Great Fire at the Chicago Stock Yards. FIREMEN KILLED AND INJUREDWORKHEN WHO HAD TO FLEE FROM HOGS MADDENED BY BURNS.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 213, 30 July 1887, Page 5

Great Fire at the Chicago Stock Yards. FIREMEN KILLED AND INJUREDWORKHEN WHO HAD TO FLEE FROM HOGS MADDENED BY BURNS.

FIERCE FLAMES. The fact that no wind was blowing probably is the only circumstance that saved the entire stock yards from destruction. Before the Fire Department could respond to the first alarm, the flamed had gained a headway no amount of water could reduce. Twenty-six engines and every reservoir in the yards were brought into play. All of the firemen and hundreds' of the stock yards employees' efforts were bent toward keeping the conflagration confined to the works of the Chicago Company. About this time more tanks exploded and a heavy beam went smashing into a freight car where several firemen were fetationed, breaking Fireman Baker's ankle and knocking Leiutenant Elliott insensible. Six other firemen were subsequently injured by the fall of a wall.

GREAT HEAPS QT JFOBK. Soon af tenvard the walls of the warehouse fell to the gitauod,, .disclosing g.ueab heaps of mess pork, which two, or three hundred of Armour's men .were at work removing the best they could. After the flames had consumed most of jbho woodwork of the building, the fire st&l held sway in sfche great mounds of burniog meat. The suffocating fumes from this &nd the blinding dust from the falling walls of bride made the task of the firemen a terrible one, and .many of them were wellnigfc overcome.

AN EXCITING SCENE. The most exciting scone of the day was presented when the men wove attempting to drive out the live hogs in the upper stories. Below were scojes of workmen rollmg out bai rels of pork. Down on the crowd pell inell leaped dozens of hogs ma<ldcncvi by burns, jumping from windows aad through hatchways, and the workmen below were compelled to flee for their lives. About half the 2,000 employees will be thrown out of work.