Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-05-07
The Oshkosh Fire.
CHcAGo, April %.

CHICAGO, April 20.
The following facts in regard to
the Oshkosh fire are CLEANED from
specials to the morning papers: The
fire broke out at o'clock, p. NJ. on
the 2sth, IN Morgan e. Bros saw
mill, near the corner of Pine and
Marion streets, and spread east and
northeast, taking in its course doz-
ell saw mills, immense lumber yards,
and scores of houses. 1t soon be-
came apparent that large portion
of the city was doomed, and appeals
for assistance were made to Fon du
Lac, Hpon, Appleton and Milwaukee.
Their own fire department, although
doing all that could be done, were
powerless to stay the flood of flame.
A high wind prevailed, and, us the
confiagration progressed, people be
came panic-strlckcn. Hurried efforts
were made to remove household
goods, merchandise and >aluablcs,
but in many cases there were no
means of transportation out of the
reach Of the fire, and the goods were
ovcrtaken and consumed.
The lurid front of the conflagra-
ton at first crept on, and then travel
ed with rush. 1t took in it's grasp
Pearl, Hancock, High, and Warren
streets, and to the northeast as far us
Cape street, devastating Mango,
Fifth and other streets, being only
bounded and stayed by the river. 1t
struck Main street where the princi-
pal business houses were located, and
left in it's wake the ruins of all the
banks, Harding's Opera House, all
the newspaper offices, the Adams
House, many magnificent dwellings,,
and some of the chief manufactures.
The Milwaukee and st. Paul railroad
depots were also destroyed. The
area burned over is over mile long
by more than a half mile widc.-
Two hundred and fifty buildings are
destroyed, and at least one hundred
and fifty families are homeless.
Details of special policemen have
been made, and everyone is upon
guard. 1t was reported that thieves
were robbing all over the unburnt
portion of the city, but these reports
are doubtless exaggerated. Two
lives were lost by falling walls; u
number of other lives were also re-
ported lost, but this is not fully veri-
fed. The lowest estimate of loss is
$4,000, and the highest, 100000.
Less than half the losses are covered
by insurance. The insurance com
panies threatened to withdraw their
protection after the July fire last sum-
mer, and it is feared they will do SO
now. Many of the mills were entire
ly uninsured. One square mile of
buildings is in ashes.
The Northwestern and all the 9TH
cr newspaper offices shared the fate
Of the surrounding buildings. Their
types are now hopeless pi. Howev-
cr, arrangements will be made imme-
diatcly re-organizc the offices in the
unburnt portions of the city, and the
papers will be issued us soon as can
reasonably be expected.
The fact that several partly burned
way-bills from the Chicago, Milwau-
kce and st. Paul depot at Oshkosh
were found at New Holstein station,
20 miles away, will show the veloci-
ty of the wind at the time Of the con
flagration. At an early period i'll the
progress of the fire, all Geographic
communication was severed, only the
wires of the Northwestern Railway
Company being able to keep their
circuit open.
Later reports place the total loss at
a little over one million dollars, with
insurance to the amount of about
$4,000.