Evening journal., 1894-08-02
cHlcAeo,s BIG BLAZE.
over Forty Acres or lumber Yards Burned
at n Heavy Loss.

CHICAGO, Aug 2.-Tho lumber district
OF Chicago was last night visited by one
of the most disastrous fires In Its history
and the loss will probably foot up between
1900, 90 and 81, 500, 900, although It will
be "a hours before the damage can be es-
timnted with accuracy. Tho following
concerns were entirely cleaned out by tho
flames and everything contained in their
yards has boon utterly destroyed:
T.. X. Martin Lumber company. Brown
4 Richards Lumber company; Wells a
French company, car builders; perley,
Lowe & Co, lumber; Shoemaker a Hig-
bic lumber; John Spry Lumber company;
Howard Hines, lumber, Conway & Co,
cedar posts; w. C. B. Palmer cedar posts;
Whitcomb Cedar Post company Sienans
& Halskc manufacturers of dynamos
The burned district IS about six squares
from east to west and about three from
north TO south The largest portion Of the
district bounded by Blue Island avenue,
Lincoln street, the river and Ashland.ayc-
nue., was burned over, and 40 acres Of
lumber yards arc nothing but smoking
omhcrs.
Tho course Of the flames was southeast
and east for the first 40 minutes, and they
literally licked up everything in their
path. Piles of lumber, lath, shingles and
cedar posts were swallowed up with an APP
palling rapidity. and for "a short time lt
seemed as though tho entire lumber dis
trict OF tho city, which stretches milo to
the south and as far to the cast of tho
burning yard, must be consumed. The
wind. however, suddenly changed and be.
gan to blow from tho south and with
much less violence than before. Tho
/ rfss
burned back TO "A line level with It's start
ing point
The sudden change in the direction Of
tho flames caught several engine compa-
MES unpreparcd, and tho men were com
PEELED to run for their lives. No engines
were abandoned, but three Of them had
close calls, horses and men narrowly Is.
Gaping death The iircboat Yosemite was
at work I'm ono Of the slips when the di-
rection Of the fire changed, and the long
tongues of flame which shot over her
made it necessary that she De removed az
/ once When an effort was made to start
/ her up, 80 was found that her steam was
so low that the boat could not be moved
with any rapidity, and the flames were
/ sweeping down upon her at a fearful rate.
| Tho men frantically pushed her off with
| poles and boards, and she finally crawlod
out of the slip with no more damage than
a severe scorching I'm several places.
The ilreboat Geyser had also "a close call,
but ran through the flames which lenped
out over the ship and escaped unframed
Two of her men, John Mccain and
Thomas Frooding were badly burned
while fighting the fire A large "siam
esod' hose which they were holding goi
away from them and knocked both mor
over the side of tho boat upon pilo OF
burning cedar posts few feet away
Their injuries arc not fatal.
In addition TO the firemen injured tbs
following casualties occurred Otto Raft
er fell of a lumber pile; back brokon ant
will die. Unknown man. struck on thl
head by flying cap from fro engine
knocked into the river and drowned
Petor Phclan, pipemnn, inhaled hot all
and badly burned Unknown boy, pushc,
into river by crowd and drowned.