Norwich bulletin., 1921-08-09
ODD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAS
 HISTORY
AMERICAS GREATEST CoNFLAGRA-
 TION

TON
 On Sunday evening, October s, 1871, there broke out fire in Chicago which ragged for several days, and{is unparsllel- ed in the history of the world for si1ni- lar confagTation The fire originated in a small frame structure in the rear of 137 DeKoven street, which was used as a COW stable.
 The fire was discovered about c'clo1X in the evening by a policeman when it was only a small blaze, He hoped to ex- tinguish it without sounding an alarm. but he made a fatal miscalcuiation as the result soon proved.
 A strong westerly wind was blowing at the time, no rain had fallen for several weeks previously, and naturally all com bustible matter was prepared for ready ignition.
 Chicago was at that time city of wood with the exception of the business center. The start of the fire is said 10 have been caused through the accidenta; upsetting of kerosene amp, while Mrs. O'Leary was engaged in milking COW. This barn stood in region composed most ly- of shanties, and the fire spread rap idly, very soon crossing the river to the South side, and fastening on that por- tion of the city which contained nearly all the leading business houses.
 Some buildings were blown up with gunpowder to prevent it's spreading, and this, in connection with the strong south west gale, prevented the extension Of tho flames to the south. The fire swept on Monday steadily to the north, including everything from the lake to the South Branch, and then crossed to the North Side, and. taking in everything from the lake 10 the North Branch, it burned northward for distance of three miles, where it died out at the city limits, when there was nothing more to burn.
 The total area of the land burned over was 2,100 acres. Nearly 10000 buildings were consumed: 100000 people were ren- dered homeless; 200 lives were lost and the grand total of property destroyed is estimated at $200 000,000. Of thls vast sum nearly one-half was covered by insurance, but under the tremendous loss es many of the insurance companies were forced to the wall and went into liqui- dation, and the victims of the conflagra- ton recovered only about one-flfth of their aggregate losses.
 If the great fire was an advent without parallel in~its dimensions and the magni- tude of it's dire results. the charity which | followed>it was equally unrivaled in its i extent. All the civilized world appeared l to instantly appreciate the calamity l Food, clothing, supplies of every Klnd l money messages of sympathy, etc, begar l pouring. in at once in a stream that ap | peared endless and bottonless.
 1 It was believed by many that the firt had forever plotted out Chicago from tht l list of great American cities, but the spir ! it of her people was undaunted by calam ity. and encouraged by the generous sym l pathy, and help from all quarters, thei | set to work at once to repair their al most ruined fortunes, and the city cam | up from it's ruins far more palatiai splendid strong and in1perishable thai before, and is today the second larges 1 city in the country.
 In one sense the fire was a benefit Its consequence was a- class of structure | far better than before.
 Thousande of the people in the burnc
 district fled far out on the prairie, ou 1 other thousa nds less fortunate, were hen
 med in before they coal1 rrach the coun l try. and were driven to the sands,
 group of beach hiIlocks fronting I.ak
 Michigan. These had been covered wit
 rescued merchandise and furniture. Tn
 flames fell fercely upon the heaps {
 goods and the miserable refugees weT
 driven into the black waves, where the
 stood neck deep in chilling water. SCOUTS
 ed by sheets of sparks and blowing sant
 When Tuesday. October 10. dawned. Oh cago had passed through the greates- an most disastrous confagration on reccr1 The burning of Moscow in 1872 cause
 the loss of $15o 100000. The great fiji
 of London devastated a tract of 4; acres. and destroyed 1s,O0o dwelling but that of Chicago swept over 2,1t
 acres and burned close to 2o,eoo dwei Ings The area consumed coneasne
 about seventy three miles of streets.
 (Tomorrow-Dueliing in Our Navy.)