The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-10-09
GREAT
FIRE AT
CHICAGO
Started Thirty Two
Years Ago Today
'ClOekp.m.
Buildings Numbering 17,45O
and Their Contents We're
Destroyed With a Loss
of $2OO,OOO,0OO

Chicago, Oct. 9.-Today marks the
S2d anniversary of the great Chicago
fire. II is also a day when the "old
settlers" of the Western metropolis
gather into big and little groups and
recount their thrilling experiences on
that memorable October 9. 1871, when
whirlwind of flame swept for miles
through the city of $4,000 inhabi.
tants, causing a monetary loss ap-
proximating s2OO,O0O,OOO, rendering
tens of thousands of persons home.
less and poverty-stricken and leaving
the charred remains of hundreds in
its wake.
The origin Of the great fire has been
traced indirectly to the ill.temper of
an ordinary milch cow-"Mrs. OJea.
rvs cow" as IL is now celebrated in
the annals of Chicago history. This
COW was kept in a two-story frame
barn in the rear of a modest dwelling
at No. 1877 De Koven street, on the
southwest side of the city. Shortly
after p. m. on Sunday. October s.
flames were discovered issuing from
the O'Leary barn. Those who at.
tempted to extinguish the blaze I'm
the barn testified to finding a kero.
sene lamp shattered into pieces with
in range Of the cows heels. The
world believes that COW kicked the
lamp to pieces, thus giving life to the
great configration which followed.
There was delay in getting the
alarm. The nearest engines failed to
get to the fire until after it was be.
yond control, in the dry southwest
gale that was blowing and the parch.
ed fuel a three months drouth praced
ed the hre--that was ready to help II
forward.
Great brands of fire were caught up
high in the air-observers say from
300 TO 500 feet-and whirled off TO
the northeast, dropping where they
would, and starting new Ares far TO
leeward Of the old. By midnight the
flames had swept across the south
branch Of the Chicago river and eaten
into the business heart of the city.
The mayor remained in the court
house as long as IL was tenable.
This was the supreme moment of
disaster for that building had been
the storehouse. and was now the tomb
OF the public records. The chain OF
title by which every owner held every
foot of property in Cook county. from
the government to the latest buyer
and lender came to utter annihila.
tion. About 8 a. m. the postoAice and
subtreasury were burned, the latter
with some $4,000 900 in currency and
government securities.
The last house TO be destroyed was
that of DR., ], II. Foster, on Fullerton
avenue, then in the northern limit
OF the city. This house burned 25
hours after the time. and four miles
from the place of the starting Of the |
fire.
Seventeen thousand, four hundred
and fifty buildings. with substantially
all household effects, We're burned.
To help Chicago funds came about as
follows. From insurers New York.
Connecticut, Great Britain Massachus.
etts, Ohio, Pennsylvania, California
and Rhode Island leading) between
S45,OOOOO0 and $5O,OOO.OOO; from Chi.
cago herself about $4,000 900 was
taken, after all alleviations were al.
lowed for.
Derrick time" is the name which
attached itself TO the years immedia.
tely following the oonhagation. The
Relief and Aid society, formed almost
before the flames died out, spent near.
ly Sl,OOO,0OO in structures. permanent
and temporary
Between Oct, IS and Nov. 30 the
society put up 5.226 houses. using
IS 100000 feet of lumber. The first
building erected after the fire was a
board shanty put up by William ID.
Nerfoot, a real estate agent dealer
and was begun and finished on Oct
10. IL was surmounted by the proud
sign, "kerfoOts Block