The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-08-25
FLED BEFORE THE FLAMES.
GREAT PANIC Nv SOUTH CHICAGO AND
A LARGE AREA BURNED.


Persons Said to 10 homeicss-The vyind
BLEW q Gale aud the Firemen Could DO
Nothipg-Biock After Block Went Down.
and Finally the Flames Reached the Lake.
CHICAGO. Aug. 24.-For six hours tonight
ar. RACED in that part OF this city known as
south Chicago. practically city OF itself. hav-
ING $4,000 inhabitants. and situated on Lake
Michigan. about three miles below the Worlds
Fair grounds. 1t burned nearly $50 houses.
most OF them frame dwellings. At least 1000
persons are homeless. and tho loss 10 about
$l000OOo.
Nearly q dozen blocks are burned over.
Tho burned district Is north Of the business
eentre OF South Chicago. and was almost eH-
elusively given up to residences. Two lives
are known to have been lost and several per-
sons were severely injured.
The ore began about o'clock this afternoon
IN n three story brick building at the corner OF
Ninety -frst street and Superior avenue.
owned by William GILES. and occupied by him
s a residence.
Tho flames spread rapidly under gale OF
wind from tho west and ate their way over
block after block OF the small frame residences
until they reached the lake. Within the FIRST
two hours Of the fire 1t had consumed at least
thirty buildings and five blocks. The $4,000
residents OF the town were stricken with a
rsnic like that which characterized the con-
fagration OF 1871.
As the pine structures in which lived the
workingmen employed in the largo steel mills
OF the Illinois Steel Company and In which
the smaller merchants OF the place made
their homes were levelled by the flames.
those whose homes had not yet fallen
fed with their goods and household
utensils to the other portions OF the city.
"a h1ookad with W contafnin0
the effects OF the fleeing residents and men
and women. appalled, by the calamity. fed In
every direction.
From the brick building In which tho FIRE
had its origin and before the few fire engines
Of the district could make the slightest i'm
preston upon it the flames bounded east
ward. between Ninety-hrst and Ninetieth
streets. in the direction Of the lake.
House after house rapidly fell before the
sweep OF Ere, which hurled blazing brands far
In advance. From Superior avenue the flames
crossed to Ontario avenue. Buffalo avenue.
Maokinaw avenue. and Green Bay avenue.
Among tho first buildings to fall was tho
First Methodist Church at Ninety first street
and Superior avenue. and before its spire had
toppled to the ground the now and com modl-
corner vas blazing in dozen PLACES hra
nss hfS
aFe was detected blazing IL, dozen
%s1s erasehi 81 Chief swsnss ser
vice, had been called upon: also All
TN s' Il. e as sst y es
fire It was seen that every effort must be made
prevent the destruction OF the greater part
Those who saw the spread Of the fire say
onne s On Wos Bnds
ing 81 hs OF so
thar Vaet afartad n hlaZa
side Of Ninety arst street were soon. swept
s sGnth sids; where the frame structures quickly
frame house q Squire Mayo caught Are from
flame leaped across Superior avenue to the
n shs % saen
the panic. Which in another hour preeipitated
a. flying army toward the other parts Of the
So great had become the volume Of heat and
bst as nas s tSe ra
10 tho docks. from which it was anxiousiy de-.
The fears Of the department and citizens
engines had made the least appreciable effect
upon the progress OF the flames the immense
Over 100000 tons Of coal are stored in the
Immense bins which extend for 500 feet along
the water front.
The Central Fire Alarm had sent to the fire
sysry engine that could be spared in the south
The Yosemite. the giant fire boat. lying at
the foot OF La Sale street. was hurried from
its dock. and was soon ploughing through the
waters OF the lake in thirteen-mile race to
As soon as the steamer Yosemite reached
the harbor. 1t was brought TO fight the con-
faRration.
At the same moment the A. r. Beck lumber
yards. with dock frontage almost as great as
those OF the Sunday Creek Compa were
found to be burning. and here the great battle
otthe fremen with tho flames was fought.
The Fire departmen emit had not by this time sue
decided In getting together a sufficient mum her
q engines to give 1t any chance at all against
The burned district Is north OF tho river.
where Nnety-second street opens out into the
Calumet harbor. protected both on the north
and south ny Government piors.
=, Between tNs river and the district In whice
{he flames originated. extend the immense
lumber yards and lumber docks along the
calumet River and the harbor. These are Just
south OF the Chicago and Western Indiana and
Hook Island and Pacific railways.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railway. running
north and south. mark cd at its beginning the
western boundary OF the fire.