The Press., 1894-02-08
Chicago TIibune.) A BOYS RECOLLECTIONS OF THE CHICAGO FIRE.


 THE CHICAGO FIRE.
 One man who "saw Chicago burn" thus recalls his boyish impressions of the Hateful day.
 Monday morning, Oct. 9, 1871, was late to breakfast.
 Johnny" said my father, as I took my seat at the table, "have you had your run?"
 I meekly owned up that hadn't. It was 8 standing rule that I must get up an appetite by running at least once around the house before breakfast. I offered by way of excuse, that had all the appetite I needed. But he was firm, and out 1 went, much-abused boy. Ten seconds later burst into the dining room.
 tOh," yelled, Frank and Will Waite are out here. and they say Chicago is all burned up. The water-works and the court house and everything's gone."
 "John,". said my father, "tell those Waite boys to go home and stop telling such stories. Then sit down and eat your breakfast. The water-works and the court house are miles apart, with the river between them. The ideal Its i'm possible"
 Nevertheless, father didn't say any more about running round the house. 1 noticed that he finished his breakfast in short order. He didn't wait for the man to bring round his horse and buggy, but went to the barn himself. As he drove by the house he waved his hand encour- agingly to mother, but as 1 shut the big gate behind him he touched up the gray trotter with his whip, and went up Lake avenue at 2.40 gate.
 | We lived on the lake shore at Forty seventh street. Lake avenue is the old Michigan City stage road around the head of the lake. In 1871 Kenwood didn't look much as it does now; it was regard ed as beyond the jumping off place-way out in the country. Fathers law office was in the Fullerton building, Nos. 92-94 I Dearborn street, and he drove back and forth every day. Of course we knew all about the big lumber-yard fire of Satur- day night, and the glow of the sky Sun- day night was laid to that.
 went to school as usual that Monday morning. I was 12 years old and it was my first year in the old Hyde Park High School at Lake avenue and Fiftiath-st. Exercises were begun as usual at 9 o'clock. When we were let out for the morning re- cess vehicles of all kinds were pouring south on Lake avenue. We children did | not play ''peal away and "sting goap kwith all our eyes at the strange proces- sion that was passing. There were car, riages filled with people who wept and gesticulated and wrung their hands; with people who looked to be dying and ever dead with people in all stages of dress and undress. They were mostly women and children, and they were disheveled and dirty, forlorn, despairing and frantic. All sorts of things were piled in and on these carriages clothing, bedding trunks furniture. There were express wagons and every kind of vehicle-even hearses and every one had it's load of passen. gers, household goods, or both. The | horses were in a father of sweat. There were men, women and children on foot and they, too, were loaded down with al sorts of salvage from the flames. And to the north, citywards, a great | pail of smoke had plotted out all the sky and was growing larger, and denser, anG blacker every instant.
 When the bell rung we went back te our desks. But the excitement of great | calamity was in the air. Study and reef tation were impossible. The principa dismissed school and told us to go home as fast as we could. I needed no urging I started as fast as my legs would carry me. Great as was my haste could not but stop now and then to stare at people and things in the strange and piteous pro cession. 1 met man whom knew. His head was down. I asked him if my fath er's office had been burned. He said: "Lord, yes; hours ago."
 1 At this 1 broke into 8 run for home. felt as if I ought to do something to show that was almost man grown. At ev cry house passed the women were out O. doors looking citywards and waiting fol news. Often they were down at the gate asking questions of the fleeing and offer ing sympathy and aid.
 Shortly after noon father drove in. H. pulled up in front of the house, instead O driving to the barn. We clustered around him. He was black with dust and soot Was he burned out? He supposed so everything down town seemed to be gone He had not been able to force his wa, farther north than Sixteenth street to fint out
 "Go and look in the four barrel" !" sai' he to my mother, 'sand see what els there is in the house. Idon't know whel we'll be able to get anything more."
 Mother went with troubled face ant came back to say that the flour fiarre was nearly full, and that there wa enough else to keep us from starving fo several days. With that he turned t. Yh.