The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1894-08-04
A FIRE IN CHICAGO
Forty Acres Burned in the Lum-
Der District.
TWO NET FATAL ACCIDENTS
It Is Olficult to Make an Estimate of
tho Losses. but They Run Into
the Millions,

CHICAGO, Aug. 1.-The lumber dis.
trict of Chicago tonight was visited by
! one of the most disastrous fires In its
history, and the loss will probably loot
up between 81, zoe, 900 and 81. SOC, 600. al.
though it will he "a hours before the
damage can be estimated with &C.
curacy. The following concerns were
entirely cleaned out by flames: s. X.
Martin Lumber Company, Brown &
Richards Lumber Company, Williams
& French Company, car. builders; Per-
lee Lowe Il Co., lumber; Shoemaker &
Higbee Lumber Company, John Spry
Lumber Company, Edward Hinch
Lumber Company, Conway & Co.,
cedar posts; w. e. B. Palmer, cedar
posts; Whltcomb Cedar Post Company,
Siemans l. Halske, manufacturers Of
dynamos.
Forty Acres Burned Over
The burned district is about six
squares from east to west and about
three from north to south. The great
est portion of the district bounded BY
Blue Island avenue, Lincoln street,
the river and Ashland avenue was
burned over, and 40 acres of lumber
yards are now nothing but smoking
embers. -
The Martin yards are $500 feet long
by 800 wide. and the flames originated
in exactly the right spot for q strong
northwest wind, which was blowing
at the time, 10 carry them through the
entire length and breadth of the yards.
The wind drove the flames 50 fiercely
that the first engines which
arrived were helpless, and call
after call for additional help was made
until over 50 engines and three fire.
boats were at work. Piles of lumber,
lathe and shingles and cedar posts were
swallowed up with appalling rapidly
aud for time it seemed as II the finest
lumber district in the city, which
reaches q mile 10 the south, would be
consumed. The wind. however, sud.
denly changed and began to blow from
the south and with less violence than
before. The flames started rapidly
north and burned back to the line,
level with its starting point.
Many Narrow Escapes.
The sudden change In the direction
of the flames caught several engine COM
panies unprepared and the men were
compelled to run for their lives.
No engines were abandoned, but three
of them had close calls, the horses aud
men narrowly escaping death. The
fireb0at Yosemite was at work In one
of the slips when the direction of the
fire changed and the long tongues
which shot over made it necessary that
she be removed at once. She was got
ten out of the way but not before che
had been severely scorched in several
places. The fireboat Griser had also q
close call, but ran through the flames
hich leaped out over the slip and es-
caped unframed. Two of her men,
John Mccain and Thomas Freeling,
were badly burned while fighting the
fire. The large "Siamese" hose whic:,
they were holding got away from them
aud knocked them over the side of the
boat upon pile of burning cedar posts
a few feet away. Their injuries are not
fatal.
Two Lives Lost.
In addition to the firemen injured.
the following casualties occurred: Otto
Rafler, fell from the lumber, back
broken and will die; an unknown man.
struck on the head by flying cap from
a fire engine. knocked into the river
and drowned.
At IL o'clock the fire was still burn
ing liercely, with the probability Of
blazing for II hours more.
Estimate Of tho Losses.
1t il difficult to obtain an estimate Of
the losses, but the following are be-
lievsd to be about correct: S. K. Martin
Compa ny. $500, 600; Siemans & Halske.
$500, 600; Perlee, Lowe & Co., $l45. 900;
Shoemaker & HIgbee, $l75. 900; John
spry Lumber Company, 200; Con-
way & Co., 100000; Edward Hines
Lumber Co.. $40. 600; Barnum Foundry
Co., 81 coo; total. 81, 595, 900!