The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-11-10


dreds HomaIe
MILWAUKEE Oct. 2S.--Scores of
blocks Of ill aukec's business firms
together wiz hundr~ ds of frame
houses. wer1 d. stroyed by fire tonight
Commencing a ) p. N. in in oil estab-
lishment c. ] tst Water street, near
the river, he !lamrs, driven by the
fearful hur ica Ne which was blowing,
spread witt tr ghtful rapidity to the
lake, over half " mile TO the east.
1t is utt rly imp. ssible to estimate
the loss with auy degree Of accuracy.
Even COM pie 0 list of the big bust
ness houses ca not he obtained, while
to those must 10 added the small indi-
YiGual losses o: hrnCrcds of small pro
perty owners, V hose houses and house
hold goods ha Q been destroyed. AS
it is, the 10 8 W II probably amount to
$22 100000 r $!5, 100000.
The tract bu ned is over half a mile
wide, east and vest, and q mile north
and south: commencing in the eStab-
lishment OF the Union OH Company at
275 East Vat. I street. The fire was
burning lie' eel: WneI the city depart
ment reach d the scene. Owing to the
hurricane nat was blowing, the fire.
.nen were uti :rly unable to do any
thing. and. fo any practical results,
might as oil nave done nothing. In
spite Of thi@, tt" men worked bravely,
and did eve yti ing in their power, risk
ing their ives in the burning build
ings, and e. de; voring by tearing down
blocks in ;iva zee OF the path of the
fire, to checi; it.
This was n ain, ana all night long
the flames con, n,.nued along their way
from the es, alb shment OH East Water
street, where the blaze started, The
path Of the lire was in the shape Of an
immense w. me connecting point of
two arms being in the oil establish
ment, while ono line extended directly
TO the lake Tie other running to the
lake in a suutherly direction, through
immense factories from four to seven
stories high, which were supposed to
be tirepro0i, th2 flames spreading with
as much east as ythough they were
frame cottage, which they attacked
farther east.
After wiping out the factories and
wholesale establishments, the fire found
easy prey ilJ tn, scores of blocks fined
with frame houses, which extend east
of Milwaukee stIaet. From there the
flames lCap4d 10 the freight house Of
the Milwaukee, Lake SlOre and West
ern railroad. These caught on the ex-
treme southern end, and in moment
were in bloze along their whole
length, oVer. So blocks. Adjoining
the depots Wele the freight yards Of
the same railroads, as we'll as of the
Chicago aud ortrWeStern. These
yards were quickly consumed.
as soon IS it was seen that the yards
were in the pa a of the cOnllagration,
score Of switch engines were set to
work to get tht load3l cars oat of the
yard. Ine me- worked DraVcly, and
succeeded IN moving some OF the
trains, but :nul could only take them
farther Sot III, ,he yards to the north
being blocked. THIS dld no good, as
the wind sud ieniy shifted from the
northWeSttu Il! nost direct north, and in
a moment :he arS which had just es-
capped the ild IS III one place were
burned in an her. 1t was in these
yards thai soI!o of the most pitiful
sights were Setl. In one place half a
dozen pOul ry "aIS iull OF ducks and
chickens W re coast d alive. AS soon
as the destl act On OF the railroad yard
was assur d, he wind, as though
prompted ly H. .lice, Yee 'ed from west
to north. lad It remained In the west
the fire would lave exhausted itself in
the lake.
The enti e LIVER part Of the third
ward, inha Dite largely by poor Irish
families, is dev stated. About 3OOcot-
tages have NeeI destroyed, and the poor
people are 'vaU 'erjng about the streets
loudly Ian ertng tier losses. Some
plan of relief ior them will be made,
but at this t. Inc people seem to be-
stunned, aud 8. G doing nothing.
At midnight Ill the Southern section
Of MilWallE GO in ruins, and the dread
full conllag !at? III is still in progress.
Never in tao History of this city has
such a cali nit befallen it. Acres Of
'-iand, embr. cir; the great manufacture
ing district Oh the city, have been de-
vastated and now lie a mass Of smould.
ering ruins. Almost the entire south
ern division, fir m East Water street to
the lake he'd ieen consumed. Flying
cinders daGheu and sped on through
the air lik, mammoth pyrotechnic
display; SCI ttei ing in their flight, they
landed upon tie roofs OF the manufac-
turing est blis shmeutS, and in few
minutes buildings after buildings was
guGted anC the huge walls tottered to
the ground.
Shortly before o'clock the various
departments Oi the gas works exploded
in quick succession, with deafcniDg re.
verberations. This loss alone repre-
sents 81 ,OOO.OOJ which was the cost of
the plant.
During the course of the fire a num-
Der of large nynty stables were burned.
These were lied with horses, which
were liberated by the police. The
horses ran wildly about the streets, and
before they could be caught a number
&c. RI 4, Ill