The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-05-06
TRIED BY FIRE.
long SUFFERING OSHKOSH.

. GETTC MANUFACTURING TOwN-oRIGTS AMI
TERRIBLY SWIFT PROGRESS OF THE FLAMES
"A LOSS OF NOT LESS THAN TWO MILLIONS
AND HALF Of DOLLARS.
The Oshkosh special OF the Chicago Times
furnishes the following additional details OF
the terrible fire that SO recently devastated
that place: A deep gloom hangs over this
stricken city. Five times since it was
founded has it been visited by destructive
conilagrstions. but the present ca
iamitv is mora crushing to
hope and prosperity than were all
the others together. Three times within
single year has this beautiful city paid
heavy tribute to the terrible demon; and
her citizens seem 70 feel that their all is
doomed to destruction, sooner or later. The
last fire, about nine months ago, burned out
a fair portion OF the business district, much
OF which has been rebuilt, and the present
one took nearly all that was left. Ii also
bounced upon the best residence portion,
and many of what were the most attractive
homes lie in ashes. The people OF Oshkosh
are slow in becoming reconciled to the
present calamity. ALI hope of recovery
seems to be crushed out of them,
and they go about the streets to-day
/ with sad faces vainly trying to realine that
within a few short hours millions OF their
| possessions should have been swept from
their grasp. The ruins are still smolderipg.
| Here and there is a bright flicker, and the
owners OF the ash heaps ard scared remains
| DO little else but gaze st them, and when
! asked what they propose to do, they only
answer that they don'5 know, heave Sigh.
and continue to look, with sad and sadder
faces. Owing TO the limited telegraphic
facilities afforded, on account of the destruc-
ton of the offices, but a meagre account
could be transmitted yesterday. The facil-
tiles are very limited still, but your CORES
ponden5i is hopeful of pushing through the
chief points Of interest
OSHKOSH, LIKE CHICAGO,
lies in a fias bottom. and the prevailing
wind is from the southwest. Owing to pre-
vious experience the people shudder when
the zsphyrs set IN from that quarter, and
when gale IS blowing, which is not very
uncommon thing here, everybody mentally
joins the fire brigade. The wind was very
strong on Wednesday: in fact, it amounted
to gale, and at neon it was so fierce that
one could with difficulty make headwsy
against 1t; and, as citizen met citizen.
each Involuntary made the remark
that it was a bad day for q fire. The saw
mills, planing-millS and lumber yards
are situated along the western margin of the
city, and hence occupy dangerous position
toward it. 1t has been the custom latterly
y
for the mills to stop work, to prevent stray
sparks from falling among the combustible
material about them, and thus endanger the
city. A number of the mills shut down on
Wednesday noon, but Spalding & Peck re-
fused to stop work, and when Morgan en-
treated Mr.. Peck to do so, be was informed
that he (Peck) proposed 10 run his bust
ness in his own way. Morgan Brothers
had been burned out twice before, and now
they were to receive third visition. 1t
IL. A.
narrated that Morgan Brothers mill was
observed to be on fire, started it is generally |
believed. by sparks from Spalding d Peck's
mill, IS their own was not running. In a
moment the entire building was enveioped
in flames. whose hungry tongues began TO
lsp around the neighboring lumber piles
In such gale all the people knew what was
in store tor them, and thousands grew pale
as the bells
PEALED FORTH THE DREAD ALARM,
and a score of steam whistles added their
piercing shrieks to the general confusion. |
Il was about half past 1 O'Clock when the
gale had reached its greatest fury. Ten |
thousand people. in the widest excitement, |
rushed to the scene of the confazration.
vainly hoping to be OF service, and the |
steamers were quickly at work, but already /
the fire had got beyond the efforts OF any or |
binary department., and was driving along /
at a terrible pace. Thicker and thicker the /
smoke rolled forward, and the crowd was /
driven from position to position,
while the engines were quickly
a clerk in the employ of the Nor
gan Brothers, rushed into the mill 70 save
some books. He became bewildered, and
could not make his way out again; friends
rushed to his assistance, and he was dragged
into the streets, but at the same time the
ted izSh hOnas q 1
expired in few moments. Meantime the
flames were rushing along from mill To
mill and undergrad TO lumber-yarG-
The air was filed with flaming shingles, cin-
ders and sparks, which fell blocks ahead;
and within half an hour an area of several
squares was mass of fire. All the way to
Main street, a distance OF half mile, was |
filled with this sort of com bustible material, |
and no human agency could check the pro
gress OF the monster, which was working |
along IS If determined to outspeed the very /
gale itself. On came
THE FURIOUS TIDE OF FLAME,
and it soon became apparent that the bust
ness portion, in the very path of the mon
ster, was doomed. Before the fire reached
the heart of the city, there was change
of wind to the northwest, and not a few
entertained the hope that, by proper
handling, the fire could be kept from the
principal thoroughfare; but that
hope proved delusiye. for soon
toe wind returned to its old quarter,
and again rushed forward the flames with
redoubled fury. The steamer w. II. Dee
had been placed at what is called the Divis-
ion street reservoir, and did some effec i've
work for time; but the flames came thicker /
from two directions. Tkey caught 6ilPs
building on the corner of High and Market |
streets, and also on the north side |
OF High street, and began 70 sweep
down upon the postoifice on she north /
while on the south the livery stable of
Thompson and Sprsgue led the flames In
this way Main street was approached. From
Williams street the flames wheeled north
ward, through Webber's block to the North !