Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1910-12-22
TRAGIC SCENE At
CHICAGO FIRE
Marshall Horan and Thirty
of His Men Crushed Un-
der Flaming Walls
DISPLAY MARVELLOUS HEROISM
Conflagration Fighters Vainly
Rush to Rescue of Their
Comrades.

Chicago, Dec. 22-Fire Marshal
James Horan, and between % and 30
liremen, were killed and forty others
were injured today in a fire which
at an early hour had caused loss of
"a million and a half and at 10 o'clock
threatened the whole stock yards dis
trict with destruction. A wall fell,
crushing over a hanging wooden cam
opy on the beef house of Morris &
Company. When the fire started be.
meath the canopy under which were
two companies of firemen and their
chief, these men were crushed to
death by the debris which made fur
mace into which the firemen were un-
able to dig for several hours. Assist
ant Chief William Burroughs and
Lieutenant Fitzgerald were with the
marshal under the canopy, receiving
orders for directing the fight against
the flames in other quarters and they
went to death with their chief. Other
firemen, witnesses of the disaster, for
a brief time deserted other parts of
the blazing structures and sought
with bare hands to drag apart the
glowing debris to bring out the bodies
of their chief and his companions.
Finding this vain effort they return
ed to their duty and redoubled their
efforts to prevent the spread of the
flames. The blaze started by the burst
ing OF an ammonia pipe. BY the time
Marshal HOran arrived the firemen
had abandoned the effort to save the
beef house and were endeavoring to
head off the rush of fire toward other
buildings, number of which were
already on fire.
Whole Stock Yards District in Danger
The awning which later became the
destroyer of scores of lives seemed
to offer shelter from the flames. I'm
der this the crews fled for shelter,
led by Horan, Burroughs and Fitzger.
aid. On top of the canopy, another
group of firemen played streams of
water into the heart of the9ar Sud.
denly, Lieutenant Joseph Mackey,
leader of the band above, felt the
wall going and shouting a warning he
jumped with his men and ESCAPED
death. But those below had their
lives crushed out. Meanwhile, the
firemen were steadily being driven
back as building after building caught
fire. Hampered by a lake of water, !
Assistant Marshal Seyferlich realizing
the futility of trying to save the
then blazing, drew his men
back. And at 1920 it is acknowledg-
ed that the whole stock yards district |
is in danger.
Explosion Adds to Flames.
Chicago, Dec. 22.-At 1875, the |
fire was still burning fiercely. An ex-
plosion occurred on the top floor of |
warehouse No. 6, and the roof was |
blown into the air. Half dozen of |
a company of firemen who had sta
toned themselves at the further end |
of the roof had narrow escapes.
Twenty-Five Dead.
Chicago, Dec. 22.-The body of AS |
sistant Chief Burroughs was recovered |
at noon. At that time the fire appar-
emily was under control. The loss is |
now estimated at $1,250,OO0. 1t is
known that twenty-eight firemen be-
sides Chief Horan were killed and |
more than fifty injured, many of |
whom possibly will die. Seven bod |
les have been recovered
Two Warehouse Destroyed.
Chicago, Dec 22-The buildings |
destroyed include two warehouses
full of dressed meat, hemp, etc. a
tallow house and other structures.