The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-07-15

The Post Office, the First Baptist Church. the
Old Church Of the Messiah, 0llvet Baptist
Church, Queens Chapel, the St. James
Hotel, the Continental Hotel, the
Michigan Az. Hotel and the
Adelphi Theatre In Ruins.
The Fire Reaches within One Block Of the
Palmer House.
CHICAGO, July IA great fire is rag
ing in South Chicago, about the vicinity OF
Michigan avenue and Twelfth street. Halt
a mile of buildings are in flames and all
efforts of the tiremen are thus far futile to
check its progress.
BUILDINGS ARE BEING BLOWN up
and the whole force of the city fire depart
ment is on the spot with every means avail
able for fighting the fire The streets are
jammed with teams moving goods from the
place,
The fire started this evening about 4;30
on Fourth avenue, near Twelfth street, in
South Chicago. 1t ran n0rth-northeast
through Fourth avenue, Third avenue,
State and two blocks of Wabash avenue,
and a large number of houses on the east
ern portion Of Harrison street. 1t took
the postofhce, several churches and large
number of blocks, the number not obtain
able at present.
At $50 o'clock the fire had made almost
a clean sweep up to the corner Of Third
avenue aud Polk SITS, burning up the homes
Of thousands of people. At the above
corner the fire department commenced the
process of blowing up buildings with gun
powder, but the buildings experimental
with were but small wooden affairs and
would only have the effect Of making
quicker blaze by them and the wind blow
ing very fresh from about south southwest,
and the fire is now on the
VERGE OF THE FIRE LINE
OF our big fire, at Harrison ST. The west
side of Wabash avenue is now in full blaze,
which takes many stately building in its
course, which offered haven Of refuge in
the winter OF 1871. The fire is just imme-
diately in the rear Of the First Baptist
Church, and should that structure 90
down, the fire will have a clear sweep to
the nOrthward and eastward and the Tx
position building will in all likelihood be
the
FINAL PREY OF TIE FIRE
As that is Immediately on the lake shore
there will be nothing further for the fire to
feed upon, provided we haye the good for
tune t. not have change of wind
A dense black pail of smoke is hanging
over the expected course Of the fire, drop
ping Its advance messengers of cinders on
the roofs of the buildings. Although pri.
vate citizens are doing the utmost in their
power to prevent the fire getting a hold on
their homes, yet the effort is as futile as
for child to make an attempt. The roar
OF the advancing furnace has the sound OF /
our old calamity and nothing short of its
final plunge into Lake Michigan will quench /
it. Our streets, within mile Of the con
hagration are crowded with teams of every
description, loaded TO their utmost capaci-
ty with household goods, although store
keepers who are so fortunate as to secure
/ team are endeavnrlng to save their most
valuable stock. Wherever vacant space
north Of the fire can be found it is at once
ilIed with goods Of all description aud va
rieties. Men women and children are do
ing their utmost to save their little all, and |
bringing 1t to some place of safety. The
work OF the fire from this on will burn
up as much in one five minutes as |
1t has previously in fifteen, con |
sidering the value in dollars and
cents. The heat is very great and no doubt
that IN addition to pecuniary losses we viii
have to
MOURN TIE LOSS or LIVES.
as 1t is next to impossible for fire of this
magnitude and fury and burning through
as closely settled district as this has.
without calling for many human sacrifice.
As the postoliice is directly in the line off
the contiagration its employees will have all
they can Go to save the mail matter in the
building and consequently no mails will
leave this city this evening and there can
by no possibility be one sent before to-nar
row evening should the department be ,n,..
cesstul IN saving the yaluablcs.
he principal lines Of the Western Union
Telegraph Company running east, through
state street, have all been burut-some
forty wifes-but as the lines on Canal
street are OUT "f all possible danger there
WIN NC no interruption ui Geographic CON-
hiG ,,i
Inc nie mas burnt OYER, 50 far, about
nan 3 niue ~ length aud some four blocks
Id wldth; and although the explosion If.
tunponuei siil + heaId every Little while
mere Is Iut itt!e hopes Of staying the fire
shor' Vi 'h1 limits gwen above.
a. RNoNp DESPATCH
u! II; 1T lhe beginning OF the Grt
the Nltlu WIS east. tlL gts4a. ! .