The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-04-29
SCOURGED AGAINr
The City OF Oshkosh Burned.
A Total Loss of at Least Three
Quarters of a Million Dollars.

| OSHKOSH, April 2S.-At 1.35 this
afternoon the alarm of fire was heard
from the North Side. A stiff north
west gale was blowing at the time, bus
no Immediate alarm was felt. The
streets were full of people, it being the
dinner hour of many, and as conse-
quence the rush to the fire was large
Hardly had the cry of fire been heard
before the flames were seen bursting
forth in terrible grandeur. In almost
less time than it takes to write the words
the mills had assumed the appearance
of volcano in eruption. The air was
filed with flying brands and burning
ashes, and it was seen that Oshkosh was
on the threshold of calamity similar to
that of the 18th of last July. The mills
were on the southern border of quarter
built up with frame dwellings,, and all
the country west of it, III the direction
the wind was carving the flames, was Il
wilderness OF lumber and planning mills.
The fire, having started from near the
corner of Marion and Pine streets, trav-
eled along the line of the river, and
northward up Pine street almost Simui-
taneously; but after consuming a block
or so, and scorching block OF 50 more
the force OF the wind was too great to be
wlthstood, and pressed the elastic flames
backward to the east. The fire, thus
checked from spreading westwards, and
temporarily cut off IN its advance north
wards, took q diagonal direction north
east, aS far as AlgOma street, and then
east to the great business quarter which
stood, like a grim impossible barrier.
stretching north and south, quarter to-
half of a mile, from Algoma street to-
the lake.
Here, determined stand was to be
made; and the utmost confidence WAS
expressed that the fire would beat in
vain against those solid brick walls In
the meantime, the south and north
limits of the fire had been licking up all
intervening buildings, and were joining
hands for a grand united assault on the
barrier. Alas for human hopes The
flames leapt the barrier, which seemed
to melt before it, and disappeared bod
lily out Of sight, at several points at once
The BeclSwith house, Harding's Opera
House, all the banks and printing Offices
and telegraph offices went out Ike q Wis
ion that had been. In few minutes
the fire had cut swarth through the
beautiful blocks. extending from Bolles'
block up to Algoma street. Dry goods
stores, groceries, restaurants, saloons,
boot and shoe stores, halls everything, is
smoky ruin All below Bolle's block
is comparatively unhurt, but east and
west, along the bank of the Upper Fox
River, twelve planning mills and almost
every residence are burnedto the ground.
The space of territory swept by the
fire probably extends great part of the
way to the lake, but the district licked
absolutely out of existence is much
smaller, although shat will measure
about a mile east and west, and ill.,
some places quarter north and south
Engines and help arrived, in response to
earnest appeals, from Fond du Lac and
RIpon. There were several explosions
heard, one said to be that of a powder
magazine, and several deaths but par
ticulars of this could not be obtained.
The explosions were probaly those of the
department., caused by blowing up.houses
to stay the fire.
The burning Of the telegraph Offices.
and the Milwaukee & ST. Paul Railroad
depot, caused great excitement. It was
impossible to fl mp, ready for starting
work again at once, owing TO the want
of instruments and other apparatus; and
the distress of persons anxious to COM
| municate with friends elsewhere was
very painful to witness. Ii is impossi
BILE at the time of writing this dispatch,
to give anything like a detailed account
Of this awful calamity, but it is ce-tain
that the loss is moderately stated at
$3.50, 900.
The thieves appeared to have taken
advantage Of the panic that prevailed at
an early hour, and a reign Of terror
exists, which onr prominent citizens are
unable to control, although stringent
efforts are being made to restore conf
dence by swearing in special policemen
and so forth.
At this hour 6 o'clock the fire IS ap-
parently stayed, having IN reality burn
ed itself out.
The fire started in Morgan & Brothers
mill, and high wind carried the flames
considerably more than mile. Hun
dreds of families are destitute and must
have help at once or perish. Two men
were killed. The city is under controt
now of mob of thieves, and there IS IL
prospect that many lives will be loss
before morning.