The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-04-15
FREAKS IN A PANIC.
Chicago Visited by Another
Disastrous Fire.
The Flames Again Origi-
nate in a Stable.
Almost a Repetition OF the
Scenes OF 1871.
Many Lives Saved by a Heroic
Policeman.
Wild Scenes Among Museum Freaks
and Animals.
Many Lives Saved by a Heroic
Policeman.
Wild Scenes Among Museum Freaks
and Animals.

contlagrations that has occurred here
since the fire OF 1871. The loss is fully
Sl,000,0O0. 1t was at almost the geograph-
ical center of the city that the flames
started, and like the terrible disaster
twenty years ago, began in a stable.
In this case the stable was the property
of the well-known furniture manufacturer
and politician. John NJ. Smyth, and was
located in the rear of his big house fur
nishing establishment on w. Madison-st
near Hals.ead-st. The flames speedily
communicated to the furniture establish
ment and a moment later to Kohl q
Middleton's museum. A general alarm
to the fire department WAS soon followed
by special calls for extra engines as the
fire was seen TO be gaining ground with
extraordinary rapidity.
IN less than five minutes smoke was
pouring from every window in the mu-
scum and was enveloping the huge six
story building occupied by Smyth, when,
in a marvelously short interval, both
structures had turned into a mass of
flame. Great fiery tongues darted across
the street and lodged in the upper stories
of the buildings on the north side of
Madison-st. A moment later the firemen
along the thoroughfare found themselves
working between two towering walls of
fire. For a time it looked as though the
conflagration would get beyond control
and that, as in 1871, it would sweep
toward the lake directly across the busi-
ness district of the city.
AS if to add to the CONSERVATION, the
wind had suddenly arisen and was blow
ing stiff gale from the west. Probably
10000 people gathered in the neighboring
streets and helplessly watched the pro-
Gress of the possible impending calamity.
AT this critical juncture the thorough
discipline of the fremen became mag
nificently apparent. The men, obeying
orders stood steadily in the street where
the flames scorched them from either
side, and after a fierce battle at length
brought the fire in a measure under
control.
The immense blaze, however, continued
to rage with intense fury in the buildings
already partly destroyed. The museum
was nothing but heap of ruins and the
walls OF the Smyth building were falling
one after another. Fortunately they ell
fell into the ruins and no person was in
jured.
Across the street also the walls soon sue
cumbed to the furious onslaught. Here
the upper story OF thethree-story building
on the northwest corner OF Madison and
Union-sts caught fire. Quickly following
the flames lodged around the windows of
the fifth story OF the Hay
market theater building. and were soon
stretching along under the mansard roof.
Just west OF the HGymarket building was
the five-story building occupied by the
Peoples clothing company. Here also
the windows were on fire. Despite all
efforts the buildings between Union-st
and the Hsymarket block shared the fate
Of those across the street and were wiped
out completely. In the Havmarket the
fire was confined to the upper story, but
the whole building was filled with smoke
and water. West of the Haymarket
theatre the damage was comparatively
small.
The first intimation that reached the
inmates OF Kohl d Middleton's museum of
the close proximity of the fire was when
some one opened window on the third
floor, through which a volume OF smoke
poured, filling the entire floor. a wild
panic followed among the 400 persons in
the building, most OF whom, however,
were on the first floor watching a variety
performance. Those on the fiist floor were
first apprised of their danger by the
stampede of the upper floors, and as they
arose to their feet and fed precipitately
toward the front door. the fire appeared
at the rear windows, increasing the terror
of the crowd.
The emergency brought out hero in
the person of Policeman Patrick Sheehy.
Forcing his way through the frightened
people who were madly retarding each
other in the lam at the exit, he stationed
himself at the head of the stairs and
drawing his revolver declared his inten-
ton to kill the first person who re-
fused 10 obey his orders. BY cool
ness and determination he succeeded
in quieting the panic, and with
one exception everybody reached the
street in safety. The exception was @. II.
Messenger, a young man, who, before
Officer Sheehy reached the stair landing,
made rush for the front OF the building
and, throwing open the window, jumped
out into the street. He fell with awful
force on the stone pavement and was un-
conscious when picked up. Several per-
sons following him stopped, horror
stricken. long enough to be corraled by
Officer Sheehy and his revolver. An old
lady who was in this crowd fell when near
the bottom of the stairs and broke her
arm. She was picked up by friends and
taken away in carriage.
As soon as Officer Sheehy had caused
an abatement OF the panic among
the people he went up to the
third floor, where some scores OF
monkeys are Gagged. The poor brutes
were chattering and screaming with ter
ror at the flames on all sides. Sheehy
hurriedly seized the iron bars and forcing
the partitions, opened an aperture
wide enough to admit Of the
escape of the little animals.
whose fright was almost human.
The creatures when liberated wildly
scampered about the room for moment
and then with innate perverseness and to
the intense chagrin of sheehy, who was