davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-27

The fayorite pianotprtss nov us. IN me fuos > hoos
nog.e OF Dun ham & SONS Of these nns nstram -
ere placed thin tAe i2st few dAy $50
~ New BrunsWick, y. j.
Thoy extensively hrouznout the ntsa states aod
Rrsn Provinces ant % thcir srA ~ aDtf, power,
nue t0po and touch WarerOOma AMI AanufactOrY loatL
ana IbBth-st and 4th-ayc.. NevNOrk civ.
When too nte many mothers become aware that Their NJ
lie victims % muteions diet OF f1r
ood Tier omsehs are UNITED 20 Assilae ich
nj 10 want % moth rTs mix belhns Food
~ been "a spa ACKNOWLEDGE W The highest
aIhory an undo ans success Ali druggists flInsA II
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-27
For Long Brancs.

For LOHa Branch,
SUNDAY JUNE -
The MAGNIFICENT new sea-going steamer
JBHN-.H
will leave pier = North River loot ST., $50 mi
arrive at Long Branch ll5 a. H. returning leave Long
Branon 8 D. m arrive IN New-Y0rk 900 p. M.
~. >. 81 EDEN. General Manager.
Neryou. hxAa ustIsn-A ms1i5ai comprising
OF lectures delivered Kahns Museum OF Ans0my Ner.
YORK ana OF prsmatnrs decline showing n
disputaby health De egsiHed, SnOrding csx
mpeiments trsit
nervous debility being She result D - FeAs ST
perence. mail Zoe postage stamps Adrs's
Post Omce foreign week "a nag
TTrE,DAY At $50 a Tor BuTese, bY nevada,
via Queenstown "WEDNESDAY, AZ Z. M. Tor Europe,
NV steamship Ottnia Qn9enstiWn correspondence f0r
Eaucs must Da specially sarsassdl and at 100 Or
LANCE direct By steamship - Laurent wa hayrei N
THURSDAY. z a. sGsamsnlD Iet' ia
uaensJOwn c0resuODdence for ,rnAny and frAAce mass
specially addressed and % II u Tor EUROPE Dy stean
AL Celert va PlymDutn. CherDOurK Hamburg %
SATURDAY,, AZ a M. iOr EUROPE Oy Steamship CiY "
Perrin wa Queenstown correspondence fOI Germany aud
cot anS specially adrrssef) 9ndat To- scot
steamship Anolorla wa HA-S0N: anu AZ
1890 M Europe by steamship "eser VIA 5Olth 1DSon
ana bremen rhe matt. Sssdss, sad N0 zay
no Hamburg .RJ Bremen steamers only The
mails or Newfoundland vii New YORK Juno - Jho
sll. Tor Havana New Y0rz jane - and - Ihe
ais Ior HayU Jamaica and A@r4caO viii Leave View YORK
Trne gg rbe nails Hayt, SayanlA &c. VIII leave New
York June - The mails for AsDnwl snh south Pacihe
ports leave June 30 Tho NAILS Tor Nassau ~ p
will leave July Ihe Us,is fO Calnl and japan
eays san Franesco July !. The mails tor AustrtiA &c.
sN'' Jan FHOs L. JAMES Postmaster
Post Once. Ner-Y0rk. Jane Il. 1879.
, 1879-01-05

Adams Street. ~
<NorE-C. Carpenter shop. G G, Used as car.
pentcr shop. F. Engine room- L, Elevator
Mr.. D. n. Kimball, Superinteudent OF tho
newspaper room, made the following statement
in regard to the origin OF the fire:
The Connecticut Mutual, when they took pos
session OF the building, made q complete change
In the arrangements in the boter-room,
light wooden partition, and made some changes
in the arrangements which were at the time
commented on as unsafe. The woodwork aboya
was but q short distance from the boiler, and
the tirc undoubtedly originated there. The 8rat
intimation had Of the fire was seeing this cell
ing Of wood in blaze, and volume OF smoke
pouring into my ROOM I ran to the
mercuria1 alarm and held lighted piece
of paper to it until my hands were
burnt. as you sec them. The newspaper
room directly adjoins the boi'cr-room and the
carpcntcr-shop. There was no one in the latter
place ut that time. The fire patrol WAS the first
to respond TO the alarm. which WIS about twelve
minutes after I heated the mercurial alarm.
The fire went from the boilerroom up the ele-
yators. We left by the rear entrance. We
stnyed in the room until about 6 o'clock, and
saved everything of value. The fire in the base;
ment was brought under control very soon
after the arrival Of the tiremen, aud we expert:
enced very little trouble IN removing the nexs.
papers in the room as we'll as the cases. =
, 1879-01-05

At the headquarters Of the Department Of
the Missouri, Gen. e. A. Forsythe, who was
almost the only officer left in the rooms, discov-
cred the flames shooting up the elevator on the
Adams street front. He gave the alarm to
such OF the staff as were still On hand, and has
tened to notify Gen. Sheridan. The General
arrived ut the building at 3:45, and assembled to
the third story by means Of the frees
cape On the outside Of the building. After
a brief survey of the field Of battle, the
General decided to make no attempt to
save any of the furniture in the
offices, but to turn all hts attention to placing
the records OF the army 10 o safe place. The
vault was opened and everything considered as
specially valuable was. slowed away there. The
vault is unusually large and furnished all the
room necessary. Many Of the Generals valua-
bio War-naps md large portion Of his library
were also put INTO the vault. All OF this time
the burning brands were dropping In the hull,
and the greatest haste was necessary. At Ais
the fire had communicated from the .Dear-
born street elevator to the adjoining
Office, and the halls and Offices were
becoming full of smoke, but the plucky
soldier and Ills assistants went on .piling books
and papers into the vault without The slightest
show Of fcar OR nervousness. At last, when it
was absolutely impossible to remain any longer,
the vault was secured and the party made
dash for fresh air, not minute too soon, for
pieces Of plastering were dropping all around,
and burning pieces Of scantling were sailing
down the stairs in very unpleasant way.
The loss at the headquarters will: be- very
large, it was impossible to save thelfurnitu1e,
which was mostly OF bulky character. :, =.
The offices Of the staff and Gen. sheridan's
rooms had been furnished In an. elegant and
costly style. Many Of the officers had some
personal effects In the Offices, aud several uni
forms were destroyed, among other things.
There are great many papers which we're
slowed away in the different desks whose. loss
cannot be repaired. The papers Of Assistant
Adjt:-Gen. Whipple and his office. arc! believed
to be pretty much all-saved, although there are
undoubtedly many stray documents which were
destroyed.
Gen. Sheridan has not decided upon any place
for the headquarters Of his division, and
very little can be done in that direction
for some time to come, in all probability. 1t is
believed that oil the paoers bearing On the
Schurz controversy are saved, although there
, 1879-01-05


After the t1rc and smoke had been cleared
from the building, about nalf-past o'clock last
evening, reporter went over to take Il survey
of the ruins, and, il possible, get nt the origin
OF the catastrophe. The streets were flooded
with water which WIS not frozen solid, but rest
ed In semtcongealed body upon tho pave
mentst varying in depth according to the grades
Of the thoroughfares, from Madison to Adams
The litter street contained slush and water to
the depth OF two feet and over, and at tue bot
tom OF this lay the hose Of the Fire Depart
mcnt- The men were working nearly up to
their middles 10 the icy mass, trying to
exhume the apparatus in order to rem
der it more effectual in playing uDon
the fire that still remained in certain Sec
tions Of the npper portion Of the building, and
to prevent the hose from becoming i1nbedded in
solid mass OF ice. They called for help from
some Of their assistants, and an oflicous party
who appeared to be greatly under the influence
Of liquor, though willing citizen, stepped for
ward to lend a hand aud fell head-forcmost into
the lake, completely sunmergine himself. The
Adams front OF the structure presented grand
appearance, although doubtless very dishcart-
cning to the poor, exhausted fircmen. It.. was
one mass OF ice from the roof to the ground.
yet every detail Of the architecture was shown
with fearful distinctness in the pale
moonlight. It rcacub!cd gigantic
, 1879-01-05
THE ALTON ROAD.

About the lst OF last May the Chicago &
Alton Railroad Company leased for five years
the first and secoud floors Of the south half Of
the Honore Block, to be used as the general
headquarters Of the Company. At the time
the Alton made the lease that part Of
the building was not completed, and the
stipulation was that the: offices should
be arranged according to the Company's plans.
1t took the work1nen nearly two months to get
all the offices in shape to be fit for occupancy.
The General Solicitor and Treasurer moved in It
about June /. but the other general officers did
not get in: until about the end June. The
offices were the finest, most eoinmodious, and
most convenient OF the railroad offices in this
city, and the various officials had just about be-
come well settled by the time they were de-
stroyed. The first floor was occupied by the
General Ticket and Passenger Department, the
Treasurer's and Cashiers Department,
the General Freight Department, and
the Contracting Agent. The, second floor
Superintendent, General Manager, President,
General Solicitor, and their assistants. Nearly
all the furniture in the Offices WIS new and cost
the Company about $4,000 As soon as the
alarm was given the employees went to work to
TcLuo|t tfclttu4AS tlla1b GoNA0 0G AGAAOfl1i3
General Manager McMu1lin, who was 10 the
building at the time, having become convinced
after looking over the situation that the:whole
structure was doomed. Everything of value on
the lower floors was removed, but there was not
enough time to remove the furniture from the
offices on tho upper floors. All the money and
valuable papers were taken to the Company'e Is
former headquarters, Nos. 2 and West Van
Buren, street, and ali the docum ents and book.
were placed in the vaults, from which they
will no doubt be recovered in good condition,
General Manager McAlullin remained 10 the
building aud directed the removal, OF. the Com
pany's property, until driven out by the fire
flend. He gave his orders as calmly as II he
was directing the movement of trains. AT the
last moment he remembered that the most im-
portant thing had not been removed, namely,
the blank passes. Volunteers were at once
called for to rescue the precious little paste
boards, and brave Sam Whtpple,, Mr.. McMul-
lin's private secretary, at the imminent peril Of
his life, rushed up stairs, and soon returned
sufely with large bundle containing the
coveted ,blanks. He deserves the thanks OF
the whole army of noble deadheads for
this deed Of valor. and. the risk
which be incurred on their account. The Com
panv had no insurance on their property in the
building, but It's entire loss will not be more
than 5000. Until convenient Offices eau be Sc
cured in the centre OF the city, the headquarters
OF the Chicago s. Alton will again be at Nos. 2
aud West Van Bnren street.
, 1879-01-05

Hubbard has seYenty-fiye men Work1ng unoer
his orders at the building, and expects TO ha'c
his department in full running order this even
Ing. = -.
. The sub-stations will play an important part
in the work OF reorganization, and it is expected
that they will be valuable adjunct to the MAN
office.
Postmaster Palmer last evening stated that
the loss would be wonderfully small. Ihls re-
suit he ascribcs to the splendid way in when tne
:. boys got to work and the Intelligent ana sys~
tcmatic way in which the work was done.s lhefe
is certainly no doubt but that their prompt anu
heroic action saved the public, not only OF this
city but all over the country, from incaiculaole
loss r.
jim Stewart, Of the Criminal Court Clerks
office, who is an old Post-O1ice employe' was
on hand aud rendered great assistance IN tne
removal, for which the officers Of the Depaf'~
ment return their thanks. ;.
All of the men worked hard aud with WILL,
and deserve the greatest thanks from the c1tt-
zens OF Chicago that can be offered.
The appearance In the basement OF the Singer
Building, while primitive in the extreme, was
suggestive Of business from the start. Eight
locomotive headlights, furnished BY Crerar'
Adams g. Co., were arranged about the apart
ment and shed a sort OF universal glare over
surrounding objects, while hundred talloW
candles were disposed SO as to facilitate matters
of detail. Enough long distributing tables auo
cases had been saved from the ruins to enable
the boys to get the mails into order, and they
proceeded directly to work. This furniture was
invaluable to them, as with its aid
they weie.. able to make ten times
the progress that they would have made
without Them The mail-wagons came to the
rear door Of the basement at short intervals,
and the bags of matter were thrown down the
stairway with lightning rapidity. to be seized by
scores Of ready hands aud dragged to the point
where the sorting was to be done. The men
came prepared to work all night, and Post
master Palmer stated that business men could
come into the rear door Of that basement and
get their mills this morning the same as usual;
He also said that, so far as he was able to learn,
every particle Of mail matter had been saved,
owing to the faithfulncss and devterity Of the
men.
Tic Postmaster sends in the following:
NOTICE TO THE PEBL1C.
CHICAGO Posi- OFFICE. Jan. 4.-Thc Chicago
Post Office is temporarily located in the basement
Of the new Singer Building, at the corner OF state
aud Washington streets. The delivery by mail to-
morrow by carriers at the Office will be made ut the
usual hour, between IL and 12 q. m- Entrance at
The gcncrul and box delivery and retail stamp
division will not be open tomorrow (Sunday). All
mails will be closed and dispatched at the usual
hours. F. ". PALMER, Postmaster.
, 1879-01-05

When 1t became evident that the building
must 20, Postmaster Palmer made immediate
efforts to secure another place for base
Of operation. After considering various places,
tho basement OF the Singer Building WINS Sc
cured, and the transfer Of the property to that
place began. All OF the cases that were saved
were sent over first and placed about the base
ment, which is unusually large and commodious.
The bulk Of the mails were sent to the Rock
Island depot, where Capt. White had charge.
They were there distributed through the ma
chfncry OF the railway postal service. Later in
the evening the mail matter was sent direct to
the Singer Building, where Mr.. Vrceland, As
sistaut-Superintendcnr OF Nails, directed the
placing Of cases and the reception and disposi-
ton Of the mail-bags.
The Office will be located ut that place for
several days to come, Us it may be some time
before proper building can be secured. The
rent Of the old building was about 24,G00 per
annum, and it is Got expected that the Depart
lncnt will pay as much for any other building
for temporary use. A proposition for two floors
OF the Lakeside building was received, and will
probably receive some consideration.
Everything will 20 on as usual IN the present
location. The public will cal! at the basement
aud the alley, being the southeast
corner Of the building. The usual
Sunday delivery will be carried
on this morning from II to II o'clock The fire
will occasion no delay except to mails orisinat-
ing In the city, the outside mails having been
handled. as above stated, at the Rock Island
Depot. All Of the reception and delivery
customary to the Central Post~Onicc will be
carried on at the Singer Building. AL Of the
mail at present in the city will be sent off on the
evening trains tonight. Work commenced at
the new quarters last. evening at o'clock, and
was continued With force OF 175 men nearly. all
night The regular. saturday-ni mall vas
distributed at tnat place last night, much as il
nothing happened.
The carriers will make their regular trips to-
morrow, aud there will be little trouble in send
1ug OF the mails collected. Superintendent
, 1879-01-05

1:p to lip that the bullets were being nred
at the p}ate-slass windows in the hope OF shat
terins them, SO the tremen could bring streams
70 play upon TIC flames, which by this time were
fisib!c on the first and second floors. Night did
not seem to in any way alice. the crowd, which
stood shtyeifng around until it was manifest
that the Honorc Block was to be mass OF ice
elen rims, and that the adjoining structures
gould not be damaged.
INSIDE TIE BUILDING
The fire was said to have originated among
lot Of newspaper mafl-matter, directly back OF
the enginc-roon. It spread likeia fash over the
northern portion of the structure, and swept up
the stairway on that side and the elcvator~shaft,
which it assembled, with no obstruction, with
leap urged on By the drau@ht Of air, until it
reached the upper story: which went before The
flames like a construction of paper boxes. With
1r fifteen or twenty minutes after the fire broke
out the flames were in the roof, and spreading
along the floor and woodwork Of the upper
story:
It vas about;this time that the cry WIS raised
that number OF women aud girls were In the
upper story, that their passage was cut of, aud
they had no means OF escape from the burning
building One Of the hook and ladder COM
panies got their wagon around In front and pro-
ceeded to erect combination ladder, amid the
cheers Of the multitude OF spectators on the
streets. IN the meantime the "fater anu ao-
other gentleman went around 10 the Aoams
street entrance aud ascendcd the stairway to
the upper noof, os unt o. perseverance,, rs the
smoke was euffocating. No signs OF life we're
visible in that portion Of the building; offices
we're thrown open, glass was broken and lying
ABOUT upon Tue Aoo1, auu ever In'n:s u eatoe
that cou1o oc moFeo appeared ~ aafe oeen
thrown out Of the WINDOWS WHICH 1noeco was
the fact. There WAS or1eat spot 10 DC seen
near the centre, ana, upon hentlne MS way To-
ward this attraction the e1epofter discovered 1nat
the roof was already on IRE, anu the paracular
light spot was q large body OF hamc which was
feeding upon the cupoaa or 1ancy ornafnensatlon
aboye the skyllght- lhls was already cracking
and hurting huge pieces OF blazing ttmbers DC
low into Dearborn street, Hail oozen nrc-
men who were working upon hose IN the mid
die Of the street subsequently had narrow es-
cape from horrible death in the tumb1tng OF
whole side OF the burning frame down upon the
ground near them- Hundreds OF voices we're
raised in warning as the blazing mass was seen
descending, and hundreds OF brcaths we're held
in suspense, In anticipation OF the crash; but it
fell to the earth about twelve or fifteen 1eet
from where the brave hremen stood, end was
shattered into million fragments, some OF the
burning faggots falling among them. They
paid no attention to this, however, but Kept on
with their work as tnongA- noIn1ng nad nap
pencd.
While the reporter was looking about inside
Of the building, he observed that the Offices OF
Gen. Sheridan and his stall we're closed ard the
, 1879-01-05
SALVAGE.

The Post-O1ice Department immediately On
the alarm being given, went to work with great
expedition and system to save the matter under
, 1879-01-05

The building, which is owned BY the Cor
necticut Mutual Life Insurance Company, is ~
surcd to the amount Of s2O0, 600, ali OF which
has been placed BY the firm Of Moore & Jones.
and is divided among the various companies, %
, 1879-01-05

). Nnd again. The street vas soon several
Inches deep With water, which almost immedi-
17y formed into half-frozen slush, IN
:. alch the firemen waded. On the Dearborn
st front of the building m apparatus for
4sing hose was speedily extended, reaching 10
the topmost story, and halfway up this, hose
-.and, we're p4rched three firemen, who stood
{ fce-statues, their rubber clothes being IN
.antiy transformed into coats OF ice by the
eezIng OF the falling spray. Near by we're
her streams, directed by pipemen OF the dl1-
5:rent steamers, but Try as ther would no water
could be thrown into the Mansard roof "nere
the fire was raging furious1y. To say that the
sccne was picturesque is to put 1t very mildly
adeed, The fzemcn. standing almost knee deep
il water we're simply moving or mottonless
masses OF ice while the Narshals rushed around
from point to point, looking like gnomes OF the
!irct1c regious their ffrc-nats being adorned with
<.;e1es of the most fantastic shapes. Still, in
spite Of all their efforts, the fire went remorse
lessly about its WORK OF destruction, seeming to
1ideItsen within the building where 1t could not
I've reached by that Thich would subduc it, and
bursting forth only at the top, from whence it
lit up the surrounding buildings nrd made
strange pictures and shapes in the ruin it had
already wrought.
as the afternoon wore away the crowd in
creased to such an extent that the large
force Of police present under COM
mand Of Supt- seavey. Dcputy~supt Dixon,
and Capt O'Donnell, was barely sufficient
% keep the sidewalks in passable condition.
The saloons in the row opposite The burning
i,uiding cid rushing business, being filled
with crowd which passed the time in drinking
and watching the progress Of the flames. When
O'Clock came, the throrg was swelled by large
numbers OF the army Of clerks and Others EN-
ploycd IN the business houses on State Street
and Wabash avenue, ill being anxious to get
glimpse OF the burning Post-0fice.
Just rs darkness came on the sound OF pistol
shots was heard. and some excitement was
created thereby, the same being allaycd, how
ever, bv the announcement which passed from
l:p to lip that the bullets were being fired
at the p}ate-slass windows in the hope Of shat
terins them, SO the fremen could bring streams
70 play upon Tic flames, which by this time we're
sisib!c on the first and second floors. Night did
not seem to in any way alice. the crowd, which
stood shiyeiins around until it was manifest
that the Honorc Block was to be mass OF ice
pdcn ruins, and that the adjoining structures
could not be damaged.
, 1879-01-05

tended to them from the roof :ot the rear build
ing, which 'was.a story lower, just in time to
prevent serious accident aud loss Of life, as the
root went tumbling in. Just after the last man
got across the bridge. :.
In front Of the building, on Dearborn street,
several nozzles were directed to the upper por-
ton, but all except one-that OF one OF the new
steamcrs-failed to reach the roof, and only
covered the first four or five stories with ice and
flooded the street. There never was such a
waste of water at fire, and it was hard to see
why it was done. for at this time all the trout
windows we're intact and closed.
, 1879-01-05

through his hands. The names OF 1ne
1fve'uho were rescued in this way were A. ho%-
and, Capt. aosick, T. Brougham Baker, Col
Charles Webb, and ". L. THOMPSON, oil cierAs
in the Quartermaster's Department air. ba-
ker was seen soon after be reached the ground
and, after showing his bleeding hanas "neFe
the rope had taken the skineoff IN SIX or elen1
places, be told how he first became aware OF tne
fire. He was sitting in the Chief Clerks room
copying. when Capt. Hosick rushed in, say
ing the building was on fire, and the
elevator on the east side had caught Hc went
upstairs to tell the other boys, and found tue
smoke intense. Before they could realize the
danger they found the hallway was so full OF
smoke they could nos get out, and were forced
to shut themselves III room and depend on as
sistante from outside. 49, t-.
, 1879-01-05

are some. minor reports which are not known to
have been put into the vault. No reliable esti-
mate of the loss to the. army from yesterdays
fire could be arrived at, but it is pretty well up
into the thousands. Absolutely nothing OF any
pecuniary value WAS saved, and, as all Of the
papers are in the vault, it is Impossible TO a.
rive at the exact amount. Mr. seioerg' Chlel
Clerk Of the Quartermaster's Department mad
In his Office q chest of iron containing bonds
securities, and money, amounting to s@2,ooo
Fearful of its ultimate safety, ne "a'1e uu
OTTER of 500 to any man who "oufd 60 w ~
the third story of the building and get tne uo1
7. A. Hopkins, a repairer on the fre-alarm
lines. ACCEPTED the offer, went up to the .oflce
designated, and threw the box ont OF the WIN
dow, and fully earning the promised reward
The box was the personal property OF Mr. DE
berg. This was about the only thing sa7e1
from the headquarters.