, 1879-01-05


left to burn up, 1t being impossible to reach 1t.
So tar as he knew, The most valuable records
were In the vaults, along with $4,000 or $4,000
in money. In answer to a question as to the re-
sumption Of business, Mr.. Squiers said that they
would be ready to mike the deliveries Of letters,
Monday morning, and he desired the reporterto
publish the request that every employe of the
Post-Ofice report at the Singer Building, corner
of State aud Washington streets, at an early
hour this morning aud proceed to business. The
collection Of mail would be made as regular as
possible under the circumstances. Forthe pres
ent the business would be done at the Singer
Building, and until the Postmaster found
more suitable place In which to establish
the Post-Otfice until the new Government
building is completed. A large qusntity Of the
ma:I, which had become considerably mixed in
its rapid removal from the burning building, was
ordered BY MIR. Squiers from the American Ex-
press Company's building On Monroe street to
q postal-car at the Rock Island Depot, where
the facilities are excellent for handling mail
matter, and much more available.
The Assistant Postmaster thought that every
thing would soon be'in fair working order when
they got the cases, tables, desks, and the accu-
mulared mass OF mail matter into the basement
of the Singer Building. The Eastern mails
were all delayed yesterday, and that fact gave
them quite an. important advantage. Mr.
Sduiers was not able TO give any idea as to what
building would be used for Post-Ot1ice. They
could tell about that when they got Strengthened
out.
Nr. suuiers and Mr.. Patten, and two clerks
West ana Veal, who were in the offices on the
second floor, close to the large stairway leading
n ne%r had rp$h uac.
cape from suffocation, The smoke coming up
the elevator-way and entrances leading to the
basement in great volumes, and almost cutting
off their escape, which most Of them made down
the stairway.
BENNER.
At 10 o'clock the fire vas under control. 4
reporter of THE TRIBUNE found Chief Benuer
on the corner Of Adams and Dearborn streets
at that hour aud demanded from him facts.
Matt knew little as to the origin of the blaze.
All within his cognizance was that when he ar
rived on the ground, and that was early In the
game, the centre of the building was in blaze.
Then the second alarm, and following that the
% alarm, was turned In. The aim vas
to concentrate all the available engines
without undu1y weakening the outlying
districts, in case =. fire should
occur there. The f]remen we're relieved as the
| reinforcements came in, and when well warmed
and fed returned to their posts Of duty. The
Grand Pacific Hotel furnished all iremen and
policemen engaged with first-class supper, and
| thus reinforced they returned to combat the
| flames.
| A trip around the block with Marshal Benner
resulted in the thorough wetting aud freezing
Of The TRIBUNE reporter, and In no news Of
| apy interest to the reader. At that hour the
fire WAS fully under control. and the efforts OF
the iremen we're directed to saving the walls o.
| the building. The different Captains and LIEU
| tenants were directed to carry hose into the
| various stories Of the building with view to
saving what the fire might have spared, and that
/ WIS all that could be learned. Mr. Benncr
| wanted to know whether the reporter would like
| to go with him and investigate the fire, the
| origin OF which he could not understand, but
the reporter firmly. though respectfully, de-
clined tc essay the trip.
AN EVENING SEANCE.
| At6 o'clock, when change Of reporters took
| place, or, rather, when new relay Of pencil
singers came on deck, the fire seemed to be
making continuous aud destructive headway,
and it looked as though The whole structure was
| doomed to fall prey to the deyouring element.
| Upward curlcd the great clouds Of smoke
| black, furious, and threatening. The hose OF
| the various engines were dcclscd with lecks Of
| ice, and they ran down the whole length of tho
pipes as tneY hung from the roof to the street,
looking like some heightened and attcnuated
! iceberg Just sent in from the Arctic Zone or
| waited thither by the Manitoba blizzard. Still
persistentlv crept and crept the threat
ening flames. They licked the upper
window-sashes and the roof. Now and
again they shot out OF the windows. On the
north end Of the building, on Dearborn street,
the upper end OF the great structure was burn-
ing, and ~the flames shot up above the roof out
of the upper windows. Now and then great
beam would show itself partially burning, and
for awhile would hang threatcuing1y, and then
dropping inward cause q temporary greater
Frightening to the already whitening heat with
iu. At this northeast corner the fire burned
with remarkable persistency. It flashed, and
| fumed, and threatened to descend lower and
cunsumc anything and everything In its way.
In the centre Of the Dearborn street front, over
the main. entrance, the flames seemed to rush
through the building fast and furious. ncre
the fire held high carnival, and for
| the time bid defiance to'water. BravelY fought
| the fremen, and stuobornly did the furious
| flames resist. To add to the fierce intensity Of
the almost unequal contest, some Of the plate
| class windows refused to yield to the water
| thrown from the various hose aimed at thcm
Instead Of that, they became coated with the ice
which was SO profusely decking men, horses,
| and nose. This coating OF the window-panes
became drawback to the successful working
6f the drcmen, and Detective La Bounty and
| Baf1,ff Morris secured douole-barreled shot
pun and commenced firing at the obstrcperous
psues of glass, which yielded to the charges of
bucksbot sent into them. Joe Dixon's son took
shot with the same gun, aud the result was
that the boy was sat down uoon, SO to
| speak, aud today, if his father is generous,
he will present him with new meerschanm
ciear-holder,' to replace one that was broken,
and set OF store-tee1h. The gun Was double
back action; hence the result