The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-04-18
BIG FIRE In CHICAGO.
OVER a MILLION DOLLARS
WORTH OF PROPERTY BURNED
Kohl a. Middleton. Dime Museum
and John M. smyth,s Zig Fur
niture House in Ruins.

| CHICAGO, April liz The most de-
structive fire Chicago has experienced
for many years broke out very sudden
| w in the most crowded business dis
lrict OF the west side. and involved n
] loss OF over si,0t0,000.
/ Ia originated in the rear OF the six
story block ut $50. 1876 West Madison
street. owned BY John NJ. Smyth. and
occupied by the Smyth furniture house,
the Kohl x Middleton museum, several
retail stores,and a number OF attorneys
aud justices of the peuce.
| Kohl * Middloton's museum, on the
second floor. was iilled with the usual
crowd of visitors. They were scatter
ed through the curio hall aud the gal
lerieS and a big audience was I'm one OF
the theatres watching a stage perform
ance. The first intimation OF the dan
ger came when every widow cracked
and shattered and flames leaped into
the rooms.
| Where the fire camo from no one
seemed TO know or care. There was
shrieks and cries. people pushed over
each other and ran panicstricken down
the stairways aud into the street. Be
fore they reached the street with the
first alarm curling cloud of black
smoke was rising from the rear OF the
building. An officer ran TO the corner
OF lialried and Madison streets and
turned Ia the alarm.
In the museum were speciality per
! formers, attaches and "freakS," who
dad not rush out when the visitors beat
their hasty retreat. Some wore their
stage costumes and were hurriedly en-
/ deavOrng TO collect wardrobes aud val
uabies. Within brief time they, too,
were forced 10 leave. many without
saving anything except the stage
| clothes they We're wearing. The fat
woman the big-hcaded boy, the gyp-
sizes and the albino rushed into the
street. Two or three policemen and
several pedestrians who had gone into
the museum az the first alarm attempted
10 save some OF the property. but were
driven buck by binding smoke through
which they could see growing flames
Officer Shelley succeeded in breaking
open the cage which held the monkeys.
| The frightened aud chattering animals
clambered out aud several escaped. one
down the fire escape. Another jumped
20 the pavement and had his leg broken.
When the fire department threw the
first stream the Smvth building was en-.
iIrely ia flames. The great building
burned n though it were stored with
swept through the front and flung
itself half way across the street. Then
| "a curl,d an and made the front n wall
| OF roaring flames. Firenen retreated
before the attack, and from n safe dis
lance. their rubber coats steaming aud
suorcnlng, they sent few punny
! spiashes into the lire. Almost at the
same time the buildings across he way
were ignited and each side OF the street
became ablaze.
From Union street TO the Ilaymarket
theater row OF business houses faced
the terrific onslaught OF ilrebrands
from he burning Smyth block. They
did not withstand IL long. Each one
was aiire within fifteen minutes after
the first alarm, and the corner OF the
Hnymarket theater building was smok-
ing, with tongues Of fame in dozen
different places. A determined and
successful effort 10 save the thealer
was made. but the row OF buildings be.
tween u and Union street was doomed
from the first.
The loss will reach over $1,000, 600,
distributed about as follows;
| John NJ Smyth. $50 to 1876 Madison
street. building and stock OF furniture.
$500, 900
Kohl & Middleton, l54 Madison street,
| 900. 900.
Nicely Bros, boots and shoes, ij2
Madison street. S20,0 900.
Adelbert Kaempfer, iewelry, l50
Madison street. $45.000
Alfred Peats, wallpaper mud fnrni.
ture, 155 Madison street 100000
james Casey, building. lj5 Mndisor
street. 100000.
Baer Bros, hats, i57 Madison street.
s., 900.
NJ Truman. cigars aud tobacco, 1850
Madison street. s25.0
Haunah 4 ilogg, saloon, 16l Madison
street, $4,000
IIaymarket theaier. $4,000
Tie damage TO other business houses
adjoining the theater viii be upward OF
$4,000.
The insurance light, John VI. Smyth
carrying only about &igl 900. Wilde
/ Kohl * MI dleton AMI NJ lrrmnn, the
cigar dealer. carried no insunLce what.
ever. having allowed their policies 10
expire without renewal, rs they had
! intended moving Into "a new building.
g.. III. Messenger wn> taken 60 the
county hospital, suffering from burns
and bruises Of his face. lie was a
roomer in one 90 the houses that
burned, and was injured in trying go
remove goods from the house.
A blind man on the fouth iioor or $50
Madison street had narrow escape
from death lie had evidently been
forgotten hy his friends. when Eugene
Keller found him and lead him froul
the building.
Officers Huffman and Wesler had
their hands full leading out about sixty
horses from John j. Browns livery
stable.
One Of the persons injured snbse.
auontly died.