GREAT CHICAGO FIRE.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 570, 7 November 1871, Page 2

GREAT CHICAGO FIRE.

NEARLY THE ENTIRE CITY IN

FLAMES

EVERY HOTEL, EXPRESS, NEWS PAPER OFFICE AND THEATRE BURNED.

50 TO 100 LIVES LOST.

THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS

HOMELESS

THE WIND BLOWING A HURRICANE

THE EIRE CDECKED

Fik.-'t n.roß'.r.

-[The following report was received .from Omaha in advance of the regular despatches. As will be seen, if greatly exaggerates in the number of lives lost. — Eds. AUttJ]

" Nearly the entire ei'y of Ohrugo is in flames. Dis reported that 7000 or 8,000 lives have been lost. Tho fire is slill rligliig, anl the wind blowing a hurricane. ' Tho nearest we can get to the city is our office at the stock yards, three or four mites out of the

city." CHICAGO, October 9, noon.— The whole business portion of the city is in ashes, from Harrison-street norlh to «. hicago avenue, and east of the river to the la'^e.

The area of the fire is three miles in length to a mile or a mile and a half in width.

livery hotel, bank, express olfiee, telegraph office, theatre, and newspaper office, with all wholesale houses in the city, are totally de-

stroyed. Many thousand dewellings and the waterworks are destroyed. . ~ Early this morning the wind was blowing a perfect, gale from the .sputh-west/with. sky of brass. No one can tell what Ihe end will be. The only salvation, for tho remainder of the city is with tho wind keeping iv its present direction.

Many thousands of tho people are homeless, ami most of them in v destitute condition. Tlie unburned streets for miles are lined with household goods. No one dare think, what the loss of 'life 'nm'.y be. The flames swept through the city with the rapidity of a prairie fire, and ninny must have perished. The Western Union Telegraph Company has succeeded in getting up a few wires from a ha-lily improvised office in the southern part of th ■• ci y, establishing couimiiuieniion in nearly all directions.

Munificent offers of as.Uf liiee are coming

from every quarter. bct'ober Dili. —Everything embraced in the district from IfaUtsd-street on the west, to U.a- -isbii 'oil the south, straight"' noffh to Lincoln 'Park, mid into the woods'beyond, is it ushes. 'Only one tmiidiiij i- lift standing (the, 'Pbst Olliee), and Ilia), is completely gutted. Oiie hun I rod f!ious:_:i i men, w mum and children ure homeless ni.d without food.

A lot of prisoners confined iii the old gaol were burned to doatli.

Pill VAT.' 1-KSi'A.TCII

The following private despatch was received iv answer to inquin s IVo h this city : — ; Ciiioago, October 9,2.30 p.m. —J. V. iarwetl and Co 'a block, and in fact everything i from Twelfth-street north, atkl Canal-street, ! west Bide, to Lake is burned. AU tho city ! hanks and business part of tho city gone. In ; fact, Chiengo is all gone except a small portion 'of the west side. Tho fire is now two miles ■ north of tho river on the north side, and is burning ayiiu with intense fury. The firemen are exhausted. Tho loss exceeds five hundred millions (P).

Wi Engines have, arrived from Milwaukee, and .are constantly aiTivirig from points within 300 • miles. •.*'"' The highest estimate of the loss of life is 100; the lowest, 50. '-■ October 9th.—A great many persons jumped into "the^ river to escape the flames, ouly to "drown. ".Hundreds of animals perished in stables and in the streets. It is estimated that 100,000 people are homeless, a largo number of whom "are destitute 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 aud children, as early as possible. Nearly eve --y city

,iUd town east, of here has responded to this demand, and it is hoped that the West"will uot bo .backward.

It is now believed the spread of the fire southward is stayed at Harrison-street, but on the north sid-s it. still rages, and that entire? division of tlie city seem., to have been utterlydestroyed. It is feared thai the west side of* the North Branch River also will be burned.

It is now ascertained that tho water works are not destroyed, and there is great joy. New Yoke, October 9.-9.45 a.m.—The officers of the Western Union Telegraph Company report that the Sherman House, tho railroad depots and tho Western Union Telegraph Company's building at Chicago all are in ashes.

Chicago, October 9.—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 tlie inhabitants are hornless, are enough. Any attempt to embellish'would be but mockery. As this awful day draws to a close thousands with anxious eves'watch the dense clouds of smoke which still roll over the burnt district with evident tear that a sudden change of wind may fan the flames. There is, however, little cauae for apprehension, aud reinforcements of firemen from other cities are constantly arriving.

Colonel J. J. S. Wilson, Superintendent, is! in receipt of despatches from the leading cities announcing that aid is being forwarded to the sufferers. The Mayor of St. Louis telegraphs that $70,0,.0 have been subscribed by tho merchants. Cincinnati promises $100,000, and Cleveland is proportionately generous. Ail this and a great deal more will be needed to relieve the immediate . pressing wants. About throe-fourths of the United States mails were saved aud taken possession of by Colonel Wood, of the Po3t Oflico service.

Chicago, October 9lh-r.6 p.m.—The progress Of the'fiiiics in the South Division was finally arrested about, one o'clock p.m. This was ' accomplished by tiie blowing up and demolishing of several buildings on Wabash Avenue and Congress-street by Lieutenant-General Sheridan. Tho district burned over in t\e South D vision embraces everything from the main branch of the Chicago river to the like, including about one hundred blocks. This district contained all the leading business houses, the banks, insurance ofliees, hotels, &c.

A large number of churches, including St. Mary's Catho'ic church, tho Trinity, First Presbyterian, "iecon -A Presbyterian, -t Paul's, Swedenborgia.i, &C; The Ale! ho.list, church, ou the comer of Wabash avenue and Congress street, is saved. The Michigan avenue ehurcii, on the ■corner of Michigan avenue ami Con gross s'reet.aud Congress Hall, directly adjoining, nil Congress street, are saved. i Michigan Terrace, on Michigan Avenue, embracing the resiliences of LieutenantGovernor Bross, Hon. J. Young Scairfmon, S. C. Griggs, and other leading citizen-, is compjeteiy destroyed, with tho furniture and nearly all other contents. All the newspaper establishments are completely wiped o it. Tlie Tribune building resisted for several hours, but linally yielded, when MeVicker's theatre, immediately adjoining, which, had also withstood the raying elements, finally succumbed. In fact all the buildings in tho district, which claimed to be fire-proof shared tho fate of those which could make no such claims. Tho Great Central depot, at the foot <>f Like-street, became a heap of.ruins abou* nine o'clock. Most of the passenger cars of tlie Michigan Central, Burlington and Quincy and Illinois Central railroads were moved on the breakwater and saved. West of Clark-street, in the south division, the fire extended south as far as Polk-stroet, sweeping every thing bo:ore it. Tlie distance burned over hero is 'some throe blocks, wide, and over half, a mile in lcng'tl), numbering about twenty blocks. The buildings were generally ot the cheaper character, eiiibraing Bio n-, small shops, poor residences, Are. The district burned over on the west side commences a_ Taylor-street, running from De Kovan.to Jefferson. It ran thence four or five blocks north, and then moved diagonally toward* tho river, and finally tho west, lino was established on Clinton-street, and n _.• hing thence to the river. It moved .iv this line northward until it reached'the northwestern west side depots, where ;t stopped a distance of nearly two miles from where it i started. The Pittsburg, Fort Wayne am Chicago, and Central and St. Louis depots were in this territory. Both passenger and freight depots arc wiped, out. Almost the entire Northern Division, from ! the main branch of tho Chicago River to LinI coin Park, nearly two miles in length and ' one mile wide, in completely destroyed,'including the water works, a large number: of elegant churches, &c. This statement embraces the districts devastated, and includes almost the entire business portion of the cifcy- '• ;., ■•!"■ •, ■ ,'[i ;.* •-' :.: The portion south of Harri'son-stieet,.in tho South Division, and reaching oiit many miles, is covered almost entirely, with, dwellings composed largoly of, the more elegant class, is untouched, and may now be regarded as safe from injury. For, miles and miles, in .every, direction, tlie sidewalks, lawns, vacant, lota and front yards of dwellings are filled with people \yho. havo escaped from their ; burning dwelling?, taking with them only a ' scanty amount of their furniture aud clothing. The sight is truly . pitiful and harrowing. . They must receive immediate relief or mauy 1 will perish from exposure and starvation. ;Of course, as stated in my despatch, it is imI possible to .m.-il.o an approximate estimate of j the entire .loss, but it can scarcely fall below ' one hundred and fifty millions of dollars. But, a fraction of this amount can be realised from the insurance. General Sheridan telegraphed to St." Louis to the Military Department there to send a*, once to OhieMgo one hif.dtvd thousand rations." ;' He has <dso telegraphed to O.nulii- lor' two'companies 'of Unl'ed States regulars, and one luiidre I tents. They Will all be here as coon as they can arrive by rail, lie will also order another hundred thousand rations. Al y<>v Mason has issued a proclamation culling a meeting to-night iv the West Division to sec what citizens cau do for the relief oi tho sufferers. There are at least 10,000 people who know not where they can get enough provisions to satisfy the appeals of hunger. A later rumor from the North Division says that tho devastation is less wide spread than hitherto reported. I hear no deaths reported by the disaster' yet; undoubtedly many havo perished. Cincinnati,, October 9.—The great fire in Chicago monopolises all a'teutiou. Business

is totally suspended. The newspaper bulletins keep people advised of the progress ot the flames.

The extras by the morning papers are eagerly caught up. The great calamity moves every heart. : -' '•-' ' _ ''*;. ,- The citizen's meeting called at the Chamoer of Commerce was largely attended. Mayor Davis presided. Committees oh Transportation and Finance were appointed. Subscriptions and cash payments were at once received. The Chamber of Commerce gave 5000 dollars ; many of the leading Ihirsi girve 1000 dollars each. At -12 o'cWok.-ysS.OUO dollars had'.been,subscribed. : -..--. ..-■'' At half-past "ten Mayor Davis sent by special train throe steam lire engines andall the hose at the command ot tho city, together with the men accessary to man them. New Yoke, October 9.—A shock of earthquake was felt in Delaware and New Jersey this merniug. CHi.a_.Ch>. October lOhh.- The railroads east; and south are sending no trains out. this lore-. nooh.as all the card iv the city-stopping oyer Sunday are consumed. ' The incoming train 4 are all behind time, owing to the fires raging in the woods and prairies. The evening trains will probably start, out on time. Tlie mails at the Post Office being consumed} of course all the accumulation- of mail matters for the day's delivery : has been■. consumed) Tlie mail for stock yards are taken from incoming trains for delivery there. The Water and Gas Works are both destroyed. Probably for some time the only supply of water will be from LaVe Michigan, i All bridges across the' Chicago river, from Van Bureu-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. The newspaper offices have all, or-nearly all, been sivept out of existence, and their mate, rial destroyed. No papers have been, or will be issued in town to-day. The' Sun office is the only one which has escaped the conflagration.

This morning a large uumber of toams have been sent by Messrs. Tucker & Sherman to assist in the removal of such furniture as had been saved from the Sherman House.

Aid was telegraphed for to Milwaukee at 3 o'clock on Sunday morning, and a number of fire engines we.reat once sent forward by express. The Banks 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 Vau Bureiist.reet to tlie River, - and from the River to the Lake, are all destroyed, and h'.e guests have sought ■ refuge in hotels in other parts of the city.