The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-30


Erie and Ontario-aves., 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
of the Baltimore x Ohio railroad COM
pany. The burned territory Is just north
of the business center of South Chicago,
and was given up almost exclusively to
residences.
The house at Superior-ave. and Nine
ty-first-st., in which the fire began, was
owned by William GILES and occupied
by him as a residence. Those who saw
the spread of the fire say that II sprang
from the ruins of Gilles's home to a
cottage adjoining on the west. Brands
falling upon building at the corner Of
Buffalo-ave. and Ninety-first-st. spread
the fire one square further west and
soon started n blaze which continued
from the origin of the fire at Gilles's
house to four two-story frame houses on
the north side OF Ninety-ilrst-st., and
they were soon destryed.
From the six houses then on fire the
flame sprang across Ninety-frst-st. to
the south side, where three frame struc-
lures quickly disappeared before the
sweep OF the flames. Soath, on Superior
ave-, the two-story frame house OBSCURE
Mayo caught fire from the current of
hot air loaded with sparks. and this
structure ablaZe, the increasing volume
of flame leaped across Superior-ave. TO
ment house was soon wrapped in
the smoke that preceded what was now
a tornado of fire.
Flying Army.
A dozen houses in the vicinity of SUI
peifor-ave. and Ninty-first-st. now hav-
ing been swept away in the gusts of the
fire, the people began to give way TO
the panic which in another hour pre-
cipitated flying army toward the other
portions of the city.
North of Ninty-first-st. on Superior
ave. the early stages of the fire burned
five one and one-half story cottages be-
longing to John Mason. Then in quick
succession the house of John Wicks on
Ninty-trst-st-, the three story frame
building belonging to Frank Salt and
the grocery store, enc story building
belonging to A. Linquist, We're swept
away. By this time and with most OF
these buildings ablaZe, so great had be-
come the volume of heat and flame
laden air that was sweeping toward the
lake, that it was seen the fire must
spread to the docks. from which 1t was
anxiously desired to keep it.
In the Coal Docks.
The 'fears of the department and of
citizens were well-founded and before
the scores of engines had made the least
appreciable impression upon the progress
of the flames, the immense docks of the
Sunday Creek coal company were in
ruins. Over a hundred thousand tons of
coal are stored in the immense bins
which extend for 500 feet along the river
front. The earliest estimate ventured
was that the loss at this place alone
could easily reach 100000 When the
fire began in the coal yards every en-
CINE that could be spared and the pow
erful steamer Yosemite, as soon as 1t
reached the harbor, was brought to fight
the conflagration.
The Battle Begun.
At the same moment the Arbeck lum-
Der yards, with dock frontage nearly as
large as those OF the coal company, were
found to be burning and here the great
battle begun. The fire department had
only by this time succeeded in getting to-
gether a sufficient number of engines TO
give 1t any chance at all against the
roaring mass of flames.
There were but seven engines on the
ground at this time and the fire boat
arrived just in time to lend it's power
full aid at the critical moment. Several
small buildings had been torn down by
the firemen and citizens and this gave
them breathing spell which ultimately
proved decisive, for the firemen, though
at first not able to do more than hold
the flames in check, steadily beat them
down when the additional engines ar
rived. BY o'clock the coal in The
yards of the Sandy Creek company and
Becks lumber yard were the only places
where the fire was still uppermost and
in a short time it was practically under
control and all danger OF its spreading
further was over
Where 1t Started.
Their appears to be no doubt but that
the terrible conflagration originated in
the destroyed dwelling of Master Me-
chanic William GILES, an employee OF the
rolling mills. Mr. Gilles's two-story
frame house was located at 162 Ninety
first-st., wher he lived with his family,
including his daughter, to whose youth
tul feminine vanity must be attributed
the beginning of the fire. Miss GILES,
according to those who had lived in the
vicinity, was engaged about 4:30 o'clock
in preparing her evening toilet. In this
she was using a lamp to heat her curl
ng iron, and while arranging her bangs
the lamp was overturned and an explo-
sion followed, which in the end wrecked
the homes of several thousand people
When all danger of a further spread
of the fire was over the panic-stricxen
people who had fled wildly for their
homes had ormerly been. In very few
instances We're they able to find any
vestige of their homes. Most of the
buildings destroyed were light frame
affairs and were occupied almost ex-
clusively by the workmen of the Illinois
steel company, The damage in none of
these instances was large mi amount. but
the conservative estimates put the aggre-
gate loss in the residence district at $780,
600. The Sunday Creek coal company
has DIST fully $3.50, 900 and that of the
Beck lumber company 5000, 900. The
latter company recently made on assign
ment and had just resumed business
after making an arrangement with its
creditors. Its large stock of lumber is
completely destroyed and its business
is on cemore at a stand still.
Despite the rapidity with which the
flames spread and the crash and panic
which at one time choked up the streets
no lives. far as known, were lost The
GLOWING were injured, none fatally:
Fred Donant, severely burned about
face and arms.
Robert Guinta, overcome by smoke and
heat.
Addie Guinta, overcome by heat.
Martin Burke fell from a second-story
window and was injured internally.
Shortly after the fire attacked 120
Buffalo-ave., the store of NJ Johnson.
there was a violent explosion of twenty
one gallon cans of gasoline Mr.. John
SON was severely burned about the face.
The Homeless
Hundreds Of people deprived of home
comforts, with scarcely a warning.
gathered along Ninety-frst-st. and ad-
jacent thoroughfares. But they were