Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-06

Other Fires and NIiscellau eous Casualties.
CHICAGO, Jan. 4.-One of the most disas-
trous fires that has occurred in Chicago for
several years occurred this afternoon, where
by the postoflice and United States military
headquarters were destroyed. The build
ing occupied by these branches of the pub
born and Adams streets. The fire was dis
covered shortly after 3 o'clock, and is sup
posed to have originated in the boiler room.
Before an alarm could be turned in the
flames had gained considerable Roadway,
and shot to the upper stories. The
PosToFFCE OFFICIALS
succeeded in getting out all the letter mail
and portion of the newspapers, while the
valuable packages in the registry and money
order departments were placed in the vaults
and are in all probability secure from loss.
In less than half hour from the breaking
out of the fire the entire southern end of the
building and the upper two stories were so
completely under the mastery of the flames
that nothing could be done by the fire de-
partment beyond throwing water into the
lower portion of tho building and against
the walls, with the hope of preserving them
intact.
THE HEADQUARTERS
of Gen. Sheridan, which were in the second
story, were abandoned before the entire con-
tents could be removed to place of safety,
and many valuable documents are reported
lost. The quartermaster's offices were in the
fifth story, and as the fire had completely cut
off all egress from that portion of the build
ing the four clerks there employed were for a
time placed in
The MOST PRECARIoUs CONDITION,
and were rescued only by the almost super
human efforts of the fire department
the burning building, and the four men sue
ceeded in reaching the street in safety, but
not until the flames had reached the windows
from which they made their exit. The
contents of the quartermaster's Offices.
including important papers, are a
total loss in the lower story. At the south
end of the building were located the general
Offices of the Chicago & Alton railroad COM
pany. Their records were saved. The loss
occasioned by the conhagration is estimated
at
OVER SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.
The building was erected by II. H. Honore,
on loan of 100000 by the Continental
Mutual Life Insurance company. Befe re
it's completion the same company advanced
100000 additional while Honore put in
$3.50, 900 of his own money. Abont year
ago the insurance company foreclosed the
loan, the interest amounting to $4,000.
The Insurance reached 1928, 500 in various
Eastern companies.
THE LOSS TO THE PosToFFICE
department. is estimated at $15. 900; to the
army headquarters $4,000; to the Chicago&
Alton Co., $4,000; to Ishain & Lincoln, law
yers, $4,000, and TO Lawrence, Paddock &
Ives, lawyers, $4,000. About o'clock this
evening the fire was under control. But
little was left except the walls. Postmaster
Palmer had effected a lease of the new
Singer building, corner of State and Wash
ington streets, before 5 O'Clock and the post
Office will be- located there. The building is
secured for two years, at an annual rental
of 100000
The rapidity with which the flames pro-
gresssd after reaching to the top of the build
ing prevented escape by the stairway of a
number of post Office employees who were
driven to the roof, and for time, remained
there in an agony of suspense and alarm
awaiting rescue. A woman who leaned i'm
ploringly out of a window in the fifth story
was saved by the gallantry of a fireman who
assembled the fire escape and bore her earth
ward in his arms. Ihe men were saved not
an instant too soon by long rope which was
procured, and on which they in turn slid tc
the ground.
The building, which was owned by the
Connecticut Mutual Insurance company, was
damaged to an amount variously estimated
at $1,000 900 to SS15OOOO Insurance as fol
lows: $4,000 in Lancaster; 81 500 each il
the Manufacturers, the Royal and North
Britith; $4,000 each in the Springfield, Fire
and Marine, the Imperial, the Niagara, the
American Central, the London Assurance
the Boylston, the Neptune, the Pennsylvania
the Hoffman, the Phoenex, the Under
writer's, the Hamburg, of Bremen
the Commercial Union, the Scottish
American, the Boston Underwriters, the In
surance Company of North America, the
Orien, the Northwestern National, the Trad
ers, the Rhode Island, the Hartford, the Ma
tional & German American; $4,000 each il
the ST. Paul, the Irving, the Mercantile, The
! Atlantic, the Commonwealth. the Lorillard,
the Firemen's Fund, the Northern, the Con
necticut, the Tradesman, the Glens Falls
the Trans-A Atlantic, the Rochester, German
the Clinton, the franklin, the Home O
Colorado, the Peoples, the Lamar, the Bee
German, the Detroit Fire & Marine, tn
Meridian. Total, 100000.