Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-10-29
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
How Millions of Business Property Went
Up IN Smoke.

-fAAl4h ~ MR. VNks -0.~-tN(OtCN VI
blocks II M.lwaukee's largest business
frms, together with hundreds of frame
houses, We're destroyed by tire tonight.
Commencing at $50 O'Clock in al OIL
Establishment on East Water street,
next 10 the river. the flames, driven by
the fearful hurricane which was blow
ing, spread with frghttul rapidity TO
the lake, over nslf mile TO the east.
1t IS utterly impossible to estimate
the loss with any degree of accuracy.
Even complete list ot the hIg business
houses cannot be obtained. while TO
these must lie added the small Indivld-
ual losses of hundreds of small prop
erty owners, whose houses ana house
hold goods have been destroyed. AS
Il - the loss will probably amount 10
go 900, 900 or S25, ,000, 900.
The tract burned Is over halt mile
wide east aud west and mile north
and south. Commencing IN the eStab-
lishment OF the Union Oh company 1T
No. 20 East Water street. The fire
Was urnIng tiercely when the city de-
partment reached the scene. Owing to
the hurricane that was blowing, the
men were utterly unable to do any
thing and, for any practical results,
might as well have done nothing. In
spite of this the men worked bravely
and did everything in their power, risk
ing their lives IN the burning buildings
and endeayorIng, by tearing down
blocks IN advance of the path OF the
fire, TO check lt.
Burned Like finder.
This Was IN vain. and al night long
3 ftk..fl H.. IL A.
llshment on East Water street, where
the blaze started. The path of the fire
was the space Of an immense "N," the
connecting point OF the town barns
being IN the oil establishment, while
one line extended directly east to the
lake, the other running TO the lake IN
- sOutherly direction through immense
factories from four 10 seven stories
high, with as much ease as though they
were the frame cottages which were
attacked fa;i iher east.
After wipMlg out the factories and
wholesale esta Adjustments. the fire found
| easy pre- y IN the scores of blocks filled
with frame houses which extended east
of Milwaukee street. From these the
flames lesped to the freight house of
the Milwaukee, Lake Shore Il Western
end, aud In moment were sblaZe
al ng their whole length. over two
blocks. Adjoining the depots were the
freight yards OF the same road, as
we'll a. the Chicago Il Northwestern.
These yards were filled with hundreds
of loaded cars, all of which were con
sumed. As go n as 1t was seen that the
yards were IN the path of the holoca ust
IA score OF switch engines were set at
work 20 endeavor & get the loaded
cars out OF the yards.
Frsight Traius Burned.
The men worked brsvely and sue
cesded in removing some of the trains,
/ but they could only take them further
/ south. tue yard To the north being
I blocked. THIS did no good, as the
/ wind 81 ddenly shifted from the north
/ west g almost direct north aud IN n
I moment the cars, which had Just es-
I capped the flames IN one place were
I burned IN another. lt was IN these
/ yards that some OF the most pitiful
/ sights were seen. In one place nslf a
/ dozen poultry ears full OF ducks and
CuICkeus were roasted aiive.
As soon as the destruction of the
I railroad Yards WAS assured, the wind
az though Or mpted by malice, veered
I from west tn north. Fad 1t renamed
1 IN the west the tire would have ex-
hsusted itself IN the lake. Chief Foley
I kept the fire confined to one block on
+ last Water street until : O'Clock when
/ it gol away from him and leHped
I across tne street and began rapid
/ march toward Lake Michigan, SIX
Z blocks away. cutting down ~ snort
I % rder the following stores:
+ D0hem - 60, whole sale drugs; VI.
I och. Wholesale liquors. Bub 4 h ipp'.
sevsn-story building. furniture fsctory
I kouudy, peckhsm y Co, Wholesale
grocers. jacob Welisr y Co, whole
( sale gfocers. Johnson Bros. cracker
factory. and the National Dlstilllng
company.
Poor People suffer
The entire lower part of the Third
ward, inhabited largely by poor IRISH
families, - devastated. About 300
4 cottages have been destroyed snd the
+ p0. r people are wandering about the
streets loudly isaeatng ther loss.
some plan OF reief for them VIII No
I doust ba made. Bus st tbs time peo-
pie seem 60 be stunned and are dong
nothing.
a arms Estsit l0 every ffN minutes
froa parts of the cav w,delv separst
ed. snd g - Thought tnsi firetpgs hsve
dane wev< of ie>trlirt on. The egtut
rp.dence Of 4 y Hodges. member
II the hcsrd cf ,rsds. at Nlutn sui
Csdsr streets. two uh3es from the plsr-
where the nre started, has been De-
atr,ged
IRIS t04 O'Clock only two fatalities
hsI been -auort-1 lone nremsn B. 81
sud wonIsn .udegatcd. ihe ga
worSsare burning. snd frequent *.
blossoms occur thst saaNe ere wno.e
Wanv 81 the scenes Of The great Ere
.f f<.f n toscago eere eascted, tae
trnsm t- expIa-lan-. the lrsp z
7sne- snf crHfnhans va sdtnE ta
tne rerrr of the sfus sron- it re
uarfri tlst lol- I'd tne crew az tHe ta
sre 1g ~tet4on we're s3i~s hy a fsifne
va rs Aer-e q Itss m8sh 0e sn g.
Nh f. cou'hg o. lhe s+ssfanes ol zoe
rra nrEa rtri-rt tHe Eat f.e
st tstran tHf tfe tarls "a
Have eesn et -e.l aufto gasrf properry