The morning call., 1891-04-13
A CHICAGO FIRE.
A eon1a6ration Marked by Ez-
citing Incidents.
Almost q Repetition Of an 0ld-Tlms
Disaster.
The Hgnarket Theater G0ne-Panlc In a
naseum-LOSS Of Life--A
Boys Sad Fate.
Special to THE MORNING CALI.

gan in stable. In this case the stable was
the property of the well-known furniture
manufacturer and politician John NJ. Smith,
and was located in the rear of his big house
furnishing establishment on West Madison
street, near Halstead. The flames speedily
communicated TO the furniture establish
ment and a moment later to Kohl & Middle
toms 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
fIom every window in the museum and en-
veloping the huge six-story building Occu-
pied by Smith, when in marvellous short
time both structures had turned into mass
of fame. Great fiery tongues darted across
the street and lodged in the upper stories of
the buildings on the north Side Of Madison
street.
moment later the firemen found them
selves working between two towering walls
of fame. For q time it looked as though
the confiagration 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 10000
people gathered in the neighboring streets
watching the progress of the possible i'm
pending calamity. At this critical juncture,
however. the thorough discipline of the Fire
Department became magnifcently apparent
Men, o5eying orders, stood steadily in the
street where the flames were scOrching
them from either side, and after fierce
battle at length brought the fire in meas
ure under control.
An immense blaze, however, continued to
rage i'll the buildings already partly de-
stroyed. The museum was nothing but
heap of ruins, and the walls of the Smith
building were falling one after another.
Fortunately they all fell inward and no per-
son was injured. Across the street also the
walls soon succumbed to the furious on
slaught 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 were soon stretching along uu-
der the mansard roof. just west of the
Haymarket the fYe-stOry building of the
Peoples Out1ittlng Company caught hre III
front. Despite all efforts the buildings be-
tween Union street and the Havmarket
Block were wiped out as well 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
filed with smoke and water. The first init
nation the inmates of Kohl Middlet0ns
Museum had OF the close proximity Of the
fire. was when some one opened 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 a variety performance. They
were RpprSed of their danger by stampede
on the upper floors, and as they arose TO
their feet and fed precipitately toward the
front door, fire appeared at the rear win
dows, increasing their terror.
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 his revolver declared
his intention TO kill the first person who re-
fused to obey his orders. By GOODNESS and
determination he succeeded in quleting the
panic, and with one exception everybody
reached the street in safety. The exception
was c. Ii. Messenger, young man who
lpaped from window before Officer Sheehy
reached the stair-landing, and was fright
fully injured. Several persons who fol-
lowed him stopped horror stricken long
enough to be corraled by Sheehy and his re-
yolver.
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 cage so that the little
animals could escape, but with their innate
perversencss, and to the chagrin of Sheehy,
they Scampered upstairs and were burned
to DEATH The policeman nearly lost his
own life getting down stairs.
The excitement among the freaks, who
were on exhibition on the the third floor,
was pitiful They were practically unable
to help themselves, and were with difficulty
restrained from throwing themselves from
the windows. Nine. Carver, the 800 pound
woman. seized her midget son, dragged her
self to a 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. ID.
La Fayette, father of the big-headed boy.
who was so top-heavy he could not navigate
alone, seized the boy and while leading him
out found the albino girl almust blind and
grouping about in the smoke. With the big
headed boy under his arm he seized the
albIO, dragged her to the stairway, and
soon reached the street.
The fire 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 out in order. At this
moment some one shouted fire aud panic
seemed imminent. The excitement was
pdTudlly SuDuutu ny UTOUipL WOTk OH LU6
part of the ushers and the theater was soon
cleared without casualties.
just before the west wall Of the Smyth
building fell yenturesome boy climbed up
to the third floor of the building adjoining
and stood watching the flames. When the
wall topped over and the smoke had cleared
away he could not be seen, and it is feared
he went Down in the mass of debris. While
the fire was at its height the sidewalk at
Union and Meridian streets collapsed. pre-
T., .ln f.,N,
beneath. Mrs. Bessie Higgins was fatally
injured and several others painfully hurt.
When the fire broke out Or. j. q. Ber-
geron was attending Mrs. Sarah Macks in a
fiat in one of the buildings subsequently,
burned. When the fire got too cluse Ber-
geron seized the suffering woman, and
wrapping her in some blankets, decended
three flights OF stairs with his burden and
carried her to a refuge near by. In less
than fifteen minutes a fine girl baby was
born amid the crash of falling walls and the
shouts OF the firemen. Both mother and
child are doing we'll Dr. Bergeron lost
valuable set of instruments and his over
coat and hat, but tonight lie was happy in
having save his patients life.
The Episcopal Cathedral ON Washing
ton boulevard caught fire from flying
sparks, but the flames were extin-
eushed before any damage was done.
One OF the exciting incidents was
panic, which seized the boarders at the Hay
market Hotel. When the flames leaped
across the street, about forty occupants of
the hotel, including the servants, made a
wild rush for the back stairway. The latter
is narrow winding affair, and became
blocked, resulting in the mob being badly
bruised and frightened before getting out
Charles Menger was asleep in his room and
was suffocated. with one side of his face
badly burned, when he was found and car
ried out.
1t took DO 1Ie-engInes and 800 fremen to
bring the Ere under subjeciion. Several