Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1893-08-30
SOUTH CHICAGO FIRE.
Residence Blocks. Coal Docks ane
Lumber Yards Destroyed.
"a starts From the Explosion OF "A Lamp
Being Used by - Young Lady In Curl
ing Her Hair--'rhe Loss Is Esti-
mated az "A MILLION Dollars.

CHcACo Aug - "A fire which in
the extent of territory il covered rivals
Chicago's historic conilagration began
AZ South Chicago about o'clock Thurs
day afternoon. About three-story
building, AT DIST street and Superior
avenue burst flames which rapidly
grew in volume under wind from
the west rolling them toward
the lake, and rs they spread in
their course among the small res
licences, ate their way over
block after block. until they reached
the lake. Within two hours the fire
had consumed FIVE blocks OF the great
est industrial suburb of Chicago. The
$4,000 inhabitants OF the town were
thrown into panic, second only in
this city 20 that which occurred during
the great fire OF ISL As the pine
structures in which lived the working
men employed in the large steel mills.
and in which the smaller merchants OF
the place made their homes, were lev
eled in the roaring furnace, those whose
homes had not yet fallen fled with
their goods and household chattels to
other portions OF the city Streets
were blockaded with wagons contain.
ing the effects OF the frightened and
fleeing residents, and men and women
appalled, 10y the calamity fled in every
direction.
From the brick building where the
fire started and before the few engines
in the district had any effect on the
flames, they bounded eastward. be-
tween Ninety-frst and Ninetieth
ST fv,t -
House after house fell before the sweep
of fire, which hurled blazing brands
forward into its path The flames
reached aud crossed Ontario avenue.
Buffalo avenue, Macllinaw avenue
and Green Bay avenue, and We're
only stopped in their eastward course
by the strand or street running north
and south. Among the first buildings
To fall was the First Methodist church.
ut 9ist street and Superior avenue. and
long before its spire had toppled TO the
ground the new and commodius Ger
man Lutheran church on the opposite
corner was blazing in dozen places.
Hardly had these more pretentious
structures been leveled to the ground
when the fire was found blazing in a
dozen places further east
The Central fire alarm Office long be.
fore five o'clock sent every engine that
could be spared in the south side of the
city. The Yosemite. the big fire boat,
was soon blowing its way through the
waters of the lake IN its nine mile race
to the fire. Before it had reached the
harbor at South Chicago the five
blocks between Superior avenue and
the lake had been burned and the
Yosemite turned its attention TO the
immense lumber yards on the river
front
The burned district is north of the
river which at Nmety-sccond street
opens out into the Calumet harbor
protected both north and south by
government piers. Between the river
and the district III which the flames
started extend the immense lumber
yards and lumber docks along the Calu.
met river and harbor. These are Just
south OF the Chicago and Western
Indiana and Rock Island rail
ways. The Baltimore and Ohio
railroad, running north and south
between the fire and Ontario avenues.
marked at its beginning the western
boundary of the fire The squares
from the origin OF the fire north at the
immense shops of the Baltimore and
Ohio. The burned territory is Just
north of the business center of South
Chicago and was given up almost ex-
clusively to residences. Beginning
at the railroad on the west and con
tinuing 10 the lake, the north and
south streets are Ontario avenue, SUI
perior avenue, Buffalo avenue, Maclti-
nav avenue, Green Bay avenue and the
Strand
south on Superior avenue the two
story frame house of Justin Nave
caught fire from the current Of hot air
loaded with sparks and flames leaped
across Superior avenue TO three story
tenement house that was soon wrapped
in the smoke that proceeded with the
what is now growing to be tornado
of fire
by this time and with most of these
buildings ablaze so great had become
the volume of heat and fiame-laden air
that was sweeping toward She lake
that il wis seen that the fire must
spread 20 the district of the docks
The fears Of the department were well
grounded, and before the scorces OF en-
gines had made the least appreciable
effect upon the progress of the flames.
the immense docks OF the sunday Creek
Coal Co. at Hurbor avenue and the
river were atre. More than 100. OJC
tons of coal are stored i'm the immense
bins bel 3nging To this company. The
latest estimate veutured was that the
loss at this place alone could easily
reach $500, 600
In all over POO dwellings and build
ings were laid low rendering .. 600 PEG.
pie homeless and apgreguting the total
loss Co nearly a. 900. 600 Startling as is
the most accepted theory, from a
smoldcring bonfire the blaze spread
with such rupiditv that families had
barely time enough in some instances
to escape with their lives Whole
blocks Of cottages were swept away.
thcir owners and occupants not being
able Co save their household effects.