The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-05-06
LL-FATED OSHKOSH.
STORY OF HER LATE FIRF

'O~HOoNaS CfOuAuS WAS ufaWQ While the
flames were yet raging by the special cores
pendent of the Chicago Times: A terrible
fire has been raging in this city a. after
noon, and the greater part of the town is
now mass OF moldering ruins, scarcely a
single business house OF any size having
escaped destruction. The dreary waste
caused by the flames is mile ami a half
long and about half a mile wide. and
In all that area there is not single building
standing. The IRE broke out IN the saw
mill OF Morgan 81 Brothers, on the north
side OF the river. The building was "a dry
as finder, and filled with the most COM
pustible OF material. In an incredibly
snort space OF time the building
was enveloped In flames. The
neat was so intense that the firemen were
unable 10 approach sufficiently near to
De OF any service. The neighborinC Iumber-
piles iell an easy prey to the devourinc ele--
ment and In the space of half an hour mil
,.oLs OF leet OF seasoned lumber, besides
laih, shingles, and pickets were wrapped i'm
the embrace OF the fire demon. Up Saw
dust avenue the flames spread with fright
iul rapid1ty, sweeping everything before
them. dozen ether saw and single
mills soon succuInbed to their fury together,
with all OF The lumber piles Surround
Ing them. At this time it was found impos-
slole to check the work of destruction
Famed by brisk wind, which was height
ened by the heat OF the fire, the forked-
tongued demon sped on. The small s-ame
residences OF the operators of the mills
seemed only 10 whet the appetite of the 6epd
for more food upon which to feed, The fam
lilies lied in blank dismay before its an
proacb, scarcely finding time TO save a few
articles OF clothing. They surrendered
everything, wel-knowing
THE HoPELEssNEss OF ANY ATTEMPT
to save their worldly gods in the face of
such storm OF fire. The firemen for time
fought bravery, in the face of terrible odds,
10 stay the progress Of the fire, but thew
were driven back step by step. One alter
another of the business buildings on Main
street were licked up by the insatiate Ere;
one after another they crumbled into masses
OF shapeless ruins. From Algora 10
CeaDe street were located all our principal
dry goods stores, banks, hotels and news
paper offices. All OF them went down be-
fore the resistless hurricane. Merchants
had time to save but little; for their facil-
tiles for the transportation OF goods to places
OF safety were limited. A few succeeded in
carrying a few loads of their most valuable
wares away from the track OF the fire,
put by far the greater number
lost them ALL The Beckwith
House and tie Adams House two
hotels OF large capacity, finely furnished with
all the modern improvements, Were de-
stroyed in almost a twinkling. Nothing
worth mentioning was saved The loss on
the former viii be about $4,000: on the
latter $780, The newspaper and telegraph
offices shared the fate of the surrounding
buildings. The Northwestern office, owned
by Allen Hicks, was prob
ably the most valuable. The North
western is a daily paper, and fitted Up with
all the facilities for its publication, and tor
49, e -. -
saved. The loss will be about SIS, coo. The
Times, sprightly weekly, published By D.
w. Fernandez, had also all the convenisnces
of a first class Office. The loss will reach
about $4,000. Three men are reported as
having been
KILLED BY FALLING WALLS,
but so great is the confusion that it is i'm
possible to ascertain their names. Rumors
of further loss of life are prevalent on the
streets, but your correspondent can not
trace them TO any reliable source. Quite
number of persons, however, were badly
injured, two by being run over il the
street by wagons, and several by ether
causes. None of the injured, as far as can
be ascertsined, will die from their wounds.
II is impossible at this hour to even esti-
mote the losses. over two hundred resi-
dences, both large and small; over hum
dred stores, hotels, banks, the opera house
a valuable structure, costing nearly 500. GOO,
and the finest IN Wisconsin outside OF Mil
yankee; score OF saw and single mills,
besides an incalculable quantity Of lum-
Der, were destroyed. The loss upon
the whole can not fail below
81 600 900, while it may reach double that
amount. The scenes in the city battle de.
Everything is confusion worse
confounded Hundreds OF ismilieS are
homeless, and women and children are
lying about the streets or roaming around
in search of place Of shelter from the
with the reflsction of the fire, which is yet
burning fiercely within the limits
to which it has been confined, and thousands
of citiZsns are standing around inert,
appalled, by the extent of the disaster that
has beTeft them of home and fortune. A
gang of desperadoes are iro@ling about,
seeking whom they can plumber. They
have succeeded in Inspiring the greatest ter
r0r, and citizens aio organizing among
themselves for mutual protection. The,
police are powerless, ter their number IS
small, and their discipline III this time OF our
emergency exceedingly lax.
FEARS OF OUTRAGE
are felt on every hand, but some OF the
pluHderers may decorate a lamp post before
day dawns, if they allow themselves to be
caught by an indignant populsce. OF the
future it is useless to speculate at present
No man knows the precise extent Of his
losses, and therefore cannot tell whether
he will be able to resume
business again. Nor is it certain
that the insurance companies will be able
to pay all risks. Great apprehension is felt
among all citizens on this score. The blow
is serious one at best, although Oshkosh
will undoubtedly recover from il even
tually, When some sort of order shall
be brought out OF the present chaos we
can tell better what will come OF il. The
fire commenced at the corner of Pine and
Marion streets, and spread east and north
east through Hancock, Pearl, Warren, and
High streets, destroying the depots of the
St. Paul railway. and proceeding TO Main