The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-08-08
THE CHICAGO FIRE.

Scenes and Incidents of the Great
G SOFIA gRsnoHais e SeneFai fanhc-
1he Chicago hster-Oc of the 10th has
the following:
/ The old adage that ga burned child
/shuns the FREE was never more forcibly IL
Illustrated than in the conduct of the citi-
Zens generally in the presence of this dis
aster. There was but one expression on
the brows of all business men, an express
sion of blank and utter despair. Fearful
experience in the past had warned them
too well what was likely to be the result,
and as hour after hour passed and the ru-
NOR of the disaster grew apace, their
trembling fears grew into perfect panic.
Not to speak Of those who are liable on
general principles to be the victims OF 2
scare, such as women who insist on throw
ing crockery and mirrors out of five-sto
ry window, and doing other crazy things
on such occasions, the solid men of the
community at this particular crisis shared
more deeply than others the prevailing
alarm. Before the fire had reached any
thing like gigantic proportions it was re-
marked as a significant circumstance that
merchants very far removed from the
scene of the calamity were already busy
making preparations for. the worst that
could happen. And when late in the
afternoon things were beginning to look
serious indeed, the fright became conta-
gious, and then commenced
A GENERAL DELIVERY
of goods of all descriptions from the stores.
Away as far as Lake street the merchants
proceeded to pack up their stock and make
ready for flight. In some instances, safes
were thrust into the streets. Wagons
were hired at enormous prices, and loaded
lo nrNo, Il
have grown quite frantic under the excite
ment of the hour, was heard to shout for a
wagon and offer S75 to the first that would
come. And this, too, not in the vicinity of
the fire. On State street, between Mad
ison and Washington streets, two large
safes were thrown out on the street, one
being placed right in the middle of the
way near the car track, and the other
trampled into the gutter. A large UNI
brella store on the same street was quickly
emptied of its contents, and the goods
transported to the west side of the river
The amount of industry displayed on all
hands was amazing. Everybody who had
a considerable stake in the matter seemed
to make up their minds to anticipate the
worst. Among others, Field, Letter &
Co. shared in
THE GENERAL ALARM.
Early in the afternoon, when the disas-
ter did not seem to the general eye to be
so deadly as it proved, they set to work to
clear out their large retail establishment
on State street. Every available wagon in
their possession was put in active duty,
and before dark the entire stock was on the
other side of the river. The goods were
deposited on Canal street, between Wash
ington and Madison, in the building form
erly occupied by Buffers, and large por-
ton of them in Schuttler's building, on the
same street. The firm were evidently de-
termined to have big start ofthe fire ffend
this time.
The activity displayed by Field, Letter
81 Co. in this respect was emulated by other
firms, and it is safe to say that hardly Lead
ing business house on the South Side failed
to 'sinstitute proceedings" with view to
get their effects conveyed as far as possible
from the clutches of the destroying angel
All along the street one saw evidences of
commotion, of hasty packing up, in al
most every store, and in many of them the
emptying process had been thoroughly
done.
THE HOTELS
had their due share of frightunder the cir
cumstances. One of the first to take the
alarm was the Palmer House which seemed
" ot"de IA d uiACSt AAnC Will tIC plOSSISsS
of the fire at one time. The guests and
regular boarders stayed not upon the order
OF their going, out went at once, and the
managers were themselves somewhat du-
bious about the propriety of staying any
longer in the hotel business. The Clifton
people then took the alarm. and began to
scatter in lively manner, and its neigh
Dor. the Matteson, followed suit. The
Gardner was seriously threatened, and
few of the boarders were left withinjts
walls. There was no trouble at the Grand
Pacific, and the panic did not seem to ex-