The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1874-07-24
DESTRUCTIVE CONFEDERATION.

= ~ Hooc ~
So 900, 900.
Chicago has just experienced another Of
those disastrous visitstions by fire which have
become so alarmiDgly frequent in that city,
and the recurrence of which has almost ceased
to excite surprise. Tit fire started in a little
one-story frame shanty fronting the alley in
the rear of No. 527 Clark street. South Divis-
ion, and hardly a minute elapsed before the
tinder-box was wrapped in flames, and
the stiff breeze from the northwest was
scattering fragments of burning wood
on the acres Of dry pine roofs to the
eastward. Nearly east Of the shanty was the
large brick oil refinery Of Fitch Brothers,
the interior Of which, with it's large tanks of
oil, WAS all ablaze before the arrival of the
engines. The heat emitted by the burning of
its inflammable contents vas intense, and
when the walls fell, but q few minutes after
the first stream began to play upon it, the
whole neighborhood for a radius of thirty rods
around seemed to burst forth in one simulta-
neous blaze. just north OF the rag-.hop was
q story-and-a-half barn filled with hay. which
hamed up in an instant, and the flying wisps
Of burning hay lit roofs nearly q block away.
With such rapidity did the fire spread after it
was first discovered that two horses in this
barn were burned to death before they could
be rescued.
Within half an hour after the breaking-out
of the flames the whole fire force OF the city
| was out. The Fire Marshal stationed a num-
Der of engines on Clark street. aad every
effort was made to stay the northern progress
Of the flames along that tho%roughfsre. But
their efforts were powerless 70 save the acres
of dry pine roofs to the windward and 30 the
fire swept on as it pleased, hardly turned
from its course an inch by the efforts of the
department, until it reached State street,
which the flames now attacked.
Having reached State street the fire was
in its glory. Two-s,ory frames was the rule,
and a substantial structure the exception.
The flames leaped gaily from building to
building, now and then skipping a structure or
two to facilitate progress, but never neglect
ing to bring up the rear and make clean work
OF it. The tiremen fought valiantly among
these shantles. The most that could be done
was to prevent its spreading southwark. and
this was accomplished.
Having reached Wabash avenue. with
a wind blowing from the southwest. Michigan
avenue seemed doomed to destruction. In
fact the thought Of saving any portion Of it.
from Eldridsc court to a point at least a. far
north as Harrison street, was abandoned. and
yet. contrary to al! expectations, every house
in that section stands intact. Every house
on Wabash avenue parallel to this was de-
stroyed. but She narrow alley between the two
avenues stood a barrier a. if it had been an
intervening mountain. Every house on
Michigan avenue was vacated. the street WA
lined with trucks backed M sgainrt the resi-
dences. but about . o'clock most paople NOV
ed back again. The ordeal was ssfely passed,
and the handsome LAKE front was preserved.
Having reached its eastern limit, the flames
fed their way rapidly northward, three blocks
abreast.
There was little use trying TO fight in the
face. Every moment the wind rose more
ficrcely, and in the vicinity of the confsgra-
ton a regular gale was blowing. The heat
was increasing. Firemen could not stand
within r hundred feet OF it in tho direction it
was speeding. Hence it had to be fought in
tine flank. There being little hope OF saving
Michigan a~venue-thoush i. was sayed-the
policy seemod to be to fight it into the lake,
by closing on its sides. This policy was
adortei. though efforts were not aDated to
save Michigan avenue. At 6 O'Clock all dan
ger was passed that it would make its way
further southwark. In tina. direction It's
limit was reached. and the force there do
ployed was soon dispatched to more
threatening points, though 1t was not safe
to leave the whole line exposed. At S
o'clock the fire was checked on Clark street.
and then there was no danger that it would
pass westward. After that two engine. COZ
cred the entire field from Polk street southon
Clark around by Twelfth street to Wabash
avenue, where the engagement was growing
hotter and hotter every moment. When the
southern and western ends o: the fire had
been made secure, the northern and eastern
lines Of attack were reinforced, and the
enemy confined into narrower and narrower
quarters.
On Harrison sire ct the iiend WIS forced to
! give up Fourth avenue and Third avenue. At
Van Buren, street the monster was driven out
of State, the st. James being the last building
to succumb.
Having hitherto Stunned Michigan avenue,
it now turned venomously upon it. making its
way along Congress street, and consumed the
Oceanic building, the structure that once did
duty as the fremont, one or two others, and
then was finally and efrectually squelched just
in time to save those noble structures, the
Matteson and Gardner Houses, and the Expo
sition building. Several attempts were after
ward made to blow up buildings oil State
| street, between Polk and Van Buren,, notably
nj tho O. Iurnoa Hntel hut nnihinn Of nctr mol