Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-04-17
BIG FIRE IN CHICAGO.
THE WINDY CITY SUFi 'eRS a
LOSS OF NEARLY $1,000. 600.
The Property Consumed Located IN
the Business Cenier.-One Life b.
Iievcd To Have Been Lost.-Fire-
men Saved the City.
A Big Fire In Chicago.

On Sunday evening Chicago was visited
by one of the most destructive conflagra-
tons that has occurred there since the big
fire of 1871. 1t was at almost the exact
geographical centre OF the city that the
flames started, and like the terrible dis
aster 20 years ago, began in stable. In
this case the stable was the property OF
the well known furniture manufacturer
and politician. John M. Smyth, who was
located in the rear Of his big house-furn-
ishing establishment on West Madison
street near Halstead street. The flames
speedily communicated to the furniture
establishment, and moment later 10 Kohl
& Middleton's dime museum. A general
alarm to the fire department was soon fol-
lowed by special calls for extra engines. as
the fire was seen to he gaining ground with
extraordinary rapidity. In less than
five minutes smoke was pouring from
every window in the Museum and
was enveloping the huge six-'tory building
occupied by Smyth. When in IA marvel
lousy short time both structures had turn
ed into mass Of flame, great fry tongues
darted across the street and lodged in the
upper stories of the buildings on the north
side of Madison street A moment later
the tiremen along the thoroughfare found
themselves working betweeA two towering
walls OF fire. For 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 hu5inessdistrct
of the city. AS If 10 add 10 the cons terna-
ton, the wind had suddenly risen and blew
a stif gale from the west Probably co.
600 people gathered in the neighboring
streets and watched the progress OF the
possible impending calamity. Al this crti-
cal juncture the thorough discipline OF the
firemen became magnihcently apparent.
The men, obcying 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 10 rage with in
tense fury in the buildings already partly
destroyed. The museum was nothing but
a heap of ruins and the walls Of the Smyth
building were falling one after another
Fortunately they all fell into the ruins and
no person was injured Across the street
also, the walls soon succumbcd 70 the
furious onslaught. Here the upper story
of the three-story building on the north
west corner OF Madison and Union streets
caught fire. The flames lodged around the
windows of the fifth story of the Hay
market theatcr building and were soon
stretching along under the mansard roof.
Just west Of the Haymarket building was
the tive-story building occupied by the
Peoples Clothing Co. Here also the win
dows were on fire. Despite all efforts the
buildings between Union street and the
Haymarkct block shared the fate Of those
across the street and were wiped out com
pletely. In the Haymarket the fire was
confined 20 the upper story. bu. the
whole building was filed with srioke
ind water. West of tho Haymarket thea
ter the damage was comparatively small.
1t too,s 40 engines and nearly 300 fire.
men TO bring the fire under subsection.
Several times il seemed as if the men
would be compelled to abandon their en-
gines so intense was the heat, but cheered
on by interchangeable supcriors, they man
aged to withstand the heat by turning the
hose upon themselves. The nerve dis
played by the firemen was heightened by
the fact that all the time they knew at
least 100 barrels OF oil were stocked in the
basement OF the Smyth establishment,
likely at any time 10 create terrible ex-
plosion. Just before the west wall of the
Smyth building fell venturesome lad
climbed up TO the third story OF the build
rug adjoining and stood watching the
flames from the lofty position. When the
wall toppled over with a loud crash and
the smoke cleared away he was not seen
where no had been standing and it is feared
he went down with the debris and was
lost in the fire. The heat was too intense
for the fremen 10 make any search for the
body and it will be at least two days be-
fore the ruins are sufficiently cool TO
attempt the search. The loss aggregated
over $3.50, 900. Among the losers are the
following John NJ. Smyth, furniture
stock and building, $500, 600 Kohl &
Middleton. curiosities, fixtures and build
ings, 1000; Nicely Bros, boots and
shoes, $50, 0OG Adeltert Kaempfer, Jew
elry, $45, 900; Alfred Peats, wall paper,
$50, 900 NJ. Irrman, cigars and tobacco,
s25, 900; Hannah IL Hogs, liquors, 500
900