The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-08-31
GREAT SEA OF Fl AMES.
SOUTH CHICAGO sCOUReED BY THE
DREADED FIRE FIEND.
Over a Million Dollars Worth OF Property
Burned and Seven Thousand People
Homeless - Panic ApProximating
That Of the Great Fire Of 1871.

CHICAGO, Aug. ga fire which IN
in extent of territory covered almost
rivals Chicago's historic coDfiagra-
ton, began in South Chicago this
evening in a story brick buildings
coruerNinety.first and Superior streets.
Within two hours the fire had reached
the lake. had consumed at least 30
buildings and five bloeks of the great
industrial suburbs of South Chicago.
The 80, 1000 residents of the town were
precipitated into panic second only to
that which characterized the confiagra-
ton OF 1871. AS the structures in
which lived the working men and
merchants Of the place were leveled by
the roaring flames, those whose homes
had not vet fallen fled with their goods
and chattels to other portions of the
city.
From the building in which the fire
had its origin and before the few hre
engines of the district could make the
slightest impression upon the names,
they had bounded eastward between
Ninty- first an dNintieth streets.in the
direction of the lake. House after
house rapidly fell before the sweep OF
fire which hurled blazing brands far in
advance. After Superior street the
flames crossed Ontario, Buffalo, Mack
NAV and Greenbay avenues.
Among the first buildings to fall was
the First Methodist church on Ninty-
first street and Superior avenue, and
before its spire toppled to the ground
the new and commodius German
Lutheran church on the opposite
corner was blazing in a dozen places.
Hardly had these been leveled than
fire was detected blazing in dozen
places further east.
The local fire department, branch
OF the city service, had been called upon
to help, also all the help in the imme-
date district. but by the time the
First Methodist church was well on
fire it was seen that every effort must
be made to prevent the destruction of
a greater part of the town. The CEN
trail fire alarm office sent to the fire
every engine that could be spared in
the south side of the city. The Yoze-
mite, the giant fire boat, lying at the
foot of LaSalie, was hurried from her
dock and was DON ploughing her way
through the waters of the lake in a IL
mile race to the far southern section
where the fire was raging. Before it
had reached the harbor at South Chi
cago the fire had eaten its way five
blocks between Superior avenue and
the lake and the Yozemite turned its
attention to the immense lumber
yards on the river front.
BY this time a new danger had
arisen in the varying of the wind, and
all the work of the department seemed
to have come for nothing. The burn
ed district, which is 81 miles from the
city hall, is north of the river, which
at Ninety-second street opens out in
Calumet harbor protected by gov
eminent pier on the north and south.
Between the river and the district in
which the flames originated extend
lumber yards and docks along the Cal
umet river and harbor. These are
Just south of the Chicago and West
ern, Indiana and Rock Island aud Pa
cific railways.
The Baltimore and Ohio railroad
running north and south betwe EN- Erie
and Ontario avenues, marked at
its beginning the western boundary
OF the fire. Two squares from the
origin of the fire to the north are the
immense shops CT the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad company. The burned
territory is just north of the business
center of South Chicago and was given
up almost exclusively to residences.
The house in which the fire began was
owned by VIM Giles and occupied by
him as a residence. The loss by the
fire will be over $l,000,0C0. Fully 25
houses were burned and 1000 people
are homeless and destitute. The fir
is now under control.