Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-07-22
Watohman s. journal.
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WEDNESDAY, JULY %, 1874.
The Great Chicago Fire.

WEDNESDAY, JULY y, 1874.
The Great Chicago Fire.
PARTICULARS OF tuesdays ntsAsrER-toss fnoN
TWO TO raREg MILLIONS or DOLLARS
The following general description Of the pro-
gross Of the fro and the efforts Of the FIRE de-
partmont to get It under control is furnished by
the Chicago Times
ORIGIN AND PROGRESS or THE FIRE.
Nearly east Of the shanty where the fire orig
mated was n largo brick oil refinery of Fitch
Brothers, the interior Of which, with its large
tanks Of OIL was all ablazo before the arrival Of
the second engine. Tho heat emitted by the
burning Of its indammable contents was intense.
and when the walls fell, but few minutes ai-
ter the srcam began to play on it, the whole
neighborhood for radius Of thirty rods around
seemed 20 burst forth in one simultaneous blaze
AZ 80, eleven minutes after the first alarm,
the heat arising from the half acre Of blazing
pine shanties wns terrible, and tho breeze
siilened as the heat increased, bearing dostruc
ton to the dry roofs that lay in the path Of the
destroyer for rods ahead The engines wero
repeatedly placed in front Of the dcyouring Gle.
ment, and as often driven away by the irro-
sistiblc flames.
PROGRESS or TIE FLAMES.
In twenty minutes after the first alarm the
roofs Of the buildings on Fourth avenue were
ail on fire for the width Of a dozen buildings
north Of Twenty ffih At o'clock the FIRE
bad swept diagonally across the block to the
corner Of Taylor street and Fourth avenue, and
was rapidly eating its way through the re-
maindcr Of the block fronting on Clark and
Taylor streets The marshal made every effort
to stay the northern progress Of the flames
along that thoroughfAre, bot the shantics, from
which poured a swarm Of fallen women laden
down with wardrohos and furniture, we're ripe
ioT destruction, and no sooner had the torrents
Of water cxtinguished the fire in one building
than the roof Of the tindcr boxes still farther
to the north wou ID burst into fame IN
little over an hour the fire had swept over the
space between Clark street and Third avenue,
and had reached Polk street on the north. The
southern boundary the burnt district extended
cast in almost a straight line, running nearly
parallel with Twelfth street, about three hun
drod feet north Of it. The aim Of the marshal
was still to fight the ere from the front, and to
contest as ably as possible its onward march
toward the better built portion Of the city.
TnE riRE At IT'S nEoHr
Having reached State street the fire was in
is glory. Two story frames we're the rule
and n substantial structure the exception The
flames ieaped from building to building, now
and then skipping structure or two to iacili-
tate its progress, but never neglecting to bring
up the rear and make clean work Of it, The
fremeu fought valianty among these shanties
The most that could be done was 70 prevent It's
spreading souihward, and this was accom-
Iplished The wind increasing IA fury il broke
through the alley dividing State street from
Wabash avenue.
MICHIGAN AVENUE VISITED.
Having hitherto Stunned Michigan avenue,
the fire now turned upon it, making its way
along Congress street, and consumed the
Oceanic Building, structure once occupied as
the fremont House, and two Others, and then
was finally and eiiectually squelched just in
time TO save those noble structures, the Matti-
son and Gardner houses and the Exposition
building. The wooden cupola Of the German
Evangelical Church, on the corner Of Scotland
and Third avenues, was set on fire by sparks
and the church eimost destroyed, and the
flames reached the wooden buildings mmedi-
a,oly south Of it.
THE BErTER CLASS or BUILDINGS ATTACKED.
Now for the first time, about six o'clock, the
FIRE began to feed on the aristocracy Thou
sands Of dollars were consumed every minute.
The danger Of utter destruction became more
imminent every moment. 4 narrow alley be-
tween Wabash and Michigan avenues, how
ever, prevented the flames from attacking the
buildings upon the latter, although every
house was vacated The street was lined with
trucks backed up against the windows, but
about nine O'Clock most Of the people moved
back again The ordeal was safely passed, and
our handsome lake front was preserved.
FURTHER PROGRESS or THE FLAMES.
At eight O'Clock the flames had been checked
southNard and eastward, and the northern and
eastern lines of attack were re enforced, and
the enemy confined into narrower and mar
rover quarters on Harrison street The ieud
was forced to give up Fourth avenue and Third
avenue at Van Buren street, and was driven
I out Of State street, the St. James being the
last building to suocumb. When the fire
reached that point the interest in its progress
became intense. Fortunately opposite the st
James stood iour-story marble front, cover
ing about four numbers. This was divided
from the building south BY single lot, twenty
five feet wide. A mere bagatelle, said every
body, and nobody anticipated that little space
would check the flames but it did Fortu-
nately a splendid fre-proof wall had been reared
to the south. Madly the flames beat against il
and went clear over the building, setting fire to
3 the St. James, but tho wall stood the test
grandly, and though there was fire to the south
and fire to the east, and not pint of water
thrown on it, the building stands there at this
writing, a savior Of untold millions. 1t was
the citadel Of the connagration. Its surrender
would have given the whOe,ety over to the raw
ing enemy lnstinctively every one in sight Of
the scene appreciated the importance of the
position, and when the building to the south
tumbled together with laundering crash, and
I NuN AutlNulAtI u NuouN rum MY
ty thousand throats rose high above the roar Of
the conhagration.
ArTEArTED tNCESDIARIeM.
During the progress of the fire two attempts
at inoendiarism, in the same neighborhood,
were discovered and frustrated. In one case
kerosene was used Another alarm was
sounded from the corner of Wabash avenue
and Madison street, at six O'Clock, P. NJ, but
the fire there was soon subdued.
ANOTHER FIRE.
(, Another fire broke out about four o'clock,
5 Wednesday afternoon in the northwestern
part Of the city, in the vicinity of the junction
Of Milwaukee and Chicago avenues Fifteen
or twenty buildings, comprising stores, saloons,
planning and carpenter shops, were burned in
short time, the flames being famed by brisk
northwest breeze, and fed by very inaammable
material The IRE was promptly extinguished,
with an estimated loss Of only 100000.
TIE KILLED.
The bodies Of two men and child were dis
4 ana -