, 1875-12-21
FIRES.


having been baptized and Joined tho church.
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FIRES.
CHICAGO AND VICINITY.
Immediately after sunset Inst nvening many
residents in tnts city wero startled by large
glar'ng Iight in the northern horizon. which so-
minded many Of tho glamour tiIan hung ovor
this city foF DAYS after tue groat fire. OF 1871.
TAo direction Of light seemed nortls-northwent.
bringing tho location Of It BoYora miles to wcst-
ward Of Evanston, Glouco,. and Wynnot, ~ it
Afterwards proved to bs. but tho magnitude
Of tho blazo made II appoar muct.
nSnIes: Z; was fret noticed ehortY
brightness, TnlhuSE reporter startled ns once
for tho sceno. Froln information obtained be-
fore leaving tho city, 1t WAS located Bououhere
west Of draccland ten,otcEy. ltcaching Wobster
Department were found returning as tho ilro
proved to bo farther than 1t appcared. THIS fire.
mon Of tho cs'Rsno on Webster avons,o
climbed tho town Of Schmidt d flIado'ss
located lilo llro ut Niles conlro. nbont IS
miles north Of tho city. Aftor leayiug tho din Of
tho city behind tho patsorinE feot OF loot team,
Of vill-o-the-Eisp gaa,bol. The farther ono
wont, tho farther one might 80, and although
tho road was duo northwest tho direction Of tho
fire still! seemed directly north, 30 g1ens WAS its
distance BY that tmo: lsoaching Ni!os Centre:
tho 1iro was gaincd from German
citizen, somewhat more intellectual that tho
olhora resldont IN TINT postIon OF tho country.
" Fiyo miloa farther north" !" was his discourage
Ing fcply to tho reporters mild question. unv-
Ing gouo No far, 1t was foolshna asn to turn back,
aud besides away alond was tho light looming
up as brightly az before, telling many Bad
story Of ruthloss destruction. Aftor a brisk
dtiyo Of somo miles, M elevation waa rcacuod
which showed tue field Of flame. Tho tla1no had
apparently caught, in eome haY.tnowB, whoso
remains were ssen nbout quarter Of milo
distant, bong rapidly blown away In every Aircc-
ton. The BwAHp In which II originated ii To-
northwest Of this city. It forms tho source Of
eeyoral small streams that converge to form tho
sluggish North Branch OF tho Chicago l'fYer, and
during wet weather, such M WAS oxperieuced
during tho latter portion OF tho summer. 1t be-
Gomez as thoroughly impassablo aH 4 SeEitabe
Dismal Swamp. In oxtont 1t reacleA over some
thousands Of acres, rendering almost useloss au
immense tract Of land west OF tho moro popu-
lous townB along tho Northwestern railroad.
During tic summer months 1t H covered with
dcnso growth OF hoAvy grass, which. IL patches
hero aud thola aud along tho edgoe, III found
sufficiently flno md rich for hnying purposes.
down tons Of 1t, piliag it In mows along the
rnadways. During tho preHcnt your q farmer
residing but short Distance from it, estimates
TINT at lcast 2,00o tol'a were cut from it all Of
which was destroyed by tho blazo of Last night.
Owing TO tho latenoss Of tho hsur, md tho
distaucu to which tho fire had already Bprcad, no
| attempt could be mad0 to slim up tho loss or
chronicle the disaster. There was q terrific gallo
sped notthward with Hpood second only 10 that
OF light or thu wind itself. Of course t!oro
must bavo boan numerous farms and houses In
ltB path after jumping flom tho swamp, but how
far It lad reached, or what horrible destruction
it Ind cauBet, vcEe equally impossible to ascot-
tain. Far az tho cye could 1oach wns q vast soa
Of fro, Bwooping with q wide BwatA III direct limo
towards tho north.
At 1 o'clock this morning 1t Was still elarsng
n tlo sly M brightly as over, w,tl, the exception
ton Of tho wind aud the magnitude Of tho start,
It Ii utterly impossible to prodlct tho co1se-
4lucnces. Ono thug is certain, lad tho wiud
been III westerly direction, all tile thriving
volopod III torriao holocaust. Even na 1t is,
theye III no doubt but that Home smail villages
layo fallen III it's patl.
An alarm at 13 O'Clock. from Box No. 35. waa
caused by fro In a barn in the rear Ut No. 551
stato htroot owned hy John l.. Latshaw
barn was about ssl1O, aud on hnrncss and atocl,
Sl90. Iloto was q full Insurance..
An alarm from bog No. 5G3 was struck at
6:50 r. M. The fire WAS in = two and . hall
story building, No. lG0 Milwaukee avenno, owned
by Frod H0is, and occupied by HroeYkoIr Il Dat-
tertnau Is saloon and boaEd,ng-housa. Tie
lro WAS caused by atovopipe fatl.ug dorm upon
heap OF cotton rags. LoHs, ebo.
TN ARKANSAS.
LITTLE ROCK, Dec, au.-TAo Gazetle Block waa
burnod this morning about o'clock. 1t Was q
t.Iroo Htory brick, 81 feet front by 100 feet Deep
Tho iiro caught III the roAr. part Of Frcd Haas
cigar and I11uor ssore, adjoining the Gazetls Of
fico. Mr. Haas, on entering Ills etore, boforo
| daylight, struck match with tho intonslon OF
lighting tue gas. Tho match broka in two. and
the lighted part foil on tho floor, lgni,ing lot
Of Blir'.s which had run out Of o barrcl OH tue
door during Tho night, and from that the tlanlos
spread until tue whole building was on fire.
Haas loss IL eHtimatol at @tl, 100 insurance,
A900 on Htook aud IL 200 on fixtures in tho LIv-
crpoof, London l. Gioba Company. Tho loss
Of the proprietor OF tho Gazette, ". Z. Wood
rnif. is placed at 1000: Insurance. $4,000.
e2,5U0; Franklin Insurance Company, 92500 ;
s1U QUO wllh j. Trexeyant Js., and 43 100 In tie
Cnderwrtoss' and North BrtiHh Companoa.
One.hslf Of the insurance on tue building was
IN the phunl1 Company. Tho tiudery aud stock
| chnery wore aayol. Col. J. II. Uaxrell gost hs
Inv library, valued at 72,b00, No insurance. J.
II. Blochsrt lost his room-furDlture and clothing,
| valued At e160. No inkuranco. Robert lunE.
$500. No insurance. Mai. ]. D. and Capt,
sam D. Adams. who had rooms In tho Halus
huildipK, lohe 1000 In furniture no lnHuranco.
no insurance. Capt. II. G. Wost loses $500 III
furniture no Insurance. The Ashley Black,
ndtolning ths GazeGts building. WAS hatllJ
| Bcoruhed, but not seriously injured. The
Western Union Telegraph oll!co is in Ibis build,
lug. and moved out. though no great damage
resulted. Tha Gazette will rsAppear tomorrow
morning from the o!taoe Of tho laso Republican,
During The flts leayy rain fols, and at intervals
throughout tho day.
The lIouse, ons OF tho finest in the
| 6tate, 1t Camdou, waa oonsumod by AEa earl,
yesterday morning. Tho booLs. records, and a!
papers pertaining to tho Clerks oilico. Me1s
destroyed.
| At lAPoRTE. IND.
| Special Dspafeh t. 7iht Chicago Tribune.
LAponTK, Ind, Dec. 20.-The second and th,st
stories OF lIuntsman's Hall wese totally de-
atrava ati nv fra harlv t1fs rnornInv f,tjtty n