Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-04
E|GHT DIE IN CH|CAGO FIRE
BLAZE IN ELEVATOR DISTRICT
CAUSES HEAVY LOSS.
Fire Tug Sunk in River by Falling
of Validity Persons
Injured.

CHICAGO, August 4.-The fire tug
Illinois. which had been working all
night on the smoldering ruins of ele-
vators f and F, which burned yesterday,
was sunk in the river today by the fall
ing of a wall of elevator F. Tons of
brick fellon the deck, and the tug sank
beneath the weight Members of the
crew jumped into the river. and only one
was injured. He will recover. The tug
is valued at 100000. 1t will cost $751;
900 to raise and repair her
The most extensive and disastrous
| confiagraton in Chicago since the great
fire of 1871 swept through the elevator
and freight warehouse district, bounded
by 18th street. Canal street and the
Chicago river yesterday afternoon.
Eight men are reported dead in the
ruins. The list of injured numbers more
than fifty Hundreds were hemmed in
by the roaring walls of flame which.
famed by wind amounting almost to
Il gale, swept through the district.
Six City Blocks Burned Over.
An area of six city blocks was burned
over Armour & Co.'S immense grain
elevators f. and F and the Union Ele-
vator Company's large elevator were
destroyed. They contained 1,S75,OOO
bushels of wheat. Between five hundred
and six hundred freight cars. many Of
them loaded with freight, were de-
stroyed in the Burlington yards
The freight warehouse used Jointly by
the Burlington and Pennsylvania rail
roads was burned, the freight house of
the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern
was badly damaged. and that of the
Chicago 4 Eastern Illinois was threat
ened.
A conservative estimate of the proper
ty loss puts the figures at from $4,000,
600 to $3.000,OOO.
The fire started at 1880 pm, when, 1t
is said. a railroad employee tossed the
stub of lighted cigarette away. 1t
happened to fall in some rubbish sur
rounding number of barrels of chemi-
Gals The fire started quickly. and was
followed almost instantly by an ex-
plosion which scattered the flames far
and wide and gave them tremendous
start before the fire department could
arrive.
A Spectacular Blaze.
The fire was rendered more spectacular
by the efforts of the firemen and salvage
men to prevent the flames from reaching
hundreds of barrels of oil and chemicals
stored in the warehouses along the river.
To prevent explosions these hundreds OF
barrels, already almost too hot to handle,
were thrown into the river. The concus-
plode throwing great columns of water
high into the air and adding weird as
pect to the scene.
Eighty engine companies-four-ffths OF
the citys fire-fighting apparatus-were at
work at 2:3O o'clock in an endeavor to get
the fire under control, but with little sue
cess. From West 14th street to West 18th
street and from Lumber street to the
river solid mass Of flames prevented the
f1remen from getting into the heart of the
blaze.
Four fireboats poured tons of water
upon the plants, but with little effect. The
heavy streams of water were transformed
into clouds of steam, and the paint on the
sides of the fireboats peeled and blistered
from the intense heat. Finally the fire
boat Illinois was compelled to withdraw.
The fire was famed by high wind from
the west The gale swept the flames to
the Union elevator. a ten-story structure.
Fire Chief Koran sent twelve engine COM
panies to save this building, but the struc-
ture and its contents were practically con-
sumed. Armour's two big elevators suf-
fered the same fate. One contained 800,
GOO bushels of wheat, the other 100000.
Armour & Company estimate their loss at
81, 400. 600.