The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-11-04
A FIERY CYCLONE.
Hundreds OF Acres OF Milwaukoc's
Business Section Burned.
a Fire second Only "a TINT ~ Chicag" Ia
ls5i-liuudrcsls of People Homeless
mud Many Lives i.ost--Tho
I.oss Many Millions.

MILWAUKEE, Oct. oV.-ScoreS "
blocks Of Milwaulsecs largest business
firms together with hundreds Of frame
houses were destroyed by fire last
night. Commencing at $50 o'clock In
IN oil establishment on East Water
street next to the river. the flames.
driven by the fearful hurricane which
was blowing, spread with fright
full rapidity 10 the lake over
half mile to the east. 1t
is utterly impossible to estimate the
loss with any degree OF accuracy.
Even complete list of the big bust
ness houses connot he obtained. while
10 these must be added the small in
i:yidual losses Of hundreds Of small
property owners whose houses ana
household goods have been destroyed.
As it is, the loss will probably amount
TO $50, 900, 900 or ss5 700, 900.
The tract burned is over half mile
wide cast and west, and mile north
and south. commencing in the estab-
lishment of the Union Oil Co.. Mt 275
East Water street. The fire was burn
ing fiercely when the city department
reached the scene. Owing to the hurri-
cane that was blowing the men were
utterly unable to do anything, and for
any practical results might as well have
done nothing. In spite OF this the
men worked bravcly and did every
thing in their power. rislsing their
I lives in the burning buildings and en-
dcavoring by tearing down blocks in
advance of the path Of the fire TO check
il. This was in vain, and all night
long the flames continued along their
way. From the establishment on East
Water street. where the blaze started
the path of the fire was in the shapc OF
an immense v the connecting points
of the two arms being the oil
establishment. while one line extended
directly east To the lake. the other
running to the lake in southerly direc-
ton. Through immense fa ,tories, from
four to seven stories high. which were
supposed to be firc-proof, the flames
spread with as much ease as through
the frame cottages which they at
tackled further east After wiping out
the factories and wholesale establish
mcnts the fire found easy prey in tho
scores Of blocks filed with frame
houses which extend east of milwaukee,
street.
From these the flames lcaped to the
freight houses of the Milwaukee. Lake
Shore e. Western. These caught OF
the extreme southern end and in |
moment were ablazc along their Who'll
length. over two blocks Adjoining
the dcpots were the freight yards q
the same railroad as well rs OF tn
. Chicago & Northwestern. These yard
were filed with hundreds OF loade'
cars, all OF which were quickly con
surncd. As soon as it was seen that tn
wards were in the path of the holocaus
, q score of switch engines were set a
work to cndeavor to get the loaded car
out Of the yard. The men worke
bravely and succeeded in rcmovin'
some of the trains, but they could onl
!. take them further south, the yards I
! the north being blocked. This did M
rood.as the wind suddenly shifted froi
northwest to almost direct north. an
in moment the cars which had jus
. escaped the flames in one place wcr
burned in another
:, II was in these yards that some
: the most pitiful sights were seen. ]
!, one place half dozen poultry cars IN
OF ducks and chickens were roasts
!, alive. As soon as the destruction
!, the railroad yards was assured. II
! wind, as though prompted by malic
veercd from west 30 north. Had IL r
NAMED in the west the fire would ha'
exhausted itself in the lake.
!. Chief Foley kept the fire confined
! one block on East Water street until
:. o'clock. when 1t got away from him ~
!. lcapcd across the street and began
j. rand march toward Lake Michiga
- six blocks away. cutting down in she
!. order the following stores: +. Dol
!. men e. Co.. Wholesale drugs. NJ. Bloc
~ wholesale liquors; Bub & kipps scve
~ story furniture factory. Roundy. Pee
y, ham & CO., Wholesale groccrs; Jac
~ Ocllaucr & Co.. Wholesale groce
Johnson Bros. cracker factory tame
% can Biscuit Co. and the National u
tilling Co.
!, The entire lower part Of the thl
:. ward. inhabited largely by poor Iri
L. families. II devastated.
l. ABOUT ouJ totAh-t' i'''N 1900
hs stroycd. and the poor people are wa
:, dering about the streets loudly lame
:. ing their losses. Some plan Of relief
them will no doubt be made. but at 9
" time people seem to be stunned
,ss arc dong nothing
ed Alarms came in every minute fr
e's different parts Of the city widely sep
be atcd, and it is thought that fire b'
me helped in the work Of dcstructi
IS. The elegant residence Of l.. +. Hodl
ms member of the board Of trade,
Ninth and Cedar streets. two mi
wo from the place where the fire start
nj has been destroyed.
old Up to Q o'clock only two fatal
DIV had been reported, one fireman xii
an and a woman suffocated.
NC The gas works nrc burning and
he auent explosions occur that shake
ing whole city. Many Of the scenes OF
md great fire OF 1871 ia Chicago we're
enacted, the dynamite explosions,
ock lcaping flames and crumbling wa
ms adding to the terror OF the situation
ais, II is reported that four OF the GREY
up the lifc-saving station were killed !