New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-25

A FIRE SCOURGES CHICAGO.
THF FLAMES DESTROY PROPERTY WORTH
$1,000, 900.

| A LARGE DISTRICT IN SOUTH CHICAGO SWEPT
eALE-noMEs OF 1000 POOR PEOPLE
BURNED-rmE SUFFERERS ARE POOR
EMPLOYEES OF IRON MILLS.
Chicago. Aug PA fire at South Chicago late
this afternoon burned $50 houses, made 1000
people homeless and did damage to the extent OF
81 ,000,0 900. The fire began about 5 o'clock.
From a three-story brick building at Ninety first
st. and Superior-ave. flames, which rapidly grew
in volume under gale of wind from the west,
ate their way over block after block pf small
frame dwellings until they reached the lake.
Within two hours the fire had consumed at least
thirty buildings and live blocks of the greatest
industrial suburb of Chicago. The $4,000 resi-
dents Of the town were precipitated into panic
second only In this city to that which character
lied the conhagation of 1871.
As the pine structures, in which lived the work
ingmen employed in the large steel mills of the
Illinois Steel Company and In which the smaller
merchants Of the place made their homes, were
seveled by the roaring famcsJ those whose
homes had not yet fallen fed with their goods and
household utensils a. the other portions OF the
city Streets We're blocked with wagons con-
tanning the effects of the frightened and fleeing
residents and men and women, appalled, by the
calamity, hed in every direction.
From the brick building in which the fire had
it's origin and before the few engines Of the dis
trict could make the slightest impression upon
them the flames bounded eastward between
Ninety-f and Nineteth SITS. in the direction oil
the lake House after house rapidly fell before
the sweep of fire. which hurled blazing brands Tar
in advance From Supcrior-ave. the flames crossed
ID
to Ontario-ave., Bufalo-ave., Mackinaw-ave ana
Green lay-ave. Among the first buildings to 1all
was the First Methodist Church, at Nincty-iirst-
st. and Supcrior-ave, and before its spirc had
toppled to the ground the new and co'nmolous
German Lutheran Church on tho opposite corner
was blazing in a dozen places Hardly had these
more prctentious buildings been levelled to the
rround than the fire was detected blaz-
ing in dozen places further east. The
local department. branch of Chief Swenies
citv service had been called upon.
also all the help in the immediate district but by
the time the First Methodist Church was well
on fire il was seen that every effort must be made
to prevent the destruction Of the greater part OF
the town The central fire alarm office sent to
the fire every engine that could be spared in the
south side Of the city. The Yosemite, the giant
hreboat lying at La Sale ST., was hurried from its
deck and was plouehing its way through the
waters of the lake in its thirteen-mc race TO the
far southern section where the fire was raging
Before it had reached the harbor at South Chi
cago the terrific force Of the fire had eaten away
the five blocks between Supcrior-avc. and the
lake and the Yosemite turned its attention to
the immense lumber yards on the RIVER front.
The burned district is north of the river.
where Ninety y-second-st opens out into the Cali-
met Harbor protected both on the north and
Iatx fla ri
and the district in which the 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 Rock Island and Pacific railways.
The Baltimore and Ohio Railway. running north
and SOUTH between Ore and Ontario avcs, marked
al its beginning the western boundary of the
fire Two SQUARES from the origin of the IRE
10 the north are the immense shops of the B'ltl-
more and Ohio Railway Company. The
burned territory is just north of the
business centre Of SOIth Chicago and was
given up almost exclusively TO dwellings,
The house in which the fire began was owned by
William GILES. and occupied by him as dwelling
Those who saw the spread of the lire say 'ha'
it sprans from the ruins of Gillcss home 10 cot
taee OH the west. Brands falling upon bnildihs
at Bufalo-ave. and Nincty-irst-st, spread one
square further west and soon started DIaze
which continued from the origin Of the lire at
Gillcs's house TO four two-story frame houses on
the north side of Ninety -frst-st.. and they were
soon swept away. From the six houses then on
fire the flames sprang across Ninety-irst-st. to the
south side where the frame structures quickly
disa ppeared before tic sweep of the flames.
North of Ninety -irst-st., on SuTcrior-ave, the
early stages Of the fire burned FIVE one and one
half story frame cottages belonging 10 John
Mason Then, in quick succession. the threc-story
frame houee of John WyclSs. on Nincty-lirst-st;
the three-story frame house belonging to Frank
Salt and the grocery store, a one-story build
ing. belonging to 4. Lingquist. were swept away.
Hy this time and with most Of the buildings
abIazc so great haG become the volume OF nea,
and fame laden air that was sweeping to"lru
the lake that ii was seen that me -, hre rt nus'
n,ent and citizens were we'll founded. and before
the scores Of engines had made the lcds1 ap-
prcciabe effect upon the progress OF the names
the immense wharv"s OF the SUNDAY Irceh Oo''
COMPANY in RUNS. -,
Over 100. 600 tons of coal are stored In .thc
bins. which extend for 800 feet along the rlveI
front The earliest estimate ventired was th'i'
The loss at this place alone one Nnna wonld GaSb ibc roa
wards every engine that could be spared ana the
powerful steamer Yosemite, as soon as II Trachel
the harhor were brought TO night thc conuagfa-
ton At the same moment tlle Il. ~ nech an. n.n,a w.
the Sunday Creek Company, were found 10 D"
burning. and here the first great battle OF the
frcmen with the flames was begun Ihc flir
Department had only by this time succeeded IN
rottinc tocethcr a sufficient number Of engines 10
give il any chance at oil against Tie roarihs mas
of flames
ODD FELLOTS CLOSE THEIR SESSION.