Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-11-16
VICTIMS OF THE BIG FIRE.
One Hundred and seventeen Bodies
Taken from the Smoldering


Ruins.
The question OF the number OF the unfortu.
nate people who lost their lives in the Chica.
20 fire OF 1871 has always been an open one.
From the rapiditv with which the disastrous
confagration enveloped the heart OF the city
IL can readily be understood that II was utter
" impossible for the details OF fatalities and
casualties To be made a matter OF record, and
ret that q sad list OF fatalities resulted from
the terrible deluge OF fire which swept the de-
voted city during the night and morning OF
Oct. s and 9 can not be doubted.
Some very erroneous Impressions seem TO be
abroad about this matter. Not long ago an
eastern magazine IA replying to an inquiry
on the subject, sa d that no lives were lost In
the Chicago fire. This Ia quite as misleading
as is the IMPRESSION implicuy believed by even
some old Chicsgoaus that very considerable
numb perlshed in the flames. The precise
number OF fatalities could not possibly be
known owing TO the cond tion In which many
bodies and parts OF bodies were found, burned
beyond Identification, and badly charred and
crushed, as most OF them we're. DIR. Ben
Miller ex- coroner aud ex-county physician,
possesses In a record OF notes taken at the
time what IS probably The oniy authentic In
formation of that melancholy mission, the
search for the burned dead undertaken by
him assisted by the county undertaken and his
men cooperating with the police. A morgue
for the reception OF the remains had been
prepared on Milwaukee avenue and the ex
plor ny party set out. The first body found
was on Washington street between Clark
and Dearborn. 1t was but slightly burned,
being protected from the flames which swept
the street by n heap OF masonry aud rubbish
which had fallen upon II 1t was subse-
Quently Asccrtained that this man had been
cut of from retreat In the third story OF the
b,,fI In uh ha
he sat upon the ledge OF the window, but the
flames forced him out snd after banging on
to the window sill until his grasp loosened
he fell to the sidewalk, striking on his head,
the fall killing him instantly. The badly
charred remains of a man were found inside
a piece OF unusually large iron water pipe
living in the grounds OF the water-works.
Ev IDENTITY he had crswled INTO the big pipe
to escaue The Intense heat aud had been SUI
fCcatrd bv the dense masses OF smoke aud
showers # fine uders VIII CD overlook him.
Al EfIr street bridge was found the BODY OF
a man sfierwsrd identified as Martin Lunt,
an nss slant bridge tender snd another
| corpse was dug out Of some ruins on Grant
street near LA Sale. The remains OF wo-
man found on jackson street near Clinton
were supposed TO be those OF Mary DANGER
| who resided In that pcghborhood.
The saddest part Of the search was the
| discovery OF charred remains burned not only
| beyond all recognition but so badly a. 10
| make their removal in entirety almost I'm
| possible. In many instances these charred
rpses bore scarcely any resemblance ia
| human bodies In a number OF instances
| the spinal column and the neck were all
| that remained to prove thor kinship with
the race. Bodies burned beyond recognition
were found on Dearborn avenue. between
| Indians and Ohio streets; on Clark street be
| tween Madison and Monroe; on Kingsbury
] street near Erie, and an alley, between State
1 aud Walnut streets. and in q number ol
| other places In the north division, In which
l section of the city the lfrgest number oi
| bodies was found. In all liz corpees were
| rescued from the smoldering ruins and with
| the utmost care taken to the morgue. Sub
| sequentlv all these remains were Inferred II
Que common grave with appropriate publ,
ceremonies. Chicago Tiwes.