The record-union., 1891-04-13
Chicago Visited by Another Disas-
trous Confagration.
HEROIC WORK BY THE FIRBMEN
SAVES THE CITY.
The Timely Action of q Policeman
Averts Panic in the Lyceum The
ater - Pitiful Scenes Among the
Freaks on Exhibition in the Build
ing in Their Endeavor to Escape
From the Burning Structure.
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.

ing suffered one of the most destructive
conflagrations that has occurred here
since the big fire of 1871. The loss was
fully 81 100000
1t was at almost the geographical CEN
ter 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 we'll known
furniture manufacturer and politician,
John NJ. Smyth, and was located in the
rear Of his big house furnishing establish
ment on West Madison street, near Hal
stead.
The flames speedily communicated to
the furniture establishment, and mo-
ment later to Kohl 81 Middleton's dime
musem. A general alarm to the fire de-
partment was soon followed by special
calls for extra engines, as the fire was
seen to be gaining ground with extraor-
binary rapidity.
In less than five minutes smoke was
pouring from every window in the mu-
scum and enveloping the huge siX-story
building occupied by Smyth, when in a
marvelously short time both structures
had been turned into mass of fame
The great fiery tongues darted across the
street and lodged in the upper stories of
the buildings on the north side of Madi-
son street. A moment later the firemen
found themselves working between two
towering walls of flames
For a time it looked as though the con-
migration would get beyond control, and,
as IN 1871, swept toward the lake. To add
| to the trouble, the wind was blowing a
stiff gale from the west. Probably 10000
people gathered in the neighboring
streets, watching the progress of the pos
slble pending calamity.
At this critical iuncture, however.
through the discipline of the fire depart
ment, 1t became magniticently apparent
that the men were obeying orders. They
stood steadily in the street, where the
| flames scorched them from either side,
and after fierce battle at length brought
the fire, in measure, under control.
An immense blaze, however, continued
to rage in the buildings already partly
destroyed. The museum was nothing but
a heap of ruins, and the walls of the
Smyth buildings were falling one after
another. Fortunately they all fell in
ward, and no person was injured.
Across the street also the walls soon
succumbed TO the furious onslaught. The
upper story of the three-story building
on the northwest corner of Madison and
Union streets caught fire. The flames
lodged around the windows of the fifth
story of the Haymarket Theater building.
and We're soon stretching along under the
mansard roof Just west of the Hay
market the five-story building of the
| Peoples Quitting Company caught fire
in front.
Despite all efforts. the buildings be-
tween Union street and the Haymarket
block were wiped out as well as those on
the south side of the street. In the Hay-
market the fire was confined to the upper
| story, but the whole builning was filled
with smoke and water.
WILD PANIC.
The first intimation the inmates of the
Kohl d Middleton's Museum had of the
close proximity of the fire was when
some one opened a window ON the third
floor, through which volume of smoke
poured. a wild panic followed among
the 400 persons in the building, most Of
whom fortunately were on the first floor
watching variety performance They
were apprised Of the danger by the stam-
pede upon the upper floors. AS thew
arose to their feet and fed precipitately
toward the front door, the fire appeared
| at the rear windows, increasing the terror.
HEROIC POLICEMAN.
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, he stationed himself at the head of
the stairs, and drawing a revolver, de-
clared his intention to Kill the first per
son who refused to obey his orders. Bv
his coolness and determination he sue
ceeded in quieting the panic, and, with
one exception, everybody reached the
street in safety. The exception was G.
III. Messenger. young man who leaped
from the window before lofficer Sheehy
reached the stairs, and was frightfully
injured. Several persons who followed
Sfn1NlAnd hn1 -cf,- i1lr
enough to be corralled by Sheehy and his
revolver. One old lady fell when near
the bottom of the stairs and broke her
arm.
AS soon as officer Sheehy cleared the
people out he went up to the third floor
where scores of monkeys were Gagged.
He wrenched apart the iron bars of the
cages so that the little animals could
escape, but with innate perverseness and
chagrin of Sheehy they scampered up
stairs and We're burned to death. The
policeman nearly lost his own life getting
downstairs.
PITIFUL SIGHTS.
The excitement among the freaks who
were'on exhibition on the third floor was
pitiful. They were practically unable to
help themselves, and were with difficulty
restrained from throwing themselves
from the windows. Madam Carver. the
900-pound woman, seized her midget son.
dragged herself to the rear window and
was about to throw the child out, when
she was restrained by Manager Belmont.
who with difficulty escorted them DOWN
stairs.
a. d. Lafayette, father of the big
headed boy, who was so top heavy that he
could not navigate alone, seized the boy.
and while leading him out found the
albino girl almost blind and propinr
about in the smoke. With the big-headed
boy under his arm, he seized the albino.
dragged her to the stairway, and soon
reached the street.
AT THE HAYMARKET THEATER.
The flre in the Haymarket Theater was
discovered Just twenty minutes before
the close of the last act. The smoke was
barely perceptible when the manager
stepped out on the stage and endeavored
to persuade the audience to file ont in
order. At this moment some one shouted
fire, and panic seemed imminent. 1t
was partially subdued by the prompt
work on the part of the ushers, and the
theater was soon cleared without any
casualties.
Just before the west wall of the Smytb
building fell, venturesome boy climbed
up to the third floor of the building ad-
lolnlng, and stood watching the flames.
When the wall toppled over and the
smoke had cleared away he could not be
seen, and it is feared he went down in the
mass of debris.
INCIDENTS OF THE FIRE
While the fire was at its hight the side
walk at Union and Meridian streets col
iapsed, precipitating forty people into an