St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-07-17
CHICAGO AGAIN IN ASHES
LOSS SIX LIVES AND FOUR MIL
LIONS PROPERTY.
HOTELS, CHURCHES, AND SOME OF THE
BEST RESIDENCES BURNED.

, BEST RESIDENCES BURNED.
Hardly has the great metropolis of
: the West recovered from the great fire
of 1871, when she is again smitten with
Il wide sweeping and hardly less de
Structivc contiagration. The section
doomed this time is the same as that
stricken in the former tirc-the south
cIn -hctwecn the river and the lake,
but this time it is the southern portion
of this section, instead of the northern,
in which the fire began. and its dirrc
ton northern. instead of southern. The
fire began, the dispatches tell us, about
+ l:W o'clock. Tuesday afternoon. in IL
paint manufacturing shop. corner of
18th and Clark streets. Some work
men We're mixing paint, when I'M eNplo-
sion occurred, the flames bursting forth
in IN instant and firing the building.
II WAS ut first blown southwark 10y Il
stiff breeze, but the wind soon shifted
to the southwest, and 10y sunset il blew
Il gale, sending the fire toward the
central part of the city. At half past
Il o'clock the flames had made almost Il
clean sweep up to the corner of Third
avenue and Polk street. At the above
corner the fire department commenced
the process of BLOWN" up buildings
with gunpowdcr, but the buildings cN-
pcrimcntcd with were small wooden
affairs and would only have the effect
of making quicker the blaze of them.
| The wind, nj this time. WAS BLOWN"
very fresh from about $oIIth-SouthWcst,
driving the fire up the west side of
Wabash avenue. which WAS soon in full
blaze. taking many Il stately building
lH its course, which offered Il haven of
refuge To the winter OF ISL. TIP
through Wabash avenue and State
street the flames swept, and soon the
elegant First Baptist church on the
former street was but IL heap of ruins.
DESTRUCTION OF THE roST-oFFICE.
As ii WAS very evident 10y 6}O O'Clock
from the course of the fire and the
strength of the wind that the post office
building WAS in all probability doomed.
Gen. Macarthur. the postmaster. made
arrangements to remove the mails to
place of safety. All needed teams were
ut once pressed int" the service. and 10y
: o'clock the last loaded wagon lctt the
building. 1t WIS none too soon. At 10
minutes past :. the huilding caught fire.
I =.
The wind. about this time. almost died
AWAY. and hops were entertained that
! the flames might he stayed at this point.
the very point where the great fire
of Isl was stopped and he prevented
/ from spreading" into the rebuilt district.
| The building on the southeast corner
/ WIS Il large brick dwelling house. and
| lay making Il hulwark of tins against
! I l,, Il
| the prospect of holding and saving it,
| thereby preventing the progress of the
! fire through to Michigan avenue. WAS
quite promising. Contrary to the hope
ful expectations. however. the fire from
this time gained upon the fine depart
mrnt. and. in spite of all the efforts uf
the whole fire department. at 1890
o'clock had progressed northward.
\ FAVORABLE CHANGE IN THE WIND.
At II::m the southern bounds of the
fire were 10 Wabash avenue. Just south
at Elhrid"c court: is State street.
near Harmon court: and 5EI Third
aVcnnc. between Peck court and
Twelfth street About midnight the
wind CHANGED To th" west. driving Tia"
tine back toward the district already
burned. and toward the lake. aud as
sisted the ircncn much III staying the
flames.
THE FIRE Under CONTROL.
/ \ dispatch at > o'clock. this morning.
SlNS: The fine is now completely I'm
der control. and il seems impossible
that there can h" much further damage
done. Three men have been killed in
Van Buren, street 10y the falling of walls
three Chicago steamers have been burn
ed. the tire driving the men from their
pn>itions. and much hose has been de
StroNcd. y strong patrol at police is
protecting the property in the vicinity
of the fire. knocking the thieves right
and left. No estimate of the loss can
vet he made. hut it can Ice counted 10y
millions.
SOME OF THE EI'ILpINGS DESTROYED.
Among the buildings destroyed um
Wabash avenue WAS the church former
ll occupied 10y Robert Laird Golfers
congregation. and Il dozen handsome
blocks between El,lridgc court and
Harrison street. Notable structures
consumed are the Michigan avenue
house. the st. james and Continental
hotels. the Adclphi thcatcr and post
office building.
HELP From OUTSIDE.
During the evening. When ii hccamr
evident that the tire would battle the /
best efforts of the entire fire depart
mrnt of the city. wore, was sent to the |
nci%hh"ring cities. and engines were
sent III response from indianapolis. |
ilonmin"ton. Milwaukee,. Aurora. Joliet |
El"in, Racine. DIXON and Amh"v
LATEST.
NEW York, July IL. \ special To
the Telegram says that the space burnt
oven 1T Chicago is - acres and the
number of buildings about Zoo. The |
loss of life is three children. one woman
and three .ircmcn. The. loss of proper |
ty is about four millions and half