The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-10-10

YEARS AGO
Yesterday Was the Anniver-
sary of the Chicago Fire
--LOss,S2OO, 900, 900

Yesterday marked the 32d anniver-
lsary of the great Chicago fire. 1t was
also a day when the "old settlers of
the western metropolis gathered into
big and little groups and recounted
their trying experiences on that
memorable October 9, 1871, when a
whirlwind of flame swept for miles
through the city of $4,000 inhabitants.
causing monetary loss approximate
ing $500, 100000, rendering tens of thou
sands of persons homeless and poverty
stricken and leaving the charred re-
mains of hundreds in its wake.
The origin of the great fire has been
traced directly to the Jll-te.uber of
an ordinary milk cow-"Mrs. O'Leary's
cow" as it now is celebrated H. the
annals of Chicago history. This COW
was kept in q two-story frams tarn In
the rear of a modest dwelling at 1877
De Koven street, on the southwest SIZE
of the city. Shortly after p. m. On
Sunday, October 8, flames were dis
covered issuing from the O'Leary barn.
Those who attempted to extinguisn
the blaze in the barn testified to find-
ing a kerosene lamp shattered into
pieces within range of the cows heels.
The world believes that COW kicked
the lamp to pieces, thus giving lite
to the great confagration which fol
lowed.
There was delay in getting the alarm
TO the fire department, and in getting
water to the fire after the alarm. Inc
nearest engines failed to get to the
fire until after it was beyond control,
IN the dry southwest gale that was
blowing and the parched fuel--a three
months drought preceded the fire
that was ready to help it forward.
Great brands of fire were caught up
high in the air-observers say from 800
to 500 feet-and whirled off to the
northeast, dropping where they would,
of the old. By midnight the flames
had swept across the south branch OF
the Chicago river and eaten into the
business part of the city The mayor
remained in the courthouse as long
as it was tenantable.
This was the supreme moment of
disaster, for that building had been
I'he stOrehouse. anG was now the I, .n5
iof the public records. The cham oi
nile by W. II every owner held e.cry
foct of property in Cook county, 'rG L
the government TO latest buyer aaI
lender came to utter annihil4ti IN.
About NJ. The postoffice and srp
,reasury were buIAed, the latter with
some 60 oGU .0GU III currency and gogarn-
menI securities.
The last house to be destroyed was
that of Rev. j. H. Foster on Fullerton
avenue, then in the northern limit Of
the city. This house burned 25 nours
after the time, and four miles from
the place of the sarti1s o; the fi,c.
Seventeen thousand. four hundred
an. fftv buildings, win snbstaniia y
all household effects were burned. Tc
hep CT lcago funds cane apput as fol-
lows: From insurers New oYrk, Con-
necticut, Great Britain, Massachusetts
Ohio, Pennsylvania, California and
Rhode Island leading) between s45,-
100000 and $4,000, 900; from gifts in
money and other valuables, something
like 100000 from Chicago herself
about $140,000.0O0 was taken, after all
alleviations were allowed for.
Between October Is and November
80 the society put up 1926 houses, u.s.
ing 35,O00,000 feet of lumber. The first
building erected after the fire was q
board shanty put up 10y William D
Kerfoot, real estate dealer, and was
begun and finished on October 10. II
was surmounted by the proud sign
l"KerfOot'S Block"