Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-07-18
ANOTHER GREAT C0MFlAenA.
ton IN CHICAGO.

ton IN CHICAGO.
A dispatch to the Boston Jour.
nal Tuesday, reports the following
COntlagratiOn In Chicago:
About six o'clock Tuesday q fire
broke out near twelfth street, and
soon four or five blocks were con.
sumed. The last account represent.
ed that the FIRE was confined to a
few old roOkeries, but fears are en-
teItained that it will spread to the
lake. The First Baptist Church
on Wabash avenue was then on
fire.
The fire has burnt over about half
mile in length, and some four
blocks in width. The fire swept
into and over the elegant First Bap.
fist Church on Washburn avenue,
and what was before shutdown one
of the most elegant and costly
church edifices of tho city, is now a
heap of ruins. As it was very evil.
dent from the course of the fire and
strength of the wind about half.
past six p. NJ. that the Post Office
building was in all probability
doomed, Gen. Macarthur, Postmas-
ter, made arrangements to remove
the mails to q place Of safety all
needed teams were at once pressed
into service, and by eight o'clock
the last loaded wagon left the build
ing. At ten minutes past eight the
building caught fire, and by half
past eight it was q mass of flames.
The wind by eight o'clock had al
most died away, which assisted the
fire department greatly in becoming
masters of the situation, but con-
trary to the expectations of check
ing the flames, tho fire broke out
anew, and gained rapidly on the
whole department.
Among the notable buildings
destroyed. are the Gardner House,
st. James Hotel, Continental Hotel,
and Adelphi Theatre. One of the
firemen fell through roof and was
killed by the fall. A policeman had
a leg broken while attempting to
rescue a boy. One engine, belong
ing to the colored men, has been
burned.
LATER. The citizens are review.
ing the situation this "wednesday
morning. They congratulate them
selves that they have escaped the
destruction of the most important
business portion again, which was
at one time imminent. This time
the fire originated in low frame
building, used for storing rags. Sew.
eral children are supposed to have
been burned to death.
The great fire of 1871 originated
in a stable. In both cases, there
fore, the fire commenced in the Gen.
tire of neighborhood occupied by
wooden buildings. Fortunately,
after burning up nearly twenty
blocks and destroying the First
Baptist Church and two other fine
churches, the Post Office OH Michi-
gan avenue and st. James Hotel,
and other elegant buildings erected
after the fire of 1871, and a number
of fine residences, the tirewas stayed.
The loss is variously estimated,
but cannot be given with accuracy.
1t will not be less than $4,000, 900
and probably not over sc, 100000
This is covered by about two-fifths
insurance, divided amoung numer.
GUS companies.
The Insurance Companies losses
aggregate about 81, 100000 and in
dicates a total loss to the insurance
companies Of from S2,00O,O0O to
$2,5OO,OOO.
The risks of the Hartford insur-
ance companies on the property in
Chicago burnt, as reported at the
home offices today, are $173, 7OO,. as
follows: Etna, $4,000; Hartford,
81, 900; National, $4,000; Ph9-
nix, $4,000; Connecticut, $4,000;
Orient, $4,000; Atlas, 81, 800.
The Providence insurance compa-
MES represented in Chicago lose less
than $1,000 each by yesterdays fire.
Sudden wealth upsets men as
frequently as it makes them. Very
few know how to use money un.
less they have earned it by painful
application to business. The man
who drew the big Crosby Opera
House, in Chicago, some years ago.
died a poor man, for he had not
been used to handling such sums of
money, and lost it. The journey.
man-carpenter, in Peoria, ILL.,, who,
three years ago, fell heir to $780,
600, by the death of an uncle, has
his money yet; for he was so con-
scious of his inability to use it as
other men do, and SO afraid of los
ing it, that he simply boards it, tax.
ing from the principal each week to
pay his expenses. He thinks it
will support him as long as he lives,
as it doubtless will; but a more
miserable man never lived. John
ny Steele. the Petroleum Prince,
ran through his millions in riotous
living, inside of three years. The
number who have used suddenly
acquired wealth wisely, is very
small. L. Fl. Keith, of Kingston,
Mass, is an exception. He held a
ticket in the third Gift Concert of
the Kentucky Public Library, and
that ticket drew the capital prize of
q 1A0 0OO Mr. Ko;th n ooo1 .olc