The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-08-25

FORTY ENGINES AT WORK
Between 1000 and 5000 People
Rendered Homeless In Chicago
Many Dwellings In Ashes-
Roaring Seas Of Flame.

apout O'CLOCK thls Afternoon, and before
II Was brought under control had de-
stroyed more than 200 buildings. mostly
frarne residence structures, occupied by
workingmen, and rendered many hun.
dretls OF people homeless. Tho 1re
started IN . tbres-story brick building,
corner OF Ninety-Hrst and Superior ave-
nue., occupied as residence by William
Giles. II was caused by his daughter,
who accidentally upset lamp while heat.
ing hair-curIine iron. From there ii
grow rapidly in volume, famed by q gale
from the wost, aud the flames ate their
way over block after block Of small
frame residences until IL reached the lake.
Within two hours after the Are started
II had consumed at least flvc blocks Of the
great industrial section of the city. The
residents of that portion OF the city werc
In panic second only to the ono which
characterized the great fire. As the pine
structures In which lived the workingmen
employed in the various mills were lcveled
by the roaring flames, those whose homes
had not yet fallen fed with their goods
and portable chattcls. Tho streets were
blockaded with wagons containing the ef-
fects of frightened people, and men,
women and children fed in all directions.
<SSAett Wv AVW VuBhbco tuO uioNNt
could make the slightest impression upon
tho flames they bounded eastward be-
Goth and 9lst streets, in the direction of
the lake. House after house went down
and soon the First Methodist church and
German Lutheran church succumbed.
Hardly had these structures gone than
the fire was seen to be blazing in dozen
places further east. brands being carried
long distances by the furious wind. The
assistant marshal in charge OF that dis
trict, seeing that the utmost effort of the
department we're necessary IL the greater
part of the town was to he saved, notified
Chief Marshal Swenie of the condition of
affairs and 25 engines were started down
from the main portion OF the city as soon
as possible. The largest fire boat, Yose-
mite. was also hurriediy started out on q
13-nile trip to the burning section. Be-
fore II reached the harbor at South Chi
cago, the fire had eaten away five blocks
between Superior avenue and the lako
and the Yosemite turned it's attention 10
the immense lumber yards on tho river
front.
BY the time the additional engines be-
gan to pull from the city u new danger
was encountered In the veeriug of the
wind, which started the 1re to q new dis.
trict. Between the river and tho district
in which the fire originated extend the Inn
mense lumber yards and lumber docks
along ths Calumet river and harbor.
The burned territory is just north Of the
business center Of South Chicago and was
given up almost exclusively to residences.
The fire spranR from the ruins Of the
Giles house to q cottage adjoining on the
west. Brands carried to O building at the
corner of Buffalo avenue and Ninety-irst
street, one square further west, soon
started blaze which spread north and
south on Buffalo avenue. while the original
fire ragged along Ninety-frst street, Su.
perior avenue soon becoming q perfect
tornado of fame. One building after an
other went with increditable rapidity
| and after the churches named above
had been destroyed, IL was seen that the
fire must spread to the docks. from which
il was snxiously desired to keep II. The
fears OF the firemen were we'll founded
and before the dozens Of engines had
made much Roadway the immense dock,
Of the Sunday Creek Coal company were
burning. Over one hundred thousand
tons of coal were stored In these immense
bins, and the firsboat Yosemite brough
TO bear all it's powerful streams In an en-
deavor to head of the flames. A few
minutes later, however, A. X. Beck's lum
bcr yards were seen to be burning ane
now the real great battle Of the firemer
with the flames begss,, for they had b.
this time only succeeded I'm concentratin,
a sufficient number of engines to begin I,
make an impression on the terrific fire.
From this time on the forces OF the fire
men gradually increased and the flame
were gradually brought under control. B.
8 O'Clock the work Of nearly 10 engines be
sides the fircboat had told and the coal Il
Sunday Creek docks and Peck's lumbs
yard were the only places where the FIR
was still uppermost, and in short time
was practically under control there.
Then the panic stricken people began 4
return to where their homes had stood
but In very few instances were the
able to find any signs OF them. Most O
the buildings destroyed were light fran
affairs and were occupied almost oxclus
ivelv by workmen Of the Illinois Stee
company. Damages in mono of these In
stances Was of large amount. but conser,
ative estimates put the aggregate loss I
the residence district at $4,000. The Sur
day Creek Coal company's loss will b
s250. .010 and the Peck Lumber company
|
an assignment and had just resumed bus
ness after making arrangements with II
creditors. The number OF people hom,
less is variously estimated from 1900
5000. but IL is thought that these figure
are little exaggerated.
Despite the rapidity with which til
flames spread aud the confusion whic
prevailed, no lives were lost as far q
known tonight and only n few peop
were injured. those not fatally. Oth'
citizens of South Chicago rallied TO the y
lief of the homeless at once and house
were thrown open in all directions to IL
sufferers from the fire. SO that none I
them had to camp Ia the streets to-niah
: South Chicago Is almost entirely a man
featuring district. the Illinois Steel cor
pany's mill being one of the principal il
dustries Of tho place, employing aboI