The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1903-10-09
THE GREAT CHICAGO FIRE.
Windy City Burned Thirty Two
Years Ago Today.
A REVIEW OF THE DISASTER
Flames Held Sway for Twenty-Five
Hours and Burned Four Miles OF
Property - Loss was 100000, 900
and Many People Perished.

Property - Loss was 5000 oooo,o 900
and Many People Perished.
Chicago, ILL.,, Oct, Especial 70
The News: To-day marks the 32nd
anniversary of the great Chicago
fire It is also day when the "old
settlers" of the western metropolis
gather into big and little groups and
recount their thrilling experiences on
that memorable October of 1871,
when a whirlwind OF fame swept for
miles through the city of 334 900 in
habitants, causing monetary loss
approXimating $200,000,00O, render.
ing tens of thousands of persons
homeless and poverty stricken and
dreds in its wake.
The origin of the fire has been
traced indirectly to the ill-temper of
an ordinary milch cow-"Mrs.O o.
Learys cow" as II now Is celebrated
In the annals of Chicago's history.
This COW was kept in a two-story
frame barn in the rear of modest
dwelling at No. 1877 De Koven street,
on the southwest side of the city.
Shortly after 8 p. III. on Sunday, DC.
tober &, flames were discovered is.
suing from the OLeary barn. Those
who attempted to extinguish the
blaze in the barn testified to finding
a kerosine lamp shattered into pieces
within range of the cows heels
The world believes that the COW
kicked the lamp to pieces, thus Civ
ing life to the great contiagration
which followed
There was delay in getting the
alarm to the fire department, and in
getting water to the fire after 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
parched fuel--a three months drouth
preceded the tire-that was ready
to help it 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 fires far
to leeward of the old BY midnight
the flame 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 it was ten
antable.
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 ut
ter annihilation About a. m. the
postottice and subtreasury were
burned the latter with some $4,000
600 in currency and government Sc
curities.
The last house to be destroyed
was that of DR. j. II. Foster, on Full
lerton avenue, then in the northern
limit of the city. This house burned
% 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. were burned.
To help Chicago funds came about
as follows: From insurers New
York, Connecticut Massachusetts.
Ohio, Pennsylvania, California and
Rhode Island leading) between $45,-
GOO 900 and $50,OOO0OO from gifts
in money and other valuables, some
thing like $i,000,0OO: from Chicago
herself about $14O,OO0,OOO was taken,
after all alleviations were allowed
for.
Derrick time" is the name which
attached itself to the years immedi-
ately following the contlagration
The Relief and Aid society, formed
almost before the flames died out,
spent nearly $1,000,OOO in structures,
permanent and temporary.
Between October is and Novem-
ber 30 the society put up 5226
houses, using S5,OOO,O0O feet of um-
her. The first building erected after
the fire was a board shanty put up
by William d. Kerfoot, a real estate
dealer, and was begun and finished
on October 10. 1t was surmounted
by the proud sign, "Kerfoot's Block"