A dense black pail Of smoke is hanging
over the expected course oil the fire, drop.
ping its advance messengers, cinders, on
the roofs Of the buildings.
Although private citizens are doing
their utmost in trying 10 prevent the FIRE
from getting a hold upon their houses,
yet their efforts are as futile as for q child
to make an attempt.
The roar Of the advancing furnace has
the sound Of our old calamity, and moth.
ing short of its final plunge into Lake
Michigan will quench 1t. Our streets
within q mile Of the coufagration are
crowded with teams of every description,
loaded to their utmost capacity with
household goods, although storekeeperS
who are 30 fortunate as to secure teams
are endeayoring to save their most valuA.
BILE stock. Whenever a vacant space
north of the fire can be found, 1t Is at
once filled with goods Of all descriptions
and variety. Men, women and children
are doing their utmost to save their little
all and bring 1t to some place Of safety.
The work Of the fire from this on will
burn up as much in one five minutes As
it has previously in fifteen, considering
the value In dollars and cents. The
heat Is very great, and there is no doubt
that in addition to the pecuniary losses
we will have to mourn the loss Of lives,
as It Is impossible for a fire Of this msgui.
tude and Jury, to burn through as closely
a settled district as this has been without
calling for many human sacrifice.
As the postoflce Is directly 10 the line
Of the confagration Its employees will
have all they can do to save the mail
matter In the building, and consequently
there will be no mails leave the city this
evening, and there can by no possibility
be one sent before tomorrow evening
should the department be successful In
saving their valusbles. The principal
lines Of the Western Union Telegraph
Company running through State street
have all been burned, some lorty wires,
but as the lines on Canal street are out Of
all possible danger, there will be no inter.
ruption Of telegraphic communication.
The fire has burned over so far about q
hall mile in length and some four blocks
In width. Although the explosion ofgdn
powder is still heard every little while,
there Is but little hopes oil staying the fire
short Of the limits given above,
LATER. ...
As predicted in a previous dispatch the
FIRE swept in and over the elegant First
Baptist Church on Wabash Avenue, and
what was this evening before sundown,
one Of the most elegant and costly church
edifces Of our city 10 now but shoulder.
ing heap Of ruins. As 1t was very evi.
dent from the course Of the fro and
strength Of the wind at about OF o'clock,
the postoflce building was in all proba.
bility doomed, General Macarthur, our
Postmaster, made arrangements at once
to remove the mails to place Of safety,
and all needed teams were at once pressed
into service by him, and by, 8 O'Clock the
last loaded wagon left the building; and
the place that had been the depository
Of the United State mails centeriug
here was deserted forever, for at 10 min
utes to s o'clock the building ffnt caught
and by hSlfpast s O'clock 1t was a mass
Of flames. Tho wind by 8 o'clock had
almost died away, which assisted our fire
department greatly in becoming masters
Of the situation, and at the corner where
the postof1ce was situated, at Wabash
avenue aud Harrison street, the very