Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-10-18
oHIoAGo's GREAT FIRE.
Nearly Every Trace Thereof Oblitcr-
ated and Relics Not Abundant.
Chicago Herald.

0hte@8u hCAANs
II one starts out In search of interest
ing relics of the great FIRE of 1871 with
great expectations there will DO sore dis
appointment. IL is but II years since the
awful contlagration took place, but so
completely have traces OF its terrible
work been blotted ont that one may hunt
for days from one end of the city TO the
other without finding very much that
will recall vivid rscoliections Of the dis
ester. Go to De Koven street, between
Jefferson and Clinton, on the West Side.
where the fire originated, and you will
see but one thing to remind you that you
are on historic ground. The old aquatty
frame buildings Of 1871, which were
swept away In the infancy of the storm,
have been supplanted by two and three
story brick and stone front residences,
presenting picture Of neatneas in ad-
vance Of the neighborhood. One natur-
ally goes to tho very spot where the
OLearys lived, at 1877 De Koven street.
Instead of the shabby frame dwelling, q
slab COW ahed, there is o modest two.
story ard basement brick, with white
stone front, tenanted by three or four
families. Juet below The two main floor
"sA~N0Wb AtANAC 40 IA DlpGk ECU
into the wall. with the following inscrip-
ton ohiseled upon its face:
The great FIRE OF 1871 originated here
and extended to Lincoln Park.
Chicago Historical Society,
1881.
There il no one in the building who
lived in thin neighborhood at the time of
the fire, but two or three doors west j.
Dushek, the Bohemian milk man Of that
day, keeps email grocery. He says that
he is the man who rescued the t'cow with
the crumpled horn from the O,Lsary
stable, where the fire started. But he hes
preserved no relics Of the destruction
save q charred piece of wood about three
feet long from one Of the walls of the
barn. One end of IL is very nearly Of its
original size, while the other end OF it is
burned almost to point. II has been
kicked about In his back yard and has
done duty as a prop in his cellar, ard was
about to be split into kindling by bis Lit
tie boy one day last week when it o.
CURED TO the grocer that It worth saving.
His ideas of its value have lately become
enlarged and he now wants handsome
price for 1t. This relic OF the commence
ment OF the fire is probably genuine, as
there are quite number who saw it ta-
ken from the debris on the Monday after
the stable was destroyed. But there is
nothing suggestive in its appearance. It
il nothing more than black, charred
| chunk, end will soon deeayed and
pass into other forms OF matter unless
proper means are taken to preserve it.
One may start from this historic spot
on De Koven street and tranyerge the
whole track Of the fire noYthward for q
distance of about four miles and not
meet with single trace Of the burned
city asit was before October 9th, 1871, IN
til he reaches tine junction OF North CLARK
street and North Park avenue. Bere, Of
9l1 North CLARK street, are portions Of
three brick walls, the remains OF small
two-story dwelling that was destroyed in
the great fire. These are the only ruins
of that conAagration to be found In the
city. The building formerly set back
from the street about thirty feet. and the
| ground in front Of the ruins is covered
with q heavy growth of weeds. The
walls are lettering to their fall. The
south elevation will not last much longer.
Probably before another year, unless
sooner removed, there will be but pile
Of broken bricks 10 mark the pfacg.. 81 The
lot is owned by Attorney Hugh s. White,
Of Evanston. The house upon IL until
the fire was built in 1866 by Adam
Brehm. Brehm lived in it himself for q
time. and later It was occupied by re-
porter of the Stats Zeitunq, now en-.
ployed in the Lake View water office,
named Ruhbaum. Finally the plaoe was
purchased by q German, now dead,
named Lang. Il Is understood to have
come into tue possession OF the present
owner under . purchase concerning which
there is litigation still pending, which 40.
counts for the fact that the place has
stood 30 long without improvements.
Aside from these ruins no one is able
to point out in the burned area q single
trace of the FIRE except in the two build
ings on the north side that escaped and
portions of walls that were used in re.
building. The old Ogden mansion still
stands on ground bounded by Oak street,
Washington square, Dearborn avenue and
Clark street, beneath the shade of the
stately elms that beautify the splendid
situation. The large building is de-
sorted and it stands as melancholy mon
ument OF the terrible fire from which il
escaped. The building was surrounded
by q board fence, and il was ia all re-
speots standing invitation to the ele-
ments. But it was in the centre of
large open space, with the unoecupied
square to the south of it, and by the use
of wet blankets and carpets ii was saved
until the fury Of the storm WAS passed.
There is small cottage on Lincoln
place, within the area of the burned dis
triot, that was saved from the fire and is
still standing. 1t was occupied by po-
liceman named Bellinger, who fought for
the preservation OF his home as long as
water could be had, and when that sup
ply was exhausted he resorted to the use
Of vinegar, Of which there was quantity
in his cellar, and succeeded in saving the
cottage. 1t has since been painted and
improved so that there is nothing about
its appearance to remind one Of the FIRE.
Bnt these things are scarcely relies Of
the event OF 1871, in the true sense. In
ruth there are none TO he seen in Chi
oago by the visitor, no matter how care
fully he may trace the streets and alleys
and boulevards and parks in search of
them-nothing that tho stranger can
recognize as momentoes Of the great fire.
And yet there are hidden away, prscii-
cally, from public observation, valuable
and interesting relics OF the disaster.
Among the unique relics preserved by
individuals is one in the possession OF
Joe Martin, who is now employed in the
North Town assessors office. II was
originally preserved by John Elliott, and
was by him arranged in neat glass case.
It consists of ''hand at poker" There
are several stsoks of chips, including the
red, white and blue, and pack of cards,
The great heat dissolved the composition
from which the chips were cast, so that
the narda and ching ara 1aartlu RIM tn