Connecticut western news., 1874-08-07

hopelessly attempts to break by fight
 ing with the fifty-ninth for not moving
 on, though adjured to do so in the nam of the Most High doors smashing
 windows crashing, roofs falling in witt
 their dull thud 1 Kegs of powder ex
 ploding with no more noise than pop guns-there is faint picture. Over al and around all pour fire and smoke ant
 the roar as of contending lions-roar
 growl, hiss, tear, all in one. Sheets O.
 flame 200 feet high, fading into rosy
 pillows of smoke that for miles stair
 the sky showers of burning brands
 shot like fiery arrows to every quarter
 of the compass-that faintly describes
 the fire.
 But most notable of the features
 must be reckoned the panic in the re-
 moter parts of the town as night came
 on and the fire increased. The flame
 and smoke were really out of propor-
 tion to the actual fire, and the wind was
 high. The faith of every true Ohica- goan is that some day the rest of the city will be burned up. I have already shown that this conviction rests upon more rational grounds than the ma jority of popular belief, hence when ever there is an alarm he at once medi- tates possible flight. The woman's faith is much more vivid and vigorous. All Tuesday evening there was a flight from the north side, not riotous, be- cause there was plenty of time, but of a most business-like character. Every thing was packed up, rations distrib- uted, rendezvous appointed, and the heavier goods removed thither. Store keepers and artisans moved their stock over to places of safety on the west side. met this morning a clothing dealer all the way from Lincoln Park, who was moving back four loads of clothing from the corner of Randolph and Mary, distance of fully four miles. He said he had not been scared himself, but his brother was afraid their insurance com pany was not good. The hackmen and express drivers did good business. Whenever there is fire in Chicago the carter drives madly to the door and shouts: "Do you want to see your children naked and starving? If you are man, stir ourself. I'll move you for $50." Yesterday-let it be recorded to theil credit-all the wholesale deal CTS and express companies sent their teams into the burning district to save freely all whose property was in dan ger, and to many the sight of one of Farwell's or Field & Letters huge trucks, drawn by four elephants in horses clothing, and manned by half a dozen "men from the Barn." was as welcome as that of g. ship to crew of castaways on barren rock with ris- ing tide.
 Down in the heart of the city prepara- tions were made after sunset for gen. eral moving by the merchants. The hotel guests, too, caught the panic, and packed up their trunks like the Arabs and silently stole away to the west side. Although the Palmer House is "the only fire-proof hotel in the world |" there wasn't a soul in it but the ser wants, and they wanted to move, too, judging from their looks. It was over on the west side, however, that the panic was most noticeable, All the men folk of the division were down at the fire, and the female community was startled from it's propriety early in the afternoon by three or four barouches full of escaped demireps from Fourth avenue, who went round the streets like the insane prophets that heralded the fall of Jerusalem, predicting the coming destruction of the whole city. As night came on and the sky famed redder and higher the panic increased, and the milk men and car-drivers were implored to give them news. From what l can learn these gentlemen werc obliging, and made up what they lacked of fundamental fact by warmth of treat ment. They had seen man who had heard the firemen say the water-works would go and they couldn't save the town. They had beheld the Exposition building and the Palmer House in a blaze, and the Grand Pacific would go next. The loafers improved the fam ing hour to call at saloons and order drinks to wash out their throats, parched by labor in the heat of the fire, and paid the barkeepeAin the currency of their thrilling experiences, till that desire to see the awful sight for himself and his disinclination to leave busi- ness so unusually profitable. All these yarns taken together raised the female to fury of panic which, when I walked homeward at quarter past three, A. M., had not thoroughly abated.
 I say nothing of the losses, area, statistics, etc. :; these the wires will have conveyed to you ere this letter reaches New York. |
 We have had two fires, and all that we are anxious about now is where and when the third big fire will break out. Rest assured that the fire must inevita- bly, come. We have prepared the materials therefor with singular care, and if it is not success as @ fire it will not be our fault.