The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-05-09
The Conflagration Spreading

CHICAGO, May S-A fire in the lumber
district the event which all Chicagoans
dread as they do some great pestilence-is
raging. Up to the time of writing this dis
patch the entire area between Thirty -fif tn
and Thirty ninth streets, and between
Laurel street and the railroad track is
solid mass of flames. The wind is
blowing hurricane Thirty million feet of
lumber has already been destroyed. The
entire fire apparatus of the city, excepting
the few machines kept in the center of the
city, to provide against new dangers, is on
the scene TIE yards already involved are
the Chicago Lumber compans's yard,
Messrs. Bigelow Brothers, and sMeSsIs.
Adams & Hasting.
The first alarm sounded at l2:2S, and
there responded to this with all speed
possible, half-dozen engines. The general
All was Immediately tn GREATER sounded,
calling out the entire fire department
without intermediate calls, and soon the en-
tire city was alive with rapidly moving en-
gines, some galloping to the scene of the
danger in the southern part of the city, and
and others closing up toward the city's
center to take the place of those called out.
The fire started at the northwest corner of
Iron and Thirty fifth streets, in the yard of
the Chicago Lumber company. The wind
| was blowing gale, AMI the flames spread
| toward the east with amazing rapidly until
oil the yard of the Chicago Lumber COM
pany was ablaze Sparks had set fire to a
number of wooden houses on Halsted
| street, and were threatening two other
| big yards in the vicinity. With such a gale
the %, 100000 feet of the Chicago Lumber
company were soon doomed, and then the
yard of Messrs. Bigelow Bros, adjoining,
was on fire too. Nine million feet of lumber
were piled up here. There were twenty gone
| engines ON the scene at this moment, some
| drawing from the water in the south
branch and others using the bydrants.
They did not make an impression. On the
other hand, the flames swept east with such
rapidity that the engines working from the
river soon in peril and had to he dragged
off; 80 rapidly had their retreat to be made
that all the hose was burned. This
part Of the fighting force was thus alto
gether disabled. In the retreat the driver
of engine No. 8 was injured seriously, being
knocked sanseless by a lead of hose. The
three disabled engines were removed to &
place of safety. Then another yard, Messrs
Adams & Hastings, with its S,0O0,OOO fee
of lumber, was involved and by this tint
the whole area between Thirty-ffth stree
and Thirty-eighth street, and the river and
for width of four blocks was ablaze
The district now in flames is bounded BY
Thirty fifth street on the north and Thirty
ninth street on the south. Directly acroS
the river from the lumber yards are tn
Union stock yards, and to the northwest i
Bridgeport The fire is spreading towar,
the northest, but there are hundred
of acres of prairie between tn
blazing yards and the city proper, an
no great danger of general confiagratiol
is apparent. The mills, offices, sheds, etc
attached to the lumber yards have all bee
swept away. The high wind carried th
fying embers over to and beyond Halste
street. setting fire to houses on that thol
oughfare, blacks away from the main fire.
At2:45 o'clock the fire had spread to Ri
tenhouse & Emlie's lumber yard, nes
Thirtv-Ninth and South Halsted stree
The direction of the confagation was sti
northeast The probabilities are that IL
| entire lumter district will be swept b
flames, and that the fire will reach Sout
Halsted street Here it will be checked b
- open prairie
Twenty or thirty frame houses occupie
as residences, and scattered throughout tt
district have been destroyed. Several
the engines were disabled, but none of the
vera lost. Hundreds of feet of hose we
DESTROYED and several firemen injured.
There are 100 900 feet of lumber
in the district on fire and no hope at th
writing of saving foot OF it.
The Thirty-fifth street bridI
has taken fre, and the fran
buildings along the north 81
of Thirty-filth street have repeatedly TAX
fire, but have been extinguished. The close
lumber yard to the fire is that Of B.
Anderson & Co., which lies contig
ously on the northeast side, betwe
the fire and Thirty-ifth street, al
il is said that this is now on fire. The
rection of the wind varies good deal fro
time to time, and if it should blow fro
the southwest there is danger of the fire G
tending along Thirty fifth street to the ci
proper and to the frame building part Of
10 No estimate of the loss is possible.
THE'LATEsr. AT $40 p. m. 1t was
ported at the fire marshars office that the
was no danger that the fire will exte
further than the lumber district.
= The fire marshal says there is no dt
Z, ger that it will reach the ste
yards. The fire was checked at Bigelo'
yard. Bigelow's yard is 1900 feet south
Thirty-ffth street on south side OF
river The fire is now under control
dried lumber in Bigelow's yard was sav
The good work of the fire departm'
and the tugboats began to tell by aoou
o'clock. The firemen worked more ]
EC demons than like human beings. to's
- oblivious of the danger that surrount
them on all Sides Steamer 30 was O
completely enveloped in flames. l
happened on Iron street opposite the I
cago Lumber companys offices. The
dangered apparatus was hauled OH
10 four Of the men, who performed W
pc which is considered pretty tough for
ss horses. Lieutenant Jammerfield,
steamer No. 28, fell to the ground
l1.n,.ntad annoe;ta RioainW Bros val