Evening star., 1934-05-20
Three Reported Missing.
200 Homeless as Flames
Level Huge Stockyards
Buildings Despite Fight.
FIRE MOST DISASTROUS
SINCE 1871 HOLOCAUST
5000 Firemen Fight Conflagra-
tion for Hours Before Gaining
Control-Telephone Operators
Show Heroism-Great Plants
Escape as Buildings Fall.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
CHICAGO. May 10. Chicago's
most disastrous fire since the city
destroying holocaust of 1871 tonight
wiped out AZ square blocks of stock
yards zone property with an esti-
mated loss of $l0,000000.
The confiagration starting in the
stOckyardS area. ragged uncontrolled
for four and one-half hours. Not
until 7:30 pm. Central standard
time) did Fire Marshal Michael Cor
rigan, directing efforts of 1000 fire.
men. declare the blaze was under
control.
Every available piece of fire. fight
ing equipment in the city was thrown
into the melee. Firemen off duty and
on vacation were hurriedly summoned
to the fight. Three hundred police
men commanded by Is captains and
under the supervision of Police Com
missioner James Altman marshaled
the huge crowds of curious who
f1ocked to the area out of the fire
fighters way and aided in the actual
work of the fire fighters.
Major Plants Escape.
Despite its wide sweep, the blaze
did not attack any of the major
packing companies plants They
were located in a westerly direction
from the flames. which started near
:he western limits of the mile-square
yards. apparently from a carelessly
tossed cigarette
No deaths were reported. but three
persons were listed as missing. OFF,
GERS and physicians carried through
the heavy pail of smoke and embers
36 seriously injured flremen and spec
tators. They were taken to hospitals.
as were score of others who had
been stifled by the oppressive heat
and fumes. Three of the casualties
were in a critical condition. In all.
500 persons were treated for injuries.
At least 1900 persons were rem
dered homeless.
Residence Area Leveled.
A score of famous landmarks in
Packingtown-seat of the worlds
greatest meat-packing industry-and
dozens of cottages. shops, stores and
office buildings were attacked or de-
molished by the flames that swept
with volcanic fury from the eastward
into the heart of the yards and on
across Halsted street into a residen-
tial and commercial neighborhood
Hundreds of cattle, sheep and hogs.
trapped by the scorching wave. per-
ished in their stalls. but others were
herded to safety. Pens corrals run
ways. plants. sheds and other wooden
structures in the yards burned like
paper boxes.
Smoke at the height of the fire
could be seen as far away as South
Bend. Ind. by aviators. The flames
were clearly visible from the tops of
taller Loop buildings five miles TO
the north.
A series Of explosive blasts set off
by flremen to stop the tide of flame.
razed several structures in its path
but was effectual in staying its course
Fire Is One of Worst.
Mayor Edward Kelly termed the
blaze the worst since most of the
community was laid waste by the fire
OF 1871 and gray-haired Marshal
Corrigan described it as the most ex-
tensive he had ever seen.
Scores of rooming houses. bunga-
lows, apartment buildings. railroad
cars and other structures were also
on the list of lost properties.
Refugees. some of them weeping.
trudged away with few valuables on