The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-02
BIC CHICAGO FIRE!
Three Thousand Persons Made
Homeless by Flames.
Incendiary Fires Destroyed 100
Homes Near Stock Yards.

Chicago, Aug. Am incendiary
fire, which the police declare was
started by negroes early today, swept
thru the district bounded by West
Forty-third, West Forty-sixth, South
Lincoln street and South Hermitage
Polish and Lithuanian employees of
the stockyards and causing a property
loss of more than 100000.
Three persons are missing and a
score were injured in the conflagra-
ton. The buildings destroyed con-
frame buildings. Three thousand men,
women and children have been
rendered homeless by the fire and the
bad feeling between the whites and
negroes greatly aggravated. State
troops were sent to the scene of the
fire to disperse the crowds and prevent
renewal of race riots.
Saw Negroes With Torches.
A number of witnesses have been
found by the police who say they saw
several automobiles of negroes with
burning torches in the district short
| ly before the fire was discovered. The
fire broke out in three different sec
tions of the district at tn esame time,
according to the police. Telephone
wires in the district were cut a few
minutes after the blaze broke out
| Several residents declare they saw ne
groes fleeing from the scene after the
fire was discovered A number OF
shots were fired at negroes in automo-
| biles who, it is said, were attempting
to escape after the fires were started
| One negro was said to have been
wounded, but was carried away by his
| companions. Fire Chief O'Connor
after a hasty investigation. declared
! the fires were incendiary in origin and
evidently were started by throwing gas
] n1 ha NJ Ia o
and applying lighted torch or matches
Name Twelve Blacks.
Fire Attorney Harry ~Donnelly gave
/ the police the names of twelve person!
who declared they saw negroes in th'
district bearing burning torches and
cutting telephone wires.
The situation in other sections o.
the danger zone of the South Side wa
reported satisfactory to the authorities
1 altho there were a number of mino
disturbances.
With quiet restored in the ''blacl
belt the legal machinery of the coun
ty began active operations in investi
eating the riot.
More than a hundred of the prison
ers held at the police station in the rio
zone have thus far been interrogated
it was announced, and from thes
confessions were said to have beel
procured which will lead to further ar
rests on more serious charges thai
those on which the many prisoners ar
held
The officials declared conspiracie
among the negroes to "snipe" police
men and whites had been revealed an
also similar combinations anon
whites to burn the homes of negroes
Officials said the stay of the troop
|, would depend upon developments; tina
the district would remain under mill
tary control until possibility of re
rewal Of the race war had disap
peaI ed.
Million Dollar Detroit Blaze.
Detroit, Mich, Aug. 2.-The Wads
worth Manufacturing company's plan
covering an area of three blocks, an
! adjoining workmen's hotel and tn
large yards of the Sibley Lumbe
t company, were destroyed by fire las
. night. Police placed the loss at near
. ly 100000.