Year: 1871

IPROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF TTB TRIBCNRi


CHICAGO, Oct. 13.--It is impossible to con-
vey to persons at distance picture Of the condition
Of GAirs here. Words photograph the skeeton ed
Goes and tho smoking ruins the weird desoatOn and the
mighty destruction but they cannot Afford any adequate
appreciation Of the suffering, anxiety, exhaustion and
tumutucus and conflicting emotions Of the afflicted
people, One must be on the ground and part Of the
hourly fully to comprehend the complex situa-
ton Tho feeling Of security has existence among u.s.
notwithstanding the fact that the has spent
ts consuming force throughout the broad area 1t swept
and thai no reSumpOn OF s devastating course can Do
reasonably feared from that quarter 1t Is the specter
Ol inoenaiAsm that bAnishes all ideas of SAFETY ana
since the fatal Sunday night Of Black octoOer
. steady wind often amounting to gale, has oeen
blowing fom the southwest All this wilhelm the IAOe
Of the menaces OF peril-the water-Works nave
been dISaOled and hoRce oOmpusory helpless ana loe
With Lake Michigan rolling on the1easL anu "A'n |nf
csgO River tiseotng the City, water has become COM
modify and Ia used with spartng economy oven loI s
purposes Of cooking and abIutOn. In every housenoo


laundry operations have been restricted to Sbsou1e
necessities. For several days the mains nave Deeh
flushed with water pumped from the lake and the river
by fro nRines: but these have accomplished mercy
little toward legitimate or efficient supply 4hiS UNI
yersa lack Of water gives activity TO the dread OF lnoen
diary ros; for the hope Of extingushng them' once
under headway, Is exceedingly slight Hence ulning
hlRrma create intense 61ClteIncuo- XVI SA9tNP'Nb
pedestrian to-day in passing house. detected the
Hrne Of Emoke and stopped explore the cause. 1t
turned out to be nothing moro than whifs from the
chimney procpltated into the streets by naws OF the
wind But before this simple solution could be reached
moro than eager and EXPLANATORY persons had con
Rregated on the spot Every unusual circumstance In
neighborhoOd however really Insignificant 1t would have
been at other times such the rafting by Of hose
carrARe, or the gathering Of little knot OF people on


corner II sure to bring crowd out Of their houses to
inquire into the meaning Of the phenomenon.
Whom this afternoon fire broke out in stable toward
tho suburbs Of the West Division. thousands
OF excited men, women, and children were on the side
walks in front of their dwellings miles from the scene
full Of apprehension and eagerly questioning all corners
from that direction about the facts Of the The ex
periences Of Sunday night, when the confagration,
starting in q trumpery frame stable attached to an
equally rumpery residence swept over 30 large an area
within ak hours have left upon the minds Of our citizens


vivid impression Of pers to come Of apparently con-
temptbe causes Hence every eye and and brain is


painfully on the alert and trivial occurrences are
watched with Soncttude the possible indications OF
weghty matters Perhaps better idea OF the general
feeling Of uneASness can be given than by the state
ment that II the exception, rather than the rule 10
End household without trunks strapped and ON the
Arst hoor easy Of for instantaneous exit, and
other preparations for speedy removal. fire In any
part Of the unburned district which should involve half


doxen or moro structures would be likely to result in
CONSERVATION miles distant, and possibly In an I'M
mediate and widespread stampede. People now take
counsel Of their fears much more than Of their sober
second thoughts.


Soon after nghtia this evening the FIRE alarm sounded
indicating danger at the Of Madison and Canal
sts This Is In the very midst Of the business
ton OF the CITY, where firms from the burned district
have made another commencement, and opened the
scanty remnants Of their stocks for sale At there
was an exhibition ointense excitement People swaTmed
into the streets in all directions far and near Vehicles
Of ell kinds ratified down the thoroughfares leading to
the scene Of peril to be in readiness TO from the
threatened devastation remnant Of the remnants. In
dvduAlA dispatched from neighborhoOds to learn
the extent Of danger and the probabilities, basis
Tor further action. Fortunately the flames


extnguished, and the excited multitude once more


tired within doors with sigh Of inehabe relief.


The present greatest need Of the people of is


sleep and rest large part Of the population and


orally the female portion, thoroughly worn down


with nervous excitement and unintermted apprehen-


sion from which there appears even now no prospect OF


relief. Nearly the whole city was awake all Sunday


night and most Of Monday night, with very inadequate


sleep over since At least 10000 men, and chill


dren were thrown Of house and home by the eonha


grafton very considerable proportion Of these have
found temporary shelter in the dwellings OF friends
reatves acouaptancesd and Of strangers. Doors
have been opened wide with unsnted hospitality every
where to the destitute and the afflicted These acts OF
charity or fellow have proved factors Of disturb
ance a. well as Of repOse. The recital Of harbreadth
escapes added to the to give comfort and
rest TO the rescathed sufferers ls had the effect to In
tensify feelings already highly wrought, so that
the most exhausting emotions that can find lOdg-
Iuent in human brains have been constantly
<eJ with new incentives 30 ongcOntinucd drain upon
the vital resources Of the most amentabe features
Of the situation Only partial aevatiOn Of this broOdng
dread and tendency to nervous excitement can be ex
pected until the works shall be again in operation
No greater Of relief could come to any household
than to find stream pouring forth turning the cock
Of the kitchen sink. That would be that
the danger of widespread cODhagration had passed
away and that the wachfuness Of the people and the
exertions Of the 1emen would be able to frusrae the
lab0)jsIn even Of incendlarles All eyes, then, are


ped SIin tense E6liCtude to the water-works. From
day to day. there have been announcements that the
supply would be turned On within the next "a
bourS but a. these declarations have failed In
succession, anxiety has deepened, ana inc
realization Of the beplessness OF the community to


otc itself from arson or even accidental fire has be-
oome more complete and depressing. All know that
every e1erton that mortal power can put forth Will De


ade yet that cannot assuage present apprehension or
oblterste the knowledge OF PROSTATE neffcency
Although soldiers guard throughout tie CITY, ana
although the police force formerly on duty on the North
aide and in part Of the South Division has been with


drawn for the protection Of the unburnt districts still
the feoing OF insecurity is prevalent that numerous
OeighborhOods organized local citizen PATROLS on
their own responsibility and keep ward and watch the
night long over one anOthers property Suspicious
sons are arrested by these home guards and turned
20 tho authorities to give account Of themselves.


But thus overwhelmed, people not in despair
There a cheerful side to the picture The ruin Ia not
beyond repair. Our business men are full OF hope and
thoroughly imbued with the sentiment Of st. Pauls ex
horston to the Philippians Forget those things which
ara behind and reaching forth those things that
before" lately there q Chicago which has
asOended partly to the skies in flames and smoke and
crumbisd partly the earth In ashes and ruins there is


an abiding faith in that other Chicago which belongs to
the future Chicago cycOpean In It's massveness