The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-08-25
CHIUAGU'S GREAT FIRE.
Two Hundred Houses Swept Away
in Two Hours.
FIVE TEoUahwD PEOPLE HOMELESS

Panic Stricken Citizens Flee with Their
Household Effects from the Rapidly
Approaching FIames-The Loss Estl-
mated at Nearly Million Dollars.
CHICAGO, Aug. 25.-A fire which covered
q vast extent of territory began in that
part of the city known as South Chicago
about o'clock yesterday afternoon. From
three story brick building at the corner
| of Ninety-first street and Superior avenue
flames which rapidly grew in volume un-
der gale of wind from the west ate their
way over block after block of small frame
residences until they reached the lake
! Within two hours the fire had consumed
gG0 buildings and five blocks of the great
est industrial suburb of Chicago, and 5000
| people are homeless.
As the pine structures in which lived
the workingmen employed in the large
steel mills of the Illinois Steel company,
and those in which the smaller merchants
of the place made their homes were leveled
| by the roaring flames those whose homes
had not yet fallen fled with their goods
and household utensils to the other nor
! tions of the city. Streets were blockaded
with wagons containing the effects Of the
| frightened and fleeing residC6 S, and men
in every direction
From the brick building in which the
fire had its origin and before the fire en-
gines of the district could make the slight
est impression upon it, the flames bounded
eastward between Ninety-frst and Nine
tieth streets in the direction of the lake.
House after house fell before the sweep of
fire, which hurled blazing brands far in
advance. From Superior avenue the flames
crossed to Ontario avenue, Buffalo avenue,
Mackinaw avenue and Green Bay avenu G.
Among the first buildings to fall was the
First Methodist church, at Ninety-frst
and Superior avenue and before its spire
had toppled to the ground the new and
COmmOdious German Lutheran church. on
the opposite corner, was blazing in a dozen
places. Hardly had these more pretentious
buildings been leveled to the ground than
the fire was detected blazing in a dozen
places further east.
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 fire BOAT lying at the foot of La
Sale street, was hurried off from its dock
and was soon plowing its way through the
waters of the lake in a thirteen mile race
to the far southern section where the fire
WAS IuBlllBs lDtlbIt ~ laAl ItdtuGNl ILt
harbor at South Chicago the terrific force
of the fire had eaten away the five blocks
= between Superior avenue and the lake, and
the Yosemite turned its attention to the
immense lumber yards on the river front
Before the scores Of engines had made
the least appreciable effect on the progress
of the flames the immense docks of the
Sunday Creek Coal company were in
ruins. Over 100000 tons of coal were
stored in the immense bins, which extend
for 500 feet along the river front, and this
was quickly ignited. At the same moment
the A. II. Beck lumber yards, with doch
frontages almost as great as the Sunday
Greek company, were found to be burning
and here the first great battle of the fire
men with the flames was begun.
Conservative estimates put the aggre
gate loss in the residence district at $4OO,
600, in addition to which the Sunday Creel
Coal company has lost fully $3.50, 600 and
the Beck Lumber company S2OO,OOO NJ
lives, so far as known, were lost.