The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-07-15
Merciless Ruin CIutching
Happy Households
FLIGHT OF ArFRIGHTED FAMILIES.
TASTY Removal of Per-
sOnal Property.
SCENES OF HEARTREND|NG SORROW.
THE FIRE STILL BURNING.

CHICAGO, July IA P. NJ
Another confagration is raging in the heart
Of the city.
The fire started about half-past four P. M.
in some small frame houses near Fourth ave-
nue. and Polk street. 1t was at first blown
southwark by stiff breeze, but the wind soon
shifted, and by sunset it blew
GALE FROM THE SOUTH,
sending the fire towards the central part of
the city.
At half-past six o'clock the flames
had made almost clean sweep up to the
corner of Third avenue and Polk street, burn
ing up the homes of thousands of people. At
the above mentioned corner the Fire Depart
ment commenced the process of blowing up
buildings with gunpowder, but the buildings
experimental with were small wooden affairs,
and would only have the effect of making
quicker blaze out of the fragments. The wind
is blowing very fresh from about south-south-
west.
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, the flames taking many a stately
building in their course which offered haven
of refuge in the winter of 1871.
The fire is Immediately in the rear of the
First Baptist church, and should that struc-
ture go down it will have clear sweep to the
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 more for
it then to feed upon, provided we have the
good fortune not to have change of the
wind.
DENSE BLACK PAIL
of smoke is hanging over the expected course
of the fire, dropping its advance messengers
of cinders on tbs roofs of the buildings.
Although private citizens are doing their
utmost to prevent the fire getting hold upon
their houses, yet the effort is as futile as for
child to make such an attempt.
THE ROAR OF THE ADVANCING FLAMES
has the sound of our old calamity, and nothing
short of it's final plunge into Lake Michigan
will quench it.
HOUSEHOLDS MOVING.
Our streets within mile of the confagra-
ton are crowded with teams of every descrlp-
ton loaded to their utmost capacity with
household goods, and storekeepers who are so
fortunate as to secure team are endeavoring
to save their most valuable stock. Wherever
O vacant space north of the fire can be found
it is at once filled with goods OF all descrip-
tions and varieties. Men, women and chill
dren are doing all they can to save their little
all and bring it to some place of safety.
INCREASED RAp1D1rY OF DESTRUCTION.
The fire from this moment forward 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 the
pecuniary losses, we shall have to mourn the
loss of lives, as it is next to impossible for a
fire of this magnitude and fury burning
through so closely settled district as this
without calling for many human sacrifice.
As the Post Office is directly in line with 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 the
city this evening, and there can by no posi-
bility be one sent before tomorrow evening.
TELEGRAPH LINES BURNED
The principal lines of the Western Union
Telegraph Company running east through
State street have all been burned, comprising
some forty wires, but as the lines on Canal
] street ore out. Of all possible danger there viii