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Cricado, Tuesaday, noon, Oct. 9. Nearey the entire city of Chicago is in flamas. Tt is reported that 7000 or S000 lives have been lost. The firs is still raging and the wind, blowing a hurricane. The weaveat we can get to the city is our office at the stock yards, three or four miles out of the city, Cnrace, Oat, 9. The whole business portion of the city is in ashes, from Tfarrison streat north to Chicago avenue, and east of the river to the lake. The area of the five is three miles in length too nine or a mile and a half in width. Evyovy hotel, bank, express offee, telegraph offiae, with all the wholesale homes in the city, are totally destroyed. Many thousand dwellings and the Waterworks were deatroyed. Early this morning the wind was blowing a per fect gale from the south-weat, with sky of brass. No one can tell what the end will be. The only salva tion for the remainder of the city is with the wind keening its present direction. Many thousands of people are homeless, and most of them in a destitute condition. The unburned streets for miles are lined with household goods. No one,loves to think what the loss of life may be. The flanca crept through the city with the rapidity of a prairie fire, and many must have perished. the Western Union Telegraph Company had suc ceeded in getting up a few wires from a hastily improvised office in the southern part of the city, establishing communication in nearly all directions. Munificent offers of assistance are coming from every quarter. Everything embraced in the district from Halsted shreck on the west to Harrison on the south, straight north to Lincoln Park, and into the woods beyond, is in ashes. Only one building is left standing, the Pasofire, and that is completely gutted. One hundred thousand men, women, and children are homeless and without food. A let of prisoners confined in the old jail were burned to death. The following private despatch was received in answer to inquiries from this city : Onroaco, October 9.—2.30 p.m. J. W. Warwell and Cx’s block, and in fact every thing from ‘twelfth-street north, and Canal-streat, sesh side, to Salo is burned. All the city banks and and business park of the city gone. in fact, Chicago is all gone, excepti am small portion of the neat side. The fire is now 16 miles north of the river on the north side, and is burning again with intense fury. The firemen are exhausted.The loss exceeds 500,000,000 (?) Engines have arrived from Milwaukee, and are constantly arriving from points within 300 miles. The highest, estimate of the lose of life is 100; the lowest, 50. A peak many persons jumped into the river to escape the flames, only to drown.hundreds of animals perished in giublea and in the streets. Ek is estimated that 100,000 people are homeless, a large number of whom are deatiture of everything. Cooked food is in great need, and all towns have been requested to forward provisions and clothing for the hungry and nearly naked women and children, as early os possible. Nearly every city and town east of here has responded to this demand, and it hoped that the weath will not be backward. Tt is now believed the spread of the fire southward is stayed at Marvison-street, but on the north side it still rages, and that entire division of the city seems to have been utterly destroyed. It is feared that the nest side of the North Branch river also will be burned. It is now ascertained that the Waterworks are not destroyed, and there is great joy. The simple facts that the great city of Chicago is destroyed, that hundreds of millions of active capital have been ruined, and that nearly one-third of the inhabitants are homeless, are enough. Any attempt to embellish would be but mockery. As this awful day draws to a close thousands with anxious eyes watch the dense clouds of smoke which still roll over the burnt district with evident fear that a sudden change of wind may fan the flames. There is, how ever, little cause for apprehension, and reinforcements of firemen from other cities are constantly arriving. Crrcaca, October 9. The progress of the flames in the South Division was finally arrested about one o’clock pm. This was accomplished by the blowing up and demolishing of several buildings on Wabash Avenue and Congress street by Lieutenant-General Sheridan. The district burned over in the South Division embraces every thing from the main branch of the Chicago River to the lake, including about one hundred blocks. This district contained all the leading business houses, the banks, insurance offices, hotels, and a large number of churches, including St. Mary's Catholic church, the Trinity, First Presbyterian, Second Presbyterian, St. Paul, Swedenborgian, c. All the newspaper establishments are completely wiped out. All the buildings in the district, which claimed to be fire-proof, shared the fate of those who could make no such claims. The Great Central Railroad depot, at the foot of Tunke street, became a heap of ruins about nine o’clock. Most of the passenger cars of the Michigan Central, Burlington and Quincy and Titingis Central railroads were moved on the breakwater and saved. Wheat of Clark-street, in the South Division, the five extended south as far as Polk-street, sweeping everything before it. The distance burned over here in some three blocks wide, and over half a mile in length, numbering about twenty blocks. The build ings were generally of the cheaper character, embracing saloons, small shops, poor residences, ete. The ¢liatrick burned over on the West side commences at Taylor street, running from De Kovan to Jefferson. It ran thence four or five blocks north, and then meored diagonally towards the river, and finally the west line was established on Clinton Street, and reaching thence to the river.It moved in this line northward until it reached the Northwestern West Side depots, where it stopped a distance of nearly two miles from where it started. The Pittaburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago, and Central and St. Louis depots were in this territory. Both passenger and freight depots are wiped out. Almost the entire Northern Division, from the main branch of the Chicago River to Lincoln Park, nearly two miles in length and one mile wide, is completely destroyed.For miles and miles, in every direction, the sidewalks, lawns, vacant lote and front yards of dwellings are filled with people who have escaped from their burning dwellings taking with them only a scanty amount of their furniture, and clothing. The eight is truly pitiful and harrowing. They must receive immediate relief or many wh perish from exposure and starvation. I course, it is utterly impossible to make an approximate estimate of the entire loss, but it can scarcely fall below one hundred and fifty millions of dollars. But a fraction of this amount can be realized from the insurance. Ormvornvarr, October Sth. The great fire in Chicago monopolises all attention. Business is totally suspended. The newspaper bulletins hron people advised of the progress of the flames. The extras by the morning papers are eagerly caught up. The great calamity moves every heart. The citizens meeting called at the Chamber of Commerce was largely attended. Mayor Davis presided. ‘The Chamber of Commerce gave $5000; many of the leading firms gave $1000 each. At 12 o'clock $25,000 had been subscribed. Liberal sub subscriptions are made all over the mines. At half past ten Mayor Daris sent by special train threes steam fire engines and all the hose at the command of the the city, together with the men necessary to man them. _ On roaco, October 10th. The railroads east and south are sending no trains out this forenoon, as all the cavs in the city stopping over Sunday are consumed. The incoming trains are all behind time, owing to the fires raging in the woods and praries. The mails at the Post-office being consumed, of course all the accumulation of mail matters for the day's delivery have been consumed. _ The Water and Gas Works are both destroyed. All bridges across the Chicago river, from Ver Buren street to the Lake, have been burned, and the only means of getting from one division to another is by the tunnels, the entrances to which are badly blocked. No papers have been or will be issued down town to-day. ‘The Sus office is the only one which has escaped conflagration. ‘The books have all been destroyed, except the First National, and the upper part of that is gutted. The vaults, however, are intact. Hotels in the district from Van Buren atrect to the River, and from the River to the Lake, are all destroyed, and the guests have sought refuge in hotels in other parts of the city CaroaGo, October 10. This morning, after the excitement had somewhat unb aided, the universal questions were: What is to be done? Will it ever be rebuilt? Are the insur ance companies solvent? Will the banks resume payment? ‘The anawera, so far, are unsatisfactory. Then the principals themselves do not know anything. The Postolice has been temporarily re-established at Burlington crossing, at State strest. The Board of ‘Trade have a voor on the West Side, and rents are enormous and provisions fearfully scarce. ‘Nine tenths of the valuation of Chicago has been swept away in one short day. Two handed blocks of the finest portion of the city are destroyed. Geneval Sheridan assumed command in the exitency yeater day, and stopped the fire by the use of gunpowder, it is certain that powder stopped the spread of the fire on the South Side. The Union National Bank was blown up early yesterday with three millions of money in its vaults. Many other buildings were blown up, but it was of no avail. At Harrison street, where the fire was stopped, the buildings were all blown up for two blocks wide on the direct path of the ilamies. It is impossible to give any idea of the terrible deaty action. Seventy vessels were burned. The sidewalks are full of houseless people, and was the bed for thousands last night. . A great many persons jumped into the river to escape the flames, only to drown. Hundreds of animals perished in stables and streets. It is esti mated that 100,000 people are homeless, a large proportion of whom are destitute of everything. Cooked food is in great need, and all towns that can are requested to forward provisions and clothing for the hungry and nearly naked women and children, an early ad possible. Four men were caught setting five to buildings on the Weat Side, and were immediately hung on the spot by the enraged populace this morning. The total loss of property by this most terrible free is roughly estimated at one hundred and twenty-five millions of dollars. Insurance companies will suffer severely and some may be ruined. The amount for which the San Francisco companies are liable, is stated at about $4,850,000, while New York and other citiea are heavily interested. Telief measures have been promptly taken in all the principal citiea of the Union, and large amounts of money, clothing and stores would be forwarded for the sufferers. Banking houses in London, sent £ 5000 for relief. Criestlo, October 10, 3.10 p.m. Word is just brought that a fierce firegts raging on Thirty-first street. This street is two miles south of the southern fire limit, on the south side, and a little less distance from its limit on the nest side. This has been set on fire for the purpose evidently of destroying the remaining part of the city, occupied by wealthy residents. Tf 33 also known that two men caught in the aré of firing buildings have been shot, and two others led off with ropes round their necks. As the wind is blowing a perfect gale, the end now cannot be foretold.
Newspaper Details
Nelson Colonist
Nelson, South Island, NZ
Fri, Nov 10, 1871
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Tanisha C.
USA 20 Aug 2026
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Nelson Colonist
