Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-13
A BAPTISM OF FIRE.
Chicago Sustains a Serious
Confagration.
The Most Destructive Blaze
Since the Fall Of II.
At One Time the Greater PaIt Of
the City Seemed Doomed.
The Flames Subdued With Dificulty-A
Number Of Lives Lost-Stately
Blocks in Ruins.
Associated Press Dispatches.

Associated Press Dispatches.
CHICAGO, April 12.-Chicago this
evening suffered one of the most de-
struc ive'confagrations that has occurred
here since the big fire OF 1871. The loss
? is fully q, ,000, 900. 1t was at almost the
geographical center of the city that the
flames started, and like the terrible dis
aster Of twenty years ago, started in a
stable. In this case The stable was the
property OF the well-known furniture
manufacturer and politician, John M.
Smyth, and was located in the rear of
his big house-furnishing establishment
on West Madison street, near Halstead
street.
RAPID SPREAD OF THE FLAMES.
The flames were speedily communi-
Gated to the furniture establishment,
and a moment later Kohl & Middleton's g
dime 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 enveloping the huge six-story
building occupied by Smyth. When,
in marvelously short time, both struc-
lures had turned into mass of flame,
great fiery tongues darted across the
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 time it looked as though the con-
fagration would get beyond control,
and, as in 1871, sweep toward the lake.
To add to the trouble, the wind was
blowing a stiff gale from the west.
Probably twenty thousand people gath
cred in the neighboring streets watch
ing the progress of the possible impend-
ing calamity. At this critical juncture,
however, the thorough discipline OF the
fire department became magnifcently
apparent. The men, obeying orders,
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 heap OF ruins, and the walls Of the
Smyth building were falling one after
the other. Fortunately, they all fell
inward and no person was injured.
Across the street all the walls also sue
-cumbed to the fierce 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 build
ing, and were soon stretching along
under the mansard roof. Just west OF
the Haymarket the fve-story building
of the Peoples Quitting company
caught fire in front.
PANIC IN THE MUSEUM.
Despite all the efforts of the firemen,
the buildings between Union street and
the Haymarket block were wiped out, as
we'll as those on the south side of the
street. In the Haymarket the fire was
confined to the upper story, but the
whole building was filled with smoke
and water. The first intimation that
the inmates of Kohl & Middleton's mu-
scum had of the close proximity of the
fire, was when some one opened win
dow on the third floor, through which q
volume of smoke poured. A wild panic
followed among the four hundred per-
sons in the building, most of whom,
fortunately, were on the first floor watch
ing variety performance. They were
apprised of danger by the stampede of
the occupants of the upper floors, and as
they arose to their feet and fled precipit-
ately toward the front door, the fire ap-
peared at the rear windows.
A HERO POLICEMAN.
The increasing terror of the emer-
gency 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 revolver, declared
his intention to kill the first person who
refused to obey his orders. By coolness
and determination, he succeeded in
quieting the panic, and, with one ex-
ception, everybody reached the street in
safety. The exception was @. H. Mes
senger, young man who leaped from a
window before Officer Sheehy reached
the stair-landing, and was frightfully
injured. Several persons who followed
him, stopped, horror-stricken, long
enough to be corralled by Sheehy and
his revolver. One old lady tell when
near the bottom of the stairs and broke
an arm.
As soon as Officer Sheehy had 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 ami
mails could escape, but with their innate
perverseness they scampered up the
stairs and were burned, to DEATH The
policeman nearly lost his life in getting
down stairs.
EXCITEMENT AMONG THE FREAKS.
The excitement among the freaks,
who were on the third floor, was pitiful.
They were practically unable to help
themselves, and were with difficulty
restrained from throwing themselves
from the windows.
MadameCarver, the 90O-pound woman,
seized her midget son, dragged herself
to the rear window, and was about to
throw the child out when she was re-
strained by Manager Belmont, who with
difficulty escorted them down stairs.
A. D. Lafayette, father of the big