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3  I  129  00038  4560 

HISTORY 


GREAT    FIRES 

IN 

CHICAGO  AND  THE  WEST.    ■ 

A  PROUD  CAREER  ARRESTED  BY  SUDDEN  AND  AWFUL 

CALAMITY;   TOWNS  AND  COUNTIES  LAID  WASTE 

BY  THE  DEVASTATING  ELEMENT. 

SOEI^ES    AITD    IE"OIDEI^TS, 
LOSSES  AND  SUFFERINGS, 

feKN"EA^OJ-iK]SrCE    OF    TEEE    ISr^TIONS,    Etc.,    Etc. 

WITH  A 

mim  ofih  mu  mi  mo^xm  of  ^}xlmp,  ife  ''Ijoiinjg  limit" 

To  which  is  appended  a  Record  of  the  Great  Fires  in  the  past. 
By  Eev.  E,  J.  GOODSPEED,  D.D., 


OF   CHICAGO. 


ILLUSTRATED. 


SOXiZD    OD^Xj-S-    Srz-    STJBSCI^II=TIOI^^. 


lew  lavfe : 

H.  S.  GOODSPEED  &  CO.,  37  Park  Row,  New  York. 
J.  W.  GOODSPEED,  Chicago,  Cincinnati,  St.  Louis,  and  New  ORLEAifs, 
D.  L.  GUERNSEY,  Concord,  N.  H. 
SCHUYLER  SMITH,  London  A Nd  PK^iHoptTT,  C'N'rAiuo.  :'-  '.:;\<'\' 
F.  DEWING  &  CO.,  Ban.  iVviNCijco.    '     '  ' '    '^  ^  ' ' 

I  ILLINOIS  STATE  LIBRAS 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1871, 

By  H.  S.  GOODSPEED, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington, 


o^j) 


CONTENTS. 


LIST  OP  ILLUSTRATIONS 11-12 

PREFACE 13-14 


I.— THE   INFANT. 

CHAPTER  L 

INFANCY   OP    CHICAGO. 

Humble  origin  of  cities.    Romance  of  early  pioneer  life.    Woman's  courage 17-19 

CHAPTER  II. 

INDIAN  MASSACBE. 

Meaning  of  word  Chicago.  Fort  Dearborn.  Garrison  of  1812.  Particnlars  given  by  Brown 
concerning  the  massacre.  Bravery  of  troops.  Cruelty  of  savages.  Escape  of  Mrs.  Helen. 
Murder  of  wounded  prisoners.     Captain  and  Mrs.  Heald  saved.    Ransom  of  captives 19-35 

CHAPTER  III. 

BEMOVAL   OF    BARBARIANS. 

Corrupting  influence  of  the  Indians.  Obstacle  to  growth.  Major  Long  condemns  the  place 
and  its  inhabitants.  Parton's  description  of  the  payment  and  departure  of  the  savages. 
Fort  rebuilt.    Block-house  demoli.shed  in  18.56 35-38 

CHAPTER  IV. 

CHICAGO    A   MUD-HOLE. 

"'No  bottom  here."  Bar  in  the  river.  Advantage  of  the  early  settlement  of  the  East  instead  of  the 
West.     A  city  set  on  a  hill.    Natural  .site  for  a  large  place.     Some  said  it  in  an  early  day 38-39 


II.— THE   YOUTH. 

CHAPTER  V. 

■WATER-COURSES. 

Mistakes  of  early  settlers  in  undervaluing  the  treeless  prairies.  Their  beauty  and  fertility.  I^rovi- 
dential  settlement  of  the  country.  Illinois  River  and  Canal.  Twelve  years  in  digging.  Help 
to  Chicago  from  the  canal.     FUth  of  our  river.     Good  story  on  its  odor 40-41 

CHAPTER  VI. 

GROWTH. 

Tax  Levy  in  18.32.  Population  in  1837.  Excited  hopes.  Ford's  account  of  si)ecnlatioa  in  lots. 
Farmers  seeking  a  market  here.  Beef  and  grain  trade  before  the  advent  of  the  locomotive. 
First  whistle  of  the  steam-engine  in  1849 41-43 


IV  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

PROMINENT    FOTJNDEBS. 

Many  of  these  injured  by  the  fire.  Sketch  of  Wm.  B.  Ogden,  the  railroad  Wug.  Began  poor. 
Industry  and  brains  triumphant.  Absent  during  the  conHagration.  Letter  written  after  his 
return.  Fearful  desolation  described.  Night  search  after  his  burned  home.  Grateful 
acknowledgment  of  the  world's  charity.    Peshtego  destroyed,  and  his  property  there 43-49 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

SAMUEL  HOARD  AND  JOHN  "WENTWORTH. 

Sad  feature — the  losses  of  meu  in  years.  Mr.  Hoard's  influence  and  character.  His  early  identifi- 
cation with  Chicago.  Postmaster  v.nder  Johnson.  Dignity  and  Christian  nobility.  Advent  of 
"  Long  John  "  in  IS.'DG.  Early  addicted  to  politics.  Editor  and  Mayor.  Speculations  as  to  his 
course  had  he  been  mayor  at  the  time  of  the  fire 49-54 

CHAPTER  IX. 

GOVERNOR   BROSS. 

Became  a  citizen  of  Chicago  in  184S.  Early  faith  in  the  future  greatness  of  the  city.  Wrote  a  p.im- 
phlet  on  its  prospects.  He  lived  to  see  his  hopes  realized.  His  account  of  the  fire.  Burning  of 
Ris  Tribune  building.   Loss  of  his  house.   Cheerful  spirit  of  the  people  mider  their  calamities. 55-63 

CHAPTER  X. 

CHARLES  N.    HOLDEN. 

Astley  Cooper's  advice  to  a  class  of  medical  students.  Illustrated  by  Mr.  Holden.  Landed  here  in 
1S37  with  ten  dollars.  The  young  farmer.  Attraction  in  Chicago.  Marriage.  Useful  citizen. 
Public  officer,  and  supporter  of  educational  and  reUgious  institutions 63-66 

CHAPTER  XI.         I 

FOLLIES  OP   GREAT   MEN. 

Judge  Spring.  Court-room  farce.  Drunk  at  home.  Died  of  delirium  tremens.  Frequent 
instances  of  the  same.  Godly  meu  early  here.  The  Methodist  preacher  at  "  Lake  Michigan 
Huddle."    Eloquent  address.     Trials  of  the  pioneers  of  the  Gospel 66-71 


III.— THE   YOUNG   GIANT. 

CHAPTER  XIL 

RAPID   DEVELOPMENT. 

Sudden  increase  of  population  from  1850.  In  1857  one  hundred  thousand  people  here ;  in  1871  there 
were  three  hundred  and  thirty-four  thousand.  People  became  permanently  located.  Water 
improved.  Everything  to  minister  to  the  wants  of  man.  Trade  and  commerce.  Banks. 
Assessed  valuation  of  the  city,  and  area 72-73 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

CONSPIRACY   OP   CONFEDERATE   PRISONERS. 

War.  Abraham  Lincoln.  Camp  Douglas.  Eddy's  account  of  the  cons-pir.icy.  Southern  organiza- 
tion to  seize  Northern  places.  Grand  plans.  Thwarted  by  Colonel  Sweet.  Detective's  story. 
Marmaduke  pumped.     Colonel  Sweet's  plans.    Arrest  of  conspirators.     The  vicissitude  safely 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

■WATER-WORKS. 

Creator  provides  water  for  His  creatures  everywhere.  Sickness  from  fonl  water.  Conception 
of  a  plan  to  draw  supiilies  from  the  lake.  Engineer's  description  of  the  water-works  from 
their  inception  till  their  completion.  Commenced  in  1S52,  finished  in  1867.  Engine-room. 
Water  tower.  Lake  tunnel.  Chambers.  Ventilation.  Alignment  Crib.  Cylinder  and 
lake  shaft.     Tunnelling  and  formal  celebration  of  the  completion 80-107 


CONTENTS.  V 

CHAPTER  XV. 

EIVEB    TUNNELS. 

Description  of  course  of  river.  Bridges  and  their  annoyance.  Scene  in  Washington  street 
tunnel  on  the  night  of  the  fire.  Exaggerated  reports.  Dreadful  experiences  in  the  La  Salle 
street  tunnel.    Jilonuinents  of  the  energy  of  oui  people 107-110 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

MOKAI.S    AND  RELIGION. 

Reputation  for  immorality.  Divorce.  Acknowledgment  of  corruption  and  iniquity.  Vindication 
of  the  other  side  of  our  Ufe.  Newness  of  everything  in  the  West.  Great  necessities.  Not 
absorbed  in  money -getting.  Churches  numerous  and  well  sustained.  Moody.  NortlvStar. 
jMission  schools  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church.  Late  gathering  of  their  pupils  and  teachers. 
Educational  institutions— Presbyterian,  Methodist,  Baptist,  and  Catholic.  Christians  active 
and  liberal.     Mutual  kindness.     Honesty  and  uprightness.     A  stranger's  testimony 110-114 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

ADVANTAGES   OF   CHICAGO. 

Home  for  aU  nationalities.  Country  and  city.  Railroads.  Elevators  described.  Grain  dryer. 
Drainage.  City  elevated  several  feet.  Eire-alarui  telegraph.  Burning  of  the  office.  State- 
ment by  one  of  the  ojierators.  Schools  and  academies.  Religion  and  general  culture. 
Summai-y.     The  Young  Giant  down 114-120 


IV.— THROUGH   FTRE. 

CHAPTER  XVIIL 

THE   GREAT   CONFLAGRATION. 

Began  just  after  evening  service,  October  8,  1871.  Peculiar  dryness  of  the  atmosphere.  Fire  of 
October  7,  lasting  all  night.  Probable  effect  of  this  on  the  lire  of  the  ne.xt  evening.  Many 
writers  summoned  to  tell  their  stories  of  the  great  fire.  Punch  and  tlie  kicking  cow.  Hart- 
ford -Post  takes  off  the  sensational  reports.  Yet  no  account  can  well  exaggerate  the  horrors 
of  the  time.     A  correspondent's  vivid  sketch 121-129 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

REMOTE    CAUSE    OP   WESTERN  FIRES. 

Mr.  Barnard's  article.  He  recognizes  the  peculiar  dryness  of  the  air.  But  asks,  "Why  these 
droughts  ?  "  Results  of  meteorology.  Mischief  caused  by  cutting  away  the  forests.  Hovr 
shall  we  restore  them  ?  Imitate  our  transatlantic  friends.  Plant  groves.  Estimate  of  pecuniary 
benefit.     Little  labor  and  good  profits 130-133 

CHAPTER  XX. 

PROGRESS    OP   THE    FIRE. 

Causes  summed  up.  The  Chicago  Prs.-'.s-  version  of  the  disaster.  Brilliant  description  from  the 
onset.  Splendid  images.  Glowing  paragi'aphs.  The  hurricane.  The  firemen.  The 
people.  Madness  and  terror.  Court-House.  Sherman  House.  After  daylight.  Drunken 
crowds.  South  Side  wiped  out  as  far  as  Harrison  street.  Agonizing  inquiries.  Water 
supply  failed.  Weeping  men.  Pr.iyers  and  curses.  Blowing  up  of  O'Neil's  block  checked 
the  flames.  Terrace  Row  a  -vweck.  Fu-e  le.ips  the  river  and  attacks  the  North  Side. 
Bridges  burned.  Terror  of  the  people.  Cemeteries  assailed.  Chi^rches  consumed.  McCor- 
mick's  factory  ruined.  Hell  let  loose  its  demons.  Women  and  children  flying  and  screaming. 
The  "Sands."  No  safety  by  the  lake  shore  except  in  getting  into  the  water.  Awful  desola- 
tion upon  which  the  sun  went  down 133-155 


VI  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

ORIGIN    OF    THE    FIRE. 

Men  aiudons  to  know  the  beginning.  Mean  source.  Cradle  of  the  fire.  Times''  story.  New 
York  Tribune's  narrative.  The  Irish  woman  intervie\yed.  Unwillingness  to  disclose  much. 
Feared  that  she  would  have  to  foot  the  bill  of  losses 156-183 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE   BURNING. 

Richards'  beautiful  poem,  "Chicago  in  Ashes."  The  panorama  of  the  Are,  as  painted  by 
the  Chicago  Timea.  Powerlessness  of  engines.  Roaring  of  the  wind.  Advance  of  the  flames 
in  columns.  River  no  barrier.  Ruins  of  the  preceding  fire  stayed  the  foe's  progress  north- 
ward. A  Swede's  bundles  on  fire.  Tar-works.  Peculiarities  of  wind  currents.  Crosby's  Opera 
House.  Field  &  Leiter's  store.  Times  Building  Aovm.  Michigan  Southern  Depot.  Delusive 
hopes.  Sheridan  using  powder.  Last  bulking  to  burn  on  South  Side.  Turn  to  New  York 
Trilnme's  report.  View  of  the  ruin.  Fire  began  at  the  best  place  for  its  work.  Combusti- 
bility of  Chicago  then.  Dreadful  dust  of  the  day.  Grigg's  bookstore.  Times'  narrative 
resumed.  North  Side  the  aristocratic  portion  of  the  city.  Swept  clean.  Damage  to  La  SaUe 
street  tunnel.  A  comer  left.  Progress  of  the  fire.  Water-works  in  flames.  Tragedy  and 
comedy  on  the  "  Sands."  Cliicago  avenue  bridge  burned.  Born  on  the  street.  Sixteen 
burned  in  one  shop.  A  terrible  scene.  New  England  Church.  Robert  Collyer's  church. 
Lincoln  Park  and  old  Cemetery.  Forty  horses  burned.  End  of  the  track  of  fire.  Grave  of  the 
fire  described.  Mahlon  Ogden's  house  saved.  Fiery  tempest  among  the  tombstones.  Wrecks 
of  household  goods.    Songs  in  the  night.    Newberry  School  bounds  the  burnt  district 163-235 

CHAPTER  XXIIL 

AFTER   THE    FIRE. 

Stupendous  calamity.  Sad  night.  Rimior.s  of  awful  deeds.  Morning  dreaded.  Werk  for  the 
unfortunate  made  us  forget  grief.  Tramp  over  the  ruins  described  by  a  reporter.  Crumbled 
masonry,  leafless  trees,  general  destruction.  Correspondent's  account  of  sight-seers  and 
relic  merchants.  Intensity  of  heat.  Kight  scenes.  Coal  fires.  Outlines  of  ruin.s.  Suspicions 
rife.  Patrolling  the  city.  No  gas  on  the  South  Side,  and  no  water.  Cry  for  help.  Early  to 
bed a05-217 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

INCIDENTS  AND  EXPERIENCES, 

Advantage  of  combining  many  accounts.  Fuller  view  and  juster.  Violence  of  the  heat 
A  Christian  woman's  consolation.  A  godly  deacon.  A  liberal  minister.  Moody  and  his 
Bible.  Geo.  J.  Read's  escape.  J.  W.  Goodspeed's  perilous  adventure.  Mrs.  Hobson 
robbed.  Carpet  stolen.  The  pugiUstic  deacon.  The  drop  of  rain  on  the  cheek.  Mr. 
Kimball  and  his  coffee.  The  rich  man  and  the  blankets.  Mother's  agony  and  joy.  The 
German  wom.an  and  her  husband.  Drunkenness.  Dr.  Goodwin's  story.  Theft  and  avarice. 
The  book-keeper.  Thieves  punished.  Coui-t^House  delivery  of  criminals.  The  oU-stone 
theory  exploded.  The  German's  troubles  with  patrolmen.  A  case  of  brutal  selfishn&ss.  The 
invalid  wife.  Sensational  reports  of  crime.  The  beautiful  ItaEan  girl.  Nelly  Grant 
Clothing  given  away.  The  drama  of  "Divorce."  The  gay  and  gallant  widow.  Must  save 
her  store.  The  mother  a  maniac.  Rev.  T.  W.  Goodspeed,  of  Quincy,  tells  his  experience  in 
the  fiire.  Scene  on  Michigan  avenue  beggars  description.  Fire  in  the  ship's  rigging.  He 
eaves  property.  A  woman's  story  of  the  fire.  Startled  by  the  sudden  approach  of  the  flames. 
The  invalid  refa^ed  to  escape.  Treasures  forsaken.  Tower  and  bells  of  St.  James'  Church 
fall.  Sympathy  with  her  pastor.  Children  who  have  lost  their  mother.  The  invalid  rescued. 
A  guest  in  a  hotel  has  a  bitter  Ust  of  troubles.  Curious  memorial.  Relics  and  reUc-mer- 
chants.  The  men  in  Speed's  Block.  One  is  saved  and  one  lost.  The  Tvife  separated  from 
her  husband.  ShortaU's  narrative  of  the  saving  of  the  books  of  Abstracts  of  Titles.  A  revolver 
secures  a  wagon.  Brick  work.  Flying  embers.  All  safe.  The  Postoffice  cab.  The  disre- 
gard of  red  tape  in  saving  mail  matter  and  government  property.  Postage  stamps  ruined. 
The  condition  of  the. sufferers.  Rainy  and  chilly  night  sowed  seeds  of  disease.  Five  hundred 
births.  Romantic  sketching  of  fearful  adventures  by  a  Jlerakl  reporter.  Rosa  D'Erina. 
Burning  of  the  Academy  of  Design  and  other  buildings.     Bagnios  destroyed.    Awful  scenes 


on  the  lake  shore.  Immersed  in  the  water.  Mayor's  proclamation  allayed  terrors.  Gronp 
of  dead.  Citizen  patrol.  Heart-broken  refugees.  Professor  Eradish's  letter  on  the  Academy 
of  Design.  Rothcrmel's  Battle  of  Gettysburg.  Dreadful  anxiety  and  suspense  previous  to 
the  actual  burning.  Bigelow  Hotel.  False  hopes  deceive.  Pictures  removed.  Sudden  attack 
of  the  fire  prevents  further  work.  All  sinks  into  ruin.  Mr.  Volk  in  Rome.  The  valuable 
watch  in  the  safe.  Historical  Society's  building  and  collections  perish.  Rush  of  the  fire. 
Overspreads  the  cemeteries.  Ghastly  spectacle.  Pin-cushion  versus  silver.  Instant  death. 
"  Our  first  great  sorrow."  Dying  wife  and  burning  store.  The  Clerks  of  Court  and  their  pets. 
Dog's  sagacity.  The  mouse  a  lion.  President  of  111.  Central  and  his  search  for  his  family. 
The  adventures  of  a  family  living  near  the  corner  of  Madison  and  La  Salle.  "  These  are  the 
things  that  trouble  me  most."  Their  looms  lost.  The  German's  violin,  three  hundred  years 
old.  Charred  though  buried.  "  Boo'ks  !""  Books !  "  Innumerable  incidents.  Child's  relic. 
Jolly  merchants.  Leonard  Swett.  Thrilling  narrative  by  a  lady.  Her  long  agony.  Saved 
her  canary  bird.  The  engineer.  Mr.  Kerfoot's  escape.  Potter  Palmer.  The  murderous 
refugee  killed  by  a  farmer.  Refugees  in  New  York  city.  Mrs.  Hobson  and  the  half- orphans. 
Milligan's  trotter.  A  description  of  the  scene  of  desolation.  Night  among  the  campers  on  the 
prairie.     "  Don't  ki,  mamma ;  don't  ki."    A  fire  wedding.     Pire-Marshal  Williams'  letter.  .217-353 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

LOSSES. 

Widespread  damage.  Our  population  drawn  from  all  countries  and  States.  Insurance 
companies — their  capital,  a.ssets,  and  losses,  with  suspended  and  sound  companies.  Grain 
checks  restored  by  Professor  Wheeler.  Safes  unsafe.  Restoration  of  burned  money,  &c.,  at 
Washington.  Records  consumed.  Indirect  losses.  Law  Institute's  loss.  Breweries.  City 
property.  Churches.  Trade  and  manufactures.  Historical  Society.  R.  T.  Lincohi,  B.  P. 
Taylor,  I.  N.  Arnold.  Fearful  sufferings  in  trj-ing  to  save  home  and  life.  Pinkerton's  rec- 
ords and  collections  in  ashes.  Mullet's  inspection  of  government  buildings.  Principal  edi- 
fices destroyed.  Description  of  the  northwest  spared  district.  The  dead-house.  Fatal  results 
of  the  calamity  upon  life  and  health.    Poem 353-403 


V.-MINISTERED  TO  BY  CHRISTIAN  CHARITY. 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

THE    WOBLD'S   BENEVOLENCE. 

Law  of  compensation.  Present  application.  Great  rush  of  the  need.  Prompt  relief.  The  noble- 
hcRited  railroad  maJi  and  his  worthy  wife.  Grand  poem  recognizing  the  bounty.  "Heathen 
Chinee."  Letter  from  the  South.  Extract  from  Whittier's  "  Past."  Cleveland,  Springfield, 
Milwaukee,  Philadelphia,  Pittsbm-gh,  Boston,  Montreal,  a  brilliant  galaxy 404-413 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

INITIATORY  STEPS   OF   RELIEF. 

President  Holden's  report.  Graphic  accoimt.  Report  of  Western  Committee,  October  13th. 
Work  turned  over  by  Mayor  Mason  to  the  Relief  and  Aid  Society.  Churches  exchanged 
for  other  depositories  and  asylums.  Generally  imposed  jipon.  Died  in  the  churches. 
Reunions 413-421 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

BELIEF  AND   AID   SOCIETY. 

Poor  fared  well.  Imposition  arrested.  Superintendent  Gibbs  issues  admirable  orders.  Rations 
allotted.  Great  carefulness  and  kindness  enjoined.  Bureau  of  Special  Assistance.  "The 
boy  who  took  care  of  his  younger  brothers."  Committee  of  Special  Relief  hard  at  work. 
Specimen  of  distress  relieved.  Form  of  application.  Magnanimity  of  railroads.  Colonel 
James  Fisk,  Jr.  Amount  of  money  received.  Houses  for  the  poor.  Other  gifts  not 
recorded  except  in  Heaven 


Vlll  CONTENTS, 

CHAPTER  XXIX 

SUPPLEMENTAL    WOEK. 

Toung  Men's  Christian  Association.  Women's  Christian  Union.  Benevolent  societies  of  a  private 
character.  Charity  of  citizens.  A  miser  and  a  clergyman.  No  just  account  of  aid  possible. 
Newsboys  hospitably  entertained  in  New  York.  Irish  Tim.  Old  England.  Queen  Victoria's 
interest.     Chicago  cosmopolitan 438-444 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

AID  FEOM  THE  STATE. 

Churches  and  orders  assisted.  Proclamations  by  Governors  of  Wisconsin,  Michigan,  Ohio,  Iowa 
and  Illinois.  Governor  Palmer  convenes  the  Legislature.  His  message  and  their  action. 
The  voice  of  the  pulpit  aud  press.    Extract  from  a  poem  by  Tovvnsend 444-470 

CHAPTER  XXXI. 

APPEECIATION  OF   THE   BOUNTT. 

Surprise  of  oiu-  citizens.  Primitive  fraternity  revived.  Men  wept  who  had  not  shed  a  tear  over 
their  misfortunes.  Tribune's  eloquent  acknowledgment.  Day  of  fasting  and  prayer  recom- 
mended by  the  Mayor.  Sermon  by  Rev.  E.  J.  Gocdspeed  in  the  Second  Baptist  Church. 
Good  deeds  to  be  held  in  everlasting  remembrance.  New  York  congratulates  mankind  on  the 
great  beneficence.    A  blessing  on  all  givers.    Chicago's  appeal 470-485 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 

GENERAL  EXPECTATION  OF  CHICAGO'S  BESUEKECTION. 

Punch's  rhymed  pun.  Reputation  for  boasting.  But  Cliicago  had  won  respect  for  energy  and 
power.  Speculations  by  London  Spectator,  London  Times,  Bail!/  Telefjraph,  DaHy  Neios, 
New  York  Tribune.     The  St.  Louis  Democrat  recognizes  our  recuperative  force 48G-495 

CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

EEBUILDINO. 

Horror  of  the  situation  after  the  fire.  Rumors  of  incendiarism  scouted.  Spontaneous 
movement  towards  reconstruction.  The  cheerful  voice  of  the  press.  Debris  removed. 
"Our  debts  will  be  paid."  The  artists  full  of  courage.  No  rush  on  the  banks.  Rents 
advanced.  General  inflation  of  prices.  N.  B.  Judd.  Help  proffered.  Plucky  girl.  Econo- 
my.   Churches  rismg  again.     Prognostications  fulfilled 43C-512 


VII.— THE  FUTURE. 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

GLORIOUS   ANTICIPATIONS. 

Whittier's  "Chicago."  Doubts  and  fears  paralj'zod  some.  But  a  voice  has  said,  "Rise."  B.  F. 
Wade's  estimate  iu  18G6  of  our  futvu-e.     What  would  he  have  said  in  1S71  ? 513-515 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

FAITH   AND   HOPE. 

Chicago  must  be  greater  than  ever.  The  first  reason  for  this  is  the  confidence  of  our  people. 
Faith  not  weakened.  The  Chicago  Post's  clarion-caU  to  hopefulness.  Grounds  assigned  for 
renewed  confidence 51G-518 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

THE   STRONG   MEN  REMAIN. 

Mercy  of  the  fire.  Our  men  of  miRht  in  trade,  art,  and  journalism  survive,  girded  for  the  contest. 
J.  Y.  Scammon.  Ai-chitects'  monuments  down.  W.  W.  Boyington.  Jno.  M.  Van  Osdel. 
They  are  crowded  with  new  enterprises.  City  more  splendid  than  before.  Merchants.  Jno. 
V.  Farwell.  "Farwell  Hall."  C.  T.  Bowen.  Libraiy  for  Youths.  These  men  can  repeat 
their  careers 521-533 


CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

CHICAGO'S  BESOUKCES. 

Faith  supplemented  by  natxwe.  "Wliat  remains  of  Chicago.  Harbor  and  shipping.  The  canal. 
The  railroads  converging  here.  Various  nationalities.  Actual  indebtedness  of  Chicago. 
Comparative  age  and  population  of  Western  cities.  Cattle  trade.  Union  Stock  Yards.  Full 
description.     Missouri  Republican  recognizes  our  geographical  supremacy 53S-547 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

UTOPIA. 

Vision  of  what  might  be.  Universal  education.  Temperance.  Justice.  Purity.  Sabbath 
hon<ired.  Religion  protected.  Literature,  Science,  and  Art  encouraged.  Provisions  against 
fii-e.  Few  fires  in  Paris.  Magnificent  possibilities.  Pleasant  picture  of  the  Chicago  of  the 
future 547-549 


THE  FIRES  IN  WISCONSIN  AND  MICHIGAN. 

CHAPTER   XXXIX. 

WISCONSIN  KAVAGED. 

General  drought.  Volumes  of  smoke.  Violent  winds.  One  hundred  and  fifty  miles  of  coast  on 
fire.  The  destruction  of  Peshtego.  Founded  by  Wm.  B.  Ogden.  Rich  timber  countiy.  Ex- 
cellent water-power.  Fires  in  the  woods.  Ko  fear  of  danger.  Strange  noises  Simdny  night. 
Sudden  onset  of  the  fire.  Flocking  to  the  river.  Three  hundred  roasted  alive.  Workmen 
with  wives  and  children  perished  in  a  brick  building.  People  immersed  in  water  up  to  their 
necks.  Terrible  appearance  on  the  day  after  the  fire.  Many  escajjed  by  the  bed  of  the  river  on 
the  northern  road.  Corpses  in  the  street.  Rain  Sunday  night.  People  smothered  among  the 
Pines.  Relief,  losses,  incidents.  Relief  Committee.  Losses  three  millions.  Letter  from 
Mr.  Ogden  in  behalf  of  "Little  Frankie."  The  mother  and  her  baby.  A  man  svrfmming 
for  his  life.  Strange  phenomena.  Wind,  fixe,  and  electricity.  One  hundred  and  seventeen 
persons  burned  to  death  in  Door  County.  Wide-spread  desolation.  Relief  for  the  unfor- 
tunate.    A  Chicago  man  doubly  injured 550-575 

CHAPTER  XL. 

StTMMAET  OP   WISCONSIN  LOSSES^ 

Captain  Bourne's  estimr.te  of  the  loss  of  lumber.  Thrilling  story  of  adventures.  With  a 
maniac.  Boston  B.elief  Committee's  report.  People  thought  the  Judgment  Day  had  come. 
Ample  provisions  for  the  suiferers.     Announcement  of  the  Milwaukee  Relief  Committee.  .576-693 

CHAPTER  XLL 

DESOLATION   IN   MICHIGAN. 

Steamers  cruising  off  shore  for  the  fugitives.  Disaster  less  universal  in  its  effects  than  that  of 
Chicago.  Flourishing  villages  entirely  destroyed.  A  man  in  the  water  eight  hours.  A  four 
hundred  thousand  dollar  fire  in  Saginaw  City.  College  students  at  Lansing  fighting  fire. 
Sickening,  blinding  smoke  for  weeks  before.  People  crazed.  "  No  more  wigwam !  "  A  city 
saved.  Manistee  burned.  Laird's  heroism.  Burning  of  Holland  City.  Distress  of  children. 
"  Hurrah  for  God  !  "  A  single  county  in  Michigan  and  its  losses.  Tuscola  County  and  its 
suffermgs.     Skeleton  found  in  a  log 594-620 

CHAPTER  XLII. 

LOSSES,    INCIDENTS,    CHAEITY, 

The  relief  work.  Loans  of  money  suggested.  A  Detroit  lawyer's  liberality.  The  people  assist- 
ing ene  another 621-6S6 


X  CONTENTS. 

mSTORY  OF  THE  GREAT  FIRES  IN  THE  PAST. 

CH^VPTER  XLIII. 

FIRES  EK   DAKOTA. 

A  soldier's  experience  w-ith  Sherman,  saved  his  life.  A  little  girl's  appeal.  Miraculous  escape 
from  a  prairie  fire.  The  Black  Year.  War,  famine,  pestilence,  fire,  wind,  water,  and  ice. 
Murders,  suicides,  viUanies 626-634 

CHAPTER  XLIV. 

VIKGIL'S  DESCRIPTION   OF  THE   BURNING  OF  TROY. 

Virgil's  poetical  description  of  the  burning  of  Troy.  The  wooden  horse,  .tineas  couvej-ing  his 
family  out  of  the  flames.  Loses  his  wife  and  returns.  Sees  his  own  house  burning.  Meets 
the  ghost  of  his  wife.     Flees  from  the  city C35-C40 

CHAPTER  XLV. 

ANCIENT   ROME   IN   FLAMES. 

Description  by  Tacitus  of  the  burning  of  ancient  Rome.  Misery  of  the  dreadful  scene.  Incen- 
diaries  640-642 

CHAPTER  XLVI. 

MOSCOW. 

Sir  Archibald  Alison's  description  of  the  burning  of  Moscow.  Napoleon  and  his  troops  intoxi- 
cated with  joy.  Moscow  silent.  The  Russian  governor's  inscription  affixed  to  the  gates 
of  the  palace.  Fire  breaking  out.  Autumnal  tempest.  Description  of  the  fire.  Drunken 
French  soldiers.     Moscow  a  heap  of  ruins ■. 643-648 

CHAPTER  XLVII. 

LONDON. 

The  great  flre  in  London.  Origin.  Reservoirs  empty.  Fearful  spectacle.  Blowing  up  houses 
Devastation.     John  Howe's  sermon.     Rebuilding  of  London 648-653 

CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

NEW  YORK'S   EXPERIENCE   OF  FIRE. 

Fire  of  1835.  Loss  six  millions.  Flames  stopped  by  blowing  up  buildings.  Reminiscences  of  the 
fire.     Speculations  about  "  inflammable  vacuum  "  in  the  air.     Fire  of  1845 654-658 

CHAPTER  XLIX. 

OTHER   CITIES  VISITED. 

Pittsburg.     Philadelphia.     Poi-tland.     Charleston.     Chicago.     San  Francisco 658-664 

CHAPTER  L. 
Table  of  flree.    Conclusion 665-6CT 


ILLTJSTIlA^TIOISrS 


PAGE 

A  Scene  at  the  taking  of  Fort  Dearborn,  1813 17 

Black  Partridge  holdijig  Mrs.  Helm  in  the  Water 27 

Chicago  in  1820 33 

Samuel  Hoard 51 

Chicago  in  1836 69 

The  Court-House  Bell 69 

Chicago  Water-works  from  the  Northwest 87 

Crosby's  Opera  House 87 

The  New  Pacific  Hotel 105 

View  from  the  Court-House  looking  south 123 

View  from  the  Court-House  looking  southeast 123 

Drake  &  Farwell  Block,  Wabash  avenue 123 

Unity  and  New  England  Churches 123 

The  Court-House 141 

The  Chamber  of  Commerce 141 

The  Sherman  House 143 

Clark  street,  south  from  Washington  street 143 

Field,  Leiter  &  Co.'s  Building,  State  street 159 

Booksellers'  Row 159 

The  Tribune  Building 160 

niinois  and.  Michigan  Central  R.R.  Depot 160 

The  Palmer  House,  State  street 177 

The  Shepard  Block,  Dearborn  street 177 

Burning  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce 195 

Burning  of  the  Crosby  Opera  House 213 

Burning  of  the  Tremont  House 331 

Burning  of  the  Grain  Elevators 349 

A  Family  Perish  on  the  Roof  of  a  House 367 

Ruins  of  the  Masonic  Temple 285 

Where  the  Fire  began 385 

Ruins  of  the  Land  Office  of  the  Illinois  Central  R.  R 285 

Ruins  of  the  Republic  Life  Insuijjince  Company's  Building. . . .'. 385 

Ruins  of  the  Post-Office  and  Custom-House 385 

Ruins  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  Court-House 886 

Ruins  of  Crosby's  Distillery 386 

Ruins  of  the  First  National  Bank 286 


X]l  ILLUSTEATIONS. 

PAGE 

Ruins  of  St.  Paul's  Chufcli 303 

Ruins  of  the  Methodist  Church  Block 303 

RiTins  of  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Name 303 

Ruins  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 303 

Ruins  of  St.  James's  Church 304 

Ruins  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church 304 

Ruins  of  the  New  England  Church 321 

Ruins  of  the  Bigelow  House 321 

Ruins  of  the  Pacific  Hotel 321 

Ruins  of  St.  Joseph's  Priory 331 

Ruins  of  the  Land  Office 321 

Ruins  of  the  Great  Union  Depot 321 

Ruins  of  the  Unity  Church 322 

Ruins  of  the  ]Methodist  Church 322 

Ruins  of  Sands'  Bre-^ery 322 

Ruins  of  the  Tribune  Buildhig 339 

Silent  Forever 339 

Post-Office  Cat 339 

Chicago  will  Rise  Again 339 

General  View  of  the  Ruins  of  the  North  Division 339 

Ruins  of  Rush  Medical  College 339 

New  Chicago 339 

Rums  of  Field,  Leiter  &  Co.  's  Store 340 

Relic  found  in  the  Ruins  of  the  C'aurch  of  the  Holy  Name 340 

General  View  of  the  Ruins  on  the  South  Side 357 

Hon.  Isaac  N.  Arnold 375 

Living  Among  the  Ruins 398 

The  National  Hand  of  Charity '. . .  411 

The  Relief  Committee  in  Session 411 

General  Depot  of  Supplies  for  the  Suiierers  by  the  Fire 429 

Young  Ladies  Ministering  to  the  Homeless 447 

Opening  Vaults  of  Merchants'  Loan  and  Trust  Company 465 

Hauling  Safes  from  the  Ruins 483 

The  First  Building  Erected  in  the  Burnt  District 501 

John  M.  Van  Osdel 519 

John  V.  Farwell 537 

The  Burning  of  Peshtego 555 

A  Wisconsin  Home  Enveloped  in  Flames 573 

Refugees  from  White  Rock  Seeking  Safety  in  the  Water 591 

Rebuilding  Chicago 609 

A  Young  Merchant  Disposing  of  Relics 627 


PEEFACE. 


Among  tlie  remarkable  jjhenomena  of  modern  times, 
Chicago  occupies  a  leading  jolace.  Richard  Cobden,  the 
English  statesman,  charged  Goldwin  Smith  on  the  eve  of 
his  departure  for  America :  "  See  two  things  in  the 
United  States,  if  nothing  else — Niagara  and  Chicago," — 
intimating  thus  that  these  were  the  two  principal  Vv^onders 
of  the  New  World  to  a  stranger.  Since  our  Great  Con- 
flagration, it  has  occurred  simultaneously  to  many  that 
the  ambitious  young  city,  always  aspiring  to  lead,  Vvdshed 
also  to  surpass  the  world  in  the  way  of  a  fire.  And  now, 
certainly,  her  fortunes  attract  and  interest  millions  of 
mankind  as  never  before.  To  satisfy  this  interest  in  part, 
many  have  undertaken  to  write  up  the  city  and  its  vicis- 
situdes. Believing  that  the  story  of  its  changes,  pros- 
perity and  calamity,  of  its  help  and  hope,  will  be  eagerly 
I'ead  by  millions,  we  offer  this  contribution,  gathered  from 
many  sources  and  carefully  prepared,  to  the  generous 
public,  who  have  already  signalized  their  interest  in  our 
welfare  by  the  most  magnificent  bounty  to  our  suffering 
thousands.     Let  the  poet  no  longer  sing — 

"  Oh,  the  rarity 
Of  Christian  charity  !  " 

but  rather  celebrate 

"  The  quality  of  mercy, 
Which  droppeth  like  the  gentle  rain  from  Heaven." 


Our  parcHed  soil,  after  fourteen  weeks  of  drouglit,  did 
uot  rejoice  in  the  showers  that  fell  from  God,  as  we 
exulted  in  the  beneficence  that  poured  forth  upon  us  in 
our  extremity  of  need.  "The  Lord  loveth  a  cheerful 
giver ! " 

Chicago  is  great  in  its  ruins  and  hopeful  in  its  prostra- 
tion. The  record  of  its  herculean  energy  and  manly  hero- 
ism, and  the  outlook  for  its  future,  must  animate  and 
encourage  the  world,  now  smitten  in  every  part  by  our 
misfortune. 

We  send  forth  this  venture  in  humble  gratitude  to  the 
Almighty  for  such  a  past,  in  submission  to  His  provi- 
dence, confidence  for  the  future,  and  trust  in  the 
charitable  generosity  of  the  people,  to  whom  it  is  boldly 
submitted  for  their  patronage. 

We  have  faithfully  sought  to  arrange  all  the  lights 
needed  for  a  complete  illustration  of  the  stupendous 
events  recorded.  In  the  full  illumination  afforded  by 
these  various  torch-bearers,  many  of  them  brilliant  and 
glowing,  the  reader  may  expect  to  see  and  appreciate,  as 
no  one  eye-witness  could,  what  must  ever  be  considered 
marvellous  among  the  marvels  of  time ! 

E.  J.  G. 

Chicago. 


"  Hear  the  loud  alarum  bells — 

Brazen  bells ! 
What  a  tale  of  terror,  now,  their  turbulency  tells  I 
In  the  startled  ear  of  night 
How  the  J  scream  out  their  affright  I 
Too  much  horrified  to  speak, 
They  can  only  shriek,  shriek, 
Out  of  tune. 
In  a  clamorous  appealing  to  the  mercy  of  the  fire, 
In  a  mad  expostulation  with  the  deaf  and  frantic  fire, 
Leaping  higher,  higher,  higher, 
With  a  desperate  desire 
And  a  resolute  endeavor, 
Now — now  to  sit  or  never. 
By  the  side  of  the  pale-faced  moon. 
Oh,  the  bells,  bells,  bells. 
What  a  tale  their  terror  tells 
Of  despair ! 
How  they  clang,  and  clash,  and  roar, 
What  a  horror  they  outpour 
On  the  bosom  of  the  palpitating  air!  "  > 


i^OTICE. 


The  Publishers  purpose,  after  defraying  the  expenses  of  pub- 
lishing and  selling  this  book,  to  devote  a  portion  of  the  profits 
which  may  arise  from  the  sale  thereof  to  the  aid  of  deserving- 
mechanics,  working-M'omen,  etc.,  who  have  suffered  by  the  fires. 
Having  already  made  several  instalments,  the  following  letters 
are  appended  to  show  the  manner  in  which  aid  is  proposed  to  be 
rendered. 

The  Publisheks, 


Chicago,  Noveniber  25,  1871. 
H.  S.  GooDSPEED  &  Co.  : 

Gentlemen — I  have  received  tlie  elegant  sewing-machine  sent  by  you  to  me, 
to  be  given  to  the  most  deserving  person  of  my  acquaintance  who  suffered  in  the 
late  terrible  fire  here.  May  God  bless  you  in  your  endeavors  to  help  our  suffering 
people,  so  many  of  whom  will  have  a  hard  struggle  to  live  through  the  cold 
winter. 

I  am  very  truly  yours, 

Mks.  lizzie  AIKEN,  Missionary. 


$100.  CmcAGo,  Tall  JSfovemier,  1871. 

Received  from  J.  W.  GooDSPEED,  of  Chicago,  One  Hundred  Dollars,  for  the 
Chicago  Relief  and  Aid  Society. 

GEORGE  M.  PULLMAN,  Treasurer. 
Per  W.  C.  Nichols,  Cashier. 


Fkee  Reading-Rooms  and  Libraky  op  the  ) 
*  ■  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,        >- 

97  W.  Randolph  st.,  Chicago,  Nov.  28, 1871.  ) 
TAx.  J.  W.  GooDSPEED,  Publisher, 
51  S.  Carpenter  street,  Chicago : 
Dear  Sir— On  behalf  of  the  Yoimg  Blen's  Christian  Association  of  Chicago,  I 
would  gratefully  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  order  upon  Lyon  &  Healy  for  a 
Burdett  Organ  for  the  use  of  the  devotional  meetings,  upon  account  of  Dr.  Good- 
speed's  "  History  of  Chicago  and  the  Great  Fire."     May  all  the  other  results  of 
that  wonderful  visitation  in  like  manner  tend  to  promote  the  praise  of  God  and 
the  edification  of  his  Church. 

Yours  in  Christ, 

ROBERT   PATERSON. 


Rooms  Ladies'  Christian  Union,    ) 
Cor.  Peoria  and  Jackson  streets.  ) 
Mr.  J.  W.  GOODSPEED,  Publisher  : 

Dear  Sir — The  Ladies'  Christian  Union  do  most  gratefully  acknowledge  the 
receipt  of  a  Home  Shuttle  Sewing-Machine  from  you,  as  publisher  of  Dr.  Good- 
speed's  "  History  of  Chicago  and  Great  Fires."  It  is  a  most  timely  and  accept* 
able  gift,  and  our  prayers  are  that  ' '  He  wlio  loveth  a  cheerful  giver "  may 
reward  you,  who,  in  giving  to  the  poor  in  time  of  their  utmost  need,  but  lend  to 
Him. 

Yours  tmly, 
Mrs.  0.  P.  KNOX,  Fres't  Ladies'  Christian  Union. 


HISTORY  OF  THE  GREAT  FIRES 


CHICAGO  AND  THE  WEST. 


I.— THE  INFANT. 


CHAPTER   I. 


Cities,  which  are  but  an  aggregation  of  individuals,  have  their 
periods  of  development,  changes,  growth,  checks,  prosperity  and 
adversity,  sickness  and  recovery,  and  alas!  of  decline  and  dissolu- 
tion, like  men.  The  proudest  of  earth's  great  gatherings  of 
human  beings  had  their  origin  in  some  accident,  or,  we  may 
better  say,  some  providential  circumstance  or  course  of  events, 
and  their  progress  from  humble  beginnings  has  been  slow.  As 
rivers  rise  in  some  small  obscure  fountain  in  the  depth  of  the 
forest,  or  upon  the  mountain  side,  and  wind  onward  for  long  dis- 
tances, fed  by  other  streams  till  they  become  like  the  foaming 
Rhine  or  the  majestic  Father  of  Waters,  so  the  metropolis  now 
teeming  with  vast  multitudes  of  busy  men,  began  in  a  group 
of  lowly  huts  or  cabins,  and  increased  by  degrees  from  within 
and  from  without,  by  births  and  immigration,  till  it  reached 


lb  USTORY    OF   THE    GKE.VT    FIRES 

greatncfcS  and  became  a  power  in  the  earth,  "VVe  may  compare  it 
to  the  snowball  whicli  boys  roll  along  the  whitened  field  till  it  be- 
comes an  immense  mass.  It  was  at  first  just  a  handful  of  white 
crystals  massed  together ;  it  ends  by  assuming  gigantic  proportions. 
Our  Londons  and  other  capitals  grew  np  in  this  manner,  and 
]jad  in  their  histui'y  all  the  elements  of  crudeness  and  feebleness 
which  marked  Chicago's  infancy. 

The  age  of  fablf  has  [lassed.  and  in  telling  the  story  of  Chicago 
we  have  no  Romulus  and  Remus  suckled  by  a  wolf  to  adorn  our 
tale.  Yet  if  all  that  was  experienced  by  the  first  white  people 
who  settled  the  shores  of  this  magnificent  lake  could  be  de- 
scribed with  gra[ihic  pen,  the  story  would  be  full  of  romance. 
yVc  cannot  point  to  such  an  origin  as  Venice  had,  whicli  was  the 
retreat  of  robber  bands  who  built  among  the  shallow  waters  and 
upon  the  mud  a  nest  for  themselves,  to  which  they  might  bring 
their  plunder.  Yet  upon  these  sands,  and  beside  the  river  that 
winds  along  the  prairie  as  if  loth  to  leave  the  Lake,  savages 
roanied  or  built  their  wigwams  for  temporary  residence.  And  these 
^\•aters  echoed  to  the  war-whoop,  and  the  shriek  of  the  despairing 
was  heard  in  unison  with  the  moan  of  the  waves  along  the  beach. 
Eut  the  white  people  who  came  to  this  Far  West  were  men  of 
adventurous,  but  not  bloodthirsty  natures,  who  sought  for  them- 
selves a  fortune  in  these  untrodden  virgin  regions  of  the  New 
World.  These  hiudj^  pioneers  were  tired  of  restraint  in  older 
countries,  and  pined  for  the  freedom  of  the  wild  prairies,  where 
tlie  winds  were  no  freer  than  the  spirits  of  the  hunter.  Woman, 
ever  clinging  fondly  to  man,  accompanied  the  bold  adventurer  to 
cheer  and  bless  him  in  his  wanderings,  and  to  help  him  sustain 
the  hardships  of  frontier  life. 

In  the  fearful  Indian  massacre  which  early  stained  these  shores 
with  blood,  there  shone  forth  the  heroism  and  fidelity  of  the  female 
character — even  as  sixty  years  afterwards,  in  the  horrors  of  the 
furious  assault  of  nmrderous  flames,  woman  exhibited  heroism  and 


IN   CHICAGO   AND    TUE   WEST.  19 

Dobleness,  and  proved  herself  worthy  to  be  termed  man's  "belp- 

aicet." 

O  woman,  in  our  hours  of  ease 
Uncertain,  coy,  and  hard  to  please, 
And  variable  as  the  shade 
By  the  light,  qiiivering  aspen  made  ; 
WTien  pain  and  anguish  Avring-  the  brow, 
A  ministering  angel  thou  ! 


CHAPTER  IL 
In  the  alternation  ot  victoiy  and  defeat  during  the  wars  of 
France  and  England,  the  native  people,  the  aborigines,  were  some- 
times on  the  side  of  the  colonists  and  sometimes  against  them. 
It  was  natural  for  them  to  incline  to  the  dominant  party,  and 
they  became  the  prey  of  intriguers  Vv'ho  bought  their  treacherous 
aid  with  presents.  It  was  needful  to  protect  outlying  settlements, 
where  trade  was  carried  on  by  adventurous  white  men,  by  means 
of  forts  and  garrisons.  Chicago,  a  term  said  to  have  denoted  a 
king  or  deity,  a  skunk  or  a  wild  onion,  was  much  haunted  by  the 
Indians,  and  a  fort  there  arose  to  give  the  shelter  of  its  guns  to 
the  whites.  Often  had  it  been  marked  for  assanlt,  but  always 
escaped,  till  the  period  of  the  last  war  with  Great  Britain,  when 
certain  circumstances  conspired  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  great 
tragedy  described  by  the  histoi-ian  Brown. 

INDIAN   MASSACRE. 

When  war  was  declared  in  1S12,  the  little  garrison  at  Chicago, 
consisting  of  a  single  compa.ny,  was  commanded  by  Captain 
TToald ;  Lieutenant  Holm  and  Ensign  Eonan  were  officers  under 
him,  and  Dr.  Yan  Voorhes  its  surgeon. 

On  the  Tth  of  August,  1S12,  in  the  afternoon,  "Winnemeg,  or 
Catfish,  a  friendly  Indian  of  the  Pottawatomie  tribe,  arrived  at 
Chicago,  and  brought  dispatches  from  Greneral  Hull,  containing 


20  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT    FIRES 

the  first  intelligence  of  the  decianition  of  war.  General  Hull's 
letter  announced  the  capture  of  Mackinaw,  and  directed  Captain 
Heald  "  to  evacuate  the  fort  at  Chicago  if  practicable,  and  in  that 
event  to  distribute  all  of  the  United  States  property  contained 
in  the  fort,  and  the  United  States  factory,  or  agency,  among  the 
Indians  in  the  neighborhood,  and  repair  to  Fort  Wayne."  Winne- 
meg  urged  upon  Captain  Heald  the  policy  of  remaining  in  the 
fort,  being  supplied  as  they  were  with  ammunition  and  provi- 
sions for  a  considerable  time.  In  case,  however,  Captain  Heald 
thought  proper  to  evacuate  the  place,  he  urged  upon  him  the 
propriety  of  doing  so  immediately,  before  the  Pottawatomies 
(through  whose  country  they  must  pass,  and  who  were  as  yet 
ignorant  of  the  subject  of  his  mission)  could  collect  a  force  suifi- 
cieut  to  oppose  them.  This  advice,  though  given  in  great 
earnestness,  was  not  sufficiently  regarded  by  Captain  Heald  ; 
who  observed,  that  he  should  evacuate  the  fort,  but  having 
received  orders  to  distribute  the  public  property  among  the 
Indians,  he  did  not  feel  justified  in  leaving  it  until  he  had  col- 
lected the  Pottawatomies  in  its  vicinity,  and  made  an  equitable 
distribution  among  them.  Winuemeg  then  suggested  the  expe- 
diency of  marching  out,  and  leaving  everything  standing ;  "  while 
the  Indians,"  said  he,  "  are  dividing  the  spoils,  the  troops  will  be 
able  to  retreat  without  molestation."  This  advice  was  also 
unheeded,  and  an  order  for  evacuating  the  fort  was  read  next 
morning  on  parade.  Captain  Heald,  in  issuing  it,  had  neglected 
to  consult  his  junior  officers,  as  it  would  have  been  natural  for 
him  to  do  in  such  an  emergency,  and  as  he  probably  would  have 
done,  had  there  not  been  some  coolness  between  him  and  Ensign 
Ronan. 

The  lieutenant  and  ensign  waited  on  Captain  Heald  to  learn 
his  intentions,  and  being  apprised  for  the  first  time  of  the  course 
he  intended  to  pursue,  they  remonstrated  against  it.  "  We  do 
not,"  said  they  to  Captain  Heuld,  ''  believe   that  our  troops  can 


EST    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  21' 

pass  in  safety  through  the  country  of  the  Pottawatomies  to  Fort 
Wayne.  Although  a  part  of  their  chiefs  were  opposed  to  an  at- 
tack upon  us  last  autumn,  they  were  actuated  by  motives  of  pri- 
vate friendship  for  some  particular  individuals,  and  not  from  a 
regard  to  the  Americans  in  general ;  and  it  can  hardly  be  sup- 
posed that,  in  the  present  excited  state  of  feeling  among  the  In- 
dians, those  chiefs  will  be  able  to  influence  the  whole  tribe,  now 
thirsting  for  vengeance.  Besides,"  said  they,  "  our  march  must 
be  slow,  on  account  of  the  women  and  children.-  Our  force,  too, 
is  small.  Some  of  our  soldiers  are  superannuated,  and  some  of 
them  are  invalids.  We  think,  therefore,  as  your  orders  are  dis- 
cretionary, that  we  had  better  fortify  ourselves  as  strongly  as  pos- 
sible, and  remain  where  we  are.  S^iccor  may  reach  us  before 
we  shall  be  attacked  from  Mackinaw ;  and,  in  case  of  such  an 
event,  we  had  better  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  English  than  be- 
come victims  of  the  savages." 

Captain  Heald  replied  that  his  force  was  inadequate  to  contend 
with  the  Indians,  and  that  he  should  be  censured  were  he  to  con- 
tinue in  garrison  when  the  prospect  of  a  safe  retreat  to  Fort 
Wayne  was  so  apparent.  He  therefore  deemed  it  advisable  to 
assemble  the  Indians  and  distribute  the  public  property  among 
them,  and  ask  of  them  an  escort  thither,  with  the  promise  of  a 
considerable  sum  of  money  to  be  paid  on  their  safe  arrival;  add- 
hig  that  he  had  perfect  confidence  in  the  friendly  professions  of 
the  Indians,  from  whom,  as  well  as  from  the  soldiers,  the  capture 
of  Mackinaw  had  studiously  been  concealed. 

From  this  time  forward  the  junior  officers  stood  aloof  from  their 
commander,  and,  considering  his  project  as  little  short  of  mad- 
ness, conversed  as  little  upon  the  subject  as  possible.  Dissatisfac- 
tion, however,  soon  filled  the  camp ;  the  soldiers  began  to  mur- 
mur, and  insubordination  assumed  a  threatening  aspect. 

The  savages,  in  the  mean  time,  became  more  and  more  trouble- 
Bome,  entered  the  fort  occasionally  in  defiance  of  the  sentinels, 


22  mSTOEY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIBES 

and  even  made  their  way,  without  ceremony,  into  the  quarters  of 
its  commanding  otHcer.  On  one  occasion  an  Indian,  taking  up  a 
rifle,  fired  it  in  the  parlor  of  Captain  Heald.  Some  were  of 
opinion  tliat  this  was  intended  as  the  signal  for  aii  attack.  Tlie 
old  chiefs  at  this  time  passed  back  and  forth  among  the  assembled 
groups,  ap^:)arentlj  agitated ;  and  the  squaws  seemed  much  ex- 
cited, as  thongli  some  terrible  calamity  was  impending.  ISTo  fur- 
ther manifestations,  however,  of  ill  feeling  were  exhibited,  and 
the  day  passed  without  bloodshed.  So  infatuated,  at  this  time, 
was  Captain  Ileald,  that  he  supposed  he  had  wrought  a  favorable 
impression  upon  the  savages,  and  that  the  little  garrison  could 
aow  march  forth  in  safety.  ^ 

From  the  *^th  to  the  12th  of  August  the  hostility  of  the  Indians 
was  more  and  more  apparent ;  and  the  feelings  of  the  garrison, 
and  of  those  connected  witli,  and  dependent  upon  it  for  their  safety, 
more  and  more  intense.  Distrust  everywhere  at  length  prevailed, 
and  the  want  of  unanimity  among  the  oflicers  was  appalling. 
Every  inmate  retired  to  rest,  expecting  to  be  roused  by  the  war- 
whoop  ;  and  each  returning  day  was  regarded  by  all  as  another 
step  on  the  road  to  massacre. 

The  Indians  from  the  adjacent  villages  having  at  length  arrived, 
a  council  was  held  on  the  12th  of  August.  It  was  attended  only 
by  Captain  Ileald  on  the  part  of  the  militarj' — the  other  officers 
refused  to  attend,  having  previously  learned  that  a  massacre  was 
intended.  This  fact  was  communicated  to  Captain  Keald ;  ho 
insisted,  however,  on  their  going,  and  they  resolutely  persisted  in 
their  refusal.  When  Captain  Ileald  left  the  fort  they  repaired  to 
the  blockhouse  which  overlooked  the  ground  where  the  council 
was  in  session,  and  opening  the  port-holes,  pointed  their  cannon 
in  its  direction.  This  circumstance,  and  their  absence,  it  is  sup- 
posed, saved  the  wliites  from  massacre. 

Captain  Heald  informed  the  Indians  in  council,  that  he  would, 
next  day,  distribute  among  them   all  the  goods  in  the  United 


•m   CHICAGO   AND    THE   WEST.  23 

States  factory,  togetbor  witli  the  ammunition  and  provision?, 
with  which  the  garrison  was  supplied;  and  desired  of  them  an 
escort  to  Fort  Wayne,  promising  them  a  reward  on  their  arrival 
thither,  in  addition  to  the  presents  they  were  about  to  receive. 
The  savages  assented,  with  professions  of  fi'iendsliip,  to  all  he 
proposed,  and  promised  all  he  required. 

The  council  was  no  sooner  dismissed,  than  several  waited  on 
Captain  Ileald  in  order  to  oi)en  his  eyes,  if  possible,  to  their 
condition. 

The  impolicy  of  furnishing  the  Indians  with  arms  and  ammu- 
nition, to  be  used  against  themselves,  struck  Captain  Ileald  with 
so  much  force  that  he  resolved,  without  consulting  his  officers, 
to  destroy  all  not  required  for  immediate  use. 

On  the  next  day  (August  13th),  the  goods  in  the  factory  store 
were  distributed  among  the  Indians;  and  in  the  evening  the 
ammunition,  and  also  the  liquors  belonging  to  the  garrison,  were 
carried,  the  former  into  the  sally-port  and  thrown  into  the  well, 
and  the  latter  through  the  south  gate,  as  silently  as  possible,  to 
the  river  bank,  where  the  heads  of  the  barrels  were  knocked  in, 
and  their  contents  discharged  into  the  stream. 

The  Indians,  suspecting  the  game,  approached  as  near  as 
possible,  and  witnessed  the  whole  scene.  The  spare  muskets 
were  broken  up,  and  thrown  into  the  well,  together  with  bags  of 
shot,  flints,  and  gun-screws,  and  other  things;  all  of  little  value. 

On  the  14th  the  despondency  of  the  garrison  was  for  a  while 
dispelled  by  the  arrival  of  Captain  Wells  and  fifteen  friendly 
Miamies.  Having  heard  at  Fort  Wayne  of  the  order  to  evacuate 
Chicago,  and  knowing  the  hostile  intentions  of  the  Pottawato- 
mies,  he  hastened  thither  in  order  to  save,  if  possible,  the  little 
garrison  from  its  doom.  He  was  the  brother  of  Mrs.  Ileald,  and 
having  been  reared  from  childhood  among  the  savages,  knew 
their  character;  and  something  whispered  him  "that  all  was  not 
well."     He  was  the  son  of  General  Wells  of  Kentucky,  who,  in 


24  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

the  defeat  of  St.  Clair,  commanded  three  hundred  savage  war- 
riors posted  in  front  of  the  artillery,  who  caused  extraordinar}' 
carnage  among  those  who  served  it;  and,  uninjured  himself, 
picked  off  the  artillerists,  until  "their  bodies  were  heaped  up 
almost  to  the  height  of  their  pieces." 

Supposing  that  the  whites,  roused  bj  their  reverses,  would 
eventually  prevail,  he  resolved  to  abandon  the  savages  and  rejoin 
his  countrymen. 

This  intrepid  warrior  of  the  woods,  hearing  that  his  friends 
at  Chicago  were  in  danger,  and  chagrined  at  the  obstinacy  of 
Captain  Heald,  who  was  thus  hazarding  their  safety,  came 
thither  to  save  his  friends,  or  participate  in  their  fate.  He  ar- 
rived, however,  too  late  to  effect  the  former,  but  just  in  time  to 
effect  the  latter.  Having,  on  his  arrival,  learned  that  the  ammu- 
nition had  been  destroyed,  and  the  provisions  distributed  among 
the  Indians,  he  saw-  there  was  no  alternative.  Preparations  were 
therefore  made  for  marching  on  the  morrow. 

In  the  afternoon  a  second  council  was  held  with  the  Indians, 
at  which  they  expressed  their  resentment  at  the  destruction  of 
the  ammunition  and  liquor  in  the  severest  terms.  Notwith- 
standing the  precautions  which  had  been  observed,  the  knocking 
in  of  the  heads  of  the  whiskey-barrels  had  been  heard  by  the 
Indians,  and  the  river  next  morning  tasted,  as  some  of  them  ex- 
pressed it,  "like  strong  grog."  Murmurs  and  threats  were  ererj- 
where  heard;  and  nothing,  apparently,  was  wanting  but  an  op- 
portunity for  some  public  manifestation  of  their  resentment. 

Among  the  chiefs  there  .were  several  who  participated  in  the 
general  hostility  of  their  tribe,  and  retained,  at  the  same  time, 
a  regard  for  the  few  white  inhabitants  of  the  place.  It  was  im- 
possible, however,  even  for  them  to  allay  the  angry  feelings  of 
the  savage  warriors,  when  provocation  after  provocation  had 
thus  been  given ;  and  their  exertions,  therefore,  were  futile. 

Among  this  class  was  Black  Partridge,  a  chief  of  some  renown 


lif    CHICAGO   AND    TBE    WEST.  25 

Soon  after  the  council  had  adjourned,  this  magnanimous  warrior 
repaired  to  the  quarters  of  Captain  Heald,  and  taking  off  a  medal 
he  had  long  worn,  said:  "Father,  I  have  come  to  deliver  up  to 
you  the  medal  I  wear.  It  was  given  me  by  your  countryman, 
and  I  have  long  worn  it  as  a  token  of  our  friendship.  Our 
young  men  are  resolved  to  imbrue  their  hands  in  the  blood  of  the 
whites.  I  cannot  restrain  them,  and  will  not  wear  a  token  of 
peace  when  compelled  to  act  as  an  enemy," 

Had  doubts  pi-eviously  existed,  they  were  now  at  an  end.  The 
devoted  garrison  continued,  however,  their  preparations  as  before  ; 
and  amid  the  surrounding  gloom  a  few  gallant  spirits  still  cheered 
their  companions  with  hopes  of  security. 

The  ammunition  reserved,  twenty-five  rounds  to  each  soldier, 
was  now  distributed.  The  baggage-wagons  designed  for  the 
sick,  the  women,  and  the  children,  containing  also  a  box  of  car- 
tridges, were  now  made  ready,  and  the  whole  party,  anticipating 
a  fatiguing,  if  not  a  disastrous,  march  on  the  morrow,  retired  to 
enjoy  a  few  moments  of  precarious  repose. 

On  the  morning  of  the  15th  the  sun  rose  with  uncommon 
splendor,  and  Lake  Michigan  "  was  a  sheet  of  burnished  gold." 

Early  in  the  day  a  message  was  received  in  the  American  camp, 
from  To-pee-na-bee,  a  chief  of  the  St.  Joseph's  band,  informing 
them  that  mischief  was  brewing  among  the  Pottawatomies,  who 
had  promised  them  protection. 

About  nine  o'clock  the  troops  left  the  fort  with  martial  music, 
and  in  military  array.  Captain  Wells,  at  the  head  of  the  Mia- 
iiiies,  led  the  van,  his  face  blackened  after  the  manner  of  the 
Indians.  The  garrison,  with  loaded  arms,  followed,  and  the 
wagons  with  the  baggage,  the  women  and  children,  the  sick  and 
the  lame,  closed  the  rear.  The  Pottawatomies,  about  five  hun- 
dred in  number,  who  had  promised  to  escort  them  in  safety  to 
Fort  Wayne,  leaving  a  little  space,  afterward  followed.  The 
party  in  advance  took  the  beach  road.     The}'  had  no  sooner  ar- 


26  HISTORY    OF    THE    GKEAT   FIKES 

rived  at  tlic  sand-hills,  which  separate  tlio  prairie  from  the  beach, 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  the  fort,  than  the  Pottavvatomies, 
instead  of  continuing  in  rear  of  the  Americans,  left  the  beach  and 
took  to  the  prairie.  The  sand-hills,  of  course,  intervened,  and  p;d- 
sented  a  barrier  between  the  Pottawatomies  and  the  American 
and  Miami  line  of  march.  This  divergence  had  scarcely  been 
effected,  when  Captain  Wells,  who  with  the  Miami es  was  cun- 
sidei-ablj  in  advance,  I'ode  back  and  exclaimed:  "They  arc  about 
to  attack  us  ;  form  instantly  and  charge  upon  them."  Tlie  word 
had  scarcely  been  uttered,  before  a  volley  of  musketry  from 
behind  the  sand-hills  was  poured  in  upon  them.  The  troops  were 
brought  immediately  into  a  line,  and  charged  up  the  bank. 
One  man,  a  veteran  of  seventy,  fell  as  they  ascended.  The  battle 
at  once  became  general.  The  Miamies  fled  at  the  outset ;  their 
chief  rode  up  to  the  Pottawatomies,  charged  them  with  duplicity, 
and  brandishing  his  tomahawk,  said,  "he  would  be  the  first  to 
head  a  party  of  Americans,  and  return  to  punish  them  for  their 
treachery."  He  then  turned  his  horse  and  galloped  off  in  pursuit 
of  his  companions,  who  were  then  scouring  across  the  prairie, 
and  nothing  was  seen  or  heard  of  them  more. 

The  American  troops  behaved  gallantly.  Though  few  in  num- 
ber, they  sold  their  lives  as  dearly  as  possible.  They  felt,  how- 
ever, as  if  their  time  had  come,  and  sought  to  forget  all  that  was 
dear  on  earth. 

While  the  battle  was  raging  the  surgeon.  Doctor  Yoorhcs, 
who  was  badly  wounded,  and  whose  horse  had  been  shot  from 
under  him,  approaching  Mrs.  Helm,  the  wife  of  Lieutenant  Ilelm 
(who  was  in  action,  participating  in  all  its  vicissitudes),  observed: 
'•  Do  you  think,"  sfiid  he,  "  they  will  take  our  lives  ?  I  am  badly 
wounded,  but  I  think  not  mortally.  Perhaps  we  can  purchase 
safety  by  offering  a  large  reward.  Do  you  think,"  continued  he, 
"  there  is  any  chance  ?  "  "  Doctor  Voorhes,"  replied  Mrs.  Helm, 
"  let  us  not  waste  the  few  moments,  which  yet  remain,  in  idle 


BLACK  PARTRIDGE  HOLDING  MRS.  HELM  IN  THE  WATER. 


IN    CHICAGO    AND   THPi    WEST.  27 

orill-fouridecl  hopes.  Our  fate  is  inevitable.  We  must  soon  ap])ear 
at  tlie  bar  of  God,  Let  ns  uiake  snch  preparations  as  are  jet  in 
our  power."  "  Oh  !  "  said  he,  "  I  cannot  die.  I  am  unfit  to  die  ! 
If  I  had  a  short  time  to  prepare  !     Death  ! — oh,  how  awful !  " 

At  this  moment  Ensign  Ronan  was  fighting  at  a  little  distance 
with  a  tall  and  portly  Indian  ;  the  former,  mortally  wounded,  was 
nearly  down,  and  struggling  desperately  upon  one  knee.  Mrs. 
Helm,  pointing  her  finger,  and  directing  the  attention  of  Dr. 
Yoorhes  thither,  observed:  "  Look,"  said  she,  "  at  that  young 
man  ;  he  dies  like  a  soldier." 

"  Yes,"  said  Doctor  Voorhes,  "  but  he  has  no  terrors  of  the 
future  ;  he  is  an  unbeliever." 

A  young  savage  immediately  raised  his  tomahawk  to  strike  Mrs. 
Helm.  She  sprang  instantly  aside,  and  the  blow  intended  for  hei 
head  fell  upon  her  shoulder.  She  thereupon  seized  him  around 
liis  neck,  and  while  exerting  all  her  efforts  to  get  possession  of  his 
ecalping-knife,  was  seized  by  another  Indian,  and  dragged  forcibly 
from  his  grasp. 

The  latter  bore  her,  struggling  and  resisting,  towards  the  lake. 
Notwithstanding,  however,  the  rapidity  with  which  she  was 
hurried  along,  she  recognized,  as  she  passed,  the  remains  of  the 
imfortunate  surgeon  stretched  lifeless  on  the  prairie.  She  was 
plunged  immediately  into  the  water  and  held  tJiere,  notwith 
Btauding  her  resistance,  with  a  forcible  hand.  She  shortly,  how 
ever,  perceived  that  the  intention  of  lier  captor  was  not  to  drown 
her,  as  he  held  her  in  a  position  to  keep  her  head  above  the 
water.  Thus  reassured  she  looked  at  him  attentively,  and  in 
spite  of  his  disguise  recognized  the  "  white  man's  friend."  It 
was  Black  Pai  tridge. 

When  the  firing  had  ceased,  her  preserver  bore  her  from 
the  water  and  conducted  her  up  the  sand-bank.  It  was  a  beauti- 
ful day  in  August.  The  heat,  however,  of  the  sun  was  op- 
pressive ;  and  walking  through  the  sand,  exposed  to  its  burning 


28  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

rays  in  her  drenched  condition,  weary,  and  exhausted  by  efforts 
beyond  her  strength,  anxious  beyond  measure  to  learn  the  fate  of 
her  friends,  and  alarmed  for  her  own,  her  situation  was  one  of 
agony. 

The  troops  having  fought  with  desperation  till  two-thirds  of 
their  number  were  slain,  the  remainder,  twenty-seven  in  all, 
borne  down  by  an  overwhelming  force,  and  exhausted  by  efforts 
hitherto  unequalled,  at  length  surrendered.  They  stipulated, 
liowever,  for  their  own  safety  and  for  the  safety  of  their  remain- 
ing women  and  children.  The  wounded  prisoners,  however,  in 
tlie  hurry  of  the  moment,  were  unfortunately  omitted,  or  ratlier, 
not  particularly  mentioned,  and  were  therefore  regarded  by  the 
Indians  as  having  been  excluded. 

One  of  the  soldiers'  wives,  having  frequently  been  told  that 
prisoners  taken  by  the  Indians  were  subjected  to  tortures  worse 
than  death,  had  from  the  first  expressed  a  resolutiou  never  to  be 
taken,  and  when  a  party  of  savages  approached  to  make  her  their 
prisoner  she  fought  with  desperation,  and  though  assured  of  kind 
treatment  and  protection,  refused  to  surrender,  and  was  literall}'^ 
cut  in  pieces,  and  her  mangled  remains  left  oil  the  field. 

After  the  surrender,  one  of  the  baggage-wagons,  containing 
twelve  children,  was  assailed  by  a  single  savage,  and  the  whole 
number  were  massacred.  All,  without  distinction  of  age  or  sex, 
fell  at  once  beneath  his  murderous  tomahawk. 

Captain  Wells,  who  had  as  yet  escaped  unharmed,  saw  from  a 
distance  the  whole  of  this  murderous  scene,  and  being  apprised 
of  the  stipulation,  and  on  seeing  it  thus  violated,  exclaimed  aloud 
so  as  to  be  heard  by  the  Pottawatomies  around  him,  whose 
prisoner  he  then  was :  "  If  this  be  your  game  I  wiU  kill  too  !  "  and 
turning  his  horse's  head,  instantly  started  for  the  Pottawatomie 
camp,  which  was  near  what  is  now  the  corner  of  State  and  Lake, 
where  the  squaws  and  Indian  children  had  been  left  ere  the 
battle  began.     He  had  no  sooner  started  than  several  Indians 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  Si9 

followed  in  his  rear  and  discharged  their  rifles  at  him  as  he  gal 
loped  the  prairie.  He  laid  himself  flat  on  the  neck  of  his  horse, 
and  was  apparently  out  of  their  reach,  when  the  ball  of  one  of 
his  pursuers  took  effect,  killing  his  horse  and  wounding  him 
severely.  He  was  again  a  prisoner — as  the  savages  came  up, 
Winnemeg  and  Wa-ban-see,  two  of  their  number  and  both  his 
friends,  used  all  their  endeavors  in  order  to  save  hin ;  they  had 
disengaged  him  already  from  his  horse,  and  were  supporting  him 
along,  when  Pee-so-tum,  a  Pottawatomie  Indian,  drawing  his 
scalping-knife,  stabbed  him  in  the  back,  and  thus  inflicted  a  mortal 
wound.  After  struggling  for  a  moment  he  fell  and  breathed  his 
last  in  the  arms  of  his  friends,  a  victim  for  those  he  had  sought 
to  save — a  sacrifice  to  his  own  rash,  presumptuous,  and  perhaps 
indiscreet  intentions. 

The  battle  having  ended  and  the  prisoners  being  secured,  the 
latter  were  conducted  to  the  Pottawatomie  camp  near  the  fort. 
Here  the  wife  of  Waw-bee-wee-nah,  an  Illinois  chief,  perceiving 
the  exhausted  condition  of  Mrs.  Helm,  took  a  kettle  and  dipping 
up  some  water  from  the  stream  which  flowed  sluggishly  by  them, 
threw  into  it  some  maple  sugar,  and  stirring  it  up  with  her  hand 
gave  her  to  drink.  "It  was,"  says  Mrs.  Helm,  "the  most 
delicious  draught  I  had  ever  taken,  and  her  kindness  of  maimer, 
amid  so  much  atrocity,  touched  my  heart."  Her  attention,  how- 
ever, was  soon  directed  to  other  objects.  The  fort,  after  the  troops 
had  marched  out,  became  a  scene  of  plunder.  The  cattle  were 
shot  down  as  they  ran  at  large,  and  lay  dead  or  were  dying 
around  her.  It  called  up  afresh  a  remark  of  Ensign  Ronan's 
made  before:  "Such,"  said  he,  "is  to  be  our  own  fate — to  be 
shot  down  like  brutes." 

The  wounded  prisoners,  we  have  already  remarked,  were  not 
included  in  the  stipulation  made  on  the  battle-field,  as  the  Indians 
understood  it.  On  reaching,  therefore,  the  Pottawatomie  camp,  a 
scene  followed  which  beggars  description. 


30  niSTOEY    OF  THE    GREAT   FIRES 

A  wounded  soldier  Iving  on  the  ground  was  violently  assaulted 
by  an  old  squaw,  infuriated  by  the  loss  of  friends,  or  excited 
by  the  murderous  scenes  around  her,  who,  seizing  a  pitchfork, 
attacked  with  demoniac  ferocity  and  deliberately  murdered,  in 
cold  blood,  the  wretched  victim  now  helpless  and  exposed  to  the 
burning  rays  of  the  sun,  his  wounds  already  aggravated  by  its 
heat,  and  he  writhing  in  torture.  During  the  succeeding  night 
five  other  wounded  prisoners  were  tomahawked. 

Those  wounded  remained  in  the  wigwams  of  their  captors. 
The  work  of  plunder  being  now  completed,  the  fort  next  day  was 
set  on  lire.  A  fair  and  equal  distribution  of  all  the  finery  belong- 
ing to  the  garrison  had  apparently  been  made,  and  shawls  and 
ribbons  and  feathers  were  scattered  about  the  camp  in  great 
profusion.  The  family  of  the  principal  Indian  trader  having 
been  moved  across  the  river.  Black  Partridge  and  Wa-bau-see, 
with  three  other  friendly  Indians,  stood  sentinels  at  his  door. 
Everything  was  now  tranquil.  Even  savage  ferocity  appeared  to 
be  gorged.  Soon,  however,  a  partj-  of  Indians  from  the  Wabash 
arrived,  the  most  implacable  of  all  the  Pottawatomies. 

Runners  had  been  sent  to  all  their  villages,  and  informatioa 
transmitted  thither  that  the  fort  was  to  be  evacuated,  that  its 
spoils  were  to  be  divided  among  the  savages,  and  its  garrison  to 
be  massacred ;  they  had  therefore  hurried  on  with  their  utmost 
speed  to  participate  in  the  exhilarating  and  awful  scene.  On 
arriving  at  tlio  Aux  Plains  they  were  met  by  a  party  returning 
from  Chicago  bearing  a  wounded  chief  along.  Infoi'med  by  these 
friends  that  a  battle  had  been  fought  and  a  victory  won,  that  its 
spoils  had  been  divided  among  the  conquerors,  and  the  prisoners 
scalped  and  slain  (and  they  not  present),  their  rage  was  unbounded. 
The}'  therefore  accelerated  their  march,  and  on  reaching  Chicago 
blackened  their  faces  in  token  of  their  intentions,  and  entered  the 
parlor  of  the  Indian  trader  before  referred  to  where  the  family 


m    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  31 

were  assemlilcd  -.vitli  their  faithful  protectors  aronnd,  and  seated 
thcinselves  without  ceremony  in  silence  upon  the  floor. 

Black  Partridge,  perceiving  in  theii'  looks  what  was  passing  in 
tlieir  minds,  and  not  daring  to  remonstrate,  observed  in  an  under 
tone  to  Wa-ban-see,  "  We  have  endeavored  to  save  onr  friends, 
but  all  is  in  vain — nothing  will  save  them  now."  At  this  moineiii 
another  party  of  Indians  arrived,  and  a  friendly  whoop  was  heard 
from  the  opposite  shore.  Black  Partridge  sprung  upon  his  feet, 
and  advancing  to  the  river's  bank,  met  tlieir  chief  as  he  landed. 

*'  Who,"  said  Black  Partridge,  "  are  yon  ?  "  "A  man,"  i-e- 
plied  the  cl\Ief ;  "  M'ho  are  you  ?  "  "A  man  like  yourself."  "  But 
tell  me,"  said  Black  Partridge,  "who  are  you  for?"  "I  am," 
said  he,  "  the  Sau-ga-nash."  "  Then  make  all  speed  to  the  house," 
replied  the  former ;  "  your  friends  are  in  danger,  and  you  only 
can  save  them." 

Billy  Caldwell,  the  newly  arrived  chief  (for  it  was  he),  there- 
upon hurried  immediately  thither,  entered  the  parlor  with  a  calm 
deliberate  step,  and  without  the  least  agitation  in  Ids  manner, 
took  off  his  accoutrements,  and  placing  his  rifle  behind  the  door, 
saluted  the  hostile  savages.  "  How  now,  my  friends?"  said  lie, 
"  a  good  day  to  you.  I  was  told  there  were  enemies  here  ;  but  I 
am  glad  to  find  none  but  friends.  Why  have  you  blackened  _your 
faces  ?  Are  you  mourning  for  the  friends  3^ou  have  lost  in  tlie  bat- 
tle (purposely  mistaking  the  token  of  their  evil  intentions),  or  are 
you  fiisting?  If  so,  ask  our  friend  here  and  he  wUl  give  you  to 
eat.  He  is  the  Indians'  friend,  and  never  reli.r^ed  them  what 
they  had  need  of." 

Taken  thus  by  surprise,  the  savages  were  ashamed  to  acknowl 
edge  their  bloody  purpose  ;  and  in  a  subdued  and  modest  tone  said 
they  had  come  to  beg  of  their  friend  some  white  cotton,  in  which 
to  wi-ap  their  dead  before  interring  them.  This  was  given  them, 
with  other  presents,  and  they  quietly  departed. 

Captain   and  Mrs.    Heald  were  sent  across    the  lake  to  St. 


32  HISTORY    OF    THE    GKEAT   FERES 

Joseph's  after  the  battle  ;  the  former  was  twice,  and  the  laUer 
seven  times  wounded  in  the  engagement.  The  horse  rode  by 
Mrs.  Heald  was  a  fine  spirited  animal,  and  the  Indians  were 
anxious  to  obtain  it  uninjured.  Their  shots  were  therefore  prin- 
cipally aimed  at  the  rider.  Her  captor  being  about  to  tear  off 
her  bonnet,  in  order  to  scalp  her,  young  Chaudonnaire,  an  Indian 
of  the  St.  Joseph's  tribe,  knowing  her  personally,  came  to  her 
I'escne.  and  offered  a  mule  he  had  just  taken  for  her  ransom  ;  to 
this  he  added  a  promise  of  ten  bottles  of  whiskey.  The  latter 
was  a  strong  temptation.  Her  captor,  perceiving  that  she  was 
badly  wounded,  observed  that  she  might  die,  and  asked  him  if  ho 
would  give  him  the  whiskey  at  all  events  ;  he  promised  to  do  so, 
and  the  bargain  was  concluded. 

Mrs.  Heald  was  afterward  put .  into  a  boat  in  company  with 
others,  including  her  children,  and  a  buffalo  robe  thrown  over 
them.  She  was  then  enjoined  to  be  silent,  as  she  valued  her  life. 
In  this  situatio|>  she  remained,  without  uttering  a  sound  that 
could  betray  her  to  the  savages,  who  came  frequently  to  the  boat 
in  search  of  prisoners.  Captain  Heald  was  captured  by  an  Indian 
from  the  Kankakee,  who,  having  a  strong  personal  regard  for 
him,  and  seeing  the  wounded  and  enfeebled  condition  of  his  wife, 
released  him  without  ransom,  in  order  that  he  might  accompany 
Mrs.  Heald^  to  St.  Joseph's.  To  the  latter  place  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Heald  were  conveyed  by  Chaudonnaire  and  his  party.  The 
Indian  who  had  so  nobly  released  his  prisoner,  on  returning  to 
his  tribe,  found  them  dissatisfied ;  and  their  displeasure  became 
so  manifest  that  he  resolved  to  make  a  journey  to  St.  Joseph's,  to 
reclaim  his  prisoner  ISTews,  however,  of  his  intention  preceding 
him,  Mr.  and  Mrs  Heald,  by  the  aid  and  influence  of  To-pa-na- 
bee  and  Kee-po-tah,  were  put  into  a  bark  canoe,  and  paddled  bj 
A  chief  of  the  Pottawatomies  and  his  wife  to  Mackinaw,  three 
hundred  miles  distant,  along  the  eastern  coast  of  Lake  Michigan, 
and  delivered  to  the  British  commander.     They  were  kindly  re- 


TN   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  35 

ceived,  and  sent  afterward  as  prisoners  to  Detroit,  where  they 
were  finally  exchanged. 

Lieutenant  Helm  was  wonnded  in  the  action,  and  taken  pris- 
oner ;  he  was  afterward  removed  by  some  friendly  Indians  to  the 
An  Sable,  and  from  thence  to  St.  Louis,  and  liberated  from  cap- 
tivity through  the  intervention  of  Mr.  Thomas  Forsythe,  an 
Indian  trader. 

Mrs.  Helm  was  wounded  slightly  in  the  ankle,  had  her  horse 
shot  from  under  her,  and  after  passing  through  several  agonizing 
scenes,  was  taken  to  Detroit. 

The  soldiers,  with  their  wives  and  children,  were  dispersed 
among  the  Pottawatomies  on  the  Illinois,  the  "Wabash,  and  Rock 
rivers,  and  some  were  taken  to  Milwaukie.  In  the  following 
spring  they  were  principally  collected  at  Detroit,  and  ransomed. 
A  part  of  them,  however,  remained  in  captivity  another  year,  and 
during  that  period  experienced  more  kindness  than  they  or  their 
friends  had  anticipated. 


CHAPTER  III. 
The  indolent,  debauched  barbarians  were  among  the  most 
serious  obstructions  to  the  progress  of  the  infant  town,  as  their 
bloody  and  vengeful  ancestors  had  hindered  the  early  settlement. 
Men  were  unwilling  to  hazard  their  scalps  in  unequal  contests 
with  these  wild  savages  unless  there  was  some  pritG  to  be  gained 
worthy  the  dangerous  venture ;  and  when  they  had  become  tamed 
they  were  still  animals,  corrupt  and  corrrupting.  The  condition 
of  the  muddy  banks  of  Chicago  river  and  the  outlaying  prairie 
was  not  particularly  inviting  to  persons  of  ^intelligence,  who  had 
been  accustomed  to  the  comparative  civilization  and  improve- 
ments of  the  East.     But  one  by  one  these  obstacles  disappeared. 


36  HISTOKT   OF   THE   GKEAT  FIEES 

The  inferior  race,  made  so  bj  ages  of  ignorance  and  superstition, 
mnst  inevitably  go  down  before  the  superior,  exalted  by  centuries 
of  education  and  Christian  influences.  Once,  indeed,  Teuton  and 
Saxon  and  Celt  were  low  down  in  the  scale  of  humanity,  scarcely 
equalling  the  North  American  Indian  in  his  best  estate;  and  long 
periods  of  revolution  and  elevation  preceded  the  present  high 
position  they  occupy  in  the  New  World.  And  now,  placed  on 
the  borders  of  civilization,  exposed  to  the  low  and  debasing  influ- 
ences of  barbarism,  they  are  liable  to  descend  to  a  depth  of  degra- 
dation scarcely  conceivable.  In  1S27  an  agent  of  the  Govern- 
ment reported  Chicago  as  having  no  dwellings  above  kennels  and 
pens,  and  described  the  squatters  as  "  a  miserable  race  of  men, 
hardly  equal  to  the  Indians."  It  was  therefore  a  policy  of  wis- 
dom in  the  United  States,  and  even  of  humanity,  to  remove  the 
savages  to  a  distance  from  the  whites,  between  whom  a  mutual 
degradation  was  exerted.  We  submit  Parton's  description,  which 
graphically  tells  the  story  and  justifies  the  action  of  the  authori- 
ties, while  it  enables  us  to  realize  some  of  the  gigantic  difiicultiea 
under  which  our  infant  city  labored  : — 

"On  a  day  in  September,  1833,  seven  thousand  of  them 
gathered  at  the  village  to  meet  Commissioners  of  the  United 
States  for  the  purpose  of  selling  their  lands  in  Illinois  and  Wis- 
consin. In  a  large  tent  on  the  bank  of  the  river  the  chiefs 
signed  a  treaty  which  ceded  to  the  United  States  the  best  twenty 
million  acres  of  the  Northwest,  and  agreed  to  remove  twenty 
days'  journey  west  of  the  Mississippi.  A  year  later  four  thou- 
sand of  the  dusky  nuisances  assembled  in  Chicago  to  receive 
their  first  annual  annuity.  The  goods  to  be  distributed  were 
heaped  upon  the  prairie,  and  the  Indians  were  made  to  sit  down 
around  the  pile  in  circles,  the  squaws  sitting  demurely  in  the 
outer  ring.  Thoser  who  were  selected  to  distribute  the  mer- 
chandise took  armfuls  from  the  heap,  and  tossed  the  articles 
to  favorites  seated  on  the  ground.     Those  who  were  overlooked 


•  m  crncAGO  axd  tee  west.  37 

soon  grew  impatient,  rose  to  tlieir  feet,  pressed  forward,  and  at 
last  rushed  upon  the  pile,  each  struggling  to  seize  something 
from  it.  So  severe  was  tlie  scramble,  that  those  who  had  secured 
an  armful  could  not  get  away,  and  the  greater  number  of  empty- 
handed  could  not  get  near  the  heap.  Then  those  on  the  outside 
began  to  hurl  lieavy  articles  at  the  crowd,  to  clear  the  way  for 
themselves,  and  the  scramble  ended  in  a  fight,  in  which  several 
of  the  Indians  were  killed  and  a  large  number  wounded.  Night 
closed  in  on  a  wild  debauch,  and  when  the  next  morning  arrived 
few  of  the  Indians  were  the  better  off  for  the  thirty  thousand 
dollars'  worth  of  goods  which  had  been  given  them.  Similar 
scenes,  with  similar  bloody  results,  were  enacted  in  the  fall 
of  1835  ;  but  that  was  the  last  Indian  payment  Chicago  ever  saw. 

"  In  September,  1835,  a  long  train  of  forty  wagons,  each 
drawn  by  four  oxen,  conveyed  away,  across  the  pi-airies,  the 
children  and  effects  of  the  Pottawatomies,  the  men  and  able- 
bodied  women  walking  alongside.  In  twenty  days  they  crossed 
the  Mississippi,  and  for  twenty  days  longer  continued  their  west- 
ward march,  and  Chicago  was  troubled  with  them  no  more. 
Walking  in  the  imposing  streets  of  the  Chicago  of  to-day,  how 
difficult  it  is  to  realize  that  thirty-two  years  have  not  elapsed 
since  the  red  men  were  dispossessed  of  the  very  site  on  which  the 
city  stands,  and  were  '  toted '  off  in  forty  days  to  a  point  now 
reached  in  fifteen  hours." 

Were  there  space  to  insert  here,  after  the  above  interesting 
exit  of  "poor  Lo,"  Judge  Ruger's  poem  nailed  to  the  walls  of  the 
Old  Block  House  which  was  threatened  with  demolition,  we 
slionld  perceive  how  fondly  the  early  settlers  clung  to  the  relic 
whose  reminiscences  were  full  of  painful  interest.  The  Fort 
was  abandoned  in  consequence  of  the  unsettled  state  of  affairs 
in  the  country;  but  as  men  would  congregate  here,  it  was  rebuilt 
in  1816,  and  finally  demolished  in  1856.  Our  people  scarcely 
have  time  or  space  to  devote  to  what  is  not  strictly  practicable 


38  HISTOKY   OF   THE   GEE  AT  FIRES 

for  present  uses,  and  hence  the  relics  of  other  days  soon  fade  and 
perish  from  neglect  or  actual  violence. 

She  boldly  faced  the  daring  foe, 

She  did  her  duty  well. 
She  kept  the  white  men's  foes  at  bay — 

The  savage  hounds  of  heU ! 


CHAPTER  rV. 

Another  difficulty  which  oppressed  the  early  settlers  was  the 
mud,  which  at  times  seemed  bottomless.  Where  the  city  lately 
prospered  in  all  its  glory  and  grandeur,  with  clean  streets,  deep 
basements,  and  dry  cellars,  and  buildings  rising  in  toAvered  ma- 
jesty, the  water  stood  a  portion  of  the  year,  or  teams  struggled, 
helplessly  "  slewed "  in  the  deep  black  ooze  of  the  streets  and 
prairies.  Often  a  wagon  would  sink  so  far  that  little  but  the 
tongue  appeared  to  indicate  where  the  remainder  lay.  Or  a 
board  was  set  up  with  a  rude  inscription,  evidently  facetious, 
"No  bottom  here."  The  water  was  surface  water,  and  little 
better  than  if  dipped  out  of  a  pool  by  the  road-side.  The  river's 
mouth  was  choked  by  a  bar  of  sand  which  destroyed  the  har- 
bor, and  communication  with  the  better  portions  of  the  country 
was  extremely  precarious.  More  than  two  centuries  after  the 
Pilgrims  landed  at  Plymouth  all  this  vast  prairie  region  was,  as 
it  were,  a  wilderness  occupied  by  wild  beasts  and  still  wilder 
men,  and  the  metropolis  of  the  Northwest  yet  lay  floundering 
like  an  infant  in  swaddling  clothes — so  slowly  does  the  Creator 
evolve  His  plans,  and  leave  something  ever  fresh  and  rich  for 
human  enterprise  to  discover  and  possess.  The  bold  fathers  of 
N"ew  England  wrung  from  nature's  bosom  scanty  nourishment; 
and  her  cities  grew  slowly — far  more  slowly  than  the  western 
Hercules.    When  the  East  had  become  established  in  wealth,  and 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  39 

overflowed  with  brains  and  energy,  here  was  the  natural  outlet 
and  place  for  expansion  and  investment.  God  had  made  the 
flattest  spot  on  the  continent  the  fit  location  for  that  "city  set  on 
a  hill  which  cannot  be  hid."  For,  singularly  enough,  the  rain 
tliat  falls  in  this  spot  finds  its  way  by  natural  courses  partly  to 
the  Atlantic  by  the  St.  Lawrence  and  partly  to  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  by  the  Mississippi.  There  is  Lake  Michigan  connecting 
us  with  the  northern  seas,  and  the  Illinois  river  bearing  our 
sewerage  to  the  southern  ocean,  A  few  men  were  gifted  with 
that  far-sightedness  that  enabled  them  to  see  how  the  .young 
child  must  grow.  They  had  even  seen  his  star  in  the  East,  and 
they  came  with  their  gifts  of  courage,  talent,  hope,  and  industry 
to  lay  them  at  his  feet,  and  swear  allegiance  to  the  destiny  of  the 
promising  Infant. 


40  HTRTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 


IL    THE   YOUTH. 


CHAPTER   V. 


Men  early  undervalued  land  without  trees,  and  often  chose  the 
openings,  or  groves,  the  sheltered  banks  of  streams,  or  hilly  loca- 
tions, in  preference  to  these  naked  prairies.  All  lived  to  regret 
their  choice  who  saw  the  development  of  these  portions  of  the 
soil  which  contain  the  largest  and  best  accumulations  of  fertility, 
and  offer  the  easiest  opportunities  for  cultivation.  At  certain 
seasons  they  seem  barren  and  gloomy  in  their  nakedness,  but  at 
most  periods  there  is  something  beautiful  in  their  boundlessness, 
like  the  ocean's  expanse;  and  their  undulating  bosom,  like  the  sea 
in  a  storm,*is  covered  with  a  green  spray,  or  lit  up  with  the  golden 
glory  of  abundant  harvests. 

It  was  doubtless  a  blessing  to  our  country  that  the  Pilgrims  did 
not,  like  the  early  Spaniards,  light  upon  these  rich  parts  of  the 
country,  or  discover  the  mineral  resources  of  the  Pacific  coast. 
The}'-  grew  a  nobler  race  in  consequence  of  their  tough  encoun- 
ters with  savage  men,  and  the  rugged  shores  and  hills  of  New 
England.  We  had  a  basis  of  moral  and  mental  stability,  and 
political  prosperity,  when  the  gates  were  flung  wide  and  the 
world  invited  to  pour  their  masses  forth  upon  these  virgin  treasures. 

The  Illinois  river  flows  into  the  Mississippi,  and  is  connected 
with  Lake  Michigan  by  a  canal  at  La  Salle,  ninety-six  miles  from 
Chicago.  This  great  work  was  begun  in  1836,  and  completed 
fn  1848,  and  many  thousands  were  already  awaiting  its  benefits 
in  the  yoimg  city,  where  the  transshipment  of  the  produce  of  the 
Southern  counties  must  furnish  employment  and  create  business 


m   CHICAGO    AND   THE   AVEST.  41 

This  enterprise  gave  Chicago  its  first  strong  push  upward.  In 
later  days  the  ditch  has  been  so  deepened  that  the  amber-colored 
waters  of  our  lake  flow  through  the  Cliicago  river  and  cleanse 
out  its  filth,  so  long  an  ofience  whose  rankness  smelled  to  heaven 
Until  last  spring,  or  the  early  summer  of  1871,  at  all  seasons, 
except  when  the  ice  shut  down  the  foul  odors,  there  rose  from  the 
bayou  or  lagoon  lying  stagnant  along  its  twelve  or  fifteen  miles, 
unless  stirred  by  the  pumps,  the  vilest  stench,  which  not  only  dis- 
gusted the  senses,  but  attacked  the  health  of  our  citizens.  To 
strangers  it  was  a  perpetual  source  of  raillery.  A  story  is  told  of 
a  citizen  who  made  a  visit  in  June  to  the  country,  and  was  so 
overpowered  by  the  fresh  air  that  he  fainted,  and  was  revived 
only  upon  the  application  to  his  nose  of  a^decayed  fish.  As  he 
rallied,  and  speech  returned,  he  asked,  "  Where  am  I  ?  It  smells 
so  much  like  home."  The  canal  has,  therefore,  proved  a  double 
advantage,  never  to  be  overestimated,  in  bringing  us  into  contact 
and  relations  with  the  wealthy  heart  of  our  State,  and  bearing 
away  from  us  the  sewerage  of  a  populous  city.. 


CHAPfEE  VI. 

In  1832  there  was  a  tax  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  levied 
on  the  eight  hundred  people  then  dwelling  on  the  banks  of  Chi- 
cago river,  and  the  first  public  building  consumed  one-twelfth  of 
the  levy — "  a  pound  for  stray  cattle."  The  population  multiplied 
from  1S33,  though  in  183Y  there  were  but  4,470  persons  here. 
Government  began  to  dredge  out  the  river,  and  J^ature  helped 
with  a  freshet  that  swept  away  the  bar,  and  made  a  harbor  acces- 
sible to  the  largest  vessels.  The  Infant  then  became  the  Youth, 
and  people  were  wild  with  excited  hopes  of  sudden  riches. 


42  HISTORY    OF   THE    GRKAT   FIRES 

Ford's  History  of  Illinois  says:  In  the  spring  and  summer  of 
1S3G  the  great  land  and  town-lot  speculation  of  those  times  had 
fairly  reached  and  spread  over  Illinois.  It  commenced  in  the 
State  lirst  at  Cliicago,  and  was  the  means  of  building  up  that 
place,  in  a  year  or  two,  from  a  village  of  a  few  houses  to  be  a  city 
of  several  thousand  inhabitants.  The  story  of  the  sudden  fortunes 
made  there  excited  at  lirst  wonder  and  amazement,  next  a  gam- 
bling spirit  of  adventure,  and  lastly  an  all-absorbing  desire  for 
sudden  and  s])lendid  wealth.  Chicago  had  been  for  some  time 
only  a  great  town  market.  The  plots  of  towns  for  a  hundred 
miles  around  were  carried  there  to  be  disposed  of  at  auction. 
The  eastern  people  had  caught  the  mania.  Every  vessel  coming 
west  was  loaded  with  them,  their  money,  and  means,  bound  for 
Chicago,  the  great  fairyland  of  fortunes.  But,  as  enough  did  not 
come  to  satisfy  the  insatiable  greediness  of  Chicago  sharpers* 
and  speculators,  they  frequently  consigned  their  wares  to  eastern 
markets.  Thus,  a  vessel  would  be  freighted  with  land  and  town 
lots,  bound  for  New  York  and  Boston  markets,  at  less  cost  than 
a  barrel  of  flour.  In  fact,  lands  and  town-lots  w^ere  the  staple  ot 
the  country,  and  were  the  only  article  of  export. 

Outside  the  little  town  floundering  in  the  mud,  there  were 
sturdy  farmers  wresting  from  the  black  and  fertile  soil  their  hid- 
den treasures.  These  men  had  Chicago  for  their  chief  market, 
and  contributed  to  raise  it  from  the  revulsions  which  cast  it  down 
in  1836  and  183T.  It  is  interesting  to  notice  how  the  country 
made  the  city,  and  this  reacted  upon  the  country,  so  that  the 
whole  Northwest  is  vitally  concerned  in  the  prosperity  of  her 
metropolis.  "We  turn  again  to  Barton's  description  of  this  period, 
and  of  the  progress  in  business  now  steadily  observable. 

"  A  little  beef  had  already  been  salted  and  sent  across  the  lake ; 
but  in  1839  the  business  began  to  assume  promising  proportions, 
3,000  cattle  having  been  driven  in  from  the  prairies,  barrelled, 
and  exported.     In  1838  a  ven  turesome  trader  shipped  thirty-nine 


m    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  4S 

two-bnsliel  bags  of  wheat.  Next  year,  nearly  4,000  bushels  were 
exported;  the  next,  10,000;  the  next,  40,000.  In  1842  the 
amount  rose,  all  at  once,  from  40,000  to  nearly  600,000,  and 
announced  to  parties  interested  that  the  "  hard  times  "  were  com- 
ing to  an  end  in  Cljicago.  But  the  soft  times  were  not.  That 
mountain  of  grain  was  brought  into  this  quagmire  of  a  town  from 
far  back  in  the  prairies, — twenty,  fifty,  one  hundred,  and  even 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles !  The  season  for  carrying  grain  to 
market  is  also  the  season  of  rain,  and  many  a  farmer  in  those 
times  has  seen  his  load  hopelessly  "  slewed  "  within  what  is  now 
Chicago.  The  streets  used  often  to  be  utterly  choked  and  impas- 
sable from  the  concourse  of  wagons,  which  ground  the  roads  into 
long  vats  of  blacking.  And  yet,  before  there  was  a  railroad 
begun  or  a  canal  finished,  Chicago  exported  two  and  a  quarter 
millions  of  bushels  of  grain  in  a  year,  and  sent  back  on  the  most 
of  the  wagons  that  brought  it,  part  of  a  load  of  merchandise." 

In  1849  the  first  locomotive  halted  ten  miles  below  the  city, 
and  heralded  the  coming  of  the  tide  that  rolled  across  the  prairies, 
as  the  Nile  fi-eshets  enrich  its  banks.  The  immigrants  were 
usually  of  the  better  class,  and  made  communities  which  have  no 
superiors  in  the  civilized  world. 


CHAPTER  VIL 

DuKiNG  these  years,  between  1833  and  1850,  men  came  here 
who  have  made  the  city  great  by  their  labors.  Many  of  these 
noble  spirits  lived  only  long  enough  to  see  the  name  of  Chicago 
respected  and  honored,  and  escaped  the  sorrow  of  ^vitnessing  her 
proud  career  so  cruelly  arrested.  Others  still  survive  the  confla- 
gration, who  have  lost  much  of  their  accumulations ;  perhaps  all 


M  HISTOKT   OF   THE   GKEAT   FniES 

is  cousumed;  they  are  left  to  an  old  age  of  disappointment 
and  want.  Of  the  prominent  citizens  whose  brain  and  energy 
gave  the  city  its  present  pre-eminence,  some  are  yet  in  the  prime 
of  vigorous  manhood,  and  will  rally  to  rebuild  and  restore  that 
which  was  at  once  their  pride  and  .joy.  They  are  crippled  in 
resources,  but  undaunted  in  spirit.  We  can  give  a  view  of  the 
youth  of  this  region  and  city  with  increased  vividness  by  sketch- 
ing briefly  the  career  of  some  of  these  ]3nblic-spirited  men,  who 
became  early  identified  with  the  fortunes  of  Chicago.  One,  of 
whom  all  persons  familiar  with  our  affairs  would  be  quick  to 
speak  and  glad  to  hear,  is  a  gentleman  who  has  experienced  very 
severe  losses  both  here  and  in  the  States  devastated  at  the  same 
time. 

Wm.  B.  Ogden,  the  Railway  King  of  the  West,  still  towers 
among  us,  a  strong  refuge  and  help  in  our  time  of  need.  From  a 
faithful  notice  in  Biographical  Sketches,  we  glean  these  items  : — 

"  He  arrived  at  Chicago  ^n  June,  1835,  having  then  recently 
united  with  friends  in  the  purchase  of  real  estate  in  this  city.  He 
and  they  foresaw  that  Chicago  was  to  be  a  g©od  town,  and  they 
purchased  largely,  including  Wolcott's  addition,  and  nearly  the 
half  of  Kinzie's  addition,  and  the  block  of  land  upon  which  the 
freight-houses  of  the  Galena  and  Chicago  Union  Eailroad  now 
stand. 

Mr.  Ogden  was  very  successful  in  his  operations  in  1835-6 ; 
but  he  became  embarrassed  in  1837-  8,  by  assuming  liabilities  for 
friends,  several  of  whom  he  endeavored  to  aid,  with  but  partial 
success.  He  struggled  on  with  these  embarrassments  for  several 
years.  Finally,  in  1842-3,  Mr.  Ogden  escaped  from  the  last  of 
them ;  and  since  then  his  career  of  pecuniary  success  has  been  un- 
clouded. They  were  gloomy  days  for  Chicago  when  the  old  inter- 
nal improvement  system  went  by  the  board,  and  the  canal  drew 
its  slow  length  along,  and  operations  upon  it  were  finally  suspend- 


EST    CrnCAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  45 

ed,  leaving  the  State  comparatively  nothing  to  show  for  the  mil- 
lions squandered  in  "  internal  improvements." 

Plis  operations  in  real  estate  have  been  immense.  He  has  sold 
real  estate  for  himself  and  others  to  an  amount  exceeding  ten  mil- 
lions of  dollars,  requiring  many  thousand  deeds  and  contracts 
which  have  been  signed  by  him.  The  fact  that  the  sales  of  his 
house  have,  for  some  years  past,  equalled  nearly  one  million  of 
dollars  per  annum,  will  give  some  idea  of  the  extent  of  his  busi- 
ness. He  has  literally  made  the  rough  places  smooth  and  the 
crooked  ways  straight,  in  Chicago.  More  than  one  hundred  miles 
of  streets,  and  hundreds  of  bridges  at  street  cornei-s,  besides  sev- 
eral other  bridges,  including  two  over  the  Chicago  river,  have 
been  made  by  him,  at  the  private  expense  of  himself  and  clients, 
and  at  a  cost  of  probably  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars. 

Mr.  Ogden's  mind  is  of  a  very  practical  character.  The  first 
floating  swing  bridge  over  the  Chicago  river  was  built  by  him  for 
the  city,  on  Clark  street ;  (before  he  ever  saw  one  elsewhere), 
and  answered  well  its  designed  purpose.  He  was  early  engaged 
in  introducing  into,  extensive  use  in  the  West  McCormick's  reap- 
ing and  mowing  machines,  and  building  up  the  first  large  factory 
for  their  manufacture — that  now  owned  by  the  McCormicks.  In 
this  manufactory,  during  Mr.  Ogden's  connection  with  it,  and  at 
his  suggestion,  was  built  the  first  reaper  sent  to  England,  and 
Avhich  at  the  great  Exhibition  of  1851,  in  London,  did  so  much 
for  the  credit  of  American  manufactures  there. 

He  was  a  contractor  upon  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal,  and 
his  efforts  to  prevent  its  suspension,  and  to  resuscitate  and  com- 
plete it,  were  untiring. 

Mr.  Ogden  is  a  man  of  great  public  spirit,  and  in  enterprise 
unsurpassed.  To  recapitulate  the  public  undertakings  which  have 
commanded  his  attention  and  received  his  countenance  and  sup- 
port, would  be  to  catalogue  most  of  those  in  this  section  of  the 
Northwest. 


46  mSTOKT   OF   THE   GEEAT   FIKES 

Mr.  Ogden  has  never  married.  In  1837  he  built  a  delightful  resi- 
dence in  the  centre  of  a  beautiful  lot,  thickly  covered  with  fine  na- 
tive growth  forest  trees,  and  surrounded  by  four  streets,  in  that  part 
of  the  city  called  North  Chicago ;  and  there,  when  not  absent 
from  home,  he  indulges  in  that  hospitality  which  is  at  the  same 
time  so  cheering  to  his  friends  and  so  agreeable  to  himself. 

What  the  presence  of  a  man,  born  like  him  to  command,  and 
organize  action,  might  have  done  for  our  stricken  city  we  now 
know  not.  As  soon  as  the  dreadful  tidings  reached  him,  as  will 
be  seen  from  his  letter  inserted  below,  he  flew  to  the  rescue. 
Thirty-five  years  ago  Mayor  Ogden  forecast  the  future,  as  men  of 
judgment  may  do,  but  this  vision  did  not  rush  red  on  his  sight 
Nevertheless,  he  rallies  in  youthful  zeal,  his  eye  not  dimmed  nor 
his  natural  force  abated,  to  gather  up  the  fragments,  and  recon- 
struct out  of  these  shattered  remains  a  city  that  shall  be  worthy 
of  the  lavish  gifts  of  nature,  and  the  splendid  endowments  of  cap- 
ital. His  words,  spoken  to  the  citizens  amidst  the  ruins,  and  in 
their  exchanges,  have  all  been  hopeful,  conciliatory,  and  wise. 
May  Heaven  grant  him  years  to  see  a  rehabilitation  of  our  dis- 
mantled town,  so  that,  like  the  patriarch,  his  last  days  may  be  his 
best.  His  letter  must  strike  every  mind  and  touch  the  heart 
with  the  sense  of  the  pathos  of  human  life;  for,  like  many  oth- 
ers, he  had  doubtless  come  to  feel  that  "  nothing  can  stop  Chicago 
now."  A  change  of  wind  for  a  few  hours  on  Monday  would  have 
fairly  blotted  us  out,  and  scattered  our  three  hundred  thousand 
people  to  the  four  winds  of  Heaven.  In  his  sublime  faith,  he 
says :  The  Northwest,  which  made  Chicago,  and  forces  her  on 
more  and  more  rapidlj^,  is  not,  except  in  her  sympathies  for  our 
great  loss,  affected  by  the  Chicago  fire,  and  her  borders  w^ere  never 
being  extended  so  fast,  so  broadly,  or  so  far,  by  railways,  by 
settlements,  improvements,  and  added  people  and  wealth,  as 
now ;  and  Chicago's  future  and  "  manifest  destiny  "  as  a  great 
metropolitan  Western  city  was  never  so  assured. 


EST   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  47 

"  ChicacxO,  October  11,  1871. 

"  I  left  New  York  on  Monday  morning  last,  and  readied  this 
utterly  indescribable  scene  of  destruction  and  rnin  on  Tuesday 
evening  after  dark. 

"  On  the  cars  I  kept  hearing  of  more  and  more  dreadful  things 
until  I  reached  here.  The  truth  cannot  well  be  exceeded  by 
report  or  imagination.  How  it  could  be  that  neither  buildings, 
men,  nor  anything  could  encounter  or  withstand  the  torrent  of 
fire  without  utter  destruction  is  explained  by  the  fact  that  the 
fire  was  accompanied  by  the  fiercest  tornado  of  wind  ever  known 
to  blow  here,  and  it  acted  like  a  perfect  blow-pipe,  driving  the 
brilliant  blaze  hundreds  of  feet  with  so  perfect  a  combustion  that 
it  consumed  the  smoke,  and  its  heat  was  so  great  that  fireproof 
buildings  sank  before  it  almost  as  readily  as  wood — nothing  but 
earth  could  withstand  it;  consequently  my  brother  Mahlon's 
house  is  the  only  unburned  dwelling  on  the  North  Side,  from  the 
river  to  Lincoln  Park,  within  half  or  three-quarters  of  a  mile  of 
the  lake  shore;  and  the  only  other  unburnt  buildings  were  two 
down  at  the  end  of  our  north  pier.  On  the  South  Side,  east  of  the 
South  Branch  and  north  of  Harrison  street,  but  two  buildings  are 
left. 

"  The  fire  advanced  almost  as  fast  as  you  could  escape  before 
it,  and  in  a  very  few  hours  about  one  hundred  thousand  people 
had  to  leave  their  houses  and  fiee  for  their  lives,  carrying  but 
little,  often  nothing,  with  them. 

"When  I  reached  the  depot  on  my  arrival  here  it  was  quite 
dark.  The  burning  district  had  no  lamp.  Thousands  of  smoulder- 
ing fires  were  all  that  could  be  seen,  and  they  added  to  the  mourn- 
ful gloom  of  all  around  you,  and  do  so  yet.  I  saw  no  one  that  I 
knew  at  the  depot,  and  had  as  yet  no  definite  knowledge  of  the 
extent  and  details  of  the  ruin.  I  hired  a  hack  and  started  for  my 
own  house,  directing  the  hackman — who  was  a  stranger — as  well 


48  mSTOKT    OF   THE    GREAT   FIKES 

as  I  could.  Often,  however,  I  was  lost  among  the  unrecognizable 
ruins,  and  could  not  tell  where  I  was.  Not  a  living  thing  was 
to  be  seen.  At  length,  however,  more  bj  the  burnt  trees  than 
anything  else,  I  threaded  my  way  over  the  fallen  dehris,  and  past 
the  pale  blue  iiames  of  the  winter's  stock  of  anthracite  coal  burn- 
ing in  almost  every  cellar,  until  I  came  to  the  ruined  trees  and 
broken  basement  walls — all  that  remained  of  my  more  than 
thirt}^  years'  pleasant  home.  All  was  blackened,  solitary,  smoul- 
dering ruins  around,  gloomy  beyond  description,  and  telling  a 
tale  of  woe  that  words  cannot. 

"I  proceeded  to  learn  the  fate  of  Mahlon's  and  Caroline's 
beautiful  places.  Near  the  ruined  water-works  on  Chicago 
avenue  I  saw  a  lantern ;  stopped  the  carriage,  got  out  and 
made  my  way,  over  fallen  walls  that  blocked  the  street  in 
many  places,  to  it,  and  there  met  the  engineer  of  the  water- 
works, whom  I  knew,  and  from  whom  I  first  learned  that 
Mahlon's  house,  through  the  efforts  of  General  Strong,  Charley, 
and  others,  was  the  only  one  unburned  in  all  that  region,  and  I 
gladly  made  my  way  to  it.  Found  Mahlon,  General  Strong, 
and  Charley  there,  all  the  rest  of  the  family  having  fled  to  Eiver- 
side. 

"  The  wind  at  the  time  of  the  fire  was  from  the  southwest,  and 
Mahlon's  house  being  some  six  hundred  to  eight  hundred  feet 
distant  from  others  across  the  park  in  that  direction,  the  flames 
could  not  reach  it  so  directly,  and  the  air  mingled  with  them 
more,  and  made  it  possible  to  live  and  breathe  there  while 
the  fiery  torrent  which  so  filled  the  air  passed.  Everything 
but  the  two  buildings  mentioned  is  swept  from  our  dock  and 
canal  property,  and  the  new  piers  are  considerably  injured. 

"  Aid  and  sympathy  come  to  us  from  all  quarters  with  a  -will 
that  touches  our  heart  to  the  core,  and  serves  us  wondeifully  in 
our  hour  of  need  ;  but  the  great  loss  and  ruin  remain. 

"  Worse  than  all  here,  so  far  as  it  goes,  is  the  utter  destruction 


m    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  49 

of  Pcshtego  village,  with  all  its  houses,  factories,  mills,  stores, 
machine-shops,  horses,  cattle,  aud,  sad  to  say,  seventy-five  to  one 
hundred  or  more  people.  Tliev  buried  yesterday  two  hundred 
and  fifty  of  the  farming  people  around  om-  mills,  burned  by  the 
tornado  on  their  farms  or  on  their  way  to  the  village  for  safety, 
and  seventy-five  more  from  the  village ;  and  it  is  said  others  are 
drowned  in  the  pond. 

"  My  large  mills  and  buildings  at  the  mouth  of  the  river 
escaped  entirely.  One  of  my  large  barge-vessels  was  burned,  and 
two  others  and  the  steamer  that  towed  them  are  missing  as  yet, 
since  the  storm,  with  a  million  of  lumber  on  them. 

"  I  have  been  two  days,  by  snatches  of  time,  writing  this,  with 
much  difficulty. 

"W.  B.  Ogden." 


CHAPTER  Vin, 

• 

One  of  the  sadder  features  of  the  conflagration  was  the  loss  of 
property  by  men  who  have  grown  gray  in  the  service  of  their  fel- 
low-men, and  whose  competence  seemed  assured.  Especially 
painful  was  this  aspect  of  the  case  when  men  were  sorely  wounded, 
whose  fortunes  have  been  sacredly  held  as  a  legacy  from  God  for 
the  promulgation  of  truth  and  the  amelioration  of  human  sorrow. 
Hon.  Samuel  Hoard  belonged  to  this  privileged  class  whose  delight 
is  in  promoting  the  welfare  of  mankind  and  the  glory  of  God. 
He  wears  the  hoary  head  which  is  a  crown  of  glory,  and  has  felt 
the  truth  of  that  scriptural  saying  that  riches  take  to  themselves 
wings  and  fly  away.  "What  he  has  given  he  has  as  an  everlast- 
ing treasure  laid  up  with  Him  who  loveth  a  cheerful  giver.  His 
life  is  inseparably  bound  up  with  young  Chicago,  and  we  take 
pleasure  in  reproducing  a  brief  view  of  his  history  here,  and  hid 


50  mSTOET   OF   THE   GREAT   FIEE8 

general  character  and  influence,  for  it  should  be  known  that  thfi 
men  who  did  most  for  the  rising  West  were  generally  men  of  in 
tegrity  and  Christian  virtue.  We  have  been  cursed  with  many 
bad  men,  and  blessed  with  many  whose  names  shine  on  the  scroll 
of  the  wise  and  good. 

Becoming  infected  with  the  Western  fever,  he  migrated  to  Illi- 
nois, and  commenced  life  in  Cook  County,  upon  a  prairie  farm.  In 
that  early  day  the  farmer  paid  great  prices  for  oxen  and  seed,  and 
obtained  small  prices  for  beef  and  grain,  so  that  the  prospects  of 
sudden  wealth  vanished,  or  were  dashed  with  disappointment. 
One  of  Mr.  Hoard's  neighbors  spent  two  days  in  marketing  a  load 
of  potatoes,  and  then,  not  finding  a  purchaser  who  w^ould  offer 
more  tlian  ten  cents  a  bushel,  he  drove  to  the  wharf,  dumped  his 
load  into  the  stream,  and  vowed  that  he  would  never  bring  anoth- 
er potato  to  that  market.  Tempora  inutantur!  In  1840  he  was 
appointed  to  take  the  State  census  for  the  County  of  Cook.  Chi- 
cago was  then  ambitious  to  be  considered  a  large  town.  But 
neither  he  nor  Sheriff  Sherman,  who  took  the  United  States  cen- 
sus, could  find  five  thousand  persons  in  that  infant  city.  In  1842 
he  was  elected  State  Senator,  and  served  in  the  sessions  of  1842-3. 
Being  soon  after  appointed  clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court,  he  removed 
to  the  city,  and  engaged  in  public  affairs  and  the  real  estate  busi- 
ness until  1845,  when  he  formed  a  partnership  with  J.  T.  Ed- 
wards in  a  jewelry  house,  where  he  continued  until  the  first  year 
of  the  war.  The  love  of  country  burned  in  his  bosom,  and  he 
threw  his  whole  soul  into  the  work  of  saving  the  nation  from  dis- 
memberment and  overthrow.  He  was  an  indefatigable  member 
of  the  Union  Defence  Committee,  and  gave  one  year's  gratuitous 
service,  as  secretary,  to  the  patriotic  labors  in  which  they  were 
absorbed.  He  was  appointed  by  President  Lincoln  postmaster 
of  Chicago,  and  retained  his  position,  filling  it  with  eminent  suc- 
cess, until  Mr.  Johnson's  general  proscription  cut  him  off,  with  so 
many  others,  from  the  public  service.     His  last  official  position 


SAMUEL   HOARD. 


IN    CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST.  Oj 

has  been  in  connection  with  the  Board  of  Health,  where  he  has 
rendered  the  public  invaluable  benefits  in  warding  off  the  scourge 
of  cholera,  the  attack  of  which  was  universally  dreaded.  He  has 
passed  through  an  eventful  experience,  and  in  his  old  age  has 
ample  means,  abundant  honors,  and  hosts  of  friends.  In  personal 
appearance  large  and  well-formed,  with  a  broad  and  high  forehead, 
and  a  digniiied  yet  graceful  carriage,  Mr.  Hoard  would  be  a  no- 
ticeable gentleman  in  any  company,  and  command  instant  respect. 
In  society  he  is  affable  and  courteous  to  all  classes,  and  diffuses 
an  agreeable  atmosphere  and  influence  wherever  he  mingles.  He 
exhibits  the  effect  of  his  association  with  men  of  talent  and  varied 
culture. 

Through  his  countenance  and  address  shines  also  his  kind  and 
unselfish  nature.  He  is  a  man  who  possesses  a  warm,  generous 
soul,  that  throbs  in  sympathy  with  human  experiences,  and  opens 
his  ear  and  his  hand  to  every  call  for  attention  and  succor.  Eter- 
nity only  will  reveal  the  instances  of  personal  kindness,  the  timely 
gifts,  the  encouraging  words,  the  helpful  visits,  the  cordial  greet- 
ing, which  have  made  him  beloved  and  honored. 

It  would  scarcely  be  possible  to  do  justice  to  the  Youth  of  this 
proud  municipality  without  introducing  "Long  John,"  who 
shipped  his  trunk  by  the  brig  Manhattan  from  Detroit,  and  set 
out  on  foot  to  reach  the  new  town  then  clustering  on  this  spot. 
He  was  a  Kew  Hampshire  boy,  and  his  legs  were  long,  and  he 
soon  made  his  way  along  the  beach  from  Michigan  City — this 
being  the  only  road  at  that  primitive  epoch — and  arrived  upon 
the  scene  of  his  exploits  and  triumphs  October  25,  1836.  The 
railroad  had  progressed  from  Schenectady  as  far  as  Utica  at  that 
date,  and  Illinois  was  farther  from  the  Yankees  than  Rome  or 
Athens  is  from  us,  and  almost  as  mythical  a  region  as  these 
places  are  now  to  many. 

"  John  Wentworth  is  one  of  the  very  few  men  now  living  who 
attended  the  meetings  called  in  the  winter  of  1836-7,  to  consider 


54  HISTORY    OF   THE   GKEAT   FIRES 

the  expediency  of  applying  to  the  Legislature,  in  session  at  Van- 
dalia,  for  a  city  charter. 

He  was  secretary  of  the  first  political  meeting  ever  called  in 
the  First  Ward  to  make  nominations  preliminary  to  the  first 
municipal  election,  and  at  which  meeting  Hon.  Francis  C.  Sher- 
man was  one  of  the  nominees  for  alderman.  In  August,  1837, 
he  was  secretary  of  a  convention  held  at  Brush  Hill  (now  of  Du 
Page  County),  to  nominate  oflicers  for  the  then  county  of  Cook, 
and  at  which  Walter  Kimball  was  nominated  for  Judge  of  Pro- 
bate. In  1838  he  was  appointed  school  inspector;  and  he  held 
the  same  office,  under  the  new  name  of  Member  of  the  Board  of 
Education,  when  he  was  last  elected  to  Congress.  He  has  met 
among  the  scholars,  whilst  making  his  ofiicial  visits,  the  grand- 
children of  those  he  met  as  scholars  in  his  first  year  of  service. 
He  was  the  first  corporation  printer  in  Chicago,  elected  in  1837, 
and  he  held  the  position  for  about  three-fourths  of  the  period  of 
the  twenty-five  years  that  he  was  sole  editor,  publisher,  and 
proprietor  of  the  Chicago  Democrat.  He  commenced  making 
public  speeches  at  our  first  municipal  election,  when  Hon,  W.  B. 
Ogden  was  elected  Mayor."  Often  Mayor  of  Chicago,  he  always 
gave  satisfaction  and  proved  himself  an  energetic  executive  ofii- 
cer.  To  have  seen  him  at  the  head  of  police  and  firemen  during 
the  Great  Fire  would  have  been  a  source  of  joy  to  the  good  citi- 
zens, and  gallant  little  Phil.  Sheridan  would  have-  earned  no 
laurels,  for  Mr.  Wentworth  would  have  had  no  need  of  military, 
and  would  have  fired  his  own  powder  in  arresting  the  flames.  As 
it  was,  all  things  were  ready,  except  our  leaders,  for  the  confla- 
gration, and  it  took  its  own  resistless  course,  and  won  its  awful 
victory. 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  55 

CHAPTER   IX. 

Among  onr  most  influential  men,  and,  alas!  heavy  losers  by  the 
fire,  is  Governor  Bross,  whose  outline  we  borrow  from  a  full  por- 
trait in  the  "  Western  Montlily  " : 

In  October,  1846,  Mr.  Bross  started  out  "West,  and  visited 
Chicago,  St.  Louis,  and  other  Western  cities.  Chicago,  though 
then  an  appai-entlj  unimportant  town — not  a  commercial  empo- 
rium, but  literally  a  " Garden  City" — was  recognized  by  his 
cultivated  eye  as  the  future  focus  of  the  great  Northwest.  He 
decided  to  make  it  his  home.  He  returned  to  the  East,  closed 
his  school,  and  moved  to  Chicago,  arriving  here  on  the  12th  of 
May,  1848,  as  the  active  partner  in  the  bookselling  firm  of 
Griggs,  Bross  &  Co. 

In  the  fall  of  1849,  Mr.  Bross  commenced  the  publication  of 
the  "Prairie  Herald,"  and  two  years  afterwards  the  "Democratic 


The  paper  was  "  started  "  with  a  definite  object — not  as  a  mere 
shift.  The  proprietors  had  carefully  canvassed  the  situation,  and 
come  to  the  conclusion  that  Chicago  and  the  West  were  about 
to  enter  on  a  rapid  and  tremendous  growth.  They  saw  that  this 
was  inevitable;  but  they  also  recognized  that  the  extent  of  that 
growth  would  largely  depend  upon  the  impression  which  Chicago 
should  make  abroad.  Mr.  Bross  at  once  bent  himself  to  a  study 
of  the  resources  of  this  i-egion,  and  then  set  about  with  equal 
diligence  to  let  the  world  know  their  character  and  extent.  He 
felt  that  all  that  was  necessary  was  to  exhibit  the  facts ;  that  the 
inference  would  be  irresistible;  that  the  brain  and  muscle,  the 
energy,  enterprise,  and  capital  needed  to  develop  this  fruitful 
scene  would  roll  in  like  the  tide  of  ocean,  if  the  world  was  posted 
in  regard  to  what  was  being  done  here  and  what  could  be  done. 

That  year  was  really  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  Chicago ;  it 
marked  the  Ijeginning  of  her  real  prosperity.     In  1852  the  city 


56  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIBE8 

was  opened  up  to  direct  relationship  with  the  East  by  the  twc 
great  iron  arteries  known  as  the  Michigan  Southern  and  the 
Michigan  Central  Kailroads.  The  roads  now  leading  westward 
from  Chicago  were  also  all  projected,  and  some  of  them  begun ; 
the  Galena  road  being  pushed  as  far  as  Elgin,  and  the  Kock  Island 
road  to  Joliet,  while  workmen  were  busy  on  the  track  of  the 
Illinois  Central.  Our  city  was  emerging  from  the  lethargy  which 
had  weighed  her  down  since  the  panic  of  1837,  and  was  asserting 
her  claim  to  be  the  great  railroad  and  commercial  focus  of  the 
Northwest. 

Mr.  Bross  loved  to  write  of  Chicago  in  the  then  present ; 
but  he  also  delighted  to  sketch  its  inevitable  future  as  it  appeared 
to  him.  Many  even  among  those  who  believed  that  Chicago 
would  be  a  great  city,  regarded  him  as  a  visionary  ;  but  the  most 
skeptical  have  since  confessed  that  he  saw  and  thought  accurately, 
judging  of  the  future  from  the  causes  then  operating  around 
him,  and  not  fondly  guessing  or  lazily  dreaming  out  visions  of 
grandeur.  Our  subsequent  history  has  realized  almost  all  that 
he  dared  to  predict.  In  his  pamphlet  of  1854  we  find  such  words 
as  these :  "  We  are  now  in  direct  railroad  connection  with  all 
the  Atlantic  cities  from  Portland  to  Baltimore.  Five,  and  at 
most  eight  years,  will  extend  the  circle  to  New  Orleans.  By 
that  time  also,  we  shall  shake  hands  with  the  rich  copper  and 
iron  mines  of  Lake  Superior,  both  by  canal  and  railroad,  and 
long  ere  another  seventeen  years  have  passed  away,  we  shall  have 
a  great  national  railroad  from  Chicago  to  Puget's  Sound,  with  a 
branch  to  San  Francisco."  On  another  page  of  the  same  pam- 
phlet, after  speaking  of  the  advantages  of  the  situation,  glancing  at 
the  light  death-rates,  and  alluding  comprehensively  to  the  position 
of  Chicago  at  the  head  of  the  great  chain  of  lakes,  as  guarantee- 
ing to  her  a  focal  point  from  and  to  which  should  flow  for  all 
time  the  articles  consumed  by,  and  productions  raised  in,  that 
immense  region  of  country  lying  to  the  westward,  hg  points  confi- 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  57 

dently  to  the  "  free  navigation  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  by  which  means 
vessels  loaded  at  our  docks  will  be  able  to  make  their  way  to  the 
ocean,  and  thence  direct  to  the  docks  of  Liverpool."  Looking 
around  on  the  great  coal-fields  of  Illinois,  the  lead  mines  of 
Galena,  and  the  grand  copper  mines  of  Lake  Superior,  he  wrote, 
that  they  all  "point  to  Chicago  as  the  ultimate  seat  of  extensive 
mamafactures."  In  the  light  of  our  present  knowledge  we  might  al- 
most be  tempted  to  think  that  these  expressions  were  mere  antedat- 
ed history.  Our  railroad  system  now  connects  Chicago  with  every 
part  of  the  Continent.  Long  before  the  seventeen  years  have 
passed  over  his  head,  he  has  lived  to  see  the  great  Pacific  Rail- 
road completed,  and  ship  navigation  around  Niagara  Falls  almost 
a  fixed  fact.  We  are  already  manufacturing  Lake  Superior  iron 
in  our  city,  and  our  vessels  carry  its  copper  to  the  East ;  while 
our  grain  and  pork  trade  have  long  since  mounted  far  up  into  the 
millions.    « 

It  is  difficult  to  conceive  how  the  burning  of  his  fondly-cher- 
ished city  must  have  crushed  the  heart  of  one  who  had  done  so 
much  to  raise  it  to  its  late  eminence.  Harder  still  to  realize  his 
feelings  as  he  saw  his  own  home  and  property  melting  and  smok- 
ing before  his  eyes,  and  he  powerless  to  save  them  !  Let  us  listen 
to  him  as  he  tells  the  story  of  his  experience  in  the  night  of  gloom 
and  on  the  following  day  : — 

"  About  2  o'clock  on  Monday  morning,  my  family  and  I  were 
aroused  by  Mrs.  Samuel  Bowles,  the  wife  of  the  proprietor  of  the 
Springfield  RepvMican^  who  happened  to  be  a  guest  in  our  house. 
We  had  all  gone  to  bed  very  tired  the  night  before,  and  had  slept 
BO  soundly  that  we  were  unaware  of  the  conflagration  till  it  had 
assumed  terrible  force.  My  family  were  all  very  much  alarmed 
at  the  glare  which  illuminated  the  sky  and  lake.  I  saw  at  once 
that  a  fearful  disaster  was  impending  over  Chicago,  and  immedi- 
ately left  the  house  to  determine  the  locality  and  extent  of  the 
fire.     I  found  that  it  was  then  a  good  deal  south  of  my  house  and 


58  mSTOEY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

west  of  the  Michigan  Soutliern  and  Rock  Island  Raih-oad  depots. 
1  went  home  considerably  reassured  in  half  an  hour,  and  finding  my 
family  packing  things  up,  told  them  that  I  did  not  anticipate  dan- 
ger, and  requested  them  to  leave  oiF  packing.  But  I  said  :  "  The 
result  of  this  night's  work  will  be  awful.  At  least  10,000  people 
will  want  breakfast  in  the  morning  ;  you  prepare  breakfast  for 
100,"  This  they  proceeded  to  do,  but  soon  became  again  alarmed 
and  recommenced  packing.  Soon  after  2^  o'clock  I  started  for 
The  Tribune  office,  to  see  if  it  was  in  any  danger.  By  this  time 
the  fire  had  crossed  the  river,  and  that  portion  of  the  city  south 
of  Harrison  street  and  between  Third  avenue  and  the  river,  seemed 
in  a  blaze  of  fire,  as  well  as  on  the  w^est  side.  I  reached  The  Tri- 
bune oftice,  and  seeing  no  cause  for  any  apprehension  as  to  its 
safety,  I  did  not  remain  there  more  than  twenty  minutes.  On 
leaving  the  ofiice  I  proceeded  to  the  ISTevada  Hotel  (which  is  my 
property),  at  Washington  and  Franklin  streets.  I  ren%ained  there 
for  an  hour  watching  the  progress  of  the  fiames  and  contemj)lating 
the  ruinous  destruction  of  property  going  on  around.  The  fire 
had  passed  east  of  the  hotel,  and  I  hoped  that  the  building  was 
safe;  but  it  soon  began  to  extend  in  a  westerly  direction,  and  the 
hotel  was  quickly  enveloped  in  flames.  I  became  seriously 
alarmed  and  ran  round  North  street  to  Randolph  street,  so  as  to 
head  off  the  flames  and  get  back  to  my  house,  which  was  on  Michi- 
gan avenue,  on  the  shore  of  the  Lake.  My  house  was  a  part  of 
almost  the  last  block  burned. 

At  this  time  the  fire  was  the  most  grandly-magnificent  scene  that 
one  can  conceive.  The  Court-House,  Post-Oifice,  Bar  well  Hall, 
the  Tremont  House,  Sherman  House,  and  all  the  splendid  build- 
ings on  La  Salle  and  Wells  streets,  were  burning  with  a  sublimity 
of  effect  which  astounded  me.  All  the  adjectives  in  the  language 
would  fail  to  convey  the  intensity  of  its  wonders.  Crowds  of  men, 
women,  and  children  were  hurrying  away,  running  first  in  one 
direction,  then  in  another,  shouting  and  crying  in  their  terror,  and 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  59 

tryiug  to  save  anything  they  could  lay  their  hands  on,  no  mattei 
how  trivial  in  value  ;  while  every  now  and  then  explosions,  which 
seemed  almost  to  shake  the  solid  earth,  reverberated  through  the 
air  and  added  to  the  terrors  of  the  poor  people.  I  crossed  Lake 
street  bridge  to  the  west,  ran  north  to  Kinzie  street  bridge,  and 
crossed  over  east  to  the  North  Side,  lioping  to  liead  off  the  fire.  It 
had,  however,  already  swept  north  of  me,  and  was  travelling  faster 
than  I  could  go,  and  I  so-^n  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  Would  be 
impossible  for  me  to  get  east  in  that  direction.  I  accordingly  re- 
crossed  Kinzie  street  bridge  and  went  west  as  far  as  Desplaines 
street,  where  I  fortunately  met  a  gentleman  in  a  buggy,  who  very 
kindly  drove  me  over  Twelfth  street  bridge  to  my  house  on  Michi- 
gan avenue.  It  was  by  this  time  getting  on  toward  5  o'clock,  and 
the  day  was  beginning  to  break.  On  my  arrival  home  I  found 
my  horses  already  harnessed  and  my  riding-horse  saddled  for  me. 
My  family  and  some  friends  were  all  busily  engaged  in  packing 
up  and  in  distributing  sandwiches  and  coffee  to  all  who  wanted 
them  or  could  spare  a  minute  to  partake  of  them. 

"I  immediately  jumped  on  my  horse  and  rode  as  fast  as  I 
could  go  to  The  Tribune  office.  I  found  everything  safe  ;  the 
men  were  all  there,  and  we  fondJy  hoped  that  all  danger  was 
passed  as  far  as  we  were  concerned,  and  for  this  reason:  the 
blocks  in  front  of  The  Tribune  building  on  Dearborn  street,  and 
north  on  Madison  street,  had  both  been  burned  ;  the  only  damage 
accruing  to  us  being  confined  to  a  cracking  of  some  of  the  plate- 
glass  windows  from  the  heat.  But  a  somewhat  curious  incident 
soon  set  us  all  in  a  state  of  excitement.  The  fire  had  unknown 
to  us  crawled  under  the  sidewalk  from  the  wooden  pavement,  and 
had  caught  the  wood-work  of  the  barber's  shop  which  comprises 
a  portion  of  our  basement.  As  soon  as  we  ascertained  the  extent 
of  the  mischief  we  no  longer  apprehended  any  special  danger, 
believing,  as  we  did,  that  the  building  was  fire-proof.  My  asso- 
ciates, Mr,  Medill  and  Mr.  White,  were  present ;  and,  with  the 


60  HISTORY   OF   THE   GREAT   FLBES 

help  of  some  of  our  employes,  we  went  to  work  with  water  and 
one  of  Babcock's  Fire  Extinguishers.  The  fire  was  soon  put  out, 
and  we  once  more  returned  to  business.  The  forms  had  been 
Bent  down  stairs,  and  I  ordered  our  foreman,  Mr.  Keiler,  to  get 
all  the  pressmen  together,  in  order  to  issue  the  papers  as  soon  as 
a  paragraph  showing  how  far  the  fire  had  then  extended  could  be 
prepared  and  inserted.  Many  kind  friends  gathered  round  the 
office  and  warmly  expressed  their  gratification  at  the  preservation 
of  our  building.  Believing  all  things  safe,  I  again  mounted  my 
horse  and  rode  south  on  State  street  to  see  what  progress  the  fire 
was  making,  and  if  it  was  moving  eastward  on  Dearborn  street. 
,  To  my  great  surprise  and  horror,  I  found  that  its  current  had 
taken  an  easterly  direction,  nearly  as  far  as  State  street,  and  that 
it  was  also  advancing  in  a  northerly  direction  with  terrible  swift- 
ness and  power.  I  at  once  saw  the  danger  so  imminently  threat- 
ening us,  and  with  some  friends  endeavored  to  obtain  some 
powder  for  the  purpose  of  blowing  up  some  buildings  south  of  the 
Palmer  House.  Failing  in  finding  any  powder,  I  proposed  to 
tear  them  down.  I  proceeded  to  Church's  hardware  store,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  procuring  about  a  dozen  heavy  axes,  and  handing  them 
to  my  friends,  requested  them  to  mount  the  buildings  with  me, 
and  literally  'chop  them  down.'  All  but  two  or  three  seemed 
utterly  paralyzed  at  this  unexpected  change  in  the  course  of  the 
fire  ;  and  even  these,  seeing  the  others  stand  back,  were  unwilling 
to  make  the  efibrt  alone.  At  this  moment  I  saw  that  some  wooden 
buildings  and  a  new  brick  house  west  of  the  Palmer  House  had 
already  caught  fire.  I  saw  at  a  glance  that  The  Tribune  building 
was  doomed,  and  I  rode  back  to  the  office  and  told  them  that 
nothing  more  could  be  done  to  save  the  building,  McYicker's 
Theatre,  or  anything  else  in  that  vicinity.  In  this  hopeless  frame 
of  mind  I  rode  home  to  look  after  my  residence  and  family, 
intently  watching  the  ominous  eastward  movement  of  the  flames. 
I  at  once  set  to  work  with   my  family  and  friends  to  move  as 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  61 

much  of  my  furniture  as  possible  across  the  narrow  park  east  of 
Michigan  avenue  on  to  the  shore  of  the  lake,  a  distance  of  about 
three  hundred  feet.  At  the  same  time  I  sent  my  family  to  the 
house  of  some  friends  in  the  south  part  of  the  city  for  safety  ;  my 
daughter,  Miss  Jessie  Bross,  was  the  last  to  leave  us.  The  work 
of  carrying  our  furniture  across  the  avenue  to  the  shore  M^as  most 
difficult  and  even  dangerous.  For  six  or  eight  hours  Michigan 
avenue  was  jammed  with  every  description  of  vehicle  containing 
families  escaping  from  the  city,  or  baggage  wagons  laden  with 
goods  and  furniture.  The  sidewalks  w^ere  crowded  with  men, 
women  and  children,  all  carrying  something.  Some  of  the  things 
saved  and  carried  away  were  valueless.  One  woman  carried  an 
empty  bird-cage  ;  another,  an  old  work-box ;  another,  some  dirty 
empty  baskets,  old,  useless  bedding,  anything  that  could  be  hur- 
riedly snatched  up,  seemed  to  have  been  carried  away  without  judg- 
ment or  forethought.  In  the  meantime  the  fire  had  lapped  up  the 
Palmer  House,  the  th*.'atres,  and  The  Tribune  building  ;  and,  con- 
trary to  our  expectation,  for  we  thought  the  current  of  the  fire 
would  pass  my  resi'dence,  judging  by  the  direction  of  the  wind, 
we  saw  by  the  advancing  clouds  of  dense  black  smoke,  and  the 
rapidly-approaching  fiames,  that  we  were  in  imminent  peril.  The 
fire  had  already  worked  so  far  south  and  east  as  to  attack  the 
stables  in  the  rear  of  the  Terrace  Block,  betw^een  Yan  Buren  and 
Congress  streets.  Many  friends  rushed  into  the  houses  in  the 
block  and  helped  to  carry  out  heavy  furniture,  such  as  pianos  and 
book-cases.  We  succeeded  in  carrying  the  bulk  of  it  to  the  shore, 
where  it  now  lies  stored;  much  of  it,  however,  is  seriously  dam- 
aged. There  I  and  a  few  others  sat  by  our  household  goda, 
calmly  awaiting  the  contemplation  of  the  coming  destruction  of 
our  property — one  of  the  most  splendid  blocks  in  Chicago.  The 
eleven  fine  houses  which  compose  the  block  were  occupied  by 
Denton  Gurney,  Peter  L.  Yoe,  Mrs.  Humphreys  (owned  by  Mrs. 
Walker),  William  Bross,  P.  F.  W.  Peck,  S.  C.  Griggs,  Tuthill 


62  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

King,  Judge  U.  T.  Dickey,  Gen.  Cook,  John  L.  Clarke,  and  the 
Hon.  J,  Y.  Scammon. 

"  The  next  morning  1  was  of  course  out  early,  and  found  the 
streets  thronged  with  crowds  of  people  moving  in  all  directions. 
To  me  the  sight  of  the  ruin,  though  so  sad,  was  wonderful  to  a 
degree,  and  especially  being  wrought  in  so  short  a  space  of  time. 
It  was  the  destruction  of  the  entire  business  portion  of  one  of  the 
greatest  cities  in  the  world !  Every  bank  and  insurance  office, 
law  offices,  hotels,  theatres,  railroad  depots,  most  of  the  churches, 
and  many  of  the  principal  residences  of  tlie  citj  a  charred  mass, 
and  property  without  estimate  gone! 

"Mr.  White,  my  associate,  like  myself,  had  been  burned  out  of 
house  and  home.  He  had  removed  his  family  to  a  place  of  safety, 
and  I  had  no  idea  where  he  or  any  one  else  connected  with  The 
Tribune  office  might  be  found.  My  first  point  to  make  was  nat- 
urally the  site  of  our  late  office ;  but  before  I  reached  it  I  met  two 
former  tenants  of  our  building,  who  told  me  that  there  was  a  job 
printing  office  on  Randolph  street  that  could  probably  be  bought. 
I  immediately  started  for  Eandolph  street.  While  making  my  way 
west  through  the  crowds  of  people,  over  the  Madison  street  bridge, 
desolation  stared  me  in  the  face  at  every  step.  And  yet  I  was 
much  struck  with  the  tone  and  temper  of  the  people.  On  all 
sides  I  saw  evidences  of  true  Chicago  spirit.  On  all  sides 
men  said  to  one  another :  '  Cheer  up ;  we'll  be  all  right 
again  before  long ; '  and  many  other  plucky  things.  Their  pluck 
and  courage  were  wonderful.  Every  one  was  bright,  cheerful, 
pleasant,  hopeful,  and  even  inclined  to  be  jolly  in  spite  of  the  mis- 
ery and  destitution  which  surrounded  them  and  which  they  shar- 
ed. One  and  all  said  Chicago  miist  and  should  be  rebuilt  at  once. 
On  reaching  Canal  street,  on  my  way  to  purchase  the  printing 
office  I  had  heard  of,  I  was  informed  that,  while  Mr.  White  and 
I  were  saving  our  families  and  as  much  of  our  furniture  as  we 
could  on  Monday  afternoon,  Mr.  Medill,  seeing  that  The  Tribune 


m    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.     .  63 

office  must  inevitably  be  burned,  sought  for  and  purchased  Ed 
ward's  job  printing  office,  No.  15  Canal  street,  had  got  out  a  small 
paper  in  the  morning,  and  was  then  busy  organizing  things.  One 
after  another  all  hands  turned  up,  and  by  the  afternoon  we  had 
improvised  the  back  part  of  the  room  into  our  editorial  department, 
while  an  old  wooden  box  did  duty  as  a  business  counter  in  the 
front  window.  We  were  soon  busy  as  bees,  writing  editorials  and 
paragraphs,  and  taking  in  any  number  of  advertisements.  By 
evening  several  orders  for  type  and  fixtures  were  made  out,  and 
things  were  generally  so  far  advanced  that  I  left  for  the  depot  at 
Twenty-second  street  with  the  intention  of  coming  on  to  New 
York.  Unfortunately,  I  missed  the  train  and  had  to  wait  till 
Wednesday  morning.  We  shall  get  along  as  best  we  can  til]  the 
rebuilding  of  our  office  is  finished.  Going  down  to  the  ruins,  I 
found  a  large  section  thrown  out  of  the  north  wall  on  Madison 
street.  The  other  three  walls  are  standing;  but  the  east  and 
west  walls  are  so  seriously  injured  that  they  must  be  pulled  down. 
The  south  wall  is  in  good  condition.  More  of  our  office  and  the 
Post  Office  remains  standing  than  any  other  buildings  that  I  saw. 
Our  building  was  put  up  to  stand  a  thousand  years,  and  it  would 
have  done  so  but  for  that  awful  furnace  of  fire,  fanned  by  an  intense 
gale  on  the  windward  side,  literally  melting  it  up  where  it  stood." 


CHAPTER  X. 
It  was  once  said  by  Sir  Astley  Cooper,  to  his  graduating  class 
of  medical  students  :  "  Now,  gentlemen,  give  me  leave  to  tell  you 
on  what  your  success  in  life  will  depend.  Firstly,  upon  a  good 
and  constantly  increasing  knowledge  of  your  profession ;  second- 
ly, on  an  industrious  discharge  of  your  duties ;  thirdly,  upon  the 
preservation  of  your  moral  character.  Unless  you  possess  the 
first — knowledge — ^you  ought  not  to  succeed,  and  no  honest  man 


64  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

can  wish  you  success.  "Without  the  second — industrj^ — no  one 
will  ever  succeed.  And  unless  joa  preserve  your  moral  char- 
acter, even  if  it  were  possible  that  you  could  succeed,  it  would  be 
impossible  you  could  be  happy." 

The  career  of  Hon.  Charles  N.  Holden  furnishes  a  practical 
illustration  of  the  great  surgeon's  wisdom  and  correctness  in  this 
advice,  and  a  healthful  example  for  the  young  men  of  our  coun- 
try. His  parents,  William  C.  Holden  and  Sarah  Braynard, 
emigrated,  soon  after  the  war  of  1812,  from  'New  Hampshire 
to  Fort  Covington,  in  Northern  New  York,  where  he  was  born 
May  13,  1816.  His  father  was  an  industrious  farmer,  and  his 
mother  an  energetic  helpmeet,  whose  life  was  given  to  the  wel- 
fare of  her  family.  The  necessities  of  that  early  day  prevented 
him  from  devoting  more  than  a  few  months  yearly  to  the  district 
school  or  village  academy,  but  he  progressed  so  well  in  his  educa- 
tion that  at  the  age  of  twenty  he  himself  wielded  the  pedagogue's 
birch.  After  spending  a  year  as  clerk  in  a  store,  where  he  ac- 
quired a  taste  for  business,  he  left  home,  with  forty  dollars  in  his 
purse,  to  make  a  home  in  Chicago.  July  5,  1837,  he  landed  here 
with  ten  dollars  in  his  pocket,  and  found  none  of  his  friends,  the 
Woodburys,  w^ho  preceded  him,  and  no  opening  for  a  young  man 
but  the  open  country.  With  a  brave  heart  in  his  bosom,  and  his 
clean  linen  in  a  bundle,  he  started  to  find  his  uncle,  a  farmer  in 
Will  County.  Two  days  of  wandering  took  him  thither  and 
introduced  him  to  Western  hospitality.  He  immediately  located 
a  claim,  hired  a  breaking  team  of  five  yoke  of  oxen,  with  his 
cousin,  a  lad  of  ten,  as  driver,  and  commenced  life  on  the 
prairie.  That  youthful  driver  is  now  President  of  the  Common 
Council  of  this  city,  one  of  the  most  prosperous,  respected,  and 
noble  among  the  prominent  citizens  of  Chicago — Hon.  C.  C.  P. 
Holden. 

From  Fort  Covington,  Mrs.  Woodbury,  subsequently  Charles' 
Diother-in-law,  removed  with  her  mother  to  Chicago.     She  was 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  Go 

the  widow  of  Major  Jesse  Woodbury,  who  was  the  consin  and 
associate  of  United  States  Senator  Levi  Woodbnry,  Jolmson's 
and  Van  Bnren's  Secretary  of  tlie  Treasury,  and  uncle  of  Mrs. 
Montgomery  Blair.  This  accession  to  Chicago  proved  a  magnet 
to  draw  the  young  farmer  to  the  city,  where  he  was  clerk  in  the 
lumber  office  of  John  H.  Kinzie,  Esq.,  whose  magnanimity  he 
recollects  with  gratitude.  His  leisure  hours  were  spent  in  read- 
ing upon  various  subjects,  which  made  him  a  careful  observer, 
and  a  man  of  wide  general  intelligence.  In  the  spring  of  1837, 
with  three  hundred  dollars  which  he  had  saved,  he  commenced 
business  in  a  log  store,  near  Lake  street  bridge.  Tliree  years 
afterwards  he  made  another  venture,  the  most  successful  of  his  life, 
and  was  married  to  Miss  Frances  "Woodbury. 

From  his  father  he  derived  a  sturdy  constitution,  a  full  mus- 
cular frame,  and  vigorous  health.  He  seems  to  have  but  entered 
upon  the  prime  of  his  manhood  and  powers  of  usefulness.  He 
has  probably  been  the  counsellor  and  friendly  adviser  of  more 
persons  than  any  other  man  in  his  position,  on  account  of  the 
trust  he  inspires  in  the  coolness  and  judicial  weight  of  his  opin- 
ions. His  taciturn  and  abstract  manner  sometimes  leads  to  the 
idea  that  he  is  cold,  distant,  and  haughty.  But  nothing  is  less 
true.  A  tender  heart  beats  in  his  breast,  and  he  -weighs  men  in 
the  scale  of  manhood,  and  delights  in  doing  good.  He  has  given 
his  time  and  means  to  education  with  generous  enthusiasm.  He 
was  chosen  President  of  the  Board  of  Education,  and  after  his  re- 
tirement, one  of  the  new  school  buildings  was  named  in  honor  of 
him.  He  had  also  manifested  profound  interest  in  the  higher 
grade  of  culture  provided  for  in  the  University  and  Baptist 
Theological  Seminary  founded  in  this  city.  Writing  thus  of  Mr. 
Holden  years  ago,  the  author  is  now  compelled  to  add  that  the 
blow  which  sent  the  Toung  Giant  reeling,  also  smote  heavily 
upon  him  and  his  family.  It  remains  also  to  be  said  that  he 
stands  erect  in  his  sterlins:  manhood  to  renew  the  conflict ;  and  to 


66  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

his  co-laborers  in  the  church  his  language  is,  "We  must  not  begin 
to  retrench  with  the  Lord's  cause." 


CHAPTER  XI. 

The  administration  of  justice  in  tliat  early  day  was  often  exceed- 
ingly rude,  on  account  of  the  dissipated  habits  of  the  magistrates 
and  lawyers,  whose  great  talents  were  often  marred  and  wasted 
by  the  excesses  of  frontier  life.  Judge  Spring  was  one  of  those 
brilliant  men  whose  passions  were  in  the  ascendancy,  and  brought 
him  to  a  premature  grave  with  the  delirium-tremens.  It  was 
peculiarly  unfortunate  that  the  Judge  had  his  high-times  of 
spreeing  just  at  the  busiest  season,  when  court  was  in  session  and 
matters  were  most  urgent.  It  was  at  such  a  time  that  his  career 
came  to  a  tragical  end,  and  under  the  following  circumstances  : 
At  the  opening  of  the  afternoon  court  the  Judge  appeared  in  the 
door  of  the  room  very  promptly,  for  it  was  his  pride  to  be  prompt, 
and  on  each  side  of  him  was  a  lawyer — Ballingall  and  Phillips. 
They  walked  to  their  places,  and  the  Judge  crept  up  into  his 
seat,  and  showed  to  the  spectators  that  he  was  very  drunk.  The 
court  was  opened  in  due  form,  and  Ballingall  arose,  and  leaning 
against  a  post,  turned  to  the  Judge  and  said,  "  May  it  please  your 
honor,"  and  then  facing  the  assembly,  whom  he  imagined  to  be  a 
jury,  he  added,  "  and  gentlemen  of  the  jury."  Thereupon  there 
was  a  general  smile ;  and  Tracy,  also  very  tight,  arose  and  pro- 
tested that  the  lawyer  was  drunk,  and  appealed  to  the  Judge  to 
stop  him.  Mr.  B.,  taken  aback  by  this  interruption,  ventured  an 
argument.  Some  gentleman  of  the  bar  suggested  that  the  Judge 
and  counsel  looked  sick,  and  moved  an  adjournment  of  the  court 
until  the  next  day  at  two.     This  was  assented  to,  and  the  proceed- 


m    CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  07 

ino-s  came  to  an  end.  The  Judge  was  taken  home,  and  his  wife  sent 
for  Captain  Kuger,  of  the  police,  to  come  in  and  qniet  her  husband. 
Knowing  what  M^as  going  on,  he  quietly  dropped  in,  and  found 
the  Judge  sitting  in  his  dining-room,  with  his  feet  perched  upon 
the  table,  and  his  hand  on  the  coat-collar  of  his  son,  a  lad  ten 
years  old.  The  Judge  spoke  to  the  Captain,  and  said  he  was  very 
glad  he  had  come  in,  as  he  held  a  prisoner  whom  he  wislied  to  have 
locked  up.  "  On  what  charge  ?  "  asked  the  Captain.  "  Contempt 
of  court."  He  promised  to  have  the  matter  at  once  attended  to,  but 
inquired  about  a  case  that  had  interested  the  Court  in  the  morning, 
and  found  the  Judge  clear  and  collected  in  his  judgment.  Mean- 
while Mrs.  Spring  is  drawing  near  her  son,  and  watching  her 
opportunity  to  rescue  him.  The  drunken  man  commenced  an 
abusive  assault  upon  her,  in  profane  and  obscene  language.  The 
Captain  again  provoked  a  discussion  upon  that  morning's  case, 
.and  diverted  his  attention,  so  that  the  mother  seized  her  boy  and 
drew  him  away,  and  thrust  him  out  of  the  open  door,  and  the 
little  fellow  improved  his  opportunity  to  put  plenty  of  distance 
bteween  himself  and  home.  The  Judge  demanded  her  arrest  for 
rescuing  a  prisoner.  The  Captain  said  he  had  his  eye  on  her,  and 
would  see  that  she  did  not  leave  the  house.  The  Judge  then  be- 
gan to  speak  of  his  own  situation,  and  to  give  the  most  solemn 
assurances  that  if  he  recovered  from  this  attack  he  would  never 
be  guilty  of  touching  another  drop  of  liquor,  and  would  die  a 
sober  man.  The  Captain  left  the  house,  and,  returning  at  ten, 
he  found  the  poor  man  a  corpse.  And  such  was  the  end  of  nearly 
all  the  prominent  men  of  that  early  time,  whose  brains  and  culture 
gave  assurance  of  distinction,  honor,  and  usefulness,  while  animal- 
ism drew  them  into  shame,  ignominy,  and  death 

In  refreshing  contrast  were  the  examples  of  many  who  lived 
Christian  lives,  and  did  not  lose  their  religion  on  the  Lakes,  as 
they  sailed  to  the  Far  "West.  There  were  godly  preachers  of  the 
Gospel,  whose  labors  have  helped  to  lay  the  foundations  of  the 


68  HISTORY   OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

flourishing  institutions  which  Christianity  now  uses  as  the  ma- 
chinery of  its  advancement  in  the  elevation  of  man's  desires,  and 
the  purification  of  his  character. 

There  is  something  pathetic  in  tlie  subjoined  words,  spoken  by 
an  old  Methodist  minister,  in  1837,  at  "  Lake  Michigan  Huddle," 
then  the  nucleus  of  what  was  but  recently  the  "unrivalled  me- 
tropolis of  Chicago."  He  was  a  venerable  person  of  seventy 
years,  with  profuse  hair  as  white  as  snow.  His  face,  however, 
was  without  a  wrinkle  ;  and,  what  was  very  remarkable,  his  skin 
was  as  fair  and  smooth  as  that  of  a  young  man  of  five-and-twenty. 
The  building  in  which  lie  spoke  was  constructed  of  rough  pine 
boards,  but  it  was  crowded  by  devout  and  not  irresponsive  or 
silent  listeners. 

The  only  thing  about  the  speaker  that  was  at  all  weak  or  fal- 
tering was  his  voice.  It  was  sufficiently  distinct,  yet  it  trembled, 
and  if  anything,  rather  added  to  the  effect  of  the  ending  sentences 
,  which  he  uttered.  In  closing  a  brief  description  of  the  dangers 
that  had  beset  him  in  the  Far  West,  and  of  the  benignity  of  the 
power  M'hich  had  sustained  him  through  every  trial,  he  said : — 

"  How  often — how  often — have  I  swam  my  horse  across  mid- 
night rivers,  carrying  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  to  settlements 
in  the  wilderness,  when  the  fearful  cry  of  the  wolves  rang  in  my 
ears,  and  the  watch-fires  of  the  hostile  Indians  blazed  beneath 
the  giant  pines  !  How  often  have  I  wandered  through  the  tall 
grass  of  the  prairies,  day  after  day,  and  night  after  night,  with 
my  overcoat  for  my  evening  pillow,  and  the  star-gemmed  vault 
of  heaven  for  the  curtains  of  my  rest !  I  was  sad,  but  I  was  com- 
forted. I  was  thirsty,  but  my  spirit  had  refreshment.  I  was 
weary,  but  the  arm  of  the  Omnipotent  sustained  my  fainting 
footsteps,  and  I  laid  my  head  upon  the  bosom  of  Peace.  I 
was  far  from  man — in  silence — alone ;  and  yet  not  alone,  for 
my  God  was  with  me — the  Saviour  M^as  by  my  side.      .     .     . 

"  This  is  the  last  time,  dear  friends,  that  my  circuit  will  bring 


THE    COURT  HOUSE   BELL. 


CHICAGO  IN  1836— KINZIE'S  HOUSE. 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  71 

me  before  you.     In  a  little  while  I  shall  depart  hence,  and  be  no 
more  seen," 

Here  the  speaker  clasped  his  hands,  looked  upward  through  his 
tearful  eyes,  and  closed  with  the  verse — 

"  Then  in  a  nobler,  sweeter  song, 
I'll  sing  thy  power  to  save, 
When  this  poor  lisping,  stammering  tongue 
Lies  silent  in  the  grave  !  " 


72  mSTOEY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIKES 


III.— THE  YOUNG  GIAJ^TI 


-    CHAPTER  Xn. 

The  infant,  conceived  bj  Providence  in  the  womb  of  Time, 
came  to  birth  amidst  the  pangs  and  throes  of  travail,  grew  feebly 
and  discouragingly,  and  even  had  no  special  promise  of  greatness  to 
ordinary  eyes,  until  it  sprang  into  sudden  manhood  and  girded 
its  loins  for  a  great  destiny.  In  1850  there  were  less  than  thirty 
thousand  people  here;  in  1851  the  increase  had  been  six  thou- 
sand ;  and  from  that  time  the  Young  Giant  advanced  with  amazing 
strides,  distancing  all  competitors,  and  hastening  to  overtake  the 
oldest  and  most  prosperous  cities  of  the  Union.  In  1857  there 
were  gathered  beside  the  oifensive  waters  of  this  stagnant  stream 
100,000  human  souls.  In  1871,  by  census  returns  carefully  made 
out,  and  giving  the  names  and  local  habitations,  there  had  con- 
gregated on  this  level  plain  334,000  persons,  and  Chicago  was 
the  fourth  city  of  this  country.  "When  was  there  such  a  growth 
in  so  short  a  period,  and  a  progress  so  real  and  substantial?  Peo- 
ple who  immigrated  hither  to  make  money  and  return  to  their 
Eastern  homes  to  enjoy  their  fortunes,  came  to  regard  this  city 
as  the  most  desirable  home,  for  themselves  and  their  children,  to 
be  found  on  the  green  earth.  The  East  was  flooding  in  upon  us 
to  admire,  and  praise,  and  covet  our  situation,  privileges,  and  op- 
portunities. Nature  had  been  improved  by  art.  Chicago  no 
longer  lay  deeply  engulphed  in  water  half  the  year.  Her  citi- 
zens were  not  compelled  to  drink  water  pumped  from  the  edge 


m   CniCAGO   AND   THE    WEST.  73 

of  the  Lake  and  half  filled  with  little  fish,  or  particles  of  earth 
and  filth.  The  smell  of  "  Bridgeport "  was  a  painful  memory 
only,  and  the  river  itself  had  hecome  sweet  and  clear.  Common 
schools,  academies,  colleges,  seminaries,  universities,  societies  for 
the  enconragement  of  art,  and  science,  and  history ;  churches  and 
missions  for  the  extension  of  religion  and  morality ;  galleries, 
opera-houses,  theatres,  libraries,  and  every  luxury  and  appoint- 
ment of  modern  times  for  the  cultivation  and  entertainment  of 
men,  had  here  their  best  representatives  and  specimens,  or  the 
beginnings  that  gave  noblest  promise.  The  progress  of  improve- 
ments, partially  arrested  by  the  war,  received  new  impulse  when 
the  cloud  rolled  over  onr  heads,  and  the  sky  again  beamed  with 
the  radiance  of  peace. 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  various  branches  of  trade 
which  have  ministered  to  the  city's  wealth  and  population.  The 
total  exhibits  the  receipts. and  shipments  of  the  articles  named,  for 
the  year  1870,  together  with  the  total  valuation  of  receipts. 

The  estimated  value  of  the  receipts  of  the  articles  named  for 
the  year  1871  is  as  follows : 

ARTICLE.  •  VALX7E. 

Flour $8,000,000 

Wheat 18,000,000 

Corn 13,000,000 

Oats 4,000,000 

Pork , 2,000,000 

Dressed  Hogs 6,000,000 

Live  Hogs 45,000,000 

Tobacco 6,000,000 

Cattle 22,000,000 

■      Coal 8,000,000 

Lumber 16,000,000 

Iron  Ore 15,000,000 

Shingles 2,500,000       .: 

Lath 1,000,000 


74  HISTORY   OF   THE   GKEAT   FLEES 

AUTICLE.  VALTOE. 

Highwines $6,000,000 

Boots  and  Shoes 8,000,000 

Drugs  and  Chemicals 4,000,000 

Hardware 5,000,000 

Jeweh-y 6,000,000 

Dry  Goods 85,000,000 

Groceries 53,000,000 

The  total  trade  is  estimated  at  $400,000,000,  showing  an  in- 
crease of  some  nine  per  cent,  on  a  gold  basis  over  that  of  the 
previous  j-ear.  We  had  before  the  fire  seventeen  large  grain 
elevators,  having  an  aggregate  capacity  of  11,580,000  bushels, 
the  largest  accommodating  1,700,000  bushels. 

To  carry  on  this  immense  traffic,  eighteen  banks  were  in  oper- 
ation, with  an  aggregate  capital  of  nearly  $10,000,000,  with  nearly 
$17,000,000  of  deposits.  The  total  amount  of  checks  passing 
through  the  Clearing  House  during  the  year  1870  was  $810,- 
000,000. 

To  accommodate  this  traffic  and  the  vast  travel,  not  less  than 
100  passenger  tmins  and  120  freight  trains  arrive  and  depart 
daily,  while  full  seventy-five  vessels  load  and  unload  every  day 
at  our  wharves. 

For  the  municipal  year  of  1870-71,  the  total  assessed  valuation 
of  the  city  was  $277,000,000,  of  which  $224,000,000  was  real  and 
$53,000,000  persona.l.  This,  however,  represents  scarcely  more 
than  half  of  the  actual  value,  which  was  in  excess  of  $500,000,000. 
The  taxes  collected  for  that  year  were  $3,000,000,  besides  nearly 
an  equal  amount  for  special  improvements,  grading,  paving,  and 
curbing.  The  personal  property  was  classed  as  follows :  Indi- 
^ddual  personal  property,  $43,647,920;  bank  personal  property, 
$7,511,600 ;  vessels,  $1,183,430.  The  whole  number  of  pei-sons 
assessed  for  taxes  on  personal  property  was  14,633. 

The   area  of  the  city,  according  to  the  last   arrangement  of 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST. 


boundaries,  including  parks,  public  squares,  etc.,  was  about  35 
square  miles,  or  22,400  acres.  The  number  of  dwellings,  accord- 
ing to  the  last  enumeration,  was  nearly  60,000,  of  which  about 
40,000  were  wood. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Wak  came  upon  our  country,  bringing  terror  and  agony  to 
the  hearts  of  all  good  men  ;  but  its  results,  under  Abraham  Lin- 
coln's wise  and  honest  administration,  were  so  beneficent  and 
sublime,  that  we  cheerfully  bear  our  losses  and  burdens,  and  feel 
that  the  sacrifices  so  freely  and  grandly  offered  on  the  altar  of 
patriotism,  were  a  sweet  savor  to  God  and  an  honor  to  this  cen- 
tury of  progress.  Chicago  gave  to  the  army  thirty  thousand  brave 
men,  immense  treasures,  and  a  perpetual  benefit.  In  our  midst 
was  established,  with  perfect  confidence  in  the  people's  loyalty,  a 
camp  for  rebel  prisoners,  named,  in  honor  of  our  great  fellow- 
citizen,  the  lamented  Stephen  A,  Douglas,  Camp  Donglas.  Un- 
like the  Ark  of  God  in  the  house  of  Obed-Edom,  which  brought  a 
blessing,  this  establishment  came  near  proving,  like  the  wooden 
horse  wn til  which  the  Greeks  captured  Troy,  our  destruction  and 
the  loss  of  the  Union.  The  story  is  told  by  Eddy,  in  "  The  Patri- 
otism of  Illinois." 

CONSPIRACY. 

Tidings  of  a  great  organization,  opposed  to  the  Republic  and 
friendly  to  the  Confederacy,  with  ofhcers  and  five  hundred  thou- 
sand enrolled  members,  were  floating  about.  Their  object  was  to 
rise  together  in  various  States  of  tiie  jN'orthwest,  and  co-operate 
with  the  Rebel  armies  from  the  South.  "  The  first  objective 
point  was  Camp  Douglas,  the  real  strategic  importance  of  wliich 


76  HISTORY   OF   THE   GEEAT  FIRES 

was  in  the  twofold  fact  that  it  was  the  phice  where  eight  thon* 
sand  rebel  prisoners  were  held  in  durance,  and  that  the  abolition 
city  of  Chicago  would  aiford  admirable  foraging  ground.  The 
prisoners  were  to  be  liberated  and  joined  by  Canadian  refugees, 
Missouri  bushwhackers,  and  the  five  thousand  members  of  the 
order  in  Chicago — in  all  a  force  of  nearly  twenty  thousand  men — 
which  would  be  a  nucleus  for  the  conspirators  in  other  parts  of 
Illinois  ;  these  being  joined  by  the  prisoners  liberated  from  other 
camps,  and  members  of  the  order  from  other  States,  would  form 
an  army  a  hundred  thousand  strong.  So  fully  had  everything 
been  foreseen  and  provided  for,  that  the  leaders  expected  to  gather 
and  organize  this  vast  body  of  men  within  the  space  of  a  fort- 
night !  The  United  States  could  bring  into  the  field  no  force 
capable  of  withstanding  the  progress  of  such  an  army.  The  con- 
sequences would  be  that  the  whole  character  of  the  war  would  be 
changed — its  theatre  would  be  shifted  from  the  border  to  the 
heart  of  the  Free  States ;  and  Southern  independence,  and  the 
beginning  at  the  North  of  that  process  of  disintegration  so  confi- 
dently counted  on  by  the  rebel  leaders  at  the  outbreak  of  hostili- 
ties, would  have  followed.  It  was  a  bold  scheme,  and  might 
have  wrought  mischief. 

"  General  Orme  had  been  succeeded  in  command  of  Camp 
Douglas  by  Colonel  Sweet,  of  Wisconsin,  a  gallant  ofiicer,  who  had 
been  severely  wounded  in  the  shoulder  at  Perry  ville,  and  disabled 
for  field  duty.*  The  camp,  which  included  about  sixty  acres  of 
sandy  soil,  was  inclosed  by  a  board  fence  an  inch  thick,  and  four- 
teen feet  high.  The  garrison  ostensibly  consisted  of  two  regi- 
ments of  Yeteran  Reserves,  but  could  not  muster  more  than  seven 
hundred  men  fit  for  the  duty  of  guarding  eight  thousand  prisoners. 
Among  these  were  men  of  noted  daring  and  ferocity — Morgan's 
freebooters,  Texan  rangers,  guerillas — reckless,  and  ready  for 
adventure.  Many  of  the  minor  offices  of  the  camp  were  per- 
formed by  prisoners,  who  were  thus  in  possession  of  the  resources 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    -WEST.  77 

of  the  commandant.  Letters  passing  tlirongh  the  camp  post-oQice, 
enigmatically  worded,  first  roused  liis  suspicions.  Subsequently 
he  became  convinced  that  it  was  designed  to  take  advantage  of  a 
great  convention  to  be  held  in  the  city,  and  convene  the  outside 
allies,  who  might  at  that  time  come  to  the  city  without  suspicion, 
and  carry  out  the  plan.  Prompt  measures  were  taken,  such  as 
convinced  the  leaders  that  an  attempt  would  be  dangerous,  as  it 
was  supposed.  The  Presidential  election  was  approaching,  and 
the  commandant  prepared  to  go  home  to  take  part  in  the  canvass, 
when  he  felt,  he  knew  not  why,  that  he  must  stay  at  his  post,  and 
did  so.  The  next  day  showed  why  he  was  needed.  Another 
writer  makes  this  statement :  '  On  the  2d  of  JSTovember,  a  well- 
known  citizen  of  St.  Louis,  openly  a  secessionist,  but  secretly  a  loyal 
man,  acting  as  a  detective  for  the  Government,  left  that  city  in 
pursuit  of  a  criminal.  He  followed  him  to  Springfield,  traced  him 
from  there  to  Chicago,  and  on  the  morning  of  November  4th, 
aboTit  the  honr  the  commandant  had  the  singular  impression  I 
have  spoken  of,  arrived  in  the  latter  city.  He  soon  learned  that 
the  bird  had  again  flown. 

"  '  While  passing  along  the  street  (I  now  quote  from  his  report  to 
the  Provost-Marshal  General  of  Missouri),  and  trying  to  decide 
what  course  to  pursue — whether  to  follow  this  man  to  New  York, 
or  to  return  to  St.  Louis — I  met  an  old  acquaintance,  a  member 
of  the  order  of  American  Knights,  who  informed  me  that  Marma- 
duke  was  in  Chicago.  After  conversing  with  him  a  while  I  started 
up  the  street,  and  about  one  block  further  on  met  Dr.  E.  W. 
EdM'ards,  a  practising  physician  in  Chicago  (another  old  acquaint- 
a,nce),  who  asked  me  if  I  knew  of  Southern  soldiers  being  in  town. 
I  told  him  I  did;  that  Marmaduke  Avas  there.  He  seemed  very 
much  astonished,  and  asked  how  I  knew.  I  told  him.  He 
laughed,  and  then  said  that  Marmaduke  was  at  his  house,  under 
the  assumed  name  of  Burling,  and  mentioned,  as  a  good  joke,  that 
he  had  a  British  passport,  vised  by  the  United  States  Consul,  un- 


78  mSTOET   OF   THE   GEEAT   FIKE8 

der  thcat  name.  I  gave  Edwards  my  card  to  hand  to  Marmaduke 
(who  was  another  old  acquaintance),  and  told  him  I  was  stoppintr 
at  the  Briggs  House. 

"  '  That  same  evening  I  again  met  Dr.  Edwards  on  the  street, 
going  to  my  hotel.  He  said  Marmaduke  desired  to  see  me,  and 
I  accompanied  him  to  his  house.  There,  in  the  course  of  a  con- 
versation, Marmaduke  told  me  that  he  and  several  rebel  officers 
were  in  Chicago  to  co-operate  with  otlier  parties  in  relieving  the 
prisoners  of  Camp  Douglas  and  other  prisoners,  and  in  inaugurat- 
ing a  rebellion  at  the  North.  He  said  the  movement  was  under 
the  auspices  of  the  order  of  American  Knights  (to  which  order 
the  society  of  the  Illini  belonged),  and  was  to  begin  operations 
b}'  an  attack  on  Camp  Douglas  on  election  day.' 

"The  detective  did  not  know  the  commandant,  but  he  soon  made 
his  acquaintance,  and  told  him  the  story.  '  The  yonng  man,'  he 
gays,  'rested  his  head  upon  his  hand,  and  looked  as  if  he  had  lost 
his  mother,'  and  well  he  might !  A  mine  had  opened  at  his  feet; 
with  but  eight  hundred  men  in  the  garrison,  it  was  to  be  sprung 
upon  him.  Only  seventy  hours  were  left!  What  would  he  not 
give  for  twice  as  many?  Then  he  might  secure  reinforcements. 
He  walked  the  room  for  a  time  in  silence  ;  then,  turning  to  the  de- 
tective, said,  '  Do  you  know  where  the  other  leaders  are  ? '  '  I  do 
not.'  '  Can't  you  find  out  from  Marmaduke? '  '  I  think  not.  He 
said  what  he  did  say  voluntarily.  If  I  were  to  question  him  he 
would  suspect  me.'  That  was  true,  and  Marmaduke  was  not  of 
the  stuff  that  betraj's  a  comrade  on  compulsion.  His  arrest, 
therefore,  would  profit  nothing,  and  might  hasten  the  attack  for 
which  the  commandant  was  so  poorly  prepared.  He  sat  down 
and  wrote  a  hurried  dispatch  to  his  general.  Troops !  troops  !  for 
God's  sake,  troops!  was  its  burden.  Sending  it  oft*  by  a  courier 
— the  telegraph  told  tales — he  rose,  and  again  walked  the  room 
in  silence.  After  a  while,  with  a  heavy  heart,  the  detective  said, 
'Good  niorht '  and  left  him." 


IN    CmCAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  79 

From  another  quarter  he  obtained  a  fall  statement  of  the 
scheme,  which  was  gigantic  in  detail,  and  contemplated  a  general 
uprising  through  the  JN'orth,  while  Hood  should  move  upon  Nash- 
ville, Bnckner  upon  Louisville,  and  Price  upon  St.  Louis,  and 
the  blow  was  to  be  struck  in  Chicago  on  the  night  of  the  8th  of 
November. 

The  commandant  took  prompt  measures,  secured  the  police,  and 
arranged  his  plans,  and  at  two  in  the  morning  made  his  descent. 
When  daylight  came  a  hundred  of  the  suspected  leaders  were  in 
custody.  The  official  report  uf  tlie  commandant  says:  "Have 
made  during  the  night  the  following  arrests  of  rebel  officers, 
escaped  prisoners  of  war,  and  citizens  in  connection  with  them  : — 

"Morgan's  Adjutant-General,  Colonel  G.  St.  Legor  Grenfell, 
in  company  with  J.  T.  Shanks  (the  Texan),  an  escaped  prisoner 
of  w-ar,  at  Kichmond  House ;  Colonel  Vincent  Marmaduke, 
brother  of  General  Marmaduke ;  Brigadier-General  Charles 
Walsh,  of  the  Sons  of  Liberty  ;  Captain  Cantrill,  of  Morgan's 
command  ;  Charles  Traverse  (Butternut).  Cantrill  and  Traverse 
were  arrested  in  Walsli's  house,  in  wliicli  were  found  two  cart- 
loads of  large-size  revolvers  loaded  and  capped,  200  stand  of 
loaded  muskets  and  ammunition.  Also  seized  two  boxes  of  guns 
concealed  in  a  room  in  the  city.  Also  arrested  Buck  Morris,  Treas- 
urer of  the  (iJons  of  Liberty,  having  complete  proof  of  his  assisting 
Shanks  to  escape,  and  plotting  to  release  prisoners  at  this  camp. 

"  Most  of  these  rebel  officers  were  in  the  city  on  the  same 
errand  in.  xlugust  last,  their  plan  being  to  raise  an  insurrection 
and  release  the  prisoners  of  war  at  this  camp.  There  are  many 
strangers  and  suspicious  persons  in  this  city,  believed  to  be 
guerrillas  and  rebel  soldiers.  Their  plan  was  to  attack  the  camp 
on  ehiction  night.  All  prisoners  arrested  are  in  camp.  Cap- 
tains Nelson  and  A.  C.  Coventry,  of  the  police,  rendered  very  ' 
efficient  service.  B.  J,  Sv;eet,  Colonel  Commanding. 

"  Camp  Douglass,  Nor.  Tth,  4  a.m." 


80  HISTOEY    OF   THE    GEEAT   FIEES 

The  city  was  horrified,  and  none  knew  certainly  that  the  storm 
Avonld  not  yet  burst.  Husbands  and  fathers  shuddered  at  the 
tliought  of  the  city  given  up  to  the  brutal  control  of  tliat  mob  of 
eight  thousand  prisoners,  and  their  more  brutal  allies. 

Never  were  so  many  citizens  armed  in  Chicago  as  that  day. 
Patrols  rode  to  and  fro,  and  the  city  wore  the  appearance  of  a 
military  carap.  The  election  progressed  peacefully,  additional 
arrests  were  made,  and  arms  seized  ;  but  the  life  was  gone,  and  the 
conspiracy  collapsed. 

The  sealed  findings  of  the  Court  which  tried  the  prisoners 
arrested  for  conspiracy,  were  as  follows  :  "  Charles  Walsh,  Brig- 
adier-General of  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  guilt_y,  and  sentenced  to 
three  years'  imprisonment  with  hard  labor  in  the  Ohio  State 
Penitentiary ;  Buckner  L.  Morris,  not  guilty ;  Vincent  Marma- 
duke,  not  guilty  ;  G.  St.  Leger  Grenfell,  guilty  of  both  charges 
and  specifications,  and  sentenced  to  the  extremest  penalty,  death  ; 
Raphael  S.  Semmes,  guilty,  and  sentenced  to  two  years'  imprison- 
ment. The  prisoner  Anderson,  on  the  19th  of  February,  com- 
mitted suicide  by  shooting  himself  while  confined  in  McLean 
Barracks ;  and  on  the  16th  of  the  same  month.  Traverse,  alias  Dan- 
iels, escaped  from  the  custody  of  a  careless  guard,  during  a 
momentary  recess  of  the  Court,  in  the  Court  House."  Thus 
another  of  the  city's  vicissitudes  was  safely  passed,  and  the  way 
was  open  to  swift  and  sure  prosperity. 


CHAPTER  XrV. 

Among  the  first  necessities  recognized  by  the  Creator  in  pro- 
viding a  home  for  His  creatures  upon  the  globe,  is  an  abundant 
supply  of  pure  water,  which  flow^s  from  myriads  of  fountains, 
sparkles  in  running  brooks,  rushes  in  rivers,  tosses  in  lakes,  and 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  81 

lies  in  the  bosom  of  the  earth  everywhere  under  their  feet,  read}-  to 
bubble  up  at  their  stroke.  There  is  danger  in  some  new  countries, 
or  sections  of  primitive  regions,  that  settlers  rely  on  the  first  basin 
below  the  surface  for  their  drinking  water,  and  hence  imbibe  slow 
but  certain  poison  from  the  vegetable  matter  accumulated  through 
ages.  This  often  accounts  for  the  sickness  which  attacks  persons, 
in  becoming  acclimated  in  the  West.  AVhen  the  city  of  Chicago 
began  its  rapid  growth  it  was  felt  that  a  prime  necessity  was 
good  water,  and  the  subject  received  careful  attention,  which 
resulted  in  the  use  of  the  Lake  water,  which  is  clear  and  health- 
ful in  the  highest  degree,  and  cool  enough  for  use  as  a  beverage 
in  the  heat  of  summer.  It  was  at  first  pumped  from  wells  at  the 
shore  ;  but  impurities  unavoidably  filtered  in  from  the  wash  of 
the  shore,  the  fish  that  sw^armed  in  millions,  and  the  sewerage  of 
the  river.  Then  the  gigantic  plan  was  conceived  and  executed 
of  drawing  the  water  from  the  bosom  of  the  Lake  through  a 
tunnel,  connecting  with  a  well  two  miles  out  from  shore,  and 
directly  east  of  the  old  works,  by  which  arrangement  boundless  sup- 
plies of  the  crystal  fluid  would  be  accessible.  Other  cities  bring 
the  water  of  rivers  and  lakes  for  many  miles  through  pipes  into 
reservoirs,  from  whence  distribution  is  made  to  the  population ; 
but  this  plan  superseded  any  such  necessity,  and  gave  us  an  ele- 
ment of  health  and  power  which  must  forever  contribute  to  the 
advancement  of  this  city.  Her  Young  Giant  can  never  drink  up 
the  contents  of  Lake  Michigan,  however  vast  his  wants  become 
in  the  great  future. 

It  mnst  be  a  source  of  interest  to  the  public  to  follow  the  pro- 
gress of  this  new  enterprise,  and  see  the  mode  by  which  so  many 
million  gallons  of  this  fluid  are  furnished  daily  to  our  people  for 
the  innumerable  purposes  of  life.  And  while  the  reader  wonders 
at  the  boldness  and  energy,  skill  and  success  of  the  projectors  and 
contractors,  he  will  also  perceive  how  futile  were  all  the  efibrts  of 
man  to  provide  against  such  a  catastrophe  as  that  which  prostrat- 


82  mSTOKY   OF   THE   GKEAT  FIEES 

ed  US  into  the  dust,  and  left  us  dependent — helpless  in  the  hour 
of  direst  extremity,  when  fires  were  raging  and  hviraan  moutha 
were  thirsting.  The  works  were  commenced  in  1852.  In  1863 
the  daily  average  consumption  of  water  was  6,500,000  gallons, 
and  it  liad  immensely  increased  in  1871,  M'hen  a  new  and  more 
powerful  engine  was  in  process  of  erection  within  the  buildings 
where  the  fire  wrought  such  mischievous  effects  on  the  morning 
of  October  9th.  A  description  of  these  works  is  given  us  by 
Engineer  Cregier,  who  has  been  in  charge  from  the  beginning,  or 
since  the  old  Hydraulic  works  at  the  ibot  of  Lake  street  were 
abandoned.  They  are  situated  on  the  North  Side,  and  bounded 
by  Chicago  avenue,  Pine  street,  Pearson  street,  and  the  Lake. 
They  have  a  frontage  on  Pine  street  of  218  feet,  and  extend 
from  the  Lake  west  a  distance  of  571  feet.  They  are  connected 
with  reservoirs,  throughout  all  divisions  of  the  city,  by  immense 
iron  pipes  laid  below  the  frost  and  under  the  river,  and  through 
those  the  engines  propel  streams  of  water  day  and  night ;  and 
under  the  pressure  of  the  column  in  the  water  tov.-er,  it  rises  to 
the  upper  stories  and  becomes  one  of  the  conveniences  of  city  life, 
the  loss  of  which  was  keenly  felt  during  the  week  after  the  fire. 

"  The  style  of  architecture  is  castellated  Gothic.  The  dimen- 
sions of  the  engine-room  are  one  hundred  and  forty-two  feet  long, 
sixty  feet  wide,  and  thirty-six  feet  in  the  clear  from  the  main 
floor  to  ceiling.  A  projection  of  twenty-four  by  fifty-six  feet  forms 
the  centre  of  the  main  front.  This  portion  is  divided  into  two 
stories.  The  upper  part  is  devoted  to  drawing-rooms  and  sleep- 
ing apartments  for  the  engineers.  The  lower  part  is  divided  by 
the  main  entrance,  the  floor  of  which  is  tiled.  On  the  south  side 
of  the  vestibule  is  a  large  room  designed  for  commissioner's  or 
reception  room.  On  the  north  side  are  offices  and  other  conveni- 
ences for  engineers.  All  the  walls  are  two  feet  thick.  The  walls 
of  the  interior  of  the  main  building  are  rough  cast,  blocked  off 
representing  cut-stone  work.     The  ceiling  is  divided  into  square 


IN   CinCAGO   AND   THE   WEST,  83 

panels,  formed  by  projecting  moulded  purlins,  supported  by  large 
Gothic  brackets  resting  on  heavy  corbels  built  in  the  wall.  The 
roof  of  the  main  building  is  constructed  of  massive  timbers,  cov- 
ered with  slate  and  pierced  with  the  necessary  ventilators,  etc, 

Midway  between  floor  and  ceiling,  and  extending  around  the 
entire  interior  space  of  the  building,  there  is  a  handsome  and  sub- 
stantial gallery  or  balcony,  protected  by  fancy  Gothic  iron  railing, 
the  whole  resting  upon  brackets  of  like  style  built  into  the  walls. 
From  this  point  a  pleasing  view  of  the  operations  of  the  engines 
is  obtained.  This  gallery  is  reached  by  two  flights  of  spiral  stair- 
ways constructed  entirely  of  iron.  Below  the  main  floor  of  the 
principal  building  there  is  a  space  extending  over  the  whole  area, 
and  nine  feet  high  in  the  clear.  Here  are  located  the  pumps,  de- 
livery mains,  stop-valves,  etc.,  of  the  several  engines,  also  store- 
rooms and  other  conveniences.  From  the  floor  of  this  large  room 
the  pump-wells  connected  w^ith  the  Lake  Tunnel  descend.  The 
south  well,  intended  for  additional  engines,  was  sunk  to  place  in 
October  last.  The  form  and  constructions  of  this  curb,  as  well 
as  the  mode  of  sinking  it  to  its  place,  is  similar  to  that  adopted 
for  the  north  well ;  it  is,  however,  larger.  The  outside  diameter 
is  forty-four  and  one-third  feet  at  the  bottom,  forty-three  and  one- 
third  feet  at  the  top,  and  twenty-two  feet  from  the  top  of  the 
cast-iron  shoe  to  the  top  of  the  coping.  The  outside  has  a  batter 
of  six  inches.  The  vertical  bond  consisted  of  forty-eight  one-and- 
a-half-inch  bolts. 

The  boiler-rooms  are  placed  nineteen  feet  apart,  and  are  locat- 
ed in  the  rear  of  the  main  building.  They  are  forty-six  and  a 
half  feet  long,  thirty-six  feet  wide,  and  twenty-five  feet  from  the 
floor  to  the  ceiling.  The  floor  is  of  stone,  and  the  roof  is  wholly 
of  iron  and  slate,  thus  rendering  them  fire-proof." 

If  so,  Mr.  Cregier,  why  did  they  succumb  so  readily  when  they 
were  most  needed  ?  The  answer  might  be  returned,  that  this  ex- 
traordinary conflagration  melted  iron  into  shapeless  masses,  and 


84:  mSTOET   OF   THE   GKEAT   FIEES 

consumed  stones  into  dust,  and  mocked  at  iire-proofs.  The  facts, 
probably,  are  these.  The  ventilators  in  the  roof  were  left  open, 
and  the  raging  shower  of  sparks,  cinders,  and  flames  poured  down 
these  inlets  into  the  engine-room,  where  vast  timbers  were  built 
into  stagings  for  the  accommodation  of  mechanics  in  placing  the 
new  engine,  drove  out  the  workmen  and  watchmen,  and  con- 
signed everything  to  speedy  destruction.  There  should  have 
been  no  wood  in  the  construction  of  the  interior ;  the  win- 
dows should  have  had  iron  shutters,  though  they  be  unsightly ; 
and  the  ventilators  and  all  openings  in  the  roof  should  have  been 
covered  with  wire  sci'eens,  impervious  to  fire,  and  the  men  in 
charge  should  have  been  early  reinforced  with  ample  resources 
for  their  entire  safety  amidst  all  possible  contingencies  and  exi- 
gencies.    How  clear  all  this  becomes  after  the  event ! 

THE     WATEE-TOWEK 

"  Is  the  most  imposing  feature  among  the  whole  mass  of  buildings 
comprising  the  works,  and  is  without  doubt  the  most  substantial 
and  elaborate  structure  of  the  kind  on  this  continent.  Its  centre 
is  106  feet  west  of  the  main  buildings,  upon  ground  purchased 
for  the  purpose  in  1865 ;  168  piles,  capped  with  12-incli  oak 
timbers,  the  spaces  filled  with  concrete,  constitute  the  foundation 
np  to  the  surface  of  the  water  ;  from  thence  to  a  point  six  feet  be- 
low grade,  solid,  massive  dimension-stones  laid  in  cement  inter- 
vene. At  this  point  the  gate,  pit,  and  arched  ways  on  each  cor- 
ner for  mains  (large  pipes  of  iron),  are  formed.  The  base  of  the 
tower  is  22  feet  square.  The  exterior  of  the  shaft  is  octagonal, 
and  rises  154  feet  from  the  ground  to  the  top  of  the  stone-work, 
which  terminates  in  a  battlemented  cornice.  The  whole  is  sur- 
mounted by  an  iron  cupola  (not  yet  finished),  pierced  with  numer- 
ous windows,  from  whence  may  be  obtained  a  magnificent  view 
of  the  lake,  the  city,  and  surrounding  country.  The  exterior  of 
the  tower  is  divided  into  five  sections.     The  first  section  is  40 


m   CUICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  85 

feet  square,  exclusive  of  battlements,  turrets,  etc.,  and  surrounds 
the  base  of  the  shaft,  forming  a  continuous  vestibule  nine  feet 
wide  on  the  four  sides,  with  a  grand  entrance  on  each  side. 
The  floor  and  roof  of  this  portion  is  of  massive  stone.  The 
roof  forms  a  balcony.  The  walls  are  plastered  and  blocked  off 
like  those  of  the  engine-room.  The  ceiling  is  groined  and  cor- 
niced, and  the  sides  are  ornamented  with  tablet  drinking  foun- 
tains, etc.  The  otiier  sections  of  the  exterior  recede  from  each 
other  in  graceful  proportion,  each  having  turreted  cornice,  battle- 
ments, etc. 

The  bottom  of  the  exterior  is  hexagonal ;  here  the  base-piece 
of  stand-pipe  (a  casting  weighing  six  tons)  is  placed,  having 
six  openings,  supplied  with  30-inch  gates,  to  which  tlie  water 
mains  are  connected.  From  this  base,  a  36-inch  wrought-iron 
stand-pipe  ascends  to  a  height  of  138  feet.  Around  this  pipe  is  an 
easy  and  substantial  spiral  stairway  leading  to  the  cupola  on  the 
top,  and  lighted  throughout  with  alternating  windows. 

The  whole  structure  is  thoroughly  fire-proof,  being  constructed 
wholly  of  stone,  brick,  and  iron. 

THE    LAKE   TUNNEL, 

The  work  was  commenced  at  the  land-shaft  on  the  17th  of 
March,  1864,  the  delay  since  the  date  of  the  contract  having  been 
caused  by  waiting  for  the  cast-iron  cylinders  for  the  first  30  feet. 
These  cylinders  ai-e  nine  feet  internal  diameter,  1|-  inches  thick, 
and  in  three  sections,  each  ten  feet  long.  The  bottom  of  the  low- 
est section  has  a  cutting  edge.  The  sections  were  united  by  inter- 
nal flanges,  bolts,  and  rust-joints.  The  top  flange  of  the  cylinder 
was  fitted  to  receive  an  air  lock,  in  case  that  should  have  proved 
necessary  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work. 

It  was  intended  originally  to  make  the  lining  of  the  land-shaft 
of  brick,  clear  to  the  top,  but  the  Board  feared  trouble  from  the 
quicksand  which  extended  down  about  14  feet  from  the  surface, 


86  HISTOKT    OF   THE    GEEAT   FIKES 

and  particularly  as  tlie  inlet  tlirongli  which  the  city  was  supplied 
was  not  only  in  this  quicksand,  but  very  near  the  shaft.  Owing 
to  the  want  of  suitable  pumps,  there -was  unexpected  delay  in 
sinking  the  cylinders,  but  as  soon  as  the  clay  had  been  penetrated 
a  few  feet  all  serious  difficulty  ended,  and  the  remainder  of  the 
shaft  was  sunk  to  its  proper  depth,  through  clay  of  various  de- 
grees of  tenacity,  from  very  soft  near  the  top  to  indurated  near 
the  bottom.  The  shaft  was  walled  up  eight  feet  in  diameter,  with 
masonry  12  inches  thick,  to  the  bottom  of  the  cast-iron,  the  inside 
of  which  M'as  laid  with  masonry  to  the  top  of  the  lowest  section. 
At  the  bottom  of  the  shaft  there  was  a  sump  six  feet  deep,  be- 
low the  bottom  of  the  tunnel.  This  had  to  be  emptied  generally 
twice  a  day  during  the  whole  progress  of  the  work,  as  the  quan- 
tity of  water  discharged  from  a  spring  there  continued  very  uni- 
form. 

From  the  bottom  of  the  shaft  a  drift,  at  first  only  intended  to 
be  temporary,  was  made  about  50  feet  long  westward,  with  a 
chamber  at  the  end,  with  fixtures  for  mounting  a  transit.  The 
regular  tunnel  work  eastward  was  commenced  May  26th,  1864, 

Here  much  pains  were  taken  to  introduce  a  curved  surface  in 
the  niasonr}'^,  between  the  shaft  and  upper  side  of  the  tunnel,  and 
it  was  satisfactorily  accomplished.  The  entrance  to  the  tunnel 
was  made  six  feet  in  diameter,  and  tapered  down  to  five  feet  in  a 
distance  of  twenty  feet.  The  masonry  on  this  portion  was  made 
of  three  shells  of  brick- work,  each  four  inches  thick,  wdth  cement 
joints  half  an  inch  thick  between.  The  rest  of  the  tunnel  proper 
was  lined  with  two  shells  of  brick-work.  It  was  intended  at  first 
to  fill  the  cavities  around  the  outside  of  the  brick-work  with  w^ell- 
tamped  earth,  but  it  was  soon  found  impossible  to  get  this  done 
in  a  satisfactory  manner.  For  this  reason,  solid  masonry  was 
almost  immediately  substituted  for  the  tamped  earth.  The  upper 
arch  was  built  on  a  ribbed  centre  of  boiler  iron,  which  diminished 
the  open   space  inside  of  the  tunnel  only  4^  inches,  and  thus 


m   CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST.  89 

allowed  the  cars  which  conveyed  away  the  earth  to  go  up  to  the 
face  of  the  excavation,  usually  kept  from  ten  to  tweety  feet  ahead 
of  the  masonry.  The  iron  centre  was  30  inches  long,  in  the 
direction  of  the  tunnel.  About  two  feet  in  length  of  masonry 
was  usually  made  at  a  time,  and,  as  a  rule,  it  was  found  safe' to 
strike  the  centre  within  fifteen  minutes  after  the  arch  was  keyed. 
At  first  it  was  supposed  necessary  to  excavate  nearly  a  foot 
above  the  top  of  the  brick-work,  in  order  to  give  the  masons 
room  to  build  the  upper  arch ;  but  very  soon  it  was  found  that 
they  could  build  it  perfectly  well,  generally,  without  making  the 
excavation  any  larger  than  the  space  required  for  the  brick- work. 
This  was  done  by  driving  the  last  four  or  five  top  courses  of  brick 
into  well-tempered  cement  mortar  first  thrown  into  the  cavity. 
The  driving  of  the  bricks  effectually  filled  up  the  spaces  which 
could  not  otherwise  have  been  reached  by  hand.  The  ends  of 
the  masonry  were  left  "  toothing,"  and  thus  furnished  a  guide  in 
driving  the  bricks  on  the  upper  arch.  The  lower  arch  was  built 
by  templets  or  patterns,  as  ordinary  sewers  are,  and  usually  kept 
some  six  feet  in  advance  of  the  upper  arch,  to  allow  of  greater 
convenience  in  loading  the  cars  with  earth,  which  the  miners  had 
to  keep  at  some  distance  behind  them,  and  which  the  shovellers 
could  not  throw  into  the  cars  very  well,  when  they  stood  under 
the  brick-work. 

The  excavation  was  generally  through  stiff,  blue  clay,  but  with 
the  irregularities  of  character  peculiar  to  the  drift.  It  very  sel- 
dom required  bracing  when  not  left  to  support  itself  more  than 
thirty-six  hours.  Sometimes  sana- pockets  were  met,  and  when 
tliose  were  over  the  upper  arch  they  would  empty  themselves 
partly,  leaving  cavities  to  be  filled  with  masonry,  but  these 
were  seldom  of  much  importance.  Sometimes  small  bodies  of 
quicksand  were  encountered,  but  they  occurred  only  in  pockets, 
and  not  in  strata,  and  therefore  gave  no  serious  trouble.  Some- 
times the  clay  would  be  soft  enough  for  a  miner  to  run  his 
6 


90  HISTORY   OF   THE   GKEAT   FIRES 

arm  into  it,  but  with  the  exception  of  requiring  a  little  more 
"triniminf^"  for  the  masonry,  this  gave  no  trouble.  Sometimes 
boulders  weighing  several  hundred  pounds  were  met,  and  inter- 
fered a  little  with  the  regular  progress  of  the  work,  but  seldom 
more  than  a  little. 

The  greatest  and  most  dangerous  difficulty  met  with  was  one 
that  was  not  anticipated  at  first,  and  that  was  inflammable  and 
explosive  gas.  Early  in  the  progress  of  the  work  several  acci- 
dents occurred  from  this  cause,  but  fortunately  without  fatal  re- 
sults to  the  workmen,  though  there  were  several  narrow  escapes. 
Yery  soon  the  miners  learned  to  detect  the  proximit}-  of  cavities 
containing  this  gas  from  the  sound  produced  by  striking  over 
them  with  their  picks.  When  a  cavity  was  thus  detected,  it  was 
bored  into  with  a  small  auger,  and  the  gas  ignited  as  soon  as  it 
began  to  escape.  In  this  way  explosions  were  prevented  which 
otherwise  took  place  when  large  bodies  of  gas  were  suddenly  al- 
lowed to  mix  with  the  air.  The  explosion  ^  that  did  occur  were 
slight  in  character,  but  left  a  body  of  flame  in  the  upper  part  of 
the  tunnel.  At  sncli  times  the  miners  fell  with  their  faces  to  the 
ground,  and  thus  escaped  without  any  greater  injury  than  singed 
beards  and  eyelashes  and  blistered  faces,  except  in  the  first  severe 
case,  when  a  miner  was  badly  burnt.  At  this  time  the  gas  kept 
the  miners  out  of  the  tunnel  three  days. 

CHAMBERS. 

With  trifling  exceptions,  this  work  was  prosecuted  day  and  night 
by  means  of  two  sets  of  miners  and  one  of  masons,  working  eight 
hours  each  in  every  twenty-four,  for  six  days  in  the  week,  till  the 
16th  of  October,  when  a  point  about  750  feet  from  the  centre  of 
the  shaft  was  reached.  Here  it  was  determined  to  make  two 
temporary  chambers,  one  on  each  side  of  the  tunnel,  with  which 
they  were  to  be  connected  by  small  and  short  openings.  It  took 
K.bout  one  week  to  construct  these  chambers  and  connections,  all 


IN   CHICAGO   AITD   THE   WEST.  91 

of  which  were  supported  b}'  timbers  and  planks.  In  the  tunnel, 
and  at  the  connection  between  tlie  chambers,  a  turn-table  was 
placed.  This  arrangement  permitted  not  only  the  passage  of 
cars  by  each  other,  but  also  making  up  of  trains,  which  soon  1)e- 
came  an  absolute  necessity  for  the  economical  and  rapid  execu- 
tion of  the  work.  By  means  of  such  chambers  it  was  practicable 
to  carry  on  the  work  a  mile  or  more  out  under  the  lake  as  fast  as 
could  be  done  near  the  bottom  of  the  land  shaft;  in  fact,  the 
progress  upwards  of  a  mile  out  was  really  greater  than  it  was 
near  the  shore,  owing  to  the  greater  skill  and  experience  acquired 
on  the  way.  A  gap  of  about  six  feet  in  the  masonry  of  the  tun- 
nel was  left  at  the  connection  between  these,  the  first  chambers 
to  be  built  in  after  the  completion  of  the  rest  of  the  work.  After 
two  or  three  weeks  several  cracks,  entirely- around  the  tunnel, 
were  discovered  in  the  brick  work  within  a  distance  of  about 
twelve  feet  on  each  side  of  the  turn-table.  There  were  various 
conjectures  as  to  the  cause  of  these  cracks,  for  up  to  this  time  re- 
peated careful  observations  had  shown  no  indications  whatever  of 
any  movement  iu  the  masonry  after  the  keying  of  the  upper 
arch.  Occasionally,  in  soft  ground,  the  sides  of  the  lower  arch 
had  been  pressed  in  an  inch  or  two  before  the  upper  arch  was 
built,  but  no  transverse  crack  was  ever  discovered  except  those 
near  the  chambers.  The  conclusion  was  that  they  were  probably 
caused  by  the  yielding  of  the  earth  in  a  pit  of  the  turn-table ;  yet 
no  settlement  in  the  masonry  was  observed. 

The  second  set  of  chambers  was  made  one  thousand  feet  be- 
yond the  first,  and  the  character  of  the  work,  as  well  as  the  mode 
of  carrying  it  on,  continued  the  same,  except  that  the  use  of  mules 
was  substituted  for  men  in  the  transportation  of  earth  and  ma- 
terials for  the  masonrj^  Stout  abutments  were  built  on  each  side 
of  this  turn-table  to  prevent  the  cracking  of  the  brick  work,  ob- 
served on  each  side  of  the  first,  but  just  the  same  number  and 
character  of  cracks  occurred,  notwithstanding. 


\)-J,  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

It  then  became  evident  that  these  cracks  were  owing  to  a 
tendency  in  clay  to  move,  or  "  creep,"  as  it  is  sometimes  expressed^ 
towards  any  cavity  made  in  it.  The  gap  left  at  the  connection 
between  the  chambers  being  only  temporarily  supported  with 
wood,  could  not  wholly  prevent  this  creeping  movement.  It  waa 
therefore  determined  afterwards  to  continue  the  brick  work  ovei 
and  around  the  next  turn-table,  and  to  brick  around  the  connec- 
tions between  the  chambers,  groining  carefully  in  their  inter- 
sections with  the  tunnel.  After  this  method  of  constructing  the 
chamber  connections  was  carried  out,  all  trouble  from  cracks 
ceased.  In  this  manner,  placing  the  sets  of  chambers  about  a 
thousand  feet  apart,  the  work  was  continued  to  about  a  mile  and 
a  half  from  the  land  shaft. 

The  character  of  the  work  continued  throughout  very  much 
the  same. 

The  greatest  progress  made  during  any  one  week  was  ninety- 
three  feet.  Only  once  was  a  boulder  so  large  as  to  require  blast- 
ing met  with.  There  was  a  little  nervousness  as  to  the  effect  of 
a  blast  under  the  Lake,  but  it  caused  no  serious  disturbance  either 
of  the  ground  or  the  masonry. 

VENTILATION. 

The  ventilation  of  the  tunnel  was  effected  by  means  of  tin 
pipes,  through  which  the  foul  air  was  drawn  out  and  fresh  air 
consequently  drawn  in  through  the  main  opening.  At  first  a 
six-inch  pipe  was  used  and  this  was  connected  with  the  furnace 
of  the  hoisting  engine.  Later  it  becaitie  necessary  to  provide 
an  engine  and  fan  expressly  for  the  purpose,  and  to  put  in  larger 
pipes.  Eight-inch  ones  were  introduced.  It  was  difficult  to 
keep  the  joints  of  the  pipes,  which  were  only  of  ordinary  tin, 
very  tight,  especially  near  the  chambers,  where  the  mules  struck 
them  with  their  heads  in  turning.     Still  they  answered  a  very 


rN    CHICAGO    AND   TITE   WEST.  93 

good  purpose,  and  the  air,  a  mile  and  a  half  out,  was  about  as 
good  as  it  was  much  nearer  to  the  land  shaft 

Ordinarily  there  was  so  much  smoke  from  the  miner's  lamps 
and  vapor  from  the  heat  of  the  workmen,  as  to  make  it  impos 
sible  to  see  distinctly  enough  to  run  the  lines  and  levels  required 
to  keep  the  tunnel  in  the  right  direction.  On  Sunday  nights,  how- 
ever, and  on  other  holidays,  the  air  became  so  clear  as  to  cause 
sperm  candles  to  burn  with  a  beautiful  silver  brightness,  visible 
sometimes  two  thousand  feet. 

ALIGNMENT. 

To  determine  the  position  of  the  lake  shaft  and  the  line  of  the 
tunnel,  much  pains  were  taken  to  establish  an  accurate  base  on 
the  shore  for  the  purpose  of  triangulation.  Owing  to  the  build- 
ings in  the  way,  this  was  no  easy  task.  For  the  alignment  of  the 
tunnel,  an  astromonical  transit  of  four-inch  aperture,  by  Pike, 
of  New  York,  was  mounted  on  a  tower  built  for  the  purpose, 
166  feet  westward  of  the  land-shaft,  and  sometimes  used  in  the 
chamber  below  already  described.  To  aid  in  placing  the  lake- 
shaft  beyond  all  doubt  in  the  line  of  the  tunnel,  a  six-incli  tube 
was  sunk  280  feet  eastward  of  the  land  shaft,  after  the  masonry 
had  been  carried  beyond  that  point.  By  plumbing  up  through 
this  tube,  a  "  range "  of  great  accuracy  for  such  a  purpose 
was  obtained.  The  astromonical  transit  could  only  be  used 
on. the  tower  above,  or  in  the  chamber  below.  As  soon  as  the 
work  had  been  carried  so  far  that  the  sperm  candles  used  in  the 
alignment  could  not  be  seen  at  "the  face"  of  the  work,  the  cen- 
tre line  was  produced  from  point  to  point  by  means  of  a  gonio- 
meter with  two  telescopes,  which,  when  in  perfect  adjustment, 
could  be  made  to  "reverse"  on  the  same  point,  which  was  thus 
proved  to  be  in  a  straight  line  with  the  instrument  and  the 
"  back-sight." 

Mr.  Kroeschell,  an  educated  and  experienced  mining  engineer, 


94  HISTOET   OF   THE   GREAT  FIRES 

was  principal  inspector  of  mining,  and  directed  tlie  "  brimming" 
shift,  ■vvbieh  worked  the  eight  hours  immediately  before  the 
masons  commenced.  He  set  the  "  patterns  "  by  which  the  ma- 
sonry was  built,  producing  for  this  purpose  the  lines  and  levels 
given  by  the  engineer  in  charge,  by  means  of  plummets,  ranges 
with  sperm  candles,  and  spirit  levels.  His  shift  consisted  usually 
of  four  miners  and  four  other  men,  who  at  first  pushed  the  loaded 
cars  to  and  from  the  shaft,  but  afterwards  to  and  from  the  nearest 
chambers,  from  which  tbey  were  hauled  by  mules  to  the  shaft 
and  back  again,  either  empty  or  loaded  with  brick,  cement,  or 
sand. 

Only  two  of  the  miners  usually  were  regularly  trained  men, 
the  others  being  but  picked  laborers,  who  soon  learned  to  use 
mining  tools  in  the  clay. 

The  general  custom  was  for  two  miners  to  work  together  for 
ten  or  fifteen  minutes  at  a  time  with  more  than  common  vigor, 
and  t^ien  rest. 

The  pushers  loaded  the  excavated  earth  into  the  cars,  brought 
as  near  the  face  as  possible  on  a  movable  truck. 

This  shift,  besides  frequently  carrying  the  face  of  the  excava- 
tion five  feet  ahead,  did  all  the  trimming  necessary  to  form  the 
interior  of  the  excavation  as  nearly  as  possible  to  the  exact  out- 
side shape  of  the  masonry.  The  next  or  mason's  shift  usually 
consisted  of  three  masons,  one  mortar  mixer,  and  four  to  six 
helpers,  according  to  the  distance  between  the  chamber  and  the 
work.  The  water  for  mixing  the  cement  mortar  was  all  brought 
from  the  top  of  the  land  shaft  in  tank-cars,  made  especially  for 
the  purpose.  The  average  length  of,  masonry  laid  by  this  shift 
was  twelve  feet  a  day  for  the  entire  distance,  but  for  the  first 
2,000  feet  the  greatest  progress  scarcely  equalled  this  rate.  After- 
wards it  sometimes  reached  15^  feet  a  day ;  but  this  latter  rate 
could  only  be  attained  by  putting  on  a  couple  of  miners  during 
the  shift ;  but  this  course  enabled  the  contractors  to  advance  the 


EST   CHICAGO   AND    THE   WEST.  95 

whole  work  two  feet  more  a  day  than  they  could  have  done 
without  it. 

PLAN   AND   CONSTRUCTION   OF   THE   CEIB. 

Preparations  for  commenciMg  operations  at  tlie  outer  end  of 
the  tunnel  were  early  made,  but  owing  to  disappointments  of  the 
contractors  in  getting  the  necessary  timber  for  the  crib,  and  other 
delays,  the  foundations  of  the  outer,  and  only  one  it  was  found 
necessary  to  build,  were  not  laid  till  May,  1864.  This  was  done 
on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  about  800  feet  west  of  the  Light- 
Honse. 

The  dimensions  of  the  crib,  as  required  by  the  specifications, 
are  fifty-eight  feet  horizontal  measurement  on  each  of  the  five 
sides,  and  forty  feet  high.  The  inner  portion,  or  well,  has  sides 
parallel  with  the  outer  ones,  and  twenty-two  feet  long  each,  leav- 
ing the  distance  between  the  inner  and  outer  faces  of  the  crib,  or 
thickness  of  tlie  breakv/ater,  twenty -five  feet.  This  breakwater 
was  built  on  a  flooring  of  twelve-inch  white  pine  timber  laid  close 
togethez*.  The  outer  and  inner  vertical  faces  and  the  middle 
wall  between  them  were  all  of  solid  twelve-inch  white  pine  tim- 
ber, except  the  upper  ten  feet  of  the  outside,  which  was  of  white 
oak,  to  withstand  better  the  action  of  ice.  Across  the  angles  of  the 
outer  and  middle  walls  were  placed  brace  walls  about  ten  feet 
long,  of  solid  twelve-inch  timber.  The  middle  wall  on  each  side 
of  the  crib  was  continued  straiglit  through  to  the  outside  wall. 

Connecting  the  outer  and  inner  walls,  and  passing  through  the 
middle  wall,  were  cross-ties  of  twelve-inch  timbei",  placed  hori- 
zontally about  nine  feet,  and  vertically  one  foot  apart.  The  ends 
of  the  timbers,  wlieve  they  passed  through  the  outer  and  inner 
walls,  were  dovetailed,  and  notched  half  and  half  into  the  timbers 
of  the  middle  wall. 

All  of  the  timbers  used  were  carefully  inspected  and  well 
jointed,  which  was  mostly  done  by  hewing,  though  nearly  all  oi 


96  HISrOEY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

it  was  first  sawed.  It  was  foun(^  impossible,  however,  to  get 
sawed  timber  of  perfectly  uniform  dimensions.  The  floor  tim- 
bers were  laid  on  ground  timbers  placed  directly  under  the  outer, 
middle  and  inner  walls  of  the  crib.  Round  one  and  a  half  inch 
bolts,  thirty -six  inches  loDg,  with  large  washers  at  the  bottom, 
were  placed  vertically,  four  feet  apart,  to  hold  the  ground  and 
floor  timbers  firmly  to  the  first  two  courses  of  wall  timbers  above 
the  flooring.  All  of  the  wall  timbers  were  fastened  to  each  other 
by  one  and  a  quarter  square  inch  bolts  thirty-four  inches  long, 
pointed  and  driven  somewhat  slanting  into  one  and  a  quarter 
inch  auger-holes  about  five  feet  apart.  The  slant  was  given  in  op- 
posite directions  to  the  bolts  nearest  each  other,  to  avoid  the  pos- 
sibility of  their  being  drawn  out  by  the  buoyancy  of  the  timber, 
an  accident  which  once  occurred  to  a  somewhat  similar  structure 
in  the  "West. 

Three  rectangular  openings,  each  four  feet  wide  and  five  feet 
high,  were  made  through  the  breakwater  at  dififerent  depths  be- 
low the  surface  of  the  Lake,  so  that  the  water  could  be  drawn 
from  near  the  bottom,  middle  or  top,  as  future  experience  might 
show  to  be  best.  These  openings,  and  wells  four  feet  square  from 
them  to  the  top  of  the  breakwater,  were  timbered  around  in  the 
same  careful  manner  as  the  rest  of  the  crib.  Each  well  was  pro- 
vided on  its  inner  face  with  slides  for  a  temporary  gate  to  cut  ofl' 
the  water  whenever  thought  necessary. 

The  floor  and  walls  of  the  crib  were  all  carefully  calked.  The 
interior  of  the  breakwater  was  divided  into  seven  water-tight 
compartments,  made  so  by  the  calking  already  mentioned,  and 
"  matched  sheathing  "  between  the  walls.  The  object  of  these 
water-tight  compartments  was  to  make  it  easy  to  build  solid  ma- 
sonry in  the  whole  of  the  breakwater  at  any  time  within  the 
course  of  a  few  years,  if  it  should  be  thought  best. 

The  whole  of  the  outside  surfaces  of  the  outer  and  inner  walls 
were  sheeted  with  two-inch  pine  plank  carefully  jointed,  placed 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  97 

vertically,  and  spiked  on.  Instead  of  pine,  three-incli  white  oak 
was  used  for  the  upper  portion  of  the  outside,  to  resist  the  ice. 
The  npper  ten  feet  of  each  outside  corner  was  protected  by  angle 
irons,  extending  each  way  two  feet,  and  firmly  fastened  by  two-inch 
round  bolts.  From  the  bottom  to  the  top  of  the  crib,  and  into 
which  the  ends  of  the  angle  irons  were  let,  there  were  ten  pieces 
of  white  oak,  5  x  14  inches,  fastened  every  two  feet  to  the  middle 
wall  with  two-inch  round  bolts. 

Similar  pieces,  3  x  12  inches,  thirty-nine  feet  long,  reaching 
from  the  top  of  the  crib  to  the  flooring,  were  fastened  by  the  same 
bolts  to  the  inside  of  the  middle  wall.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that 
apparently  excessive  care  was  taken  to  make  the  crib  strong,  but 
subsequent  experience  showed  that  this  care  was  none  too  great. 

The  crib,  when  built,  was  in  a  horizontal  position.  In  order 
to  launch  it,  it  was  raised  by  screws,  and  inclined  at  an  angle  of 
one  in  twelve  towards  the  water.  Seven  ways  were  placed 
imder  it,  and  extended  out  sixty-four  feet  into  the  river  on 
trestle  work.  The  river  portion  of  the  ways  gave  a  great  deal 
of  trouble,  on  account  of  the  uneven  and  stony  character  of  the 
bottom,  and  accidents  caused  by  passing  vessels.  Eveiything 
being  ready,  the  launch  took  place  on  the  24tli  day  of  July, 
1865,  when  the  crib  glided  without  accident  or  delay  gracefully 
into  the  water  in  the  presence  of  a  large  number  of  spectators. 
Immediately  after  the  launch,  the  contractors  towed  the  crib  out 
to  its  position  in  the  Lake.  As  soon  as  the  bar  was  passed,  three 
small  gates  near  the  bottom  of  the  crib  were  opened,  and  the 
draft  of  water,  which  at  first  was  but  a  little  over  eight  feet,  in- 
creased soon  after  reaching  the  anchoring  ground  to  twenty-one 
feet.  A  mooring  screw,  opposite  the  intended  position  of  each 
angle  of  the  crib,  had  been  placed  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Clarke. 
To  each  mooring  screw  a  one  and  a  half  inch  chain  cable  was 
attached,  and  the  loose  end  of  the  chain  fastened  to  a  buoy. 
Unfortunately,   lake    propellers   had   destroyed    three   of    these 


98  HISTOKY   OF   THE   GREAT   FERES 

buoys,  and  it  was  thought  most  expedient  to  substitute  for  the 
sunken  chains  ordinary  anchors  and  lienip  cables.  As  soon  as  the 
crib  was  brought  near  its  position,  the  work  of  filling  with  loose 
rubble  was  commenced.  Very  soon  the  crib  got  "  out  of  trim," 
and  one  corner  of  it  rested  on  one  of  the  low  bars,  peculiar  to  the 
Lake  at  this  distance  from  the  shore.  After  some  time  had  been 
lost  in  vain  efforts  to  get  the  crib  righted,  and  into  its  exact  posi- 
tion, the  Board  became  alarmed  for  its  safety,  in  case  a  severe 
storm  should  arise,  and  directed  that  no  expense  be  spared 
that  might  seem  necessary  to  the  engineers  to  secure  it  with  the 
utmost  despatch. 

A  wrecking  pump  was  at  once  employed.  By  means  of  this, 
sufficient  v/ater  was  pumped  into  or  out  of  the  crib,  as  occasion 
required,  to  right  it.  The  partitions  between  the  compartments 
failed,  and  it  was  a  matter  of  rejoicing  that  they  did,  for  other- 
wise the  removal  of  the  wrecking  pump  from  one  compartment 
to  another  could  not  have  been  made  in  time. 

Three  powerful  tugs  were  hired,  which,  by  the  aid  of  sufficient 
tackle,  finally  towed  the  crib  to  its  exact  position.  Immediately 
the  contractors  resumed  the  operation  of  filling  tlie  crib  with 
stone,  but  very  soon  after  a  violent  storm  set  in,  and  drove  the 
vessels  loaded  with  stone  into  the  harbor.  This  storm  continued 
for  three  days,  and  threatened,  before  it  abated,  to  do  serious,  if 
not  fatal,  injury  to  the  crib.  In  order  to  hold  it  in  its  position  as 
firmly  as  possible,  the  wrecking  pump  was  kept  at  work  to  fill  it 
with  water,  the  stone  thrown  in  previously  not  being  sufficient  to 
hold  it  down.  During  the  height  of  the  storm,  every  wave  caused 
a  perceptible  rocking  of  the  crib.  The  angle  joints  of  the  inner 
and  n)iddle  walls  began  to  separate,  and  for  a  time  caused  intense 
anxiety.  When  tlie  storm  was  over,  two  of  the  inner  angle 
joints  had  parted  an  inch  on  top,  and  the  entire  crib  had  worked 
against  wind  and  waves  thirteen  feet,  and  the  northwest  angle 
was  three  and  a  half  feet  lower  than  the  southeast. 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST. 


The  great  difficulty  there  would  have  beet  in  restoring  the 
crib  to  its  exact  position,  and  the  fear  there  might  be  another 
storm  in  the  meantime,  prevented  any  attempt  of  the  kind  from 
being  made.  The  very  slight  deflection  this  rendered  necessary 
in  the  line  of  the  tunnel,  was  of  no  practical  importance  what- 
ever, though  regretted,  and  the  variations  of  the  sides  of  the  crib 
from  perpendicular,  though  a  constant  eyesore,  did  not  aflcct  its 
stability. 

The  filling  of  the  crib  with  stones  was  proceeded  with  as  fast 
as  the  contractors  could,  and  since  it  v/as  completed,  about  the 
middle  of  August,  no  variation  whatever  in  the  position  of  this 
structure  has  ever  been  perceived.  A  slight  tremor  is  sometimes 
felt  during  severe  storms,  and  when  large  fields  of  ice  are  passing. 
The  rubbing  of  the  field-ice  against  the  crib  is  occasionally  accom- 
panied with  a  fearful  noise.  At  such  times  the  crib  appears  to  a 
spectator  on  it  to  be  an  immense  plough  moving  through  the  ice. 
On  several  occasions  the  broken  masses  lodged  on  the  south  side 
of  the  crib,  forming  banks  several  hundred  feet  long,  and  reaching 
from  the  bottom  of  the  Lake  to  ten  or  fifteen  feet  above  the  surface. 

The  breakwater  portion  of  the  crib  being  filled  with  stone,  the 
contractors  erected  over  it  a  temporary  wooden  covering,  with  a 
light-house  on  top,  and  rooms  above  and  below  for  the  accommo- 
dation of  their  own  men,  as  well  as  the  inspectors  employed  by 
the  Board.  It  may  be  said,  in  passhig,  that  the  air  was  so  pure 
at  this  dwelling-place  as  to  cause  complaints,  at  first,  from  the 
cook  of  the  voracious  appetites  of  the  men.  The  reputation  of 
the  crib  for  healthfulness  is  still  maintained,  the  present  keeper 
being  now  quite  vigorous  and  hearty,  although  apparently  a  feeble 
consumptive  when  he  went  tliere  to  live,  about  eighteen  months 
ago. 

CYLINDER  AND  LAKE  SHAET. 

The  cast-iron  cylinder  for  the  lake  shaft  was  made  in  Pittsburg, 
by  Messrs.  James  Marshall  &  Co.,  who  also  made  the  one  for  the 


100  HTSTORy    OF   THE    GREAT   FIKEB 

land  shaft.  It  consists  of  seven  sections,  each  nine  feet  in  length, 
nine  feet  internal  diameter,  two  and  a  quarter  inches  thick,  and 
in  all  other  respects  like  the  one  for  the  land  shaft,  except  that 
the  lowest  section  was  turned  on  the  outside,  to  make  it  penetrate 
the  clay  more  easily,  and  the  upper  end  was  provided  with  two 
gateways,  for  the  introduction  or  exclusion  of  the  lake  M^ater. 
The  gateways  are  each  fifty-four  inches  high  by  thirty-two  inches 
wide,  and  placed  with  their  tops  below  the  lowest  known  level  of 
the  lake.  Each  gateway  was  provided  with  a  sliding  gate  on  the 
outside  of  the  cylinder,  raised  by  a  screw  worked  at  the  top  of 
the  cylinder.  Provisional  arrangements  were  made  at  each  gate- 
opening  for  forming  chambers  on  each  side,  in  case  it  should 
ever  be  necessary  to  repair  either  gate,  by  simply  sliding  in  tem- 
porary gates.  The  sliding  faces  for  those  temporary  gates,  as  well 
as  of  the  permanent  ones,  were  made  of  "  composition."  In- 
clined ways  were  placed  inside  of  the  crib  during  its  construction, 
to  aid  in  lowering  the  cjdinder  to  its  place,  but  the  storm  already 
mentioned  destroyed  them.  The  lowest  and  next  cylinder-sec- 
tions were  put  together  on  an  incline.  They  were  held  in  place, 
when  required,  by  chains  on  the  outside,  secured  to  the  lower 
end  of  the  bottom  section,  and  a  brake  over  the  upper  side  of  the 
cylinder.  They  were  lowered  gradually  on  the  incline  by  means 
of  screws  attached  to  the  upper  flange.  These  screws  had  to  be 
removed,  of  course,  for  every  new  section  put  on.  Care  was 
taken  to  have  sections  enough  together  before  removing  the 
chains  from  the  bottom  of  the  cylinder,  to  reach  above  the  water. 
This  required  five,  or  forty-five  feet  altogether,  to  be  sure.  A 
false  bottom  of  wood  was  put  into  the  cylinder  at  its  lowest  sec- 
tion, to  keep  out  as  much  water  as  practicable.  This  gave  the 
cylinder  great  buoyancy  when  sunk  to  a  depth  of  thirty  feet,  and 
made  it  very  easy  to  handle  with  blocks  and  falls  placed  overhead. 
On  being  lowered  the  cylinder  sunk  by  its  own  weight  two  oi 
tln-ee  feet  into  the  clay,  when  the  false  bottom  stopped  it.     A 


m   CHICAGO   AND    THE   WEST.  101 

hole  was  then  bored  through  the  false  bottom,  and  the  cjlinde 
went  down  several  feet  further  by  its  own  weight.  After  the 
sixth  or  gate-section  was  put  on,  and  the  false  bottom  removed 
and  excavation  made  within,  the  cylinder  continued  to  sink  by 
its  own  weight.  After  the  top  section  was  put  on  a  moderate 
force  only  was  necessary  to  push  the  cylinder  down  twenty-three 
feet  below  the  bottom  of  the  Lake.  Below  this  point  the  work  of 
sinking  the  shaft  was  substantially  a  repetition  of  that  at  the 
shore  end  of  the  tunnel,  except  that  no  water  was  met  with,  and 
no  pump  ever  put  in  or  required.  The  little  leakage  that  oc- 
curred was  easily  removed  in  buckets. 

An  extension  eastward,  about  fifty  feet,  was  made,  in  anticipa- 
tion of  the  possible  extension  of  the  tunnel,  at  some  future  day, 
still  further  out  into  the  Lake.  This  was  provided  with  the  neces- 
sary sump  and  bottom  on  which  to  place  another  iron  cylinder. 
The  extension  was  of  great  service  during  the  construction  of  the 
work  as  a  turn  out  of  the  cars,  and  afforded,  by  means  of  a  six- 
inch  tube,  sunk  perpendicular  from  above  the  surface  of  the  Lake 
to  its  outer  end,  an  excellent  opportunity  to  start  the  line  of  the 
tunnel  below  with  great  accuracy  towards  the  deflecting  point 
in  the  middle. 

TUNNELLING   FROM   LAKE   SHAFT. 

The  work  of  tunnelling  was  carried  on  from  this  end  in  very 
much  tlie  same  manner,  and  about  as  rapidly  as  it  was  on  the 
first  2,000  feet  from  the  land  shaft.  The  average  progress  made 
was  9^  feet  a  day  till  a  point  2,290  feet  from  the  lake  shaft  was 
reached,  when  operations  in  this  direction  ceased.  When  the 
work  from  the  land  shaft  was  within  100  feet  of  the  same  point, 
it  was  thought  best  to  stop  the  masonry  there  and  run  a  small 
timbered  drift  through  to  the  east  face  to  be  certain  as  to  how 
the  lines  were  going  to  meet.  The  two  faces  were  brought  to- 
gether on  the  30th  of  November,  1866,  when  it  was  found  that 


102  HISTOET   OF   THE   GREAT  FIRES 

the  masonry  at  the  east  face  was  only  about  7i  inches  out  of  the 
line  from  the  west  end.  The  horizontal  measurements  were  only 
three  inches  longer  than  was  estimated  by  triangulation.  This  re- 
sult, considering  the  great  difficulty  of  getting  a  clear  atmosphert 
in  the  tunnel,  was  deemed  very  good,  and  much  better  than  was 
generally  expected. 

The  last  of  the  masonry  in  the  regular  tunnel,  when  the  two 
faces  were  brought  together,  was  completed  on  the  6th  of  Decem- 
ber, and  a  stone  commemorative  of  the  event  placed  there  b}^  the 
Mayor  of  the  city,  in  the  presence  of  the  City  Council  and  Board 
of  Public  Works,  both  of  which  bodies,  together  with  a  number 
of  citizens,  passed  from  the  shore  through  the  tunnel  to  the  crib, 
and  then  by  a  tug  to  the  city  on  that  day. 

The  ventilation  of  the  east  end  of  the  tunnel  was  effected  by 
means  of  six-inch  tin  pipes,  connecting  with  the  furnace  of  the 
hoisting  engine.  The  pipes  extended  to  the  end  of  the  masonry. 
Occasionally,  ashes  from  the  furnace  would  stop  the  ventilation, 
which  would  soon  be  discovered  at  the  face. 

GATE-CHAMBER,  CONNECTIONS,   AND  COMPLETION. 

In  December  the  work  of  filling  up  the  chambers  was  com- 
menced, and  also  that  of  connecting  the  tunnel  with  the  pumping 
wells.  Much  had  been  done  previously  towards  constructing  a 
gate-chamber  between  the  land  shaft  and  the  pumping  wells.  This 
was  made  nineteen  and  a  third  feet  exterior,  and  sixteen  feet  interior 
diameter,  and  divided  into  five  compartments,  separated  by  walls 
twenty  inches  thick.  The  outer  walls  were  first  built  on  a  boiler- 
iron  slioe,  or  curb,  and  then  sunk  by  excavating  within.  An  old 
abandoned  inlet  gave  a  great  deal  of  trouble  by  letting  in  water; 
and  the  boiler-iron  shoe,  which  was  adopted  for  the  sake  of  econ- 
omy, proved  more  expensive  in  the  end  than  a  cast-iron  one  would 
have  been.  The  foundations  were  on  a  bed  of  concrete  twenty- 
four  inches  thick,  on  which  the  footings  of  the  exterior  and  division 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  103 

•walls,  all  of  briek,  were  built.  Tlirongh  the  bottom  of  each  divi- 
sion wall  there  were  left  rectangular  gate  openings,  three  feet 
wide  and  five  feet  high.  The  tops  of  these  openings  are  23-^  feet 
below  low-water  in  the  Lake.  In  each  opening  a  cast-iron  gate 
frame  was  built.  The  gates  themselves  are  tapering.  The  frames 
were  fitted  with  wedging  grooves  or  ways  projecting  beyond  the 
walls,  just  sufficient  to  free  the  gates  when  raised  or  lowered.  It 
was  hoped  that  the  wedging  grooves  would  allow  the  gates  to  be 
screwed  down  perfectly  tight ;  but  in  practice  they  have  given 
more  trouble  than  was  anticipated,  and  it  is  believed  now  that 
in  making  future  structures  of  the  kind  for  the  city,  if  any  should 
be  required,  it  would  be  safer  and  better  to  put  a  gate  on  each 
side  of  the  wall,  so  that  the  pressure  of  the  water  could  always 
be  used  to  keep  the  gate  tight.  The  gates  are  operated  by  means 
of  rods,  stayed  at  intervals,  and  by  screws  with  hand-wheels  at 
the  top  of  the  walls. 

The  connection  between  the  land  shaft  and  the  gate  chamber 
was  of  precisely  the  same  size  and  form  as  the  main  tunnel.  The 
connections  with  the  old  and  new  pumping  wells,  and  a  partial 
one  with  the  provisional  or  south  pumping  well,  as  also  about 
180  feet  of  a  provisional  connection  with  the  Lake  shore,  are  all 
four  and  a  half  feet  interior  diameter,  and  were  tunnelled  through 
soft  clay  Avithout  any  difiicultj^,  except  a  little  trouble  in  working 
under  and  through  the  piling  beneath  the  old  pumping  well. 
The  connection  with  the  Lake  shore,  or  rather  the  old  inlet  basin, 
is  to  be  used,  in  case  it  should  ever  be  necessary  to  suspend  the 
supply  through  the  main  tunnel,  either  to  examine,  cleanse,  or 
repair  it. 

A  temporary  connection  between  the  land  shaft  and  the  mouth 
of  the  old  inlet  was  made  by  means  of  a  timbered  drift  through 
the  clay,  and  a  brick  well  four  feet  interior  diameter  and  thirty 
feet  deep,  provided  with  a  curb  built  above  the  water  on  an  iron 
shoe,  held  together  by  irou  rods,  and  sunk  by  means  of  the  same 


104  HIBTORT   OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

dredging  apparatus  that  was  used  for  sinking  the  curb  of  the  new 
pumping  well.  Two  wooden  gates  were  left  in  the  top  of  the 
curb,  just  below  the  surface  of  the  water.  A  small  area,  enclos- 
ing the  well  and  the  inlet,  were  coffer-dammed  around  as  far  as 
necessary  to  cut  them  off  from  the  flow  of  the  Lake  whenever 
desired. 

The  work  of  tilling  the  chambers  of  the  main  tunnel,  and  the 
cleansing  of  that  structure  having  been  completed,  water  was 
first  let  into  it  on  the  8th  of  March,  1867,  when  only  the  hori- 
zontal portion  was  filled,  this  precaution  being  taken  to  avoid 
too  sudden  a  pressure  on  the  masonry.  By  the  morning  of  the 
11th,  the  shafts  were  filled  to  the  level  of  the  Lake.  For  the  pur- 
pose of  ascertaining  if  any  defective  workmanship  existed  where 
cavities  on  the  outside  of  the  masonry  had  been  filled  in,  the 
water  was  pumped  out  of  the  tunnel  sufficiently  to  permit  the 
engineer  and  three  representatives  of  the  city  press  to  go  upwards 
of  half  way  through  the  tunnel.  I^ot  a  brick  was  observed  to 
be  out  of  its  place  or  to  have  started.  The  party  not  being  able 
to  push  their  boat  any  further  without  great  discomfort,  returned, 
but  were  upset  and  left  in  total  darkness  about  600  feet  from  the 
Lake  shaft,  to  which  they  walked.  Had  this  accident  occurred 
a  mile  out,  it  would  have  proved  very  serious,  if  not  fatal,  to 
most  of  the  party,  as  the  water  was  too  cold  to  be  endured  long. 

After  the  examination  the  tunnel  was  again  filled,  and  on  the 
24th,  about  4  p.m.,  the  mouth  of  the  old  inlet  was  cut  off  from 
the  Lake.  Immediately  the  pumps,  which  were  not  stopped  at 
all,  drew  down  the  surface  of  the  water  at  the  mouth  of  the  inlet 
upwards  of  a  foot.  For  a  moment  it  seemed  to  some  of  the 
bystanders  as  if  the  tunnel  would  not  perform  its  intended  office, 
but  the  next  instant  the  water  began  to  bubble  up  beautiful  and 
clear  at  the  top  of  the  well,  and  continued  to  do  so  till  the  tem- 
porary connection  was  no  longer  needed  ;  when  this  most  pleasing 
and  unexpected  feature  of  the  works  ceased  to  delight  the  public. 


THE  NKW  PACIFIC    r 


I'EL  FNT  r'HTf'AfJO. 


EST   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  107 

The  formal  celebration  of  tlie  completion  of  the  tunnel  and 
introduction  of  pure  Lake  water,  by  appropriate  public  ceremonies, 
took  place  March  25,  1867.  From  that  time  to  this  there  has 
been  no  cessation  in  the  supply  except  three  times,  when  stop- 
pages of  a  few  hours  by  anchor  ice  occurred.  The  experience 
thus  far  gained  in  this  respect  is  believed  to  be  sufficient  to  show 
how  to  prevent  the  recurrence  of  such  accidents. 

Careful  observations  have  frequently  been  made  to  ascertain 
the  head  required  to  deliver  given  quantities  of  water  through  the 
tunnel,  and  it  is  found  to  exceed  in  capacity  the  original  estimates. 
No  indications  whatever  of  internal  injury  to  the  structure  have 
yet  been  observed. 

The  original  estimate  of  the  probable  cost  of  the  work  was 
$307,552.  The  actual  cost,  including  all  preliminary  and  other 
expenses  of  whatever  nature  chargeable  to  the  Lake  tunnel,  up 
to  April,  1867,  was  $457,844.95. 

Thus  was  completed  this  important  series  of  works  which 
deliver  to  us  the  pure  crystal  contents  of  our  mighty  inland  seas. 
What  man's  forethought  could  devise  was  here  planned  and  pre- 
pared to  guard  against  the  possibility  of  failure  to  supply  the  city 
in  its  largest  need.  But  the  fire,  which  tried  every  man's  work 
of  what  sort  it  was,  could  be  stayed  by  nothing  human.  How  need- 
ful that  every  man  keep,  in  his  own  place  of  humble  dependence 
on  the  Almighty.     "  Blessed  is  every  one  who  trusteth  in  Him!  " 


CHAPTER  XV. 

The  river  makes  the  harbor,  and  the  harbor  determines  the 
location  and  greatness  of  the  city.  This  cut  into  the  shore,  or 
bayou,  first  extends  west  about  one  mile,  and  then  forks  north  and 
south,  dividing  the  place  naturally  into  three  sides,  north,  south, 


108  HISTOKT   OF   THE   GEE  AT   FLEES 

and  west.  The  first  lies  between  tlie  Lal^e,  the  north  branch, 
and  the  main  river.  The  West  comprises  all  west  of  the  two 
forks  or  branches,  and  the  South  is  bounded  by  the  Lake,  the  riv- 
er, and  the  South  Branch.  The  great  ships  and  propellers  sail 
grandly  into  the  harbor,  and  float  away  inland,  yet  remain  ever 
in  close  proximity  to  the  business  and  the  people.  This  gives 
peculiar  facilities  for  commerce,  but  impedes  intercourse  between 
the  three  sections,  because  the  river  is  crossed  by  swinging  bridg- 
es which  whirl  upon  a  table  in  the  centre  of  the  stream.  When 
the  bridges  are  "  open  "  the  people  must  wait  till  they  shut.  Tug- 
boats draw  fleets  of  vessels  through  the  sluggish  water  while  the 
impatient  multitudes  gather,  and  long  lines  of  teams  stand  wait- 
ing, each  eager  to  be  on  the  move.  We  have  sometimes  consid- 
ered this  enforced  delay  a  blessing,  inasmuch  as  it  gave  the  hur- 
rying Chicagoans  a  breathing  spell  and  moment  to  collect  their 
thoughts.  It  is  to  be  feared  that  the  majority  do  not  indulge 
pious  thoughts,  or  confine  themselves  to  words  of  gentleness,  while 
they  fume  and  fret  over  the  impediment  to  their  onward  pursuit 
after  money  or  pleasure.  To  obviate  this  difiiculty  and  facilitate 
the  necessary  interchange  between  the  three  great  divisions,  tun- 
nels have  been  constructed  underneath  the  river  and  South  Branch, 
both  for  vehicles  and  foot-passengers.  They  were  finished  none 
too  soon,  for  in  our  present  distress  they  have  paid  for  themselves. 
Business  was  mainly  in  the  South  Division  till  that  was  ravaged 
by  destruction,  and  people  were  compelled  to  transfer  the  chief 
portion  of  it  to  the  West  Side,  where  also  the  large  majority  of 
dwellings  stood  and  still  remain.  In  the  time  of  the  conflagra- 
tion, when  bridges  fell  into  the  river  smouldering  masses,  these 
became  necessary  for  the  escape  of  those  who  were  driven  before 
the  fire.  They  were  the  scenes  of  some  peculiar  experiences  on 
that  dreadful  night.  When  the  gas  works  let  off"  the  gas  to  pre- 
vent explosion  after  midnight,  the  Washington  street  tunnel  was 
full  of  vehicles,  and  the  footway  erow^ded  with  fugitives  bearing 


EST   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  IOC 

away  their  families  and  possessions  to  a  place  of  refuge.  This 
being  illuminated  bj  gas  was  light  and  safe,  even  with  a  dense 
throng  pressing  excitedly  through  it.  But  in  an  instant  the 
flickering  flames  were  extinguished,  and  the  place  was  dark  as 
midnight  without  a  star.  One  shriek  of  anguish  rang  out  along 
the  arches,  and  then  the  voices  of  men  were  heard  quieting  the 
people.  "  Be  still,"  "  move  slow,"  "  there  is  no  danger,"  "  do 
not  push  or  crowd,"  were  some  of  the  directions  given  and  carried 
out,  so  that  the  whole  procession  felt  their  way  composedly 
to  the  farther  end,  and  not  a  person  was  trodden  down  or  in- 
jured. Reports  went  over  the  land  by  telegraph  that  hundreds 
of  people  were  smothered  in  the  tunnels  and  fearful  deeds  were 
perpetrated  in  their  darkened  passages  ;  all  of  which  proved  false, 
and  these  excavations  were  coverts  from  the  storm  of  flame,  and 
by  their  means  many  escaped  who  otherwise  must  have  become 
victims  of  the  fiery  demon. 

Those  who  sought  exit  from  the  furnace  by  the  La  Salle  street 
tunnel  were  less  fortunate,  according  to  the  succeeding  description, 
for  which,  however,  we  do  not  vouch,  although  every  word  is 
possibly  true : 

"  One  of  the  inost  dramatic  and  impressive  scenes  of  the  fire 
not  yet  recorded,  was  the  flight  through  the  new  La  Salle  street 
tunnel,  under  the  river,  during  Sunday  night.  It  was  about  2 
o'clock  when  this  strange  hegira  began,  and  in  ten  minutes  it 
became  a  furious  rout.  The  bridges  on  both  sides  were  on  fire, 
and  the  flames  were  writhing  over  the  decks  of  the  brigs  in  the 
river,  and  winding  their  fierce  arms  of  flame  around  the  masts 
and  through  the  rigging  like  a  monstrous  luminous  devil-fish. 
The  awful  canopy  of  fire  drew  down  and  closed  over  Water  street 
as  the  shrieking,  multitude  rushed  for  the  tunnel,  the  only  avenue 
of  escape.  There  was  no  light  in  any  house,  save  the  illumination 
which  lighted  up  only  to  destroy.  But  into  the  darkened  tave 
rushed  pell-mell,  from  all  directions,  the  frenzied  crowd  -  bankers. 


110  HISTORY   OF   THE   GKEAT  FIKES 

thieves,  draymen,  wives,  children^n  every  stage  of  undress,  aE 
they  had  leaped  from  burning  lodgings,  a  howling,  imploring, 
cursing,  praying,  waiting  mob,  making  their  desperate  dive  under 
the  river.  It  was  as  dark  in  the  tunnel  as  it  is  in  the  centre  of 
the  earth,  perhaps  darker.  Hundreds  of  the  fugitives  were  laden 
with  furniture,  household  goods,  utensils,  loaves  of  bread,  and 
pieces  of  meat,  and  their  rush  through  the  almost  suffocating 
tunnel  was  fearful  in  the  extreme.  They  knocked  eacli  other 
down,  and  the  strong  trod  on  the  helpless.  Nothing  was  heard 
at  the  mouth  of  tlie  cavernous  prison  but  a  muffled  howl  of  rage 
and  anguish.  Several  came  forth  with  broken  limbs  and  terrible 
bruises,  as  they  scattered  and  resumed  their  flight  under  the  blaz- 
ing sky  to  the  North." 

The  tunnels  having  become  an  established  institution,  will  be 
multiplied  as  the  necessities  of  the  future  require,  till  the  river 
shall  become  no  barrier  to  the  intercourse  of  the  inhabitants  in 
every  part  of  the  city.  They  exist  as  a  monument  of  the  un- 
conquerable energy  of  the  people  under  whose  patronage  they 
have  been  constructed. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


OuB  city  has  enjoyed  an  unenviable  reputation  abroad  for 
wickedness.  Doubtless  the  sins  of  our  people  are  a  cause  of 
reproach,  weakness,  and  shame.  "Righteousness  exalteth  a 
nation,  but  sin  is  a  reproach  to  any  people."  We  have  had 
all  the  vices  of  large  populations,  both  open  and  secret.  The 
divorce  business  is  especially  a  crying  evil  of  the  time,  and  our 
foreign  element  have  been  peculiarly  given  to  disregard  of  the 
marriage  tie.  It  was  said  of  us  that  the  newsboys  cried  at  the 
approach  of  railway  trains:     "Chicago,  fifteen  minutes  for  divor- 


m   CHICAGO   AND    THE   WEST.  Ill 

ces!"  The  annals  of  crime  have  been  full  and  red.  Only  the 
week  preceding  the  fire  a  mysterious  murder  occurred  which  sent 
a  thrill  throughout  the  community.  Drinking  was  carried  to 
excess,  even  Sunday  dram-selling  being  tolerated  by  the  executive 
to  an  alarming  and  shameful  extent.  Covetousness  also  prevailed 
nnder  the  forms  of  prodigality  and  avarice.  The  Sabbath  was 
terribly  profaned  by  our  foreign  population,  and  the  demoraliza- 
tion ran  along  all  orders  of  society.  Sinful  or  doubtful  amuse- 
ments received  the  devotion  of  multitudes.  At  an  expense  of 
eighty  thousand  dollars  Crosby's  Opera  House  had  been  refitted, 
and  the  winter  was  expected  to  be  one  of  unusual  gayety  and 
excitement.  Money  was  to  have  flowed  like  water  from  the  rich 
and  the  poor  alike.  "We  had  our  low  resorts  in  great  numbers. 
The  harlot  plied  her  trade  with  success  and  profit.  Blocks  of 
buildings  were  occupied  by  young  men  who  'lad  their  orgies  and 
debauches,  where  young  women  were  we.come  visitors.  The 
secret  immoralities  of  a  great  city  are  innumerable  and  shocking. 
None  but  the  Omniscient  can  spy  them  out.  Occasional  revela- 
tions are  like  flashes  of  lightning  upon  a  stormy  sea,  disclosing 
the  rush  of  black  billows  and  the  seething  of  bottomless  eddies  of 
corruption.  Alas  for  our  city  !  Pompeii  could  scarcely  excel  the 
madness  of  its  passion,  though  law  gives  no  sanction  to  iniquity, 
as  it  did  in  that  vile  nest  of  heathen  immorality. 

While  we  thus  glance  at  the  darker  aspect  of  life  here,  in  order 
to  be  just  and  true  to  facts,  we  turn  gladly  and  boldly  to  another 
side  of  the  picture,  and  hold  up  a  people  whose  liberality,  gener- 
osity, piety,  and  morals  will  compare  in  their  fruit — their  actual 
out  workings — with  those  of  any  other  people  under  the  sun.  It 
must  be  remembered  that  in  the  new  West  everything  has  had  to 
be  done,  as  it  were,  at  once — every  necessity  to  be  provided  for 
within  a  generation.  We  have  not  had  two  and  a  half  centuries 
to  grow  all  these  institutions  and  make  the  improvements  needful 
to  our  comfort.     True,  we  have  had  the  benefits  of  other  men's 


112  HISTOKY   OF   THE   GKEAT  FERES 

capital  and  culture,  and  used  them  well.  We  claim  nothing 
more,  and  demand  the  recognition  of  this  from  our  fellow-citizens 
in  older  and  well-regulated  communities.  The  "  almighty  dollar  " 
has  not  absorbed  attention  and  made  us  forgetful  of  the  higher  in- 
terests, nor  have  we  failed  to  recognize  the  immutable  principles 
of  justice  and  honesty  in  our  political  or  commercial  relations. 
Some  of  the  best  church  edifices  in  the  country  were  and  are  still 
standing  in  our  city,  and  these  were  and  are  carefully  attended 
and  liberally  supported.  In  mission  work  among  the  poor  and 
neglected  we  have  not  fallen  behind  our  brethren  elsewhere.  The 
names  of  our  workers  and  their  labors  have  become  famous  not 
only  in  America,  but  abroad ;  and  the  good  report  has  had  no 
small  share  of  influence  in  bringing  to  our  city  a  better  class  of 
people,  and  inspiring  confidence.  D.  L.  Moody's  enterprise  as  a 
missionary  and  a  leader  in  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associa- 
tion had  so  widely  ahected  the  public  mind,  that  contributions  to 
rebuild  his  burned  edifice  come  pouring  in  upon  him  from  all 
quarters.  The  various  churches  have  been  awake  and  earnest  in 
their  fields,  to  gather  the  harvest  for  God's  kingdom.  The  ITorth 
Star  Mission  found  friends  familiar  with  its  holy  fame,  who  gener- 
ously came  forward  to  restore  it  upon  a  good  foundation  of  useful- 
ness. On  a  late  Sunday  in  October,  the  Sabbath  preceding  the 
catastrophe,  in  the  Second  Baptist  Church  audience-room  were 
collected  a  vast  number  of  children.  First  came  the  infant  class 
of  the  Home  School  to  the  front,  and  took  their  places ;  then  the 
middle  classes  followed,  and  lastly  the  Bible  Classes  filed  into  the 
centre  of  the  house.  Upon  the  one  side  marched  in  600  German 
youth  and  infiints ;  upon  the  other,  Danish,  Swedish,  and  others, 
from  one  mission.  A  company  clean  and  bright  came  from 
Bridgeport,  and  another  from  the  Union  Stock  Yards.  It  was  a 
gallant  array,  of  whose  conduct  and  appearance  the  earnest,  self- 
sacrificing  workers  were  justly  proud.  These  were  allowed  to 
sing,  and,  after  listening  to  the  speeches,  to  depart.     Carriages 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE  WEST.  IIS 

and  cars  had  been  provided,  and  great  pains  taken  to  make  all 
comfortable  and  liapp}-,  that  they  might  join  in  a  welcome  to  the 
pastor,  who  had  just  returned  from  a  long  absence.  This  is  a 
specimen  of  the  manner  in  which  Christians  in  Chicago  have  k- 
bored  and  sacrificed  to  build  up  the  youth  into  a  maturity  of 
knowledge,  religion,  and  virtue.  The  inner  life  of  the  churches  is 
sweet  and  vigorous,  and  their  beneficence  has  begun  to  bear  gold- 
en fruit.  They  have  given  their  energies,  talents,  and  money  to 
found  and  endow  institutions  of  learning.  The  Methodists  have  a 
University,  Female  College,  and  Seminary  in  one  of  our  beautiful 
suburbs,  Evanston ;  theCongregationalists  have  a  noble  Seminary 
for  the  education  of  Ministers;  the  Presbyterians,  also,  have  the 
same  ;  the  Baptists  have  a  University  and  Seminary  in  the  city, 
at  Cottage  Grove,  already  educating  hundreds  ;  the  Catholics  had 
several  institutions,  and  all  Christians  had  their  organs  of  the 
press,  their  organizations  and  associations  for  disseminating  their 
views  and  evangelizing  the  world.  There  is  a  pleasant  fraternity 
of  feeling  manifesting  itself  in  a  variety  of  forms,  and  especially 
through  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  There  are 
many  living,  devoted  men  of  God,  laborious,  prayerful  servants 
of  Christ,  benevolent,  helpful  followers  of  Him  who  went  about 
doing  good.  If  the  devil  is  active,  his  opponents  are  thoroughly 
awake  and  ready  to  give  him  battle  on  every  side.  Since  the  dis- 
aster which  destroyed  so  many  sanctuaries  and  crippled  the  bene- 
volent, one  of  the  first  thoughts  has  been  to  re-establish  these  in- 
stitutions of  religion  and  save  the  seats  of  learning.  This  fact 
speaks  volumes  for  the  character  of  our  people,  showing  their  ap- 
preciation of  the  value  of  Christianity  and  their  profound  interest 
in  its  progress.  Many  of  them,  though  burned  out  or  injured, 
sought  out  the  Lord's  treasury  and  divided  their  little  remnant  of 
money  for  the  care  of  their  church  servants  and  services. 

Besides  all  this,  they  have  manifested  great  kindness  and  honor 
in  the  hour  of  mutual  adversity,  and  are  seeking  to  do  the  thing 


114  HISTORY   OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

that  is  right  between  man  and  man.  There  is  much  reason  t<s 
take  pride  in  such  a  people,  who  have  gathered  here  from  all 
quarters,  and  scarcely  learned  to  know  and  appreciate  one  an- 
other. It  was  but  simple  justice  which  led  an  eminent  writer  to 
say:  "  It  is  my  impression  that  human  nature  there  is  subject  to 
influences  as  favorable  to  its  health  and  progress  as  in  any  city  of 
the  world,  and  that  a  family  going  to  reside  in  Chicago  from  one 
of  our  older  cities  will  be  likely  to  find  itself  in  a  better  place 
than  that  from  which  it  came." 

A  gentleman  .who  spent  a  Sabbath  here  and  spoke  in  the  even- 
ing at  Farwell  Hall,  in  giving  an  account  of  what  occurred,  said 
that  he  thought,  as  he  saw  the  liquor  saloons  open  and  thronged, 
that  Chicago  was  the  worst  place  he  was  ever  in.  But  before  he 
reached  the  Hall  several  young  men  met  him,  and  invited  him  to 
go  to  church,  and  addressed  him  and  others  with  great  courtesy 
and  earnestness.  He  said  he  concluded  that  if  the  devil  was  well 
served,  certainly  the  Lord's  people  were  the  most  devoted  workers 
he  had  ever  met. 


CHAPTER  XVIL 

OuK  Republic  has  become  an  asylum  for  strangers  from  all  na- 
tions. Ancient  Rome  drew  to  itself,  by  conquest,  representative? 
of  many  countries,  and  trade  attracted  others,  so  that  it  became  a 
Babel.  Chicago  has  been  the  star  in  the  West  by  whose  beams 
multitudes  have  been  guided  to  the  Yalley  of  the  Mississippi,  from 
almost  every  nation  under  the  whole  heaven.  It  has  offered  a 
home  to  many,  and  a  market  to  others.  The  country  makes 
the  city,  and  the  city  develops  the  country.  Thus  they  act  and 
react  perpetually  upon  each  other  in  respect  to  all  the  various  in- 
terests and  concerns  of  life.     It  was  a  hazardous  thing  in  the 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE  WEST.  115 

eyes  of  some  persons  to  encourage  railroads,  lest  they  should 
divert  and  scatter  trade  from  Chicago  all  along  their  lines.  It 
took  but  a  slight  experience  to  demonstrate  that  if  ever  the  city 
attained  greatness,  steam  must  have  the  glory  of  it.  Railroad 
therefore  followed  railroad,  till  now,  from  having  forty  miles  in 
1850,  this  metropolis  has  already  groAvn  to  be  a  chief  railway 
centre  of  the  world.  More  than  8,000  miles  of  rail  centre  here, 
and  fifteen  trunk  lines  radiate  every  way,  each  from  three  hun- 
dred to  one  thousand  miles  in  length,  and  still  they  come.  These 
marvellous  facilities  make  us  the  focal  point  of  the  great  West, 
and  bring  to  our  doors  all  peoples,  languages,  and  colors.  The 
grain  trade,  as  we  have  shown,  is  very  great,  and  our  advantages 
for  handling  it  are  unsurpassed.  All  persons  have  heard  of  the 
elevators,  and  we  subjoin  an  account  of  one  lately  built. 

"  The  building  is  312 feet  long,  84  feet  Avide,  and  130  feet  high; 
machinery  is  driven  by  a  400  horse-power  engine.  It  is  divided 
into  150  bins  65  feet  deep,  with  a  storage  capacity  of  1,250,000 
bushels.     The  yard  will  hold  300  or  400  cars. 

"  Two  switch  engines,  when  in  full  operation,  are  required  to 
put  in  and  take  out  cars. 

"  Two  tracks  receive  each  ten  cars,  unloaded  at  once,  in  six  to 
eight  minutes,  each  car  having  its  elevator,  conveying  the  grain 
to  its  large  hopper  scale  in  the  top  of  the  building.  There 
weighed,  it  is  spouted  to  the  bin  appropriated  to  that  kind  and 
quality.  To  carry  grain  to  the  several  bins  renders  the  elevation 
necessary.  Allowing  fifteen  minutes  to  unload  each  set  of  ten  cars, 
four  hundred  are  unloaded  in  ten  hours,  about  140,000  bushels. 

"  Shipping  facilities  equal  receiving,  there  being  six  elevators 
for  that  work,  each  handling  300  bushels  per  hour,  or  180,000 
bushels  in  ten  hours.  The  grain  is  run  out  of  the  bins  to  another 
set  of  elevators,  which  throw  it  into  large  hoppers  at  the  top  of 
the  building,  in  which  it  is  weighed,  and  sent  down  in  spouts  into 
the  hold  of  the  vessel. 


116  raSTORY   OF   THE    GREAT  FIRES 

"  The  same  company  have  another  elevator  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  slip — for  a  slip  at  right  angles  to  the  South  Branch 
is  cut  to  lay  vessels  alongside  the  warehouse — and  ten  other 
large  elevators  and  five  smaller,  afford  the  same  facilities.  Any 
one  of  thirteen  of  them,  too,  will  unload  a  canal-boat  of 
5,000  or  of  6,000  bushels,  in  an  hour  and  a  half  to  two  hours ; 
an  aggregate  from  65  canal  boats  alone  of  357,000  bushels  in  ten 
hours." 

Modern  invention  economizes  the  results  of  industry  and  the 
productions  of  the  earth,  as  well  as  human  muscle  and  time. 
Many  are  not  aware  of  the  process  by  which  corn  can  be  stored 
and  preserved,  with  an  immense  saving  from  waste  and  deteriora- 
tion. The  subjoined  brief  picture  of  the  dryer  and  its  operations 
may  interest  a  large  class  of  readers  : 

"  A  tower  seventy-five  feet  high,  built  of  brick  and  iron,  fire- 
proof, receives  the^  grain  at  the  bottom,  where  it  is  elevated  to 
the  top,  and  passes  slowly  down  over  perforated  iron  plates,  the 
motion  of  the  falling  grain  being  constant  and  uniform,  regulated 
by  slides  or  valves  at  the  bottom.  • 

"  The  grain  in  motion  forms  a  solid  column  seven  feet  wide 
and  three  inches  deep.  There  are  two  columns  of  grain,  and  a 
furnace  at  the  bottom  supplies  hot  air,  which  is  evenly  dis- 
tributed by  suction-fans,  so  as  to  pass  constantly  and  equally 
through  the  grain  the  entire  height  of  the  kiln.  Temperature  is 
regulated  by  thermometers  set  in  the  walls  at  several  points, 
avoiding  all  danger  of  over-heating.  Impurities  or  foreign  sub- 
stances are  passed  off  in  vapor  or  steam.  Then  it  is  thoroughly 
cooled  before  being  passed  to  the  bins  in  the  elevator  by  the  same 
process,  except  cold  air  instead  of  hot  is  used,  which  contributes 
further  to  dry  as  well  as  cool." 

It  is  a  marvel  to  many  how  drainage  has  been  secured  upon  so 
flat  a  plain,  the  highest  point  of  the  city  being  but  twenty-five 
feet  above  the  surface  of  the  river.     This  important  and  essential 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  117 

end  lias  been  achieved  by  raising  the  whole  land  some  fourteen 
feet.  High  stone  walls  are  built,  the  interior  is  filled  with  earth, 
and  the  pavement  laid  upon  that.  The  sidewalks  are  built  from 
each  wall  to  the  yards  or  fronts  of  the  lots,  and  the  houses  are 
raised  up  to  grade.  This  gigantic  operation  is  still  going  forward, 
and  miles  of  wooden  streets  offer  their  noiseless  surfaces  to  the 
wheel  of  the  vehicle.  This  elevation  of  grade  has  made  the  ways 
of  our  city  rather  uneven,  and  suggested  forcibly  the  ups  and 
downs  of  Chicago.  A  man  in  New  York,  arrested  for  drunkenness, 
pleaded  not  guity,  and  said  that  being  just  from  Chicago,  where 
the  sidewalks  were  so  uneven,  his  gait  was  mistaken  for  that  of 
an  intoxicated  man.  Gradually  men  are  bringing  themselves  up 
to  level,  mending  their  ways,  and  making  pedestrianism  less  dan- 
gerous and  more  agreeable.  We  lost  in  the  fire  one  hundred  and 
twenty-two  miles  of  sidewalk,  which  gives  some  idea  of  the  ex- 
tent of  territory  it  traversed,  and  the  amount  of  labor  required  to 
remove  the  traces  of  its  progress. 

Among  modern  precautions  against  fire,  the  fire-alarm  telegraph 
occupies  a  conspicuous  place,  and  has  been  for  some  years  in  full 
operation  in  Chicago.  Wires  are  stretched  over  house-tops 
throughout  the  cit}'',  and  boxes  placed  at  frequent  intervals  for 
the  use  of  these  wires  by  citizens,  who  wish  to  call  the  attention 
of  the  Fire  Department  to  any  outbreak  of  fire  in  their  vicinity. 
The  turning  of  the  handle  in  the  box  is  felt  at  the  rooms  in  the 
Court-House,  and  the  number  of  the  district  indicated  to  the 
opei'ator,  who  sends  it  to  the  engine  houses,  where  horses  are 
standing  harnessed  day  and  night,  ready  to  speed  the  steam-engine 
to  the  point  of  attack.  There  is  also  a  watchman  in  the  cupola 
of  the  Court-House,  who  sends  word  to  the  operator  of  any  fire 
he  may  see,  and  rings  the  great  bell  (now,  alas !  forever  silent), 
to  warn  the  firemen  and  people  of  the  location  of  the  fire.  Sup- 
pose the  conflagration  is  in  district  one  hundred  and  twenty-three ; 
he  strikes  the  bell  once,  then  rests  a  moment,  strikes  it  twice, 


118  HISTOEY   OF   THE   GEE  AT   FIRES 

then  rests  again,  strikes  it  three  times,  and  then,  after  a  longei 
interval,  repeats  this  process,  till  the  city  is  made  fully  aware  of 
the  situation  of  the  danger,  nearly  every  house  having  a  printed 
list  of  the  fire  districts.  In  this  connection,  the  following  state- 
ment of  one  of  the  operators  on  dnty  the  night  and  morning  of 
the  Great  Fire,  is  full  of  interest:  "  I  arrived  at  the  office  12.30, 
A.  M.  "While  I  was  on  duty.  Stations  19,  13,  and  10  were  turned 
in,  and  struck  by  me  in  rapid  succession.  About  this  time  some 
man  came  into  the  office  and  notified  me  that  the  fire  had  crossed 
to  the  soutli  side  of  the  river.  At  the  same  time  the  watchman 
in  the  tower  told  me  that  the  wooden  ventilators  on  the  west 
wing  were  on  fire.  I  then  asked  the  man  on  duty  in  the  Central 
Station  (Policeman  Yesey)  to  send  me  a  fire-extinguisher,  which 
he  did.  With  the  aid  of  the  extinguisher  and  the  assistance  of 
the  two  watchmen  in  the  tower,  I  managed  to  keep  down  the 
small  fires  which  were  constantly  appearing  on  the  wooden  tower 
and  ventilators,  until  about  half-past  1  o'clock  a.m.,  when  a  ball 
of  tar,  or  a  piece  of  tarred  paper,  came  through  the  windows 
nnder  the  balcony  of  the  dome,  and  fell  on  the  stairs,  just  where 
some  plastering  had  been  pulled  off.  I  started  up  the  stairs  to 
put  it  out,  but  before  I  could  reach  it,  the  lathing  and  some  dry 
material  under  the  roof  had  ignited.  I  then  called  loudly  for  Mr, 
Deneson,  the  M^atchman,  to  come  down  from  the  tower,  which  he 
did,  making  a  narrow  escape  with  his  life.  Knowing  by  the  ap- 
pearance of  things  that  the  building  was  doomed,  I  returned  to 
the  office  and  struck  my  electric  repeater,  striking  upwards  of 
seventy  blows  on  the  outside  bells,  thinking  that,  perhaps,  the 
noise  would  awaken  some  of  the  many  sleepers  with  whom  I 
knew  many  of  the  blocks  were  filled.  Previous  to  this,  I  caused 
the  Court-House  bell  to  be  rung  by  hand.  As  the  office  was  by 
this  time  full  of  smoke,  and  the  heat  was  becoming  intense,  I 
was  obliged  to  switch  off  my  repeaters  and  leave  tlie  office,  which 
I  did,  with  one  or  two  others,  by  way  of  the  west  wing,  stopping 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  119 

to  close  the  iire-doors  between  the  two  buildings.  Once  out  of 
the  building,  I  procured  a  fire-hat,  and  worked  until  3  o'clock  on 
Monday  afternoon,  at  the  south  end  of  the  fire,  when  I  went 
home  to  get  some  sleep." 

Brave  fellow !  he  had  earned  his  coveted  repose,  and  we  do 
well  to  honor  the  men  who  keep  watch  and  ward  over  our  dwel- 
lings and  lives,  while  we  sleep  and  while  we  wake.  His  in- 
genious meclianism,  and  all  the  appurtenances  of  his  department, 
must  be  renewed,  and  even  upon  a  grander  scale,  in  the  Chicago 
of  the  future. 

Eecognizing  the  value  of  universal  education,  our  city  has  pro- 
vided, partly  through  StSte  liberality,  g,  splendid  system  of  com- 
mon-school instruction  free  to  every  child,  of  every  nationality, 
religion,  and  condition  among  us.  The  ofiicers  and  teachers  of 
these  schools  are  persons,  many  of  them,  of  the  higliest  intelligence, 
culture,  and  skill,  and  generally  we  are  admirably  served.  A 
vast  throng  of  children  gather  in  the  buildings  devoted  to  this 
purpose,  which  are,  almost  all  of  them,  noble,  commanding,  com- 
modious edifices,  capable  of  providing  room  for  all  the  youth  who 
choose  these  facilities.  In  addition,  there  are  numerous  private 
schools  and  academies,  both  for  primary  and  higher  education, 
whicli  find  ample  patronage  from  a  people  who  prize  the  power 
of  knowledge  and  despise  ignorance  as  weakness. 

It  has  been  the  honorable  aim  of  our  city  to  place  the  highest 
objects  of  ambition  among  men  upon  a  footing  worthy  their  pre- 
eminence. Eeligion,  morality,  knowledge,  culture,  and  social 
enjoyment  have  their  temples  and  seats,  paraphernalia  and  ap- 
paratus, in  as  advanced  a  state  of  perfection  as  in  any  commu- 
nity under  the  sun.  And  all  this,  be  it  ever  remembered,  has 
been  the  growth  of  a  heterogeneous  people,  upon  a  new  soil,  within 
the  period  of  a  generation.  Their  enterprise  and  its  results  consti- 
tute a  fitting  symbol  and  monument  of  the  age. 

Want   of  space  must  prevent  an  elaborate  account  of  those 


120  HISTORY   OF   THE    GKEA.T   FIKES 

splendid  blocks  wliich  bad  sprung  up  on  every  band,  built  both 
by  borne  and  foreign  capital,  many  of  tbem  rivalling  in  beauty 
tbe  finest  models  of  architecture  in  the  Old  World ;  those  grand 
hotels,  both  old  and  new,  which  had  a  national  reputation  and  a 
promise  of  eclipsing  the  world  ;  those  beautiful  homes,  where  taste 
and  wealth  combined  their  resources  to  provide  elegance  and 
comfort ;  those  public  buildings,  stored  with  the  trophies  of 
genius  and  the  results  of  scientific  research ;  those  sanctuaries, 
proclaiming  the  purpose  of  the  people  to  give  God  the  best ;  to- 
gether with  a  myriad  tokens  of  prosperity,  so  many  of  which  are 
now  level  with  the  ground,  or  stand  in  unsightliness  and  ruin  to 
mock  the  pride  of  man.  At  the  height  'of  a  proud  and  princely 
position  the  Young  Giant  stood  erect,  beckoning  the  world  to 
his  arms,  when  the  fatal  decree  went  forth,  and  his  might,  touch- 
ed by  the  flaming  breath  of  Omnipotence,  shrivelled  and  shrunk, 
and  he  lay  prone  like  a  tree,  storm-bent  and  fire-scathed. 


GEEAT    FIEES   IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  121 


lY.— THROUGH  FIRE. 

CHAPTEK   XVIII. 

The  cliurelies  were  just  dismissing  their  devout  worshippers 
after  evening  service,  when  the  lire-bells  rang  their  loud  alarum. 
The  evening  befoi-e,  a  fire  had  raged  of  unparalleled  violence,  and 
the  embers  still  glared  in  the  darkness,  and  people  were  easily 
roused  to  intense  alarm.  Many  hastened  from  the  House  of  God 
to  the  scene  of  the  fire,  fearing  that  the  high  wind  might  imperil 
even  larger  districts  of  the  city.  None  dared  to  dread  any  such 
devastation  as  that  which  followed. 

It  was  a  period  of  peculiar  drought  in  the  whole  w^estern 
country,  and  the  dryness  of  the  atmosphere  was  so  remarkable 
that  an  intelligent  physician,  observing  that  his  plants  became 
desiccated  in  a  few  hours  after  the  most  profuse  watering  from 
the  hydrant,  trembled  all  day  Sunday  lest  a  spark  of  fire  should 
drop  near  his  dwelling.  There  was  a  strange  lack  of  moisture  in 
the  air,  which  condition  did  nut  change  until  Monday  afternoon. 
On  Saturday  evening,  October  Y,  about  11  o'clock,  a  fire  caught 
in  a  planing-mill,  west  of  the  river  and  within  a  block  of  it,  in 
the  neighborhood  of  a  wooden  district  full  of  frame-houses,  lum- 
ber, and  coal-yards,  and  every  kind  of  combustible  material. 
Some  contend  that  it  originated  in  a  beer  salo  >v\.  and  thence  was 
communicated  to  the  planing-mill. 

In  the  almost  inflammable  state  of  the  atmosphere,  and  under 
the  propulsion  of  a  strong  wind,  the  tinder-boxes  on  every  side 
ignited,  and  ruin  rioted  for  hours  over  a  space  of  twenty  acres, 
and  destroyed  a  million  dollars'  w^orth  of  property.  Grand  and 
awful  as  this  conflagration  seemed  to  the  thronging  thousands. 


122  HISTOEY    OF    TUB    GEEAT   FIRES 

who  crowded  every  approacli  and  standpoint  where  a  view  could 
be  obtained,  it  paled  and  faded  awav  in  comparison  with  that 
of  the  following  night;  but,  as  the  event  proved,  this  first  fire 
saved  the  remainder  of  the  West  Division  of  the  city,  for  when 
the  raging  element  came  leaping  and  roaring  onward  it  found 
nothing  to  burn,  and  then  paused  and  was  stayed,  while  it 
rushed  across  the  river,  and  satiated  itself  upon  the  noblest  and 
best  portion  of  the  town,  east  and  north. 

Of  this  eventful  period  so  many  writers  have  wrought  out 
descriptions  which  are  unapproachable  in  graphic  delineation  and 
powerful  word-painting,  that  simple  justice  to  our  readers  de- 
mands that  we  collate  from  these  all  that  is  necessary  to  present 
the  whole  mournful  subject  in  its  many-sided  aspects.  Like  a 
great  battle,  with  its  multitudinous  features  unobservable  by  any 
combatant  or  spectator,  this  conflagration  presented  so  many 
phases  that  each  was  absorbed  in  what  he  saw,  while  matters 
of  unspeakable  interest  were  occurring  on  everj-  side  beyond  his 
ken.  Let,  then,  many  testimonies  combine  to  set  forth  to  the  gaze 
of  mankind  what  has  perhaps  never  been  equalled,  and  certainly 
never  surpassed  in  the  checkered  experience  of  humanity.  We 
bring  together  around  this  terrific  scene  the  sketches  of  the  press 
published  in  Chicago  and  elsewhere,  and  individual  experiences. 

THAT    KICKING    COW. 

The  reporters  gave  the  world  to  understand  that  a  woman 
named  Scully  had  gone  to  milk  her  cow  or  tend  a  sick  calf  in  her 
stable — a  crazy  wooden  shanty  filled  witli  loose  hay — bearing  a 
candle  or  lamp  in  her  hand.  Stories  varied  as  to  these  details, 
but  all  agreed  that  the  light  had  been  overturned,  and  that  the 
building  had  on  the  instant  burst  into  flames.  So  rapid  was  the 
progress  of  the  fire  that  in  less  than  ten  minutes  two  blocks  be- 
tween Jefferson  and  Clinton  streets  were  all  ablaze. 


#!f!iiiittfeiiwi^ 


VIEW   FROM  THE  COURT-HOUSE.    I-OOKING  SOUTH-EAST. 


UNITY   (MR     COLLYtR  S)   ANO    NhW    ENCL^^NU    CHURCH 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  125 

Upon  this  report  the  London  Punch  becomes  funny,  and  kindiy 
too : — 

''  We  suppose  that  the  most  costly  pail  of  milk  ever  heard  of 
in  the  world  was  the  pail  which  burned  Chicago.  "The  gallant 
Americans  are  the  last  people  to  cry  over  spilt  milk  or  burned 
cities.  Chicago  will  quickly  be  Rediviva.  She  has  very  likely 
accepted  the  omen  that  she  will  soon  be  flowing  again  with  milk 
— and  honey — has  elected  in  her  cheery  way  to  call  herself  the 
Cow  City.  Therefore,  Bull,  evince  the  aiFection  of  a  relative ; 
show  that  you  have  what  Benedick  calls  "  an  Amiable  Low " 
(needless  to  say  that  we  do  not  allude  to  any  keeper  of  the  pub- 
lic purse),  and  that  you  come  of  the  stock  of  the  Golden  Bull. 
With  which  sweet,  choice,  and  dainty, conceits  to  lighten  the  way, 
let  the  pensive  public  be  off  to  the  Mansion  House  with  their 
help  for  the  homeless  by  Lake  Michigan.  The  Americans 
remembered  us  in  the  time  of  Ireland's  hunger  and  of  the  cot- 
ton famine,  and  must  now  allow  us  to  remember  them.  And 
let's  be  quick  about  it,  or  the  city  will  be  rebuilt  before  the  money 
gets  there.     '  Eight  away — this  very  now,'  as  they  say." 

We  thank  Mr.  Punch  for  his  generous  confidence  and  witty 
appeal,  and  assure  him  that  this  is  our  purpose,  to  revive  in  more 
than  former  splendor  and  power,  that  our  city  may  be  able  to 
help  the  poor,  and  empty  its  cornucopia  into  the  lap  of  the  world. 
The  story  of  this  origin  of  the  disaster  may  be  true,  in  spite  of 
affidavits  to  the  contrary,  or  may  have  but  a  spark  of  truth  in  its 
fabric ;  at  all  events,  the  fire  commenced  at  the  barn,  and  grew  into 

THE   GREAT   CONFLAGRATION. 

Before  we  summon  our  eye-witnesses,  we  are  willing  to  allow 
the  inveterate  joker  of  the  Hartford  Post  to  have  his  bit  of  fun  at 
their  expense,  since  he  is  a  newspaper  man  and  cannot  be  expect- 
ed to  "  set  down  aught  in  malice  "  against  his  brethren. 

"The  reporters  and  correspondents  did  try  to  '  do  the  subject 


126  HISTORY    OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

justice'  in  writing  up  the  Chicago  fire.  "We  can  imagine  them 
looking  on  the  roaring  sea  of  flames  and  the  crazed  multitudes 
seeking  refuge  from  them,  and  making  up  their  minds  deliberate- 
ly that  in  the  matter  of  describing  the  fury  of  the  fire  and  the  wild 
tumult  of  the  crowd,  nothing  was  left  to  exaggeration ;  they  must 
climb  up  by  dizzy  successions  of  polysyllabic  adjectives  as  nearly 
as  possible  to  the  heights  of  the  great  occasion,  and  feel  then  that 
words  were  unequal  to  it;  that  they  had  not  and  could  not  exag- 
gerate it.  Of  course  it  piqued  their  ambitious  pens.  It  occurred 
at  length  to  one  of  them  that  it  was  an  exceedingly  proper  time 
for  bloodshed,  that  in  all  this  chaos  there  was  a  lack — to  the  re- 
porter a  painful  lack — of  devilishness.  It  was  a  horrible  picture, 
but  it  lacked  murder  to  make  it  complete.  What  so  good  time 
as  this  for  hangings  and  lynchings,  and  other  such  bloody  carry- 
ings on.  It  was  such  a  happy  thought,  that  the  first  reporter  in- 
terpolated forthwith  into  his  account  the  shooting  down  of  an  in- 
cendiary. It  took.  The  reading  public  licked  its  intellectual 
chops  and  said :  '  All,  now  it  begins  to  be  congruous  and  coher- 
ent-like. This  is  something  like  it,'  And  the  reporter  thereupon, 
after  the  manner  of  the  menagerie  man  tossing  raw  beef  to  the 
tigers,  jerked  into  his  account  the  sweet  little  sentence :  '  Seven 
men  have  just  been  shot  down  in  the  act  of  kindling  incendiary 
fires.' 

"  '  Only  seven,'  growled  the  public.  '  There  must  be  more  than 
that ;  the  fire  was  a  very  large  one.' 

"The  reporter  was  equal  to  the  occasion.  'Forty-seven  men 
have  already  been  shot,'  he  telegraphed;  ' no  arrests  are  made. 
Incendiaries  are  shot  down  wherever  taken.'  He  had  kindled  to 
it.  The  raging  public  wanted  blood.  He  could  furnish  it. 
Then  it  occurred  to  him  to  heighten  the  interest  by  giving  names 
— it  wanted  local  and  personal  color.  So  with  a  dash  of  the  pen 
he  strung  Barney  Aaron,  the  pugilist,  to  a  lamp-post,  and  shot 
another  notoriety  named  Tracy,  with  a  file  of  muskets.     He  was 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  127 

doing  well.  The  fire  was  subsiding,  but  there  never  was  such  an 
opportunity  for  murderers,  never  a  man  so  handy  at  inventing 
them.  But  the  fire  was  the  biggest  thing  the  world  ever  saw, 
and  these  were  only  ordinary  murders.  He  had  not  worked  bru- 
talit}^  enough  into  the  picture.  And  so,  to  finish  and  crown  all, 
he  strung  up  a  boy  by  the  heels,  head  downward,  and  described, 
with  horrible  minuteness,  how  the  crowd  amused  itself  by  stoning 
him  to  death.  And  then  that  reporter  retired  from  business. 
Next  day  General  Sheridan,  who  was  in  command,  in  reply  to 
some  sort  of  a  telegram,  possibly  asking  him  if  it  was  not  feasible 
to  quench  the  flames  with  the  human  gore  this  sanguinary  report- 
er had  set  running,  said  it  was  very  quiet  there,  and  no  disturb- 
ance of  any  account.  But  a  blood-thirsty  public  was  not  to  be  so 
deceived.  'Ah!'  they  said,  'Sheridan  is  so  used  to  blood! 
This  is  nothing  to  him.  To  a  man  who  has  swam  his  horse 
through  it  in  the  Shenandoah  a  mere  streetful  of  blood  is  noth- 
ing. Ah,  ah  !  Ob,  yes  !  "  very  quiet " — that's  good;  but  of  course, 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  they  have  shot  incendiaries,  and  hung  thieves 
to  lamp-posts  and  stoned  them  to  death,  and  there  is  no  doubt 
that  Barney  Aaron  and  Tracy  were  killed,  for  the  telegraph  has 
distinctly  said  so.'" 

And  yet,  ten  days  after  the  event,  it  turns  out  that  the  boy  was 
not  inverted  and  hung  and  stoned  to  death,  and  that  the  soldiers 
did  not  shoot  anybody,  and  that  nothing  of  the  sort  happened. 
And  Barney  Aaron,  who  was  hung  to  a  lamp-post,  sits  on  the 
steps  of  a  New  York  gambling-house,  and  asseverates  that  he  was 
not  killed. 

That  reporter  rose  to  the  occasion.     He  writes  with  a  harrow. 

Had  this  hard  joker,  who  rightly  takes  off  sensational  writing, 
been  a  spectator  and  sufferer  on  that  woful  night,  doubtless  he 
would  have  felt  that  a  pen  dipped  in  Tartarean  flames  would 
have  been  needed  to  adequately  depict  the  scenes  that  transpired. 

"  None  but  an  eye-witness  can  form  an  idea  of  the  fm-y  and 


128  HISTOKY    OF   THE    GKEAT   FIRES 

power  of  the  fire  among  the  buildings  and  warehouses  on  the 
South  Side,  with  the  wind  blowing  a  hurricane.  At  times  it 
seemed  but  the  work  of  a  moment  for  the  fire  to  enter  the  south 
ends  of  buildings,  fronting  on  Randolph,  Lake,  and  Water  streets, 
and  reappear  at  the  north  doors  and  windows,  belching  forth  in 
fierce  flames  which  often  reached  the  opposite  buildings,  and  then 
the  flames,  issuing  forth  from  the  buildings  on  both  sides  of  the 
street,  would  unite,  and  present  a  solid  mass  of  fire,  completely 
filling  the  street  from  side  to  side,  and  shooting  upward  a  hundred 
feet  into  the  air.  Thus  was  street  after  street  filled  with  flame. 
Huge  walls  would  topple  and  fall  into  the  sea  of  fire,  without 
apparently  giving  a  sound,  as  the  roar  of  the  fierce  element  was  so 
great  that  all  minor  sounds  were  swallowed  up,  and  the  fall  of  walls 
was  only  perceptible  to  the  eyes.  Many  of  the  buildings  situated 
along  South  Water  street  buried  their  red-hot  rear  walls  in  the 
water  of  the  river,  into  which  they  plunged  with  a  hiss.  The 
heat  was  so  intense  at  times  from  some  of  the  burning  buildings 
that  they  could  not  be  approached  within  150  feet,  which  accounts 
for  the  manner  in  which  the  fire  worked  back  and  often  against 
the  wind.  The  fire,  after  reaching  the  business  portion  of  Ran- 
dolph and  South  Water  streets,  leaped  the  river  to  the  North  Side 
in  an  incredibly  short  space  of  time,  and  thence  among  the  wooden 
buildings  on  that  side,  reached  the  lake  shore  after  destroying 
block  after  block  of  happy  dwellings.  A  scene  of  such  utter 
powerlessness  in  the  face  of  an  enemy  was  never  presented  as  that 
of  this  people  trying  to  combat  the  flames.    • 

"Now  was  to  be  seen  the  most  remarkable  sight  ever  beheld  in 
this  or  any  country.  There  were  from  50,000  to  75,000  men, 
women,  and  children  fleeing,  by  every  available  street  and  alley, 
to  the  southward  and  westward,  attempting  to  save  their  cloth- 
ing and  their  lives.  Every  available  vehicle  was  brought  into 
requisition  for  use,  for  which  enormous  prices  were  paid. 
Thousands  of  persons  inextricably  commingled  with  horses  and 


DT   CHICAGO    AJSTD   THE   WEST.  129 

vehicles,  poor  people  of  all  colors  and  shades,  and  of  every  nation- 
ality— from  Europe,  China,  and  Africa — mad  with  excitement, 
struggled  with  each  other  to  get  away.  Many  were  trampled 
under  foot.  Men  and  women  were  loaded  with  bundles,  to  whose 
skirts  children  were  clinging,  half-dressed  and  barefooted,  all 
seeking  a  place  of  safety.  Hours  afterwards,  these  people  might 
have  been  seen  in  vacant  lots,  or  on  the  streets  far  out  in  the  sub- 
urbs, stretched  in  the  dust.  These  are  the  homeless  and  destitute, 
who  now  call  on  the  rich  world  for  food  and  clothing.  One  of 
the  most  pitiful  sights  was  that  of  a  middle-aged  woman  on  State 
street,  loaded  with  bundles,  struggling  through  a  crowd,  singing 
the  Mother  Goose  melody, 

'  Chickery,  Chickery,  Crany  Crow, 
I  went  to  the  well  to  wash  my  toe ! ' 

"  There  were  hundreds  of  others  likewise  distracted,  and  many, 
made  desperate  by  whiskey  and  beer,  which,  from  excess  of  thirst 
and  in  the  absence  of  water,  they  drank  in  great  quantities,  spread 
themselves  in  every  direction,  a  terror  to  all  they  met." 

Instead,  therefore,  of  considering  these  descriptions  which  fol- 
low as  exaggerations,  we  do  well  to  remember  that  all  concur  in 
declaring  that  language  fails  to  do  justice  to  the  roar  and  rush  of 
the  elemental  forces,  combining  to  demolish  the  proudest  monu- 
ment of  American  enterprise,  the  glory  and  boast  of  our  country, 
and  the  wonder  of  the  world.  All  things  concurred  to  make  this 
the  climax  of  triumph  for  the  j&re-fiend. 

Sunday  evening  seemed  to  have  been  designed  purposely  for  a 
repetition  of  the  horrors  of  Moscow,  or  the  "  calamitous  and  pite- 
ous spectacle  "  of  old  London.  A  strong  wind,  rising  at  times  to 
a  hurricane,  blew  across  the  city.  Every  roof  was  baked  dry  as 
tinder  by  fourteen  rainless  weeks.  The  power  to  disseminate 
and  the  readiness  to  receive  were  there,  and  but  one  spark  was 
needed  to  blot  out  a  city  and  blacken  the  prairie  with  houseless 
heads. 


130  HISTORY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

Every  thinking  man  inquires  for  a  philosophy  of  the  fire,  and 
the  world  wishes  to  guard  itself  from  a  recurrence  of  the  calam- 
ity that  has  fallen  like  a  thnnderblast  on  the  Great  West.  Mr. 
Charles  Barnard  thus  writes  of 

THE   REMOTE    CAUSE   OF    THE   WESTERN   FIRES. 

Chicago  has  burned  down,  and  whole  square  miles  of  western 
land  are  burned  up.  That  misguided  cow  and  unhappy  lamp 
have  been  berated  enough.  If  the  barn  had  been  damp  with  re- 
cent rains  perhaps  the  fire  had  gone  no  farther.  Certain  is  it  that 
if  the  roof-tops  had  not  been  baked  dry  by  a  summer's  drought  Chi- 
cago would  not  have  mourned  her  lost  children  and  ruined  homes. 

Had  not  those  "Wisconsin  fields  been  as  ashes  in  the  dry  wind, 
had  plentiful  rains  drenched  the  Michigan  woods,  the  country 
would  have  been  happier  to-day.  Everything  there  was  as  dry 
as  tinder,  say  all  the  papers. 

Now  whose  fault  was  it  ?  People  with  more  piety  than  wis- 
dom may  say,  in  a  horrified  way  :  "  What  a  question  !  Do  you 
arraign  the  acts  of  Providence?"  No.  There  has  been  blame 
Bomewhere.  We  are  not  inclined  to  shift  it  upon  heaven.  Men, 
not  Providence,  brought  this  calamity  upon  us.  It  is  we  who 
have  created  these  dry  summers.  Had  there  been  no  drought 
there  had  been  no  such  wide  ruin. 

The  time  was  when  such  long-continued  dry  seasons  were  not 
known.  Men  can  and  do  change  the  character  of  climates.  We 
can  cause  the  rain  to  fall,  or  drive  away  the  clouds.  Men  have 
altered  the  temperature  and  moved  the  dew-point.  The  farmers 
of  the  Northern  States  are,  in  a  measure,  responsible  for  the  series 
of  dry  summers  that  have  prevailed  for  the  last  ten  years. 

Meteorology  is  beginning  to  take  a  high  position.  We  have 
mapped  the  winds,  and  can  signal  the  coming  storm  to  the  sailor  and 


IN   CHICAGO   AND    THE   WEST.  131 

farmer.  The  laM's  of  the  weather  are  no  longer  a  matter  of  guess- 
work. Cause  and  effect  are  as  sure  in  the  clouds  as  on  the  ground. 
Observing  the  effect,  we  can  trace  the  cause.  Given  this  series  of 
dry  summei's,  science  points  to  the  cause — our  denuded  forests. 

In  our  foolish  American  haste  we  have  wastefully  cut  down 
the  trees,  dried  up  the  springs,  raised  the  temperature,  so  that 
precipitation  of  moisture  is  reduced,  and  have  driven  the  rain 
away  in  useless  clouds  or  invisible  vapor  over  the  Atlantic.  Chi- 
cago is  burned  down,  and  we  are  solemnly  saying,  "  How  heavy 
is  the  hand  of  heaven  upon  us  !  "  We  have  prayed  for  rain  one 
day  of  the  week,  and  driven  it  away  with  an  axe  on  six. 

The  mischief  is  done,  and  the  best  thing  we  can  now  do  is  to 
examine  the  matter  with  a  view  to  future  prevention.  How  shall 
we  bring  back  the  rain?  How  restore  our  forests ?  Simply  by 
planting  our  woods  anew. 

This  is  not  a  new  or  untried  idea.  Artificial  woods  are  no 
longer  a  novelty  in  Europe.  There  this  whole  matter  is  well  un- 
derstood. In  parts  of  the  Continent  foresters  are  appointed  by 
government.  It  is  their  duty  to  inspect  all  standing  forests. 
Schools  of  arboriculture  are  established.  The  habits  of  the  trees 
are  considered,  the  soil  examined,  and  tree-planting  carried  on 
over  hundreds  of  square  miles.  For  every  tree  cut  down  one  or 
more  new  ones  must  be  set.  Nurseries,  producing  millions  of 
young  trees,  do  thriving  business  in  supplying  this  material. 
Under  the  advice  of  the  foresters  the  new  forests  extend  year  by 
year.  On  the  rocky  hills  of  Scotland  the  oak,  maple,  and  chest- 
nut are  planted ;  the  willow  is  set  out  by  the  million  on  the 
marsh-like  "polders"  of  Holland;  about  Utrecht,  and  on  the 
sandy  plains  of  Zelderland,  near  Arnheim,  the  traveller  passes 
artificial  pine-forests  by  the  hour. 

In  view  of  these  western  fires  it  is  high  time  we  prepared  to  imi- 
tate our  transatlantic  friends.  At  once  the  great  cost  of  such  an 
undertaking  comes  up.     Now  we  think  it  can  be  shown   that 


132  nisTORY  or  the  great  fires 

the  thing  will  pay  to  do.  If  there  is  money  in  it,  it  will  get  itself 
done  fast  enough. 

The  land  used  for  such  forest  is  generally  fit  for  nothing  else. 
"W"e  have  millions  of  acres  that  are  barren  wastes — an  eyesore  and 
a  tax  on  the  owners.  By  examining  the  most  flourishing  trees 
growing  in  similar  soil  in  the  neighborhood,  we  can  decide  what 
to  plant.  By  sowing  the  seed  or  buying  young  trees  a  year  old, 
we  can  soon  start  a  forest  that  in  twenty  years  will  bring  a  cash 
return  that  will  cover  the  cost  of  planting,  interest,  and  taxes, 
and  leave  a  margin  of  profit  besides. 

To  come  down  to  details,  let  me  present  an  estimate  prepared 

for  a  gentleman  who  had  a  hundred  acres  of  nearly  valueless  land 

in  Eastern  Massachusetts.     It  was  a  continual  tax-bill,  and  brought 

no  return   whatever.     The  land  was  valued  at  fifty  dollars  an 

acre.     The  interest  for  twenty  years  would  be  $6,000;  the  taxes, 

$5,000.     If  he  did  nothing  to  the  land  he  would  be  $6,000  out  ot 

pocket  at  the  end  of  that  time.     There  was  a  fence  round  the 

whole  lot   that   it  was   estimated  would   cost   twenty  dollars  a 

year  to  maintain.     Each  acre  would  hold  five  hundred  trees,  or 

fifty  thousand  in  all.     The  trees  could    be  bought  for  $1,500.. 

The  planting  would  cost  about  $600.     The  trees,  at  the  present 

price  of  posts  and  sleepers,  would  be  worth  at  least  seventy-five 

cents  each.     To  sum  up  : — 

Interest $6,000 

Taxes 5,000 

Fencing 400 

Oversight,  at  $50  per  year 1,000 

Fifty  thousand  trees 1,500 

Planting 600 

$14,500 

Fifty  thousand  trees  at  75  cts 37,500 

Five  per  cent,  loss 7,360 

$30,200 
Cost 14,500 

$15,700 


IN    CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  133 

The  care  would  be  slight,  as  there  is  no  culture  of  any  kind. 
Certainly  this  would  be  a  nice  little  piece  of  property  to  leave  to 
the  children,  or  set  them  up  in  life  with.  Were  the  trees  cut 
down,  the  place  could  be  replanted.  With  better  kinds  of  trees, 
and  more  time,  a  greater  price  could  be  obtained.  The  trees  to  bo 
used  were  maples  and  chestnuts.  The  Scotch  are  noted  for  mind- 
ing the  "  mickle"  that  brings  the  "  muckle,"  and  the  Zelderland- 
ers  are  the  closest-fisted  people  in  Europe.  That  they  plant  trees 
in  countless  thousands  proves  they  have  an  eye  on  the  above 
cheerful  pennies. 


CHAPTER   XXi 

Whatever  the  indirect  cause  of  the  fire,  it  is  plain  that  the 
immediate  aggravating  conditions  were  such  as  rarely  occur. 
Long-continued  positive  drought,  peculiar  dryness  of  the  atmos- 
phere, a  heavy  wind  that  increased  to  a  tornado,  vast  masses  of 
pine  wood  and  coal,  weary  firemen,  and  finally  utter  loss  of  water 
to  feed  the  engines,  account  for  what  followed,  and  prepare  us  to 
accept  the  glowing  paragraphs  and  solemn  lines  which  tell  the 
tale  of  general  and  individual  woe. 

THE    post's    version. 

At  9.32  an  alarm  was  sounded,  summoning  the  brigade  to  the 
corner  of  Jefierson  and  DeKoven  streets.  Ere  the  first  engine 
was  on  the  ground,  the  flame  had  enveloped  half  a  dozen  outbuild- 
ings, and  was  pouring  its  columns  upon  the  city  to  the  southward 
and  eastward  with  the  resistless  grandeur  and  celerity  of  a  bar- 
baric invasion. 

The  firemen,  convinced  of  the  impossibility  of  saving  anything 
in  the  district  now  attacked,  confined  their  effbrts  to  checking  the 
northward  march  of  the  fire. ,  Heroic  as  these  efforts  were,  they 
were  in  vain.  The  flames  ran  along  the  wooden  sidewalks,  and 
wbDle  tenements  would  burst  into  flames  as  simultaneously  as  if 


134  HISTORY   OF   THE    GREAT  FIRES 

a  regiment  of  incendiaries  were  at  work.  The  narrow  streets 
were  crowded  with  appalled  spectators,  half-dressed  women  with 
aprons  thrown  over  their  heads  rmming  distractedly  hither  and 
thither,  and  men  tearing  furniture  to  pieces  in  the  furious  haste 
with  which  they  flung  it  out  of  doors  or  dragged  it  through  the 
crowd.  The  element  had  the  best  of  the  battle  so  far.  Engine 
No.  14,  driven  back  foot  by  foot,  was  penned  in  a  narrow  alley; 
in  another  moment  a  gush  of  flame  came  from  the  rear,  and  the 
firemen  could  only  cover  their  eyes  from  the  blinding  heat  and 
stagger  desperately  to  safety  through  the  burning  belt  that  fringed 
them  round,  abandoning  the  engine.  Still  they  fought  on  gal- 
lantly. The  advance  of  the  fire  was  strongly  defined  in  two 
great  columns  running  north,  one  between  Jefierson  and  Clinton 
streets,  the  other  between  Clinton  and  Canal  streets.  The  latter 
led  the  way,  and  as  one  o'clock  struck,  had  seized  the  buildings 
on  Yan  Buren  street,  while  the  other  was  spreading  more  slowly 
along  West  Harrison. 

One  o'clock  had  just  struck,  and  a  sudden  puff"  of  the  variable 
wind  blew  down  a  curved  wing  of  the  great  golden-red  cloud 
above  our  heads.  It  fell  like  the  sheer  of  a  sabre,  and  in  a  second 
a  red  glare  shot  up  on  the  South  Side,  as  if  the  blow  had  fallen 
on  a  helmet  and  sent  up  a  glitter  of  sparks  and  a  spurt  of  blood. 
The  fire  had  overleaped  the  narrow  river  and  lodged  itself  in  the 
very  heart  of  the  South  Division.  The  angr^^  bell  tolled  out,  and 
in  a  moment  the  bridges  were  choked  with  a  roaring,  struggling 
crowd,  through  which  the  engines  cleft  a  difficult  way  toward  the 
new  peril.  The  wind  had  piled  up  a  pyramid  of  rustling  flame 
and  smoke  into  the  mid-air.  Lower  currents  at  times  varied  and 
drove  tides  of  fire  athwart  the  great  roaring  stream.  When  these 
met,  eddies  that  made  the  eye  dizzy  were  formed,  which  sucked 
up  blazing  brands  and  embers  into  their  momentary  whirl,  and 
then  flung  them  earthwiu-*].  In  "such  a  fiery  maelstrom  had  a 
shower  of  sparks  and  large  fragments  of  detached  roofing  been 
hurled  into  the  neighborhood  of  the  old  Ai-mory.     The  skirmish 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  135 

ing  was  over,  and  man  and  fire  were  now  grappling  in  earnest 
where  the  prize  was  millions  of  money  and  hundreds  of  lives. 

When  once  the  fire  had  established  itself  in  the  South  Divisiou 
the  task  of  following  the  course  or  describing  its  ravages  in  detail 
became  an  utter  impossibility.  As  well  might  a  private  soldier 
endeavor  to  paint  Waterloo,  Sedan,  or  Gravelotte.  All  that  the 
writer  can  say  is  that  everybody  was  mad,  and  everything  was 
hell.  The  earth  and  sky  were  fire  and  flames;  the  atmosphere 
was  smoke.  A  perfect  hurricane  was  blowing,  and  drew  the  fiery 
billows  with  a  screech  through  the  narrow  alleys  between  the  tall 
buildings  as  if  it  were  sucking  them  through  a  tube  ;  great  sheets 
of  flames  literally  flapped  in  the  air  like  sails  on  shipboard.  The 
sidewalks  were  all  ablaze,  and  the  fire  ran  along  them  almost  as 
rapidly  as  a  man  could  walk.  The  wooden  block  pavements,, 
filled  with  an  inflammable  composition,  were  burning  in  parallel 
lines  like  a  gridiron.  Showers  of  sparks,  intermingled  with  blaz- 
ing brands,  were  borne  aloft  by  one  eddy  of  the  breeze,  and  rained 
down  into  the  street  by  the  next,  while  each  glowed  a  moment 
and  was  gone,  or  burned  sullenly,  like  the  glare  of  an  angry  eye. 
Eoofing  became  detached  in  great  sheets,  and  drove  down  the 
sky  like  huge  blazing  arrows.  The  dust  and  smoke  filled  one's 
eyes  and  nostrils  with  bitter  and  irritating  clouds.  There  was  fire 
everywhere,  under  foot,  overhead,  around.  It  ran  alcng  tindery 
roofs,  it  sent  out  curling  wisps  of  blue  smoke  from  under  eaves, 
it  smashed  glass  with  an  angry  crackle,  and  gushed  out  in  a  tor- 
rent of  red  and  black  ;  it  climbed  in  delicate  tracery  up  the  fronts 
of  buildings,  licking  up  with  a  sei'pent  tongue  little  bits  of  wood- 
work ;  it  burst  through  roofs  with  a  rattling  rush,  and  hung  out 
towering  blood-red  signals  of  victory.  The  flames  were  of  all 
colors,  pale  pink,  gold,  scarlet,  crimson,  blood-hued,  amber.  In 
one  place,  on  a  tower  covered  with  galvanized  iron  sheets,  the 
whole  roof  burned  of  a  light  green,  while  the  copper  nails  were 
of  a  beautiful  sparkling  ruby.  Over  all  was  the  frowning  sky, 
covered  with  clouds  varied  by  an  occasional  nndazzled  star. 


136  HISTOEY    OF   THE   GREAT   FIEES 

The  brute  creation  was  ci'azed.  The  horses,  maddened  by  heat 
and  noise,  and  irritated  by  falling  sparks,  neighed  and  screamed 
with  aflfright  and  anger,  and  reared,  and  kicked,  and  bit  each 
other,  or  stood  with  drooping  tails  and  rigid  legs,  ears  laid  back, 
and  eyes  wild  with  amazement,  shivering  as  if  with  cold.  The 
dogs  ran  wildly  hither  and  thither,  snuffing  eagerly  at  every  one, 
and  occasionally  sitting  down  on  their  haunches  to  howl  dismally. 
When  there  was  a  lull  in  the  fii'e,  far-away  dogs  could  be  heard 
barking,  and  cocks  crowing  at  the  unwonted  light.  Cats  ran 
along  ridge-poles  in  the  bright  glare,  and  came  pattering  into  the 
street  with  dropsical  tails.  Great  brown  rats  with  bead-like  eyes 
were  ferreted  out  from  under  the  sidewalks  by  the  flames,  and 
scurried  hither  and  thither  along  the  streets,  kicked  at,  trampled 
upon,  hunted  down.  Flocks  of  beautiful  pigeons,  so  plentiful  in 
the  cit}',  wheeled  into  the  air  aimlessly,  circled  blindly  once  or 
twice,  and  were  drawn  into  the  maw  of  the  fiery  hell  raging 
beneath.  At  one  bird-fancier's  store  on  Madison  street,  near  La 
Salle,  the  wails  of  the  scorched  birds,  as  the  fire  caught  them, 
were  piteous  as  those  of  children. 

The  firemen  labored  like  heroes.  Grimy,  dusty,  hoarse,  soaked 
with  water,  time  after  time  they  charged  up  to  the  blazing  foe 
only  to  be  driven  back  to  anotlier  position  by  its  increasing  fierce 
ness  or  to  abandon  as  hopeless  their  task.  Or,  while  hard  at 
work,  suddenly  the  wind  would  shift,  a  puff  of  smoke  would 
come  from  a  building  behind  them,  followed  by  belching  flames, 
and  then  they  would  see  that  they  were  far  outflanked.  There 
was  nothing  for  it  then  but  to  gather  up  the  hose,  pull  helmets 
down  on  their  heads,  and  with  voice  and  lash  to  urge  the  snorting 
horses  through  the  flame  to  safety  beyond. 

The  people  were  mad.  Despite  the  police — indeed  the  police 
were  powerless — they  crowded  upon  frail  coigns  of  vantage,  as 
fences,  and  high  sidewalks  propped  on  rotten  piles,  which  fell 
beneatli  their  weight  and  hurled  them,  bruised  and  bleeding,  intc 


LN"   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  137 

the  dnst.  They  stumbled  over  broken  furniture  ai.d  fell,  and 
Avere  trampled  under  foot.  Seized  with  wild  and  causeless  panics 
they  surged  together  backwards  and  forwards  in  the  narrow 
streets,  cursi«ig,  threatening,  imploring,  fighting  to  get  free. 
Liquor  flowed  like  water,  for  the  saloons  were  broken  open  and 
despoiled,  and  men  on  all  sides  were  to  be  seen  frenzied  witli 
drink.  Fourth  avenue  and  Griswold  street  had  emptied  their 
denizens  into  the  throng.  Ill-omened  and  obscene  birds  of  niglit 
were  they.  Yillanous,  haggard  with  debauch,  and  pinched  witli 
misery,  flitted  through  the  crowd,  collarless,  ragged,  dirty,  un- 
kempt, these  negroes  with  stolid  faces,  and  white  men  who  fatten 
on  the  wages  of  shame ;  glided  through  the  mass  like  vultures  in 
search  of  prey.  They  smashed  windows  reckless  of  the  severe 
wounds  inflicted  on  their  naked  hands,  and  with  bloody  fingers 
rifled  impartially  till,  shelf,  and  cellar,  fighting  viciously  for  the 
spoils  of  their  forays.  Women,  hollow-eyed  and  brazen-faced, 
with  foul  drapery  tied  over  their  heads,  their  dresses  half  torn 
from  their  skinny  bosoms,  and  their  feet  thrust  into  trodden-down 
slippers,  moved  here  and  there,  stealing,  scolding  shrilly,  and 
laughing  with  one  another  at  some  particularly  "  splendid  "  gush 
of  flame,  or  "  beautiful "  falling-in  of  a  roof.  One  woman  on 
Adams  street  was  drawn  out  of  a  burning  house  three  times,  and 
rushed  back  wildly  into  the  blazing  ruin  each  time,  insane  for  the 
moment.  Everywhere  dust,  smoke,  flame,  heat,  thunder  of  falling 
walls,  crackle  of  fire,  hissing  of  water,  panting  of  engines,  shouts, 
braying  of  trumpets,  roar  of  wind,  tumult,  confusion,  and  uproar. 
From  the  roof  of  a  tall  stable  and  warehouse  to  which  the 
writer  clambered  the  sight  was  one  of  unparalleled  sublimity  and 
terror.  He  was  above  almost  the  whole  fire,  for  the  buildings  in 
the  locality  were  all  small  wooden  structures.  The  crowds  directly 
under  him  could  not  be  distinguished  because  of  the  curling 
volumes  of  crimsoned  smoke  through  which  an  occasional  scarlet 
lift  could  be  seen.     He  could  feel  the  heat  and  smoke,  and  heai 


138  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

the  maddened  Babel  of  sounds,  and  it  required  but  little  imagi 
nation  to  believe  one's  self  looking  over  the  adamantine  buhvarks 
of  hell  into  the  bottomless  pit.  On  the  left,  where  two  tall  build- 
ings were  in  a  blaze,  the  flame  piled  up  high  over  our  heads, 
making  a  lurid  background  against  which  were  limned  in  strong 
rehef  the  people  on  the  roofs  between.  Fire  was  a  strong  painter 
and  dealt  in  weird  effects,  using  only  black  and  red,  and  laying 
them  boldly  on.  We  could  note  the  very  smallest  actions  o± 
these  figures — a  branch-man  wiping  the  sweat  from  his  brow 
with  his  cuff  and  resetting  his  helmet,  a  spectator  shading  his 
eyes  with  his  hand  to  peer  into  the  fiery  sea.  Another  gesticula- 
ting wildly  with  clenched  fist  brought  down  on  the  palm  of  his 
hand,  as  he  pointed  toward  some  unseen  thing.  To  the  right 
the  faces  of  the  crowd  in  the  street  could  be  seen,  but  not  their 
bodies.  All  were  white  and  upturned,  and  every  feature  Nvas  as 
strongly  marked  as  if  it  had  been  part  of  an  alabaster  mask.  Far 
away,  indeed  for  miles  around,  could  be  seen,  ringed  by  a  circle 
of  red  light,  the  sea  of  housetops  broken  by  spires  and  tall  chim- 
neys, and  the  black  and  angiy  lake  on  which  were  a  few  pale, 
white  sails. 

As  many  as  a  dozen  different  fires  were  raging  at  once ;  the 
flames  on  Wells,  Franklin,  and  Market  streets  marched  steadily 
toward  the  north-east,  crossing  Madison  street,  below  Wells.  But 
before  they  had  reached  this  point,  the  Union  Bank  and  Oriental 
Building  were  on  fire,  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  was  seamed 
with  thin  wreaths  of  smoke,  the  low  brick  block  opposite  the 
Sherman  House  was  ablaze,  and  the  roof  of  the  Court  House  was 
strewn  with  embers,  each  of  which  sank  out  of  sight  to  be  suc- 
ceeded by  ominous  puffs  of  pale-blue  smoke,  slowly  reddening. 

It  was  this  peculiar  progress  of  the  flames  which  lent  to 
the  great  flre  a  distinctive  and  terrible  eliaracter.  The 
flames  advanced  like  the  advance  of  an  army.  Single  Uhlans 
skirmished  here  and  there  far  in  front,  then  small  detachments 


EST   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  139 

cut  off  the  weaker  and  outlying  forces,  then  well  developed 
battles  took  place  around  the  stout  buildings,  which  stood  firm 
like  the  squares  of  the  Old  Guard  amid  the  rout  at  Waterloo, 
and  finally  the  main  body  of  fire  came  up  and  swept  these  solitary 
resisting  eddies  into  the  great  general  tide  of  ruin.  So  while  the 
scenes  in  one  street  and  at  one  hour  might  stand  for  those  in  the 
city  generally  and  through  the  whole  night,  yet  around  each  of 
the  great  buildings,  as  the  Court  House  and  the  gigantic  hotels, 
episodes  of  peculiar  and  thrilling  interest  took  place. 

At  the  Court  House  the  fire  had  communicated  with  the  roof 
and  dome  several  times,  only  to  be  extinguished.  Finally  it 
caught  such  a  hold  that  the  tower  had  to  be  abandoned.  The 
great  bell,  which  had  been  clanging  fitfully  all  night,  now  kept  up 
one  incessant  rattle,  the  machinery  having  been  set  by  the  keeper 
as  he  descended.  The  buildings  on  all  sides  were  in  flames,  and  the 
streets  filled  with  the  ruins  of  fallen  walls.  The  prisoners  in  the 
County  Jail,  almost  suffocated  with  smoke,  ran  to  the  doors  of 
their  cells  and  shook  the  iron  bars  with  the  strength  of  frenzy,  ut- 
tering dreadful  yells  and  imprecations  of  despair,  as  a  horrid  fear 
that  they  were  to  be  burnt  alive  possessed  them.  Captain  Hickey, 
seeing  that  there  was  no  hope  of  saving  the  building,  ordered  the 
cells  to  be  unlocked,  and  in  a  moment  the  released  prisoners,  all 
bareheaded,  many  barefooted,  rushed  into  the  street,  yelling  like 
demons,  A  large  truck,  loaded  with  ready-made  clothing,  was  pass- 
ing the  corner  of  Kandolph  street  at  the  time,  and  in  a  moment  the 
convicts  swarmed  upon  it,  emptied  it  of  the  contents,  and  fled  to 
remoter  alleys  and  dark  passages  to  don  their  plunder  and  dis- 
guise themselves.  Not  all,  however,  escaped.  Those  charged 
with  murder,  except  Nealy,  accused  of  murdering  a  man  on 
Canal  street,  were  securely  handcuffed  and  led  away  between 
guards,  scowling  and  downcast.  Meanwhile  the  bell  still  jangled, 
the  fl.ames  lit  up  the  faces  of  the  great  clock  with  more  than  noon- 
tide light,  the  building  glowed  without  and  within  like  a  furnace. 


140  HISTORY    OF    THE    GEPJAT   FIRES 

Suddenly,  when  the  liands  of  the  clock  pointed  to  3.10,  the  dome 
sank  a  little,  rocked,  then  fell  with  a  tremendous  crash  and  clang, 
while  a  pyramid  of  red  fire  and  black  cloud  towered  up  for  a  mo- 
ment and  then  melted  into  the  general  blaze. 

The  Sherman  House,  with  its  hundreds  of  windows,  resisted 
stoutly.  The  flames  were  around  it  and  beyond,  but  it  stood  up 
majestic,  its  white  walls  rosy  and  its  windows  bright  with  the  re- 
flected glare.  The  roof  and  woodwork  were  smoking  in  places, 
but  for  nearly  an  hour  the  house  held  good.  Suddenly  a  spurt  of 
flame  came  from  a  window  in  the  third  story  on  the  southern  face, 
another  and  another  followed,  and  in  twenty  minutes,  from  every 
window  hung  out  a  red  festoon,  while  great  coils  of  black  smoke 
twisted  around  the  eaves  and  met  above  the  roof  with  the  flames 
already  bursting  through.  Then  all  was  over,  and  people  could 
only  watch  it  burn. 

It  was  broad  day  now,  and  the  sun  was  up.  At  least  a  small  crim- 
son ball  hung  in  a  pall  of  smoke,  and  people  said  that  was  the  sun. 
For  the  rest,  all  consciousness  of  the  hour  and  date  was  lost.  The 
Vind  had  freshened,  and  the  tumult  increased..  The  fire  had  pur- 
sued its  inexorable  march  in  the  van  of  the  south-west  wind  across 
the  south  side  of  the  river.  Toward  the  west  it  had  burned  more 
slowly,  and  it  was  nearly  noon  before  the  distilleries  at  Madison 
street  bridge  yielded.  The  north  side  was  already  attacked  in  a 
dozen  places.  Of  the  south  division,  between  State  street  and  the 
river,  all  the  slighter  buildings  had  been  wiped  out,  many  of  the 
larger  edifices  were  in  ruins,  and  a  few  of  the  stoutest  were  still 
ablaze,  islands  of  fire.  Streets  and  blocks  were  no  longer  dis- 
tinguishable. The  gap  beween  the  ruins  were,  it  is  true,  still 
filled  with  people,  but  they  were  not  working  to  save  anything. 
There  was  nothing  to  save,  no  place  whence  to  escape.  The  tu- 
mult was  Still  loud,  but  it  was  changed  in  its  character.  It  M^as 
now  the  wailing  of  children  seeking  their  parents,  of  mothers  seek- 
ing their  families,  of  men  maudlin  with  liquor  and  stupefied  with 


THE   CHAMBER    OF.  COMMERCE. 


;iARKt.lRtbI      so      IH    ^)<-OM    WASHINCTON    SI  liht 


m  cnic.vGo  and  the  west.  14 S 

grief  bewailing  their  losses.  The  curious  now  pressed  forward 
to  see,  and  the  dishonest  to  steal.  These  coming  from  the  west 
and  extreme  south,  met  the  throngs  flying  from  the  north,  and 
made  human  eddies  in  every  street.  But  the  fire  was  practically 
over,  the  battle  had  rolled  away  to  the  northward,  leaving  behind 
it  its  ruins,  through  which  poured  the  fugitive  and  the  wounded, 
those  who  came  on  errands  of  curiosity  or  mercy,  and  those  who 
prowled  about  to  pillage  and  destroy. 

ON   THE    EXTREME    SOUTH. 

That  a  fire  of  considerable  proportions  was  raging  on  the  West 
Side  was  known  at  ten  o'clock  on  Sunday  night  to  persons  resid- 
ing on  the  South  Side,  but  the  fact  created  so  little  apprehension 
that  people  sought  their  beds,  and  many  never  knew  of  the 
awful  destruction  until  their  usual  rising  hour  in  the  morning. 
This,  however,  was  not  true  of  people  living  north  of  Twelfth 
street,  for  long  before  daybreak  they  were  fully  warned  of  the 
destruction  which  came  upon  most  and  threatened  all.  At  two 
o'clock  a  reporter  of  The  Post  ran  from  his  residence  to  Pulk 
street  bridge.  The  fire  at  that  time  had  not  crossed  the  river  so 
far  south,  but  to  those  residing  between  the  river  and  the  lake  it 
seemed,  from  the  tiames,  that  the  fire  was  immediately  upon  them. 
No  one  knew  the  extent  the  disaster  had  attained  even  at  that 
hour ;  none  would  have  believed  it.  From  the  bridge  the  West 
Side  seemed  all  in  flames.  The  crowd  cried,  Is  the  river  a  bar- 
rier? Will  it  stay  the  stalking  fiend?  The  answer  came  from 
the  flame  itself.  It  did  not  cross  the  bridge,  for  that  had  been 
swung  open,  it  leaped  the  river  at  a  single  leap,  and  caught  in  a 
hot  and  destructive  embrace  the  lumber  yard  lying  south  of  Polk 
street.  So  sudden  was  its  crossing  that  numbers  of  persons  stand- 
ing upon  the  approach  to  the  bridge  narrowly  escaped  suffocation, 
and  saved  themselves  only  by  a  hasty  retreat  through  the  hot, 
black  smoke  that  already  swept  across  the  street.  On  the  north 
side  were  the  old  Bridewell  buildings,  wdiich  were  being  used  as 


144  niSTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

the  headquarters  of  the  First  Precinct  Police.  The  buildings 
were  of  wood.  In  a  moment  they  were  in  flames.  In  the  lock- 
up were  twenty-five  prisoners.  The  keeper  opened  the  door  and 
bid  them  run  for  their  lives.  They  leaped  from  the  crackling  ruin 
and  ran  from  death  with  a  fleetness  that  they  never  displayed 
with  a  policeman  pursuing.  One  prisoner  was  lying  upon  the 
floor  stupidly  drunk.  The  keeper  could  not  rouse  him.  To 
Sherman  street  and  Clark,  to  Fourth  and  Third  avenues,  to  State 
street  and  "Wabash  avenue  ran  back  the  cry,  "  The  flames  are  upon 
us  !  God  alone  can  stop  them  !  "  Tliat  cry  of  horror  woke  every 
one  to  frenzied  exertions,  and,  for  blocks  and  blocks,  the  people 
who  inliabited  the  houses  did  nothing  but  throw  out  furniture 
from  the  homes  that  they  felt  were  certain  to  be  doomed.  The 
gas  ceased  to  burn,  but  the  fierce  fire  furnished  a  ghastly  light  by 
which  every  one  could  work.  The  streets  were  crowded  by  half- 
clad  multitudes. 

Frightened  horses  were  hastily  harnessed  into  wagons,  and 
every  one  who  could  command  a  vehicle  commenced  to  move. 
Hurried  on  by  the  howling  wind,  the  flames  spread  northward 
and  swept  away  block  upon  block  of  the  wooden  tenements 
which  were  crowded  into  that  quarter  of  the  city ;  but  though 
the  general  direction  of  the  fire  was  northward,  yet  the  fierce 
heat  fought  in  the  face  of  the  blast,  and  though  slowly,  yet 
surely,  gained  in  the  south.  Punning  down  Clark  to  Taylor, 
and  on  Taylor  to  the  river,  the  writer  found  himself  south  of  the 
fire.  From  Polk  street  the  flame  had  eaten  back  until  it  had 
found  Gurney's  tannery,  which,  with  its  cords  upon  cords  of  dry 
bark,  made  a  morsel  that  was  soon  devoured.  On  the  West 
Side,  the  immense  brick  walls  of  the  Chicago  Dock  Company's 
storehouse  presented  a  formidable  barrier  to  the  further  south- 
ward progress  of  the  flames,  but  along  the  dock  the  sheds  were 
burning.  The  framework  seemed  of  harder  wood  than  the  cov- 
erings, for  while  the  boards  were  rapidly  consumed   the  beams 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST,  145 

were  but  slowly  devoured.  The  framework  fretted  with  fire 
looked  like  a  golden  grapery.  Upon,  the  building  a  stream  from 
a  single  engine  was  pouring,  but  as  well  might  one  oppose  the 
straw  of  a  pigmy  to  the  sword  of  a  giant.  Looking  down  the 
river,  Polk  street  bridge  was  seen  tumbling  into  the  stream  that 
quenched  its  burning  timbers.  Burning  rafts  floated  upon  the 
water.  Tugs  with  steam  up  essayed  to  reach  the  brig  Fontinella, 
M^hich  was  lying  at  the  dock  near  the  burning  tannery.  Twice 
they  made  the  attempt  and  twice  fell  back.  A  third  was  useless. 
The  flames  boarded  her,  ran  up  her  rigging,  cut  her  loose  to  float 
from  tlie  dock,  and  left  her  a  blackened  hull.  The  stone-yard  of 
the  Illinois  Stone  Company  prevented  the  fire  running  southward 
on  the  river  side,  but  the  wooden  houses  on  Wells  street  were 
quickly  in  flames.  Looking  northward,  the  street  was  a  fiery 
vista.  A  lot  of  Norwegian  emigrants  were  grouped  about.  They 
wei-e  stupid  with  fear,  and  had  to  be  almost  forced  from  the 
street.  Returning  as  he  went  the  writer  reached  the  corner  of 
Clark  and  Polk  streets,  where  St.  Peter's  German  Catholic 
Church  is  located.  To  it  as  to  the  sanctuaries  in  the  old  feudal 
times  the  people  had  crowded  for  safety.  Its  portals  were  piled 
up  with  the  Lares  and  Penates  of  many  a  burning  home.  A 
block  across,  the  flame  was  seen  running  up  the  golden  cross  that 
topped  St.  Louis  Church.  A  moment  later  the  church  was  in 
ashes.  On  the  west  of  Sherman  street,  running  from  Taylor  to 
Polk,  from  Polk  to  Harrison,  and  terminating  on  Yan  Buren 
street  in  the  magnificent  passenger  depot,  were  the  long  freight 
houses  of  the  Michigan  Southern  Railroad.  Those  who  had  the 
coolness  to  think  thought  tliat  these  would  save  tlie  district  east 
of  them,  a  hope  that  could  hardly  be  entertained  in  the  face  of 
the  fact  that  the  massive  stone  passenger  depot  was  toppling  into 
ruin;  and  j^et  these  brick  depots  did  save  everything  between 
them  and  the  lake.  A  portion  of  the  massive  walls  of  the 
Pacific  Hotel  was  seen  to  tumble,  and  to  the  East  and  North 


146  HISTORY   OF   THE   GEEAT   FIEES 

nothing  was  visible  but  crackling  ruin,  nothing  heard  but  the 
roar  of  the  flames  which  sounded  just  like  the  roar  of  the  sea. 
It  was  nearly  daylight.  The  water  supply  had  given  out,  but  no 
one  in  the  south  part  of  the  city  dreamed  that  tlie  water  had 
ceased  because  a  mile  and  a  half  away  the  walls  of  the  AVater 
"Works  had  tumbled  upon  the  engines.  People  merely  supposed 
that  the  fire  engines  had  exhausted  the  supply.  Even  then  the 
man  who  would  have  predicted  the  burning  of  the  North  Side 
would  have  been  considered  a  madman.  Anxious  to  see  the 
situation  down  town,  the  writer  essayed  to  proceed  thither  by 
Clark  street.  He  could  not  reach  Yan  Buren.  State  was  open 
as  far  as  Madison.  Potter  Palmer's  buildings  were  tumbling  in. 
Hissing  and  hurrying  on  came  the  flames.  They  laughed  and 
crackled  and  roared  with  demoniac  humor.  Darting  at  huge 
piles  of  masonry  they  kissed  them  with  fatal  fervor,  and  rushing 
on  with  hellish  appetite  they  embraced  whole  blocks  of  brick  and 
marble,  leaving  them  dust  and  ashes.  Driven  back  on  State 
stregt,  the  writer  reached  the  Palmer  House.  Porters  stationed 
at  the  doors  refused  entrance  to  any  but  recognized  reporters. 
The  Sherman  was  gone,  the  Tremont  was  in  ashes,  the  Briggs 
had  shared  the  common  ruin,  the  massive  Pacific  was  a  red-hot 
ruin,  the  Bigelow  in  the  next  block  was  crackling;  the  question 
was,  Shall  we  have  a  hotel  left  ?  And  the  people  in  the  Palmer 
had  the  madness  to  believe  that  the  Palmer  would  be  saved.  In 
half  an  hour  it  too  was  a  shapeless  mass  of  stone  and  mortar. 

It  was  broad  day.  The  wind  had  not  lulled  nor  the  fire  ceased. 
On  and  on  sped  the  flames  in  their  hurried  and  horrible  march 
of  death  and  desolation.  Strong  men  who  loved  Chicago  better 
than  they  loved  many  a  friend,  bowed  their  heads  and  wept  at 
her  destruction.  Terror  was  written  upon  the  face  of  some; 
despair  stared  from  the  countenance  of  others.  Many  for  the 
moment  believed  the  last  day  had  come.  People  prayed,  and 
cursed,  and  hurried  on,  and  at  their  backs  was  the  ever-con- 
suming, horrid  hell  of  flame. 


m   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  147 

It  is  pr*per  to  narrate  how  the  flames  were  stayed  in  their 
progress  southward.  At  the  corner  of  Clark  and  Harrison  streets 
the  Jones  school  was  burned.  A  wooden  primary  on  tlie  same 
lot  escaped  destruction.  Why  it  escaped  would  be  curious  to 
know.  The  flames,  as  if  weary  of  the  awful  race  they  had  run, 
did  not  cross  the  street.  At  the  corner  of  Fourth  avenue  and 
Harrison  street  the  Jewish  Synagogue  burned  fiercely,  but  the 
Otis  block  of  brick  buildings,  on  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
street,  did  not  burn.  At  the  corner  of  Third  avenue  and  Harri- 
son, men  with  chains  pulled  down  a  wooden  residence  which, 
though  it  was  consumed,  did  not  burn  fiercely.  At  the  corner 
of  State  and  Harrison,  O'Neil's  brick  block  was  blown  up  by 
powder,  and  prevented  the  further  spread  in  that  direction.  At 
the  corner  of  Harrison  and  "Wabash  avenue  the  Methodist  Church 
stood  as  if  defying  the  flames,  and  as  though  it  uttered  with  the 
voice  of  authority,  "  Thus  far  shalt  thou  go,  and  no  farther." 
The  flames  did  not  cross  Wabash  avenue  south  of  Congress  street, 
one  block  north  of  Harrison  ;  and  the  south  side  of  Congress  was 
saved,  the  Michigan  Avenue  Hotel  standing  upon  the  corner 
like  the  huge  battlement  of  a  fortress  that  had  withstood  a  siege. 
By  noon  the  fire  had  ceased  in  its  progress  southward,  and,  ex- 
cept by  uncertain  rumor  (and  during  all  the  fire  many-tongued 
rumor  spread  its  baleful  tales  more  rapidly  than  ran  the  wild 
fire),  no  one  south  of  Harrison  street  knew  the  desolation  which 
reigned  in  the  N'orth  Division.  Nor  was  it  known  that  the  city's 
situation  had  excited  the  active  sympathy  of  its  neighbors,  and 
that  steam  engines  had  upon  the  wings  of  steam  flown  to  our 
rescue. 

The  lake  front  was  filled  with  household  goods  piled  in  the 
utmost  confusion.  Weary  M'atchers  stood  guard  about  their  little 
all;  and  hundreds  of  people,  homeless  and  without  property  of 
any  kind,  were  lying  about  exhausted.  The  last  was  a  grievous 
annoyance,  but  the  roar  of  the  fire  was  a  positive  terror  which 


148  HISTORY   or   THE    GEEAT   FIRES 

drove  minor  considerations  from  the  mind.  From  the  hike  front, 
the  destruction  of  the  palatial  block  of  residences  known  as  Ter- 
race Kow  M^as  watched  with  intense  interest.  Its  burning, 
although  occurring  in  the  day-time,  when  the  spectacular  effect 
of  fire  is  greatly  lost,  was  one  of  the  remarkable  scenes  of  the 
great  tragedy.  If  it  alone  had  burned,  all  the  rhetoric  at  the 
command  of  the  writers  on  the  press  would  have  been  used  in  its 
description. 

IN   THE    NOETH    DIVISION. 

The  citizens  of  the  North  Division,  up  to  three  o'clock  on  that 
terrible  Monday  morning,  put  their  trust  in  tlie  river  and  Provi- 
dence, hoping  that  their  side  of  the  city,  at  least,  would  escape. 
This  was  not  to  be.  The  rolling  Hudson  itself  could  hardly  liave 
stayed  that  tempest-driven  tide  of  flame  which  was  hurled  irre- 
sistibly to  the  main  branch  of  the  Chicago  river.  Already,  at 
three  o'clock,  the  court-house  bell  had  tolled  the  funeral  requiem 
of  Chicago,  the  gas-works  had  exploded,  the  hotels  had  succumbed. 
The  air  was  hot  with  the  breatli  of  fiends,  and  the  fiery  brands 
t-hat  crossed  the  city  on  the  wings  of  tlie  storm  obscured  the  stars 
above,  and  rendered  blood-red  the  flood  beneath,  while  they 
rained  a  lava-shower  on  the  roofs  of  dwellings,  factories,  and 
storehouses — a  shower  that  to  describe  would  need  the  pen  of  the 
great  novelist  who  has  chronicled  the  desolation  of  Pompeii. 
Ere  yet  the  bridge-railings  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  had 
ignited,  North  Water  street  was  blazing,  almost  along  the  entire 
line.  The  terror  on  the  North  Side  now  became  a  panic.  The 
thousands  who  had  crossed  the  river  to  see  the  fire  in  the  West 
and  South  Divisions,  came  pouring  back  over  the  bridges  and 
through  the  tunnel,  all  hurrying  to  tlieir  homes  and  friends— all 
flying  from  the  furious  enemy  that  roared  and  howled  behind 
them.  The  noise  of  the  exploding  material  used  in  blowing  up 
houses  in  the  track  of  the  flames  reminded  one  of  the  booming  of 


IN    CHICAGO    AjSTD   THE    WEST.  14:9 

heavy  siege  guns,  and  the  commune  and  the  reign  of  terror  were 
being  realized  in  the  very  heart  of  the  Garden  City  of  the  West. 

Wells  and  State  street  bridges  were  caught  by  the  flames,  and 
were  soon  enveloped  by  them  from  one  end  to  the  other.  La 
Salle  street  tunnel  drew  in  the  mighty  volume  of  flame  from  the 
Bouth,  and  became  a  submarine  hell.  With  electric  velocity  the 
■flames  seized  upon  the  frame  blocks  fronting  the  river  on  the 
north,  and  leaped  from  square  to  square  faster  than  an  Arab  steed 
could  gallop.  The  brands  formed  a  kind  of  infernal  skirmish  line, 
feeling  the  way  for  the  grand  attack.  The  storm  howled  with 
the  fury  of  a  maniac,  the  flames  raged  and  roared  with  the  un- 
chained malice  of  a  million  fiends.  Nothing  human  could  stand 
before,  or  check  these  combined  elements  of  annihilation.  1'hey 
defied  man's  greatest  efforts,  and  appeared  to  be  kindled  and  fed 
by  the  arch-demon  himself. 

When  the  fire  had  passed  Kinzie  street  the  terror  was  some- 
thing indescribable.  Every  available  means  of  conveyance — 
wagons,  buggies,  drays,  carriages,  hacks,  and  even  hearses — were 
used  to  convey  from  danger  the  terror-stricken  people  and  sucli 
household  goods  as  they  could  bear  away.  Thousands,  hastilj^ 
summoned  from  their  beds,  escaped  from  their  already  burning 
liomes  in  tlieir  night-garments.  The  Nicholson  pavement  in  the 
streets  was  on  fire  in  every  direction.  The  flames  did  not  ad- 
vance in  a  solid  column  as  on  the  south  side,  but  broke  into  sec- 
tions, starting  conflagrations  here  and  there,  while  the  great 
main  fire  rushed  upon  what  was  left,  and  made  havoc  of  the 
whole.  The  fire  spared  one  corner  of  Kinzie  street,  a  few  houses 
between  Market  street  and  the  bridge,  one  elevator  (Newberry's), 
a  few  lumber  yards,  and  a  coal  yard  or  two.  With  this  exception 
it  swept  along  the  North  Branch  to  the  gas-works,  taking  every 
stick  and  stone  that  lay  in  its  line.  If  it  forgot  anything  by  ac- 
cident, it  would  return  like  an  imsated  hyena,  and  lick  up  the 
miserable  remains.      It  did  not  take   a   regular  course  on  the 


150  HISTOEY   OF   THE    GREAT   FIEES 

north  side.  Some  streets  were  ablaze  half  a  dozen  squares  ahead 
of  the  big  fire.  It  worked  with  the  wind  and  against  it,  with  a 
fi-ightful  impartiality.  It  held  a  direct  northward  course  to  Divi- 
sion street  bridge,  near  the  gas-works,  where  there  are  some  large 
vacant  lots,  rather  damp,  and  without  any  combustible  surround- 
ings. At  this  point  it  took  an  oblique  turn  eastward,  toward 
Lincoln  Park,  leaving  the  Newberry  School  on  North  avenue, 
and  sweeping  along  to  Lincoln  avenue  to  Dr.  Dyer's  new  house, 
where,  on  that  side,  it  halted,  having  burned  itself  out.  It  left  a 
couple  of  frame  buildings  in  front  of  the  park  entrance,  sparing 
the  fine  park  itself,  hardly  a  shrub  being  injured.  Not  so  with  the 
old  cemeteries,  Protestant  and  Catholic.  The  grass  on  the  graves 
was  burned,  the  wooden  crosses  were  consumed,  and  the  grave- 
stones were  splintered  into  dust.  The  trees  were  withered  like 
dry  leaves,  hardly  a  skeleton  remaining,  while  furniture  piled 
there  for  safety  by  the  earlier  fugitives  only  served  to  make  a 
funeral  pyre.  The  very  pest-house,  down  on  the  lake  shore,  was 
burned  to  the  ground,  the  miserable  patients  being  obliged  to 
seek  in  the  water  the  fate  from  which  they  fled.  The  affrighted 
fugitives  in  the  cemeteries  fled  madly  towards  the  park,  while  the 
air  resounded  with  their  cries  and  lamentations.  Meanwhile  the 
conflagration  swept  eastward  to  the  lake,  taking  everything  that 
lay  before  it.  By  this  time  daylight  was  beginning  to  dawn,  and 
with  it  the  great  water  works,  the  pride  of  the  city,  were  dis- 
covered to  be  charred  and  unrecognizable  ruins. 

To  describe  this  fire  in  its  details  through  the  North  Division 
would  be  utterly  impossible.  It  was  like  a  battle,  where  all  was 
din,  smoke,  confusion,  and  turmoil.  Each  individual  of  the  vast, 
fleeing  tide  can  tell  a  different  story  of  peril  and  escape.  Before 
that  awful  front  of  flame  the  streets  yet  unburned  were  packed 
and  jammed  with  myriads^ of  human  beings  of  every  age,  sex,  and  . 
condition.  It  reminded  one  of  a  disastrous  retreat,  the  baggage 
blocking  up  the  highways,  while  the  very  horses  were  burned  to 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  151 

death  beneath  the  loads  of  houseliold  goods  crowded  upon  their 
wagons.  Hundreds  of  the  affrighted  animals  ran  away,  mad  with 
pain  and  terror,  crushing  in  their  flight  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren. The  principal  lines  of  retreat  for  the  north  side  community 
living  west  of  Clark  street  and  north  of  Oak  street  were  over  Erie 
and  Indiana  street,  Chicago  avenue,  and  Xorth  avenue  bridges. 
They  retired  to  the  prairie  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  rolling 
mills,  or  else  took  refuge  with  their  terrified  and  trembling  friends 
in  the  West  Division.  The  North  Side,  taking  a  line  from  Canal 
street  north,  was  completely  annihilated.  The  little  portion  that 
escaped  belonged  more  properly  to  the  north-western  section. 

On  Erie  street  and  Chicago  avenue  the  loss  of  life  was  fearful. 
The  bridges  were  choked  with  fugitives  and  baggage.  The  wag- 
ons became  entangled,  and  the  frightened  people  either  plunged 
into  the  river  and  were  drowned,  or  else  fell  down  never  to  rise, 
suffocated  by  the  frightful  smoke.  The  scene  was  enough  to  un- 
nerve the  stoutest  heart. 

Through  the  hellish  splendor  of  mingled  gloom  and  fire  the  tall 
church  steeples  loomed  proudly  against  the  fiery  firm'ament. 
The  first  spire  that  went  down  was  that  of  the  Holy  Name — 
Roman  Catholic — Church,  on  State  street.  The  crash  was  fearful, 
and  was  only  exceeded  by  the  terrific  noise  produced  by  the  fall- 
ing of  the  North  Presbyterian  Church,  on  Cass  street,  a  moment 
later.  It  was  a  sad  sight  to  see  the  beautiful  little  church  of 
Robert  Collyer  succumb  to  the  pitiless  enemy ;  and  the  hardly  less 
beautiful  German  Catholic  Church  of  St.  Joseph  met  the  same 
untimely  doom.  And  sad  was  it  to  see  the  fine  rows  of  stately 
trees,  which  formed  the  shade  of  the  North  Side  streets,  go  down 
like  grass,  withered  and  blackened.  The  marble  can  be  replaced 
and  the  stone  can  be  laid  afresh,  but  many  a  long  year  must  pass 
ere  we  shall  see  again  the  maples  and  poplars  and  elms. 

Those  of  the  North  Side  inhabitants  who  lived  in  that  section 
lying  between  Clark  street  on  the  west  and  Lake  on  the  east,  and 


152  HISTORY   OF   THE    GKEAT   FIKES 

between  Chicago  avenue  on  the  north  and  tlie  river  on  the  south, 
were  the  last  to  suffer.  They  expected  that  the  jflames  would  pass 
by  them,  as  they  had  already  burned  up  to  the  Newberry  school 
•before  Rush  street  was  engulphed.  This  hope,  like  so  man}' 
others,  was  doomed  to  be  of  short  duration,  Yery  soon  the  cry 
arose  that  Ilnsh  street  bridge  was  burning,  while  the  large  reap- 
ing machine  factory  of  C.  H.  McGormick  was  discovered  to  be  a 
blazing  ruin.  Presently  the  old  Lake  House,  built  in  1837,  and 
situated  on  Michigan,  near  tlie  corner  of  Eush  street,  shot  up  a 
colunm  of  flame,  which  proclaimed  that  the  fiend  had  seized 
upon  it. 

This  was  the  signal  for  a  general  stampede.  The  roughs  that 
infested  the  lower  streets,  near  the  river,  l)roke  into  the  saloons 
and  drank  wliat  liquor  they  could  find.  Many  of  these  rufiians 
were  draymen  and  wharf-rats,  and  their  conduct  was  ruffianly  in 
the  extreme.  liell  seemed  to  have  vomited  these  wretches  forth 
as  fitting  denizens  of  the  fiery  air  around  them.  The  robbers 
broke  into  and  sacked  many  houses,  the  inhabitants  thereof  being 
only  too'  glad  to  get  aw^ay  at  any  piice.  Retreat  to  the  north  was 
cut  off',  for  already  the  flames  had  fired  tlie  water  works  and  were 
burning  the  pier  at  the  foot  of  Superior  street.  The  destruction 
of  Rush  street  bridge  precluded  a  southward  flight,  and,  besides, 
the  South  Side  was  one  ocean  of  fire.  Everything  was  burned 
on  a  line  with  Rush  street,  and  tliat  was  already  beginning  to  go. 
Language  cannot  portray  the  scenes  that  ensued.  Everything 
was  placed  on  some  kind  of  vehicle,  horses  were  let  loose  from 
their  stables,  children  were  flung  into  carts  with  their  half  crazy 
mothers,  the  lower  orders  were  raging  drunk,  while  the  respectable 
people  were  wholly  demoralized.  For  a  time  it  looked  as  if  the 
final  day  had  come  for  all  these  thousands,  for  the  fire  was  rush- 
ing down  upon  them  like  an  avenging  spirit.  On  most  faces  was 
depicted  terror;  on  the  fewer  calm  indifference  or  detestable  bru- 
tality.    Women  cried  out  for  aid  to  save  their  little  ones.     Their 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  153 

entreaties  were  disregarded,  or  else  were  made  the  theme  for  ri- 
bald jokes  by  tlie  inebriated  ruffians  from  the  purlieus  of  North 
Water  and  Kinzie  streets.  Happy  were  those  women  and  chil- 
dren who  had  husbands  and  father  to  protect  them.  Where  were 
all  these  afFrighted  beings  tending  to  ?  The  cry  of  "  To  the 
sands  !  To  the  sands  !  "  was  heard  on  every  side,  and  to  the  sands 
everybody  fled  as  by  common  intuition. 

The  "Sands"  have  long  been  notorious  in  the  annals  of  the 
city.  They  used  to  be  infested  with  the  vilest  of  vile  rookeries 
until  long  John  Wentworth,  when  he  was  Mayor  of  Chicago^ 
became  a  justifiable  incendiar}'  and  burned  them  all  out.  Since 
then  they  have  been  almost  deserted.  They  are  that  portion  of 
the  lake  shore  lying. between  St.  Clair  street  and  Lake  Michigan, 
and  between  the  North  Pier  and  the  Water  Works.  A  more 
desolate  place  could  hardly  be  imagined.  The  sand  there  has 
been  drifted  into  small  mountains,  which  half  conceal  knots  of 
miserable  shanties,  wherein  the  Arabs  of  the  North  Side  used  to 
dwell.  In  most  parts  these  houses  reached  nearly  to  the  water's 
edge.  In  a  few  places  there  was  an  extent  of  some  hundred  yards 
in  width.  The  place  might  have  been  comparatively  safe  from 
the  fire,  only  that  at  the  foot  of  Erie  street  was  the  large  wooden 
bath  house,  dry  as  tinder,  and  along  the  southern  section,  toward 
the  pier,  stretched  an  immense  varnish  factory,  an  oil  refinery, 
and  a  long  range  of  sheds  in  which  pitch  and  tar  were  stored  in 
large  barrels.  All  this  made  the  situation  anything  but  pleasant, 
and  very  far  from  secure.  All  the  space  unoccupied  by  houses 
and  lumber  was,  on  that  eventful  morning,  crowded  with  trunks, 
bedsteads,  mattrasses,  pianos,  chairs,  tables,  bundles  of  clothing, 
feather-beds,  people,  horses,  wagons,  and  almost  everything  that 
goes  to  make  up  a  large  city  ;  besides  there  were  numerous  bar- 
rels of  whiskey  which  had  been  rolled  down  from  the  hell  shops 
further  up  by  the  dissolute  wretches.  , 

Day  was  just  breaking  when  the  conflagration  had  reached  the 


154  HISTORY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

edge  of  the  sands.  The  gale  continued  to  drive  with  fury,  and 
the  sand  and  smoke  combined  to  pelt  the  very  eyes  out  of  the 
wretched  thousands  crowded  on  that  desolate  place.  Soon  the 
smoke  became  so  dense  that  the  sands  were  dark  as  at  midnight. 
The  strongest  constitntion  could  not  look  that  wind  in  the  teeth 
and  remain  alive.  The  people  fled  down  to  the  very  water,  while 
the  flames  burst  through  the  dense  smoke  and  leaped  after  them. 
The  fiery  brands  fell  amid  the  furniture  and  bed  clothing,  soon 
Betting  the  entire  shore  in  a  blaze.  Hundreds  of  horses  broke 
from  their  owners  and  ran  into  the  lake  ;  the  wagons,  which  were 
run  into  the  water  for  safety,  took  fire  where  they  stood,  and 
burned  to  the  water's  edge.  Scores  of  horses  perished  in  the 
waves,  which,  even  against  the  wind,  leaped  upon  the  shore  like 
mad  things  of  life. 

At  nine  o'clock  on  Monday  morning,  sixteen  hours  after  the 
breaking  out  of  the  conflagration,  the  varnish  factory  and  the  rest 
took  fire,  raising  a  wall  of  flame  between  the  people  and  the  west. 
All  now  gave  themselves  up  for  lost.  The  brands  came  down  by- 
thousands,  causing  the  water  to  hiss  where  they  fell.  The  clothes 
of  women  caught  fire  from  this  fatal  shower,  and  one  old  woman, 
named  McAvoy,  was  burned  to  death  before  she  could  be  rescued. 

The  smoke  grew  more  dense  every  moment,  and  the  sense  of 
sufibcation  was  dreadful.  Women  screamed  in  utter  despair, 
while  the  poor  children  were  stricken  mute  with  terror,  A  num- 
ber of  people  were  smothered  at  the  bath  house.  Thousands 
threw  themselves  on  their  faces  in  the  hot  sand,  while  hundreds 
rushed  into  the  lake  up  to  their  necks.  The  final  day  could  not 
have  brought  more  terror  with  its  dawn.  The  great  fear  was 
that  the  north  pier  itself  would  go,  in  which  event  hundreds,  if 
not  thousands,  of  people  must  have  perished.  Fortunately,  be- 
tween the  varnish  factory  and  the  foot  of  the-  pier  there  lay  a 
broad  expanse  of  sand,  and  the  people  on  the  pier  used  their  hats 
and  a  few  buckets  to  extinguish  the  brands  that  continued  to  fall 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  155 

upon  the  structure.  At  eleven  o'clock  that  morning  the  factory 
was  burned  out,  the  pier  was  saved,  and  the  people  began  to 
hope.  There  was  no  food  and  no  prospect  of  any.  Five  large 
steamers — Goodrich's — were  standing  out  near  the  crib  in  the 
lake,  and  a  score  of  steamers  were  lying  to,  under  bare  poles, 
watching  the  tableau  on  shore.  Not  a  sail  ventured  to  approach 
the  sands.  The  afternoon  wore  away  and  the  evening  shadows 
were  coming  to  lend  a  deeper  gloom  to  the  smoke-wreaths  when 
a  fleet  of  tug-boats,  sent  down  by  the  Mayor,  came  to  the  relief 
of  the  unfortunates.  Most  of  them  were  taken  ofi"  and  landed, 
up  through  the  heated  river,  at  Kinzie  street  bridge,  while  the 
others  slept  that  night  on  the  shore,  guarding  the  few  household 
articles  that  remained  to  them.  The  wreck  of  home  comforts  lay 
along  that  sorrow-laden  beach,  and  some  human  beings  lay  there 
dead.  When  the  sun  went  down  that  Monday  night,  the  10th 
of  October,  1871,  he  set  upon  a  waste  of  ruined  homes,  the  lost 
treasures  of  grief- wrung  hearts,  all  that  remained  of  world- 
renowed  Chicae-o. 


CHAPTER  XXII, 

Men  are  always  anxious  to  search  out  the  origin  of  things  that 
interest  and  concern  them.  They  spend  their  energies  in  the  inves- 
tigation of  the  origin  of  the  human  species,  and  some  are  even  will- 
ing to  trace  their  ancestry  back  to  the  monkey,  or  to  lower  animals. 
The  old  Scripture  remark  is  verified  once  more — "  How  great  a 
matter  a  little  fire  kindleth ! "  and  we  are  reminded  of  the  in- 
definite influence  of  trifles  upon  human  destiny.  To  a  very 
humble  and  mean  source  must  we  trace  the  fire  that  consumed 
the  great  city ;  and  we  confess  that  if  God  had  any  retributive 
design,  He  employed  an  instrument  well  calculated  to  humble 


156  HTSTOKY    OF    THE    GEE  AT   FIRES 

our  pride.  The  reporters  are  doubtless  disposed  to  throw  an  aii 
of  tragedj'  around  what  is  commonplace,  or  to  set  forth  by  hidi- 
crous  description  the  comedy  of  the 

CRADLE    OF   THE   FIRE. 

The  Times  said  : — Flames  were  discovered  in  a  small  stable  in 
the  rear  of  a  house  on  the  corner  of  De  Koven  and  Jefferson 
streets.  Living  at  the  place  indicated  was  an  old  Irishwoman, 
who  had  for  many  years  been  a  pensioner  on  the  county.  It  was 
her  weekly  custom  to  apply  to  the  county  agent  for  relief,  which 
in  all  cases  was  freely  granted  her.  Her  very  appearance 
indicated  great  poverty.  She  was  apparently  about  seventy 
years  of  age,  and  was  bent  almost  double  with  the  weight  of 
many  years  of  toil,  and  trouble,  and  privation.  Her  dress  corre- 
sponded v/ith  her  demands,  being  ragged  and  dirty  in  the  extreme. 

One  day  an  old  man  entered  the  county  agent's  office  and 
asked  that  a  load  of  wood  be  sent  to  his  house,  on  the  West 
side.  On  being  questioned,  he  acknowledged  the  ownership 
of  considerable  property,  but  said  he  was  no  better  off  than 
Mrs.  So  and  so,  referring  to  the  old  woman.  This  remark  led  to 
further  inquiries,  when  the  agent  learned  to  his  astonishment  that 
his  supposed  pauper  owned  the  ground  and  the  house  in  which 
she  lived,  and  was  besides  the  proprietor  of  a  famous  milch  cow, 
which  furnished  enough  of  the  lacteal  fluid  to  supply  innumera- 
ble neighbors.  As  a  matter  of  course  the  agent  at  once  cut  off  her 
supplies,  and  when  he  took  her  to  task  for  having  deceived  him, 
the  old  hag  swore  she  would  be  revenged  on  a  city  that  would 
deny  her  a  bit  of  wood  or  a  pound  of  bacon.  How  well  she 
kept  her  word  is  not  known,  but  there  are  those  who  insist  the 
woman  set  the  barn  on  fire,  and  thus  inaugurated  the  most  terri- 
ble calamity  in  the  history  of  nations.  In  justice,  however,  to 
the  old  lady,  her  own  story  is  given. 

On  the  morning  of  the  fire  she  was  found  sitting  on  the  front 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  157 

steps  of  her  own  house.  Her  attenuated  form  was  bent  forward, 
her  head  resting  on  her  hands.  Slie  was  rocking  to  and  fro, 
moaning  and  groaning,  and  crying  aloud  after  the  manner  of  her 
countr}' women  when  in  great  trouble.  At  first  she  refused  to 
speak  one  word  about  the  fire,  but  only  screamed  at  tlie  top  of 
her  voice,  "  My  poor  cow  ;  my  poor  cow.  She  is  gone,  and  I 
have  nothing  left  in  tlie  world."  Finally  she  Avas  induced  to 
talk,  and  this  is  what  she  said  :  It  had  been  her  regular  nightly 
habit  to  visit  the  stable  and  see  if  her  cow  was  all  right.  On 
Sunday  night,  about  half-past  nine  o'clock,  she  took  a  lamp  in  her 
hands,  and  went  out  to  have  a  look  at  her  pet.  Then  she  took  a 
notion  the  cow  must  have  some  salt,  and  she  set  down  the  lamp 
and  went  in  the  house  for  some.  In  a  moment  the  cow  had 
accidentally  kicked  over  the  lamp,  an  explosion  followed,  and  in 
an  instant  the  structure  was  enveloped  in  flames. 

The  house  on  the  corner,  owned  by  the  old  hag  who  had  caused 
all  the  desolation,  -was  untouched.  It  stood  there  yesterday,  and 
it  stands  there  to-day,  a  sad  monument  of  the  past.  It  rears  its 
lowly  front  on  the  borders  of  an  almost  destroyed  city,  and  is  the 
only  srui'vivor  of  hundreds  of  neighbors  like  itself,  lowly  in  ap- 
pearance, but  the  all  of  many  a  working  man.  Alas  !  how 
miserable  a  monument  it  is,  and  how  sickening  the  thought  that 
it  alone  should  escape  the  sea  of  fire  ! 

The  New  York  Tribxm^s  correspondent  thus  immortalizes  the 
humble  scene  :  I  have  here  before  me  six  miles,  more  or  less,  of 
tlie  finest  conflagration  ever  seen,  I  have  smoking  ruins  and 
ruins  which  have  broken  themselves  of  smoking ;  churches  as 
romantic  in  their  dilapidation  as  Melrose  by  moonlight ;  moun- 
tains of  brick  and  mortar,  and  forests  of  springing  chimneys;  but 
I  turned  from  them  all  this  morning  to  hunt  for  the  spot  where 
the  fire  started.  It  is  the  greatest  and  most  brilliant  apparition 
of  the  nineteenth  century — more  reckless  than  Fisk,  more  remorse- 
less than  Bismarck.     Some  details  of  its  early  life  might  not  be 


158  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

without  edification.  There  may  be  lessons  in  its  cradle  and  it3 
grave.  These  were  the  thoughts  that  justified  me  in  going  1^ 
De  Koven  street,  though  the  real  reason  was  that  I  was  curious  to 
see  the  first  footprint  of  the  monster  who  had  trampled  a  great 
city  out  of  existence  in  a  day. 

Nothing  could  be  more  ignoble  and  commonplace  than  this 
quarter  of  Chicago.  I  readied  it  by  crossing  over  the  long  draw- 
bridge at  Twelfth  street,  which  was  swinging  gracefully  on  its 
pivot  as  I  came.  The  streets  were  all  filled  with  wagons  loaded 
down  with  furniture,  which  exposed  to  the  gaze  of  the  loungers 
the  broken  life  of  the  family.  The  air  of  the  quarter  was  wholly 
foreign,  and  not  quite  reputable.  Even  the  little  church  of  St. 
"Wenzel  added  to  the  Bohemian  air  of  the  district.  German 
volunteers  were  guarding  the  relief  stores  from  hungry  Czechs, 
who  would  make  irregular  forays  on  the  provisions.  Both  sides 
thought  their  dignity  required  they  should  speak  English  instead 
of  their  native  tongue.  "  Keep  your  fingers  von  dem  pretzels  off, 
or  you'll  git  a  het  on  you."  "Yes  !  I  bet  you  got  a  heap  o'  style, 
don't  it."  These  colloquies  sometimes  give  us  moments  of  con- 
jecture as  to  the  final  doom  of  our  language.  I  found  De  Koven 
street  at  last,  a  mean  little  street  of  shabby  wooden  houses,  with 
dirty  door-yards  and  unpainted  fences  falling  to  decay.  It  had  no 
look  of  Chicago  about  it.  Take  it  up  bodily  and  drop  it  out  on 
the  prairie,  and  its  name  might  be  Lickskillet  Station  as  well  as 
anything  else.  The  street  was  unpaved  and  littered  with  old 
boxes  and  mildewed  papers,  and  a  dozen  absurd  geese  wandered 
about  with  rustic  familiarity.  Slatternly  women  lounged  at  the 
gates,  and  bare-legged  children  kept  up  an  evidently  traditional 
warfare  of  skirmishing  with  the  geese.  On  the  south  side  of  the 
street  not  a  house  was  touched.  On  the  north  only  one  remained. 
All  the  rest  were  simply  ashes.  There  were  no  piles  of  ruin  here. 
The  wooden  hovels  left  no  landmarks  except  here  and  there  a 
stunted  chimney  too  squat  to  fall.     The  grade  had  been  raised 


IN   CHICAQO   AND   THE   WEST.  161 

in  places  and  left  untouched  in  others,  so  that  now,  as  in  the 
North  Division,  the  roads  seemed  like  viaducts,  and  scorched 
and  blackened  trees  seemed  growing  out  of  sodded  cellai-s. 
But  of  all  the  miserable  plain  stretching  out  before  me  to 
the  burning  coal-heaps  in  the  northern  distance,  I  was  only 
interested  in  the  narrow  block  between  De  Koven  and  Taylor 
streets,  now  quite  flat  and  cool,  with  small  gutter-boys  marching 
through  the  lots,  some  kicking  with  bare  feet  in  the  light 
ashes  for  suspected  and  sporadic  coals,  and  others  prudently 
mounted  on  stilts,  which  sunk  from  time  to  time  in  the  spongy 
soil  and  caused  the  young  acrobats  to  descend  ignominiously  and 
pull  them  out.  This  was  the  Mecca  of  my  pilgrimage,  for  here 
the  fire  began.  One  squalid  little  hovel  alone  remained  intact 
in  all  that  vast  expanse.  A  warped  and  weather-beaten  shanty 
of  two  rooms,  perched  on  thin  piles,  with  tin  plates  nailed  half 
way  down  them  like  dirty  pantalets.  There  was  no  shabbier  hut 
m  Cliicago  nor  in  Tipperary.  But  it  stood  there  safe,  while  a  city 
had  perished  before  it  and  around  it.  It  was  preserved  by  its 
own  destructive  significance.  It  was  made  sacred  by  the  curse 
that  rested  on  it — a  curse  more  deadly  than  that  which  dai'kened 
the  lintels  of  the  house  of  Thyestes.  For  out  of  that  house,  last 
Sunday  night,  came  a  woman  with  a  lamp  to  the  barn  behind  the 
house,  to  milk  the  cow  with  the  crumpled  temper,  that  kicked 
the  lamp,  that  spilled  the  kerosene,  that  tired  the  straw,  that 
burned  Chicago.  And  there  to  this  hour  stands  that  craven  little 
house,  holding  on  tightly  to  its  miserable  existence. 

I  stood  on  the  sidewalk  opposite,  as  in  duty  bound,  calling  up 
the  appropriate  emotions.  A  strange,  wrinkled  face  on  a  dwarf- 
ish body  came  up  and  said,  "  That's  a  dhreadful  sight."  I  assent- 
ed, and  he  continued  in  a  melancholy  croon  :  "Forty  year  I've 
lived  here — and  there  wasn't  a  brick  house  but  wan,  and  that  was 
tlie  Lakeside  House,  and  it's  gone  now;  an'  av  ye'll  belave  me, 

Soor,  I  niver  see  a  fire  loike  that."     I  believed  him  thoroughly, 
10 


162  HISTOKT    OF   THE    GREAT   FERES 

and  he  went  away.  My  emotions  not  being  satisfactory  from  a 
front  view  of  the  shanty,  I  went  around  to  the  rear,  and  there 
found  the  man  of  the  house  sitting  with  two  of  his  friends.  His 
wife,  Our  Lady  of  the  Lamp — freighted  with  heavier  disaster  than 
that  which  Psyche  carried  to  the  bed-side  of  Eros — sat  at  the  win- 
dow, knitting.  I  approaclied  the  man  of  the  house  and  gave  him 
good-day.  He  glanced  up  with  sleepy,  furtive  eyes.  I  asked  him 
what  he  knew  about  the  origin  of  the  fire.  He  glanced  at  his 
friends  and  said,  civilly,  he  knew  very  little ;  he  was  waked  up 
about  9  o'clock  by  the  alarm,  and  fought  from  that  time  to  save 
his  house  ;  at  every  sentence  he  turned  to  his  friends  and  said,  "I 
can  prove  it  by  them,"  to  which  they  nodded  assent.  He  seemed 
fearful  that  all  Chicago  was  coming  down  upon  him  for 
prompt  and  integral  payment  of  that  $200,000,000  his  cow  had 
kicked  over.  His  neighbors  say  this  story  is  an  invention  dating 
from  the  second  day  of  the  fire. 


CHAPTER  XXn. 


A  City  Sovereign  in  the  golden  West, 
But  yesterday  magnificent  in  pride, 

To-day  the  wail  of  anguish  from  her  breast 
Wakes  echoes  to  each  mighty  ocean's  tide. 

A  wail  of  anguish,  rung  out  by  the  flames 
That  licked  her  splendors  level  to  the  dust, 

Aad  blazoned  hers  the  chief  of  ill-starred  names 
That  history  holds  in  melancholy  trust. 

Her  matchless  miracle  of  sudden  rise, 
That  mocked  at  fable  and  enchantment's  art, 

Is  peerless  now  no  more  in  our  sad  eyes. 
That  see  her  glories  like  a  dream  depart. 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST.  163 

Her  palaces  were  poems  wrought  in  stone — 

Her  marts,  like  Egy|)t's,  for  the  world  ponred  grain. 
Her  prairies  girt  her  with  a  golden  zone  : 

Her  fame  seemed  that  of  Carthage  come  again. 
But  Roman  legions  at  Chicago's  breast 

Hurled  no  red  bolts  that  hapless  Carthage  rent ; 
In  peace  the  hot  cup  to  her  lips  was  prest, 

And  shrieking  to  her  funeral  pyre  she  went. 

0  day  of  horror  !   day  of  ruthless  woe, 

That  stripped  the  West's  young  queen  of  all  her  pride; 
Her  stately  domes  and  lofty  towers  laid  low, 

And  'whelmed  her  homes  in  terror's  crimson  tide. 
Checked  are  the  currents  of  her  boundless  trade, 

Her  giant  granaries  smoke  with  smoldering  wheat ; 
Her  daughters,  in  her  sUks  no  more  arrayed, 

Half  clad  and  homeless,  shiver  on  the  street. 
If  of  her  magic  growth  her  heai-t  beat  proud, 

And  in  her  stones  and  stocks  she  took  delight, — 
If  rivals  lightly  called  her  fast  and  loud. 

None  grudge  her  tears  of  pity  in  her  plight. 
Proud,  but  beneficent,  and  fast  to  spend 

The  easy  gold  her  skill  was  swift  to  make  ; 
Of  arts  and  toil  at  royal  rate  the  friend. 

And  wisdom's  lover  for  its  own  sweet  sake. 

Ah,  luckless  queen — her  strength  and  beauty  scarred 

She  lies  to-day  on  a,shes  for  her  bed ; 
And  all  the  land  iu  her  despoil  is  marred. 

And  aU  its  joy  in  her  despair  is  dead. 

The  East  and  West  their  eager  hands  stretch  forth, 

To  pour  their  wine  and  oil  at  her  scorched  feet, 
lu  love  and  largess  blend  the  South  and  North — 

A  people's  pain  and  pity  swift  to  meet. 

Her  sons  her  crumbled  greatness  will  rebuild. 

When  the  blanched  terror  flies  their  kindling  lips, 

And  the  glad  glow  of  pride  again  shall  gild 

Their  Queen's  fair  face,  now  prone  in  foul  eclipse. 

W.    C.    RrCHAEDS. 


164  HISTORY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIBE9 

In  accordance  with  our  purpose  to  allow  the  reader  to  see  thia 
terrible  panorama  in  all  its  length  and  breadth,  under  the  best 
lights  available,  we  place  at  this  points 

THE    times'    KEPOKT. 

Hardly  had  the  first  alarm  sounded  than  it  was  followed  by 
another  from  the  same  box,  and  this  in  turn  by  a  third,  or  general 
alarm,  which  summoned  to  that  vicinity  every  available  steam-en- 
gine in  the  city. 

But  all  the  engines  in  the  country  were  powerless  to  have  pre- 
vented the  disaster  which  already  seemed  inevitable.  The  wind 
was  blowing  a  perfect  gale  from  the  south-southwest.  With  ter- 
rible efi'ect  the  flames  leaped  around  in  mad  delight,  and  seized 
upon  everything  combustible.  Shed  after  shed  went  down,  and 
dwelling-houses  followed  in  rapid  succession.  With  a  fierceness 
perfectly  indescribable  the  fiery  fiend  reached  out  its  red-hot 
tongue  and  licked  up  the  dry  material.  Block  after  block  gave 
way,  and  family  after  family  were  driven  from  their  homes.  The 
fire  department  were  powerless  to  prevent  the  spreading  of  the 
calamity.  The  red  demon  of  destruction  was  let  loose,  and  in 
all  his  fierceness  increased  by  a  long  restraint,  it  seized  upon 
every  destructible  object  and  blotted  it  from  the  face  of  the 
earth. 

At  first  it  was  one  structure  on  fire ;  then  another  and  another 
were  swallowed  up  in  a  whirlpool  of  flames. 

The  wind  continued  its  roaring,  driving  fierceness,  and  house 
after  house  was  burned.  To  the  left  the  fire  spread  forth  its 
heat  like  the  leaves  of  a  fan  Until  all  of  the  eastern  side  of  Jefi'er- 
son  street  was  enveloped  in  the  furnace.  To  the  right  it  had 
been  driven  with  great  fierceness,  and  Clinton  street  and  Canal 
street,  and  Beach  street,  and  then  the  railroads  which  run  along 
the  western  shore  of  the  south  branch  were  in  its  grasp.  Now 
was  the  fire  at  its  fiercest.     Upward  of  twenty  blocks  were  burn- 


m  CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  165 

ing.  Upward  of  1,500  buildings,  including  oithouses,  were  on 
fire.  Upward  of  500  families  were  fleeing  from  the  seeming 
wrath  to  come.  The  streets  were  almost  impassable.  Carriages 
and  wagons,  and  drays,  and  carts,  and  all  sorts  of  vehicles  were 
brought  into  requisition,  and  were  speedily  loaded  with  household 
goods.  Empty  wagons  were  filled  with  freight,  and  where  there 
were  no  beasts  of  burden  to  draw  the  load  human  hands  sprang 
to  the  rescue  and  dragged  the  property  toward  the  north.  Then 
the  fire  reached  over  the  street,  and  while  that  terrible  southwest- 
ern wind  howled  in  mad  delight,  it  forced  its  way  into  the 
planing-mills,  and  the  chair-lactories,  and  all  the  other  shops 
which  skirted  the  creek  in  that  portion  of  West  Chicago.  Then 
it  got  into  the  lumber-yards,  and  into  the  railroad  shops,  and  the 
round  houses  were  soon  wrapped  in  its  dead  embrace.  The  bricks 
themselves  seemed  only  additional  fuel.  The  rolling-stock  in  the 
railroad  yards  seemed  but  a  bit  of  kindling  which  helped  along  a 
fire  already  fiercely  intense. 

But,  worst  of  all,  the  elevators  were  next  in  danger.  For  a  few 
moments  it  seemed  as  though  one  or  two  of  the  largest  ones  would 
resist  the  fiames  and  pass  through  the  fire  ordeal  unscathed.  But 
this  thought  was  not  of  long  duration,  for  an  instant  later  and 
the  immense  piles  were  in  flames  from  top  to  bottom. 

Like  the  advance  of  a  great  army  the  fire 

MOVHD   EORWAED   TN    SEVERAL    COLUMNS, 

and  like  a  well-whipped,  but  unconquered  foe,  the  fire  depart- 
ment slowly  retreated.  But  they  stubbornly  contested  every  foot 
of  ground,  however,  and  would  not  surrender,  although  often 
almost  entirely  surrounded  by  the  dread  enemy.  Then  they 
would  cut  their  way  out  and  retreat  for  a  short  distance,  only  to 
turn  again  and  hurl  their  charges  of  thousands  of  gallons  of  water 
full  into  the  face  of  the  enemy.  But  no  power  on  earth  could 
stem  the  torrent.     Never  did  firemen  fight  more  fiercely  to  con- 


166  HISTOET   OF   THE   GREAT   FIKES 

quer,  and  never  before  did  their  heroic  efforts  seem  so  utterly  in 
vain.  Folk  street  was  reached,  and  here  a  desperate  stand  was 
made.  One  steamer,  the  Frank  Sherman,  stood  at  the  plug  on  the 
corner  of  Folk  and  Clinton  streets  until  the  heat  had  scorched  hair 
from  the  impatient  horses'  limbs,  and  the  brave  engineer  and  the 
plucky  stoker  had  almost  lost  all  their  whiskers.  Then  the  word 
was  given  to  retreat  and  run.  As  they  went  the  pipemen  faced 
the  foe  and  shouted  to  the  driver  to  stop  at  the  first  plug  and  let 
them  at  it  again,  Hope  street  proved  a  sad  misnomer  for  the 
firemen,  and  the  poor  folks  who  lived  thereon,  like  those  entering 
Dante's  hell,  were  forced  to  leave  all  hope  behind. 

And  now  to  add  to  the  terrible  reality  of  the  dread  scene  it  was 
discovered  that  a  building  was  on  fire  away  to  the  rear.  Between 
Gurley  and  Harrison  streets  a  barn  was  all  ablaze,  and  before  a 
steamer  could  reach  the  spot  other  barns  innumerable  were 
fiercely  burning.  It  was  the  onslaught  of  a  cavalry  corps  on  the 
retreating,  array's  rear,  and  all  seemed  hopeless.  There  was  one 
thing  noticeable,  however,  and  worthy  of  special  mefition.  The 
fierce  wind  had  veered  around  toward  the  west  somewhat,  and 
now  the  fire  was  skipping  some  houses  on  the  western  outskirts  of 
the  block  bounded  by  Jefferson  and  Clinton  streets.  To  be  sure 
there  were  not  many  of  these  escapes,  but  the  fact  was  apparent, 
and  it  cheered  the  soul  of  every  one.  Every  one  seemed  to  think 
it  would  surely  stop  at  the  river,  so  far  as  the  eastern  wing  of  the 
advancing  flame  was  concerned,  and  now  that  the  western  wing 
seemed  willing  to  be  lenient,  it  only  depended  on  its  front  when 
a  permanent  check  would  be  placed  upon  it.  It  was  only  about 
three  blocks  to  Yan  Buren  street,  and  here  commenced  the  burnt 
district  of  the  night  before.  Ko  one  supposed  it  would  be  able 
to  go  fiirther  in  that  direction.  There  was  nothing  for  it  to  feed 
upon.  The  four  blocks  of  fire  which  had  raged  with  such  fierce- 
ness on  Saturday  night  had  left  no  supplies  for  the  invaders,  and 
its  further  march  -^^ould  either  have  to  stop  or  continue  over  a 


m    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  167 

barren  desert.  This  latter  could  not  be,  and  more  and  more 
hopeful  grew  the  immense  concourse  of  citizens. 

Acroos  Harrison  street  and  Tyler  street  and  along  Yan  Buren 
street  the  monster  ran,  carrying  destruction  in  its  fiery  course. 
At  the  approach  to  Yan  Buren  street  bridge  stood  the  steamer, 
Fred  Gund,  a  first-class  Amoskeag  engine,  with  a  complement  of 
officers  and  men  in  skill  and  daring  second  to  none  in  the  land. 
The  steamer  was  completely  surrounded  by  fire,  and  for  their  very 
lives  the  boys  were  forced  to  fly.  They  left  their  engine,  but  they 
have  the  proud  consciousness  of  knowing  she  went  down  in  a  sea 
of  fire  with  steam  up  and  while  fiercely  fighting  the  advancing 
foe. 

Here  and  there,  and  almost  everywhere,  lay  thousands  of  feet  of 
hose  stretched  to  its  utmost  tension  with  watery  ammunition, 
which  the  powerful  engines  were  constantly  throwing  on  the 
blaze.     The  fire  had  now  reached  what  was  supposed  its  limits. 

TO    THE   NOKTH, 

illuminated  by  the  great  light  of  thousands  of  burning  buildings, 
lay  stretched  out  those  four  or  five  immense  blocks  of  blackened 
ruins.  It  w!is  not  possible  for  the  fire  to  continue  further  in  that 
direction.  It  seemed  hardly  possible  for  it  to  reach  across  the 
river  at  this  point.  The  width  of  the  stream  precluded  such  a 
thought.  The  wind  was  blowing  the  sparks  and  large  firebrands 
toward  the  north  and  east,  but,  while  all  feared  for  them,  no  one 
supposed  for  an  instant  the  sequel.  The  newspaper  reporters, 
who  had  been  from  the  first  alarm  fighting  with  fire  and  with 
human  beings  in  the  endeavor  to  obtain  authentic  information  as 
to  losses  and  insurance,  and,  failing  in  that,  were  only  dealing  in 
general  results,  hastened  to  their  respective  offices  to  "  write  up  " 
the  grandest  blaze  they  had  ever  seen.  Only  one  man  was  left  tc 
watch  the  final  result  and  take  to  the  office,  as  was  then  supposed, 
the  going  down  of  the  fire.     Blackened  with  smoke,  with  hair 


168  HI6T0RY    or   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

and  clothing  scorched,  tired  and  thirsty,  the  weary  reporters  for 
The  Times  sought  their  carriages  and  were  driven  ever  so  fast  to 
the  office  on  Dearborn  street,  South  Side.  Hardly  had  they 
started,  however,  than  away  to  the  north  and  east,  fully  fiv« 
blocks  distant,  a  small  flame  broke  forth  and  lighted  up  the 
already  brilliant  heavens.  The  sight  sent  an  awful  shudder  to 
the  soul  of  every  man,  woman,  and  child  who  saw  it.  For  a 
moment  every  one  was  spell-bound  and  speechless.  Just  where  it 
was,  was  as  yet  unknown  ;  but  it  seemed  to  be  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  South  Side  gas  works,  and  there  was  no  one  in  all  that  vast 
concourse  of  people  but  who  knew  the  great  danger  which  was 
already  threatening  the  other  side  of  the  river.  Every  moment 
witnessed  an  increase  in  the  blaze,  and  presently  the  outlines  of 
the  immense  reservoir  told  the  story  of  its  immediate  vicinity. 
Fire-Marshal  Williams  at  once  sent  every  available  engine  to  the 
South  Side,  and  prepared  to  follow  with  the  remainder  immedi- 
ately. But  the  flames  mounted  higher,  and  the  fire  grew  fiercer, 
and  spread  itself  out  in  all  directions,  until  it  was  impossible  to 
stay  its  further  progress. 

In  the  South  Division  as  early  as  twelve  o'clock  the  air  was 
hot  with  the  fierce  breath  of  the  conflagration.  The  gale  blew 
savagely,  and  upon  its  wings  were  borne  pelting  cinders,  black 
driving  smoke,  blazing  bits  of  timber,  and  glowing  coals.  These 
swept  in  a  torrid  rain  over  the  river,  drifting  upon  housetops 
and  drying  the  wooden  buildings  along  the  southern  terminus  of 
Market,  Franklin,  Adams,  Monroe,  and  Madison  streets,  still 
closer  to  the  combustion  point  for  which  they  were  already  too 
well  prepared. 

The  housetops  were  covered  with  anxious  workers,  and  cistern 
streams,  tubs,  and  buckets  were  in  constant  use  to  subdue  the 
flying  bits  of  fire  that  were  constantly  clinging  to  shingles  and 
cornices. 

Passing  eastward  over  the  Madison  street  bridge,  at  this  hour, 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  109 

was  an  undertaking  accompanied  with  the  risk  of  suffocation, 
while  once  across,  the  hot  wind  tore  so  fiercely  along  tlie  thor- 
onghfare  in  question,  as  to  wrench  off  signs  and  topple  over 
sheds.  The  streets  were  now  swarming  in  this  portion  of  the 
city  with  the  wretched  people  who  had  been  driven  from  their 
homes  by  the  fire  in  the  West  Division.  A  large  portion  of  these 
were  directing  their  way  toward  the  North  Side,  and  one  of 
the  most  pitiable  sequences  of  the  continued  conflagratioft  was 
that  hundreds  of  poor  families  were  forced,  on  several  occasions, 
from  the  places  where  they  had  vainly  hoped  to  find  rest,  after 
having  been  burnt  out  before. 

The  writer,  near  the  corner  of  Madison  and  Wells  streets,  aided 
a  Swede  in  extinguishing  a  blazing  pile  of  bed  clothing  which 
had  ignited,  as  he  was  rushing  along  with  his  burden,  from  a 
brand  of  burning  wood  that  might  have  been  whirled  through  the 
air  a  mile  or  more.  Several  similar  incidents  were  noted,  and, 
in  the  frightful  rapidity  with  which  the  clothes  of  the  hurrying 
pedestrians  and  the  more  exposed  portions  of  the  smaller  build- 
ings took  fire,  a  terrible  premonition  was  afforded  of  what  would 
be  the  fate  of  this  portion  of  the  city  if  the  conflagration  should 
but  once  obtain  a  hold  within  its  precincts. 

Van  Buren  street  was  soon  crossed ;  the  gale  continued  to  in- 
crease ;  the  air  was  flecked  with  burning  cinders  as  high  as  the 
eye  could  reach ;  immense  firebrands  were  carried  for  a  distance 
of  more  than  a  mile,  dropping  them  all  over  the  eastern  portion 
of  the  South  Side,  and  then  were  the  first  misgivings  felt  that  the 
destruction  would  not  stop  at  the  river — apprehensions  destined 
but  too  soon  to  be  fully  realized. 

The  first  foothold  obtained  by  the  destroying  angel  in  the 
South  Division  was  in  the  tar  works  adjacent  to  the  gas  works, 
just  south  of  Adams  street,  and  nearly  opposite  the  armory. 
Almost  instantaneously  the  structure  was  one  livid  sheet  of  flame, 
emitting  a  dense  volume  of  tin  -k  black  smoke  that  curtained  this 


170  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

portion  of  the  city  as  with  the  pall  of  doom.  Faster  than  a  man 
could  walk  the  flames  leaped  from  house  to  house  until  Fifth 
avenue  (Wells  street)  was  reached.  A  steamer  or  two  were  sent 
around,  but  their  previous  experiences  were  only  repeated,  and 
no  perceptible  check  was  given  to  the  onward  progress  of  the 
flames.  From  the  gas  works  to  the  point  it  had  now  reached, 
nearly  the  entire  space  was  filled  with  small  wooden  structures, 
and  their  demolition  was  the  work  of  but  a  few  minutes. 

Apparently  but  a  few  minutes  subsequent  to  the  ignition  of 
the  gas  works  the  wooden  buildings  south  of  the  armory  were 
found  to  be  on  fire,  forming  the  apex  of  another  widening  track 
of  desolation,  and  very  soon  joining  with  the  other,  the  two  unit- 
ing like  twin  demons  of  destruction,  the  armorj^  helping  to  glut 
their  fiendish  cravings.  Its  massive  walls  soon  yielded,  and  were 
tumbled  into  a  shapeless  mass. 

It  might  be  of  interest  here  to  note  the  peculiarities  of  the  wind 
currents  and  their  effects,  which  were  such  as  could  only  have 
been  produced  by  such  a  conflagration  as  is  being  described. 
During  all  this  time,  as  during  the  entire  continuance  of  the  fire, 
the  wind  was  blowing  a  gale  from  a  southwesterly  direction ;  and 
above  the  tops  of  the  buildings  its  course  from  midnight  until 
four  or  five  o'clock  varied  but  little,  not  veering  more  than  one 
or  two  points  of  the  compass.  To  the  observer  on  the  street, 
however,  traversing  the  main  thoroughfares  and  the  alleys,  the 
wind  would  seem  to  come  from  every  direction.  This  is  easily 
explained.  New  centres  of  intense  heat  were  being  continually 
formed ;  and  the  sudden  rarefication  of  the  air  in  the  different 
localities,  and  its  consequent  displacement,  caused  continually  arti- 
ficial currents,  which  swept  around  the  corners  and  through  the 
alleys  in  every  direction,  often  with  the  fury  of  a  tornado.  This 
will  account  partly  for  the  rapid  widening  of  the  tracks  of  devas- 
tation from  their  apex  to  the  Lake,  as  well  as  the  phenomenon  of 
fire — to  use  a  nautical  phrase — "eating  into  the  wind." 


m    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  171 

The  grand  Pacific  Hotel,  upon  which  the  roof  had  bnt  jnst  been 
placed,  and  which,  like  the  still-born  child,  was  created  only  for 
the  grave,  was  among  the  first  of  the  better  class  of  structures 
assaulted  by  the  fire.  Angered  at  its  imposing  front,  and  scorn- 
ing the  implied  durability  of  its  superb  dimensions,  the  flames 
stormed  relentlessly  in,  above  and  around  it,  until,  assured  that 
it  was  at  their  absolute  mercy,  they  left  it  tottering  to  the  earth, 
and  crawled  luridly  along  the  street  in  search  of  further  prey.  It 
was  now  that  the  waves  of  fire  began  to  take  upon  themselves 
the  mightiest  of  proportions. 

How  it  was  that  while  even  a  hundred  buildings  might  be 
blazing,  others,  far  in  advance  of  the  track  of  the  storm,  could  not 
be  protected,  has  not  been  understood  by  those  who  were  not  de- 
spairingly following  the  course  of  destruction.  It  was  partly  on 
account  of  the  artificial  currents  already  mentioned,  and  because 
the  huge  tongues  of  flame  actually  stretched  themselves  out  upon 
the  pinions  of  the  wind  for  acres.  Sheets  of  fire  would  reach 
over  entire  blocks,  wrapping  in  every  building  inclosed  by  the 
four  streets  bounding  them,  and  scarcely  allowing  the  dwellers 
in  the  houses  time  to  dash  away  unscorched.  Hardly  twenty 
minutes  had  elapsed  from  the  burning  of  the  Pacific  Hotel  before 
the  fire  had  cut  its  hot  swathe  through  every  one  of  the  magnifi- 
cent buildings  intervening  upon  La  Salle  street,  and  had  fallen 
mercilessly  upon  the  Chamber  of  Commerce.  The  few  heroic 
workers  of  the  police  and  fire  department  who  had  not  already 
dropped  out  of  the  ranks  of  fighters  from  sheer  exhaustion,  sought 
to  once  more  check  the  progress  of  devastation  by  the  aid  of 
powder.  A  number  of  kegs  were  thrown  into  the  basement  of 
the  grand  business  palace  of  the  Merchants'  Insurance  Company. 
A  slow  match  was  applied,  and  as  the  crowd  drew  back  the  ex- 
plosion ensued.  A  broad,  black  chasm  was  opened  in  the  face 
of  the  street ;  but  with  as  little  attention  to  the  space  intervening 
as  though  it  had  only  been  across  an  ordinary  alley,  the  arms  of 


172  HISTORY    OF   THE    GEEAT   FIEES 

flame  swung  over  the  gap,  and  tore  lustily  at  the  rows  of  bank- 
ing houses  and  insurance  structures  beyond. 

The  Court-House  was  7iow  faced  with  a  swaying  front  of  fire  on 
the  south  and  west  sides.  But  as  the  building  was  in  the  centre 
of  an  open  square,  and  solidly  constructed,  it  was  taken  as  a 
matter  of  course  that  it  would  be  able  to  survive,  if  nothing  else 
should  be  left  standing  around  it. 

"  Talk  about  the  Court-House,"  said  a  leading  banker,  among 
the  spectators,  whose  own  establishment  had  already  been  melted 
to  the  very  foundations,  "  it  will  show  to  be  about  the  only  sound 
building  on  the  South  Side  to  morrow."  And  yet,  in  another  five 
minutes,  a  great  burning  timber,  wrenched  from  the  tumbling 
ruins  of  a  La  Salle  street  edifice,  had  been  hurled  in  wild  fury  at 
the  wooden  dome  of  the  Court-House.  As  if  a  thousand  slaves  of 
the  fire-king  had  hidden  within  the  fatal  structure  awaiting  this 
signal,  the  flames  seemed  to  leap  to  simultaneous  life  in  every 
part  of  the  building,  and  soon  the  hot,  smirched  walls  alone  re- 
mained. The  course  of  the  fire  was  now  directed  almost  due  east 
for  a  few  minutes,  and  Hooley's  Opera  House,  the  liepublican 
oifice,  and  the  whole  of  Washington  street  to  Dearborn,  was  con- 
sumed. Crosby's  Opera  House  came  next  in  order.  Renovations 
to  the  extent  of  $80,000  liad  just  been  instituted  in  this  edifice,  and 
the  place  was  to  have  been  re-dedicated  that  same  night  by  the 
Thomas  Orchestra.  The  combustible  nature  of  the  building  caused 
it  to  burn  with  astonishing  rapidity,  and  soon  its  walls  surged  in, 
carrying  with  them,  among  other  treasures,  the  contents  of  three 
mammoth  piano  houses  and  a  number  of  art  treasures,  including 
paintings  by  some  of  the  leading  masters  of  the  Old  and  New 
Worlds.  The  St.  James  Hotel  was  next  fired,  and  here,  at  the 
corner  of  State  and  Madison  streets,  the  two  savage  currents  of 
fire  that  had  parted  company  near  the  Chamber  of  Commerce 
joined  hideous  issue  once  mm^e.  The  course  of  one  of  these  cur- 
rents has  been  indicated.     The  other  had  sWept  down  Franklin. 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST,  173 

"Wells,  and  La  Salle  streets  to  the  main  banks  of  the  river,  swal- 
lowing elevators,  banks,  trade  palaces,  the  Briggs,  Sherman, 
Tremont,  and  other  large  hotels,  Wood's  Museum,  the  beautiful 
structures  of  Lake  and  Randolph  streets,  and  the  entire  surface 
comprised  between  Market,  South  Water,  "Washington,  and  State 
streets.  Many  lives  were  known  to  have  been  lost  up  to  this  time. 
But  in  the  infernal  furnace  into  which  Chicago  had  been  turned,  it 
was  impossible  to  conjecture  or  dare  to  imagine  how  many.  The 
heat,  more  intense  than  anything  that  had  ever  been  recorded  in 
the  annals  of  broad-spread  conflagrations  in  the  past,  had  fairly 
crumbled  to  hot  dust  and  ashes  the  heaviest  of  building  stone. 
What  chance  was  there  then  of  ever  finding  the  remains  of  lost 
humanity  by  those  who  were  already  inquiring  with  mad  anxiety 
for  the  missing  ones? 

But  all  thoughts  of  others  soon  began  to  vanish  in  fears  foi 
the  safety  of  the  living. 

The  stoutest  of  masonry  and  thickest  of  iron  had  disappeared 
like  wax  before  the  blast, 

FIELD    &    LEITEe's    MAGNIFICENT    STORE, 

second  only  in  size  and  value  of  contents  to  one  dry-goods  house 
in  the  land,  was  already  in  flames.  The  streets  were  fast  becom- 
ing crammed  with  vehicles  conveying  valuables,  and  the  side- 
walks were  running  over  with  jostling  men  and  women,  all  in  a 
dazed,  wild  strife  for  the  salvation  of  self,  friends,  and  property. 
The  thieving  horror  had  not  yet  broken  out,  and  up  to  this  time 
there  had  been  a  common,  noble  striving  to  aid  the  sufferers  and 
stay  the  march  of  the  demoniacal  fire. 

But  now  the  sensation  of  weary  despair,  mingled  with  a  grim 
acceptance  of  crushing  fate,  began  to  be  noticed  in  the  tones  and 
doings  of  the  populace.  Liquor  had  flown  freely,  and  from  its 
primal  nerving  to  heroism  had  passed  to  the  usual  inciting  tc 
recklessness  and  indifference.   Thieves  were  beginning  to  ply  their 


1Y4  mSTOKT   OF   THE    GKEAT   FIRES 

trade,  and  for  once  found  more  to  steal  than  they  could  carry 
away  ;  and  express  drivers  and  backmeu  were  charging  atrocious 
prices  ere  they  would  consent  to  aid  in  removing  goods  from 
buildings  thus  far  unconsumed.  Hundreds  of  poor  families  were 
being  rendered  homeless,  presenting  pictures  of  squalid  miseiy 
most  pitiable.  This  was  the  first  path  that,  like  an  immense 
windfall,  mowed  its  way  through  the  heart  of  the  city  to  the 
North  Division  on  the  one  band  and  to  the  Lake  on  the  other. 
Crackling  and  laughing  demoniacally  at  the  ruin  and  misery  left 
behind,  eager  for  more  valuable  prey,  the  flames  sped  on,  taking 
in  their  course — the  track  continually  widening  from  the  causes 
mentioned  above — Farwell  Hall  and  the  elegant  stone  structures 
surrounding  it,  and  all  the  newspaper  offices  except  that  of  the 
Tribmie,  leaving  nothing  behind  but  the  grandest  ruins  the  world 
ever  saw.  The  reporters  continued  their  work  until  what  had 
been  probable  became  a  certainty — that  The  Times  was  doomed. 
It  was  then  resolved  to  go  to  press  at  once,  and,  if  possible,  serve 
a  portion  of  the  subscribers,  at  least,  with  an  account  of  the  fear- 
ful calamity.  The  last  words  written  were  in  the  shape  of  a 
postscript,  as  follows : 

''The  Very  Latest — The  entire  business  portion  of  the  city  is  burning  up, 
and  The  Times  building  is  doomed." 

The  fire  had  already  crossed  Madison  street,  and  it  soon  became 
apparent  that  the  idea  of  issuing  any  copies  of  the  paper  must 
be  abandoned.  All  efibrts  to  that  end  ceased,  and  all  endeavors 
were  directed  to  the  saving  of  as  much  as  possible.  It  was  too 
late,  however,  and  comparatively  little  excepting  the  files  were 
saved.  The  building  caught  fire  in  the  upper  story  at  about 
three  o'clock,  and  fairly  melted  away  under  the  intense  heat  to 
which  it  was  subject.  In  half  an  hour  nothing  remained  but  a 
pile  of  smoking,  smouldering  debris. 

The  block  bounded  by  Dearborn,  Washington,  State,  and 
Madison  streets  was  some  little  time  in  burning.     Indeed,  after 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  175 

the  corner  occupied  by  the  Union  Trust  and  Savings  Institution 
had  burned,  it  was  believed  that  the  vacant  150  feet  front  lot,  cre- 
ated a  short  time  before  by  the  tearing  down  of  the  old  Dearborn 
school,  would  save  Mayo's  corner  and  the  St.  Denis  Hotel.  But 
the  fire,  in  spite  of  the  terrible  strength  of  the  wind  in  the  other 
direction,  eventually  contrived  to  beat  up  against  the  gale,  and, 
by  devouring  the  stores  of  Gossage  and  others,  on  the  west  side 
of  State,  and  the  book-houses  of  Griggs,  Keene  &  Cooke,  and  the 
Western  News  Company,  on  the  east  side,  to  blister  the  St. 
Denis  to  the  igniting  point,  and  then  McVicker's  Tlieatre  and 
the  Tribune  building  formed  the  northern  boundary  of  the  South 
Division. 

It  was  here  that  the  few  workers  now  left  with  coui-age  enough 
to  contest  with  miserable  fortune  made  their  final  stand.  The 
Trihune  building  was  believed  to  be  fire-proof,  if  any  structure 
devised  by  man  could  be  proof  against  such  a  combination  of  the 
elements  as  was  now  raging. 

The  Post-office  had  yielded  to  the  assault  and  was  only  a 
smoldering  ruin,  and  from  away  down  to  the  devastated  depot 
of  the  Illinois  Central  the  flames  had  pushed  back  until  they  in- 
terlocked once  more  at  the  Custom-House  with  the  fire  that  had 
torn  its  way  from  the  Michigan  Central  Depot.  Surrounded 
by  the  enemy  on  every  quarter,  and  having  held  proudly  up 
against  the  attack  till  long  after  daybreak,  there  was  the  same 
sad  capitulations  enacted  here  that  had  been  the  story  of  the 
entire  night. 

McYicker's  yielded  first,  and  was  instantly  a  heap  of  brick  and 
ashes,  and  the  Tribune  structure  was  not  long  in  following,  the 
walls  of  this  latter  structure,  with  those  of  the  Custom-House, 
First  ]*Tational  Bank,  and  Court-House,  proving  the  most  stub- 
born evidences  of  the  worth  of  the  architect's  skill  remaining  in 
Chicago. 

Up  to  this  time  the  elegant  and  costly  row  of  buildings  on 


176  mSTOKY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIKES 

Dearborn  street,  north  of  the  Post-Office,  had  escaped.  They 
included  the  two  Honore  structures,  the  Bigelow  House,  which 
was  soon  to  have  been  opened,  and  the  De  Haven  block,  the 
latter  extending  from  Quincy  to  Jackson  street.  The  two  blocks 
bounded  by  Monroe,  State,  Jackson,  and  Dearborn  streets,  that 
resting  on  Jackson  street,  including  the  Palmer  House  and  the 
Academy  of  Design,  were  also  intact.  A  new  line  of  flame,  how- 
ever, had  been  formed  some  distance  to  the  southward  of  the 
Armory  and  west  of  the  Michigan  Southern  Depot,  and  was 
sweeping  on  in  its  mad,  resistless  career,  and  it  was  felt  that  the 
above-mentioned  property  was  in  the  greatest  peril. 

The  depot,  a  noble  stone  structure,  upon  which  great  reliance 
was  placed  for  the  safety  of  the  adjacent  property  to  tlie  eastward, 
made  but  a  feeble  resistance,  and  soon,  with  a  large  number  of 
passenger-cars  inside,  was  in  ruins.  The  large  row  of  wooden 
tenements  on  Griswold  street,  fronting  the  depot  on  the  east,  suc- 
cumbed at  once,  presenting  a  wall  of  fire  of  the  length  of  the 
depot.  It  burned  rapidly  through  to  Third  avenue,  but  at  that 
point  the  wind,  which  had  begun  to  show  a  changeableness  it  had 
not  previously  exhibited,  veered  to  a  point  Considerably  east  of 
south,  in  which  quarter  it  remained  for  some  time.  Encouraged 
by  this,  a  desperate  fight  was  made  on  Third  avenue,  and  for 
some  minutes — minutes  that  seemed  hours  in  the  torturing  alter- 
nations of  hope  and  fear — the  fiery  monster  was  held  at  bay. 
The  stone-yards  on  La  Salle  street  also  temporarily  checked  the 
progress  of  the  tire  south.  Thousands  of  people  occupying  the 
large  tract  .from  Third  avenue  and  Dearborn  street  to  the  Lake, 
watched  the  result  of  the  battle  that  was  to  decide  the  fate  of 
their  homes  with  anxious  countenances  and  bated  breath.  The 
wind  benignly  continued  to  blow  from  the  same  quarter,  and  the 
hopes  that  had  been  raised,  slight  at  first,  grew  stronger.  It  was 
an  awful  crisis. 

At  no  period  in  the  history  of  that  terrible  day  were  more  mo- 


IN    CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  170 

mentous  interests  trembling  in  the  balance.  The  occupants  of 
the  Michigan-avenue  palaces  and  the  humble  cottagers  were  there 
side  by  side,  breathing  supplications  and  agonizing  prayers  that 
their  hearthstones  might  be  spared.  Many  who  read  this  were 
there ;  how  futile  the  attempt  to  portray  their  feelings  to  those 
who  were  not. 

Making  a  clean  skip  over  the  De  Haven  block,  a  shower  of  fire- 
brands, hurled  thither  by  a  treacherous  gust  of  wind,  alighted  on 
the  roof  of  the  Bigelow  House,  and  that  magnificent  building  was 
soon  a  seething  furnace  of  flame,  quickly  followed  by  the  two 
Honore  buildings. 

The  one  nearest  the  Bigelow  Hotel  was  unfinished,  but  was  rap- 
idly approaching  completion,  and  as  a  model  of  architectural 
beauty  was  hardly  rivalled  in  the  city. 

From  these  buildings,  as  if  maddened  at  their  slight  detention, 
the  flames  spread  to  the  standing  buildings  west  and  southwest, 
with  redoubled  fury,  enwrapping  the  block  containing  the  Palmer 
House  and  Academy  of  Design,  and  that  directly  north,  in  an  in- 
conceivably short  time. 

The  Palmer  House  was  the  tallest  building  in  the  city,  being 
eight  stories,  three  of  which  were  comprised  in  its  Mansard  roof; 
and  the  scene  of  its  demolition,  which  was  more  rapid  than  the 
account  can  be  transmitted  to  paper,  was  inexpressibly  grand. 
The  march  of  the  devouring  element  from  this  point  to  the  Lake 
was  uninterrupted,  the  intervening  buildings,  including  many  of 
the  finest  private  residences  in  the  city,  melting  away  like  the  dry 
stubble  of  the  prairie. 

For  some  time  after  the  ignition  of  the  Bigelow  House,  the  De 
Haven  block  stood  unscathed,  but,  at  last  it,  too,  was  forced  to 
yield  to  the  inevitable.  It  was  a  long  three-story  building,  the 
opposite  side  of  Dearborn  street  being  occupied  by  a  row  of 
small  wooden  tenements.  A  stream  was  brought  to  bear  upon 
these,  and  in  the  blistering  heat  three  firemen,  hei'oes  every  one, 
11 


180  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

fully  conscious  of  the  tremendous  interests  committed  to  tliem, 
stood  manfully  at  their  posts.  They  did  their  work  nobly  and 
successfully.  The  De  Haven  block  was  levelled  to  the  ground, 
and  the  whole  row  of  wooden  buildings  had  been  perfectly  pro- 
tected. From  a  thousand  parched  throats  the  thankful  ejacula- 
tion went  up :  "  We  are  saved  ! "  Delusive  hope  !  One  danger 
was  averted  only  to  be  succeeded  by  others  beyond  the  power  of 
man  to  avert.  The  wind  again  suddenly  turned  to  the  south- 
west, carrying  with  it  a  baptism  of  fire  which  made  it  apparent 
that  tlie  whole  remaining  portion  of  the  city  north  of  Ilarrison 
st^-eet  was  doomed.  Churches,  palatial  residences,  everything  was 
swept  by  the  besom  of  destruction,  an  irresistible  avalanche  of 
flame. 

In  concert  with  the  work  of  devastation  just  described,  from  the 
track  of  flame  several  blocks  below,  which  had  long  before  cut  its 
way  to  the  Lake,  as  if  executing  a  well- devised  military  manoeuvre, 
the  fire  had  been  steadily  eating  its  way  against  the  wind,  the 
point  of  junction  being  at  or  near  Adams  street.  From  this  it  was 
evident  that,  even  with  the  wind  blowing  a  gale  from  the  south, 
unless  checked,  the  entire  South  Division  was  in  danger.  The  sup- 
ply of  water  had  long  before  failed-  except  from  the  basin,  and 
more  heroic  treatment  alone  could  save  what  remained  of  the 
city.  It  was  at  once  and  unhesitatingly  determined  upon,  and 
then  commenced  the  first  systematic  and  thorough  use  of  gun- 
powder as  the  only^  means  of  preventing  the  continuance  of  the 
work  of  ruin.  It  was  conducted  under  the  personal  supervision 
of  General  Sheridan.  Building  after  building  was  demolished, 
the  reports  of  the  successive  explosions  coming  at  intervals  of  a 
very  few  moments,  and  being  plainly  audible  above  the  continu- 
ous din,  each  discharge  announcing  that  at  last  the  battle  was 
being  fought  and  won.  The  great  fii-e  which  was  to  render 
Chicago  forever  memorable  in  the  annals  of  history  was  ended 
in  the  South  Division. 


OHIOAGO   AJTO    THE   WB8T.  181 


THE   LAST    BUILDING   TO   BURN 


was  "  Terrace  row,"  a  palatial  block  of  private  residences  ou 
Michigan  avenue,  extending  north vs^ard  from  Harrison  street.  Its 
destruction  required  two  or  three  hours,  as  nothing  remained  in 
its  rear  to  accelerate  the  work.  About  eighteen  hours  from  the 
iiret  discovery  of  the  lire  on  De  Koven  street,  the  last  wall  of 
"  Terrace  row  "  fell,  in 'the  South  Division,  north  of  a  diagonal 
line,  reaching  from  the  east  end  of  Harrison  street  to  Polk  street 
bridge,  there  remained  two  buildings  unharmed — one  the  large 
business  block  immediately  north  of  Randolph  street  bridge,  and 
the  other  an  unfinished  stone  structure  at  the  corner  of  Mom-oe 
and  La  Salle  streets.  The  entire  business  portion  of  the  city  was 
obhterated.  Two-thirds  of  the  territorial  area  of  the  city  was 
unscathed,  but  Chicago  as  a  great  business  mart,  the  proud  com- 
mercial centre  of  the  growing  West,  was  no  more.  Was  ever  de- 
vastation more  complete? 

Immense  as  is  the  burnt  district  in  the  South  Division,  for  a 
single  fortunate  circumstance  it  might,  and  probably  would,  have 
been  doubled.  Immediately  south  of  the  Michigan  Southern 
passenger  depot  was  a  long  fire-proof  warehouse;  on  the  side 
fronting  the  fire  there  were  but  two  windows,  which  afforded  the 
only  possible  opportunity  for  the  fire-fiend  to  efiect  a  lodgment. 
These  were  successfully  guarded  by  a  small  corps  of  men  with 
pails.  The  building  was  saved,  and  with  it  undoubtedly  the 
entire  tract  north  of  Twelfth  street. 

To  complete  the  picture  of  ruin  so  vigorously  painted  already, 
we  drop  the  Times'  report  here  for  a  moment,  and  let  another  add 
a  few  touches  with  his  gorgeous  brush.  The  N.  Y.  Tribune^ s  cor- 
respondent says :  How  can  I  give  you  an  adequate  conception  of 
the  vast  and  awful  ruin  which  now  occupies  the  entire  site  of  the 
Chicago  of  a  few  years  since  ?  Standing  at  the  Michigan  Avenue 
Hotel,  at  the  northeast  corner  of  that  avenue  and  Congress  street, 


182  HI8T0ET    OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

you  look  north  along  the  Lake  shore  over  nothing  but  ruins  as  far 
as  the  city  extended  in  that  direction,  a  distance  of  some  six  miles. 
A  solitary  grain  elevator  out  on  the  pier  at  the  mouth  of  the  river 
is  the  only  monument  which  remains  on  the  Lake  front.  The  eye 
utterly  fails  to  take  in  the  sweep  of  this  field  of  ruin,  even  when 
you  recall  familiar  knowledge  of  every  foot  of  the  ground.  How 
can  you  make  real  hundreds  upon  two  or  three  thousand  acres  of 
ashes,  lime,  and  broken  brick,  where  stood  a  day  since  a  great 
city !  Come  back,  then,  to  my  spot  of  observation,  the  uninjured 
hotel  just  named.  Directly  before  you  was  the  large  and  ele- 
gant garden  of  J.  Y.  Scammon,  and  north  of  it  a  terrace  of  fine 
residences,  among  which  were  those  of  ex-Gov.  Bross  and  Mr. 
Griggs,  the  well-known  bookseller.  All  these  went  down  before 
noon  of  yesterday,  the  fire  spitefully  beating  back  against  a  furi- 
ous south  wind,  with  a  fierceness  which  made  all  South  Chicago  as 
fearful  as  if  the  hour  of  final  doom  had  indeed  struck.  In  several 
(j[uarters  during  the  morning  there  were  amazing  instances  of  this 
beating  back  of  the  fire,  in  consequence  of  the  gustiness  of  the 
wind,  and  the  ease  with  which  the  fire  caught  in  all  directions,  in 
consequence  of  the  excessive  dryness  of  everything.  The  large 
empty  corner  occupied  by  Mr.  Scammon's  garden  proved  an  op- 
portunity to  stop  this  on  the  Lake  front ;  so  Congress  street  became 
the  southerly  limit  of  the  fire  at  the  Lake  front.  This  means  a 
Lake  front  of  ten  blocks  south  of  the  river  destroyed.  Back  from 
this  front  the  solid  business  quarter  of  the  city  was  built,  eight 
blocks  deep,  every  foot  of  which  is  down,  with  one  or  two  shght 
exceptions  on  the  extreme  west  of  tlie  district  at  the  river  bank. 
This  is  not  all,  either,  that  is  down  on  the  South  Side.  Going  west 
from  Michigan  avenue,  the  southerly  fire  limit  drops  one  block 
south  to  Harrison  street,  on  Wabash  avenue,  and  runs  west  on 
Harrison  several  blocks,  and  then  on  a  diagonal  southwest  to  the 
river  and  across,  where,  on  the  west  side,  in  a  tinder-field  of  dry 
lumber  and  exceedingly  combustible  buildings,  an  irresponsible 


DSr   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  183 

COW  kicked  over  the  kerosene  lamp  which  lighted  all  this  disas- 
ter. 

That  unconcerned  cow  could  not  have  chosen  a  point  more  admi- 
rably to  the  windward  of  the  most  solid  and  superb  part  of  the  city. 
It  was  at  the  close  of  a  day  of  violent  and  really  hot  southwest 
wind,  and  that,  too,  after  a  month  of  most  unusual  dryness,  when 
everything  of  wood,  and  especially  everything  of  half-rotted  wood, 
which  abounds  everywhere,  was  so  perfectly  dried  that  not  petro- 
leum itself  could  have  made  more  entirely  ready  the  destined  vic- 
tim of  the  fire-fiend.  The  danger,  too,  had  come  by  stealth.  The 
end  of  summer  was  really  cold,  though  there  was  but  little  rain ; 
but  the  latter  half  of  September  and  the  fatal  first  week  of  Octo- 
ber brought  constant,  warm  winds,  under  the  pleasant  softness  of 
which  field  and  forest  and  city  became  literally  as  dry  as  tinder. 
Chicago  deceives  any  but  a  cautious  eye.  The  ruin  which  defied 
the  sea  of  fire  most  successfully  is  that  of  the  First  National  Bank. 
(On  the  site  of  this  bank,  less  than  four  years  ago,  stood  an  old 
wooden  house,  so  decayed  as  to  be  well-nigh  ready  to  crumble 
into  ruins.  There  is  still  a  world  of  old  pine  in  this  condition  in 
Chicago,  where  the  original  cheap  structures  are  waiting  until  the 
lots  are  wanted  at  fancy  prices,  to  cover  with  Athens  marble,  brick 
and  iron.  These  vistas  of  decayed  pine,  dried  to  the  condition  of 
tinder,  were  the  trains  which  fate  had  laid  for  firing  our  city. 
And  every  roof  of  the  whole  city,  that  even  of  the  Water  Works, 
which  caught  and  burned  before  the  great  brewery  near  by  was 
touched,  had  been  put  in  perfect  order  for  the  swiftest  and  surest 
sweep  of  universal  conflagration  by  the  day  and  night  steadiness 
of  the  southwest  wind,  and  fairly  heated  for  the  match  and 
the  spark  by  the  hot  breath  of  Sunday's  steady  gale.  And 
when  the  night  of  Sunday  had  closed  in,  without  a  vestige  oi 
moisture  in  the  air,  and  fire  broke  out  a  little  distance  to  wind- 
ward of  the  costliest  and  closest  square  mile  of  Chicago,  the  end 


184  HTSTOKY   OF   THE    GREAT   FIKKS 

was  as  sure  as  if  a  fiend  had  prepared  every  inch  of  the  devourer's 
path. 

Half  a  dozen  engines  together,  near  the  Conrt-Honse,  had  to  be 
abandoned  because  of  the  rapidity  with  which  the  flames  flew  from 
point  to  point,  minding  no  more  about  open  spaces,  streets,  or 
squares  than  if  tliey  were  carried  over  the  distances  between  by 
so  many  trains  of  powder.  One  of  the  finest  structures  on  State 
street,  a  great  dry-goods  house,  seized  in  the  rear,  was  seen  to  go 
down  in  barely  fifteen  minutes.  The  large  hotels  were  bright 
spots  in  the  burning,  which  raged  from  midnight  to  morning,  and 
from  morning  to  noon.  The  great  book-stores,  three  standing 
side  by  side  on  State  street,  the  finest  single  haunt  of  average 
book-buying  in  tlie  country,  and  the  store  of  S.  C.  Griggs  &  Co., 
exceptionally  rich  in  all  America  in  rare  stock,  were  lapped  by 
tongues  of  heat  as  many  as  tlie  innumerable  pages  which  shri- 
velled under  the  quick  destruction,  and  all  was  gone.  Tiorth  and 
east  of  this  point  one  solid  mass  of  wholesale  stocks,  reaching  to 
the  depot  and  warehouses  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  crumbled 
into  the  maw  of  the  easily-conquering  doom.  Taking  in  what  lies 
(Uitside  of  the  district,  ten  blocks  nortli  and  south  by  eight  blocks 
oast  and  west,  a  mile  square  of  the  very  best  of  the  city  lies  in 
ruins  south  of  the  short  main  trunk  of  the  river,  and  between  the 
Lake  and  the  South  Branch.  This  does  not  include  the  compara- 
tively small  district  west  of  the  South  Branch,  where  the  fire  origi- 
nated, and  just  north  of  which  several  blocks  had  been  burned 
over  on  Saturday  night. 

Tlie  da}'^  of  the  fire  was  one  of  the  worst  which  a  dry  and  dusty 
city  could  experience.  Beyond  the  limits  of  the  fire  was  a  fright- 
ful storm  of  dust  and  sand,  blinding  to  the  straining  eyes  of  the 
hurrying  throngs  which  illled  the  sti-eets.  It  was  a  trifle  of  course 
compared  with  the  other  miseries,  but  it  gave  a  dreadful  added 
sense  of  the  malignant  character  of  the  day.  And  now  every 
wind   that  blows   stii-s  a  waste  of  ashes  and   lime,  acrn<5s  which 


m   CHICAGO    AJJD   THE    WEST.  185 

curious  and  sorrowing  throngs  tranj[)  all  day  long,  in  and  out 
among  the  remnants  of  brave  buildings,  over  the  charred  pave- 
ments— never  satisfied  with  gazing  on  a  sight  which  perhaps  may 
never  be  repeated.  All  accounts  increase  more  and  more  the 
evidence  of  the  most  terrible  intensity  in  the  progress  of  the  fire. 
The  case  of  the  Court-House,  vpitli  the  whole  front  of  the  block 
open  on  the  south  and  the  same  on  the  north,  suddenly  bursting 
into  a  light  flame,  as  if  from  oil  easily  ignited  by  intense  heat,  is 
as  much  in  point  as  any.  The  fact  was  that  the  burning  heat, 
which  chipped  the  heaviest  stone  to  such  a  singular  extent,  caused 
simultaneous  combustion  of  large  areas  of  exposed  surface  before 
any  flames  were  actually  communicated,  or  upon  the  first  touch 
of  flame  at  any  one  point.  Among  th.e  tindery  wooden  build- 
ings, which  abounded  especially  on  the  north  side,  a  rush  of  hot 
air — air  that  was  almost  red  hot — would  melt  roof  or  walls  as  if 
they  had  been  the  lightest  flummery.  And  these  jets  of  heat 
went  spitting  about  in  the  most  capricious  fashion,  sometimes 
inexplicably  avoiding  an  exposed  corner,  then  returning  to  glean 
what  remained.  It  was  this  in  part  which  made  so  useless  all 
efibrts  to  head  off"  or  to  stop  the  conflagration,  though  undoubt- 
edly a  more  dreadful  perplexity  was  to  meet  the  shower  of  fire- 
brands which,  were  sweeping  along  on  the  heated  gales.  It 
was  remarked  on  Sunday  that  pieces  of  burning  pine  fell  on 
Saturday  night  two  miles,  or  nearly  that,  from  the  fire  of  that 
night,  and  set  fire  to  where  they  fell ;  and  it  was  then  said 
that  it  would  seem  as  if  a  fire  once  under  way  in  the  city  must 
sweep  everything  before  it.  The  next  twenty-four  hours  proved 
the  justice  of  this  apprehension. 

The  powers  of  the  air  defied  interference,  as  soon  as  a  sea  of  in- 
tense heat  was  created.  On  the  south  line  of  the  burnt  district 
the  evidence  is  conclusive  that  the  fire  took  all  that  was  in  its 
path,  and  took  no  more  only  from  circumstances  very  little  in- 
fluenced by  human  intervention.     The  original  fire  burned  east 


186  HISTORY    OF   THE   GEE  AT   FLRES 

along  tlie  north  line  of  the  street  which  was  its  limit  to  the  build- 
ings of  the  Michigan  Southern  Railway,  where  the  immenselj" 
long  freight-houses,  with  the  breadth  of  tracks  west  of  them, 
proved  a  barrier  which  saved  a  large  section  of  the  city.  Behind, 
or  east  of  these  freight-houses,  is  a  row  of  peculiarly  inflammable 
low  houses.  Happily  the  railroad  buildings  which  were  burned 
furnished  less  flying  fire  than  that  elsewhere,  or  the  wind  may 
have  favored  at  the  .critical  moment.  At  any  rate,  no  tire  took 
east  of  these  freight-houses,  while  round  the  north  end  of  the 
north  one  the  line  of  conflagration  went  directly  east  along 
Harrison  street  to  within  one  block  of  the  Lake.  On  this  block 
you  still  see  where  the  work  of  demolition  was  commenced,  but 
was  suspended  because  the  fire  did  not  take  hold  of  either  the 
west  or  south  sides  of  it.  Along  the  line  of  Harrison  street,  men- 
tioned just  now,  are  two  or  three  structures  saved  just  as  they 
stood,  because  the  fire  chanced  to  go  round  them.  The  eastern- 
most of  these  is  a  church,  north  of  which  there  was  considerable 
vacant  space,  and  west  of  which  the  houses  were  of  brick,  kindled 
from  the  rear  and  top,  and  burned  out  without  verj^  great  inteu- 
eity  of  conflagration.  It  becomes  plain,  therefore,  that  so  much 
■backing  up  of  the  fire  as  took  place  on  Michigan  avenue  was  only 
dn  conjunction  with  conflagration  west  of  those  blocks,  which 
brought  them  under  currents  of  fiei'ce  heat,  and  finally  helped  to 
destroy  them. 

Here  we  resume  the  thread  of  our  former  spectator's  description 
of  the  fire  in  the  l!^orth  Division. 

The  four  bridges  on  the  main  trunk  of  Chicago  river  fell  an 
easy  prey,  but  they  were  not  needed  to  conduct  the  conflagration 
across,  and  speed  it  on  its  destroying  way.  The  greatest  number  of 
easily  combustible  structures  invited  its  progress  in  all  directions^ 
and  so  easily  were  new  fires  lighted  far  in  advance  of  the  general 
march  of  the  destruction,  that  no  regular  line  of  fire  front  was 
preserved,  nor  did  separate  tongues  of  fiery  advance,  four  or  five 


m    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  187 

of  which  existed  most  of  the  time,  steadily  hold  their  relative 
position.  Now  the  burning  terror  would  dart  ahead  a  block  or 
two  in  one  place,  and  now  in  another,  frequently  giving  less  than 
time  enough  to  the  escaping  population  to  put  on  necessary 
clothing.  Great  numbers,  of  course,  were  advised  of  the  danger, 
and  hurried  their  goods  into  the  streets,  to  open  squares,  to  the 
Lake  shore,  to  any  supposed  place  of  safety — there  to  be  burned, 
nevertheless,  in  the  far  greater  number  of  cases.  In  all  Chicago 
there  were  no  finer  private  houses  than  great  numbers  of  those 
here  destroyed.  The  ISTorth  Side  was  the  earlier  aristrocratic 
quarter,  and  numerous  elegant  residences,  with  a  rare  charm 
of  spacious  grounds  and  fine  shrubbery,  maintained  for  this  part 
of  the  city  a  New- England  sort  of  charm  not  elsewhere  to 
be  found.  All  this  was  swept  as  if  it  had  been  a  litter  heap 
of  tow  and  shavings. 

The  commencement  of  the  fire  on  the  Horth  Side  seems  to 
have  been  at  the  Galena  elevator,  which  is  located  on  the  north 
side  of  the  main  branch  between  State  street  and  Rush  street,  the 
time  when  it  first  crossed  over  being  about  twenty  minutes  to  six 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  Having  once  got  a  start  to  the  north 
of  the  river,  the  fire  rapidly  progressed  north,  east,  and  west,  the 
back  fire  west  being  unusually  rapid.  The  corner  of  Rush  and 
Illinois  streets,  three  blocks  beyond  the  elevator,  where  Judge 
Grant  Goodrich  resided,  was  soon  reached. 

The  fire,  then,  as  above  intimated,  progressed  rapidly  west,  as 
well  as  north  and  east,  first  burning  down  the  old  Lake  House, 
one  of  the  oldest,  if  not  the  oldest  brick  hotel  in  Chicago.  In  its 
course  west  it  also  burned  down,  in  addition  to  the  other  build- 
ings, old  St,  James'  Church,  the  oldest  brick  church  in  Chicago, 
which  was  occupied  as  a  store-house.  About  this  time,  other 
portions  of  the  North  Side  adjoining  the  river  caught  fire,  and 
soon  all  North  Water  street,  which  was  occupied  by  wholesale 
stores  and  large  meat  establishments,  was  in  flames,  the  Galena 


188  mSTOBY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

depot,  the  Hough  House  on  Wells  street,  and  the  Whe6lei 
elevator  west  of  "Wells  street,  being  also  burned  down.  The 
bridges  also  were  rapidly  burned  up,  the  flames  from  them  help- 
ing to  communicate  the  fire  rapidly  all  along  the  north  shore  of 
the  main  branch.  J^ot  a  bridge  connecting  the  North  Side  with 
the  South  Side  was  left ;  "Wells  street  bridge,  Clark  street  bridge, 
State  street  bridge,  Eush  street  bridge,  all  being  burned. 

The  La  Salle  street  tunnel  also  l)ecame  impassable,  the  fire 
from  the  South  Side  rushing  through  it  along  the  pedestrian 
walk,  which  was  soon  consumed,  and  filling  the  tunnel  with 
smoke.  At  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel  at  the  south  end  was  found 
a  dead  dog,  which  had  evidently  met  its  death  between  a  sheet  of 
flame  and  a  cloud  of  smoke  issuing  from  the  tunnel.  The  solid 
stone  walls  of  the  tunnel  itself  were  cracked  and  chipped  with 
the  intense  heat  of  the  fire,  the  iron  railings  which  protect  the 
carriage  approaches  at  each  end  being  literally  torn  off'  from  the 
walls  and  curved  and  bent  into  innumerable  fantastic  shapes  by 
the  fiery  demon.  Between  Kinzie  street  and  the  river  all  was 
laid  low  and  buried  in  a  mass  of  undistinguishable  ruins — whole- 
sale houses,  Uhlich's  Hall,  the  Ewing  block,  the  Galena  depot,  the 
offices  of  the  Northwestern  Company,  at  the  corner  of  "Wells  and 
Kinzie  streets,  the  Galena  elevator,  all  were  burned  down  in  a 
miraculously  short  space  of  time.  Between  Kinzie  and  Illinois 
streets,  from  the  North  Branch  to  the  Lake,  nearly  all  was 
burned ;  among  the  prominent  buildings  consumed  being  the 
Revere  House,  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Kinzie  and  Clark,  the 
North  Market  Hall,  one  of  the  oldest  buildings  in  Chicago,  the 
Lake  House,  one  of  the  oldest  brick  structures  in  the  city,  the 
mammoth  reaper  factory  of  McCormack  &  Co.,  a  large  sugar 
refinery,  and  an  extensive  coal  yard  ;  the  last  three  establish- 
ments being  located  east  of  Rush  street.  The  splendid  new 
block,  owned  by  McGee,  on  the  corner  of  Michigan  and  Clark, 
was  also  burned  down.      A  few  fortunate  buildings  were  left 


IN    CTTTCAOO     AND    THE    WEST.  18^ 

standing,  but  they  only  seemed  to  emphasize  the  rniiis  aronnd 
them.  These  exceptions  were  about  a  block  of  buildings  extend- 
ing west  from  Market  street  to  the  Nortli  Branch,  on  the  nortli 
side  of  Kinzie  street,  and  a  large  brick  building,  occupied  as  a 
stove  warehouse  by  Eathbone  &  Co.,  located  to  the  south  of 
Ogden  slip,  on  the  land  which  has  been  made  between  it  and  the 
slip,  and  which  extends  out  into  the  Lake  several  hundred  feet. 
A  little  to  the  east  of  the  Rathbone  building  were  several  large 
piles  of  coal,  which  were  burned  up. 

Between  Illinois  street  and  Chicago  avenue  the  fire  progressed 
with  irrepressible  fury  and  rapidity,  soon  enveloping  the  whole 
section,  including  in  it  both  the  most  beautiful  and  the  most  for- 
bidding portions  of  the  North  Division.  On  the  west  of  Clark 
street  and  south  of  Chicago  avenue  was  a  section  of  the  city 
densely  populated;  filled  with  bnildinus" occupied,  many  of  them 
by  two  and  three  families  ;  a  region  which  in  years  gone  by  was 
noted  for  the  disorderly  character  of  its  elections.  Its  only  prom- 
inent features  were  a  few  churches,  including  the  German  Lu 
theran  church,  on  the  corner  of  La  Salle  and  Ohio  streets,  and  a 
Norwegian  Lutheran  church,  built  in  1855,  on  the  corner  of  Su- 
perior and  Franklin  streets  ;  the  Kinzie  school,  a  four-story  brick 
building  on  Ohio  street,  between  La  Salle  and  Wells  :  the  fine 
large  structure  known  as  the  German  House,  dedicated  last  year, 
and  containing  one  of  the  finest  and  best  proportioned  halls  in 
the  city.  This  portion  of  the  city  had,  in  fact,  just  begun  to  ren- 
ovate itself;  its  streets  were  being  raised  and  graded,  and  new- 
buildings  erected.  East  of  Clark  street  to  the  Lake,  between  Illi- 
nois street  and  Chicago  avenue, was  the  pride  of  the  North  Division, 
Its  streets  were  bordered  with  rows  of  magnificent  trees,  beautiful 
gardens,  elegant  mansions,  noble  churches,  all  of  which  fell  before 
the  destroyer.  Among  the  churches  were  the  North  Presbyterian 
church,  an  immense  brick  structure,  on  the  corner  of  Indiana  and 
Cass  streets ;  a  couple  of  frame  churches  on  Dearborn  street ;  the 


190  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

new  St.  James  church,  a  beautiful  Gothic  stone  structure,  on  the 
corner,  of  Huron  and  Cass  streets ;  and  the  vast  structure  of  the 
Cathedral  of  the  Holj  Name,  on  the  corner  of  State  and  Superior 
streets.  Among  the  other  prominent  public  buildings  were  the 
Catholic  College  of  St.  Mary  of  the  Lake,  occupying  the  whole 
block  north  of  the  Cathedral  of  the  Holy  Name;  the.  Orphan's 
Home,  conducted  by  Sisters  of  Mercy ;  the  Historical  Society's 
building  on  Ontario  street,  east  of  Clark,  in  which  were  kept, 
among  many  other  valuable  historical  records,  the  original  procla- 
mation of  emancipation  by  President  Lincoln  ;  and  the  North-side 
police  station  on  Huron  street,  between  Clark  and  Dearborn 
streets,  a  substantial  and  well-arranged  building.  Among  the 
prominent  residences  were  those  of  Mrs.  "Walter  L.  Newberry, 
whose  grounds  occupied  the  whole  block  bounded  by  Ontario, 
Rush,  Pine,  and  Erie  streets  ;  that  of  Isaac  N.  Arnold,  occupying 
the  block  north ;  that  of  McGee,  occupying  the  block  southwest 
of  the  Ogden  block,  etc.  In  short,  this  section  of  the  North  Divi- 
sion was  full  of  beautiful  residences  and  gardens. 

Before  tracing  the  progress  of  the  fire  further  northward  we  may 
mention  the  burning  of  the  water-works,  and  the  curious,  or  rather 
incomprehensible  manner  in  which  it  caught  fire  almost  two 
liours  before  the  time  that  the  fire  first  reached  the  North  Divi- 
sion across  the  main  branch.  As  stated  above,  the  Galena  eleva- 
tor at  the  edge  of  the  main  branch  canght  fire  from  the  South 
Side  at  about  20  minutes  to  6  o'clock.  At  about  20  minutes  be- 
fore 4  o'clock,  a  fire  was  discovered  in  the  carpenter  shop  of  Mr. 
Lill,  built  on  piles  above  the  shallow  water  of  the  Lake.  The 
employes  at  the  brewery  immediately  endeavored  to  extinguish 
the  flames;  but  it  was  found  impossible,  and  all  the  efforts  of  the 
men  were  confined  to  prevent  their  extension.  Standing  between 
the  burning  carpenter-shop  and  the  water-works,  extending  north- 
west of  the  shop,  stood  one  of  Mr.  Lill's  book-keepers.  Turning 
round   toward  the  water-works,  he   exclaimed :  "  My  God,  the 


m   CHICAGO   AJSTD    THE   WEST.  191 

water-works  are  in  flames  !  "  This  gentleman  states  positively  that 
the  flames  from  the  water-works,  when  he  first  saw  them,  were  is- 
suing from  the  western  portion  of  the  pumping  works,  no  flames 
being  seen  from  the  eastern  portion  of  the  grounds,  which  were 
occupied  'with  coal  sheds,  etc.  On  the  other  hand,  the  employes 
at  the  water-works  say  that  the  fire  commenced  about  half-past 
3  o'clock  in  the  morning ;  that  it  commenced  in  the  eastern  part 
of  the  water-works,  and  that  it  took  fire* from  the  shed.  Another 
gentleman  testifies  that  the  carpenter-shop,  or  the  cooper-shop,  as 
he  called  it,  was  burned  down  before  the  fire  commenced  in  the 
water-works,  and  that  when  the  water-works  were  in  full  flame, 
the  main  body  of  Lill's  brewery,  with  the  exception  of  the  car- 
penter-shop, was  intact.  The  time  of  the  commencement  of  the 
fire  in  Lill's  carpenter-shop  and  the  water-works,  however,  dilfers 
one  hour;  the  last-named  witness  asserting  that  the  water-works 
commenced  burning  at  about  half-past  2  or  3  o'clock.  The  gentle- 
man referred  to  states  that  he  had  been  to  the  Commissioners  of 
Public  Works  several  times  to  induce  them  to  take  precautions. 
But  whatever  may  have  been  the  origin  of  the  fire  at  the  water- 
works, it  is  certain  that  when  it  did  commence  the  whole  building 
was  soon  in  flames,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  engineers  had  to  rush 
out  of  the  building  to  save  their  lives.  The  machinery  was  very 
considprably  injured.  The  water-tower,  however,  to  the  west  of 
the'  pumping  works,  was  almost  entirely  uninjured. 

Before  relating  the  further  progress  of  the  flames  northward, 
we  must  also  notice  the  mingled  scenes  of  sorrow  and  laughter, 
or  tragedy  and  comedy,  which  were  presented  on  what  were  once 
known  as  the  sands — that  part  of  the  Lake  shore  which  lies  east 
of  that  portion  of  the  North  Side  which  has  been  described  above. 
This  sandy  waste  varies  in  width  between  one  and  two  blocks, 
being  the  widest  at  the  southern  end  near  the  river,  where  a  frame 
building  stood  here  and  there  before  the  fire.  As  soon  as  the  fire 
broke  out  along  the  north  side  of  the  main  river,  and  the  rapidity 


192 


HISTOKY    OF    THE    GKEAT    FLBES 


of  its  progress  showed  that  it  would  sweep  the  North  Side  or  a 
considerable  portiou  of  it,  all  the  iuhabitants  of  the  district  de- 
scribed, lyiug  east  of  State  street — botli  rich  and  poor,  both  the 
tenants  of  the  shanties  and  cottages  which  occupied  North  "VVatei 
street,  Michigan  street,  Illinois  street,  and  the  south  end  of  St. 
Clair  street,  and  the  tenants  of  the  aristocratic  mansions  north  of 
this  locality — ^fled  to  the  Lake  shore,  carrying  with  them  whatever 
they  were  able  to  carr/  in  their  hands,  but  little  and  but  short 
opportunity  being  offered  to  do  more.  The  scene  was  one  of  in- 
describable confusion,  of  horror  and  dismay,  intermingled  to  the 
mere  spectator  with  laughable  incidents,  which  were,  however, 
quickly  drowned  in  the  overwhelming  horror  which  surrounded 
them  all.  Where  the  Lake  shore  or  sands  were  narrow,  and  the 
burning  buildings  approached  close  to  the  Lake  shore,  despair 
reigned.  The  water  was  the  apparent  boundary  of  the  place  of 
refuge.  The  intense  heat  from  the  burning  buildings,  even  the 
Hames  from  them,  reached  the  water  and  even  stretched  out  over 
It,  and  the  Hying  men,  women,  and  children  rushed  into  the  Lake 
till  nothing  but  their  heads  appeared  above  the  surface  of  the 
water;  but  the  Hery  Hend  was  not  satislied.  The  hair  was 
burned  oft"  the  heads  of  many,  while  not  a  few  never  came  out 
of  the  water  alive.  Many  who  stayed  on  the  shore,  where  the 
space  between  the  fire  and  water  was  a  little  wider,  had  the 
clothes  burned  from  off.  their  backs.  The  remnants  of  the  sad 
scene  presented  a  curious  appearance  on  Monday.  Scattered 
over  the  sands  were  broken  chairs,  shattered  mirrors,  drenched 
clothes  without  their  owners,  dresses,  pants,  coats,  a  motley  array 
of  clothing  disowned.  Boys  wandered  around  picking  out  of  the 
pockets  of  the  desented  garments  knives,  change,  etc. 

Those  again  who  lived  west  of  Clark  street  in  the  district 
named,  as  soon  as  they  saw  that  they  must  succumb  to  the  ad- 
vancing flames,  after  flying  and  moving  north  their  goods  from 
block  to  block,  rushed  across  the  bridges  which,  with  one  excep- 


IN    CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  193 

tion — that  of  the  Chicago  avenue  bridge — remained  standing. 
There  was  a  grand  emigration  to  the  West  Side  of  people  and 
goods;  of  little  children  and  big;  of  crying  women  and  excited 
men  ;  of  broken  furniture  and  cracked  crockery  ;  of  wheelbarrowc, 
buggies,  one-horse  teams,  two-horse  teams,  heavy  wagons,  and 
light  wagons — everything  that  could  be  saved. 

But  there  was  one  bridge  which  proved  unfaithful  to  its  trust. 
Chicago  avenue  bridge  appears  to  have  caught  fire  from  sparks 
before  the  main  fire  reached  it.  Thinking  to  be  able  to  cross  over 
this  bridge,  many  people  delayed  their  flight,  hoping  to  save  at 
least  a  part  of  their  furniture  before  the  flames  re^-ched  their 
houses.  But  the  delay  was  too  long  and  the  advance  of  the 
flames  too  rapid,  and  when  they  finally  fled  to  the  bridge  it  was 
too  late.  It  was  in  flamos.  Under  the  approaches  to  the  bridge 
the  exhausted  people  tried  to  hide  themselves  from  the  flames,  the 
stronger  and  less  exhausted  flying  to  the  next  bridge  north — that 
at  Division  street.  But  the  refuge  under  the  bridge  soon  became 
a  burning  furnace.  Those  gathered  under  it  soon  saw  the  mistake 
they  had  made.  The  despairing  ones  stolidly  stayed  where  they 
were,  and  were  sufibcated  or  burned  to  death.  Those  with  hope 
still  left  ran  out  and  attempted  to  fly  north  through  the  flames 
which  were  crossing  the  avenue.  A  few  escaped,  but  with  many 
it  was  only  a  death  postponed  for  the  space  of  a  few  minutes — 
burning  garments,  tottering  footsteps,  and  then  a  fall  to  rise  no 
more. 

BORN   ON   THE    STREET 

As  the  flerce  flames  ran  along  the  avenue,  a  woman  ran  out 
into  the  street,  fell  down,  and  gave  birth  to  a  child,  but  the  birth 
soon  became  a  death,  and  the  mother  and  babe  were  soon  lifeless 
bodies.  In  the  mad  hurry  after  each  one's  self,  the  mother  and 
the  child  were  deserted  and  left  to  their  fate. 
*  From  the  observation  of  many  it  would  seem  that  the  terror 


194  HISTOET   OF    THE   GREAT   FIRES 

and  force  of  the  conflagration  on  the  North  Side  were  aggravated 
by  a  fresh  fire  breaking  out  just  north  of  Chicago  avenue  bridge 
at  a  time  when  the  fire  from  the  south  had  not  advanced  to 
within  three  or  four  blocks  of  Chicago  avenue.  It  was  this  fire 
to  the  north  that  undoubtedly  induced  the  weak  and  exhausted  to 
take  refuge  under  the  approaches  to  the  bridge,  being  unable  to 
run  around  the  fire  to  the  north  of  the  avenue,  which  was  rapidly 
progressing  both  north  and  east.  How  many  threw  themselves 
into  the  river,  with  the  vain  hope  of  being  able  to  cross  the  river 
or  of  being  picked  up,  it  is  impossible  to  tell,  but  it  is  to  be  feared 
that  in  their  mad  and  hopeless  desperation  many  people  in  their 
flight  from  a  death  by  fire,  found  a  death  by  water. 

SIXTEEN   BURNED   TO  DEATH    OR   KILLED. 

In  a  large  blacksmith-shop,  just  south  of  the  bridge,  a  number 
of  workmen — stated  to  be  sixteen — ^rushed  into  their  burning  build- 
ing to  save  their  tools,  but  the  fire  proved  too  much  even  for  the 
sons  of  Yulcan.  While  catching  up  their  tools,  the  walls  of  the 
building  fell  in  and  buried  them  in  its  burning  ruins. 

Perhaps  the  finest  street  running  east  and  west  in  the  North 
Division  was  Chicago  avenue.  Along  its  entire  length,  east  of  the 
river,  it  was  filled  with  fine  and  costly  buildings.  During  the 
present  season  alone  several  splendid  buildings  had  been  erected 
or  were  in  process  of  erection.  Among  these  were  the  building 
which  was  known,  or  to  be  known,  as  the  Norwegian  Hall,  which 
contained,  besides  fifteen  or  sixteen  stores,  a  large  hall.  The 
building  had  a  marble  front,  and  was  nearly  completed.  To  the 
east  of  this  about  two  blocks,  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Clark 
street  and  Chicago  avenue,  was  another  fine  marble  front  building 
almost  completed.  To  the  east  of  Clark  street  the  avenue  was 
filled  with  fine  frame  and  brick  residences.  Among  the  residences 
on  this  street  was  that  of  the  late  Michael  Diversey,  the  former 
partner  of  "William  Lill,  and   one  of  the  earliest  residents  of 


IN   CHICAGO   AND    TirE    WEST.  197 

Chicago,  bis  house  being  perhaps  the  oldest  residence  of  its  size  in 
the  city.  All  these  were  burned  from  one  end  of  the  avenue  to 
the  other.  Nothing  was  left  but  the  water- works,  'ihemselves 
battered  and  torn  by  the  devouring  flames. 

The  surroundings  of  the  water- works  even  were  not  without  their 
tragedies.  One  of  the  firemen  thinking,  perhaips,  that  the  heat 
of  the  approaching  fire  would  not  prove  to  be  so  intense  and 
destructive  as  it  actually  was,  crawled  into  a  large  water-pipe  lying 
on  the  ground  and  was  roasted  to  death.  When  fully  awake  to 
his  mistake,  probably  all  he  saw  at  either  end  of  his  last  refuge 
was  a  flame  of  fire. 

North  along  Clai'k  street,  and  on  the  branch  tracks  along  Chi- 
cago avenue.  Division  street,  Larrabee  street,  Sedgwick  street,  and 
Clybourne  avenue,  the  horse-tracks  were  more  or  less  injured ; 
the  tracks  in  some  places  being  doubled  up  to  a  height  of  three 
feet.  The  tracks  of  the  North-western  road  along  North  Water 
street,  and  extending  between  the  government  pier  and  the  Ogdcn 
slip,  were  still  more  damaged,  many  of  the  ends  of  the  rails  being 
thrown  eight  or  ten  feet  from  their  original  position.  In  many 
sections  of  the  track  the  rails  have  assumed  a  zigzag  course. 

At  this  time,  between  five  and  half-past  five,  the  line  of  the 
fire  as  it  progressed  north  was  about  a  mile  in  width.  Along  the 
entire  hue  the  fire  appeared  as  if  attempting  to  see  which  portion 
could  surpass  the  other  in  its  march  of  destruction.  To  the 
east,  near  the  Lake  shore,  were  the  large  ale  and  lager-beer 
breweries  of  Sands,  Hucks,  Brandt,  Bowman,  Schmidt,  Busch, 
Doyle,  etc. ;  to  the  west,  near  the  North  Branch,  was  a  densely 
inhabited  district  filled  with  wooden  houses  as  dry  as  tinder. 
From  the  three,  four,  and  five  stories'  height  of  the  one,  the 
sparks  and  burning  charcoal  from  the  wooden  cupolas  of  the 
breweries  were  blown  blocks  northward,  setting  fire  to  the  build- 
ings on  which  they  fell.  On  the  west,  the  closely  built  wooden 
frame  buildings,  having  no  brick  walls  to  temporarily  stay 
12 


■^Qg  HTPTORT    OF    THE    GEE  AT    FIRES 

their  progress,  seemed  to  surrender  instantaneously  to  the  rag- 
ing fire-fiend  that  did  not  crawl,  but  seemed  to  rush  upon  them 
with  unrestrainable  furj'. 

A    TERRIBLE    SCENE. 

All  seemed  to  be  immersed  in  a  hell  of  flame.  No  attempts 
were  made  to  stem  the  progress  of  the  fire.  All  that  the  tenants 
of  the  houses  could  do  was  to  save  a  few  of  their  household  goods, 
and  this,  too,  at  the  risk  of  their  lives.  The  scene  was  rendered 
still  more  terrible  and  despairing  by  the  fact  that  during  the 
earlier  stages  of  the  fire  thousands  of  the  able-bodied  men  had 
rushed  to  the  South  Side  to  witness  the  fire  there,  not  then  dream- 
ing that  it  would  reach  their  own  homes.  Before  the  fire  on  the 
South  Side,  these  fathers,  brothers,  and  sons  were  gradually  driven 
across  the  river,  until  the  rapidity  of  the  progress  of  the  flames 
convinced  them  that  their  own  families  were  in  danger.  Being 
at  last  convinced,  they  rushed  in  frantic  haste  to  save  what  little 
they  could.  But  they  arrived  at  their  homes,  most  of  them,  in 
an  exhausted  condition.  They  did  their  best,  but  the  best  was 
but  little.  All  that  many  could  do  was  to  aid  in  saving  the 
lives  of  their  wives  and  children.  With  their  all  standing  in 
their  houses,  many  attempted  impossible  things,  and  rushed  into 
burning  buildings  never  to  come  out  alive ;  for  the  wind  rushed 
on  in  horrible  fury,  and  seemed  to  envelop  three  or  four  houses 
at  once  in  one  fell  swoop. 

BETWEEN   CHICAGO   AVENIHE   ANT>  NORTH   AVENUE. 

Until  this  densely  populated  district  to  the  west  of  La  Salle 
street,  and  between  Chicago  avenue  and  ]S"orth  avenue,  had  been 
wasted,  there  was  no  stay  to  the  rapid  progress  of  the  fire.  All 
that  many  people  could  do  was  to  save  themselves,  and  perhaps  a 
few  valuables  that  they  could  carry  in  their  hands.  A  few,  in- 
deed, of  those  who  saw  beforehand  that  their  homes  would  be 


IN    CHICAGO   AND    THE    WEST.  199 

burned  down,  even  when  the  flames  were  half  a  mile  off,  saved, 
perhaps,  half  of  their  furniture ;  but  many  of  these  even  were 
able  to  save  but  little.  No  conveyance  could  be  found,  in  many 
cases,  and  piles  of  furniture  were  only  saved  from  the  house  to  be 
burned  in  the  street.  East  of  Dearborn  street  the  scene  was  a 
parallel  one  ;  the  homeless  occupants  of  the  houses  in  many  cases 
rushed  to  the  narrow  beach  which  bounds  this  portion  of  the 
North  Division  on  the  east,  and  the  same  sufferings  that  occurred 
on  the  portion  of  the  beach  referred  to  south  of  this  were  repeated 
and  aggravated  by  the  narrowness  of  the  beach.  How  many 
were  killed,  how  many  dangerously  burned,  it  will  be  impossible 
to  find  out.  Relatives  and  friends  have  not  waited  for  the  coroner, 
but  have  buried  their  own  dead  on  their  own  responsibility,  and 
no  one  person  will  ever  know  the  names,  or  even  the  number,  of 
the  victims  of  the  fire  in  the  North  Division.  In  the  district  men- 
tioned, with  the  exception  of  La  Salle  street,  Clark  street,  and 
Dearborn  street,  the  population  was  densely  packed.  In  many 
of  the  houses  lived  two  or  three  families.  To  the  east  of  it 
were  large  breweries,  where,  till  the  last  moment,  the  employes 
worked  to  save  the  buildings,  at  last  rushing  to  their  own  already 
burning  buildings  to  save  their  families.  Children,  as  is  usual  in 
poor  districts,  seemed  to  swarm  around  every  building,  and  how 
many  of  these,  left  to  their  own  care,  infants,  toddling  children, 
little  boys  and  girls,  sank  before  the  fire,  it  is  impossible  to  esti- 
mate. Suffice  it  to  say  that  hundreds  have  been  missed  who 
were  seen  at  the  fire,  but  never  since. 

The  beautiful  New  England  church  went  early  in  the  day. 
Robert  Collyer's  stood  defiant  with  its  sturdy  breadth  and  bigness, 
while  behind  and  beyond  it  the  conflagration  did  its  will  with 
everything  else.  There  was  some  attempt  to  bring  water  in 
buckets  from  an  open  place,  but  it  was  not  long  before  the  ven- 
geance which  smote  so  mercilessly  all  around  struck  this  noble 
monument  also,  and  soon  left  the  front  and  towers  bereaved  of  all 


200  HISTORY    OF   THE    CiliEAT   FUSES 

that  made  this  one  of  the  bravest  and  brightest  spots  in  the  whola 
city.  In  front  of  these  two  churches  was  Dearborn  Park.  North 
of  this  park  a  single  residence  was  spared,  ahnost  capriciously  and 
insolently.  But  from  the  wide  scene  of  ruin,  extending  all  the 
way  across  North  Chicago,  from  the  east  bank  of  the  North  Branch 
to  the  Lake,  the  fur}'  raged  on  to  Lincoln  Park,  and  far  on 
between  the  park  and  the  North  Bi-anch  until  North  Chicago  was 
almost  completely  blotted  out. 

On  Dearborn  street,  diagonally  opposite  to  the  southwestern 
corner  of  "Washington  Park,  was  burned  the  New  England  Con- 
gregational church,  one  of  the  finest  buildings  of  its  kind  in  Chi- 
cago, and  the  most  elaborately  constructed  of  any  ecclesiastical 
edifice  in  the  city.  The  walls  of  the  building  stand.  On  the  cor- 
ner of  "Whiting  and  Dearborn  streets,  nearly  opposite  "Washington 
Park,  a  block  north  of  the  last-named  building,  stood  the  beauti- 
ful edifice  of  Unity  Unitarian  church,  of  which  Rev.  Robert  Coll- 
yer  was  pastor.  The  walls  of  this  building  also  bravely  withstood 
the  advance  of  the  flames ;  but  it  is  to  be  feared  that  they  will 
have  to  be  rebuilt  in  order  to  secure  a  perfectly  safe  new  struc- 
ture. The  whole  length  of  Dearborn  and  La  Salle  streets,  which 
from  Chicago  avenue  to  North  avenue  were  two  of  the  finest 
streets  in  the  North  Division,  being  lined  with  beautiful  trees  and 
splendid  marble-front  residences,  were  totally  destroyed,  not  a 
house  being  left  with  the  exception  of  that  of  Mahlon  D.  Ogden. 

LINCOLN   PAKE    AND   OLD   CITT   CEMETERY. 

These  deserve  special  mention,  Lincoln  Park — the  glory  of  the 
North  Division — has  been  almost  entirely  preserved.  But  few 
trees  have  been  injured  except  in  the  southeastern  portion  of  the 
park,  where  the  dead-house  stood,  and  w^here  a  few  trees  are 
burned ;  the  small-pox  hospital  to  the  east,  on  the  •  Lake  shore, 
being  also  destroyed.  The  grave-stone,  or  rather  board  memorials 
of  the  dead  poor  are  many  of  them  destroyed,  and  their  relatives 


IN    CHICAGO    ANI>   THE   WEST.  201 

will  know  no  more  the  place  of  rest  of  tlieir  kindi-ed.  The  fences 
around  the  graves,  the  boards  which  have  told  to  the  wanderer 
their  names,  are  all  destroyed  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  old 
cemetery.  In  the  park  itself  many  took  refuge,  though  the  gi-eat 
majority,  as  hereafter  stated,  fled  to  the  prairies  on  the  north- 
west. 

North  of  North  avenue  no  efforts  whatever  were  made  to  stop 
the  progress  of  the  flames,  with  one  exception,  which  will  be  here- 
after mentioned.  They  followed  out  their  course,  the  only  means 
that  prevented  their  progress  both  north  and  west  being  stretches 
of  bare  prairie,  on  which  there  was  nothing  to  bnrn.  Excepting  on 
Clark  and  Wells  streets,  the  houses  were  more  or  less  separated 
from  each  other,  occupying  or  being  separated  from  each  other  by 
two  or  three  lots,  and  often  more.  A  small  portion  of  the  district 
north  of  North  avenue  and  west  of  "Wells  street  was  thickly 
settled.  At  the  corner  of  Linden  and  Hurlbut  street  stood  the 
vast  edifice  of  St.  Michael's  church.  Its  walls  were  left  standing, 
but  that  was  all.  Its  splendor  is  gone.  A  little  church  on  the 
corner  of  Centre  avenue  and  Church  street,  a  branch  of  the  New 
England  church,  was  also  burned,  as  also  a  German  Methodist 
church  on  the  corner  of  Sedgwick  and  Wisconsin  streets  ;  a  little 
church  on  the  corner  of  Clark  and  Menomonee,  also  the  sub-police 
station  on  the  corner  of  North  avenue  and  Larrabee  street. 

At  EuUerton  avenue,  a  little  over  two  and  a  half  miles  north 
of  the  river,  the  progress  of  the  fire  was  finally  stopped.  A  lull 
of  the  wind,  between  2  and  4  o'clock  on  Tuesday  morning, 
aided  in  the  work  of  preventing  the  further  progress  of  the 
flames  northward ;  the  only  houses  burned  north  of  Fullerton 
avenue  being  Mr,  John  Huck's  residence,  and  a  building  occupied 
by  a  Mr.  Falk.  Between  the  hours  named,  Mr.  Huck's  men 
turned  out  and  beat  out  the  sparks  that  came  from  the  south  as 
they  fell  on  the  ground.  A  slight  rain  falling  at  the  same  time, 
aided  in  the  work. 


202  HISTOEY    OF    THE    GKEAT   FIKES 

During  all  this  time,  however,  that  the  lire  had  been  raging  in 
the  North  Division,  sometimes  advancing  directly  northeast,  some- 
times progressing  westward  with  a  terrible  back  fire,  people  had 
been  flying  north  and  northwest  until  the  few  houses  within 
reach  in  Lake  Yiew  and  beyond  the  limits  were  crowded  full  of 
refugees,  and  the  flying  population  were  compelled  to  take  refuge 
on  the  open  prairie.  Here  were  gathered  thousands  of  people — 
tired  men,  delicate  women,  children  in  arms  without  cover — 
without  shelter  of  any  kind ;  many  indeed  without  clothes  on 
their  backs.  Worse  than  all,  here  too  were  compelled  to  rest 
from  their  long-continued  flight,  the  sick  and  the  wounded. 

The  North-side  horse-railroad  stables  were  entirely  consumed, 
and  it  is  stated  that  over  forty  head  of  stock  were  burned  up. 

The  boundaries  of  the  fire  in  the  North  Division  were  as  fol- 
lows :  With  the  exception  of  the  few  buildings  mentioned  above, 
the  fire  extended  over  all'  the  North  Division  from  the  main 
branch  to  Division  street,  and  from  the  North  Branch  to  the 
Lake  ;  very  nearly  seven  hundred  acres  of  territory.  The  fire  left 
the  North  Branch  at  Division  street,  where  it  left  a  few  houses 
standing  along  the  side  of  the  river.  The  back  fire  then  extended 
to  the  river  again,  or  to  what  is  known  as  the  North  Branch  canal,, 
which  connects  the  ends  of  a  semicircle  in  the  river,  which 
bends  over  to  the  west.  Following  the  canal  or  new  channel  of 
the  river  for  a  short  distance,  the  fire  then  tended  a  little  to  the 
east  as  far  as  Halsted  street,  up  which  it  extended  to  Clybourne 
avenue,  the  back  fire  extending  along  the  avenue  northwest  to 
Blackhawlv  street  and  a  little  west  until  it  reached  Orchard 
street — a  north  and  south  street,  excepting  at  its  junction  with 
the  avenue,  where  it  runs  for  about  a  block  in  a  northeast  direc- 
tion. After  reaching  Orchard  street,  the  fire  proceeded  north  to 
Willard  street,  where  it  proceeded  east  along  Howe  street  to 
Hurlbut  street,  across  a  couple  of  undivided  blocks.  Along  Hurl- 
but  street  the  fire  proceeded  north  to  Centre  avenue,  on  which 


m    CHICAGO    AJSfD    THE    WEST.  203 

only  three  bouses  were  burned  down  ;  the  biockc  around  being 
nearly  vacant.  It  then  advanced  up  Hurlbut  street  to  within 
about  one  hundred  feet  south  of  Fidlerton  avenue.  In  the  mean- 
while the  fire  had  taken  all  east  of  this,  with  the  exception  of 
Lincoln  Park.  North  of  Fullertpn  avenue,  the  fire  burned  up 
only  two  houses  ;  these  being  located  east  of  Clark  street.  Here 
the  progress  of  the  fire  was  stayed  in  the  manner  stated  above. 
C.  Kaggio's  and  two  other  houses  on  ISlorth  Clark  street,  opposite 
the  park,  escaped  destruction. 

Here  we  part  company  with  our  guides,  who  have  led  us  along 
the  paths  pursued  by  the  hydra-headed  monster,  and  turn  again 
to  hear  the  account  of  the 

GRAVE    OF   THE   FIKE, 

from  him  who  described  to  us  its  cradle. 

Having  seen  the  beginning  of  the  fire,  we  thought  it  worth 
while  to  track  it  through  its  rise  and  its  grandeur  to  its  magni- 
ficent end  after  a  glorious  day's  life.  Tliere  is  a  very  singular 
caprice  of  the  fire  in  the  l^orth  Division,  equally  remarkable 
with  that  in  De  Koven  street.  The  house  of  Mr.  Mahlon  Ogden, 
a  large  frame  building  standing  very  near  the  street,  is  entirely 
untouched,  while  the  entire  region  around  it  is  laid  bare.  Even 
the  church  across  the  street,  which  stands  entirely  detached,  is 
destroyed.  The  escape  of  the  Ogden  mansion  is  as  complete  and 
as  mysterious  as  if  it  had  worn  an  invisible  coat  of  asbestos. 
The  fire  was  no  less  singular  in  what  it  attacked  than  in  what  it 
spared.  Just  beyond  this  house,  which  would  seem  with  its  dry 
seasoned  pine  a  most  appetizing  morsel  for  the  fire-devil,  there 
lies  a  green  and  tranquil  grave-yard,  with  nothing  in  it  which 
could  attract  a  well-regulated  fire.  But  this  fiery  tempest  has 
swept  in  among  these  graves  and  tombstones,  has  sought  out 
with  an  apparent  disregard  of  conducting  material,  the  humble 
wooden  head-boards,  and  has  even  gnawed  the  marble  in  many 


204  HISTORY    OF    THE    GKEAT   FIRES 

places.  The  last  expiring  efforts  of  the  flames  were  iu  the  quiet 
German  cemetery  at  the  gate  of  Lincoln  Park,  b}^  the  shining 
beach  of  the  Lake.  It  is  here  that  hundreds  of  the  hunted 
fugitives  of  the  E'orth  Division,  hotlj  chased  by  the  fire,  came  tc 
pass  that  first  miserable  night  of  hunger  and  cold.  Loads  ol 
household  goods  were  brought  here,  and  dashed  carelessly  upon 
the  ground.  As  the  hard  night  wore  on,  and  the  cold  wind  came 
blowing  in  from  the  "unsalted  sea,"  chilling  the  blood  after  the 
fever  of  the  day,  these  unhappy  people  began  to  break  up  and  burn 
the  furniture  they  had  saved,  and  brought  so  far  with  labor  and 
pain.  Everywhere  you  may  see  the  traces  of  that  wretched  vigil 
of  heart-breaking  desperation.  At  one  point  there  is  a  pile  ot 
half-burned  picture-frames  profusely  gilded  and  elaborately 
carved,  and  at  another  there  lie  the  scattered  fragments  of  a. 
richly  inlaid  cabinet.  A  library-chair  has  its  back  burned  awaj 
and  its  upholstery  wrinkled  and  singed  with  the  watch-fire. 
But  there  are  other  and  more  revolting  evidences  of  the  misery 
^v'hich  on  that  night  gave  many  over  into  infernal  guidance.  I 
passed  one  modest  grave,  near  the  scene  of  a  night-camp.  A 
heart  was  carved  upon  the  wooden  tombstone  by  pious  hands, 
and  into  this  touching  emblem  a  steel  fork  had  been  driven  by 
some  brutal  fist.  Above  the  outraged  blazon  were  the  tender 
words,  Buhe  Sauft  (''  Sleep  Softly  "). 

The  scenes  witnessed  in  that  quiet  grave-yard  during  that  nighi 
of  horror  were  enough  to  appal  the  stoutest  temperamentsr  A 
throng  of  half-maddened  sufferers  straggled  through  the  grove 
looking  for  their  friends  and  finding  no  one,  oppressed  by  a 
weight  of  anxiety  that  caused  them  to  neglect  their  physical  dis- 
comforts. Delicate  women  came  as  they  had  escaped  from  death 
in  thin  fiuttering  night-clothes,  blown  about  by  the  surly  Autumn 
wind.  Several  were  in  a  state  which  demanded  the  gentlest  care 
and  sympathy.  Many  little  children  were  thrown  into  the  crowd 
too  young  to  speak   their  parenls'  names.     And   upon   all,  the 


m    CmOAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  OQg 

crushing  blow  of  an  enormous  and  irremediable  disaster  had 
fallen,  and  rendered  them  for  the  moment  incapable  of  any 
rational  judgment.  I  heard  of  one  company  of  German  singers 
from  a  low  concert  saloon  who  flew  out  into  the  night  with  nothino 
but  their  tawdry  evening  dresses,  who  sat  shivering  and  silent  in 
a  huddled  group  in  the  lee  of  a  tombstone,  their  bare  arms  and 
shoulders  blue  and  pinched,  and  the  tinsel  flowers  in  their  hair 
shining  with  frost.  They  talked  little,  but  sometimes  they  cheat- 
ed their  misery  with  songs,  and  it  had  a  strange  effect  to  hear  iu 
that  gloomy  and  sorrow-stricken  place  the  soft  impurities  of  the 
Vienna  muse,  and  the  ringing  and  joyous  jodel  of  the  Tyrol. 
Near  by,  the  fragments  of  a  Methodist  congregation  had  impro- 
vised a  prayer-meeting,  and  the  sound  of  psalms  and  supplication 
went  up  mingled  with  that  worldly  music  to  the  deep  and  toler- 
ant heavens. 

The  fire  could  get  no  hold  on  the  green  wood  of  Lincoln  Park, 
and  so  gave  it  up  and  went  furiously  off  to  the  left,  and  ate 
up  all  the  pretty  suburban  houses  on  that  side,  and  ended  only 
when  the  wide  prairie  lay  before  it,  with  nothing  more  to  burn. 
At  the  cornej-  of  Willow  and  Orchard  streets  the  noble  outline  of 
the  ITewberry  school  bounds  the  line  of  devastation,  as  if  to  say 
that  the  future  hope  of  Chicago,  the  power  that  shall  yet  rise 
superior  to  calamity,  is  Intelligence. 


CHAPTER    XXIIL 

Thus  ended  what  must  be  considered  one  of  the  most  stupen- 
dous events  of  history,  and  the  gorgeous  descriptions  above 
carry  the  reader,  in  imagination,  onward  from  street  to  street,  till 
darkness  gathers  upon  the  desolate  scene,  and  the  more  desolate 
myriads  who  had  been  chased  from  their  dwellings,  and  left  roof- 


206  HISTOET   OF   THE   GREAT  FIBES 

less  and  almost  penniless,  many  of  them  worse  than  beggars,  oe- 
cause  saddled  with  debts  for  property  now  hopelessly  lost,  and  all 
securities  utterly  ruined.  That  night  was  the  saddest  ever  expe- 
rienced in  our  city — terribly  gloomy  for  those  who  had  not  been 
burned  out,  and  infinitely  darker  to  the  unfortunate.  Everybody 
was  thrown  out  of  business,  or  had  friends  cast  upon  them  for 
support  or  aid.  The  hungry  were  fed,  the  shelterless  welcomed 
to  a  refuge,  the  naked  clothed,  and  a  general  sharing  of  every- 
thing— an  equal  division — seemed  going  forward  in  every  part  of 
the  saved  district.  Many  people  packed  their  goods  and  made 
arrangements  to  fly  at  the  first  alarm  of  new  fires.  Few  slept 
soundly,  even  of  the  worn  and  weary.  Children  were  in  great 
distress,  through  the  excitement  of  the  day  and  the  rumors  that 
spread  in  wild  profusion.  The  rain  that  fell  was  soothing  to  the 
mind  and  grateful  to  the  eyes  of  those  who  were  compelled  to 
venture  out  the  next  day.  Such  dust  had  scarcely  ever  afflicted 
a  people,  and  the  smoke  aggravated  the  visitation. 

The  presses  were  all  lost,  and  there  was  an  absence  of  any  me- 
dium of  reliable  news.  Correspondents  are  right  in  saying  that 
"  the  wildest  rumors  were  afloat,  and  people  on  the  South  Side 
were  perfectly  beside  themselves  with  fear.  The  dead  were  mul- 
tiplied into  thousands;  the  fire  was  attributed  to  incendiaries ; 
forty  people  had  been  burned  in  the  Court-House;  incendiaries 
had  been  caught  in  the  act  and  thrown  into  the  fire ;  vigilance 
committees  had  lynched  others;  men  were  dangling  from  lamp- 
posts everywhere ;  all  the  bank  vaults  had  been  burned  out ;  the 
rest  of  the  city  was  to  be  burned  at  night.  The  boldest  robbery 
was  still  going  on  ;  organized  gangs  of  thieves  prowled  through 
the  streets  laden  with  plunder.  The  police  were  worn  out,  and 
were  worse  than  useless.  Citizen  patrols  of  the  most  ferocious 
character  were  firing  off  pistols  everywhere.  All  along  the  north- 
ward progress  of  the  fire  there  had  whirled  in  uttermost  confu- 
sion a  throng  of  hurrying  people,  and  of  carts,  wagons,  carriages 


IN    CHICAGO    A2<D    THE    WEST.  207 

— whatever  could  be  drummed  into  the  service  to  ieino\  e  goods  ; 
and  when  night  fell  75,000  to  100,000  people — north,  west,  and 
south — had  either  sought  refuge  with  friends  or  were  refugeless 
in  the  streets  J  and,  added  to  all  this,  the  citj  was  wild  with  fear 
of  what  the  night  might  bring  forth ;  torches  said  to  be  ready  to 
finish  the  destruction  of  the  city ;  1,500  thieves  said  to  be  organ- 
ized for  a  raid  of  pillage  upon  the  bank  vaults,  and  whispers 
hoarsely  breathed  everywhere  of  fever  and  pestilence  ready  to  fall 
upon  a  population  left  without  water,  with  but  short  rations  of 
food,  with  most  insufficient  shelter,  and  in  the  midst  of  loosened 
spirits  of  noxious  evil  stalking  through  the  wide  ruin;  monsters 
of  imagination  evidently  enough,  and  yet  amply  real  to  minds 
that  could  not  possibly  imagine  a  few  hours  before  that  any  com- 
bination of  effort  could  have  burned  to  the  ground  the  half  that 
has  fallen  before  the  tumbling  of  one  lamp  into  the  litter  of  a 
stable." 

If  we  dreaded  the  night,  morning  was,  if  possible,  more  dread- 
ful still,  for  there  lay  the  remnants  of  our  lost  city,  and  all  around 
us  were  multitudes  of  dependent  people  and  of  wicked  despera- 
does. Bnt  the  ground  looked  damp  and  the  air  was  soft  and 
mild,  and  the  sun  still  shone  in  the  heavens,  reminding  us  of  the 
ever-during  mercy  of  Him  in  whose  hands  we  were — "  The 
Father  of  lights,  with  whom  is  no  variableness  or  shadow  of  turn- 
ing." It  was  well  for  us  that  our  hands  were  so  full  of  work  for 
the  miserable  victims,  for  thus  our  own  griefs  were  forgotten  in 
the  humane  labors  of  relief,  and  our  attention  was  diverted  from 
those  sickening  ruins  where  lay  the  dead  undiscovered,  and  the 
unopened  smoking  safes,  and  the  wreck  of  all  our  city's  great- 
ness. 

A  ride  over  the  burnt  district  from  the  little  shanty  to 
Lincoln  Park,  was  more  dismal  than  a  walk  through  Pom- 
peii, or  an  excursion  among  the  wrecks  of  Paris,  wrought  by 
Communists   from    within,   and   Prussians    from    without.      We 


208  HISTORY    OF    TFTE    GREAT   FIRKS 

leave   a   faithful   observer    to   record    what   he   saw   in    such    a 
tramp. 

Thursday,  the  third  day  after  the  fire,  was  clear,  bright,  aiul 
cloudless.  The  wind  had  died  away,  and  I  rode  over  the  whole 
area  of  the  disaster.  There  was  no  smoke  or  sign  of  remaining 
fire  save  in  the  great  burning  coal  heaps  along  the  river,  or  where 
mountains  of  smouldering  grain  were  all  that  remained  of  the  di- 
stroyed  elevators.  The  fierceness  uf  the  flame  had  burned  up 
everything  combustible,  and  swept  away  the  ashes  as  fast  as  con 
sumed.  The  piles  of  crumbled  masonry,  hundreds  of  acres  in 
extent,  were  even  free  from  smoke  stains.  The  streets  were  free 
enough  to  allow  me  to  drive  unimpeded.  The  Court-House  is  the 
most  imposing  ruin.  Generally  the  larger  structures  are  flat 
with  the  ground.  The  Sherman  House  debris  are  shapeless — 
almost  level.  So  is  all  that  remains  of  Field  &  Leiter's  white 
marble  store.  The  Pacific  Hotel  walls  are  one-third  down,  the 
interior  totally  bnrned  out.  The  following  costly  buildings  were 
designed  to  be  fire-proof: — The  Republic  Life  Insurance  Com- 
pany's building,  Nixon's  adjoining"  unfinished  building,  First 
National  Bank,  the  Safe  Depository,  the  Tribune  building. 
Only  Nixon's  remains,  it  having  been  exposed  to  far  less  heat 
than  the  others.  The  rest  are  ruined.  The  late  busy  corners 
are  almost  undistinguishable,  and  old  citizens  contest  the  point  as 
to  whether  this  is  Lake  or  Randolph,  that  Clark  or  Dearborn, 
until  some  familiar  recovered  landmark  decides  it.  The  only 
route  to  the  North  Division  is  across  Lake  street  to  the  West 
Side,  where  we  cross  the  North  Branch  at  Indiana  street,  and 
drive  northward  three  miles.  We  ride  the  whole  distance  on 
the  raised  grade  of  the  Nicolson  pavement,  across  a  bare,  treeless, 
vacant  plain,  and  as  we  near  Wright's  G-rove,  we  look  southward 
and  see  from  where  we  stand  in  our  vehicle,  the  first  and  nearest 
unharmed  structure,  the  Wabash  avenue  Methodist  church  at 
Hai-rison  street,  nearly  four  miles  away.     The  elegant  frame  villa 


m   CHICAGO   AND    THE   WEST.  209 

of  Malilou  D.  Ogden,  iu  its  wooden  enclosure  of  an  entire  square, 
its  graperies  and  wooden  out-houses,  is  alone  unharmed,  an  oasis 
in  a  wide  desert.  From  the  burned  tract  of  nearly  two  huiich-ed 
squares,  every  trace  of  combustion  and  combustible  has  dis- 
appeared. Even  the  turf  burned  up  and  its  ashes  blew  away, 
leaving  the  naked  soil. 

The  city  will  be  rebuilt  better  than  before.  It  will  be  a  hand- 
somer and  a  safer  city  than  it  could  ever  have  been  without  this 
fire,  but  its  purchase  money  strikes  at  the  money  centres  of  tlie 
world.  Eecuperation  has  already  commenced,  but  it  began  in 
Chicago  on  Tuesday,  in  a  city  from  which  every  public  building, 
evei-y  ncM-spaper,  every  power-press,  all  leading  hotels,  all  but 
one  wholesale  store,  eighteen  churches,  two  great  railway  depot 
structures,  six  of  its  bridges,  six  large  elevators,  fifty  vessels,  and 
sixteen  thousand  dwellings  had  disappeared  totally. 

Using  again  the  pen  of  the  correspondent  of  the  I^ew  York 
Tribune^  we  show  what  was  transpiring  by  day,  and  how  the  scene 
appeared  by  night,  as  the  time  passed  on.  He  is  writing  October 
Mth: — The  town  is  beginning  to  fill  with  aesthetic  sight-seers. 
The  artists  of  the  illustrated  papers  are  seated  at  every  coign  of 
vantage,  sketching  for  dear  life  against  the  closing  of  the  mail. 
Photographers,  alarmed  by  the  prospect  of  speedy  reconstruction, 
are  training  their  cameras  upon  every  unprotected  point  of  pic- 
turesque ruin.  They  are  sure  of  a  ready  sale  of  all  the  shadows 
they  seize  in  these  days.  There  has  rarely  been  ofi'ered  to  the 
pitying  admiration  of  men  a  collection  of  pictures  of  more  poig- 
nant beauty.  If  one  could  divest  himself  of  all  feelings  of  sym- 
pathy and  pain  he  could  gain  from  these  smoking  squares  the 
finest  intellectual  enjoyment.  Monotonous  as  the  gray  stretch  of 
desolation  appears  at  first,  the  longer  you  look  and  linger  the 
more  this  uniformity  of  character  and  color  breaks  up  and  reveals 
to  you  an  infinite  study  of  lines  and  forms.  Of  course,  these  ruins 
lack  the  consecration  which  has  come  with  the  couree  of  ages  to 


210  HISTOKT    OF   THE   GEE  AT   FIKEB 

the  splintered  monoliths  of  Thebes  and  the  gnawed  plintks  of 
Paestum.  But  is  there  not  an  equal  if  not  greater  human  interest 
in  Burvejing  these  brand-new  shards  of  a  great  city,  and  reflecting 
that  the  builders  do  not  hide  from  our  sympathies  in  the  mists 
of  immemorial  time,  but  to-day  live  and  breathe,  think  the  same 
thoughts  which  found  expression  in  these  broken  walls  and  melted 
columns,  eat  and  drink  and  love  and  grieve  and  hope,  and  go  on 
with  work  kindred  to  that  which  now  has  suddenly  taken  its 
place  in  the  Past  ?  Every  one  who  has  looked  upon  ruins  has 
felt  the  keen,  imperious  desire  to  know  what  manner  of  men  it 
was  that  built  them  and  looked  upon  them  when  they  were  fresh 
in  the  sunshine  of  those  older  days.  Half  the  joy  and  half  the 
pain  of  travel  is  in  this  vain  imagining.  But  here  you  look  at 
these  imposing  wrecks,  still  Titanic  and  most  impressive  in  a 
decay  that  already  seems  historical,  and  you  reflect  with  a  sudden 
feeling  of  surprise  that  you  know  by  heart  the  sermon  they  are 
preaching.  Tou  are  yourself  a  part  of  the  life  they  symbolize, 
of  the  civilization  which  they  express.  Tou  have  heard  the 
prayers  and  the  oaths,  the  laughter  and  the  cries,  to  the  sound  ot 
which  those  walls  went  up.  There  is  no  unknown  quantity  in  the 
problem  they  present.  There  it  is — make  of  it  what  you  will.  If 
you  come  to  nothing,  do  not  blame  time  or  history  for  the  dust 
that  is  in  your  eyes. . 

Strolling  through  the  town  in  the  day-time,  you  see  that  it  must 
}iave  been  a  heat  of  singular  intensity  that  melted  down  six  miles 
of  brick  and  mortar  so  soon  into  one  un  distinguish  able  mass.  It 
took  only  about  twelve  hours  to  virtually  finish  the  work;  all  that 
was  done  after  that,  was  the  after-wrath  of  the  flame  gleaning 
about  the  edges  of  the  field  it  had  reaped.  But  there  has  never 
been  a  fire  which  so  completely  attended  to  its  business  and 
slighted  no  part  of  its  work.  It  seems  like  a  mere  figure  of 
speech  to  speak  of  a  quarter  utterly  destroyed.  The  phrase  is 
always  used  about  great  fires,  but  usually  means  that  all  the 
houses  are  more  or  less  dauuiged.     In  this  case  it  is  literally  true. 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  2|1 

Most  of  the  houses  are  level  heaps  of  calcined  building  material. 
The  walls  of  the  Custom-House  are  still  standing ;  the  Court- 
House  wings  refuse  to  fall.  The  fire-proof  Tribune  disdains 
surrender,  though  only  a  phantom  house.  A  few  heavily 
buttressed  church  towers  wait  also  for  the  hammer  of  demo- 
lition. But  with  these  exceptions,  the  central  region  of  Chi- 
cago has  ceased  to  exist.  You  can  look  through  it  to  the  far- 
off  waste  of  the  E'orth  Division.  In  many  places  the  solid  granite 
has  cracked  and  peeled  in  great  flakes,  like  stucco  in  the  frost. 
The  iron  castings  are  partly  melted  and  partly  twisted  into  forms 
of  startling  grotesqueness.  I  have  seen  fluted  columns,  bell  wires, 
gas  and  water  pipes,  wreathed  and  twisted  among  the  smoulder- 
ing ashes  of  a  cellar  like  a  coil  of  snakes  of  assorted  sizes.  Even 
the  pretty  gratings  of  the  Safe  Deposit  Company,  the  best  pre- 
served of  all,  are  fearfully  warped  and  bent,  like  a  character 
which  has  resisted  temptation  with  a  woful  loss  of  temper. 

These  details  we  have  been  permitted  to  see  for  some  days  ;  for 
although  the  proprietors  are  eager  to  begin  their  work  of  recon- 
struction, the  lack  of  water  has  thus  far  made  it  impossible  to 
quench  the  smouldering  flames.  So  that  the  light  shimmer  of  the 
brooding  heat  hangs  all  day  above  the  rubbish,  and  the  air  is  full 
of  the  pungent  odor  of  coals.  When  night  comes  a  strange  and 
beautiful  transformation  is  wrought  in  the  scene.  Every  evening 
since  I  have  been  here  I  have  watched  with  increasing  interest 
this  marvellous  and  fascinating  change.  As  the  sun  goes  down 
in  the  prairie,  and  the  night  wind  comes  in  from  the  Lake,  this 
sleeping  fire  rouses  and  stirs  in  its  slumber  like  a  woman  who 
shakes  off  the  day's  decorum,  and  flushes  at  the  coming  of  her 
lover.  The  vast  ignited  coal-beds  on  the  shore  of  the  river  throw 
red  greetings  to  each  other  through  the  gathering  shadows.  The 
darkness  slowly  veils  the  lines  of  shattered  walls,  and  one 
by  one  through  the  gloom  twinkle  out  the  delicate  blue 
flames  that  spring  from  the  anthracite  coal-boxes  of  the  burned 
mansions.     They  are  so  blue,  and  fine,  atid*fragile,  that  they  seem 


Ot2  HISTORT    OF    THE    GREAT    FIRES 

lilce  forget-me-nots  gemming  the  dusk}'-  field.  They  are  very  per- 
sistent though.  They  have  been  pouring  tuns  of  water  through 
the  sidewalk  upon  one  small  deposit  in  front  of  Gov,  Bross's  resi 
dence,  and  yet  at  night  it  blooms  as  bluely  and  vigorously  as  if  t 
were  refi-eshed  by  the  watering. 

As  the  darkness  deepens,  the  show  increases  in  brilliancy, 
until,  by  a  most  lovely  effect  of  reflection,  the  blaze  from  the 
unquenched  fires  strikes  the  clouds  of  smoke  that  hang  over  the 
city,  and  turns  them  a  brilliant  rose.  The  pillar  of  cloud  be- 
comes a  pillar  of  fire,  and  all  at  once  the  dead  lustre  of  tliis 
reflected  light  falls  back  upon  the  ruins  and  brings  them  out  into 
pale  and  singular  distinctness.  It  is  not  possible  td  imagine 
anything  more  terribly  beautiful  than  this  wild  commerce  of  the 
fire  and  the  darkness.  From  ray  window  I  see  the  whole  sweep  of 
the  vast  illumination.  On  the  left  a  coal  heap  stretches  beyond 
the  river  like  a  shore  of  fire  ;  a  boat  on  this  side  is  blackly  painted 
athwart  the  blaze.  The  sky  is  flushed  with  the  flame  and  mot- 
tled with  driving  clouds,  and  against  it  loom  the  ragged  and  torn 
walls  of  the  Pacific  Hotel,  the  sturdy  arch  of  tlie  First  Presby- 
terian Church,  and  further  to  the  right  the  broken  outlines  of  the 
Court-IIouse,  far  more  reverend  and  graceful  than  ever  in  their 
forlorn  incompleteness.  All  along  the  red  horizon  the  coal  heaps 
blaze  and  the  sky  is  on  fire,  and  the  sharp  angles  of  broken  walls 
and  tlic  slim  stems  of  black  chimneys  like  minarets  are  drawn 
Bharply  on  the  crimson  background.  I  do  not  know  if  it  could 
be  within  the  reach  of  painting  to  give  any  hint  of  the  unuttera- 
ble magic  of  this  spectacle.  No  sunset  was  ever  so  rosy  as  that 
Bmoky  sky,  ISTo  frost-castle  built  on  a  window-pane  out  of  a 
child's  breath  was  ever  more  delicate  than  those  fantastic  ruins, 
flung  like  tattered  lace  against  the  drifting  clouds.  On  the  ex- 
treme right,  just  within  the  yellow  blaze  of  the  light  that  guards 
the  breakwater,  the  great  Central  Elevator  towers  above  the 
shore,  shrugging  its  vast  shoulders  over  the  desolation,  contem- 


BURNING  OP  THE  CI 


r  OPERA-HOUSE. 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  215 

plating  its  mirrored  bulk  by  the  flickering  blaze  of  its  fallen 
companion.  After  all  this  revel  of  form  and  color  it  is  a  relief 
to  look  to  the  east,  where  Lake  Michigan  lies  in  his  night-dress 
of  mist,  and  whispers  as  peacefully  to  the  sandy  beach  as  he 
did  in  the  days  before  Columbus,  and  as  he  will  in  the  days  after 
Jonathan. 

The  crowning  evil  of  all  times  of  tumult  and  disaster  is  sus- 
picion. We  cannot  burn  witches  now,  nor  tear  out  the  tongues 
of  Jews  for  imaginary  crimes.  But  we  can  shoot  old  women  for 
pumping  petroleum  if  we  are  Parisians,  and  we  can  resurrect 
them  in  back  alleys  if  we  live  in  Chicago.  That  famous  South- 
western verdict,  which  attributed  a  suicide  to  "  accidence,  inci- 
dence, and  the  acts  of  the  incenduary,"  seems  to  have  possessed 
the  Chicago  fancy  ;  and  though  they  do  not  positively  hang  or 
shoot  their  petroleum  population,  they  say  they  do  in  their  news- 
papers, and  occasionally  seize  a  shivering  vagabond  whom  they 
find  skulking  on  the  sunny  side  of  a  barn,  and  drag  him 
before  General  Sheridan  for  trial.  Luckily  this  sagacious  sol- 
dier has  a  cool  head  and  an  honest  judgment,  and  insists 
on  better  evidence  than  poverty  and  dirt  to  hang  a  man,  and  the 
consequence  is  that  not  one  case  of  incendiarism  has  been  shown 
at  headquarters.  There  have  been  two  or  three  fires  in  regard 
to  which  the  cry  of  incendiarism  was  promptly  raised,  but 
investigation  at  once  made  evident  their  accidental  character. 
This  general  suspicion,  however,  has  resulted  in  the  establishment 
of  an  institution  which  is  altogether  laudable  as  long  as  the  em- 
bers of  the  conflagration  remain  alive.  A  patrol  of  citizens  has 
been  formed  in  every  block,  and  they  all  do  sentry  duty  at  stated 
hours.  Every  man  out  at  night  without  cause  finds  it  a  little  in- 
convenient to  give  repeated  accounts  of  himself,  and  this  of  itself 
is  promotive  of  tlie  domestic  virtues.  The  rule  is  certainly  ad- 
mirable in  its  application  to  that  portion  of  the  twilight  popula- 
tion which  always  comes  to  the  surface  at  such  hours.  In  the 
13 


216  HISTORY   OF   THE   GEKAT   FIEES 

day-time  you  may  see  them  sloucbing  about  Wabasli  avenue, 
where  their  rascal  faces  and  hang-dog  air  are  never  seen  in  ordi- 
nary times.  It  would  certainly  not  be  prudent  to  give  the  city 
up  to  them,  and  so  at  night  they  are  kept  in  their  own  haunts. 
It  is  astonishing  to  see  how  simple  and  provincial  Chicago  has 
become.  Standing  sentry  is  positively  the  only  recreation  of  men 
of  the  world.  There  are  no  clubs,  no  restaurants,  no  theatres,  no 
libraries.  There  is  no  need  of  going  out — if  you  go,  a  wall  falls 
on  you  by  way  of  warning.  A  little  while  ago,  as  I  sat  here 
writing,  I  heard  a  loud  crash,  and  looking  out,  I  saw  that  the  high 
wall  of  Mr.  Scammon's  house  bad  fallen.  A  furious  gale  was 
blowing  from  the  south  and  roaring  among  the  ruins.  As  I 
looked  another  wall  came  sprawling  over  the  sidewalk.  As  the 
white  dust  rose  and  fled  away  with  the  wind,  I  heard  a  pitiful 
cry,  "  Help  over  dere  I  A  man's  got  his  leg  broke,"  A  dozen  per- 
sons ran  from  the  hotel  and  brought  in  a  poor  German  who  was 
watching  the  building,  and  had  imprudently  taken  shelter  from 
the  wind  under  the  wall.  After  he  was  safely  bestow^ed  I  stood 
for  a  moment  at  the  window  looking  westward  at  the  fine  arch  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  clearly  and  richly  defined  against  the 
red  glow  of  the  sky.  Full  in  my  sight  it  tottered,  parted  with  a 
dull  report,  and  tumbled  forward  into  the  street.  The  gale  in- 
creased in  violence ;  the  pale,  shadowless  light  faded  from  the 
city  as  the  wind  drove  away  the  illuminated  clouds.  The  black- 
ness of  night,  which  had  been  hanging  in  the  eastern  horizon, 
swept  in  over  the  Lake  to  the  town.  The  whistling  wind  was 
thick  with  lime-dust  and  sparks  of  fire.  The  blue  flames  of  the 
anthracite  burned  more  gayly,  looking  now  like  the  witch  watch- 
fires  on  some  unusually  tempestuous  Walpurgis-night.  A  gentle- 
man with  a  white  cravat  and  a  black  face  knocks,  and  requests, 
with  the  compliments  of  the  authorities,  that  lights  may  be  put 
out  and  windows  closed.  And  so  to  bed,  with  a  gale  lashing  the 
calm  Lake  into  discontent,  and  the  intermittent  rattle  of  falling 


EST   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  217 

ruins,  reminding  one  of  an  artillery  battle  between  two  absent 
minded  armies. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


In  the  Sacred  Yolmne,  the  same  incidents,  scenes,  and  narra- 
tives are  repeated  nnder  various  forms,  in  order  to  give  all  shades 
of  the  important  truths  recorded,  and  impress  all  minds  accord- 
ing to  their  different  constitutions  and  conditions.  It  is  necessary 
to  read  many  histories  in  order  to  obtain  just  and  adequate  views 
of  the  course  of  events.  One  corrects  another,  or  supplies  what 
seems  deficient  in  his  story  or  estimate  of  things  and  men.  In  the 
accounts  of  some  writers,  the  gas-works  on  the  South  Side  ex- 
ploded with  noise  and  fury.  Whereas  the  facts  are  these  :  When 
the  fire  seriously  menaced  the  gas-works,  to  avoid  an  explosion, 
a  sixteen-inch  pipe  was  opened  and  the  whole  dischargod  into  the 
air.  The  wind  carried  it  swiftly  over  the  buildings,  and  the  in- 
cendiary sparks  set  it  afire,  and  in  five  minutes  three  squares 
were  wrapped  in  a  blaze.  Thus  everything  conspired  to  give 
impetus  to  the  work  of  destruction  from  first  to  last.  All  things 
seemed  leagued  in  a  fell  conspiracy,  and  the  efforts  of  man  were 
almost  powerless  against  the  combined  forces  of  nature,  which 
wrought  so  eagerly  together. 

The  New  York  Indejpendent  said  "  the  great  fire  at  Chicago 
need  not  have  occurred  if  the  firemen  had  been  sober :  "  a  state- 
ment either  grossly  unjust  or  frightfully  significant.  In  order  to 
do  justice  to  the  Department,  we  must  let  them  be  heard,  and 
the  verdict,  based  upon  such  evidence,  will  be  more  likely  to  ac- 
cord with  truth.  Like  the  human  face  in  its  infinite  variety  of 
form  and  expression,  every  individual  experience  has  some  char- 
acteristic peculiarities.     A  gentleman  telling  his  story,  said  to  the 


218  mSTOEY   OF   THE   GKSAT   FIRES 

writer  :  Mj  house  was  as  far  from  the  fire,  when  I  got  home,  aa 
yonder  brick  building,  a  block  away,  one-twelfth  of  a  mile,  and 
yet  I  could  not  stand  in  the  doorway,  such  was  the  violence  of 
the  heat  at  that  distance.  In  speaking  of  his  light,  insurance, 
he  explained  it,  by  observing  that  he  did  not  consider  his  stock 
combustible,  viz.,  marble  for  tombstones,  mantels,  and  buildings; 
yet  scarcely  a  whole  piece  survived  the  fierce  heat,  and  his  ware- 
house stood  on  the  edge  of  the  north  side  at  the  river  bank. 

A  lovely  Christian  woman,  who  was  in  the  heart  of  the  burn- 
ing fiery  furnace,  evidently  realized  the  situation,  at  least  in 
spirit,  of  the  three  worthies  in  Nebuchadnezzar's  seven  times  hot 
'oven,  who  had  the  form  of  the  fourth  with  them,  and  so  perished 
not,  but  triumphed  through  His  grace.  In  describing  her 
feelings  as  she  fled,  she  said,  she  turned  from  flight  and  looked 
back  upon  the  vast  column  of  fire  that  swept  adown  the  street 
burying  all  in  destruction,  and  she  thought  of  Paul's  words 
— "as  having  nothing,  yet  possessing  all  things,"  and  she  seemed 
to  herself,  though  stripped  of  everything  and  destitute  at  mid- 
Qight,  to  be  rich,  because  God  was  hers.  My  Father  is  bet- 
ter than  His  gifts,  and  He  is  still  mine,  blessed  be  His  name! 
Her  grief,  though  real,  found  its  sanctifying  grace,  and  out  of  all 
that  burning  she  comes,  as  gold  refined,  shining  and  pure  as  a 
saint  of  God. 

Many  such  true  hearts  were  strengthened  in  their  attachment 
to  God.  As  a  godly  deacon  said,  I  have  my  papers  and  my 
children— I  am  tiiankful.  To  him  there  was  no  such  thing  as 
despondency  or  gloom,  for  his  treasures  were  laid  up  above 
the  reach  of  the  flames,  and  his  hope  did  not  consist  in  earthly 
prosperity,  but  in  the  mercy  of  Jesus  Christ. 

In  sad  contrast  was  the  first  utterance  of  a  liberal  minister  as 
he  opened  his  sermon  among  the  ruins  of  his  church  edifice :  I 
have  nothing  to  thank  God  for.  There  can  never  occur  such  a 
crisis  in  any  Christian's  career,  however  dark ;  and  adversity  is  the 


m  CHICAGO   AlTD   THE   WEST.  2J9 

blessing  most  approved  in  the  New  Testament.  Such  seemed  the 
prevalent  view  of  the  Christian  people  of  Chicago.  Mr.  Moodj, 
who  saved  from  his  library  nothing  except  his  Bible,  not  a  scrap 
nor  a  book  besides,  was  unchanged  in  the  cheerful  tone  and  tem- 
per which  characterize  his  buoyant,  believing  heart.  Said  he,  I 
asked  myself,  what  shall  1  take?  and  I  grabbed  my  Bible  and 
ran  out  of  my  house. 

Many  men  had  their  hair-breadth  'scapes  and  peculiar  perils 
to  encounter,  either  in  rescuing  their  property,  families,  or  neigh- 
bors. ** 

Mr.  George  J.  Kead  got  together  the  firm's  books  and  papers 
and  put  them  in  a  bag  to  remove  them  to  his  own  residence  on 
the  West  Side,  and  oftered  men  large  sums  to  convey  him  and  liis 
valuables  across  the  bridge.  Finding  time  short  and  no  one  wil- 
ling to  aid  him,  he  boldly  proceeded  to  drag  his  load  from  the 
alley  between  Lake  and  Water  streets ;  and,  the  fire  drawing 
near,  he  chose  Water  street,  and  was  making  what  haste  he  could, 
when  a  large  mass  of  felt  roofing  came  whirling  down  all  al)laze 
and  struck  him  fairly  upon  the  chest.  Quicker  than  thought  he 
turned,  so  as  to  give  the  wind  a  chance  to  catch  the  burning 
mass,  and  send  it  flying  away  over  the  tops  of  the  buildings 
across  the  street.  By  this  sudden  detaching  of  the  incendiary 
felting  from  his  person,  he  has  no  doubt  he  saved  his  life,  as,  in 
that  hurricane,  he  would  have  been  set  on  fire  in  an  instant 
and  perished  there.  He  pursued  his  way  amidst  showers  of 
fire  and  secured  his  precious  treasure  and  reached  his  home 
in  safety. 

Mr.  J.  W.  Goodspeed,  the  publisher,  found  himself  encom- 
passed with  flames,  in  trying  to  get  away  from  the  store  with  his 
papers,  which  he  fortunately  took  from  the  M'orthless  safe,  and, 
making  a  rush  to  break  through,  he  was  compelled  to  retire. 
Placing  a  handkerchief  over  his  head  and  face,  and  measuring 
his  distance,  he  leaped  forward  and  reached  a  place  of  safety. 


220  HISTOEY   OF   THE   GKEAT  FIRES 

He  tells  how  the  wind  poured  the  sparks  down  into  the  streets 
and  narrow  passages  by  which  he  and  his  father  sought  to  make 
their  way  homeward  from  Lake  near  La  Salle  street,  and  whirled 
his  chromos  out  of  his  arms  through  the  air,  almost  prostrating 
them.  They  found  an  old  cart  back  of  their  building,  and  loaded 
it  with  what  few  articles  they  could  snatch  from  the  clutches 
of  the  fire,  and  drew  it  some  two  miles  in  the  night  amidst  the 
thronged  avenues. 

Mrs.  Hobson,  the  milliner,  carefully  placed  in  a  wagon  her 
choicest  goods,  as  many  as  she  could  collect  at  such  a  time,  and, 
putting  herself  in  the  thills,  drew  her  load  down  toward  the  Lake, 
where  she  hoped  for  safety.  Stopping  a  moment  to  rest,  she 
turned  to  her  load — and  it  was  gone;  all  had  been  stolen  on  the 
way,  after  her  endeavor  to  save  them.  The  powers  of  darkness 
seemed  to  be  let  loose  to  prey  upon  the  people  and  turn  human 
creatures  into  fiends.  • 

A  gentleman,  who  succeeded  in  getting  a  new  carpet  out 
of  his  dwelling,  and  removing  it  to  a  basement  where  he  and 
his  family  took  refuge,  looked  in  vain  for  it  the  next  morn- 
ing. It  was  stolen.  There  was  no  mercy  in  the  hearts  of  these 
plunderers. 

A  good  deacon,  trying  to  carry  away  his  goods  in  wagons,  saw 
a  woman  take  up  a  valuable  package  and  start  ofi^  with  her 
plunder,  when  he  called  to  her  and  she  laid  it  down.  A  moment 
after  she  repeated  her  attempt,  and  he  laid  hands  on  her.  Again 
she  took  advantage  of  bis  momentary  absence,  to  steal,  and  he, 
finding  her  obstinate,  deliberately  smote  her  with  his  fist,  and 
she  fell  to  the  earth.  This  put  an  end  to  her  depredations,  and 
the  church  militant  became  the  church  triumphant. 

A  portion  of  the  North  Division  was  saved  by  Mr.  Davis,  who 
early  saw  that  all  was  gone  in  the  business  portion  of  the  town ; 
and  returned  home  to  protect  what  little  remained,  his  house,  the 
shelter  of  his  family.     Procuring  help,  he  dug  three  wells,  and 


m  CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  221 

obtained  water  enough  to  wet  the  roof  of  his  house  and  to  keep 
carpets  and  blankets  wet,  by  which  all  incipient  fires  from  sparkg 
were  put  out  at  once.  He  took  a  pail  of  water  and  a  shovel  and 
stationed  himself  where  he  could  prevent  the  sidewalk  and  fence 
from  burning.  Being  far  out,  the  fire  came  to  him  late  in  the 
day.  As  flames  would  creep  along  the  walk,  he  used  sand  and 
quenched  them.  Often  tlie  heat  was  so  intense  that  he  was 
obliged  to  wet  his  handkerchief  from  the  pail,  and  breathe 
through  that.  He  felt  several  times  as  if  he  must  abandon  his 
post,  and  allow  his  home  to  go  down  with  the  rest ;  but  renew- 
ing his  courage  and  moistening  his  face  and  hands,  he  continued 
to  fight  the  fire  till  darkness  set  in  on  Monday  night.  While  he 
still  struggled  with  the  devouring  element,  he  felt  a  drop  of  rain 
fall  on  his  cheek,  the  forerunner  of  the  shower,  and  his  grateful 
heart  poured  forth  a  shower  of  tears  from  his  eyes.  He  could 
then  retire  and  sleep  with  a  sense  of  repose,  and  a  consciousness 
that  God  had  appeared  for  his  deliverance. 

Mr.  Kimball,  of  the  Michigan  Central  Railroad,  was  driven  from 
his  house  towards  morning,  and  fled  to  the  beach,  leaving  choice 
mementos  and  collections.  Many  years  ago,  probably  twenty- 
two,  he  was  in  India,  and  procured  for  a  favorite  aunt,  who  liked 
good  coffee,  a  parcel  of  peculiar  excellence.  On  a  recent  visit 
she  gave  him  two  pounds  or  more  of  this  package  of  coffee,  and 
he  had  determined  that  they  would  use  it  only  on  Sundiy  morn- 
ings for  a  luxury,  as  coffee  like  wine  improves  with  age.  That 
was  burned  too  brown — probably  scorched  and  spoiled.  The 
birds  were  let  out  of  their  cages,  and  the  books  left  to  consume, 
and  they  seized  what  few  things  they  could  carry  in  bundles,  and 
ran  for  dear  life  to  the  edge  of  the  Lake.  Here  they  stayed  in  a 
prison  of  fire  and  water,  alternately  wetting  their  faces  and  their 
handkerchiefs,  through  which  alone  they  could  breathe  at  times, 
and  putting  out  fires  that  caught  in  their  bundles  from  flying 
sparks.     Seeino;  no  other  hope  of  rescue,  Mr.  K.  and  his  wife 


222  HISTORY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

made  their  way  to  the  river,  and  stepped  aboard  the  Alpena, 
whicli  was  in  tow  of  another  propeller,  and  rode  out  into  the 
Lake  three  miles,  where  the  boats  anchored.  There  were  sixty 
persons  on  board,  and  not  a  mouthful  of  food.  The  Lake  was 
very  rough,  and,  as  a  matter  ul  course,  it  set  them  all  cascading 
violently ;  from  which  condition  they  did  not  recover  till  an  engi- 
neer came  aboard  and  got  up  steam,  and  they  were  transferred 
to  a  large  propeller  that  lay  in  the  basin  inside  the  dock  by  the 
light-house.  Here  they  were  generously  provided  with  supper, 
at  11  o'clock  at  night,  and  tasted  food  for  the  first  time  since  three 
the  day  before.  They  could  not  determine  during  that  day,  while 
they  were  riding  at  anchor,  whether  the  whole  city  was  burnt  or 
not.  They  did  see  Terrace  row  on  Michigan  avenue  in  its  confla- 
gration, but  the  smoke  was  too  dense  and  blinding  over  the  water 
to  allow  any  true  knowledge  of  the  extent  of  the  destruction. 
Hundreds,  and  perhaps  thousands,  were  similarly  tortured  by 
anxiety  and  doubt,  until  Tuesday  morning,  or  late  Monday 
evening. 

A  North-sider,  worth  a  quarter  of  a  million  at  the  time  of  the 
fire,  was  glad  to  accept  two  pairs  of  blankets,  as  he  said,  "  to  keep 
the  family  warm."  He  had  seven  dollars  in  his  pocket  Saturday 
night,  and  spent  two  of  that  amount  to  pay  a  man  for  setting  an 
article  of  furniture  into  the  street,  which  was  afterwards  burned. 
His  wife's  and  daughter's  clothing  on  their  wagon  took  fire  and 
had  to  be  abandoned.  The  latter  became  a  mother  that  night  in 
the  basement  to  which  they  fled.  His  work-people  clamored  for 
their  week's  wagDS,  cr  wi-hed  his  assistance,  ac  rhcy  were  penn'iess. 
His  safe  was  entirely  lost.  There  was  no  bank  open,  and  he  was 
in  straits  such  as  press  the  life  out  of  a  proud  man.  How  they 
su'wiv^d  t^'U  b"^  co'ild  «end  into  the  countrv  and  make  collections, 
and  what  they  suffered,  it  were  hard  to  tell. 

A  mother  got  separated  from  her  two  boys,  and  such  agony  as 
she  experienced  only  mothers  can  realize.     Through  the  bulletin 


m    CHICAGO    AJ5TD   THE   WEST.  223 

in  the  church  where  the  bureau  of  missing  and  found  ones  was 
kept,  she  learned  that  her  jewels  were  safe  in  the  little  town  of 
Austin,  a  few  miles  distant.  Some  farmer  had  picked  them  up, 
given  them  shelter,  and  reported  them  for  the  benefit  of  their 
mother  if  she  were  alive. 

Mr.  Holden  reports,  that  when  the  throng  was  greatest  about 
the  First  Congregational  Church  he  saw  a  woman  at  a  window 
beckoning  earnestly  to  be  admitted.  Something  in  her  appear- 
ance arrested  him  strongly,  and  he  sent  a  policeman  to  bring  her 
in  through  the  crowd.  In  an  hour  from  that  time,  perhaps,  she 
stood  by  his  side  and  explained  that  her  husband,  a  German,  was 
badly  cut  from  his  shoulder  down  to  his  waist,  and  had  no  at- 
tention. While  she  was  telling  her  pitiful  story,  the  poor  woman 
fainted  and  fell  to  the  floor,  and  was  removed  and  cared  for. 

Some  of  the  scenes  that  transpired  about  and  in  the  tire  were 
disgraceful  beyond  measure.  The  saloons  were,  many  of  them, 
thrown  open,  and  men  exhorted  to  free  drinking  needed  but  one 
invitation.  Hundreds  were  soon  dead  drunk,  or  fighting  and 
screaming;  many  thus  fell  victims  to' the  flames,  and  some  were 
dragged  away  by  main  force  and  rescued  from  roasting.  Even 
respectable  men,  seeing  that  all  was  lost,  sought  to  drown  their 
misery  by  intoxication. 

"Would  that  more  had  been  able  to  answer  according  to  the 
hero  of  the  following  Chicago  dialogue  : — 

"  Well,  Jim,  are  you  burnt  out  ?"  Jim  :  "  Not  I ;  I  don't  drink." 

We  have  too  many  whose  very  manhood  is  consumed  by  the 
*'•  hot  damnation,"  and  stand  like  some  of  oui  blacicencd  ruins,  a 
mockery  of  poor  humanity.  Di  Goodwin  tells  us  how  the 
streets  were  here  and  there  choked  with  the  whiskey  barrels  rolled 
out  of  their  hiding-places,  and  how  they  fairly  ran,  and  were 
flooded  with  the  infernal  stufi:  Why,  there  were  quarters  where, 
because  of  burst  barrels  and  broken  demijohns,  the  very  air  was 
drunk  a  square  away.     I  remember  down  on  YanBuren  street,  in 


224  msTOET  OF  the  great  fires 

one  of  the  early  hours  of  the  fire,  that  while  two  or  three  of  us 
were  trying  to  help  a  poor  widow  save  her  little  handful  of  stuff, 
we  ran  against  a  saloon-keeper  hammering  away  furiously  to 
tighten  the  hoops  on  a  cask  that  had  sprung  a  leak,  and  calling 
vigorously  on  tlie  bystanders  to  help  save  his  treasures  ;  whereup- 
on one  of  our  Sunday-school  boys  mounted  on  a  pile  of  barrels, 
and  with  a  sly  nod  to  me,  set  the  spigot  of  a  cider  brandy-cask 
running ;  and  I  did  not  turn  the  spigot  back,  nor  scold  the  boy ! 

But  worse  than  this  were  the  instances  of  theft  and  cold- 
blooded avarice  which  occurred  and  have  come  to  light.  One 
person  was  trying  to  remove  valuable  papers  from  an  ofiice  and 
asked  two  firemen  to  help  him,  but  they  refused  unless  he  paid 
them  $50 ;  the  papers  were  destroyed.  Drivers  of  express  wagons 
have  taken  $100  and  even  $500  for  an  hour's  use  of  their  vehicles, 
in  getting  distressed  people  away  from  danger. 

A  book-keeper,  engaged  in  conveying  away  the  firm's  records, 
fell  fainting  in  the  alley  behind  the  store,  overcome  by  exertion 
and  suffocated  by  the  smoke  and  dust.  The  shock  restored  him 
to  consciousness,  and  upon  attempting  to  rise  he  found  himself 
unable  to  stand.  Just  then  a  man  was  passing,  and  he  hailed 
him  with  a  request  for  help.  The  wretch  offered  to  assist  for  a 
hundred  dollars.  The  fallen  man  said,  ''I  have  but  ten,  and  I 
will  give  you  that."  For  this  amount  he  gave  his  arm  to  the 
poor  sufferer,  and  saved  his  life.  A  girl  carried  her  sewing-ma- 
chine to  four  different  points,  and  was  forced  from  each  by  the 
advancing  fiend.  At  last  an  expressman  seized  her  treasure, 
and  in  spite  of  all  her  efforts  drove  away  with  it.  Said  the  im- 
poverished girl,  "Do  you  wonder  Chicago  burned?"  In  front 
of  a  wholesale  house  the  sidewalk  was  bloody  from  the  punish- 
ment inflicted  by  the  police  upon  sneak-thieves.  Trunks  were 
rifled  after  their  owners  had  placed  them  out  of  reach  of  fire. 
They  were  broken  open  by  dozens  on  the  Lake  shore,  and  the 
empty  trunks  tossed  into  the  water.     Pieces  of  broadcLth  were 


IN   CinCAGO    AJSfD    THE   WEST.  225 

torn  into  strips  three  yards  long  and  distributed  among  a  party 
who  said,  "  These  will  make  us  each  a  good  suit."  Persons  who 
saw  and  heard  these  things  were  powerless,  and  the  confusion  was 
so  terrible  that  no  one  could  look  out  for  any  one  but  himself,  or 
interfere  for  the  protection  of  others'  property.  It  was  a  time 
when  the  worst  forces  of  society  were  jubilant,  and  all  the  villains 
had  free  course.  The  Court-House  jail  had  one  hundred  and  sixty 
prisoners,  and  these  were  let  loose  to  prey  upon  the  people  in  the 
time  of  their  helplessness  and  extremity.  Such  an  event  was  a 
public  calamity  ;  but  humanity  would  not  permit  the  poor  wretch- 
es to  perish  there,  and  no  means  were  at  hand  to  convey  them  to 
any  other  place  of  confinement. 

One  of  our  city  papers  tlius  deals  with  the  oil-stone  story : 

The  New  York  Journal  of  Commerce  has  swallowed  the  oil 
stone  story  ;  and  assuming  it  as  a  tact  that  Chicago  was  built  of 
stone  heavily  charged  with  petroleum,  thus  describes  the  process 
of  destruction  : 

"  An  eye-witness  of  the  process  says  he  saw  the  flames  cross 
streets  and  lick  with  long  tongues  at  the  stone  buildings  opposite. 
The  latter,  as  they  became  intensely  heated,  emitted  jets  of  gas, 
upon  which  the  flames  would  catch  and  then  go  out  agaiji, 
repeating  the  operation  a  number  of  times,  when — presto — the 
stone  would  apparently  be  in  flames.  This  is  precisely  the 
action  of  fire  on  anthracite,  as  any  one  may  see  by  watching 
a  large  lump  of  coal  in  his  grate.  Like  coal,  these  stones  were 
reduced  to  ashes." 

That  eye-Avitness  had  a  lively  imagination.  We  repeat  that  the 
only  building  in  this  city  of  any  size  built  of.  the  supposed  oil- 
stone was  the  Second  Presbyterian  Churcli,  and  the  walls  of  that 
building  were  not  reduced  to  ashes,  but  stand  conspicuously  erect 
among  the  ruins  of  a  hundred  other  buildings  utterly  destroyed. 
The  foundation  for  this  oil-stone  theory  is  the  following  from  a 
number  of  Chambers'  Journal  : 


^26  HISTOBT    OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

"•  In  the  neighborliood  of  Chicago  there  are  enormous  deposits 
of  this  oil-bearing  limestone ;  some  of  the  houses  in  the  city  are 
built  of  it,  and  after  a  while  present  a  smeary  appearance  from 
exudation  of  the  oil.  The  least  thickness  of  the  mass  is  thirty- 
five  feet,  and  it  has  been  estimated  from  experiment  that  each 
square  mile  of  it  contains  seven  and  three-quarter  million  barrels, 
each  of  forty  gallons,  of  petroleum." 

Some  years  ago,  when  the  oil-fever  was  at  its  height,  and  men 
were  making  fortunes  in  a  week,  some  persons  conceived  the 
idea  that  the  stone  in  an  old  quarry  northwest  of  the  city  gave 
-evidence  of  oil.  If  we  mistake  not,  certain  disembodied  spirits 
encoui-aged  the  idea,  and  boring  was  begun.  The  oil-rock  was 
perforated  without  getting  a  drop  of  oil  ;  but  the  boring  went  on 
until  at  last  they  struck  a  vein  of  water  in  no  wise  tinctured  with 
petroleum. 

A  countryman  with  a  carpet-bag  appeared  the  second  week 
after  the  fire,  and  told  his  errand.  He  had  a  debt  of  five  hun- 
dred dollars  on  his  farm,  and  having  heard  of  the  great  liberality 
of  the  Chicago  people,  how  they  took  up  collections  of  many 
thousands  on  a  single  Sabbath  morning,  he  thought  that  they 
would  be  willing  to  pay  off  that  mortgage  for  him,  and  thiis 
enable  him  and  his  wife,  as  they  were  growing  old,  to  live  easy 
and  take  comfort  the  rest  of  their  days.  I  suggested  to  him  that 
'the  fire  had  impoverished  us.  Well,  he  said,  he  had  thought  of 
that,  and  had  made  up  his  mind,  as  he  had  some  good  apples, 
that  he  would  donate  to  every  person  who  gave  him  five  dollars, 
a  barrel  of  apples.  Thus  they  would  be  helping  him,  and  get 
something  for  themselves.  Dinner  was  ready,  and  he  sat  down 
to  a  good  meal ;  and  after  dining  he  entered  into  some  account 
of  his  experience,  and  asked  earnestly  my  opinion  of  certain 
heresies  that  were  being  promulgated  in  his  neighborhood. 
Having  run  through  all  the  subjects  he  could  think  of,  he  sug- 
gested that  he  should  have  to  stay  all  night,  and  perhaps  I  could 


IN    CHICAGO    ANT>   THE    WEST,  22^ 

keep  him,  or  send  him  to  some  of  the  benevolent  people  for  a 
night's  lodging.  I  intimated  to  him  that  every  body  was  full,  on 
account  of  the  exodus  of  so  many  tliousands  from  the  burnt  dis- 
trict to  our  quarter.  Bethinking  himself  of  another  pastor,  he 
started  off  to  try  and  interest  him,  as  I  could  give  him  little 
or  no  encouragement.  It  was  doubtful  whether  he  found  the 
doctor  in  a  mood  to  entertain  his  appeal  for  charity  at  that 
juncture.  For  charming  simplicity  and  cool  audacity  this  sur- 
passed anything  in  my  former  experience. 

How  different  the  case  of  a  noble  man  who  came  to  his  pastor 
for  comfort  and  for  nothing  more :  although  he  had  been  ruined, 
and  his  son  had  been  driven  away  to  another  city  for  employ- 
ment as  an  engraver,  and  his  wife  was  in  a  distant  city,  lie 
would  not  allow  any  appeal  for  assistance,  as  he  had  gone  to 
work,  though  not  a  carpenter,  as  a  foreman  in  re-erecting  build- 
ings on  the  desolated  grounds.  Won't  you  have  a  pair  of  boots  ? 
No  ;  I  can  buy  some.  Nothing  w^ould  he  receive.  He  had  been 
formerly  burned  out  in  Wisconsin,  and  had  many  times  aided  his 
unfortunate  neighbors  in  similar  troubles.  He  told  how  he  had, 
early  in  Chicago's  history,  refused  to  invest  his  money  in  a  block 
now  worth  half  a  million,  and  gone  away  up  into  Wisconsin,  and 
there  struggled  and  toiled,  and  finally  lost  everytliing. 

A  gentleman  relates  the  following  case  of  selfish,  brutal  mean- 
ness : — 

In  a  church  some  blocks  away,  quite  on  the  northwest  verge  of 
population,  I  found  other  examples  of  suffering.  The  first  to 
greet  me  was  a  bright  and  brave  German  fellow,  also  a  dry-goods 
clerk,  who  had  rescued  his  wife  and  five  children,  and  had  saved 
plenty  of  good  clothing  and  household  stuff  enough  for  tolerable 
comfort,  only  that  he  had  no  money  and  no  chance  of  securing  a 
house.  He  took  little  thought  for  himself,  however,  but  showed 
me  a  family  of  ten — eight  small  children— the  father  and  mother 
workers  with  the  sewing-machine.     They  had  owned  a  house  and 


228  HISTOET   OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

lot  worth  $4,000  or  $5,000,  with  a  debt  of  $700.  The  half-weekly 
pa3'ments  for.making  up  clothing  had  been  their  living.  "When 
the  fire  came,  the  two  Singer  sewing-machines  were  saved  by 
burying  them  in  the  garden  behind  the  house.  Tuesday  morning, 
on  going  to  inspect,  the  man  found  ghouls  just  ready  to  make  oS 
with  them.  One  of  these  saved  appearances  for  the  moment  by 
offering  to  carry  them  to  the  owner's  place  of  refuge,  but  on  reach- 
ing this  demanded  $10,  and  took  one  of  the  $85  machines  in  lieu 
of  payment,  I  am  happy  to  say  that  two  of  Sheridan's  bayonets 
are  after  that  fellow,  and  that  we  have  stern  law  for  these  extor- 
tions if  the  perpetrators  are  caught. 

Another,  a  sufferer,  states  his  bitter  experience,  and  adds  sev- 
eral interesting  incidents: — 

His  residence  was  situated  in  the  centre  of  the  burnt  district, 
and  at  an  early  hour  was  consumed.  One  of  the  first  places  to 
which  he  repaired  was  the  Sherman  House,  in  which  he  had 
friends.  He  found  it  on  his  arrival  still  untouched,  but  the  guests 
were  passing  out  in  all  directions. 

Among  other  incidents  he  witnessed  is  one  not  the  least  strange 
of  the  many  which  have  been  told.  A  guest  of  the  house,  on  his 
►vay  from  the  West,  had  with  him  his  invalid  wife  and  children. 
In  the  hurry  of  the  moment  they  were  overlooked,  and  as  the  fire 
was  rapidly  encroaching  on  the  building,  he  became  frantic  in  his 
efforts  to  save  his  family.  The  conveyances  around  the  hotel 
were  all  engaged,  but  by  paying  $1,000  he  managed  to  secure  an 
express  wagon  and  thus  escaped.  On  Wabash  avenue  the  owner 
of  one  of  its  marble  houses  had  his  carriage  and  colored  coachman 
drawn  up  at  his  door,  preparatory  to  conveying  his  family  to  a 
place  of  refuge.  Three  ruffians  on  the  look-out  for  plunder  ap- 
proached the  carriage,  and,  jumping  on  to  the  seat,  threw  a  sack 
over  the  head  and  shoulders  of  the  coachman  and  hauled  him  to 
the  ground.  They  rapidly  drove  away  in  the  vehicle,  leaving  its 
owner  to  shift  as  well  as  he  could  without  it. 


m   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  229 

Along  lower  Clark  and  State  streets  were  located  many  livery 
stables.  The  horses  were  taken  out  at  the  first  alarm  and  brought 
to  what  was  thought  to  be  a  place  of  safety.  Hundreds  of  them 
were  gathered  together  in  one  inclosure.  When  the  fire  ap- 
proached them  they  became  strangely  agitated,  and  their  terror 
finally  became  so  great  that  they  broke  from  their  fastenings, 
causing  a  general  stampede.  The  scene  was  a  frightful  one.  In 
their  madness  they  trampled  each  other  to  death,  and  breaking 
loose  among  the  crowds  of  fugitives,  added  not  a  little  to  the 
general  alarm. 

Going  along  Madison  street,  our  informant  was  met  by  an  ex- 
cited individual,  who  was  wildly  shouting,  "I  knew  they  would 
do  it ! — I  knew  they  would  do  it  1 " 

On  being  asked  to  explain,  he  exclaimed,  "  The  bloody  Ku- 
Klux  have  done  this,  knowing  us  to  have  been  extra  loyal.  They 
have  burned  our  city,  and  it  is  useless  for  us  to  attempt  to  escape, 
for  they  will  burn  us  up  too  !  " 

On  lower  Clark  street,  just  below  the  Court-House,  were  some 
rows  of  splendid  business  houses.  The  upper  portions  were  fitted 
up  in  furnished  rooms,  and,  sad  to  say,  were  let  to  the  less  disre- 
putable portion  of  the  demi-monde. 

Being  steeped  in  the  heavy  slumber  of  vice,  the  fire  had  reached 
the  lower  part  of  the  building  before  they  were  apprised  of  their 
awful  danger.  "When  they  were  roused  from  their  lethargy,  their 
terror  was  fearful.  Appearing  at  the  upper  windows  of  the  burn- 
ing blocks,  they  found  their  communication  almost  cut  off,  and 
their  screams  were  terrific.  The  staircases  were  still  partly 
standing,  and  after  great  difficulty  the  girls  were  rescued  from 
their  perilous  position.  One  young  girl,  an  Italian,  attracted 
the  attention  of  all  by  her  picturesque  beauty,  which  was  height- 
ened by  the  tragic  situation  in  which  she  was  placed.  Her  hair, 
wildly  flowing,  reached  almost  to  her  feet,  while  the  foreign  ex- 
pression of  her  features  and  the  tragic  pose  of  her  attitude  made 


230  HISTOET  OF  THE   GEEAT   FIEE3 

her  look  like  a  tragedy  queen.     She  was  a  striking  illustration  of 

the  line, 

Beauty  tmadomed,  adorned  the  most. 

Poor  unfortunate !  She  looked  fitter  for  a  better  life  than  the 
awful  one  she  was  pursuing.  Who  can  say  what  treatment  had 
driven  her  from  her  own  sunny  clime  to  our  colder  climate  ?  Her 
looks  were  noble  and  striking,  her  bearing  patient  and  courageous, 
and  a  feeling  of  intense  relief  was  experienced  by  the  spectators 
when  she  was  rescued  from  the  jaws  of  death. 

Immediately  before  this  incident  occurred,  a  fearful  scene  was  to 
be  witnessed  at  the  corner  of  Sherman  street,  about  half  a  block 
west  of  La  Salle,  near  the  Michigan  Southern  Eailroad  depot. 
The  street  (which  was  a  small  one)  was  entirely  occupied  by 
bagnios,  conspicuous  among  which  was  the  corner  one,  run  by  a 
courtesan  well  known  in  Chicago  as  one  of  the  worst  characters 
that  ever  disgraced  a  city.  Her  name  was  ISTelly  Grant,  other- 
wise known  as  Tipperary  Kell,  as  that  historic  county  had  the 
honor  of  giving  her  birth.  As  usual  the  inmates  on  that  fatal 
Sunday  night  were  in  a  beastly  state  of  intoxication.  The  fire 
crept  upon  them  unperceived,  and  had  it  not  been  for  a  burly 
driver,  the  bully  of  Nelly,  the  inmates  would  have  been  burned  in 
their  beds.  As  it  was  the  house  had  caught  before  any  of  them 
got  out,  and  the  screams,  curses,  and  lamentations  of  the  unfortu- 
nates were  terrible  to  hear.  ^'  Nelly  "  herself  was  insensible  from 
the  efiects  of  her  potations,  and  her  lover  had  to  carry  her  out — 
no  easy  job,  for  she  was  not  by  any  means  what  you  would  call  a 
"  light  weight."  He  succeeded,  however,  in  carrying  her  to  a 
place  of  safety,  and  the  remainder  of  the  wretches  were  rescued 
without  harm. 

Going  down  Dearborn  street  our  informant  came  to  a  gents* 
furnishing  and  jewelry  store,  which  the  fire  was  rapidly  approach 
ing.  A  crowd  had  gathered  around,  and  the  proprietor,  unable  to 
save  his  goods,  said  to  them,  "  Take  all  you  can,  boys.,  for  I  can't 


f-x 


i 


REACHED  THE  TREMONT  HOTTSK. 


IN   CinCAGO    AJSTD   THE    WEST.  233 

save  anything."  Several  took  wallets  and  filled  them  with  valu- 
ables, -but  the  police  outside  caused  them  to  be  delivered  up, 
doubtless  for  the  benefit  of  the  relief  fund.  i 

A   MUSEUM. 

At  Colonel  Wood's  Museum  great  preparations  had  been  made 
for  the  production  of  "Divorce,"  but  it  has  been  indefinitely 
shelved  till  a  new  building  is  erected.  The  drama  was  one  which 
would  have  exactly  suited  Chicago,  as  the  city  is  celebrated  for 
the  ease  and  celerity  by  which  the  marriage  tie  can  there  be  cut 
asunder. 

The  greatest  contrasts  were  presented  on  all  sides  during  the 
burning.  Brave  men  were  endeavoring  to  cheer  downcast  women 
Math  an  appearance  of  light-heartedness  which  was  far  from  real. 
Individual  instances  of  gallantry  on  the  part  of  women  were  not 
wanting,  and  our  informant  is  in  rapture  with  the  coolness  dis- 
played by  a  widow,  whose  bravery  extorted  the  admiration  of 
all  who  beheld  her.  She  had  to  cheer  the  spirits  of  some  half 
dozen  drooping  maidens  and  guide  them  to  a  place  of  safety, 
which  she  did  with  perfect  success.  She  was  none  of  your  "fair, 
fat,  and  forty  "  ones,  but  instead  a  young  and  pretty  woman,  and 
from  all  we  can  learn  she  will  not  long  live  in  widowed  blessed- 
ness, if  any  of  her  numerous  admirers  on  the  trying  Monday  can 
trace  her. 

The  most  ridiculous  scenes  ever  mingled  with  the  most  terrible 
ones,  and  the  spectacle  of  the  effects  that  were  being  carried  away 
was  in  many  instances  extremely  amusing. 

A  lady  who  kept  a  boarding-house  on  Adams  street  struggled; 

hard  to  get  her  stoves  out  at  the  risk  of  her  life,  and  frantically. 

abused  her  lodgers  for  defacing  the  walls  of  her  house  in  carrying 

out  their  trunks.     The  flames  were  only  half  a  block  away  at  the 

time,  and  before  she  had  ceased  scolding  her  house  had:  fallen 

in,  nearly  burying  her  in  the  ruins.     By  some-  the  most,  selfish, 
14 


234  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIEES 

spirit  was  displayed.  Next-door  neighbors  in  many  instances  re- 
fused each  other  the  slig-htest  assistance,  and  much  valuable  prop- 
erty was  thus  lost  that  would  otherwise  have  been  saved.  On 
the  other  hand,  many  whose  homes  escaped  the  conflagration 
acted  with  a  large-hearted  generosity,  and  freely  shared  their 
homes  with  all  the  suiferers  they  could  accommodate.  This  spirit 
was  particularly  manifested  by  those  whose  losses  had  been  great- 
est, and  too  much  praise  cannot  be  bestowed  on  conduct  so  noble. 
The  sights  to  be  witnessed  on  Tuesday  were  of  the  most  heart- 
rending description,  but  as  our  correspondents  have  already  nar- 
rated the  most  of  the  incidents  seen  by  our  informant  we  need 
not  recapitulate  them.  One  of  them  is,  however,  new.  A  mother 
who  had  lost  her  only  child  was  wandering  frantically  among  the 
ruins  in  search  of  her  darling,  and  when  she  could  discover  no 
traces  of  it  her  reason  fled,  and  she  became  a  raving  maniac.  On 
Tuesdaj^  night  the  gentleman  left  the  city  for  New  York,  and  he 
presents  a  graphic  picture  of  the  excitement  and  suspense  all 
along  the  line  of  the  railroads.  The  train  on  leaving  the  depot 
was  densely  crowded,  the  aisles  of  the  cars  were  filled  with 
passengers,  so  that  the  wheels  pounded  with  the  weight,  and  two 
powerful  engines  were  scarce  sufficient  to  carry  the  convoy  along. 
When  it  had  got  about  three  miles  from  the  city  a  cry  arose  in 
the  cars  that  the  South  Side  was  on  fire,  and  a  rush  was  made  for 
the  windows,  from  which  a  lurid  glare  could  be  perceived  in  the 
heavens  over  the  lower  part  of  Cottage  Grove  avenue. 

A   NEWSPAPER    EXPLOIT. 

The  pluckiest  thing  we  have  heard  of  in  coimection  with  the 
conflagration  is  connected  with  the  persistent  issue  of  thoj  Chicago 
Evening  Post.  That  journal,  like  the  others,  and  even  more 
completely  than  the  others,  lost  everything — building,  presses, 
type,  paper,  material,  and  even  the  books.  Two  of  the  Post 
■compositors,  driven  to  the  "West  District  by  the  fire,  found  a  little 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  235 

job-office,  about  Monday  noon,  open  and  completely  deserted,  the 
occupants  having  rushed  to  the  fire  then  raging  and  seething  like 
a  hell  across  the  city.  One  instantly  wrote  out  an  account  of  the 
fire  as  far  as  it  had  progressed,  and  the  other  put  it  in  type,  and 
they  clapped  above  it  the  old  familiar  words,  "  The  Evening 
Post^''  made  it  up  in  a  page  about  six  by  eiglit  inches,  and  exult- 
antly printed  it.     So  not  one  issue  of  that  paper  has  failed. 

It  being  announced  that  Rev.  T.  W.  Goodspeed,  of  Quincy, 
Illinois,  of  the  Yermont  Street  Church,  who  was  present  in  Chicago 
at  the  time  of  the  fire,  and  had  witnessed  many  of  its  scenes  and 
incidents,  would  give  a  narrative  thereof  at  his  church,  an  im- 
mense crowd  was  early  in  attendance,  filling  all  the  space  in  the 
building,  while  hundreds  of  others  were  unable  to  gain  admit- 
tance. Mr.  Goodspeed  took  no  text,  giving  simply  a  narrative  of 
what  he  saw.     He  commenced  by  saying: — 

It  was  my  fortune  to  be  in  Chicago  when  it  was  destroyed.  I 
do  not  propose  to  give  you  a  complete  history  of  the  conflagration. 
You  are  getting  that  from  day  to  day  through  the  newspapers. 
Many  have  said  to  me,  "  Tell  ns  all  you  saw\"  This  great  calamity 
is  in  all  hearts.  We  are  not  prepared  to  speak  of  or  listen  to 
anything  else ;  and  I  have  thought  there  was  a  sufficient  reason 
for  giving  up  this  service  to  telling  my  congregation  what  I  saw 
of  this  unparalleled  conflagration.  Sympathizing  with  this 
feeling,  Mr.  Priest  has  given  up  his  service  to  be  witli  us,  as 
has  also  the  congregation  of  the  First  Church.  I  fear  you  will  bo 
disappointed  in  listening  to  me,  as  I  design  to  tell  you  only  what 
came  under  mj^  observation,  and  there  were  a  thousand  things  I 
did  not  see. 

The  Chicago  river  runs  directly  west  from  the  Lake  almost  a 
mile.  It  then  branches  north  and  south.  That  part  of  tlie  city 
lying  south  of  the  main  river,  and  east  of  the  South  Bi-aiich,  is 
called  the  South  Side.  That  part  lying  north  of  the  main  river, 
and  east  of  the  North  Branch,  is  the  North  Side;  and  all  west  of 


236  msTOKY  OF  the  geeat  fiees 

the  two  branches  the  West  Side.  Each  of  these  divisions  is  about 
one-third  of  the  city. 

You  are  aware  tliat  the  great  lire  of  Saturday  night,  which 
destroyed  several  blocks,  was  on  the  West  Side,  near  tlie  South 
Branch  of  the  river.  The  fire  of  Sunday  night  and  Monday  began 
also  on  the  West  Side,  near  the  scene  of  the  other,  destroying, 
with  that,  forty  blocks  on  the  West  Side  ;  swept  across  the  South 
Branch,  destroying  a  mile  square  of  the  South  Side — the  entire 
business  portion  of  the  city — crossed  the  river  and  laid  in  ruins 
almost  the  whole  of  the  North  Side,  about  400  blocks. 

Sunday  evening  I  preached  in  the  Second  Baptist  Church, 
whicli  is  nearly  a  mile  west  of  the  South  Brancli.  We  stopped 
in  the  study  about  half  an  liour  after  service,  and  started  for  my 
brother's  home  a  few  minutes  after  nine.  It  was  then  that  w^e 
first  saw  the  fire,  a  mile  to  the  south-east.  We  continued  to 
watch  it  from  time  to  time  till  eleven  o'clock,  wlien,  supposing  it 
under  control,  we  retired. 

We  were  aroused  a  little  before  four  in  the  morning.  Hurrying 
on  my  clothes,  I  went  out.  The  fire  had  got  far  up  on  the  West 
Side  of  the  South  Branch,  and  had  evidently  crossed  the  river  to 
the  South  Side,  and  was  beyond  all  control.  The  wind  was 
blowing  fiercely  from  the  south-west.  The  whole  city  was 
lighted  up  by  the  flames  almost  like  day.  As  I  hastened  toward 
the  river  I  noticed  that  the  stars  were  all  obscured  as  efiectuallj 
as  if  the  sun  were  shining,  and  the  moon  gave  a  feeble,  sickly 
light.     It  was  almost  gray,  altogether  unlike  itself. 

As  I  proceeded  the  streets  became  more  and  more  crowded. 
The  whole  West  Side  was  gathering  and  crowding  toward  the 
river.  I  stopped  to  rouse  my  brother,  but  he  had  long  been 
gone.  A  woman  stopped  me  on  Washington  street  and  said : 
"  My  husband's  place  of  business  is  destroj'ed,  and  we  are 
ruined." 

Beaching  the  river,  I  found  that  a  large  part  of  the  South  Side 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  237 

was  still  unharmed.  Here  I  saw  the  massive  blocks  of  the  South 
S'lde  in  flames,  and  saw  vessels  being  towed  north  to  escape  the 
fire.  I  followed  the  South  Branch  up  to  where  it  joined  theKorth 
Branch  and  the  mahi  river,  and  looked  down  the  latter  to 
the  Lake,  Three  or  four  blocks  away  the  fire  had  crossed  the 
river.  Wells  street  bridge  was  burning.  The  spectacle  was 
grand  and  awful  beyond  description.  Great  billows  of  flame 
swept  clear  across  the  river,  while  countless  myriads  of  sparks 
and  burning  brands  filled  the  air. 

Proceeding,  I  crossed  the  Kinzie  street  bridge  to  the  ISTortli 
Side.  Here  I  met  the  fugitives — thousands  of  people,  indeed, 
were  going  both  ways  —  spectators  to  see,  fugitives  to  escape. 
The  streets  were  filled  with  merchandise  and  furniture.  Women 
were  everywhere  guarding  their  household  goods.  The  air  was 
filled  with  a  thousand  noises.  The  screaming  of  the  steamers, 
the  whistle  of  the  tugs,  the  cries  of  children,  the  shouting  of 
men,  the  howling  of  the  wind,  the  roar  of  the  flames,  the  crash  of 
falling  buildings. 

I  went  on  as  iar  as  Wells  street,  and  the  wind  was  here  a 
hurricane.  The  buildings  on  Water  street  and  the  south  bank 
of  the  river  caught,  and  almost  instantly  they  were  one  vast  vol- 
cano, throwing  up  great  volumes  of  flame  that  were  caught  up 
and  carried  bodily  across  the  stream.  The  river  seemed  a  boil- 
ing caldron.  We  stood  under  the  great  elevator  at  the  Wells 
street  depot  and  saw  on  one  of  them  a  man  wetting  the  roof. 
He  had  hose,  and  must  have  saturated  the  entire  building  with 
water,  yet  within  fifteen  minutes  the  building  was  aflame.  I 
returned  to  the  West  Side.  The  fleeing  people  were  carrying 
off  articles  of  every  description.  Tw^o  men  were  wheeling  away 
the  Indian  figure  that  had  stood  before  their  cigar  store.  One 
m.an  was  hurrying  off  with  two  whiskey  bottles.  I  stopped 
again  to  look  down  the  main  river  toward  the  Lake.  The  scene 
was  even  more  magnificent  and  awful  than  before.     This  was 


238  HISTORY   OF   THE    GEE  AT   FIRES 

indeed  the  grandest  spectacle  of  all.  The  whole  length  of  the 
river  was  then  one  broad  sheet  of  fire. 

With  every  fresh  blast  of  wind  great  billows  of  fire  would  roll 
across  toward  the  doomed  North  Side,  as  if  filled  with  a  mad 
desire  to  sweep  it  away  in  ruin.  Then  for  a  moment  they  would 
subside  and  show  the  three  bridges  wreathed  in  flames  (the  water 
apparently  boiling  underneath  them),  the  black  walls  of  the 
buildings  on  either  side,  and  here  and  there  tongues  of  flame 
shooting  out  from  doors  and  windows  and  roofs.  Then  again 
two  walls  of  fire,  extending  a  mile  away  to  the  Lake,  would  flame 
up  toward  heaven  for  a  moment,  to  be  caught  by  the  gale  and 
tumbled  in  fiery  ruin  to  the  ground,  or  carried  in  great  masses  of 
fire  to  spread  the  conflagration.  Going  on  from  here  1  took  my 
stand  on  Lake  street  bridge.  The  line  of  fire  extended  a  mile 
or  more  down  the  South  Branch.  Several  bridges  had  already 
been  consumed.  The  great  coal-yards  were  beginning  to  burn, 
and  almost  all  the  magnificent  blocks  of  the  South  Side  were  in 
flames.  From  the  slight  elevation  of  the  bridge,  I  could  see 
almost  two  square  miles  of  fire. 

Looking  toward  the  north-west,  and  seeing  how  directly  toward 
the  water-works  the  flames  were  rushing,  it  crossed  my  mind  that 
they  would  be  destroyed.  I  turned  and  hastened  to  my  friend's 
house,  a  mile  on  the  West  Side,  and  immediately  tried  the  water. 
I  was  too  late,  it  would  not  run,  and  the  great  city  of  300,000 
people  was  without  water. 

Before  seven  o'clock  I  went  to  another  friend's  house  and 
found  him  just  returned  from  saving  his  books,  and  what  mer- 
chandise he  could.  He  had  got  into  his  place  of  business- by  the 
back  way,  and  had  been  driven  away  by  the  swift  demon  of 
destruction.  I  went  to  another  friend's  house  to  inquire  if  his 
store  was  safe.  He  had  visited  the  fire  at  lialf-past  ten,  and 
gone  home  confident  it  was  under  control.  At  three  he  had 
tried  to  reach  his  business  place,  and  been  driven  back  by  the  fire 


EST    CHICAGO    AISTD    THE    WEST.  239 

that  raged  between  him  and  it.  I  got  into  his  buggy  with  him 
and  we  started  to  find  it.  Keaehiug  Twelfth  street,  which  runs 
across  the  South  Branch,  a  mile  and  a  quarter  south  of  the  Court- 
Ilouse,  we  found  the  street  crowded  with  people  and  vehicles, 
and  all  pressing  toward  the  South  Side.  It  was  a  little  after 
seven  o'clock,  and  of  course  daylight.  We  made  our  way  to 
Wells  or  La  Salle  street,  and  tried  to  go  np,  but  the  flames 
stopped  us.  We  went  on  to  Wabash  avenue,  and  found  it  to  be 
so  crowded  as  to  be  utterly  impassable.  We  crossed  to  Michigan 
avenue,  fell  into  the  stream  of  travel,  and  worked  our  way  np  to 
the  Michigan  Avenue  Hotel.  My  friend  asked  me  to  hold  his 
horse  five  minutes,  while  he  went  to  see  what  he  could  find.  Left 
to  niyself,  I  had  time  to  look  about  me.  I  despair  of  describing  the 
scene  to  you.  It  beggars  description.  It  was  here  that  my  friend 
Sawyer,  who  is  with  me  in  the  desk,  joined  me;  his  clothes  cov- 
ered with  dust,  his  hair  filled  with  dust  and  cinders,  his  eyes  red 
from  smoke,  his  face  black,  so  unlike  himself  that  I  hardly  knew 
him.  Michigan  avenue  was  burning  from  within  a  block  of  where 
w-e  stood  a  mile  away  to  the  river.  The  magnificent  residences  and 
great  business  houses  w^ere  going  up  in  flames  and  doM'n  in  black- 
ness before  our  eyes.  Great  volumes  of  smoke  rolling  away  before 
the  gale,  concealed  the  North  Side  from  view.  But  at  every 
break  or  lift  of  the  smoke,  the  great  Central  Depot  could  be  seen 
all  in  flames.  The  fire  was  creeping  away  out  on  the  piers,  and 
had  reached  one  of  the  immense  elevators  that  stood  near  its 
end,  and  the  flames  were  soon  reaching  up  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  into  the  air.  Every  monient  we  expected  to  see  the  great 
Central  Elevator,  standing  very  near  the  burning  one,  fall  be- 
fore the  conflagration  that  had  devoured  everything  else  in  its 
path.  But  the  wind  seemed  to  veer  suddenly  to  the  south,  and 
remained  there  an  hour,  and  the  great  elevator  was  saved  ;  with 
one  exception,  the  only  one  on  the  South  Side  north  of  the  line 
of  fire.    A  uteamer  had  reached  the  mouth  of  the  river,  but  here 


240  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

tlie  fire  caught  lier,  and  I  saw  it  run  from  one  end  to  the  otlier  in 
little  lines  of  light,  and  so  over  the  rigging  till  the  ship  was  all 
ablaze. 

Meantime  I  was  in  the  midst  of  the  wildest  confusion  I  had 
ever  witnessed.  The  open  space  between  Michigan  avenue  and 
the  Lake  was  filled  with  every  variety  of  houseliold  goods  and 
merchandise.  There  must  have  been  the  furniture  of  a  thousand 
families  crowded  into  this  narrow  space.  Rich  and  poor,  white 
and  black,  were  together.  Over  every  pile  of  goods  stood  some 
one  to  guard  it.  Meantime  other  fugitives  were  every  moment 
crowding  into  the  already  overcrowded  space,  and  seeking  room 
for  their  goods  as  well.  Thousands  of  people  pressed  along  the 
walks  and  filled  the  open  spaces — some  coming  to  see  and  others 
fleeing.  The  avenue  was  for  hours  one  solid  mass  of  teams. 
Up  and  down  the  street  they  pressed  endlessly,  going  up  empty 
and  returning  full.  At  length  the  press  became  so  great  that  the 
street  was  completely  blockaded,  and  the  police  began  to  turn 
the  still  on-coming  nniltitude  of  vehicles  backward.  They  chose 
the  spot  where  I  stood  to  accomplish  this.  Then  began  cursing 
and  shouting;  the  teamsters  insisting  that  they  must  go  on, 
every  one  of  them  having  valuable  property  just  ahead ;  and  the 
police  insisting  that  to  save  men's  lives  they  must  turn  back. 
The  more  determined  teamsters  went  through  in  spite  of  the 
police,  who  were  strangely  inefficient.  The  more  timid  or  rea- 
sonable tried  to  turn  back  in  a  street  where  there  was  hardly 
room  to  move  forward.  One  backed  into  my  buggy  wheels 
as  I  crowded  the  sidewalk  and  waited ;  another  ran  into  one 
of  the  shafts.  Twenty  feet  ahead  of  me  a  horse  tried  to  run 
away,  starting  directly  toward  me.  He  ran  about  ten  feet 
and  smashed  two  buggies.  A  rod  to  my  left  a  driver  ran 
against  a  buggy  wheel  and  crushed  it,  regardless  of  the  other's 
load.  I  grew  more  and  more  nervous,  expecting  every  mo- 
ment to  have  the  horse  and  buggy  ruined.     Two  hours  and  a 


m    CHICAGO    AND   THlE   WEST.  241 

half  passed,  and  still  I  waited.  I  had  plenty  of  time  to  look 
about  me. 

Every  variety  of  vehicle  passed  me,  loaded  with  every  variety 
.of  article.  I  saw  one  of  onr  former  citizens,  Mr.  Pearson,  carry- 
ing one  end  of  a  long  glass  case  filled  with  his  goods — hair  done 
up  in  many  forms.  A  dozen  or  twenty  cows  picked  their  way 
among  the  wagons.  A  woman  found  her  way  across  the  street, 
when  there  chanced  to  be  an  opening,  leading  a  great  black 
dog.  The  confusion  was  beyond  all  description.  Up  and 
down  the  Michigan  Central  track  locomotives  were  constantly 
moving,  drawing  heavy  trains,  or  alone,  and,  it  seemed  to  me, 
blowing  their  unearthly  whistles  all  the  time.  The  fire-engines, 
a  block  away,  added  theirs,  which  were  worse  still.  The  voices 
of  the  police  calling  to  the  teamsters,  the  responses  and  often 
curses  of  the  drivers,  their  impatient  yells  to  one  another,  the 
cry  of  distressed  citizens  to  the  expressmen,  the  voices  of  the 
crowd,  the  roaring  of  the  gale,  the  howling  of  the  conflagra- 
tion, the  crackling  of  burning  houses,  the  crash  of  falling  walls, 
the  ringing  of  bells,  the  shouts  that  greeted  some  new  freak 
of  the  flames,  and  suddenly  the  sullen  thunder  that  told  us 
buildings  were  being  blown  up  only  a  block  away.  The  con- 
flagration of  the  great  day  will  hardly  bring  a  confusion  worse 
confounded. 

The  fire  still  made  progress  towards  me,  until  the  people  in  all 
the  houses  above  and  below  me  removed  their  goods  and  fled. 
Again  came  the  thundering  and  shaking  of  the  earth  that  accom- 
panied the  blowing  up  of  a  building.  It  seemed  ominously  near; 
I  could  see  the  fire  on  the  Wabash  Avenue  Methodist  Cliurch, 
and  was  snre  it  was  going,  and  that  was  behind  me.  At  length 
the  vast  crowd,  men  and  teams,  precipitated  themselves  down  the 
avenue  like  a  falling  avalanche,  and  the  cry  went  up  that  the 
building  on  the  corner  just  above  us  was  to  be  blown  up.  Wait- 
ing no  longer,  I  joined  the  fleeing  multitude  and  made  my  way 


242  HISTORY  *0F    THE    GKEAT   FEKES 

as  fast  as  possible  a  block  farther  away.  After  three  hours  my 
friend  returned  ;  his  coat  gone ;  his  face  so  black  and  his  eyes  so 
nearly  put  out,  that  for  a  moment  I  did  not  know  him.  He  took 
his  horse,  to  my  great  relief,  and  I  proc(3eded  up  the  avenue 
toward  the  Central  Depot,  to  see  w^hat  g(»od  I  could  do.  On 
beyond  Terrace  I'ow  I  went,  and  had  the  whole  horrible  scene 
before  me.  iNTot  long,  however,  could  I  see  it.  The  magnificent 
Terrace  row  was  in  flames,  and  the  air  was  filled  with  smoke, 
and  dust,  and  cinders,  and  live  coals,  and  fagots  of  fire.  The 
middle  of  this  great  row  fell  first,  the  ends  following,  covered  in 
one  black  cloud  of  smoke,  and  ashes,  and  dust.  It  was  almost 
past  endurance. 

Meanwhile  the  inflammable  material  in  this  narrow  space 
caught  fire  in  a  hundred  places.  Beds,  pillows,  quilts,  carpets, 
sofas,  pianos,  furniture,  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  everything 
must  be  burned.  "With  a  small  tea-chest  I  spent  hours  bringing 
water  from  the  Lake,  helping  to  extinguish  numberless  incipient 
fires  which  broke  out  continually  among  the  heaps  of  goods.  I 
returned  home  at  three  p.m.,  having  had  nothing  to  eat  since  six 
o'clock  Sunday  evening.  Helping  to  carry  a  mirror  up-stairs,  I 
asked  a  woman  on  the  wa}^  down  to  give  me  a  drink  from  a  full 
pail  she  c?aTied,  and  she  refused.  In  the  evening,  Monday  even- 
ing, I  took  my  station  in  the  cupola  of  a  four-story  building  to 
view  the  fire  and  watch,  and  for  hours  witnessed  a  scene  wdiich 
no  language  can  describe. 

In  contrast  with  this  calm  and  clear  sketch  of  that  memorable 
day  by  the  young  clergyman  providentially  in  the  city,  we  pre- 
serve 

A  woman's  stort  of  the  fire. 

Where  shall  I  begin?  How  shall  I  tell  the  story  that  I  have 
been  living  during  these  dreadful  days?  It's  a  dream,  a  night- 
mare, only  so  real  that  I  tremble  as  I  write,  as  though  the  whole 
thing  might  be  brought  to  me  again  by  merely  telling  of  it. 


EST   CHICAGO    AJSHD    THE   WEST.  24:3 

We  lived  on  the  Xortli  Side,  six  blocks  from  the  river — the 
newlj-regenerated  river,  which  used  to  be  at  once  the  riches  and 
the  despair  of  our  city,  but  which  had  just  been  turned  back  by 
the  splendid  energy  of  the  people  to  carry  the  sweet  waters  of 
Lake  Michigan  through  all  its  noisome  recesses.  We  were  quiet 
people,  like  most  of  the  Nortli-siders,  flattering  ourselves  that  our 
comfortable  wooden  houses  and  sober,  cheery,  New  England- 
looking  streets  were  far  preferable  to  the  more  rapid,  blatant  life 
of  the  South  Side. 

Well,  on  Sunday  morning,  October  8,  Robert  Collyer  gave  his 
people  what  we  all  felt  to  be  a  wonderful  sermon  on  the  text, 
"Think  ye  that  those  upon  whom  the  tower  of  Siloam  fell  were 
sinners  above  all  those  who  dwelt  at  Jerusalem?"  and  illustrated 
it  by  a  picture  of  the  present  life,  and  our  great  cities,  their  gran- 
deur, their  wickedness,  and  the  awful  though  strictly  natural  con- 
sequences of  our  insatiable  pursuit  of  worldly  prosperity,  too  often 
unchecked  by  principle;  and  instanced  the  many  recent  dreadful 
catastrophes  as  signs  that  not  the  Erie  speculators  alone,  nor  the 
contractors  alone,  nor  the  recognized  sinners  alone,  but  we,  every 
man  and  woman  of  the  United  States,  were  responsible  for  these 
horrors,  inasmuch  as  we  did  not  work,  fight,  bleed,  and  die,  if  ne- 
cessary, to  establish  such  public  opinion  as  should  make  them 
impossible. 

I  came  out  gazing  about  on  our  beautiful  church,  and  hoping 
that  not  one  stone  of  the  dear  church  at  home  had  been  set  or 
paid  for  by  the  rascality  which  our  preacher  so  eloquehtly  de- 
picted as  certain  to  bring  ruin,  material  as  well  as  spiritual ;  and 
so  we  pass  the  pleasant,  briglit  day;  some  of  us  going  down  to 
the  scene  of  the  West  Side  fire  of  Saturday  night,  and  espying, 
from  a  good  distance,  the  unhappy  losers  of  so  much  property. 
About  half-past  five  in  the  evening  our  neighboring  fire  telegraph 
sent  forth  some  little  tintinnabulations,  and  we  lazily  wondered, 
as  D played  the  piano,  and  I  watered  my  ivy,  what  they 


4 
244  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

were  burning  up  now.  At  ten  o'clock  tlie  fire  bells  were  ringing 
constantly,  and  we  went  to  bed  regretting  that  there  must  be 
more  property  burning  up  on  the  "West  Side.  Eleven  o'clock — 
twelve  o'clock — and  I  woke  my  sister,  saying,  "It's  very  singu- 
lar; I  never  heard  anything  like  the  fires  to-night.  It  seems  us 
if  the  whole  West  Side  must  be  afire.  Poor  people  !  I  wonder 
whose  carelessness  set  this  agoing?"  One  o'clock — two  o'clock 
■ — we  get  up  and  look  out.  "  Great  God  !  the  fire  has  crossed  the 
river  from  the  south.  Can  there  be  any  danger  here  ?  "  And 
we  looked  out  to  see  men  hurrying  by  screaming  and  swearing, 
and  the  whole  city  to  the  south  and  west  of  us  one  vivid  glare. 
"  Where  are  the  engines  ?  Why  don't  we  hear  them  as  usual  ?  " 
we  asked  each  other,  thoroughly  puzzled,  but  even  yet  hardly  per- 
ponalh^  frightened  by  the  strange  aspect  of  the  brilliant  and  sur- 
ging streets  below.  Then  came  a  loud  knocking  at  the  back 
door,  on  Erie  street — "  Ladies,  ladies,  get  up  !  Pack  your  trunks 
and  prepare  to  leave  your  house  ;  it  may  not  be  necessary,  but  it's 
well  to  be  prepared !"  It  was  a  friend  who  had  fought  his  way 
through  the  La  Salle  street  tunnel  to  warn  us  that  the  city  is  on 
fire.  We  looked  at  each  other  with  white  faces.  Well  we  might. 
In  an  inner  room  slept  an  invalid  relative,  the  object  of  our  cease- 
less care  and  love,  the  victim  of  a  terrible  and  recurring  mental 
malady,  which  had  already  sapped  much  of  his  strength  and  life, 
and  rendered  quiet  and  absence  of  excitement  the  first  prescrip- 
tion of  his  physicians.  Must  we  call  the  invalid?  and  if  we  did, 
in  the  midst  of  this  fearful  glare  and  turmoil,  what  would  be  the 
result?  We  determined  to  wait  till  the  last  minute,  and  threw 
some  valuables  into  a  trunk,  while  we  anxiously'  watched  the 
ever-approaching  flame  and  tumult. 

Then  there  came  a  strange  sound  in  the  air,  which  stilled,  or 
seemed  to  still  for  a  moment,  the  surging  crowd.  "  Was  it  thun- 
der ?  "  we  asked.  No,  the  sky  was  clear  and  full  of  stars,  and 
we  shuddered  as  we  felt,  but  did  not  say,  it  was  a  tremendous 


IN   CHICAGO    AISTD    THE    WEST.  245 

explosion  of  gunpowder.  Bv  this  time  the  blazing  sparks  and 
bits  of  burning  wood,  which  we  had  been  fearfully  watching, 
were  fast  becoming  an  unintermitting  fire  of  burning  hail,  and 
another  shower  of  blows  on  the  door  warned  us  that  there  was 

not  a  moment  to  be  lost.     "Call  E "  (the  invalid) ;  "do  not 

let  him  stay  a  minute,  and  I  will  try  to  save  our  poor  little  birds !" 
My  sister  flev/  to  wake  up  our  precious  charge,  and  I  ran  down 
stairs,  repeating  to  myself  to  make  me  remember,  "  birds,  deeds, 
silver,  jewelry,  silk  dresses,"  as  the  order  in  which  we  would  try- 
to  save  our  property,  if  it  came  to  the  worst. 

As  I  passed  through  our  pretty  parlors,  how  my  heart  ached. 
Here  the  remnant  of  my  father's  library,  a  copy  of  a  Bible 
printed  in  1637.  on  one  table ;  on  another,  my  dear  Mrs.  Brown- 
ing, in  five  volumes,  the  gift  of  a  lost  friend.  What  should  I 
take?  What  should  I  leave?  I  alternately  loaded  myself  with 
gift  after  gift,  and  dashed  them  down  in  despair.  Lovely  pic- 
tures and  statuettes,  left  by  a  kind  friend  for  the  embellishment 
of  our  little  rooms,  and  which  had  turned  them  into  a  bower  of 
beauty — must  they  be  ieft  ?  At  last  I  stopped  before  our  darling, 
a  sweet  and  tender  picfure  of  Beatrice  Cenci  going  to  execution, 
which  looked  down  at  me,  through  the  dismal  red  glare  which 
was  already  filling  the  rooms,  with  a  saintly  and  weird  sweetness 
that  seemed  to  have  something  wistful  in  it.  I  thought,  "  I  will 
save  this,  if  I  die  for  it;"  but  my  poor  parrot  called  my  name 
and  asked  for  a  peanut,  and  I  could  no  more  have  left  him  than 
if  he  had  been  a  baby.  But,  could  I  carry  that  huge  cage  ?  'No, 
indeed  ;  so  I  reluctantly  took  my  poor  little  canary,  who  was 
painfully  fluttering  about  and  wondering  at  the  disturbance,  and, 
kissing  him,  opened  the  front  door  and  set  him  free — only  to 
smother,  I  fear.  But  it  was  the  best  I  could  do  for  him  if  I 
wished  to  save  my  parrot,  M'ho  had  a  prior  right  to  be  considered 
one  of  the  family,  if  sixteen  years  of  incessant  chatter  may  be 
supposed  to  establish  such  a  right. 


246  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

"What  a  sight  our  iisually  pretty  quiet  street  presented !  As 
far  as  I  could  see,  a  horrible  wall — a  surging,  struggling,  encroach- 
ing wall — like  a  vast  surfoce  of  grimacing  demons,  came  pressing 
np  the  street — a  wall  of  fii-e,  ever  nearer  and  nearer,  steadily 
advancing  upon  our  midnight  helplessness.  Was  there  no  wag- 
on, no  carriage,  in  which  we   could   coax  our  poor  E ,  and 

take  him  away  from  these  maddening  sights  ?  Truck  after  truck, 
indeed,  passed  by,  but  filled  with  loads  of  people  and  goods. 
Carriages  rushed  past  drawn  by  struggling  and  foaming  horses, 
and  lined  with  white,  scared  faces.  A  truck  loaded  with  goods 
dashed  np  the  street,  and,  as  I  looked,  flames  burst  out  from  the 
sides,  and  it  burned  to  ashes  in  front  of  our  door.  No  hope,  no 
help  for  property  ;  what  we  could  not  carry  in  our  hands  we  must 
lose.  So,  forcing  my  reluctant  pari'ot  into  the  canary  bird's  cage, 
I  took  the  cage  under  one  arm  and  a  little  bag,  hurriedly  pre- 
pared, under  the  otlier,  just   as  my  sister  appeared  with  E , 

who,  thank  God,  was  calm  and  self-possessed.  At  last  the  good 
friend  wdio  had  warned  ns  appeared,  and,  leaving  all  his  own 
things,  insisted  on  helping  my  sister  to  save  ours,  and  he  and  she 
started  on,  dragging  a  Saratoga  trunk.  They  were  obliged  to 
abandon  it  at  the  second  coi'uer,  however,  and  walk   on,  leaving 

me  to  follow  with  E .     "  Come,  E ,  let  ns  go,"  said  I. 

"Go  where  ?  I  am  not  going.  What  is  the  use?  "  he  answered, 
and  he  stood  with  his  arms  folded  as  if  he  were  interested  merely 
as  a  curious  spectator.  I  urged,  I  begged,  I  cried,  I  went  on  my 
knees.  He  would  not  stir,  but  proposed  going  back  into  the 
house.  This  I  prevented  by  entreaties,  and  I  besought  him  to  fly 
as  others  were  doing ;  but  no.  A  kind  of  apathetic  despair  had 
seized  him,  and  he  stood  like  a  rock  while  the  flames  swept  nearer 
and  nearer,  and  my  entreaties,  and  even  my  appeals  to  him  to 
save  me,  were  utterly  in  vain.  Hotter  and  hotter  grew  the  pave- 
ment, wilder  the  cries  of  the  crowd,  and  ray  silk  and  cotton  cloth- 
ing began  to  smoke  in  spots.     I  felt  beside  myself,  and,  seizing 


EST   CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST.  247 

E ,  tried  to  drag  liim  away.     Alas  !  wliat  could  my  woman's 

strength  do?     There  followed  another  shout,  a  wild  push  bach,  a 

falling  Avail,  and  I  was  half  a  block  away  and  E was  gone. 

"  O  God,  pity  those  poor  worms  of  the  dust,  and  crush  them  not 
utterly  ! "  was  my  prayer. 

How  I  passed  the  rest  of  that  cruel  Snnday  night  I  scarcely 
know.  Wandering,  staring,  blindly  carrying  along  my  poor  par- 
rot, who  was  too  tired  to  make  a  sound,  1  seemed  to  be  in  a 
dream.  Starting  north  to  get  help,  running  back  as  near  to  the 
tlame  as  I  could  in  the  vain  hope  of  finding  E ,  bitterly  re- 
proaching myself  that  I  had  ever  left  him  an  instant,  I  passed 
three  hours  of  which  I  can  hardl}^  give  any  account.  I  know  that 
as  I  turned  wildly  back  once  toward  Dearborn  street,  I  saw  the 
beautiful  Episcopal  Church  of  St.  James  in  flames.  But  they 
came  on  all  sides,  licking  the  marble  buttresses  one  by  one,  and 
leaving  charred  or  blackened  masses  where  there  had  been  white 
marble  before.  But  the  most  wonderful  sight  of  all  was  the 
white,  shining  church  tower,  from  which,  as  I  looked,  burst 
tongues  of  fire,  and  whicli  burnt  as  though  all  dross  of  earth  were 
indeed  to  be  purified  away  from  God's  house  forever.  As  the 
tower  came  crashing  down,  the  bells  with  one  accord  pealed  forth 
that  grand  old  German  h}MTin,  "All  good  souls  praise  the  Lord." 
I  almost  seemed  to  hear  them,  and  to  see  a  shadowy  Nicholas 
striking  the  startled  metal  for  the  last  time  with  his  brave  old 
hands.  "If  this  is  right,  if  it  can  be  right,  make  me  think  so," 
groaned  my  soul,  and  the  souls  of  many  weeping  women  that 
night,  as  they  fled  homeless  and  lost  through  that  Pandemonium 
of  flame  and  tumult. 

Constantly  faces  that  I  knew  flashed  across  me,  but  they  were 
always  in  a  dream,  all  blackened  and  discolored,  and  with  an  ex- 
pression that  I  never  saw  before.     "  Why,  C ,  is  this  you  ?  " 

some  frightened  voice  would  exclaim,  and  a  kind  hand  would 
touch  my  disordered  hair,  from  which  the  hat  had  long  since 


HISTOEY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 


fallen  off,  and  some  one,  only  a  little  less  distracted,  would  whisper 

hopefully  a  word  about  E ;  that  he  might  not  be  lost,  that 

the  actual  presence  of  flame  would  arouse  him,  and  so  on  ;  and  I 
loved  them  for  saying  so,  and  tried  to  believe  them.  Yery  little 
selfishness  and  no  violence  did  I  see  there.  Neighbors  stopped 
to  recognize  neighbors,  and  many  a  word  was  exchanged  which 
brought  comfort  to  despairing  hearts.  "  Have  you  seen  m}^  wife 
and  children?"  would  be  asked,  and  the  answer  given:  "Yes, 
they  are  safe  at  Lake  Yiew  by  this  time."  "Won't  you  look  out 
for  my  baby?  "  (or  AYillie  or  Johnny,  as  the  case  might  be).  Out 
would  come  tablets  or  papers,  or  names  or  inquiries  would  be 
noted  down,  even  by  the  man  who  was  making  almost  superhu- 
man efforts  to  save  a  few  goods  from  his  burning  liouse.  Some 
friend — it  was  days  before  I  knew  who— took  my  parrot  and 
forced  a  little  bottle  of  tea  and  a  bag  of  crackers  into  m}'-  hand  as 
I  wandered,  and  I  was  enough  myself  to  give  it  to  a  friend,  whom 
I  found  almost  fainting  with  heat  and  fatigue,  and  who  declared 
that  nectar  and  ambrosia  never  tasted  better.  At  last  I  found 
myself  opposite  Unity  Church.  Dear  Unity !  will  her  little  circle 
of  devoted  ones  ever  come  together  again,  and  worship  some- 
times, and  work  for  the  poor  sometimes,  and  sing  and  play  in  her 
beautiful  under-parlors  sometimes,  and  love  each  other  always? 
I  know  not,  but  I  know  that  I  wept  and  beat  my  hands  together, 
and  raged  hopelessly,  whqn  I  saw  that  the  beautiful  homes  on 
the  west  side  of  Dearborn  street  were  gone,  and  the  Ogden  Pub- 
lic School  was  one  bright  blaze,  while  the  graceful  and  noble 
Congregational  Church,  next  to  Mr.  Collyer's  Church,  had 
caught  fire.  Nothing  could  save  our  pride  and  joy — our  darling 
for  which  we  had  made  such  efforts  in  money  and  labor  two  short 
years  ago,  that  the  fame  of  Chicago  munificence  rang  anew  on  our 
account  through  the  civilized  world. 

I  was  grieving  enough,  Heaven  knows,  over  my  private  woes  ; 
but  I  awoke  to  new  miseries  when  I  saw  our  pastor's  great  heart, 


T.M.AVERY 
LUMBER 


SCENE  AT  THE  JUKCTTON  OF  THE  CHK.^AGO  RIVER— THE  FLAMES  COl 


CATE  WITH  THE  SHIPPllJG  A>rD  DESTROY  THE  GRATX  ELEVATORS. 


rsr  CHICAGO  aistd  the  west.  251 . 

which  had  sustained  the  fainting  spirits  of  so  many,  freely  give 
way  to  lamentations  and  tears  as  his  precious  library,  the  slow 
accumulation  of  twenty  laborious  and  economical  years,  fell  and 
flamed  into  nothingness  in  that  awful  fire.  I  turned  away  heart- 
sick, and  resumed  my  miserable  search  after  the  face  which  I  now 
felt  almost  sure  I  should  never  see  again,  A  new  sight  soon 
struck  my  eye.  What  in  the  world  was  that  dark,  lurid,  parplish 
call  that  hung  before  me,  constantly  changing  its  appearance, 
like  some  fiendish  face  making  grimaces  at  our  miserly  ?  I  looked 
and  looked,  and  turned  away,  and  looked  again.  i..iay  I  never 
see  the  sun,  the  cheerful  daily  herald  of  comfort  and  peace,  look 
like  that  again !  It  looked  devilish,  and  I  pinched  myself  to  see 
if  I  was  not  losing  my  senses.  It  did  not  seem  ten  minutes  since 
I  had  seen  the  little,  almost  crescent  moon,  look  out  cold,  quiet, 
and  pitiless,  through  a  rift  in.  the  smoke-cloud,  from  the  deep  blue 
of  the  sky. 

Two  d6ar  children,  whom  I  had  taught  peacefully  on  Friday 
in  our  cheerful  school-room  on  Chicago  avenue,  met  me,  crying, 
"  Oh!  have  you  seen  mother  ?  "We  have  lost  her,"  This  appeal 
brought  me  to  myself.  I  felt  that  I  had  something  else  to  do 
than  wander  and  grieve ;  so  I  persuaded  the  lost  lambs  to  go 
with  me  to  a  friend  on  La  Salle  street,  where  1  felt  sure  we  should 
find  help  and  comfort,  and  which  everybody  supposed  would  be 
safe.  Indeed,  a  very  curious  and  rather  absurd  feature  of  this 
calamity  was  that  nobody  thought  his  house  would  burn  till  he 
saw  it  bla"zing,  and  also  felt  perfectly  sure  that  this  was  the  last 
of  it,  and  that  he  and  his  family  would  be  safe  a  little  further 
up ;  so  the  IS^orth-siders  never  began  to  pack  up  till  the  fire 
crossed  the  river,  and  then  the  lower  ones  moved  about  to  Erie 
street,  six  squares  from  the  river,  then  stopped.  Then  they  were 
driven  by  the  flames  another  half-dozen  streets,  losing  generally 
half  of  what  they  saved  the  first  time ;  then  to  Division  street, 

then  to  Lincoln  Park,  where  heaps  and  heaps  of  ashes  are  all  that 
15 


252  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

remain  to-day  of  thousands  of  dollars'  worth  of  eatables  and 
furniture. 

Exhausted  and  almost  fainting,  weeping  and  sorely  distressed, 
I  finally  landed  in   a  friendly  house,  far  up  on  La  Salle  street. 

As  I  stepped  inside  the  door  E appeared,  quiet,  composed, 

and  almost  indifierent.  Burnt?  Oh,  no  ;  he  was  all  right.  Did 
I  suppose  he  was  fool  enough  to  stay  and  be  burned  ?  There  was 
D ,  too,  if  I  wanted  to  see  her,  in  the  parlor.  Did  I  feel  rev- 
erently thankful  ?     Ask  yourself. 

We  recall  Byron's  lines  in  Childe  Harold,  although  the  situa- 
tion is  inverted  : — 

"  Oh  !  who  could  guess  if  ever  more  should  meet  those  mutual  eyes, 
Since  upon  night  so  sweet  such  awful  mom  could  rise  ! " 

The  night  here  was  "awful"  and  the  morn  "sweet," 

We  give  another  leaf  from  personal  experiences  of  painful  in- 
terest. The  narrator  was  a  lodger  in  the  St.  James  Hotel,  and 
says : — 

I  was  awakened  about  three  a,  m.  by  some  one  pounding  upon 
my  door,  and  after  springing  from  my  bed,  discovered  that  the 
whole  city  was  in  flames.  I  hastily  put  on  ray  clothing,  and  going 
into  the  corridor  I  saw  a  crowd  of  men,  women,  and  children  clus- 
tered about  the  door,  Returning  to  my  room,  I  gathered  my 
goods  quickly  into  boxes,  and  carried  them  down  to  the  sidewalk. 
Hearing  a  shout,  I  seized  a  satchel  and  a  small  trunk,  and  rushed 
out.  As  I  reached  the  door,  I  saw  some  men  coolly  loading  my 
boxes  into  a  wagon,  I  called  to  them,  but  they  laughed  and 
drove  away.  The  street  was  full  of  people  with  bundles  of  every 
description  on  their  backs,  I  pushed  at,  once  for  the  West  End, 
Neither  Michigan  nor  Wabash  avenues  were  then  on  fire,  and  I 
rushed  down  the  former.  The  hot  air  almost  burned  my  face. 
The  smoke  was  stifling  me,  and  my  clothes  were  covered  with 
ashes  and  cinders.     As  I  passed  along  the  avenue,  I  looked  up 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  253 

each  street  to  the  west  to  see  where  the  fii-e  headed  me  off  in  th:>,t 
direction.     1  had  the  fire  behind  me  on  the  north,  and  the  Lake 
was  on  my  left.     My  object  was  to  try  and  get  to  tlie  west  ,side 
of  the  3ity,  near  Union  Park,  where  1  knew  a  gentleman  named 
Mason.     The  Lake  was  on  my  left,  the  city  on  fire  behind  me, 
and  as  I  passed  along  Wabash  avenue  I  could  see  the  fire  raging 
furiously   on   West    street,    at    the    head    of   Lake,    Randolpli, 
Madison,  Monroe,  Congress,  Adams,  Jackson,  and  Yan  Bnren 
streets,  and  away  to  the  south  as  far  as  Fourteenth  street.     Here 
for  the  first  time  I  saw  a  clear  passage  to  the  west.     When  I 
reached  this  point  I  was  utterly  wearied  out,  and  I  sat  on  my 
trunk  in  the  street.     In  a  few  moments  I  saw  a  man  pass  by, 
and  I  asked  him  to  give  me  a  hand  with  ray  trnnk.     He  said  he 
would,  and  we  walked  up  Fourteenth  street.     After  going  a  short 
distance  I  saw  that  I  could  not  carry  the  trunk  any  further,  and 
1  told  the  man  who  was  assisting  me  that  I  must  give  out.     He 
urged  me  on,  and  after  going  about  a  block  I  saw  a  man  stand- 
ing at  his  own  door,  looking  in  the  direction  of  the  fire,     1  told 
him  that  I  had  been  burned  out,  and  that  I  was  so  wearied  I  could 
carry  my  trunk  no  further.     I  asked  him  for  permission  to  put 
it  in  his  yard  until  I  should  be  able  to  convey  it  to  a  safe  place. 
He  gladly  consented,  and  between  us  we  took  the  trunk  into  the 
yard.     He  and  I  then  returned  in  the  direction  of  the  town.     In 
the  mean  time  tlie  fire  had  reached  the  great  business  quarter, 
and  most  of  the  streets  from    South  AVater  street  to  the  river 
were  in  flames.     After  waiting  until  the  progress  of  the  fire  was 
arrested,  I  made  my  way  across  Twelfth  street  bridge,  which  was 
then  the  only  one  standing  on  the  south,  to  Union  Park,  on  the 
western  side  of  the  city.     Here  I  found  my  friend's  house,  and 
was  joyfully  and  hospitably  received.     I  was  so  wearied  out  that 
I  remained  there  asleep  all  day  on  Monday.     Such  a  gale  never 
raged  before  as  that  which  blew  from  the  southwest  in  Chicago 
during  the  night  of  Sunday  and  the  morning  of  Monday. 


254  HISTORY    or    the   GKEAT   FIKE8 

The  only  fragment  of  literature  saved  from  the  immense  stock 
of  the  Western  i^ews  Company  was  this 

CUKIOUS    MEMORIAL. 

A  single  leaf  of  a  quarto  Bible,  charred  around  the  edges.  It 
contained  the  first  chapter  of  the  Lamentations  of  Jeremiah, 
which  opens  with  the  following  words  : — "  How  doth  the  city  sit 
solitary  that  was  full  of  people  !  how  is  she  become  as  a  widow  ! 
she  that  was  great  among  the  nations,  and  princess  among  the 
provinces,  how  is  she  become  tributary !  She  weepeth  sore  in  the 
night,  and  her  tears  are  on  her  cheeks  :  among  all  her  lovers  she 
hath  none  to  comfort  her."  It  was  a  singular  circumstance,  that 
Kev,  Mr.  Walker,  of  Connecticut,  upon  hearing  of  the  catastrophe 
at  Chicago,  preached  from  this  text,  not  knowing  that  this  was  all 
that  remained  of  the  store  in  which  his  son  was  a  clerk.  Tliere 
was  only  a  general  correspondence  in  the  actual  experience  of  our 
city  to  that  of  the  city  bewailed  by  the  prophet,  for  we  were  not 
solitary  nor  widowed,  neither  did  we  become  tributary.  There 
was  sore  weeping,  but  our  lovers  did  rise  up  and  comfort  us  with , 
solid  comfort.  The  relic  hunters  were  extremely  busy,  and  some 
of  them  coined  money  by  the  sale  of  their  commodities  to 
strangers  and  citizens  who  wished  to  retain  some  small  remem- 
brance of  the  powerful  heat  that  melted  everything  in  its  pro- 
gress. Glass  two  inches  thick  fell  before  it  in  streams.  A 
gentleman  found  in  the  ruins  a  lot  of  dolls  melted  and  run 
together.  He  called  them  fire-proof  babies.  In  a  store  fur- 
nished with  paints,  oils,  and  glass,  the  specimens  were  elegant. 
Glass,  in  masses,  was  tinted  with  brilliant  colors  of  every  hue. 
So  great  a  variety  of  curiosities  was  never  found  unless  in  old 
Pompeii,  where  the  ashes  preserved  objects  in  a  more  perfect 
state.  It  seemed  sad  to  see  the  merchant  princes  succeeded  by 
little  boys,  whose  stands  were  upon  the  corners  where  the 
heaviest   business    transactions   occurred,    or  the   most   elegant 


EST   CHICAGO   AND    THE    WEST.  255 

displayed.  It  gives  an  air  of  romance  to  many- 
spots,  to  remember  that  here  and  there  men  struggled  for  life,  in 
the  dark  hours,  and  surrendered  to  the  foe.  Take,  for  instance, 
a  scene  like  tliis  which  is  vividly  sketched  by  the  Tribune  : — 

While  Madison  street  west  of  Dearborn,  and  the  west  side  of 
Dearborn,  were  all  ablaze,  the  spectators  saw  the  lurid  light  ap- 
pear in  the  rear  windows  of  Speed's  Block.  Presently  a  man  who 
had  apparently  taken  time  to  dress  himself  leisurely  appeared  on 
the  extension  built  up  to  the  second  story  of  two  of  the  stores. 
He  coolly  looked  down  the  thirty  feet  between  him  and  the  ground, 
while  the  excited  crowd  first  cried  '-jump  !  "  and  then  some  of  them 
more  considerately  looked  for  a  ladder.  A  long  plank  was  pres- 
ently found  and  answered  the  same  as  a  ladder,  and  it  was  placed 
at  once  against  the  building,  down  which  the  man  soon  after  slid. 
But  while  these  preparations  were  going  on  there  suddenly  ap- 
peared another  man  at  a  fourth-story  window  of  the  building  be- 
low, which  had  no  projection,  but  was  flush  from  the  top  to  the 
ground — four  stories  and  a  basement.  His  escape  by  the  stair- 
way was  evidently  cut  oif,  and  he  looked  despairingly  down  the 
fifty  feet  between  him  and  the  ground.  The  crowd  grew  almost 
frantic  at  the  sight,  for  it  was  only  a  choice  of  deaths  before  him 
— by  fire  or  by  being  crushed  to  death  by  the  fall.  Senseless 
cries  of  "jump !  jump  ! "  went  up  from  thecrowd — senseless,  butfull 
of  sympathy,  for  the  sight  was  absolutely  agonizing.  Then  for  a 
minute  or  two  he  disappeared,  perhaps  even  less,  but  it  seemed 
so  long  a  time  that  the  supposition  was  that  he  had  fallen,  suffo- 
cated with  the  smoke  and  heat.  But  no,  he  appears  again.  First 
he  throws  out  a  bed  ;  then  some  bedclothes,  apparently  ;  why, 
probably  even  he  does  not  know.  Again  he  looks  down  the  dead, 
sheer  wall  of  fifty  feet  below  him.  Pie  hesitates — and  well  he  may 
— as  he  turns  again  and  looks  behind  him.  Then  he  mounts  to 
the  window-sill.  His  whole  form  appears  naked  to  the  shirt,  and 
his  white  limbs  ffleam  ao-ainst  the  dark  wall  in  the  bright  light  as 


256  HISTORY    or    THE    GREAT    FIRES 

he  SM'ir.gs  himself  below  the  window.  Somehow- -how,  none  can 
tell — he  drops  and  catches  upon  the  top  of  the  window  below  him 
of  the  third  story.  lie  looks  and  drops  again,  and  seizes  the  frame 
with  his  hands,  and  his  gleaming  body  once  more  straightens  and 
hangs  prone  downwaid,  and  then  drops  instantly  and  accurately 
npon  the  window-sill  of  the  third  story,  A  shout,  more  of  joy 
than  applause,  goes  up  from  the  breathless  crowd,  and  those  who 
had  turned  away  their  heads,  not  bearing  to  look  upon  him  as  he 
seemed  about  to  drop  to  sudden  and  certain  death,  glanced  up  at 
him  once  more  with  a  ray  of  hope  at  this  daring  and  skilful  feat. 
Into  this  window  he  crept  to  look,  probably  for  a  stairway,  but 
appeared  again  presently,  for  here  only  w^as  the  only  avenue  of 
escape,  desperate  and  hopeless  as  it  was.  Once  more  he  dropped 
his  body,  hanging  by  his  hands.  The  crowd  screamed,  and  waved 
to  him  to  swing  himself  over  the  projection  from  which  the  other 
man  had  just  been  rescued.  He  tried  to  do  this,  and  vibrated 
like  a  pendulum  from  side  to  side,  but  could  not  reach  far  enough 
to  throw  himself  upon  the  roof.  Then  he  hung  by  one  hand,  and 
looked  down  ;  raising  the  other  hand,  he  took  a  fresh  hold,  and 
swung  from  side  to  side  once  more  to  reach  the  roof.  In  vain  ; 
again  he  hung  motionless  by  one  hand,  and  slowly  turned  his 
head  over  his  shoulder  and  gazed  into  the  abyss  below  him.  Then 
gathering  himself  up  he  let  go  his  hold,  and  for  a  second  a  gleam 
of  white  shot  down  full  forty  feet,  to  the  foundation  of  the  base- 
ment. Of  course  it  killed  him.  He  was  taken  to, a  drug  store 
near  by,  and  died  in  ten  minutes. 

But  by  far  the  saddest  case  here  was  that  of  a  beautiful  and  re- 
fined woman,  known  in  art  and  operatic  circles,  whose  husband 
is  missing,  and  who  escaped  herself  in  only  a  niglit  wrapper;  was 
driven  to  distraction  by  the  terrors  of  the  wild  flight,  and  was 
picked  up  in  Lincoln  Park  in  a  state  of  more  than  half  insanity. 
In  the  direst  need  of  care  from  her  own  sex,  ready  to  die  almost 
from  extreme  exhaustion,  and  wandering  in  mind  most  of  the 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  257 

time,  she  had  had  last  night  only  the  nursing  and  help  which  two 
men  could  give,  and  now  lay  on  a  pallet  upon  the  church  floor, 
directly  beliind  the  rear  pew  on  one  side.  A  young  woman  cared 
for  her  during  the  day,  but  at  night  female  imagination  lent  par- 
tial insanity  too  great  terrors,  and  care  which  should  have  fallen 
to  womanly  sympathy,  devolved  on  the  rude,  though  kind  and 
skilled  hands  of  men.  The  man  whose  brave  and  clear  head 
gave  him  chief  charge  had  had  experience  in  a  hospital;  but  it 
was  pitiful  that  womanly  protection  should  not  be  at  hand,  and 
that  the  couch  of  such  a  suiFerer  should  not  be  tenderly  spread 
under  a  private  roof.  Unhappily,  the  entire  length  of  burnt 
Chicago  intervened  between  all  these  sufferers,  on  the  North  Side, 
and  that  part  of  the  city  where  suitable  care  could  have  been 
Becured  for  them. 

The  most  disastrous  event  in  the  horrible  whole  seemed,  for  a 
time,  to  be  the  destruction  of  the  books  of  record  in  the  Court- 
House ;  but  it  is  found,  on  examination,  that  the  loss  is  by  no 
means  irreparable.  Many  of  the  essential  books  are  safe,  though  in 
one  case — that  of  Messrs.  Shortall  &  Hoard — the  rescue  was  a  mar- 
vellous achievement.  This  firm  was  located  in  Rooms  1,  9,  and  10 
Larmon  Block,  northeast  corner  of  Washington  and  Clark  streets. 

The  following  account  of  the  way  in  which  the  books  were 
extricated  was  taken  vtrhatim  from  Mr.  John  G.  Shortall,  senior 
member  of  the  firm,  by  a  Tribune  reporter: — 

I  had  just  come  home  from  church,  and  had  been  sitting  in  my 
house.  No.  852  Prairie  avenue,  and  was  going  to  bed.  I  looked 
out  of  my  north  window  and  noticed  a  very  bright  light  in  the 
sky.  I  had  been,  from  some  unaccountable  cause,  quite  appre- 
hensive in  regard  to  fire  for  some  time  previous ;  and,  on  noticing 
the  light,  determined  to  go  to  the  fire,  although  it  was  not  in  the 
direction  of  my  office. 

I  met  a  friend  on  the  cars  who  was  also  going  to  the  fire,  and 
we  crossed  Twelfth  street  bridge,  and  got  up  to  the  side  of  the 


258  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

lire  on  Canal  street,  and  followed  it  up  from  block  to  block  to 
Adams  streets  We  then  got  on  Yan  Buren  street  bridge,  and 
watched  the  progress  of  the  flames  for  probably  an  hour  and  a 
half.  I  then  had  no  idea  that  the  fire  would  cross  the  river,  and 
1  argued  with  myself  several  times  whether  I  had  not  better  go 
home,  but  kept  on  staying  watching  the  fire ;  and,  while  standing 
on  Yan  Buren  street  bridge,  I  noticed  a  new  body  of  flame — I 
should  think  there  was  an  intervening  space  of  fully  half  a  mile 
untouched  by  fire.  This  new  fire  broke  out,  as  it  seemed  to  me 
then,  in  the  vicinity  of  South  Water  street  and  Fifth  avenue. 
When  I  saw  this  new  light,  I  started  for  my  office  in  Larmon 
Block  immediately. 

On  reaching  the  ofiice  I  found,  as  I  apprehended,  great  danger 
existing  from  the  awnings,  which  were  outside  the  building,  the 
embers  dropping  down  very  thickly  on  the  roofs  of  the  buildings, 
and  on  the  fronts,  and  signs,  and  awnings.  I  ran  upstairs,  got  into 
the  ofiice  and  tried  to  cut  away  the  awnings  in  front  of  our  build- 
ing and  that  of  the  building  adjoining  ;  but,  owing  to  the  absence 
of  anything  adequate,  I  had  to  give  that  up,  and  simply  press 
them  close  to  the  wall,  that  the  embers  might  drop  ofi"  them,  and 
not  be  caught  in  them.  Even  then  I  scarcely  believed  it  possible 
that  the  Larmon  Block  could  take  fire,  and  I  requested  the  men 
in  the  upper  portion  of  the  building  with  buckets  of  water,  to  put 
out  any  embers  that  might  fall  there  and  endanger  the  building. 
In  another  half  hour  I  felt  more  apprehensive,  and  went  on  the 
street  to  find  an  express  wagon.  This  must  have  been  an  hour 
and  a  half  before  the  building  actually  burned.  I  stopped 
probably  fifteen  different  trucks  and  express  'wagons,  offering 
them  any  pay  to  work  for  me  in  saving  the  books.  Seven  of 
them  at  least  I  engaged,  one  after  another,  they  faithfully  promis- 
ing me  that  they  would  come  back  when  they  had  carried  the  load 
and  done  the  work  in  which  they  were  engaged;  but  no  one  came 
back.     At  this  juncture  I  met  a  friend,  Mr.  ^ye,  who  was  look- 


IN   CHICAGO   AJSTD   THE   WEST.  259 

ing  out,  as  I  was,  for  the  danger.  I  told  him  I  needed  him,  and 
he  answered  me  promptly  that  he  was  at  my  service.  We  both 
watched  some  time  longer  for  express  wagons,  but  could  find 
none.  At  last,  when  the  Court-House  cupola  took  fire  I  told  my 
friend  that  we  must  have  an  express  wagon  within  the  next  five 
minutes  or  we  were  utterly  lost.  Hfe  stood  on  Clark  street  and  I 
on  Washington,  determined  to  take  the  first  expressman  we  could 
find.  The  first  one  happened  to  come  along  on  his  side.  He 
seized  the  reins  with  one  hand,  and  taking  a  revolver  from  his 
pocket  with  tha  other,  "  persuaded  "  the  expressman  to  haul  up 
to  the  sidewalk,  notwithstanding  his  cursing  and  swearing. 
When  I  came  back  from  my  unsuccessful  watch,  I  found  the  ex- 
pressman there,  and  my  friend,  handing  the  lines  and  revolver  to 
me,  went  upstairs  to  help  our  employes,  who  were  then  in  the 
ofiice,  to  carry  down  the  volumes.  We  got  round  with  the  wag- 
on to  the  Washington  street  entrance,  and,  after  filling  the  wagon, 
found  that  we  had  but  about  one-quarter  of  our  property  in  it. 
Just  at  that  critical  moment  I  saw  a  two-horse  truck  drive  up  to 
where  I  was  superintending  the  packing  of  the  books,  and  my 
friend  Joe  Stockton,  whose  face  was  so  covered  with  smut  and 
dust  that  I  did  not  recognize  him  until  he  spoke,  turned  over  the 
truck  and  driver  to  me,  with  the  remark :  "  I  think,  John,  this  is 
just  what  you  need."  I  never  felt  so  relieved  or  so  thankful  for 
anything  as  I  did  at  his  appearance  with  that  substantial  aid  at 
that  moment.  We  unpacked  our  impressed  expressman  immedi- 
ately and  set  him  adrift  with  $5  in  his  pocket  for  his  five  min- 
utes' work,  and  commenced  to  pile  our  property  on  friend  Stock- 
ton's truck.  Meanwhile  the  flames  were  roaring  and  surging 
around  us.  Six  of  our  boys  were  carrying  down  the  volumes  as 
rapidly  as  they  could,  and  I,  standing  on  the  truck,  was  stowing 
away  the  books  economically  as  to  space.  About  that  time  they 
told  me  the  Court-House  bell  fell  down. 

It  must  have  been  about  two  o'clock.    I  never  heard  the  bell  fall, 


260  HISTOET   OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

I  was  so  excited.  Toward  the  last,  when  we  had  got  our  indices 
all  down  safely,  and  we  were  trying  to  save  other  valuable  papers 
and  books,  many  of  which  we  did  save,  it  was  stated  that  Smith 
&  Nixon's  Building  was  about  to  be  blown  up.  Our  truck  was 
headed  toward  that  building.  The  sky  was  filled  with  burning 
embers,  which  were  falling  around  us  thickly.  As  soon,  I  think, 
as  the  information  was  given  that  that  building  was  to  be  blown 
up,  the  crowd  rushed  past  us  down  Washington  street,  toward 
the  Lake,  terribly  excited,  shouting  and  warning  everybody 
away.  My  driver  was  very  nervous,  and,  o^  one  pretext  or 
another,  would  start  his  horses  up  for  a  rod  or  so,  swearing  that 
he  would  not  be  blown  up  for  us  or  for  the  whole  country  ;  but  I 
succeeded  in  stopping  him  eight  or  ten  times  during  the  excite- 
ment. In  the  mean  time,  our  men  were  coming  down  the  stairs 
laden  with  our  property  and  returning  as  rapidly  as  they  could. 
I  was  standing  on  the  books,  packing  them  in  the  truck,  and  the 
embers  were  flying  on  them,  and  I  picked  them  off  as  they  fell 
and  threw  them  into  the  street,  until,  a  rod  at  a  time,  we  reached 
the  corner  of  Dearborn  and  Washington.  Messrs.  Fuller  and 
Handy  were  the  last  to  leave  the  office,  and  they  did  not  leave 
until  Buck  &  E-ayner's  drug  store  was  on  fire.  The  store,  as 
we  believed,  was  full  of  chemicals  and  explosive  matter.  At  that 
time  the  Court-House  was  a  mass  of  flames,  and  our  own  build- 
ing was  burning,  and  other  buildings  in  the  immediate  vicinity 
entirely  destroyed.  Three  of  us  then  started  with  the  truck  for 
my  house,  which  we  reached  about  three  o'clock  that  morning.  I 
had  our  property  unloaded  and  placed  securely  within  ;  and,  after 
giving  the  driver  and  others  some  refreshments,  I  started  again 
for  the  fire  to  see  what  aid  I  could  give  other  sufferers. 

There  are  three  abstract  firms  who  have  saved  portions  of  their 
books.  Our  own  firm  and  Chase  Brothers  &  Co.  have  saved 
their  indices,  digests  of  records,  judgment  dockets,  and  tax-sale 
records  complete,  together  with  many  valuable  memoranda,  and 


m    CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST.  261 

probably  130,000  pages  of  copies  of  abstracts  and  examinations 
of  titles,  which  are  sufficient,  we  believe,  with  the  aid  of  proper 
legislation,  to  establish  the  title  to  every  tract  of  land  in  the  city 
of  Chicago  and  Cook  County.  Messrs.  Jones  &  Sellers,  I  am 
informed,  have  saved  their  books  of  original  entries,  but  have  lost 
their  indices.  They  have  also,  I  understand,  saved  many  volumes 
of  copies  of  abstracts  made.  All  these  valuable  documents,  in 
the  absence  of  the  records  themselves,  are  a  firm  security  for  titles 
to  real  estate  in  the  city  and  county,  and  are  sufficient  to  pre- 
vent any  iniquity  being  done.  Without  them  we  should  have  to 
return  to  the  tomahawk,  pre-emption,  and  possession. 

THE   POST-OFFICE   CAT. 

A  sketch  of  the  doings  of  the  Post-office  in  connection  with 
the  fire  would  not  be  complete  without  a  notice  of  the  office  cat. 
She  (or  he)  had  been  once  before  burned  out,  and  was  therefore, 
in  a  measure,  prepared  for  this  calamity.  On  the  night  of  the 
fire  the  cat  was  present  and  assisted  in  the  removal,  though  she 
did  not  go  herself.  When  the  work  of  removing  the  safes  was 
in  progress,  the  tearing  away  of  a  portion  of  the  ruin  revealed 
the  faithful  public  servant  in  a  pail  partially  filled  with  water.  She 
had  rented  this  as  temporary  quarters,  and  apparently  enjoyed 
the  cool  shelter  which  it  afibrded.  From  her  position  it  appeared 
impossible  that  she  could  have  gone  away  and  returned  after  the 
fire,  and  so  she  may  be  set  down  as  the  only  living  being  who 
passed  Sunday  night  and  Mondaj^  in  the  burnt  district. 

A  little  before  two  o'clock  on  Monday  morning,  when  the  fire 
M'Hs  raging,  G.  W.  Wood,  Assistant  Superintendent  of  Railway 
Mail  Service  and  Special  Agent  of  the  Post-office  Department, 
arrived  at  the  Post-office,  convinced  that  the  building  would  go. 
He  was,  of  course,  aware  of  the  responsibilities  which  he  would 
incur  in  removing  anything  from  the  office ;  but  chose  to  disre- 
gard the  requirements  of  red  tape  in  the  interests  of  the  citizens 


262  msTOKY  OF  the  gkeat  fiees 

who  would  suffer  by  the  loss  of  their  letters.  "When  remonstrated 
with  by  a  gentleman  connected  with  the  customs,  he  defined  his 
position  by  saying  that  they  might  wait  for  an  act  of  Congress  if 
they  chose,  but  he  should  do  his  best  to  save  what  he  could.  On 
this  declaration  of  principles  he  proceeded  to  load  everything 
portable  into  wagons  belonging  to  the  department.  The  force 
of  men  was  large,  the  transportation  ample,  and  the  direction 
vigorous,  the  result  being  that  every  letter,  both  registered  and 
common,  in  all  the  boxes  and  compartments  of  the  office  wa? 
hastily  dumped  into  sacks  and  removed  out  of  reach  of  the  fire. 
All  the  mails  in  the  building  were  rescued,  with  the  single  excep 
tion  of  a  small  one  which  came  over  the  Fort  Wayne  road,  and 
which,  owing  to  the  fact  that  it  was  four  hours  late,  no  one  knew 
anything  of.  The  registers  and  other  matters  belonging  to  the 
office,  including  the  furniture  in  one  of  the  private  rooms,  were 
also  loaded  in  the  wagons,  and  the  whole  was  taken  up  town. 
Some  of  it  had  to  be  moved  a  second  time,  its  first  station  having 
been  on  Harrison  street;  but  everything  eventually  brought  up 
in  safety.  On  the  evening  of  Monday,  Mr.  Wood  telegraphed  to 
Postmaster-General  Creswell  what  had  been  done,  and  on  Tues- 
da}'  was  instmicted  by  that  officer  to  spare  no  expense  to  carry  on 
the  mail  service  as  well  as  before. 

The  work  of  getting  out  the  sates  belonging  to  the  office  from 
the  ruins  was  undertaken  a  day  or  two  after  the  fire  had  passed 
over,  and  the  result  was,  in  the  main,  satisfactory.  There  were 
some  $60,000  worth  of  postage-stamps  on  hand,  and  these  were 
rendered  useless.  Though  not  totally  destroyed,  they  were  so 
badly  charred  as  to  render  their  use  impossible.  They  were  for- 
warded to  Washington  immediately.  The  most  valuable  contents 
of  the  safes — the  books  of  accounts — were  found  uninjured  and 
in  perfect  order.  The  only  exception  was  the  cash-book,  which, 
through  some  inadvertence,  was  left  in  a  desk. 

A  gentleman  savs  of  the  sufferino; : — 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST.  263 

''  I  have  jnst  made  a  personal  inspection  of  the  condition  of  ISTorth 
Chicago.  I  entered  by  the  northernmost  of  the  bridges  on  the 
North  Branch,  in  order  to  see  first  what  was  left.  On  my  way  to 
this  bridge  I  came  upon  a  young  man,  in  the  open  lot,  sitting  on 
tlie  ground  by  the  side  of  a  box  of  bread.  Inquiring  if  he  had 
gone  into  business  as  a  baker,  I  found  that  he  had  been  to  some 
freight  cars  near  by  to  procure  some  supplies,  that  his  box  con- 
tained meat  and  apples  as  well  as  bread,  and  that  he  was  resting 
on  account  of  feebleness  produced  by  exposure  after  the  terrible 
exhaustion  of  Monday.  I  shouldered  his  box  and  went  with  him 
just  over  the  bridge  to  the  temporary  refuge  which  he  had  found. 
Besides  himself  there  were  his  wife,  three  young  children,  and 
a  widowed  aunt  with  eight  children,  the  eldest  a  girL  He  had 
had  a  good  situation  as  a  clerk  in  one  of  our  leading  dry-goods 
houses  in  State  street,  and,  with  his  aunt,  owned  four  small 
houses,  the  rent  of  two  of  which  was  the  sole  dependence  of  the 
widow  and  her  eight  children.  The  fire  took  all  they  had,  except 
the  clothes  in  which  they  escaped,  and  about  fifty  dollars  in 
money,  which  the  young  clerk  had  just  invested  in  boards  to 
build  a  shanty  on  their  lots  in  which  to  house  the  double  family 
of  thirteen.  The  chance  of  obtaining  employment  for  the  man 
seemed  fair.  He  slept  out  on  the  prairie  the  night  after  the  fire, 
and  was  nearly  helpless  the  next  day  from  fatigue  and  severe 
chills.  Probably  great  numbers  laid  that  night  the  foundation 
of  ague  or  consumption.  The  Sunday  night  had  been  very  warm, 
and  Monday,  until  toward  midnight,  was  so  mild  as  to  make  sit- 
ting out  not  quite  uncomfortable  for  a  well  person.  But  a  sharp 
change  occurred  about  midnight,  rain  came,  with  violent  and 
very  chilly  winds,  under  which  even  the  robust  suffered  severely. 
Those  who  had  some  covering  found  the  wind  too  much  for  them, 
and  many  lacked  even  the  chance  to  shield  their  wearied  bodies 
from  the  blast,  and  their  little  ones  from  the  chill  unfriendliness 
of  the  dropping  skies.     The  rain  was  not  drenching,  nor  was  the 


264:  HISTOKY    OF   THE    GREAT    FIRES 

wind  uear  to  freezing,  but  both  were  just  at  the  point  wliieli 
makes  excessive  discomfort  to  the  hardy,  and  to  the  enfeebled  is 
the  touch  of  distant  but  certain  death." 

A  lady  from  St.  Louis  found  in  her  rounds  of  mercy  a  mother 
and  her  daughter  under  a  sidewalk.  The  latter  had  been  confined 
there,  and  her  babe  was  in  sucli  distress  that  the  little  creature's 
eyes  protruded  upon  its  cheeks.  They  were  instantly  provided 
for,  but  the  little  one  could  not  survive  the  shock.  The  world 
into  which  it  came  was  too  hot  just  then,  and  not  the  "cold 
world  "  of  poetry  and  despair. 

I  am  told  by  the  physicians  here  tliat  as  many  as  live  hundred 
cases  of  premature  birth  have  been  reported,  and  the  many  help- 
less mothers  who  gave  birth  to  children  along  the  Lake  can  be 
numbered  by  scores.  I  can  only  weep  as  I  hear  this  terrible  tale. 
One  told  me  last  night  is  almost  too  much  for  human  heart  to 
bear.  The  daughter-in-law  of  a  clergyman  here  gave  birth  to  a 
child  in  the  flight  along  the  shore,  and  was  separated  from  the 
family,  and  neither  mother  nor  child  have  been  found.  Another 
— a  lady  in  the  Sherman  House — was  carried  out  in  tlie  arms  of 
her  husband,  the  new-born  babe  clasped  to  her  breast,  and  both 
died  in  the  fatlier's  arms  before  reaching  a  place  of  safety.  The 
poor  man,  crazed  with  grief,  was  last  seen  along  the  shore  of  the 
Lake,  with  his  dead  across  his  shoulder.  Again,  I  heard  of  a  fine- 
looking  woman  in  a  night-dress  being  seen  wandering  along  the 
Lake  shore  with  twin  babes,  all  of  whom  have  died  without 
recognition,  and  been  buried  by  the  city.  These  are  but  a  few 
among  the  many  awful  horrors  of  that  night. 

FEARFUL  ADVENTURES. 

A  graphic  writer,  not  wholly  reliable,  liowever,  says  he  had  been 
watching  the  fire  for  hours,  till  at  length  it  began  to  approach  his 
boarding-house  on  the  avenue,  when  he  became  seriously  alarmed 
for  the  inmates,  many  of  whom  were  helpless  women,  and  among 


TN   CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST  265 

them  Rosa  D'Erina,  the  Irish  prima  donna,  who  had  just  conclud- 
ed a  series  of  entertainments. 

I  had  previous  to  this  made  no  efforts  to  save  my  effects,  and  it 
was  now  too  late,  as  I  found  the  balcony  of  the  house  (a  wooden 
one)  on  fire  when  I  got  down.  The  women  were  panic-stricken, 
and  seemed  utterly  incapable  of  action,  but  we  succeeded,  amid 
great  difficulty,  in  rescuing  them  from  danger,  and,  along  with 
them,  we  wended  our  way  towards  the  Lake  shore.  But  my  feel- 
ings were  so  much  excited  I  could  not  remain  long  in  any  one 
place,  and  I  again  went  citywards.  I  walked  along  Adams  street, 
which  had  up  to  that  time  escaped,  and  found  the  Academy  of 
Design,  situated  corner  of  Adams  and  Dearborn  streets,  still  un- 
touched. The  Palmer  House,  on  State  street,  a  little  lower 
down,  also  stood,  and  for  a  moment  a  feeling  of  hope  sprang  up 
in  my  breast  that  something  might  be .  spared  even  then.  But 
this  was  a  short-lived  feeling.  The  Honore  Block,  in  process  of 
erection  by  the  father-in-law  of  Potter  Palmer,  caught,  and  now 
the  Post-office,  which  had  acted  as  a  barrier  against  the  progress 
of  the  flames  eastward,  was  in  imminent  danger,  and  the  district 
around  seemed  abandoned  to  destruction.  The  utmost  exertions 
were  made  to  save  the  mails,  papers,  and  valuable  contents  of  the 
office,  and  in  a  great  measure,  I  believe,  they  were  successful. 
Finally  the  Post-office  caught  ;  but  being  a  very  solid  and  sub- 
stantial structure,  it  withstood  the  fire  longer  than  any  other 
which  I  had  seen.  Its  interior  was  completely  gutted,  but  the 
walls  remain,  and  on  Tuesday  they  served  me  as  a  guide  through 
the  ruins.  Familiar  as  I  was  with  the  city,  I  could  not  otherwise 
have  found  my  way.  No  chance  now  remained  for  the  Academy 
of  Design,  and  we  mournfully  watched  the  rapidity  with  which 
the  fatal  element  was  surely  encircling  it.  It  was  filled  with  val- 
uable paintings,  among  others  Rothermel's  great  picture  of  "  The 
Battle  of  Gettysburg,"  which  had  been  on  exhibition  for  some 
weeks  past.     I  heard  the  picture  was  taken  out  in  safety,  but  it 


266  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

\vfis  considerably  darnaged,  and  the  largest  portion  of  the  remain- 
ing paintings  had  to  be  abandoned  to  the  fire.  The  building  was 
not  fire-proof  and,  being  built  with  more  regard  to  display  than 
utility,  was  quickly  and  efi'ectually  consumed.  The  walls  toppled 
over  with  the  heat,  and  fell  with  an  awful  crash,  and  it  is  feared 
many  perished  in  the  ruins  who  had  recklessly  ventured  too  near. 
There  were  a  large  number  of  valuable  stores  in  this  district,  and 
they  with  their  contents  were  completely  destroyed.  I  had  a 
narrow  escape  for  my  life  just  then,  and  even  now  I  can  scarcely 
realize  how  great  the  risk  was.  I  had,  in  my  eagerness,  gone  too 
near  the  Honore  Block,  when  a  falling  timber  struck  me  on  the 
forehead  and  felled  me  to  the  ground.  I  was  completely  stunned 
for  a  moment,  but  the  love  of  life  was  strong,  and  I  struggled  up, 
minus  a  hat,  a  loss  which  I  soon  replaced,  as  there  were  hundreds 
of  them  flying  through  the  streets  minus  heads.  I  picked  one  up 
which  made  my  appearance  more  picturesque  than  flattering. 
The  east  side  of  State  street,  towards  the  bridge,  was  now  in 
flames,  and  the  block  of  buildings  north  of  Field,  Leiter  &  Co.'s 
extensive  wholesale  store  (the  largest  in  the  West)  was  being 
rapidly  consumed.  The  employes  of  the  house,  some  five  hun- 
dred in  number,  had  been  busily  engaged  all  the  night  in  re- 
moving the  most  valuable  portion  of  the  goods  to  a  place  of  safety; 
but  the  heat  had  become  so  intense  that  they  beat  a  retreat  and 
abandoned  the  immense  stock  to  its  fate.  The  building  itself  be- 
longed to  Potter  Palmer,  and  was  the  finest  business  house  in  the 
city.  It  could  not  be  valued  at  less  than  a  million  and  a  half  of 
dollars,  only  part  of  which  was  covered  by  insurance.  It  caught 
in  the  roof,  and  in  an  instant  was  enveloped  in  flames.  Gunpow- 
der had  previously  been  placed  in  the  basement,  but  the  fire  was 
long  in  reaching  it.  At  length  a  terrific  explosion  apprised  the 
spectators  that  the  end  had  come.  The  fragments  were  scattered 
around  for  blocks,  wounding  and  maiming  many  persons,  and 
shaking  the  foundations  of  the  solid  earth  on  which  we  stood. 


A  rAMILY  TKKfiTI'.I-Y  I'tVJ.lSH  OK  THE  EOOF  OF  A  H 


-rK-\r  OK  THK  ^iri.rnroi;  ;:i;t<a\ 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  269 

When  I  opened  my  eyes  again  (which  I  had  closed  on  account,  of 
the  flying  sparks)  all  I  could  perceive  was  a  smoking  heap  of 
ruins.  Immediately  adjoining  Field  &  Leiter's  stood  the  book- 
sellers' block  of  Chicago,  in  which  the  largest  book  trade  in  the 
West  was  transacted.  It  remained  intact  at  six  o'clock,  when 
everything  around  it  had  been  burned ;  but  the  fire,  which 
by  this  time  had  made  its  way  east  to  Wabash  avenue,  ignited 
it  in  the  rear,  and  it  burned  up  like  tinder,  the  stock,  of  course, 
being  perfectly  inflammable.  The  loss  must  have  been  immense, 
as,  the  book  trade  being  unusually  active,  a  tremendous  stock  was 
on  hand.  Previous  to  this  the  water- works  had  been  burned,  and 
the  city  was  now  without  light  or  water.  The  water-works  were, 
in  the  opinion  of  the  Chicago  people,  the  finest  in  the  world ;  but 
whether  this  be  so  or  not,  they  were  magnificent  structures  of 
their  class,  fitted  up  with  all  the  modern  improvements,  and  in 
perfect  working  order.  When  they  burned,  the  Fire  Department, 
Avhich  had  never  rendered  much  service,  practically  ceased  to 
exist,  and  seven  of  the  engines  were  abandoned  to  the  fire. 

The  panorama  was  now  awfully  grand  and  magnificent,  and 
presented  a  most  imposing  spectacle  to  those  who  had  coolness 
enough  left  to  appreciate  the  vividness  of  the  scene.  On  eveiy 
side,  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  the  forking  flames  were  shooting 
lip,  jumping  entire  blocks  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning,  filling 
the  air  with  burning  timbers,  seizing  fragments  and  inflammable 
material  of  every  kind.  The  crash  of  falling  buildings  would  at 
swift  intervals  drown  all  other  sounds,  and  almost  blind  the  spec- 
tators with  dense  masses  of  smoke,  causing  for  a  moment  a  dark- 
ness that  could  be  felt.  The  entire  northeast  part  of  the  city 
had  now  been  consumed  as  far  as  the  river,  and  the  interest  be- 
came concentrated  in  the  southern  part,  towards  which  the  fire 
was  cleaving  its  resistless  way.  It  was  daylight,  but  you  could 
not  distinguish  the  difierence  between  day  and  night,  as  the 
streets  presented  the  same  appearance,  and  the  atmosphere  and 
16 


270  HISTORY    OF   THE   GKEAT   FIEE8 

heavens  looked  as  thej  had  done  for  hours  previous.  Lower 
State  street,  south  of  Jackson,  was  one  vivid  blaze,  the  ruined 
structures  belching  fortli  whole  columns  of  Sre  and  smoke^  and  in 
the  midst  1  perceived  the  Palmer  House  still  standing. 

I  was  astonished  that  it  had  held  out  so  long.  From  its  great 
height  one  would  imagine  that  it  would  be  one  of  the  structures 
most  liable  to  go,  but  it  stood  longer  than  others  supposed  to  be 
completely  fireproof.  Its  entire  contents  had  been  saved,  and 
Mr.  Palmer  remained  in  the  building  to  the  last.  I  was  told  by 
a  gentleman  that  Mr.  Palmer's  wife,  who  was  waiting  outside  the 
building  for  her  husband,  had  been  struck  in  the  building  with 
a  blazing  fragment  and  severely  burned.  I  did  not  see  this  my- 
self, but  I  have  no  doubt  of  its  veracity,  as  occurrences  like  this 
were  innumerable.  When  the  hotel  finally  caught,  it  rapidly 
burned  up,  and  communicated  tllfe  flames  to  St.  Paul's  TJniversal- 
ist  Church,  situated  on  Wabash  avenue,  which  in  its  turn  carried 
them  further  on.  Adjoining  the  hotel  were  a  great  number  of 
saloons  and  some  of  the  most  disreputable  bagnios  in  the  city,  and 
when  the  dwellings  cauglit  it  was  horrifying  to  see  the  rascally 
proprietors  selling  liquor  in  the  front  part  of  their  premises,  and 
the  rear  on  fire.  Many  of  them  met  the  fate  they  so  richly  deserved, 
the  buildings  falling  on  them  before  they  could  manage  to  escape. 
The  burning  district  was  now  abandoned  by  all  who  valued  their 
lives,  and  all  who  could  reach  the  Lake  shore,  where  they  hoped 
to  be  safe.  Subsequent  events  will  prove  how  futile  were  their 
hopes. 

But  I  am  anticipating  the  order  of  my  narrative.  Wabash 
avenue,  adjoining  the  Palmer  House,  was  principally  built  of 
marble  blocks,  which  were  used  for  the  better  class  of  boarding- 
houses.  Just  above,  where  the  private  residences  commenced,  was 
located  the  Farwell  Block,  occupied  by  Farwell,  Hamlin  &  Hale, 
and  other  prominent  merchants.  It  had  been  destroyed  about  a 
year  ago,  in  the  great  fire ;  but  had  been  rebuilt  at  an  enormous 


IN   CHICAGO   Airo   THE  WEST-  271 

cost,  and  made  more  magnificent  than  it  had  been  at  any  previous 
period.  I  thought  it  might  have  been  saved,  but  it  was  not  to 
be;  it  seemed  as  if  all  that  was  valuable,  costly,  and  noble  must 
be  sacrificed  to  the  relentless  and  conquering  element,  which  was 
*'  monarch  of  all  it  survej^ed."  I  did  not  witness  the  burning  of 
this  block,  but  I  was  told  that  it  burned  up  with  a  rapidity  that 
was  perfectly  terrific.  On  the  opposite  side  the  boarding-houses 
commenced,  and  in  one  of  them,  ISTo.  159,  a  lady  was  burned  to 
death  before  she  could  be  rescued.  The  cross  streets  intersecting 
those  running  north  and  south  were  everywhere  igniting,  and  I 
saw  that  everything  was  going  to  be  swept  clean  to  the  Lake. 
I  had  by  this  time  found  the  ladies  of  our  party,  and  a  few  of  us 
set  to  work  to  erect  a  kind  of  breastwork  as  a  protection  against  the 
blazing  fragments,  which  were  falling  thickly  around.  The  scene 
on  the  Lake  shore  was  awful  in  the  extreme.  Hundreds  and  thou- 
sands of  people  had  carried  what  effects  they  had  saved  down  there, 
in  the  hope  of  safety ;  but  the  last  hopes  they  entertained  were  gone 
when  they  perceived  Michigan  avenue,  the  last  street  east  facing 
the  Lake,  ablaze  in  several  places.  The  terror  and  agony  became 
intense ;  women  were  wildly  screaming ;  young  girls,  with  di- 
shevelled hair  and  apparel  all  awry,  could  with  difficulty  be  pre- 
vented from  throwing  themselves  into  the  Lake.  Children  were 
seeking  lost  parents,  and  parents  lost  children ;  wives  their 
husbands,  and  husbands  their  wives.  Strong  men  fainted  with 
the  agou}'^  of  despair ;  while  high  above  all  could  be  heard  the 
brutal  cries  of  wretches,  who,  maddened  with  strong  drink, 
which  was  flowing  like  water,  seemed  bent  on  rapine  and 
pillage  in  the  midst  of  the  universal  dismay.  I  think  history 
has  never  recorded  a  scene  so  full  of  all  the  elements  of  ter- 
ror and  dismay ;  for  my  part,  the  remembrance  of  it  shall  haunt 
me  as  long  as  I  live.  The  breakwater  became  crowded  with 
fugitives,  and  the  trains  of  cars  which  were  being  taken  from 
the  Great  Central  depot  must  have  caused  numerous  accidents. 


273  HISTORY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

Many  had  got  along  the  edge  of  the  Lake  and  immersed  them- 
selves in  the  water  up  to  their  waists,  in  the  frenzy  of  the  mo- 
ment ;  and  even  here  they  were  not  for  a  moment  safe.  My 
position  was  immediately  opposite  Adams  street,  to  which  the  fire 
had  not' yet  come.  On  the  corner  opposite  stood  the  magnificent 
residence  of  Mr.  Honore,  the  father-in-law  of  Potter  Palmer. 
The  next  building  was  a  Swedenborgian  church,  one  of  the 
strongest  stone  edifices  I  ever  saw.  So  strong  was  it  that  I  was 
certain  the  flames  could  not  penetrate  it.  They  did,  however, 
and  now  our  danger  was  great,  as  the  fire  was  directly  opposite  to 
where  we  stood.  We  made  all  the  precautions  possible  to  save 
om-  lives,  as  we  knew  when  the  fire  should  pass  a  given  point  we 
would  be  comparatively  safe.  We  confiscated  two  large  carpets 
which  ,we  found  on  the  ground,  and  immersing  them  in  water, 
placed  them  on  the  tops  of  chairs,  and  got  the  five  women  of  our 
party  under  them.  We  had  not  a  moment  to  lose,  as  the  fragments 
from  the  church  and  Mr.  Honore's  house  were  rapidly  coming  in 
onr  direction.  The  heat  was  so  intense  that  the  carpets  imme- 
diately dried  up,  but  we  had  pails,  and  as  fast  as  they  dried  we 
wet  them  again  from  the  Lake.  I  had,  on  leaving  my  residence 
the  night  before,  put  on  my  overcoat,  and  I  was  congratulating 
myself  all  the  time  on  my  forethought;  but  even  this  had  to  go, 
as  it  took  fire  on  my  person,  and  I  had  to  be  baptized  over  again, 
adopting  the  plan  of  total  immersion,  for  I  jumped  into  the  Lake. 
My  companion's  pants  were  on  fire  in  several  places,  and  he  had 
to  do  likewise,  so  we  were  both  in  at  the  same  time.  We  got  out 
again,  I  minus  my  coat  and  he  with  his  pants  in  a  tattered  con- 
dition. The  heat  was  terrific;  my  face  was  literally  scorched, 
and  my  eyes  I  thought  would  melt  out  of  my  head,  but  I  was 
mercifully  preserved,  and  I  weathered  the  storm  until  the  fire 
passed.  When  the  smoke  had  cleared  a  little  I  looked  north, 
and  what  attracted  my  attention  first  was  the  Pullman  Jjuilding, 
which  had  just  caught  fire.     It  burned  to  the  ground  in  thirty 


EST   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  273 

minutes,  and  the  great  Central  Depot,  one  of  the  ornaments  of 
the  city,  adjoining  Pulhnan's,  was  soon  a  living  flame.  It  was 
occupied  by  the  Illinois  Central,  Michigan  Central,  and  Chicago, 
Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroads,  and  was  the  head-quarters  of  the 
former  and  latter  companies.  Just  beside  were  the  two  lai-ge 
elevators,  in  which  were  stored  millions  of  bushels  of  grain  ;  and 
taken  as  it  was,  all  in  all,  it  was  one  of  the  most  valuable 
parts  of  the  city.  The  depot  burned  up,  and  along  with  it  "hun- 
.dreds  of  cars  of  every  description  ;  but  the  elevators  remained 
standing  entire  when  the  depot  had  been  utterly  consumed, 
I  believed  them,  as  did  every-  one  else,  to  be  safe;  but  a  new 
and  unperceived  danger  soon  attracted  our  attention  and  con- 
vinced us  that  we  had  been  too  premature  in  our  suppositions. 
There  was  a  large  quantity  of  shipping  anchored  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Lake,  waiting  to  be  laden  with  grain  from  the  elevators. 
No  one  thought  of  these,  as  it  was  supposed  they  had  made  their 
escape  out;  but  it  was  not  so,  and  the  tall  masts  catching  fire 
from  the  sparks,  communicated  with  the  nearest  elevator  and 
set  it  instantly  ablaze.  It  made  a  terrific  fire,  auj  burned 
the  entire  day;  but,  strange  to  say,  its  companion,  just  beside, 
escaped  uninjured,  and  is  preserved,  with  its  immense  stock  of 
grain. 

The  fire  companies  from  other  towns  were  beginning  to  arrive, 
but  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  water  they  could  accomiplisli  but 
little.  In  one  district  they  did  good  service,  however,  as  they 
had  a  supply  of  water  from  the  river,  and,  owing  to  their  exer- 
tions, the  fire  did  not  spread  to  the  West  Side.  All  the  stores  of 
goods  which  were  piled  up  on  the  banks  of  the  Lake  had  become 
ignited,  and  the  entire  ground  was  one  sheet  of  fire;  yet,  in  the 
midst  of  all,  fiends  in  the  shape  of  men  were  pursuing  tlieir  hellish 
trade.  "Whiskey  barrels,  which  had  been  rolled  down,  were  burst 
open,  and  men,  and  even  women  eagerly  drank  the  fire  in  liquid 
form. 


274:  HISTORY    OF   THE   GEEAT   FIEES 

Free  fights  were,  iu  numerous  iustauces,  indulged  in^  and  the 
ruffians,  rolling  over  each  other,  were  burned  and  trampled  to 
death.  We  had  succeeded  (after  paying  a  fabulous  price  for  an 
express  wagon)  in  removing  our  women  from  the  scene,  and  they 
made  their  escape  to  the  southern  part  of  the  city,  where  they 
were  for  the  time  being  safe.  I  remained,  as  I  was  determined 
to  see  the  last  of  the  spectacle,  and  I  made  my  way,  along  with 
a  printer  on  the  Evening  Journal,  to  the  West  Side.  The  task 
was  one  of  no  ordinary  difficulty  and  danger,  as  walls  were  every- 
where falling,  and  the  ground  was  strewn  with  burning  embers. 
We  found  the  bridges  gone,  and  could  not  tell  how  we  were  to 
cross  the  river  until  we  met  an  attache  of  the  Journal,  who  told 
us  we  could  cross  at  Madison  street,  a  portion  of  the  bridge  still 
standing.  I  was  surprised  to  find  the  Pittsburg  and  Fort  Wayne 
depot  still  unburnt,  when  the  stronger  built  ones  had  perished ; 
but  the  fire  on  Saturday  night  had  cleaned  a  space  around  it,  and 
this,  probably,  accounted  for  its  preservation.  On  reaching 
Canal  street,  we  found  that  the  Evening  Journal  had,  with  com- 
mendable enterprise,  secured  the  Interior  Printing  House,  and 
had  already  commenced  to  get  up  an  extra,  which  they  issued 
the  same  evening.  My  companion  was  called  upon  to  work,  and 
I  was  now  left  alon6,  and  I  went  on  towards  the  Galena  depot 
of  the  Chicago  and  Northwestern  Railroad,  which  I  could  not 
find,  it  having  been  long  before  consumed.  The  freight  houses 
attached  to  it  had  also  been  destroyed,  so  that  wherever  I  went 
nothing  but  ruin,  complete  and  awful,  met  my  gaze.  The  fire 
seemed  to  have  spent  itself  on  the  South  Side,  and  as  the  ITorth 
Side  then  seemed  safe,  I  thought  I  would  go  and  endeavor  ^  to 
find  a  place  of  refuge,  which  I  did  far  down  Indiana  avenuej  I 
was  so  blinded  with  the  smoke  and  scorched  with  the  fiames  that 
the  two  ladies  of  the  house  could  not  recognize  me,  and  it  was 
with  difficulty  I  gained  admittance.  I  could  find  no  water ;  so  I 
took  a  couple  of  pails  and  started  for  the  Lake,  which  was  more 


m    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  275 

thai^a  mile  away.  I  could  scAvcelj  drag  my  legs  after  me;  but 
I  managed  to  get  back,  and,  as  it  was  now  pretty  late,  I  retired  to 
bed,  but  not  to  sleep.  The  heavens  were  more  lurid  than  they 
had  been  the  night  before,  and  1  was  at  a  loss  to  imagine  the 
reason  of  tliis,  little  dreaming  that  the  whole  North  Side  was  being 
rapidly  consumed.  I  rose  early  and  went  north,  and  I  shall  never 
forget  the  sigljits  I  witnessed  on  that  terrible  Tuesday.  When 
Twelfth  street  bridge  was  leached,  the  roads  leading  out  of  the 
city  were  ^rfectly  blocked  with  people,  hurrying  away,  while 
vehicles  of  every  shape  and  description  were  engaged  in  carrying 
their  efl'ects.  Many  fires  were  still  blazing,  and  around  Madison 
and  Washington  streets  immense  coal  heaps  were  burning,  the 
heat  from  which  was  very  acceptable,  as  the  morning  was  bitterly 
cold.     Crowds  were  gathered  reading 

THE    mayor's    proclamation, 

the  first  which  had  been  issued,  and  a  universal  gloom  seemed  to 
have  settled  on  all  faces. 

We  interrupt  the  story  here  to  give  this  document,  a  full  ac- 
count of  its  origin  being  furnished  in  the  next  division  of  this 
work.  Strange  as  it  may  appear,  and  the  fact  illustrates  the 
completeness  of  the  ruin,  it  was  not  for  hours  that  a  press  could 
be  found  on  which  to  print  the  proclamation. 

The  following  proclamation  was  issued,  and  gave  confidence  : — 

"  Whereas,  in  the  Providence  of  God,  to  whose  will  we  hum- 
bly submit,  a  terrible  calamity  has  befallen  our  city,  which  de- 
mands of  us  our  best  efibrts  for  the  preservation  of  order  and  the 
relief  of  the  suffering, 

"  Be  it  known  that  the  faith  and  credit  of  the  city  of  Chicago 
is  hereby  pledged  for  the  necessary  expenses  for  the  relief  of  the 
suffering.  Public  order  will  be  preserved.  The  Police,  and 
Special  Police  now  being  appointed,  will  be  responsible  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  peace  and  the  protection  of  property.     All 


27G  HISTORY    OF   THE   GEEAT   FIEE8 

oflScers  and  men  of  the  Fire  Department  and  Health  Departq^ent 
will  act  as  Special  Policemen  without  fm-ther  notice.  The  Mayor 
and  Comptroller  will  give  vouchers  for  all  supplies  furnished  by 
the  different  Belief  Committees.  The  head-quarters  of  the  City 
Government  will  be  at  the  Congregational  Church,  corner  of 
West  "Washington  and  Ann  streets.  All  persons  are  warned 
against  any  acts  tending  to  endanger  property.  All  persons 
caught  in  any  depredation  will  be  immediately  arrested. 

"  With  the  help  of  God,  order  and  peace  and  private  property' 
shall  be  preserved.     The  City  Government  and  committees   of 
citizens  pledge  themselves  to  the  community  to  protect   them, 
and   prepare   the  way  for  a  restoration  of  public  and  private 
welfare. 

"It  is  believed  the  fire  has  spent  its  force,  and  all  will  soon 
be  well. 

"  E.  B.  Mason,  Mayor. 
George  Taylor,  Comptroller. 

(By  R.  B.  Mason.) 
Charles  C.  P.  Holden, 

President  Common  Council. 
T.  B.  Brown, 

President  Board  of  Police. 
"  CmcAGO,  Octoier  9,  1871." 

We  allow  our  reporter  to  continue  his  sad  tale  : — 
The  ground  was  so  hot  as  to  be  almost  unfit  to  walk  upon,  and 
in  passing  over  it  I  thought  of  the  torture  of  olden  days,  when 
wretches  were  forced  to  walk  on  heated  metals  as  an  ordeal  for 
their  real  or  fancied  crimes.  Dead  bodies  were  being  everywhere 
picked  up.  In  one  group  I  saw  as  many  as  thirty-eight  corpses 
which  had  been  gathered  together  for  interment.  I  went  over 
the  ruins  of  my  former  abode,  on  Wabash  avenue,  and,  while 
doing  so,  stumbled  over  something  which  I  at  first  supposed  to 
be  a  charred  timber,  but  a  nearer  investigation  proved  it,  to  my 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  27^7 

horror,  to  be  a  dead  body.  The  head,  arms,  and  legs  were  gone ; 
nothing  remained  but  the  trunk.  Who  it  was,  whether  one  of 
the  inmates  or  a  stranger,  I  could  not  learn  ;  but  it  was  there,  and 
I  felt  a  sickening  sensation  creep  over  me  I  could  not  control. 

The  Mayor  had  issued  another  proclamation  directing  the 
closing  of  the  saloons,  but  no  attention  was  paid  to  it  ;.the  police 
made  no  endeavor  to  enforce  it,  and  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  were 
themselves  intoxicated.  Even  had  they  been  closed,  there  was 
plenty  of  whiskey  left;  barrels  of  it  were  to  be  found  in  all 
quarters,  and  they  certainly  were  freely  broached.  I  never  saw 
so  many  under  the  influence  of  drink,  and  where  the  roughs 
came  from  I  cannot  imagine.  Full  as  Chicago  was  with  them,  I 
had  never  believed  she  contained  so  many  as  I  saw  on  the  streets 
on  Tuesday.  Many  had  come  in  from  other  cities;  every  train 
was  bringing  its  contingent,  and  many  began  to  look  anxiously 
for  the  military,  as  it  was  feared  the  ruftians  would  complete  the 
destruction  by  setting  fire  to  what  remained.  All  the  available 
citizens  were  enrolled  as  special  constables  and  invested  with  ex- 
traordinary authority,  and  they  did  all  that  men  could  do  to  sub- 
due the  disorderly  element ;  but  it  was  beyond  their  power  to  do 
80  effectually,  and  outrages  and  rapine  were  hourly  on  the  in- 
crease. As  the  day  wore  on  the  exodus  from  the  city  increased, 
the  railroads  furnishing  free  accommodation.  All  who  had 
friends  outside  were  leaving  in  hundreds,  and  long  trains  were 
leaving  in  rapid  succession,  carrying  their  loads  of  living  freight 
to  all  points.  As  the  lines  had  been  burned  up  near  the  scene  of 
the  fire,  passengers  for  the  East  and  West  had  to  go  out  to 
Twenty -second  street  to  get  their  trains,  and  the  rush  and  jam 
around  these  places  was  something  terrific.  I  went  to  the  tem- 
porary depot  of  the  Michigan  Southern  and  saw  the  afternoon 
train  leave.  The  most  pitiable  sights  were  to  be  witnessed  among 
the  heart-broken  refugees.  I  saw  one  woman,  who  had  lost  her 
child  in  the  tire,  seized  (just  before  the  train  left)  with  strong 


'^ib  HISTORY   OF   THE    GREAT  FIEE8 

convulsions,  so  severe  that  a  medical  man  present  said  it  was  im- 
possible for  her  to  live.  She  was  carried  to  the  nearest  dwelling, 
but  I  did  not  succeed  in  ascertaining  her  subsequent  fate. 

This  was  no  isolated  instance.  Scenes  like  this  were  so  numer- 
ous, that  after  a  time  they  ceased  to  cause  any  surprise.  The 
train,  which  consisted  of  seventeen  coaches,  slowly  steamed  away, 
and  in  the  annals  of  travelling  a  more  sorrow-stricken  multitude 
was  never  carried  by  a  company. 

Thus  abruptly  breaking  off  from  this  narrator,  we  introduce 
our  readers  to  one  of  the  professors  in  the  Academy  of  Design, 
Mr.  Alvah  Bradish,  who  writes  the  following  letter  concerning 
this  institution  and  its  recent  destruction  : — 

To  the  Editor  of  the  Chicago  Tribune: 

Sm:  Among  the  more  recent  and  cherished  institutions  of 
Chicago  that  fell  a  victim  to  the  late  fire,  none  will  be  more 
missed  than  the  Academy  of  Design.  The  artists  of  Chicago 
had  been  organized  for  several  years,  and  were  steadily  advancing 
the  cause  of  fine  art.  Within  the  year  they  had  planned,  and 
seen  growing  up  under  their  fostering  care,  a  most  beautiful 
edifice,  almost  wholly  devoted  to  art  purposes.  It  was  situated 
on  Adams  street,  between  State  and  Dearborn,  near  by  the  Palmer 
House,  and  three  blocks  south  of  the  Crosby  Opera  House.  The 
academy  building  had  been  constructed  especially  to  meet  the 
wants  of  the  artists.  It  comprised  eighteen  studios,  all  of  which 
had  been  engaged  before  the  building  was  finished.  It  was,  in- 
deed, a  beautiful  home  for  the  arts,  and  for  those  who  were  making 
art  a  profession.  The  gallery  was  spacious.  For  fine  proportion, 
for  a  true  elevation  and  clear  light,  it  was  not  surpassed  in  this 
country.  The  lecture  room  was  ample,  and  the  handsomest  in  the 
city ;  the  reception  room  and  studios,  the  stair-cases,  approaches, 
school-rooms,  were  all  fitted  up  in  a  style  of  elegance  that  speedily 
won  the  popular  favor.     The  Academy  had  been  thus  founded  by 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  279 

an  enlightened  body  of  artists,  who  were  animated  by  the  true 
ambition  of  adding  the  glory  of  art-culture  to  the  other  distinctions 
of  the  Garden  City.  Tliese  artists  are  mostly  men  of  reading  and 
culture.  They  foresaw  the  three  essential  conditions  of  a  perma- 
nent and  beneficent  institution  of  fine  art — an  Acadeuiy  of  De- 
sign founded  on  principles  that  would  insure  growth,  durability, 
and  popular  favor  ;  schools,  life  and  antique,  for  the  thorough  dis- 
cipline of  students;  a  gallery,  open  at  all  times  for  the  display  of 
the  best  works,  pictures,  and  statuary ;  and  lectures,  both  opecial 
and  general.  No  academy  can  stand  long  without  the  full  recog- 
nition of  these  three  conditions ;  and  they  had  been  abundantly 
discussed,  recognized,  and  established.  During  the  past  twelve 
months — the  brief  existence  of  their  beautiful  home — the  artists 
had  given  numerous  public  receptions,  and  had  varied  their  col- 
lection of  pictures.  They  had  ofiered  to  the  public  many  rare 
works  of  the  best  modern  masters,  both  American  and  European. 
Already  the  Academy  had  become  the  centre  of  art-attraction  and 
art-culture  in  Chicago.  Her  schools,  conducted  by  competent 
professors,  had  attracted  a  large  number  of  pupils.  Applications 
from  the  country  and  from  the  city  were  numerous  for  the  coming 
winter.  A  centralized  home  had  united  the  artists.  They  were 
working  in  good  faith.  Members  of  Council  had,  with  unselfish 
enthusiasm,  devoted  a  large  portion  of  their  time  and  thoughts  to 
a  wise  administration  of  their  trust.  The  younger  members  were 
making  rapid  progress  in  their  studies,  and  felt  the  influence  of  a 
generous  competition  and  the'  example  of  such  rare  works  as  the 
gallery  contained,  always  open  to  their  inspection.  Already  the 
Academy  owned  some  good  pictures ;  some  f  thers  had  been  gen- 
erously given.  The  Scammon  collection  of  «intiques  was  the  gift 
of  a  gentleman  of  taste — an  example  that  would  soon  have  been 
followed  by  others.  An  art  library  was  in  contemplation.  The 
artists  were  proud  of  their  success.  I  can  declare  that  no  insti- 
tution in  Chicago  had  so  speedily  won  such  general  favor.     Its 


280  HISTOKY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIEE8 

influence  on  public  taste,  and  on  the  life,  labor,  and  future  of  the 
artists  was  so  manifest  and  so  admirable,  that  it  was  universally 
j-ecognized  and  acknowledged, 

Mr.  Rothermel's  great  picture,  the  Battle  of  Gettysburg, 
ordered  by  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,  had  been  on  exhibition  for 
two  months.  It  was  an  immense  canvas,  sixteen  feet  by  thirty- 
three,  and  was  drawing  crowds  of  admirers  to  the  gallery.  The 
attendance  had  boen  on  the  increase  for  two  weeks  past,  when, 
on  the  Saturday  previous  to  the  destruction  of  a  great  part  of  the 
city,  the  visitors  numbered  one  thousand.  The  coming  winter 
would  have  witnessed  one  of  the  rarest  exhibitions  ever  seen  west 
of  New  York.  Many  pictures  had  arrived.  The  schools,  thor- 
oughly organized,  would  have  been  full ;  special  lectures  would 
have  been  enlarged  and  continued ;  and  the  course  on  the  theory 
and  history  of  the  fine  arts,  first  opened  at  the  inauguration  of  the 
Academy,  would  have  been  given  during  the  season.  The  leading 
artists  were  preparing  pictures  for  the  coming  reception  in  No- 
vember. It  should  be  observed  that  Mr.  Potter  Palmer  was 
putting  up  an  edifice  next  to  the  Academy,  with  an  iron  front,  of 
an  elegant  design,  to  be  constructed  especially  for  art  purposes, 
studios,  music  rooms,  etc.  Most  of  these  had  been  already  taken. 
The  struggle  which  the  artists  had  thus  made  in  the  noble  cause 
of  art  in  Chicago  would  be  crowned  with  success ;  for  this  new 
building  would  be  opened  through  to  the  halls  of  the  Academy 
proper, — thus  concentrating  the  entire  art  interest  and  artistic 
genius  of  Chicago  on  Adams  street.  At  this  time  there  were  a 
great  many  valuable  works  of  art  in  the  gallery  and  scattered 
through  the  studios — Drury's  large  and  precious  collection; 
Ford's  beautiful  Ohio  wood  scenes;  Delhi's  careful  studies  and 
designs ;  Jenks'  conscientious  labors  ;  Elkin's  world  of  Rocky 
Mountain  studies ;  Bradish's  popular  "  Leather  Stocking,"  his 
full-length  portrait  of  the  late  Douglass  Houghton,  and  numerous 
smaller   works  ;    Pine's   attractive  group    of   children  ;    James 


IN   CHICAGO    AJSTD    THE    WEST  281 

Gookin's  charming  "  Fairy  Wedding,"  a  gift  co  the  Academy, 
Cogsweirs  studio  contained  some  of  his  best  portraits.  Eeed  & 
Son's  studio  was  crowded  with  pictures  and  studies.  Pebble's 
studio  contained  numerous  works  of  high  promise.  Other  young 
artistSj  or  students,  occupied  rooms  and  pursued  their  studies  in 
the  building;  so  that,  with  these  hundreds  of  pictures  and  out- 
door studies,  the  Academy  was  emphatically  the  centre  of  art- 
interest  and  the  cherished  home  of  the  artists. 

On  that  memorable  morning,  the  ninth  of  October,  that  wit- 
nessed the  most  dreadful  conflagration  of  modern  times,  some  of 
the  artists  were  at  the  Academy  by  one  o'clock.  The  great  fire 
had  only  reached  Clark  street  at  two  o'clock.  The  artists  were 
not  yet  alarmed.  At  three  o'clock  the  fire  had  advanced  greatly 
northward  on  La  Salle  and  Clark  streets ;  the  wind  was  sweep- 
ing through  the  streets,  and  carrying  the  fierce  element  towards 
the  Chamber  of  Commerce  and  the  Court-House.  By  four 
o'clock  the  great  Pacific  Hotel  and  the  iiock  Island  Railroad 
depot  were  enveloped  in  flames,  '  Would'  the  new  Bigelow 
Hotel  and  the  Honor^  Block  be  saved?  The  artists,  gathering 
on  Adams  street,  waited  in  painful  suspense.  Would  the  wind, 
now  more  terrific  and  pitiless  than  ever,  lull  for  a  moment,  or 
would  it  veer  a  degree  north,  and  thus  save  all  this  portion  of  the 
city  ?  These  thoughts  flashed  through  our  brains  or  quivered  on 
our  lips.  Soon  the  Pacific  Hotel— a  magnificent  structure,  and 
nearly  finished — was  in  ashes.  The  forked  flames,  m.ade  irresistible 
by  the  hurricane  of  wind,  had  struck  the  Bigelow  Block,  standing 
on  Dearborn  street,  and  wrapped  it  in  a  red  winding  sheet  in  a 
moment.  The  atmosphere  was  filled  with  brands,  cinders,  com- 
bustibles, all  on  fire,  careering  through  the  air.  The  splendid 
Honore  Block  was  seized  by  the  devouring  element,  the  un- 
finished roof  furnishing  the  ready  kindling,  and  these  two  stately 
blocks — the  pride  and  ornament  of  a  new  street — faced  with  new 
marble,  five  or  six  stories  high,  were  all  enveloped  in  a  few  mo- 


282  HISTORY    OF   THE   GEE  AT   FIEES 

ments;  were  penetrated  and  swept  by  the  fire  fiend.  Though 
we  knew  tliat  on  Adams  and  Qnincy,  Monroe  and  Madison 
streets,  west,  to  the  river,  the  finest  structures  had  sunk  before 
the  blast  of  fire,  we  still  clung  to  some  hope.  But  the  wind  was 
on  the  increase,  if  possible.  The  writer  stood  for  an  hour  close 
by,  and  witnessed  the  approach  of  the  awful  tornado,  advancing 
rapidly  and  with  irresistible  strides  north,  but  with  less  violence 
east,  and  at  times  hesitating  to  cross  a  broad  street  or  strike  a 
new  victim.  But  what  power  could  resist  this  hurricane  of  fire 
that  came,  as  it  were,  in  isolated  sheets  of  flame  through  the 
air?  The  interior  of  these  two  noble  structures  were  like  appal- 
ling volcanoes  that  swallowed,  from  moment  to  moment,  heavy 
timbers,  walls,  columns,  as  they  fell  inward.  It  was  a  sublime 
sight.  Before  this  awful  conflagration,  in  which  already  some  of 
the  most  beautiful  and  costly  structures  of  the  city  had  melted 
like  soft  metal,  the  artists  stood  helpless  in  their  anguish,  but  still 
hoping,  praying,  that  they  and  their  cherished  home  might  be 
spared.  A  slight  change  in  the  wind  would  do  this,  for  as  yet 
not  a  building  east  of  Dearborn  street  had  been  touched.  The 
Academy  was  still  safe;  the  eastern  walls  of  the  two  noble 
blocks,  though  all  luminous  with  interior  fires,  were  still  stand- 
ing. Especially  the  Honore  Block,  with  its  colonnade  of  white 
marble  still  firm,  seemed  to  offer  a  solid  bulwark  to  defend  the 
more  eastern  portion  of  this  part  of  the  city.  So  intense  was  the 
heat  of  these  edifices,  all  on  fire  from  the  pavement  to  their  roofs, 
that  the  artists  and  groups  that  pressed  forward  toward  Dearborn 
street  to  witness  the  sublime  spectacle  were  obliged  suddenly  to 
retire  and  cover  their  faces.  The  south  end  of  the  Honore  Block, 
struck  and  torn  by  the  blast,  would  give  way.  It  bent,  swayed, 
and  surged  for  a  moment,  and  finally  twisting  round,  as  it  were, 
by  the  insatiable  embrace,  toppled  over,  stayed  a  second,  then  fell, 
with  three  upper  columnar  stories,  carrying  roof  and  cornice, 
crushing  over  into  Adams  street,  shaking  the  earth  for  many  rods 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  2S3 

about.  Then  shot  np  from  the  wreck  a  column  of  flame,  tlirough 
black  smoke  and  cinders,  that  lit  up  the  Palmer  Hotel  and  threw 
a  ghastly  light  on  the  facade  of  the  Academy.  In  half  an  hour 
these  volcanic  fires  liad  perceptibly  decreased,  and  the  artists 
were  greatly  encouraoed. 

But  soon  the  Bigelow  Block  became  the  centre  of  tragic  in- 
terest ;  for  here  the  fires,  sweeping  over  from  the  Pacific  Hotel, 
now  in  hopeless  ruin,  seizing  every  intervening  building  and 
every  combustible  object  in  its  way,  had  acquired  a  vehemence 
and  violence  most  appalling.  Now  seemed  the  moment  of  great- 
est danger  ;  for  the  Bigelow  was  directly  west  of  our  block.  Be- 
tween us  was  one  brick  five-story  building ;  the  others  were  low 
wooden  tenements.  They  Were  like  ovens,  but  covered  by  a  hose 
in  the  hands  of  two  colored  men,  who,  with  unsurpassed  heroism, 
stood  their  ground.  For  a  long  time,  by  moistening  the  sides 
and  roofs  of  these  two  buildings,  the  fires  were  kept  at  bay. 
They  might  burst  into  flame  at  any  moment !  Now  the  lofty 
walls  of  the  Bigelow  Hotel  were  all  aglow  with  the  tire  inside, 
that  seemed  to  crackle  and  roar  with  a  triumphant  sound  as 
everything  was  devoured  ;  the  windows  and  archways  belching 
forth  tongues  of  red  and  white  flame  that  reached  nearly  across 
Dearborn  street.  But,  even  up  to  this  moment,  when  we  saw 
the  walls  of  the  Bigelow  and  Honor^  Blocks  still  standing  firm, 
though  greatly  shattered,  the  artists  took  courage.  Tliese  walls, 
that  had  risen  like  a  dream  of  beauty  under  the  eye  of  their  archi- 
tect, who  stood  now  in  our  midst,  seemed  to  ofier  a  solid  bulwark 
to  the  advancing  enemy.  Indeed,  there  was  almost  a  shout  of 
gladness  heard  from  the  group  of  artists  that  gathered  in  front  of 
these  torn  and  shattered  battlements.  There  was  a  moment — 
one  short  moment — of  congratulation  and  joy.  It  was  five  o'clock 
— not  quite  daylight.  The  wild  ocean  of  fire  had  gone  far  off 
northeast.  The  awful  destruction,  the  ruin,  the  dreadful  havoc 
that  followed  that  fierce  march,  cannot  be  told.     We  did  not 


284  mSTORT    OF    the   great   FIEE8 

dream  of  its  extent ;  we  might  hope  some  beneficent  power  would 
arrest  its  progress.  We  could  hear  the  crackling  of  flames,  the 
hurricane  that  scourged  every  street — that  sent  the  fierce  fiend 
through  whole  blocks  ;  we  could  hear  the  distant  roar,  overpower- 
ing like  an  ocean- symphony,  all  near  sounds.  This  sublime  roar 
went  moaning,  like  a  storm  at  sea,  through  all  the  beautiful  struc- 
tures on  Washington  and  the  dense  blocks  north  to  the  river. 
Who  shall  describe  the  swift  horror  that  suddenly  overwhelmed 
all  those  beautiful  homes  on  the  J^ortli  Side  ?  Happily,  at  that 
moment,  we  could  not  know  of  the  dreadful  scourge  that  was 
passing  two  miles  north  of  us. 

In  the  mean  time,  by  six  o'clock,  in  the  face  of  so  imminent  a 
danger,  the  artists  had  taken  measures  to  save  such  pictures  as 
could  be  reached.  All  the  smaller  pictures  in  the  gallery  had 
been  cut  or  torn  from  their  stretchers.  Some  of  the  artists  were 
too  far  away  to  be  present.  Some,  living  on  the  West  Side,  were 
cut  off  by  the  intervening  fire.  Up  to  half-past  six,  even,  there 
was  hope  for  us ;  but,  before  seven,  some  of  the  artists  had  gone 
several  blocks  south  on  State  street,  to  make  observations.  The  fires 
were  advancing  directly  across  Dearborn,  along  Jackson — the 
wind  unchanged,  and  blowing  with  all  its  untamed  violence,  and 
rolling  an  ocean  of  fire  over  whole  blocks  of  wooden  dwellings, 
devouring  everj^thing  it  touched.  No  human  power  could  save 
now  the  blocks  south  to  Yan  Buren  street,  and  we  had  become 
directly  in  range  of  this  new  danger ;  for  no  abatement  could  be 
seen,  but,  if  anything,  more  fierce,  more  insatiable,  this  hated 
tornado  carried  whole  roofs,  planks,  windows,  all  on  fire,  directly 
over  the  intervening  tenements.  And  the  Palmer  House  stood  in 
range  of  this  fiery  storm,  and  the  Academy  but  twenty  feet  from 
its  walls,  and  overtopped  by  its  stately  Mansard  roof.  What  pen 
shall  depict  the  scene  that  appeared  to  our  view  ?  Every  street 
and  alley  crowded  with  crazed,  helpless  fugitives;  Adams  and 
State,  Quincy  and  Ja,ckson,  Yan  Buren  and  Wabash,  one  living, 


■^^^^V"^  ^  i 

■HHi 

M 

1^111 

■ 

^^3k<H' 

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ttEPUBLIC  LIFE  INSURANCE  COMPANY.  '  MASONIC  TEMPLE,  DEA 

SOME  OF  THE  RUINED  BUILDINGS  IN  CHIC. 


ORJJ  STREET. 

0. — Photographed  by  Thomas  T.  Swkeney. 


l'lJ.'-\   NATIONAL  BAXK. 


rN    CHICAGO    AND   THE   WESl.  28T 

inoving,  screaming  mass ;  helpless  families ;  decrepit  old  age ; 
infants  on  pillows  in  the  streets  ;  ■  sidewalks  erowaea  with  furni- 
ture, chests,  glasses,  bedding,  horses,  wagons — all  in  confusion, 
without  order,  without  kindness  to  neighbor,  and  aone  to  direct 
or  advise,  but  all  fieeing  from  the  brands  and  cinders  that  hlled 
the  atmosphere ;  rushing  from  block  to  block,  weighed  down  by 
household  goods  ;  driven  from  house  to  house,  till  they  reached 
the  Lake  shore  beyond  Michigan  avenue,  where  hundreds  uf 
loads  had  been  left  or  thrown  on  the  sands.  A  few  hours  after 
this  everything  along  the  water's  edge  here  was  on  fire, — the 
poor,  desperate  owners  escaping  only  with  their  lives. 

The  artists  had  stood  bravely  by  their  beautiful  temple,  ready 
to  aid  if,  by  any  chance,  hope  could  come  through  any  eflbrts  or 
sacrifice  of  theirs.  Up  to  this  hour  when  the  flames  crossed 
Dearborn  street,  the  Palmer  House  and  the  group  of  buildings 
near  by  could  be  saved  ;  but  when  word  was  brought  that  State 
street  was  threatened  south  of  us,  all  hope  was  abandoned,  and 
the  artists  were  obliged  to  look  for  personal  safety.  In  the  mean 
time,  long  before  this  hour — by  seven  o'clock — Mr.  Eeed,  our  Sec- 
retary, had  given  orders  to  have  Kothermers  great  battle-piece 
taken  from  its  stretcher  and  saved  from  the  approaching  flames. 
There  was  ample  time  for  this,  though,  in  taking  it  down,  it  has 
suffered  serious  injury.  Its  great  weight  required  several  men  to 
carry  it  out,  and,  in  a  bent,  broken  condition,  it  was  taken  to  the 
steps  of  Trinity  Church,  Jackson  street,  and  afterward  to  the  uni- 
versity building,  four  miles  south.  Its  subsequent  fortunes  for  two 
weeks,  to  the  time  it  was  delivered  to  the  distinguished  artist  who 
had  designed  it,  may  be  given  to  the  public  by  Mr.  P.  F.  Reed, 
in  whose  charge  it  was.  The  Academy  had  a  policy  on  it  of 
$30,000.  Such  of  the  other  pictures  as  were  not  carried  by  hand 
were  placed  on  carriages  and  wagons.  These  were  tied  together, 
and,  under  the  guidance  of  one  of  the  artists,  were  moved  by  hand, 
by  slow  degrees,  through  the  deni:e  crowd,  through  Adams  street 
17 


288  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT    FIRES 

and  Michigan  avenue,  often  blocked  and  arrested  bv  opposing 
teams,  and  tlie  suffering,  crazed  fugitives,  but  from  time  to  time 
making  progress,  until,  after  infinite  difficulty,  the  precious  loads 
reached  Harmon  court,  out  of  danger.  By  eight  o'clock  the  wide 
area  from  Harrison  street  south,  and  Dearborn  street  west  to  the 
Lake,  was  all  threatened  with  destruction  which  a  few  hours  after 
witnessed.  The  writer  of  this,  as  he. saw  the  five  or  six  vehicles 
loaded  with  their  precious  freight  of  pictures,  frames,  books, 
trunks,  and  boxes  belonging  to  artists  and  others,  did' not  feel  too 
sure  they  could  make  their  way  through  such  a  confused  mass  o: 
human  beings  in  a  state  of  indescribable  excitement  and  frenzy. 
"When  the  cortege  passed  tlie  superb  block  known  as  Terrace 
row,  facing  the  Lake,  little  did  he  think  that,  within  two  hours, 
all  those  beautiful  homes  would  be  levelled  to  the  earth.  Here 
lived  Governor  Bross,  Mr.  Griggs,  Mr.  Scammon,  and  other  gen- 
tlemen of  wealth  and  culture.  The  block  was  much  admired  for 
its  stately  grandeur.  The  next  day  its  location  could  hardly  be 
identified, — a  shapeless  mass  of  undistinguishable,  smoking  ruins. 
It  might  be  nine  o'clock,  and  the  Palmer  House  was  still  untouch- 
ed. An  imposing  edifice,  surrounded  by  an  ocean  of  fire,  its 
lofty  three-storied  Mansard  roof,  with  five  stories  beneath  it,  rose 
supreme  over  all  other  buildings  near  by.  But,  soon  after  this 
hour,  from  pavement  to  roof  it  was  one  sheet  of  flame.  Its  walls 
swayed  and  trembled  as  the  wind  roared  against  its  projecting 
portico,  its  windows  and  doorways  belching  forth  to  the  north 
long  spikes  of  red  flame,  forked,  like  ten  thousand  serpents,  reach- 
ing out  and  lapping  the  walls  of  the  Academy  building  as  in  hor- 
rid derision.  The  hotel  thus  covered  with  a  sheet  of  flame, — its 
interior  all  red  and  dazzling  with  inextinguishable  fires,— the 
walls  of  the  Academy,  only  a  few  feet  off,  were  heated,  and  the 
lower  windows  and  doorways  penetrated  by  an  element  as  irresis- 
tible as  fate.  Was  there  any  hope  now  left  for  the  academy? 
Soon  through  its  broken  windows,  down  through  its  noble  ex- 


m    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  289 

panse  of  skylight,  came  the  whirlwind  of  flames  aud  murky  ele- 
ments, down-crushed  timbers  and  walls,  staircases,  pictui-es,  casts, 
— all  the  precious  works  that  filled  the  studio^  of  absent  artists, 
— now  all  on  fire,  and  adding  intensity  and  grandeur  to  the 
whirling  volcano  of  the  interior, — a  blackened  burned  mass  of 
art  ruins  for  one  moment,  then  shot  up  a  sharp,  dazzling  spire  of 
red  flame,  far  into  the  impending  smoke-cloud  that  rolled  like  a 
pall  over  the  expiring  structure,  as  though  to  proclaim  a  savage 
triumph  over  the  fond  hopes  and  labors  ofgenius. 

Thus  perished  the  Chicago  Academy  of  Design. 

From  this  letter  it  may  be  seen  how  widely  the  blow  smote ; 
and  yet,  even  farther  than  many  think,  were  these  tidings  like 
deep  wounds  piercing.  In  the  studio  of  one  of  our  Chicago  artists 
in  Eome,  we  sat  and  heard  the  future  of  the  Academy  discussed 
with  enthusiasm.  Mr.  Leonard  W.  Yolk,  who  stands  pre-eminent 
in  sculpture,  and  was  President  of  the  Academy,  and  had  pur- 
chased several  valuable  works  for  its  use,  has  been  cut  to  the  heart 
by  this  loss.  Far  from  home,  and  among  a  foreign  people,  this 
great  sculptor  has  wept  over  the  disaster  which  has  come  upon 
his  own  fortunes,  and  upon  the  career  of  his  cherished  insti- 
tution. 

A  gentleman  who  had  been  presented  with  an  expensive 
watch,  went  abroad  a  few  months  since,  and  left  this  valued  gift 
in  his  safe,  in  a  fire-proof  building.  Doubtless  he  wishes  he  had 
even  exposed  it  to  all  the  dangers  of  a  foreign  tour,  now  that  it 
has  been  so  thoroughly  destroyed.  One  who  has  given  his  life 
to  the  examination  of  shell-flsh,  and  had  collected  the  materials 
of  a  scientific  work  on  conchology  of  special  value,  and  expected 
an  appropriation  from  Government  for  the  publication  of  his  re- 
searches, has  not  a  scratch  of  the  pen  nor  the  minutest  shell  left 
out  of  the  conflagration.  Such  losses  can  never  be  replaced.  In 
a  great  city,  where  everything  was  done  by  the  representatives  of 
all  nations,  there  is  an  almost  infinite  variety  of  loss,  from  the  toy 


'2^0  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT    FIRES 

all  along  up  to  the  Medical  College  with  its  collections  cf  a  quar- 
ter of  a  century  of  existence. 

"The  lamentable  tragedy  at  the  Kistorical  Society  building  is 
the  darkest  episode  of  this  day.  The  people  in  the  vicinity  of 
this  edifice,  confident  of  its  strength,  gathered  their  most  valued 
possessions  and  crowded  the  cellars  in  assurance  of  perfect  safety. 
Among  them  were  citizens  of  note,  the  venerable  Col.  Stone  and 
wife,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Able  and  two  daughters,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Car- 
penter, Dr.  Leai  and  family,  with  several  others  not  so  well 
known.  While  the  frightened  group  were  moving  a  trunk,  the 
librarian  caught  sight  of  a  flame,  and  shouting  to  the  rest,  rushed 
from  the  fatal  place.  The  others,  at  least  twenty  in  number^ 
were  not  seen  to  emerge,  and  there  is  nc  doubt  that  they  per- 
ished, as  the  building  was  soon  tottering  in  utter  wreck.  The 
original  copy  of  the  Lincoln  Emancipation  Proclamation  per- 
ished among  the  most  cherished  memorials  of  this  Society. 

"  Death  came  to  the  crowds  in  the  open  air  as  well  as  in  the 
buildings.  A  great  following  of  rufiians,  emboldened  by  the 
absence  of  the  police  and  half  maddened  with  liquor,  assaulted 
several  saloons  on  the  verge  of  the  fire,  and  held  the  ground 
against  the  advancing  flame.  When  the  moment  of  need  came 
they  were  too  drunk  to  get  away.  In  this  portion  the  fire  came 
on  with  such  incredible  rapidity,  that  mothers  threw  their  chil- 
dren down  from  the  windows  and  then  leaped  down  after  them. 
Throughout  the  day  and  night  every  foot  of  advance  was  a  com- 
plete surprise.  In  Chicago  avenue,  a  noble  thoroughfare  one 
hundred  feet  wide,  the  people  were  confident  of  escape,  and  took 
little  or  no  precaution.  Here,  as  on  Wabash  avenue,  when  the 
fire  did  come,  panic  aided  the  devastation.  Thoughtless  women 
piled  mattrasses  and  fragile  goods  in  the  street,  and  the  droppipg 
sparks  took  but  an  instant  to  make  the  avenue  a  glowing  pathway 
of  fire.  The  side  streets  were  built  wholly  of  wood,  and  the  thin 
walls  burned  like  shavings.     This  region,  over  by  the  Lake  and 


IN    CHICAGO    AND   THB   WESI.  291 

the  great  Lincoln  Park,  seeiDed  to  offer  safety.  So  a  great  rush 
•was  made  for  the  park,  and  the  refugees  made  themselves  com- 
fortable in  the  delusion  of  security.  After  ravaging  to  the  limits 
of  the  city,  with  the  wind  dead  against  it,  the  fire  caught  the 
dried  grasses,  ran  along  the  fences,  and  in  a  moment  covered  in  a 
burning  glory  the  Catholic  Cemetery  and  the  grassy  stretches  of 
the  great  park.  The  marbles  over  the  graves  cracked  and  baked, 
and  fell  in  glowing  embers  on  the  hot  turf.  Mames  shot  up  from 
the  resting-places  of  the  dead ;  and  the  living  fugitives,  screaming 
with  horror,  made  for  a  moment  the  ghastliest  spectacle  that  ever 
fell  upon  living  eyes.  The  receiving  vault,  solidly  built  and 
shrouded  in  foliage,  fell  under  the  terrific  flame,  and  the  dead 
burst  from  their  coffins  as  the  fire  tore  through  the  walls  of  the 
frightful  charnel-house.  In  the  broad  light  of  to-day  the  place  is 
the  most  ghastly  I  ever  saw,  not  even  Cold  Harbor  exceeding  it 
in  awful  suggestiveness.  Above  the  graves  charred  stones  stand 
jgrim  sentinels  of  the  dead,  no  more  memorials  of  anything  but 
disaster.  Every  inscription  has  disappeared,  and  even  the  dead 
are  robbed  by  the  flames.  The  park  turned  into  a  wilderness  of 
fire,  the  crowds  doubled  backward  and  made  for  the  avenues 
leading  westward  and  to  the  south,  to  reach  which  they  must 
•cross  the  river.  Many  of  the  bridges  were  in  flames — the  rest 
were  already  choked  with  the  heavy  wagons  which,  tearing  the 
way  through,  cruelly  aggravated  the  distress  of  the  thousands  ot 
foot-sore  women  and  weary  men.  Fully  30,000  people  were 
afoot  in  this  quarter,  and  this  mass  densely  wedged  into  barri- 
caded streets  between  trampling  horses,  kept  up  a  ceaseless 
stream  far  into  the  night.  With  the  night  new  volumes  of  flame 
shot  out  on  the  air,  and  new  crowds  were  hurled  among  tlie 
flying  masses.  There  was  no  hope  of  saving  the  city :  the 
struggle  was  simply  for  life.  Half-clad  women  fled  moaning 
through  the  streets,  and  at  this  time,  it  is  asserted,  robberies  were 
-perpetrated  in  some  of  the  remote  private  residences.     A  vast 


292  IIISTOEY    OF   THE    GlffiAT    FIRES 

throng  readied  the  prairie,  and  sunk  exhausted  on  the  ground ; 
^ht'  a;ir  was  filled  with  a  torrid  heat,  and  even  at  this  great  dis- 
tance immense  particles  of  cinders  fell  in  showers.  The  dread- 
ful agony  of  separated  families  came  to  add  its  horrors  to  the 
calamity.  Babies  were  found  alone  in  the  multitude,  and  count- 
less little  people  crept  about  crying  wildly  for  their  parents,  A 
blessed  rain  came  down  slowly,  and  the  fire,  stayed  in  its  ad- 
vance, rolled  backward  and  flamed  up  with  greater  fierceness  in 
the  immense  coal  piles  in  the  very  centre  of  the  town.  Then  a 
new  agony  came  upon  the  people.  The  only  untouched  portion 
of  the  town  was  brilliantly  illuminated,  and  for  a  time  it  seemed 
as  though  not  a  roof  was  to  be  left  in  the  great  city. 

"  The  first  victims  were  the  poorer  classes,  and  as  they  were 
driven  from  their  burning  homes  they  hurried  with  the  goods  they 
had  been  able  to  save  (or  to  steal)  to  the  eastern  and  southern  parts 
of  the  city,  as  if  with  an  instinct  that  the  fire  must  fall  back  be- 
fore the  stone  and  brick  palaces  of  the  rich.  Thus  the  lower  end 
of  Wabash  avenue  became  choked  with  the  debris  of  disaster 
and  flight.  Cursing  men,  shrieking  women,  and  terrified  horses 
stumbled  over  the  streets  and  sidewalks,  pursued  by  the  tempest 
of  flame  and  the  scorching  blast  of  heat  which  swept  on  from 
the  centre  of  the  city.  For  one  awful  moment  the  whirlwind 
rushed  through  the  beautiful  avenue ;  but,  happily,  at  Congress 
street  its  ravages  were  stayed.  How  shall  any  one  forget  that 
extraordinary  scene,  where  the  horrible  and  the  ludicrous,  the 
mournful  and  the  grotesque,  mingled  like  the  visions  of  a  night- 
mare ?  Ladies  half-clad,  but  loaded  with  heavy  burdens,  rushed 
madly  from  those  luxurious  houses,  and  joined  the  liideous 
throng  of  the  struggling  poor,  inextricably  entangled  with  wagons 
and  horses,  and  trampled  by  thieves  and  outcasts.  Some  had 
just  put  on  all  their  finery  to  save  it.  Many  wero  almost  naked. 
Kot  a  few  carried  infants  nursing  at  the  breast,  and  a  great  many 
were    hugging   lap-dogs.      Tipsy  men,  fantastically  clad,  made 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  293 

ribald  jokes  upou  tlie  fugitives.  Families  ^vlio  had  been  iucky 
enough  to  get  trucks  to  cart  away  their  valuables  and  bric-a-brac, 
sat  disheartened  on  top  of  the  load.,  Parties  interrupted  m  tlie 
midst  of  a  carouse  ran  madly  about,  too  drunk  to  know  what  it 
all  means.  All  the  wliile  the  motley  throng  pushed  frantically 
southward.  The  weak  were  thrown  down  by  the  press  and  trod- 
den under  foot.  For  hours  and  hours  the  panic  hegira  continued, 
pushing  out  towards  the  prairie.  From  Monday  morning  at  day- 
light th§  fear  was  for  life,  not  for  property.  In  this  dire  extremity 
the  greed  of  man  added  to  the  horror  of  the  scene.  Drivers  of 
carts  and  carriages  crowded  over  from  the  divisions  of  the  city 
presumed  to  be  safe,  and  demanded  outrageous  rates  for  the 
slightest  services.  Yet  it  is  to  be  said  to  the  credit  of  human  na- 
ture that  hundreds  of  honest  men  turned  out  heartily  to  aid  their 
more  unfortunate  neighbors.  In  all  the  horror  of  this  southward 
pressure  there  was  a  continual  stream  of  curious  people  from  the 
distant  regions  crowding  eagerly  forward  to  see  the  vast  illumi- 
nation. The  counter-currents,  as  they  met,  caused  friglitful  mis- 
haps and  confusion.  Men  and  women,  maddened  by  the  red  ter- 
ror  behind,  fought  ferociously  for  a  pathway  to  safety.  Near  each 
church  vast  masses  were  assembled  with  a  sort  of  assurance  of 
safety  in  those  sacred  precincts.  Presently  ruuior  came  that  it 
had  been  resolved  to  fight  fire  with  fire.  Laird  Collier's  church 
was  to  be  blown  up,  and  the  dense  crowd  in  the  vicinity  broke 
frantically  for  a  new  refuge. 

"  Late  in  the  morning  the  people  of  the  Korth  Division  were 
involved  within  the  sudden  horror  of  fire  and  death.  A  great 
crowd  had  assembled  at  one  of  the  avenues  leading  to  the  burn- 
ing region,  wliere  the  close  approach  of  the  fire  moved  the 
bridgemen  to  turn  the  draw.  The  move  was  of  not  the  slightest 
avail.  The  fire  lapped  the  slender  wood-work  in  the  vicinity, 
leaped  lightly  from  bank  to  bank,  and  before  the  bewildered 
people  could  make  a  movement  toward  safety  they  were  help 


.294  HISTORY  or  the  great  fires 

lesfily  environed  b}'  raging  walls  of  fire,  the  Lake  rolled  lazily  be- 
yond them,  and  with  one  impulse  the  great  crowd  made  for  its 
shelter,  and  buried  themselves  in  sand  and  water.  This  scene 
was  simultaneous  with  the  Wabash  avenue  stampede." 

In  illustration  of  the  excitement  that  robbed  some  of  their 
senses,  and  made  them  do  the  thing  they  did  not  care  to  do,  and 
leave  undone  Avhat  they  ought  to  have  done,  we  mention  the  case 
of  a  lady  who  gatl^ered  her  silver  into  a  basket  to  place  it  in  her 
husband's  safe,  as  they  could  scarcely  bear  it  away  with  them 
without  danger  of  losing  it.  When  she  came  to  the -moment  of 
depositing  the  valuables,  she  took  instead  of  the  silver  a  pin- 
cushion, worth  half  a  dollar,  placed  it  carefully  inside,  closed  the 
safe,  and  ran  out  of  the  house.  The  safe  preserved  everything  it 
contained,  and  the  lady  now  possesses  her  pin-cushion  as  a  relic  of 
the  Great  Fire.  Truly  it  must  be  considered  a  costly  reminder 
of  the  agony  and  fright  of  that  dreadful  morning. 

We  have  heard  of  people  becoming  so  upset  in  such  a  moment 
as  to  throw  mirrors  out  of  the  window  and  carry  cook-stoves  down 
stairs  with  particular  care.  In  such  heat  it  was  difficult  to  keep 
cool.  Men  3ntered  their  stores  in  the  rear,  and  before  they  could 
open  their  safes  they  were  driven  out  of  the  front  door  by  the 
pursuing  flames.  It  became  then  a  race  for  life,  and  sometimes 
the  fire  proved  too  swift  for  the  unfortunate  fugitives.  Horses 
grew  frantic,  and  refused  to  move  until  a  blanket  or  robe  was 
wrapped  about  their  heads  to  hide  the  fearful  glare. 

A  mother,  escaping  with  her  babe  clasped  to  her  bosom,  sud- 
denly plunged  from  the  darkened  staircase  into  tlie  blaze  of  the 
approaching  fire.  Her  darling,  terrified  and  shocked  by  the  quick 
flood  of  light,  and  partaking  the  mother's  alarm,  made  one  quiver- 
ing motion  and  died  in  her  arms.  This  was  worse  than  loss  of 
home.  What  a  burden  did  that  mother  bear  through  the  horrors 
of  that  conflagration  ! 

A  business  man,  who  had  seen  his  buildings  and  machinery  sink 


IN   OHIOAGO   AIJE    THE    WEST  295 

into  asnes,  aud  a  prosperous  ousiness  disappear  in  an  hour,  was 
summoned  a  few  weeks  afterwards  to  bury  a  new-born  babe.  He 
was  a  strong  man,  to  whom  tears  were  strangers  But  when  he 
communicated  the  sad  news  to  his  pastoi,  he  exclaimed  in  the 
midst  of  sobs  and  weeping,  "  Oh,  this  is  our  first  great  sorrow. 
The  loss  of  property  is  nothing;  but  our  little  one  is  gone,  and  I 
feel  so  sorry  for  my  poor  wife." 

A  business  man,  watching  by  the  couch  of  his  dying  wife,  knew 
that  his  books  and  papers  were  all  burning ;  but  he  stirred  not 
from  her  side,  and  ere  the  embers  were  cold  amidst  the  ruins  of 
his  marble  store,  he  saw  the  remains  of  his  companion  lowered 
into  the  grave.  Everything  seemed  to  combine  to  crush  him,  but 
he  bore  np  like  a  Christian  hero. 

A  clerk  of  the  Court,  who  muist  be  a  man  of  kind  heart,  since  a 
merciful  man  is  merciful  to  his  beast,  put  his  cats  in  a  bag,  and 
tied  a  string  around  the  neck  of  his  dog,  and  thus  laden  sought 
safety  in  swift  flight.  Another  clerk  of  the  Court,  having  put  all 
things  in  order  for  removal,  was  about  to  leave  his  house,  when 
his  little  rat-and-tan  dog  sprang  from  his  perch  and  clasped  his 
legs  around  the  neck  of  his  master,  and  there  clung  like  a  child, 
and  thus  was  saved.  He  too  perceived  the  danger,  and  loved  his 
life  too  well  to  be  sacrificed  without  a  struggle.  Doubtless  dumb 
animals  felt  the  horrors  of  that  woful  night  as  well  as  human 
beings. 

As  an  instance  of  the  sagacity  of  the  dog,  so  often  observed  and 
justly  celebrated,  a  gentleman  fleeing  before  the  flood  of  fire  ran 
down  a  street  across  which  the  flames  were  already  pouring  in 
torrents,  when  his  faithful  dog  began  to  bark  and  jump  up  upon 
him,  and  hinder  his  advance  in  the  fatal  direction.  The  master 
at  length  perceived  the  animal's  purpose,  and  stopped  to  take  a 
view  of  the  course  before  him,  when  he  was  able  to  discern  the 
danger  of  further  progress,  and  turned  in  time  to  escape  by 
another  way.     In  a  bank  vault  under  one  of  the  great  buildings 


■2d6  HI8T0KT    OF    THE    GREAT   FIKES 

tliat  fell  befpre  the  blast  of  heat,  a  mouse  was  discovered  safe  and 
lively,  without  the  smell  of  fire  on  it.  This  relic  may  hope  to 
become  one  of  the  "  lions." 

The  President  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  arriving  early 
npon  tlie  scene,  found  that  he  could  not  reacli  his  family  on  the 
North  Side  by  the  bridges,  and,  after  arranging  for  the  safety  of 
freight-cars,  books,  papers,  and  other  property,  he  employed  a  tug 
to  convey  him  down  the  river,  out  into  the  Lake,  and  so  along  the 
shore  till  he  could  gain  a  landing,  and  thus  access  to  his  wife  and 
children.  ,  But  the  fearful  smoke  and  he.it  made  the  attempt  a 
failure,  and  he  returned  bewildered  and  almost  crazed  by  anxiety 
and  the  horrors  of  the  time.  He  put  every  machinery  in  motion 
for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  fate  of  those  dear  to  him,  and 
on  Tuesday,  at  four  in  the  afternoon,  he  learned  that  they  were  all 
safely  housed  in  Evanston.  How  many  happy  meetings  like  this 
occurred  within  that  mournful  week  of  the  fire  ! 

A  gentleman,  living  near  the  corner  of  La  Salle  and  Madison, 
started  early  at  the  commencement  of  the  fire  to  relieve  his 
brother  in-law,  near  whose  home  it  began.  At  midnight  he  has- 
tened back,  fearing  the  progress  of  the  devastating  element,  to 
provide  means  of  escape  for  his  own  household.  When  he  ar- 
rived within  two  blocks  of  his  late  dwelling,  all  was  gone  in 
smoke  and  flame.  They  had  been  in  the  very  central  line  of  fire, 
and  now  where  were  his  wife  and  four  children  ?  Scouring  Madi 
son  street,  he  at  last  discovered  his  wife  seated  on  her  trunk  in  a 
doorway.,  and  disconsolate  as  ever  wo^nan  was.  His  joy  upon 
seeing  her  was  swept  away  by  the  information  that  the  children 
had  gone  north  by  La  Salle,  while  she  went  east  down  Madison. 
The  eldest,  a  girl  of  eighteen,  had  taken  in  charge  the  three  boys 
and  two  trunks  full  of  clothing,  and  sought  escape  or  protection 
with  a  friend  at  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel  leading  to  the  North 
Side.  Leaving  his  wife  in  a  place  of  supposed  safety,  the  anxious 
father  engaged  a  man  to  go  round  the  blocks  where  they  might  be 


LN    CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  297 

expected  to  have  fled  for  refuge,  while  he  also  sought  for  them 
where  he  hoped  tliej  might  be.  He  was  compelled  to  return, 
baffled  and  disappointed.  Removing  his  wife  and  the  trunk  still 
further,  he  stayed  and  fought  the  fire  till  the  water-supply  failed, 
and  then  they  joined  the  procession  marching  along  the  avenue 
southward  out  of  the  range  of  the  fire,  now  rising  {igain  into 
uncontrollable  fury.  The  crowd  seemed  orderly,  solemn,  and 
composed.  Ladies  of  wealth  and  position  were  blackened  by 
Boot  and  dust,  many  of  them  dragged  trunks  by  their  handker- 
chiefs fastened  into  the  handles,  or  carried  bundles  or  boxes.  All 
were  intent  on  saving  their  lives  and  something  besides  from  the 
general  wreck  and  ruin. 

The  purpose  of  those  whose  fortunes  we  are  describing  was  to 
gain  the  "West  Side  by  way  of  Twelfth  street  bridge,  and  then  to 
seek  a  refuge  with  old  friends.  There  they  hoped  to  meet  the 
children  if  they  were  yet  alive.  Twelve  mortal  hours  elapsed 
before  this  worthy  couple  rested  under  the  hospitable  roof  of 
their  friends  on  Park  avenue.  Their  children  were  not  there. 
Their  hopes  were  dashed,  and  whither  to  turn  they  knew  not. 
The  father,  almost  frantic,  returned  to  the  scene  of  desolation, 
hurried  from  place  to  place,  made  inquiries  of  all  his  friends,  and 
got  no  tidings  of  his  lost  ones.  At  night  he  turned  homewards 
with  a  heavy  heart.  But  upon  reaching  the  threshold,  there 
were  the  gleaming  faces  of  his  loved  children.  Two  hours  after 
he  left  the  house  of  his  friends  they  had  appeared,  bag  and  bag- 
gage. Their  story  was  one  of  romantic  interest.  When  the 
alarm  of  approaching  peril  roused  them,  the  women  wakened  the 
other  members  of  the  family.  With  great  difficulty  they  got 
their  colored  servant  sufficiently  wide  awake  to  realize  the  situa- 
tion. They  at  once  resolved  to  save  their  best  clothing,  and  the 
boys  were  dressed  up  in  their  Sunday  best.  They  loaded  them- 
selves down  with  whatever  apparel  they  could  get  on  their  per 
sons.     Tlie  mother  wore  away  several  skirts,  and  both  were  ar- 


298  HISTORY   OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

rayed  in  their  finest  silks.  They  also  filled  three  trunks,  and 
throwing  their  beds  over  the  piano  to  save  it  from  water  in  case 
the  engiues  should  deluge  the  house,  they  bade  adieu  to  their 
home.  The  mother  took  one  direction  and  the  children  the  other, 
in  hopes  that  between  the  two  routes  one  would  prove  to  be  safe. 
They  did*  not  then  apprehend  the  magnitude  of  the  danger,  nor 
conceive  that  the  gigantic  blocks  could  be  melted  by  the  flood 
that  was  sweeping  across  the  city,  driven  by  the  hurricane.  The 
young  lady  bethought  herself  )f  the  sewing-machine,  and  found 
two  men  willing  to  aid  her  in  its  removal.  Back  she  went  with 
her  noble  helpers.  One  of  these  had  a  wooden  arm,  which  he 
lost  without  knowing  it  at  the  time,  in  aiding  her  to  save  the 
machine.  Driven  from  the  refuge  she  had  hoped  to  be  secure, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel,  she  found  a  milk-wagou,  and  got  her- 
self and  the  boys  and  their  rescued  property  conveyed  to  the 
North  Side.  The  driver  proposed  to  stop  at  his  residence,  be- 
lieving it  to  be  out  of  danger.  But  the  young  woman  said  no, 
and  induced  him  to  convey  them  still  further.  When  he  finally 
returned  to  his  home,  after  they  had  been  disposed  of,  he  saw  only 
its  smoking  embers.     So  fast  had  the  demon  wrought ! 

Supposing  themselves  secure  in  their  distant  retreat,  they  be- 
gan to  think  of  father  and  mother.  Soon,  however,  the  tidings 
came  that  their  refuge  was  threatened,  and  they  were  about  to 
load  up  for  a  retreat  still  further  north,  when  the  heroine  be- 
thought herself  of  her  West  Side  friends,  and  hiring  a  dray,  she 
packed  the  goods  upon  it,  and  for  ten  dollars  she  and  the  children 
and  property  were  conveyed  to  their  asylum,  which  they  reached 
some  time  in  the  afternoon.  And  at  night  the  family  were  re- 
united, glad  and  thankful,  even  though  they  were  homeless  and 
almost  like  beggars,  upon  the  verge  of  winter. 

A  white-haired  Scotch  lady,  who  was  taken  from  the  fiery 
furnace,  aud  barely  saved,  said  that  her  father's  picture,  an 
oil  painting,  and  her  mother's  Bible,  were  consumed,  and  her 


ESf    CHICAGO    AND   THF    WEST. 


eyes  became  moist  and  her  voice  choked,  as  she  added,  "  These 
are  the  things  that  trouble  me  most."  Choice  mementoets  of 
those  dear  to  her  heart,  never  to  be  replaced,  were  more  precious 
than  jewels  and  velvets.  Oh,  the  diabolical  energy  of  this  fiend, 
which  spared  nothing  sacred,  nothing  cherished,  and  smote, 
with  hnman  bodies,  the  idols  of  the  lieart,  and  reduced  to  ashes 
fondest  memorials  of  the  past !  Bridal  gifts  presented  to 
those  who  were  about  to  l^ecome  brides,  and  nuptial  offer- 
ings half  a  century  old,  were  all  melted  and  dissolved  without 
mercy.  And  some  who  had  expected  to  approach  tho 
altar  in  gorgeous  array,  stood  up  in  calico,  and  were  adorned 
with  paper  flowers.  Doubtless  they  were  as  happy  in  these 
simple  fixings  as  if  they  had  been  peers  of  Solomon  in  all  his 
glory.  Yet  some  courage  was  necessary  on  the  part  of  those  who 
plighted  their  faith  and  took  upon  them  the  yoke  of  matrimony 
amidst  the  ruin  of  their  fortunes  and  prospects.  And  common 
sacrifices  and  struggles  will  knit  them  into  closer  and  tenderer 
fellowship. 

Among  the  peculiar  losses  by  this  fire  were  heir-looms  long 
held  in  families  as  sacred  treasures,  and  never  to  be  restored. 
Their  value  was  inestimable  to  those  who  had  them  in  charge. 
A  man  of  gray  hairs,  describing  to  his  pastor  the  events  of 
that  fearful  morning  when  they  were  hurried  out  to  escape 
personal  injury,  said  that  they  seized  in  their  haste  things 
least  valuable,  and  left  other  articles  that  money  could  not  buy 
or  replace,  "  There  was  my  father's  picture,  the  only  one  ownod 
by  any  of  the  family  relations.  It  was  forgotten  and  lost."  As 
lie  uttered  these  words  his  voice  faltered,  and  he  broke  down  in 
tears. 

A  German  musician  of  splendid  abilities,  who  had  lately  come 
from  his  fatherland  with  his  wife  and  five  children,  was  driven  to 
the  prairie,  where  they  lay  out  two  nights  exposed  to  the  autumn 
blasts  and  dews  without  protection.     His  loss  of  personal  effects 


300  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

was  almost  entire,  and  beggary  stared  him  in  the  face;  but  kind 
f-ieuds  sought  him  out  and  relieved  their  necessities  with  abun- 
dant supplies.  There  was  one  thing  no  hand  of  mercj'  and 
charity  could  return.  He  had  brought  with  him  a  violin  three 
hundred  years  old,  for  which  Ole  Bull  had  offered  the  family 
three  thousand  dollars,  and  been  refused.  It  was  a  darling 
of  the  artist's  heart,  and  when  he  feared  lest  it  would  suffei- 
harm  in  the  flight  out  of  the  flames,  he  resolved  to  bury 
it  in  the  yard,  and  did  so.  Ordinarily  such  a  precaution 
would  avail  much,  even  if  the  earth  was  but  slightly  piled 
above  it.  But,  alas!  the  precious  wood  was  consumed  by  the 
fierce  heat,  and  he  found,  upon  returning  for  his  treasure,  only 
charred  remnants.  Who  can  ever  describe  or  enumerate  the 
losses  of  this  kind  in  such  a  sweeping,  all-consuming  conflagra- 
tion, which  allowed  so  little  time  for  reflection  or  action  ? 

A  gentleman  who  owned  a  choice  librarj'  ordered  the  express- 
men to  load  up  with  books.  When  another  team  came  for  its 
load,  the  question  was,  What  shall  we  bring  out?  The  answer 
came,  "  Books  !  "  And  so  he  saved  his  whole  collection,  and  has 
them  intact,  wbile  all  else  was  lost. 

Other  men  employed  all  the  hands  they  could  find  to  roll 
out  their  liquor  casks  and  save  this  fiery  fluid,  wliose  ruinous 
effects  are  worse  than  those  of  flame,  because  they  burn  up  men's 
souls,  and  involve  them  in  other  evils  than  those  which  end  with 
time. 

,  Some  ladies  resolved  to  secure  their  best  clothing,  and  accord- 
ingly dressed  themselves  up  in  silks  and  velvets  and  jeweby, 
even  putting  on  several  skirts  and  dresses  in  order  to  carry  away 
as  much  as  possible  by  their  only  means  of  conveyance. 

It  was  the  only  thing  possible  to  many  to  remove  their  fami- 
lies, and  then  they  were  "  saved,  yet  so  as  by  fire."  One  man 
brought  from  an  upper  story  his  aged  mother,  and  left  her  stand- 
ing upon  the  sidewalk,  while  he  hastened  back  for  his  sick  wife. 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  3Ul 

Upon  reachiiig  the  rendezvous,  the  poor  man  missed  his  mother. 
The  flame  and  smoke  and  confusion  were  so  great  that  he  had  but 
a  moment  to  search  for  her,  and  was  obliged  to  fly  and  leave  the 
spot.  He  never  looked  upon  that  venerable  form  again.  She 
was  lost,  and  perished. 

A  gentleman  in  one  instance  was  coming  down  the  steps  of  his 
house,  in  perfect  safety  for  the  moment,  as  he  supposed,  when  a 
vast  sheet  of  flame  whirled  down  over  the  whole  building,  striking 
him  to  the  ground,  and  only  not  making  an  end  of  him  because  it 
was  lifted  up  for  a  moment  by  a  gust  of  fresh  air,  under  cover  of 
which  he  staggered  away.  A  saddle-horse  just  left  unhitched  be- 
fore the  door  dropped  in  his  tracks  with  no  attempt  to  get  away, 
and  died  almost  instantly.  A  house-owner  went  for  a  wagon  and 
assistants,  expecting  to  have  ample  time  to  remove  all  his  goods ; 
when  the  wagon  was  procured  he  found  that  it  was  hopeless  to 
attempt  so  much;  then  he  made  up  several  bundles,  only  to  find 
that  the  larger  of  these  must  be  left  behind ;  then  the  bundles 
first  carried  out  were  set  'on  fire  by  the  shower  of  sparks  in  the 
street,  and  the  last  man  coming  out  was  smitten  down,  as  I  have 
related,  on  the  very  steps ;  so  that  the  party  not  only  did  not  save 
their  goods,  but  barely  escaped  with  their  lives.  Remembering 
that  in  very  many  cases  the  getting  away  the  family  was  similarly 
interrupted,  some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  terrible  fashion  in 
which  people  were  surprised  and  almost  swallowed  up.  In  the 
case  of  a  family  particularly  known  to  me,  the  lady  looked  out  of 
her  window  to  get  a  glimpse  of  what  she  had  heard  of  as  a  fire 
two  miles  off,  and  before  she  could  summon  her  household  and 
get  on  her  clothes  her  house  was  in  flames.  She  got  away  herself 
half  dressed,  with  but  a  wrapper  hastily  snatched,  as  she  hurried 
her  little  ones  into  the, street.  This  was  before  day  on  Monday  ; 
but  during  that  forenoon  of  flying  terrors,  groat  numbers  had 
equal  difficulty  in  getting  out,  after  discovering  imminent  danger 
where  it  was  supposed  no  danger  existed.    I  have  learned  definitely 


vL 


302  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

since  mj  last,  that  Kobert  Collyer  and  his  family  made  their  first 
removal  to  his  church,  then  a  second  to  the  house  of  a  friend 
several  blocks  west  and  a  little  north,  where  there  was  supposed 
to  be  no  danger,  and  thence  they  were  driven  in  a  short  time  to 
find  refuge  eventually  in  the  son's  cottage,  on  the  remote  edge  of 
the  city,  at  a  point  where  something  was  spared. 

child's    RELIC. 

A  child  of  seven  years  went,  at  five  in  the  morning,  to  her 
church,  which  was  likely  to  be  burned,  and  looked  for  some  ar- 
ticle which  she  might  save.  Her  younger  sister  stole  away  with 
her,  and  they  both  fixed  on  the  communion-service  as  the  most 
valuable  and  precious  thing  they  could  carry.  This  had  been 
purchased  by  special  contributions,  and  was  sacred  in  the  chil- 
dren's eyes.  The  plates  and  cups  were  taken  charge  of  by  the 
eldest,  and  the  fiagon  by  the  youngest.  Out  into  that  cloud  of 
smoke  and  dust  these  heroines  marched  in  that  early  twilight,  and 
they  faced  it  four  hours — the  younges't,  meanwhile,  having  lost 
her  burden,  and  become  separated  from  her  sister.  Three  days 
after  the  fire  the  father  found  the  eldest  child,  and  she  still  clung 
to  her  treasure,  and  would  give  it  to  no  one  but  her  minister. 
Such  an  instance  of  pious  love  and  devotion  to  the  sanctuary  has 
hardly  an  equal  in  the  annals  of  time.  Both  these  dear  girls 
were  dearer  than  ever  to  the  father's  heart,  and  we  trust  God 
himself  looked  on  them  with  a  smile. 

The  greater  part  of  the  fire  in  the  North  Division  occurred 
after  daylight  on  Monday,  and  the  spectacle  presented  in  that 
quarter  was  such  as  would  be  presented  by  a  community  fieeing 
before  an  invading  army.  Every  vehicle  that  could  be  got  was 
hurrying  from  the  burning  district  loaded  with  people  and  their 
goods.  Light  buggies,  barouches,  carts,  and  express-wagons  were 
mingled  indiscriminately,  and  laden  with  an  indescribable  variety 
of  articles.     Others  were  hurrying  to  the  scene  from  curiosity,  or 


METHODIST  CHURCH  BLOCK.  FIRST  PEESBYTEEIAN 

SOME  OF  THE  RUINED  CHURCHES  OF  CHIC 


^^^ 

^^^^^J 

E- 

-ROMAN  CATHOLIC. 

■     1 


ST.  JAMES'S  CHTmCH-EPISCOPAL. 


[jrch— south  side.  second  presbyterian  chijrch. 

>.— Photographed  by  Wujjam  Shaw,  Chicago. 


-4- 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  305 

to  complete  the  work  of  rescuing  friends  and  property  before  the 
monster  could  destroy  theuj. 

People  crowded  the  walks,  leading  children  or  pet  dogs,  carry- 
ing plants  in  pots,  iron  kettles  not  worth  ten  cents,  or  some  value- 
less article  seized  in  the  excitement ;  many  looked  dolefully  upon 
the  lurid  clouds,  still  far  away,  and  wondered  whether  they  and 
their  homes  were  in  danger ;  and  others  looked  as  though  they 
had  spent  the  night  in  a  coal-pit  or  a  fiery  furnace.  There  was 
Buch  ''  hurrying  to  and  fro  "  as  the  world  seldom  sees,  with  univer 
sal  agony  and  distress. 

A  gentleman  on  the  train  with  several  of  our  merchants  going 
home  from  New  York,  says  : 

A  wretched  cripple  came  into  the  train  with  a  doggerel  petition 
asking  for  aid  to  put  him  on  his  legs  again.  "  Just  our  affair," 
they  laughed ;  "  we're  all  cripples  together ;  "  but  they  showered 
the  "  stamps  "  upon  him,  which  he  received  with  all  the  surly 
discourtesy  of  his  race.  Then  they  began  to  ask  each  other  where 
they  would  put  up,  facetiously  mentioning  the  burned  hotels. 

"  Is  the  Pacific  open  ?  "  asked  one. 

''  Yes,  at  the  top,"  said  another,  and  the  jest  was  highly  rel- 
ished. 

At  Laporte  a  man  came  ou  board,  of  whom  one  of  the  passen- 
gers asked  :  "  How  about  my  house  ?  " 

"  Burned,"  was  the  reply.  The  next  question  consisted  merely 
of  a  searching  glance,  and  the  answer  was,  "  She's  all  right  at  our 
father's ;  we  got  your  papers  out  of  the  safe  this  morning ;  they 
are  all  right,  too." 

"  Well,"  said  the  merchant  coolly,  "  when  a  man  has  his  wife 
and  his  papers,  what  more  does  he  want  ?  " 

A   CHICAGO   man's   GOOD   FOKTHNE. 

The  first  man  I  met  on  leaving  the  train  was  the  Hon.  L. 
Swett.     I  asked  if  he  was  one  of  the  few  fortunates.     He  smiled 

18 


306  HISTORY    OF   THE    GEEAT   FIEEe 

and  nodded.  I  congratulated  him  on  the  safety  of  his  house. 
"  Oh  !  that's  another  matter  ;  my  house  is  gone,  but  my  wife  and 
children  were  saved."  This  spirit  is  too  common  to  be  remarked, 
yet  when  you  compare  it  with  what  you  see  among  other  people, 
it  seems  very  admirable. 

A  druggist  came  to  me  one  day  in  Madrid,  half  insane  because 
he  had  bought  a  soda-fountain  which  he  could  not  work.  He 
tore  his  hair,  bit  his  fingers,  and  called  down  maledictions  on  his 
birthday,  because  he  saw  $300  in  danger  of  being  lost.  "My 
ducats  and  my  daughter ! "  A  Chicago  man  is  very  fond  of 
his  daughter,  if  he  has  one ;  if  not,  he  is  equally  fond  of  his 
neighbor's  daughter.  As  for  dncats,  he  likes  the  gaining  of  them 
remarkably  well ;  but  when  he  loses  them,  he  thinks  much  less 
of  them  than  of  those  he  intends  to  gain. 

The  gloomiest  man  on  the  train  was  the  representative  of  a 
great  New  York  house,  which  had  large  credits  in  Chicago. 

Potter  Palmer  left  home  on  Sunday  night  worth  many  millions ; 
despatches  reached  him  at  every  station  on  his  way  East,  and 
every  despatch  announced  the  loss  of  a  fortune.  But  he  did  not 
tear  his  hair,  nor  did  he  speak  disrespectfully  of  the  day  he  was 
born.  He  doubtless  thought  very  vigorously  how  he  was  to  go  to 
work  to  get  back  those  millions. 

A  lady  who  resided  on  the  North  Side,  thus  gives  her  experi- 
ence :  I  do  not  speak  or  write  of  this  terrible  event  as  one  who 
has  only  listened  to  the  report  that  flew  from  lip  to  lip,  but  as 
one  who  stood  face  to  face  with  death,  and  counted  the  leaden - 
footed  hours  ^s  they  dragged  by  their  endless  length,  and  prayed 
for  the  coming  of  the  morn — that  morning  whose  dawn  was  to  re- 
veal only  more  clearly  than  the  lurid  glare  of  the  flames  had  done, 
how  wide-spread  was  the  ruin  that  the  flre  had  wrought.  I  had  at- 
tended service  at  St.  James,  and  returning,  retired  early  to  rest. 
At  twelve  I  was  awakened  by  some  of  the  boarders  in  the  house 
coming  in  from  the  fire,  and  passing  through  the  hall  up  to  their 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  307 

•rooms  in  the  storj  above  mine.  M,y  room  was  on  the  south  side 
of  the  house,  and  the  light  shone  through  tlie  shutters  and  fell  in 
red  bars  on  the  opposite  wall.  I  sprang  up  and  looked  from  the 
window.  The  fire  was  a  mile  or  more  away,  but  the  roar  of  the 
flames  and  the  crash  of  falling  buildings  could  be  plainly  heard, 
while  a  meteoric  shower  of  sparks  filled  the  air,  and  cinders  fell 
like  snow  around  us.  The  wind  was  blowing  very  hard,  and  con- 
Btantly  increasing.  At  one  o'clock  footsteps  were  heard  hurrying 
through  the  house,  doors  opened  and  shut,  and  anxious  faces 
peered  out  to  ask,  "  What  of  the  night."  At  two  o'clock  a  mes- 
sage was  sent  the  round  of  the  rooms,  "  Pack  your  trunks."  The 
fire  was  rapidly  nearing  us.  At  three,  the  order  came  to  "  bring 
out  the  baggage  " — human  strength  was  in  vain — human  power 
was  as  a  thing  of  nought — human  ingenuity  or  courage  was 
powerless  before  that  angel  of  destruction  whose  red  torch  lay  at 
our  doors.  The  fire  could  neither  be  controlled  nor  checked. 
The  gas,  already  burning  low,  went  out,  and  with  a  terrible,  op- 
pressive sense  of  the  impending  danger,  we  went  outside  the 
door,  and  sat  down  on  our  trunks,  wher«  they  were  piled  await- 
ing transportation  to  a  place  of  safety.  Our  house,  364  and  366, 
was  in  the  centre  of  the  last  block  of  buildings  at  the  east  end  of 
Ohio  street.  Beyond  that  was  a  space  of  unimproved  ground 
about  two  blocks  in  extent,  then  a  large  lumber  yard,  then  the 
beach  and  the  Lake.  Opposite  us  was  a  fine  block  of  buildings, 
consisting  in  part  of  the  residence  of  H.  M.  Miller,  the  well- 
known  jeweller,  and  a  large  first-class  private  boarding-house. 
Like  our  own,  it  was  the  last  block,  and  beyond  it  the  unim- 
proved ground  spread  down  to  the  water.  Upon  this  space  our 
trunks  were  placed,  but  the  heat  and  the  falling  cinders  soon 
drove  us  down  to  the  beach,  to  the  very  water's  edge. 

There  we  again  sat  down,  only,  as  it  proved,  to  wait  the  com- 
ing of  the  hungry  flames.  At  five  o'clock,  all  that  was  left  of 
what  had  been  our  pleasant  home,  was  a  heap  of  iron,  brick,  and 


308  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

ashes  ;  and  even  while  we  congratulated  ourselves  upon  our  per- 
sonal safety,  and  jested  lightly  about  a  "  tent  on  the  beach  "  foi 
a  temporary  local  residence,  the  cry  was  heard,  "  The  lumber-yard 
is  on  lire !  "  It  was  only  too  true.  Like  flashes  of  lightning  from 
the  breast  of  some  purple  cloud,  fire  leaped  forth  red-tongned 
from  a  score  of  points,  then  a  broad  sheet  of  dancing  flames  and 
flying  cinders;  and  in  a  moment  more  the  heat  from  the  dry, 
seasoned  pine  lumber  was  intolerable.  N"o  pen  can  do  justice  to 
the  scene  that  ensued.  No  imagination  has  power  to  picture  the 
sickening  details.  No  tongue  can  conyey  to  another  an  idea  of 
its  horror.  As  far  as  we  could  see  to  the  north,  the  beach  was 
covered  with  goods  of  every  description.  The  household  gods  of  the 
rich  and  the  poor  lay  side  by  side,  and  the  millionaire  and  laborer 
sat  down  together  to  guard  them.  If  death  is  a  leveller,  what 
less  can  be  said  of  a  calamity  like  this  ?  The  lady  who  yesterday 
rolled  by  in  her  carriage  with  her  coachman  in  livery,  or  who 
held  her  silken  robes  daintily  aside,  while  some  child  of  poverty 
crept  humbly  by  in  rags,  hushed  her  own  bitter  lament  to  speak 
soothing  and  gentle,  but  groundless  words  of  hope  and  encour- 
agement to  the  homeless  wretch  by  her  side.  The  sparks  fell 
amidst  the  piles  of  bedding  and  clothing  around  us ;  fire  broke 
out  in  every  direction,  and  we  were  compelled  to  abandon  every- 
thing, and  fly  as  fast  as  our  weariness  would  permit,  toward  the 
North  Pier.  What  hand  guided  our  flight,  only  the  heart  that 
is  stayed  upon  its  Maker,  knows; — surely  it  was  not  reason,  for 
that  seemed  to  have  utterly  forsaken  the  mass  of  humanity  that 
fled,  amidst  groans,  and  tears,  and  curses,  and  prayers,  the  neigh- 
ing of  frantic  horses,  the  lowing  of  frightened  cattle,  the  yelping 
of  dogs,  and  the  cries  of  cats  that  were  half  consumed  by  the  fire 
while  they  yet  lived.  Neither  the  weakness  of  age  nor  the  help- 
lessness of  infancy  were  sacred  in  that  hour  when  all  were  despe- 
rate. Suddenly,  while  we  pressed  on  in  our  mad  wild  flight,  a 
shriek — a  woman's  shriek — freighted  with  inexpressible  agony, 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST  309 

rang  out  on  the  air,  rising  above  the  Babei-like  confusion  that 
surrounded  us,  and,  looking  back,  I  saw  a  sight  that  chilled  my 
blood,  even  in  that  moment  when  our  terror  was  so  intense  as 
almost  to  preclude  the  possibility  of  another  sensation.  A  pair 
of  powerful  horses  rendered  uncontrollable  by  the  heat  and  smoke 
and  confusion,  had  thrown  down  a  boy  of  six  or  seven  years  of 
age,  and  the  heavily-laden  dray  to  which  they  were  attached 
passed  over  his  head,  killing  him  almost  instantly.  The  mother 
sprang  forward  and  caught  up  her  child,  and,  with  the  mangled 
and  bleeding  head  pressed  to  her  bosom,  gave  expression  to  her 
sorrow  in  most  heart-rending  cries,  that  rose,  shriek  upon  shriek, 
as  she  staggered  on  with  her  lifeless  burden.  Scorched  by  the 
intense  heat,  suffocated  by  the  dense  smoke,  blinded  by  the 
sand  and  ashes  and  cinders,  the  crowd  pressed  on.  Alas  for 
him  or  her  who  fell  by  the  way !  There  was  a  cry,  a  groan,  and 
the  tidal  wave  of  humanity  swept  on,  and  all  was  over. 

Our  flight  was  stopped  at  last  by  the  river.  Kind  hearts  had 
devised  means  to  aid  us,  and  kind  hands  drew  from  shore  to 
shore  a  dry  dock  laden  with  its  living  freight.  I  crossed  with 
the  first,  and  climbed  from  the  dock  to'  a  schooner,  thence  to 
the  shore,  and  then,  over  piles  of  hewn  timber,  over  heaps  of 
stone,  and  bricks,  and  rubbish, — how,  is  known  but  to  Him  who 
has  promised  that  "  as  thy  day  is,  so  shall  thy  strength  be." 
Three  or  four  steamers  lay  moored  at  the  North  Pier  that  had 
come  into  port  during  the  night,  and  our  party  went  on  board 
the  Alpena,  while  others  went  on  board  the  Morning  Star  and 
the  Corona,  and  as  many  as  could  be  were  taken  off  by  schooners 
and  tugs,  but  yet  the  majority  were  left  upon  the  beach.  Soon 
the  flames  spread  to  the  shipping  ;  several  schooners  were  burned, 
then  the  flames  were  seen  bursting  from  the  windows  of  the 
steamer  Navarino,  and  the  miserable  refugees  who  had  sought 
phelter  here  fled  panic-stricken  from  this  new  danger.  For  a 
time  it  seemed  that  our  own  boat  must  share  the  same  fate,  for 


Jr- 


310  mSTOBY    OF   THE    GKEAT   FIRES 


she  was  aground,  with  her  fires  out,  and  only  the  ahnost  super- 
human eiTorts  of  her  officers  saved  her.  At  nine  o'clock  we  were 
safely  anchored  in  the  Lake,  and  the  doomed  city  was  hidden 
from  our  sight  by  the  pall  of  smoke  that  enveloped  it.  We 
secured  a  state-room,  and  the  three  ladies  and  two  children  who 
made  our  party  crowded  into  the  berths,  where  we  tried  in  vain 
to  rest  our  throbbing  temples  and  weary  limbs.  The  day  wore 
slowly  by,  and  as  the  gray  shadows  of  the  early  dusk  crept  over 
us,  I  went  out  on  the  deck  to  take,  what  it  seemed  then,  must 
be  my  last  look  at  Chicago.  The  long,  low  stretch  of  shore  lay 
spread  out  before  us,  and  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  was  an 
almost  unbroken  line  of  lurid,  cruel  fire.  To  the  north  and  to 
the  south  the  flames  leaped,  and  swayed,  and  surged  like  hungry 
fiends.  The  wind  still  blew  a  perfect  tornado,  and,  in  spite  of 
two  anchors,  our  boat  rocked  to  and  fro  on  the  wild  waters,  like 
a  spirit  that  could  not  rest.  One  long  look  of  sorrow  and  de- 
spair ;  one  long  look  of  bitter,  unavailing  regret  for  her  fate ; 
one  long,  sad,  unspoken  look  of  farewell  to  the  Queen  of  the 
West,  that  peerless  city  that  was  being  tried  as  by  fire,  and  I 
turned  to  enter  the  cabin,  when  a  group  attracted  my  attention. 
In  the  centre  was  a  woman  who,  under  other  circumstances, 
must  have  been  very  beautiful,  crouching  upon  the  floor,  with 
her  white  hands  fast  locked  together.  Her  great  brown  eyes 
were  tearless,  but  eloquent  with  their  dumb  woe,  and  ever  and 
anon  moans  burst  from  the  quivering  lips  that  spoke  no  word  of 
the  sorrow  that  had  almost  unseated  her  reason.  They  told  me 
she  was  the  mother  of  three  little  children  ;  the  youngest  a  babe 
of  a  few  weeks  old. 

Her  husband  had  gone  out  in  the  night  and  had  not  returned, 
and  when  the  fire  drove  her  from  her  home,  she  started  down  the 
beach  with  the  crowd,  a  little  nurse  girl,  herself,  a  mere  child  of 
a  dozen  or  fourteen  years,  assisting  in  the  care  of  the  children. 
One  of  them  had  fallen,  and  being  injured,  she  had  put  her  babe 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WKST.  3U 

in  the  nurse's  arms  to  be  able  to  better  assist  the  child,  when  the 
crowd  pressed  forward,  and  before  she  could  recover  herself  she 
was  parted  from  her  helpless  little  brood.  Back  and  forth 
through  the  throng  she  had  run,  calling  aloud  for  them  to  come 
to  her,  until  exhausted,  when,  she  could  not  tell  how,  she  had 
come  upon  the  boat.  Frantic  with  suspense  as  to  the  fate  of  her 
husband  and  children,  she  paced  the  cabin  through  the  long  cold 
night,  and  her  moans  and  the  sullen  plash  of  the  waves,  as  they 
broke  against  the  boat,  mingled  with  my  dreams,  as  in  imagina- 
tion I  lived  over  again  the  scenes  of  that  terrible  night  and  day. 
At  midnight  sufficient  rain  had  fallen  to  subdue  the  fires,  already 
partially  exhausted,  and  when  the  bleak,  cold  morning  broke  we 
looked  upon  a  scene  of  desolation  such  as  never  was  seen  before 
in  the  New  World.  We  had  partaken  of  no  food  since  our  late 
Sabbath  dinner,  the  Alpena  having  no  stores  on  board,  and  in- 
deed the  excitement  had  stimulated  us  to  that  extent  that  it  is 
improbable  that  even  the  nectar  or  ambrosia  of  the  gods  w^ould 
have  tempted  us  to  break  our  fast,  or  that  the  royal  banquets  of 
Cleopatra  would  have  provoked  a  thought  of  hunger ;  but  now  a 
sickening  faintness  crept  over  us,  and  we  were  weak  and  worn. 
At  eleven  o'clock  Captain  Samuel  Shannon,  of  the  propeller 
"  Toledo,"  came  into  port  and  visited  the  Alpena,  and  learning 
the  facts,  invited  us,  with  a  seaman's  proverbial  generosity,  to 
come  upon  his  boat  and  eat  a  warm  breakfast,  to  which  he  had 
the  satisfaction  of  seeing  full  justice  done.  At  noon  we  left  the 
boat  and  once  more  trod  the  streets  of  that  city  whose  wealth, 
and  prosperity,  and  luxuriant  growth  had  been  the  pride  of  the 
world,  as  well  as  the  marvel  of  the  age.  But  now,  shorn  of  her 
glory  by  one  fell  blow,  she  sat,  a  queen  indeed,  but  a  queen 
whose  emblems  of  royalty  were  broken,  whose  robes  of  Tyrian 
purple  trailed  in  the  dust,  whose  shapely  limbs  were  swathed  in 
sackcloth,  whose  feet  were  buried  in  the  ashes  of  her  ruined 
palaces.     Yet  with  all  our  hearts  we  did  her  homage,  for  the 


-H 


812  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 


world  of  earth  and  air  and  water  were  her  emv:>ii'e.  and  her  throne 
was  as  enduring  as  the  blue  Lake  that  lay  Defore  her. 

A  wholesale  grocer,  residing  on  the  North  Side,  was  absent 
from  the  citj.  His  wife,  a  delicate  woman,  finding  the  flames 
suddenly  upon  her  house,  snatched  up  a  silver  cake-basket  and  a 
valuable  little  clock,  took  one  of  ner  two  children  in  her  arms 
and  another  by  the  hand,  and  fled.  As  she  sped  before  the  pur- 
suing Are,  slie  found  her  strength  failing,  and  begged  the  driver 
of  a  passing  express  wagon,  lightiy  laden,  to  help  lier  in  her  ex 
tremity.  He  would  for  the  clock.  She  submitted  to  the  exac- 
tion, was  carried  three  blocks,  and  then  forced  to  get  down.  The 
cake-basket  bought  her  another  ride  of  about  the  same  aistance, 
and  then  she  was  forced  to  finish  her  flight  on  foot,  her  means  of 
satisfying  the  rapacity  of  drivers  being  exhausted.  Finally,  more 
dead  than  alive,  she  reached  a  place  of  safety. 

On  Monday  evening  a  knot  of  men,  from  35  to  40  years  of 
age^  stood  on  Michigan  avenue,  watching  the  fire  as  it  fought  its 
way  southward  in  the  teeth  of  the  wind.  They  were  looking 
grimy  and  dejected  enough,  until  another,  a  broad-shouldered 
man  of  middle  height,  a  face  that  might  have  belonged  to  one 
of  the  Cheeryble  brothers,  shining  through  the  overspreading 
dust  and  soot,  approached  them,  and  clapping  one  of  their  num- 
ber on  the  shoulder,  exclaimed  cheerfully :  "  Well,  James,  we 
are  all  gone  together.  Last  night  I  was  worth  a  hundred  thou-' 
sand,  and  so  were  you.  Now  where  are  we  ? "  "  Gone,"  returned 
James.  Then  followed  an  interchange,  from  which  it  appeared 
that  the  members  of  the  group  were  young  merchants  worth  from 
$50,000  to  $150,000.  After  this,  said  the  first  speaker,  "Well, 
Jim,  I  have  a  home  left,  and  my  family  are  safe;  I  have  a  barrel 
of  flour,  some  bushels  of  potatoes,  and  other  provisions  laid  in  for 
the  winter ;  and  now,  Jim,  I'm  going  to  fill  my  house  to-night 
with  these  poor  fellows,"  turning  to  the  sidewalks  crowded  with 
fleeing  poor,  "  chuck  full  from  cellar  to  garret !  "      The  blaze  of 


IN    CHICAGO    /LND    THE    WEST.  313 

the  conflagration  revealed  something  worth  seeing  in  that  man's 
breast  Possibly  the  road  to  his  heart  may  have  been  choked 
with  rubbish  before.  If  so,  the  fire  had  burned  it  clear,  till  it 
shone  like  one  of  the  streets  of  burnished  gold  which  he  will  one 
day  walk. 

A  woman  Jving  on  Ontario  street,  between  Market  and  Frank- 
lin, brought  out  her  two  children,  aged  five  and  seven,  safely,  and 
then  went  for  a  baby.  The  children  followed  her  back,  and  none 
came  out  a.'ve. 

The  Quinn  brothers  went  into  their  house  while  it  was  untoucn- 
ed  by  the  fire  to  secure  some  clothing,  but  in  getting  out  had  to 
jump  through  the  windows. 

Mr.  Malcomb,  who  died  about  two  hours  before  the  fire  reached 
his  residence,  was  burned  almost  beyond  recognition. 

A  story  is  related  of  the  proprietor  of  St.  Caroline's  Court,  a 
hotel  on  the  West  Side  of  Chicago,  illustrative  of  General  Sheri- 
dan's idea  of  the  eternal  fitness  of  things.  The  General  called 
at  the  hotel  and  inquired  the  price  of  board.  "  Six  dollars  per 
day,"  was  the  reply.  "  The  pnce  before  the  fire  ?  "  inquired  the 
General.  "  Two  dollar:^  and  a  half"  General  Sheridan  replied 
that  he  would  run  that  hotel  himself,  and  at  $2.50  per  day.  lie 
placed  an  orderly  in  charge,  and  at  once  put  a  stop  to  exorbitant 
charges. 

The  following  curious   incident   is  well  authenticated :     Mrs. 

,  the  housekeeper  of  a  prominent   hotel,  had  made  up  her 

mind  to  leave  the  city  a  few  days  before  the  fire.  She  had  not 
drawn  her  salary  for  some  time,  and  it  amounted  to  $1,000.  On 
Saturday  this  amount  was  handed  to  her  by  the  proprietor.  The 
boarders  at  the  same  time  got  up  a  testimonial,  amounting  to  $150, 
and  presented  her  with  the  money  that  evening.  She  deposited  the 
greenbacks  under  the  carpet  in  a  corner  of  her  room.     When  the 

fire  was  raging,  Mrs.  rushed  into  her  room  and  succeeded  in 

saving  a  favorite  canary-bird.     But  she  forgot  all  about  the  money. 


X 


314:  mSTOKY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIKE8 


The  son  of  Mayor  Mason,  of  Chicago,  is  worthy  of  Chicago  and 
of  his  large-hearted  sire.  Everything  was  swept  away  except  his- 
wedding  presents,  which  were  at  the  house  of  his  father.  This 
hoflse  was  saved.  He  sold  them  to  Tiffany  &  Co.  for  $5,000. 
"With  this  money  he  will  now  re-establish  himself,  opening  a 
stove  store  for  the  time  being  in  the  basement  of  his  father's  ele- 
gant residence.     The  young  man  shows  the  real  Chicago  pluck. 

A  locomotive  engineer  was  on  his  freight-train,  forty  miles 
from  the  city,  when  he  heard  the  fire  was  raging  on  Michigan 
avenue.  He  said,  "  I  asked  permission  to  go  on  with  my  train, 
and  was  forbidden  ;  I  put  on  steam,  and  they  put  down  the  brakes, 
but  I  pulled  my  train  as  near  to  the  depot  as  I  could,  and  left  it 
in  charge  of  the  fireman.  I  hurt  nobody  and  did  no  harm  to 
anything ;  I  went  straight  to  the  place  where  I  left  my  family^ 
and  dragged  out  their  bones.  When  I  came  back  to  my  situation 
they  told  me  I  was  discharged,  and  I  am  now  homeless  and 
helpless." 

Men  were  desperate,  and  deemed  almost  anything  justifiable. 
One  who  saw  that  he  could  not  escape,  opened  his  veins  that  he 
might  not  know  the  horrors  of  death  by  fij'e.  Another,  probably 
rendered  insane  by  losses  and  terror,  was  found  with  his  throat 
cut  fi'om  ear  to  ear.  Men  who  were  laboring  to  rescue  their 
books  and  papers  from  the  peril,  were  so  involved  in  the  mazes 
of  the  fire,  that  they  tried  several  streets  before  they  were  able  to 
escape,  and  then  suffered  serious  inconveniences  or  injury  in  the 
final  struggle  that  saved  them.  One,  in  trying  to  gather  a  few 
things  from  his  room,  fell  suffocated,  and,  recovering  presence  of 
mind,  crawled  to  the  window,  and  calling  on  men  to  catch  him, 
leaped  from  the  second  story,  and  was  able  to  rejoin  his  family, 
A  fireman  brought  a  two-year-old  child  to  a  lady,  which  was 
enatched  out  of  the  upper  story  of  a  lofty  building  in  the  heart  of 
the  fire.  The  little  thing  was  scorched  and  singed,  and  when 
asked,  "  Where   is   papa  ? "   he   answered,    "  Gone   to   church." 


> 


m   CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST.  315 

"  Where  is  mamma  ?  "  "  Gone  to  chm-ch."  So  unexpected  was 
the  fire,  that  the  parents  had  not  time  to  find  their  darling  after 
church.  Some  300  were  caged  up  near  the  river,  and  taken  off 
by  the  steamer  that  lay  close  at  hand.  Others,  hurried  out  of 
their  home  and  cut  off  from  egress  by  any  street,  fled  to  the  Lake 
shore,  and  as  the  furious  element  closed  around  them  they  were 
pressed  into  the  water,  and  kept  themselves  for  hours  by  dipping 
their  heads  into  the  cool  element.  Children  were  immersed 
repeatedly,  in  order  to  keep  them  from  being  scorched,  and 
many  came  from  their  wet  refuges  more  dead  than  alive.  A 
family  who  had  spent  several  years  abroad,  and  collected  many 
valuable  works  of  art  and  souvenirs  t>f  their  journeys,  were  driven 
from  one  place  to  another,  and  finally  took  refuge  in  a  stable. 
The  proprietor  begged  them  to  take  his  carriage  and  drive  it  oli: 
to  save  it.  In  this  they  escaped  several  miles  to  a  place  of  safety, 
having  nothing  left  but  what  they  wore  upon  their  persons. 

A  man  at  the  corner  of  Division  and  Brandt  streets  had  appa- 
rently secured  his  household  goods  in  an  open  lot ;  but  the  flames 
mercilessly  attacked  his  effects,  and  seeing  there  was  no  further 
chance  of  saving  them,  he  knelt  down  and  offered  a  brief  prayer, 
after  which  he  arose,  clasped  his  hands  in  wild  despair,  and  look- 
ing to  heaven,  exclaimed,  "  God  help  me  now,"  and  was  soon  lost 
to  view  in  the  dense  smoke  through  which  he  endeavored  to  make 
his  escape. 

Mr.  Kerfoot  gives  the  following  graphic  account  of  his  escape 
from  the  fire  with  his  wife  and  children  :  "  Being  the  owner  of 
a  horse  and  carriage  which  I  used  to  go  to  and  fro  from  my  busi- 
ness, when  I  became  satisfied  that  my  house  would  soon  be  en- 
veloped, I  brought  my  horse  and  carriage  before  the  house,  and 
placed  my  wife  and  children  in  it.  There  was  then  no  room  for 
me,  so  I  mounted  the  back  of  the  animal  and  acted  as  postilion. 
While  driving  through  the  flame  and  smoke  which  enveloped  us 
on   all  hands,  I   came  across  a  gentleman  who  had  his  wife  in  a 


31 G  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

buggy,  and  was  between  the  thills  hauling  it  himself.  I  shouted 
to  him  to  hitch  his  carriage  on  behind  mine,  which  he  did,  and 
then  got  in  beside  his  wife.  I  then  drove  forward  as  fast  as  I 
could,  for  the  flames  were  raging  around  us.  After  proceeding 
a  short  distance,  another  gentleman  was  found  standing  beside 
the  street,  with  a  carriage,  waiting  for  a  horse,  which  was  not 
likely  to  come  I  directed  him  to  fasten  on  behind  the  second 
carriage^  which  he  did,  and  in  this  way  we  whipped  up  and  got 
out  of  the  way  of  the  flames  with  our  wives  and  children,  thank 
God." 

A  remarkable  instance  of  courage  and  presence  of  mind  is  told 
of  Mr  E.  I.  Tinkham,  of  the  Second  National  Bank.  On  Mon- 
day morning,  before  the  flre  had  reached  that  building,  Mr.  Tink- 
ham went  to  the  safe  and  succeeded  in  getting  out  $600,000. 
This  pile  of  greenbacks  he  packed  into  a  common  trunk,  and 
hired  a  colored  man  for  $1,000  to  convey  it  to  the  Milwaukee 
depot.  Fearing  to  be  recognized  in  connection  with  the  precious 
load,  Mr.  Tinkham  followed  the  man  for  a  time  at  some  distaace, 
but  soon  lost  sight  of  him.  He  was  then  overtaken  by  the  fire- 
storm, and  was  driven  toward  the  Lake  on  the  South  Side.  Here, 
after  passing  through  several  narrow  escapes  from  suffocation,  he 
succeeded  in  working  his  way,  by  some  means,  to  a  tug-boat,  and 
got  round  to  the  Milwaukee  depot,  where  he  found  the  colored 
man  waiting  for  him,  with  the  trunk,  according  to  promise.  Mr. 
Tinkham  paid  the  man  the  $1,000,  and  started  with  the  trunk 
for  Milwaukee.  The  money  was  safely  deposited  in  Marshall  & 
[llsley's  bank,  of  that  city. 

Mr.  Nathaniel  Bacon,  of  Niles,  Michigan,  student-at-law  with 
Messrs.  Tenney,  McClellan  &  Tenney,  at  No.  120  Washington 
street,  slept  in  their  office.  On  waking  at  about  one  o'clock,  and 
seeing  tlie  Court-House  on  fire,  he  saw  that  the  office,  which  was 
immediately  opposite,  would  surely  go.  Judging  that  one  of  the 
safes  in  the  office  would  not  prove  fire-proof,  he  promptly  emptied 


IN   OHIOAGO    AJO)    THE    WEST. 


317 


the  contents  of  his  trunk  on  the  floor  of  the  doomed  building, 
and,  filling  it  with  the  interior  contents  of  the  safe — books,  valu- 
able papers,  money,  etc. — shouldered  the  trunk  and  carried  it 
to  a  place  of  safety  on  Twenty-second  street,  losing  thereby  all 
his  own  clothing  and  effects  except  what  he  had  on.  That  young 
man  is  a  hero. 

In  the  midst  of  all  that  was  sad  and  terrible,  there  was  an 
occasional  gleam  of  the  humorous. 

One  merchant,  who  found  his  safe  and  its  contents  destroyed, 
quietly  remarked  that  there  was  no  blame  attached  to  the  safe ; 
that  it  was  of  chilled  iron,  and  would  have  stood,  but  that  the 
fire  had  taken  the  Ghill  all  out. 

A  firm  of  painters  on  Madison  street,  bulletin  their  removal 
as  follows,  on  a  sign-board  erected  like  a  guide-board  upon  the 
ruins  of  their  old  establishment : — 


MOOEE  &  GOE, 

House  and  Sign  Patnteks, 

Removed  to  111  Desplaines  st. 

Capital,  $000,000.30. 


An  editor  of  a  daily  paper  ha?  received  several  poetical 
effusions  suggested  by  the  late  disaster ;  but  he  declines  them  all, 
on  the  ground  that  it  is  wasteful  to  print  anything  which  requires 
every  line  with  a  capital,  when  capital  is  as  scarce  as  it  is  now  in 
Chicago. 

A  bride,  who  entered  the  holy  married  *  state  on  Tuesday 
evening,  determined  to  do  so  in  a  calico  dress,  in  deference  both 
to  the  proprieties  and  the  necessities  of  the  occasion.  But  she 
desired  that  her  toilette  de  chambre  should  be,  if  possible,  on  a 
more  gorgeous  scale.  Being  destitute  of  a  role  de  nuit  of  suit- 
able elegance,  she  sent  out  to  several  neighbors  of  her  temporarj" 


"7 

318  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FLEES 

hostess  to  borrow  such  a  garment,  stipulating  that  it  must  he  a 
fine  one.  So  peculiar  is  the  feminine  nature,  however,  that  her 
modest  request  excited  no  enthusiasm  in  her  behalf  among  the 
ladies  to  whom  it  came.     This  is  not  a  joke. 

A  sign-board  stuck  in  the  ruins  of  a  building  on  Madison 
street,  reads :  "  Owing  to  circumstances  over  which  we  had  no 
control,  we  have  removed,"  etc. 

Uhicago,  October  12,  1871. 
To  the  Editor  of  the  Chicago  Evening  Journal : — 

The  attention  of  Chicagoans  is  called  to  the  8th  chapter  of 
Deuteronomy,  and  the  clergy  of  the  city  are  respectfully  re- 
quested to  take  the  same  for  a  text  on  Sunday  morning  next. 

Merchant. 

One  of  our  merchants,  reported  insane,  was  heard  from  at 
^ew  York — where  he  had  gone  to  bury  a  sister — in  the  following 
noble  manner : — 

Mrs.  Potter  Palmer : 

I  have  particulars  of  fire.  Am  perfectly  reconciled  to  our 
lojses.  We  shall  not  be  embarrassed.  Have  an  abundance  left. 
Be  cheerful,  and  do  all  possible  for  sufferers.  Will  return  by  first 
train  after  funeral.  Potter  Palmer. 

The  fugitives  from  our  city  were  good,  bad,  and  indifferent. 
The  men  of  pluck  and  value  to  us  generally  stood  by  the  wreck 
to  restore  the  town.  Many  truly  unfortunate  could  do  no  better 
than  to  leave  for  a  time.  Some  found  the  place  too  hot  for  them. 
Among  these  may  be  reckoned  the  villain  who  thus  ignobly 
perished  in  Ohio,  where  he  had  gone  to  retrieve  his  fortunes, 
the  Lima  Gazette : — 

The  fire  in  Chicago  has  begun  to  make  itself  felt  in  the  rural 


IK    CHICAGO    AJSTD    THE    WEST.  819 

districts.  Additions  are  daily  made  to  the  population  of  the 
country  towns.  These  additions  consist  generally  of  men  with 
scarred  faces  and  sinister  looks,  who  are  looking  around  for  some 
opening  in  the  way  of  business  and  trade. 

On  last  Saturday,  October  28,  one  of  these  enterprising  unfor- 
tunates visited  some  of  our  farmers  in  Amanda,  German,  and 
Marion  Townships,  in  this  county.  He  was  in  the  horse  trade. 
Wherever  he  went  he  wanted  to  buy  horses.  All  day  Saturday 
was  consumed  in  fruitless  attempts  to  buy  a  horse.  Night  found 
him  in  Marion  Township,  about  three  miles  west  of  Elida. 

Between  seven  and  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening  he  entered  the 
house  of  Andrew  Stever.  Stever  is  about  sixty  years  old,  a 
bachelor,  and  has  the  reputation  of  owning  considerable  of  this 
world's  goods.  He  lives  alone  in  a  small  log  cabin,  is  the  owner 
of  the  farm  on  which  the  house  is  situated,  and  has  resided  here 
for  twenty  years  past.  He  has  the  reputation  of  being  a  peace- 
able, quiet,  inoifensive  man. 

After  entering  the  house  of  Stever,  our  horse-buyer  from  the 
burnt  district  introduced  the  subject  of  horses,  and  proposed  to 
buy  one  from  Stever.  Stever  had  none  to  sell.  He  then  in- 
quired for  matches,  and  requested  Stever  to  furnish  him  with 
some.  This  Stever  proceeded  to  do.  The  matches  had  scarcely 
passed  from  his  hand  before  the  stranger  drew  from  his  pocket  a 
revolver,  and,  presenting  it  at  Stever,  asked  him  "  if  he  saw 
that  ?  "  Stever  replied  that  he  did,  but  that  "  this  was  no  place 
for  it."  Stever  in  the  mean  time  had  observed  that  the  features 
of  his  visitor  were  disguised  by  daubing  mud  in  his  moustache 
and  whiskers,  which  were  of  not  more  than  a  week's  growth. 
Stever,  therefore,  by  way  of  precaution  (and  which  precaution 
had  also  probably  been  quickened  by  the  sight  of  the  revolver), 
apened  the  blade  of  a  pocket-knife,  and  kept  it  in  his  hand — his 
hand  in  his  pocket. 

A  motion  on  the  part  of  the  stranger  to  present  his  revolver 


320  HISTORY    OF    THE   GREAT   FIRES 

was  the  signal  on  which  Stever  acted.  Grasping  the  hand  that 
held  the  pistol  with  his  left  hand,  he  told  the  man  he  must  leave 
the  house.  A  terrible  struggle  ensued.  Tables  were  turned  over, 
and  broken,  and  everything  movable  in  the  house  was  displaced. 
Stever  kept  his  hold  upon  the  pistol-arm,  while  the  stranger 
strove  to  beat  him  over  the  head  with  the  pistol  as  severely  as  was 
possible  under  the  death  grip  of  Stever.  While  this  was  going 
forward,  Stever  continued  with  his  right  hand  to  ply  the  knife. 
This  he  continued  to  do,  although  he  was  under,  to  so  good  pur- 
pose, that,  to  use  his  own  language,  he  made  him  "  grunt."  His 
hold  upon  Stever  relaxed,  when  Stever  rose  from  the  floor,  the 
stranger  rising  with  him.  On  getting  to  their  feet,  the  stranger 
reeled  and  fell  in  the  portal  of  the  door,  when  Stever  jumped 
over  him  and  ran  to  a  neighbor — a  Mr.  Carr.  With  Mr.  Carr 
he  returned  to  the  house,  where  they  found  the  nocturnal  visitor 
where  he  fell.  He  gave  one  or  two  gasps  after  they  got  to  the 
house  and  was  dead.  The  Coroner's  inquest  on  Sunday  devel- 
oped the  following  facts:  Before  entering  the  house  he  visited 
the  stable  and  procured  a  bridle.  This,  with  his  hat,  overcoat, 
and  shawl,  he  left  near  a  stack  of  straw.  On  his  person  were 
found  six  watches,  two  revolvers,  one  single-barrelled  pistol,  and 
$82,50  in  money.  His  arms  were  tattooed  with  India  ink.  He 
was  apparently  about  forty-five  years  old,  with  as  forbidding  fea- 
tures as  one  seldom  sees.  ,  There  was  nothing  on  his  person  to 
mark  who  he  was  or  whence  he  came.  The  Coroner's  jury  ex- 
amined Stever,  and  the  body  of  the  unknown  was  disposed  of  by 
the  Coroner. 

A  policeman  in  New  York  City  found  four  women  and  a  child 
standing  on  the  corner  of  Chambers  and  West  streets.  In  answer 
to  his  inquiry  they  told  him  that  they  had  just  arrived  from  Chi- 
cago by  the  eight  o'clock  train,  and,  being  entirely  destitute,  they 
did  not  know  what  to  do.  The  officer  took  them  to  the  station- 
house,  and  Sergeant   John  J.  Fitzgerald,  who  was   in  charge^ 


HnXS  OF  THK  PACIFIC  HOJEI.. 


RXTIXS  OK  THE  GKE 


iERMAN  CATHOLIC 


UNITY  CHUKC  U    DR    v  OLLYEE 


jNTRAL  LAMU  OFFICE 


TTTSriON  DKPOT. 


RIJINIs  OF  s^AJvD  ^  BrEWERY 


\ 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  323 

examined  the  cnse.  Finding  the  women  were  jnst  what  they 
had  represented  themselves  to  be,  sufferers  by  the  disaster  in  Chi- 
cago, he  made  every  effort  in  his  power  to  accommodate  them 
the  best  way  he  could  for  a  short  time  in  the  station-house.  He 
then  sent  men  out  to  the  neighboring  houses  to  state  the  case 
of  the  poor  people.  Assistance  soon  came  in  the  person  of  Mr. 
K.  Huggins,  proprietor  of  the  Cosmopolitan  Hotel,  who  desired 
the  sergeant  to  send  the  women  over  to  his  house,  and  they 
should  have  everything  they  needed  until  the  proper  authorities 
came  to  look  after  them.  The  women  were  then  sent  to  the  Cos- 
mopolitan, and  gave  their  names  as  Lina  Mylo,  Minnie  Ditzler, 
Annie  Fris,  and  Bridget  Mahon  and  child.  They  were  sent  up- 
stairs, were  properly  cared  for,  and,  being  tired  from  the  hard- 
ships they  had  lately  undergone,  they  all  retired  except  Annie 
Fris,  who  made  the  following  statement  to  a  Herald  reporter  of 
the  scenes  through  which  she  had  jnst  passed: — 

My  father  was  a  silversmith  on  State  street,  and  lived  in  the 
house  with  my  mother.  I  wanted  to  learn  to  cook,  so  I  went  out 
to  the  house  of  a  young  friend  of  mine  to  get  taught.  My  father 
wanted  to  bring  her  into  the  house,  but  I  did  not  want  that,  as  I 
preferred  to  go  to  where  she  lived.  He  tried  to  keep  me  at  home, 
and  bought  me  a  piano  for  $1,000,  and  I  had  only  just  taken  two 
lessons  on  it  when  all  was  burned. 

I  am  the  only  child  my  father  and  mother  had  in  this  country. 
We  belonged  to  Medo,  in  Bohemia,  where  I  have  a  sister  married 
now.  On  Sunday  night,  about  nine  o'clock,  I  went  to  bed,  and 
had  been  asleep  for  about  an  hour,  when  the  other  girl  woke  me, 
crying  fire.  I  jumped  up  and  rushed  to  the  windows,  but  every- 
thing all  around  where  I  could  see  was  in  a  great  big  blaze.  I 
pulled  on  something,  and  all  ran  down  the  street  to  save  my 
father  and  mother,  but  when  I  got  within  about  half  a  block  of 
them  the  fire  was  all  in  the  house,  and  father  was  hanging  out  of 

the  window,  stretching  his  hands  out  to  me,  calling  to  me  to  help 
19 


><s 


324  HISTORY   OF   THE   GKEAT   FIEES 


liim,  but  I  could  do  nothing.  Then  I  turned  to  go  back  to  my 
friend's  house,  but  some  men  had  come  along  the  street,  and  they 
threw  bottles  of  kerosene  and  matches  into  the  place  until  every- 
thing was  on  fire.  I  don't  remember  what  occurred  after  that,  I 
was  so  frightened.  When  I  saw  ray  poor  father  burn  np  before 
me,  and  heard  my  mother  shrieking  out  to  me,  and  1  could  do 
nothing  for  tliem,  I  would  have  rushed  into  the  house'  and  died 
with  them,  but  some  men  picked  me  up,  threw  me  into  a  carriage, 
and  took  me  away  out  to  the  other  side  of  the  city.  I  was  on 
the  college  grounds  with  hundreds  of  other  people.  I  did  not 
know  any  one  there,  and  no  one  knew  me.  I  have  no  relatives 
in  this  country  anywhere.  I  was  two  days  in  that  place  without 
anything  to  eat  but  some  little  bits  of  bread  that  a  lady  gave  me.  I 
did  not  want  to  eat.  I  was  so  distressed  about  my  family,  and 
having  nowhere  nor  any  one  to  go  to,  I  went  into  the  woods  with 
all  the  other  people,  when  the  fire  came  to  us,  and  there  we  had 
nothing  scarcely  for  three  days.  We  had  to  sleep  on  the  grass 
when  we  did  sleep,  but  that  was  very  little,  as  we  had  too  much 
trouble  to  think  of  it.  On  Friday  1  left  Chicago  because  I  did 
not  know  what  to  do.  Some  ladies  gave  me  a  pass  to  New 
York  in  a  church,  and  I  came  on  here.  It  made  me  so  sad  and 
sick  to  remain  in  Chicago  that  I  thought  I  would  rather  go  any- 
where than  stay  there.  Two  of  these  ladies  who  are  with  me 
promised  to  take  me  with  them,  as  they  have  some  friends  here, 
but  they  are  very  poor  themselves,  and  I  don't  know  what  they 
will  do.  My  father  had  some  money  in  the  bank,  but  I  don't 
know  in  what  bank,  or  how  much  it  was,  so  that  I  suppose  that 
is  gone  too.  I  am  just  fourteen  years  of  age,  and  I  have  nothing 
in  the  world  but  just  what  is  on  me.  I  think  if  I  could  get  back 
home  to  my  own  country  I  might  get  something.  I  don't  know 
what  to  do.  I  have  scarcely  thought  about  it  yet,  for  my  poor 
father  and  mother  they  did  everything  for  me.  All  the  people 
were  very  kind  to  me  since  I  left  Chicago.    I  got  something  to 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   TIIE   WEST.  325 

eat  at  Buffalo,  and  then  the  people  on  the  train  gave  us  some- 
■thing  as  ^ve  came  along.  The  police  were  unusually  kind  to  us 
when  we  came  here,  and  it  makes  up  a  little  to  us  to  find  so  much 
charity  and  feeling  in  the  people. 

Miss  Fris  is  an  interesting-looking  young  lady ;  she  speaks 
English  freely;  and  as  soon  as  the  present  grief  of  her  loss  and 
the  bewilderment  of  the  strange  situation  she  finds  herself  in  wear 
ofi^,  would  prove  a  great  acquisition  to  many  a  private  familv  in 
some  position,  as  she  is  willing  to  work. 

Our  young  city  had  many  charitable  institutions,  and  among 
them,  on  the  extreme  north,  was  the  Half  Orphan  Asylum,  where 
much  good  was  being  done  by  a  few  benevolent  ladies,  in  relieving 
these  unfortunate  children  whose  natural  protectors  were  unable 
or  unwilling  to  care  for  them  in  a  tender  and  humane  manner. 
There  were  some  seventy  odd  children  in  the  asylum  at  the  time  of 
the  fire,  including  about  a  dozen  infants,  and  when  it  became  evi- 
dent to  the  matron  that  the  building  would  have  to  be  vacated,  she 
at  once  made  preparations  and  looked  about  for  the  safest  means  of 
removing  her  charge  of  little  children.  The  North  Side  line  of 
omnibuses  had  removed  some  half  dozen  of  their  vehicles  to  the 
neighborhood  of  the  Asylum  for  safety ;  and  Mrs.  Hobson  at  once 
Bent  a  gentleman  to  secure  the  services  of  a  few  omnibuses  in 
which  to  remove  the  children  to  a  place  of  safety.  His  efibrts 
were  fruitless,  and  he  returned  to  the  asylum  with  the  intelligence 
that  the  omnibuses  could  not  be  had,  as  the  persons  in  charge 
would  not  allow  them  to  be  used.  Mrs.  Hobson  immediately 
went  herself  to  represent  the  urgency  of  their  claim,  but  utterly 
failed  to  procure  even  the  use  of  one  omnibus,  to  which  number 
she  at  last  reduced  her  request. 

Failing  to  secure  assistance,  Mrs.  Hobson  returned  to  her  charge, 
and  at  once,  with  the  assistance  of  some  kind  friends,  got  the 
children  in  readiness  to  find  safer  quarters,  which  they  hoped  to 
do  in  the  new  building  built  for  the  Asylum  on  North  Halsted 


326  HISTOET   OF   THE   GREAT   FIEE3 

street,  near  Centre,  which  was  as  yet  in  an  unfinished  condition. 
About  ten  o'clock  on  Monday  morning  the  little  troop  of  children 
started  to  find  a  new  place  of  shelter,  each  little  one  able  to  walk, 
carrying  some  article  of  furniture  or  utensil,  endeavoring  with 
their  puny  strength  to  save  something  for  the  general  good.  They 
finally  reached  their  destination  in  safety.  With  the  aid  of  a 
cart,  some  ten  loads  of  bedding,  clothing,  etc.,  were  removed  from 
the  old  to  the  new  quarters,  and  the  little  ones  were  made  as 
comfortable  as  possible,  and  finally  put  to  rest.  But  their  sleep 
was  to  be  of  but  a  short  duration,  for  the  fire-fiend  threatened  to 
pay  them  another  visit,  and  again  the  little  ones  had  to  be  re- 
moved, and  again  they  fled  from  before  the  line  of  fire  whose 
progress  no  human  power  could  arrest.  The  streets  were  crowded 
with  a  multitude  of  people  who  were  frantically  hurrying  toward 
the  West  Division,  endeavoring  to  carry  some  of  their  household 
goods  to  a  place  of  safety,  disputing  the  right  of  way  with  teams 
of  every  description,  loaded  with  every  conceivable  variety  of 
household  goods.  Amid  this  thronging  multitude,  and  under  a 
heavy  rain  which  had  set  in,  the  poor  little  children  had  to  en- 
deavor to  pick  their  way  along.  xVt  Clybourne  avenue  bridge, 
foot  passengers  and  wagons  had  to  mingle  in  one  common  road- 
way, and  nothing  but  an  overruling  Providence  could  have 
brought  these  little  children  in  safety  through  such  a  hurrying 
and  dangerous  crowd.  They  crossed  the  bridge  in  safety  and 
were  now  out  of  immediate  danger,  and  by  two  o'clock  Tuesday 
morning  a  church  building  was  reached,  the  key  found,  and  again 
the  tired  little  crowd  were  in  a  place  of  shelter,  but  wet,  hungry, 
and  tired.  The  neighboring  people  kindly  assisted  in  hunting 
up  bread  and  milk  for  the  children,  and  sleep  once  more  kindly 
took  possession  of  their  weary  frames. 

But  Mrs.  Hobson's  task  was  not  yet  done.  As  soon  as  her 
charge  was  in  safety  she  returned  to  the  Halsted  street  building, 
only  to  find  that  the  bedding,  clothing,  and  provisions  which  she 


m   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  327 

and  others  had  saved  with  so  much  labor  during  the  day  had  been 
stolen  during  her  absence.  Disheartened,  but  not  discouraged, 
she  sat  down  on  the  steps,  wrapped  in  a  blanket,  intending  to 
keep  guard  over  the  building  the  balance  of  the  night.  And  wel. 
it  was  she  did  so,  for  soon  after  a  couple  of  fellows  entered  the 
inclosure  and  came  toward  the  rear  entrance  of  the  building,  ex 
pecting  probably  to  have  matters  their  own  way.  But  Mrs.  Hob 
son  was  equal  to  the  emergency.  She  called  out  to  them  to  stop, 
as  they  had  no  business  there.  This  did  not  intimidate  them  but 
for  a  moment,  and  they  again  advanced  toward  the  building, 
when  Mrs.  Hobson  raised  her  arm  toward  them  and  told  them 
if  they  came  any  further  she  would  blow  their  brains  out.  Tliia 
frightened  the  scoundrels,  and  turning  about  they  hastily  ran 
away.  Thus  was  the  Asylum  building  probably  saved,  and  the 
orphans  placed  in  security  through  the  efforts  of  the  noble  matron, 
Mrs.  E.  L.  Hobson,  and  a  few  devoted  friends. 

Some  people  had  a  less  noble  mission  than  this,  so  nobly  per- 
formed.    Says  one : — 

It  was  almost  as  ridiculous  as  melancholy  to  watch  the  long 
stream  of  people  who  poured  out  of  the  tenements  on  Adams  street, 
Yan  Buren  street,  and  the  alleys  near  the  river,  both  on  the  "West 
and  South  Sides,  and  to  notice  what  each  bore.  On  Adams  street 
the  perambulators  outnumbered  every  other  article  saved.  About 
every  third  person  wheeled  one,  and  about  every  seventh  perambu- 
lator contained  a  baby.  One  man  in  his  shirt  sleeves,  and  with  but 
one  boot,  wheeled  a  child's  carriage,  in  which  was  a  baby,  perhaps 
eighteen  months  old,  astonished  at  its  sudden  awakening  and  the 
crowd,  and  sucking  lustily  at  a  green  paper  lamp-shade.  Tliese 
alone  evidently  remained  of  all  his  Lares  and  Penates.  Another, 
perfectly  frenzied  with  excitement,  rnshed  along  Harrison  street, 
waving  over  his  head  the  handle  of  an  earthenware  pitcher,  and 
shouting  at  the  top  of  his  voice.  The  women,  with  hardly  an  excep- 
tion, carried  a  bundle  in  one  arm  an:l  a  baby  in  the  other,  and  had 


7 


328  HISTORY   OF   THE   GKEAT   FIEE8 


tlieir  shawls  thrown  over  their  heads.  Perhaps  a  couple  of  older 
children  clung,  frightened  and  crying,  to  their  skirts.  "When  the 
hotels  were  menaced,  out  poured  from  each  a  long  string  of  guests, 
each  with  a  valise  in  one  hand  and  dragging  behind  him  a  trunk. 
The  fate  of  these  amateur  baggage-smashers  is  wrapped  in  mystery, 
as  hardly  a  travelling  trunk  was  anywhere  to  be  seen  on  Tuesday. 

If  all  our  citizens,  as  Marshal  Williams  suggests,  had  been 
as  fertile  in  expedients  as  the  one  below,  much  more  might  have 
been  spared. 

"  One  building  on  the  "West  Side,  which  was  saved  after  des- 
perate exertions,  owes  its  preservation  to  an  agent,  rarely  if  ever 
used  before  for  such  a  purpose,  and  which  in  efficacy  was  a 
formidable  rival  to  the  Babcock.  The  roof  was  covered  with 
wetted  blankets,  and  when  water  for  this  purpose  failed,  two 
barrels  of  cider  were  employed  with  success.  The  flames  retired, 
and  the  proprietor  on  the  roof  caroled  a  joyous  pean,  'A  little 
more  cider,  too.' " 

A  good  story  is  told  of  Mr.  Milligan's  trotter,  a  splendid  animal, 
worthy  the  industrious  and  successful  owner,  who  had  but  recently 
rebuilt  his  magnificent  store  after  a  fire  had  consumed  it  to  th« 
ground. 

Peoria  sent  a  steam  fire-engine  to  the  relief  of  Chicago,  and  in 
one  of  the  narrow  streets  it  was  so  nearly  surrounded  by  the  flames 
that  the  men  had  given  up  hope  of  saving  it,  and  were  about  being 
forced  to  seek  their  own  safety  in  flight.  At  this  juncture  Mr. 
Milligan,  of  the  firm  of  Heath  &;  Milligan,  came  along  with  his 
roadster.  Perceiving  their  peril,  in  a  moment  he  had  hitched  the 
fast  trotter  to  one  side  of  the  pole,  the  men  caught  the  tongue, 
pole,  and  wheel,  and  with  a  cheery  shout,  out  they  whirled 
through  the  smoke  and  cinders  at  a  four-minute  gait.  The  Peo- 
rians  saved  their  steamer,  and  vow  that  they  will  get  up  a  sub- 
scription and  purchase  Milligan's  sorrel  if  the  city  has  to  issue 
more  bonds. 


EST   CHICAGO   AOT5   THE   WEST.  329 

An  Eastern  man,  who  felt  somewhat  incredulous  about  the  re- 
porters' marvellous  tales  of  the  fire  and  its  merciless  devastation, 
thus  describes 

THE   SCENE   OF   DESOLATION. 

As  I  have  said  before,  I  had  a  sneaking  idea,  while  I  was  yet  in 
the  suburbs,  that  the  extent  of  the  fire  had  been  exaggerated  in  the 
Eastern  papers,  and  that  I  would  be  certain  to  find  a  very  difier- 
ent  state  of  affairs  fi'om  that  which  I  had  anticipated  before  I  got 
out  of  the  cars.  But  how  mournfully  was  I  disappointed !  We 
entered  the  burned  district  by  passing  through  State  street.  It 
was  dusk  as  we  got  near  where  the  Court-House  once  stood,  and 
the  feeling  that  came  over  me  as  I  stopped  my  horse  at  this  point 
and  looked  about  me,  v/as  one  of  positive  awe  and  dismay.  As 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach  was  a  waste,  a  desert,  with  here  and 
there  a  standing  wall  of  some  great  building,  through  whose  open 
windows  the  lurid  glare  of  the  coal  fires  beyond  and  around  could 
be  seen  fiilling  and  rising  with  the  wind  as  regularly  as  if  worked 
by  machinery.  I  shall  never  forget  the  scene.  On,  on  we  went, 
turning  here  and  there  from  one  street  to  another,  picking  our 
way  carefully  over  the  well-tried  and  yet  perfect  wooden  pave- 
ment, lest  by  a  misstep  we  should  be  plunged  headlong  into  some 
cellar  way  or  vault  screened  from  .view  by  a  pile  of  brick  or  stone 
that  had  once  been  a  building.  After  making  all  sorts  of  wind- 
ings, witli  the  same  interminable  view  of  gaunt  walls  and  burning 
coal  piles  surrounding  us  whiciiever  way  we  went,  we  reached  a 
bridge  which  was  solid  enough  to  admit  of  our  crossing  to  the 
North  Side.  Indeed,  wh'en  I  had  got  to  the  bridge  I  was  under 
the  impression  that  I  had  reached  the  full  limit  of  the  fire  track ; 
but  how  wonderfully  mistaken  did  I  find  myself  when,  on  getting 
to  the  other  side,  I  saw  before  me  a  plain  tM^o  or  three  miles 
ahead,  as  clear  of  anything  like  a  house  as  the  wild  prairie  itself! 
I  noticed,  as  we  passed  along  the  deserted  streets  south  of  the 


4s 


330  niSTOET   OF    THE   GKEAT  FIEES 


river,  wliich  were  lined  with  the  debris  of  hundreds  of  buildings, 
that  here  and  there  the  walls  of  some  stanch  old  pile  had  resisted 
the  shock  of  the  flames  and  yet  stood — though  mere  skeletons  — 
monuments  of  the  handiwork  of  the  men  who  had  put  them 
together.  But  once  we  got  to  the  Nortli  Side,  how  changed  was 
everything!  It  is  true  that  here  and  there  a  wall  of  some 
church  yet  reared  itself  above  the  level  of  the  street.  Yet  for 
miles  about  the  perspective  was  that  of  a  desert  waste,  with 
nothing  to  break  the  clear  view  of  the  horizon  on  every  side  but 
the  tall  blackened  telegraph  poles,  and  .the  innumerable  trees 
which  still  stood  charred  and  dead,  with  their  despoiled  branches 
stretching  out  over  the  streets,  like  skeleton  hands  pointing  to  the 
graves  of  the  many  who  were  lost  and  buried  beneath  the  ruins. 
Way  out  to  the  north,  way  to  the  south,  to  the  east,  and  to  the 
west,  the  view  was  tlie  same — nothing  but  a  level  plain,  broken 
slightly  here  and  there  by  a  pile  of  marble,  crumbling  to  dust,  or 
a  great  mound  of  brick,  once  red,  but  now  white  as  snow,  and  yet 
so  hot  that  not  even  the  sentinels  stationed  near  the  safes  dared  to  "rf"^ 
stand  within  a  yard  of  them.  I  don't  think  a  Kew  Yorker  can 
have  any  idea  of  this  awful  scene  unless  he  brings  it  home  to 
his  own  city.  Let  him  imagine  a  Are  to  have  broken  out  on 
Tenth  avenue,  near  Twenty-eighth  street,  to  have  crossed  in  a 
straight  line  to  Third  avenue,  and  then  to  have  made  a  clean 
sweep  between  these  two  lines  clear  down  to  the  Battery,  not 
leaving  over  a  hundred  walls  standing,  every  house  being  levelled 
to  the  gutter,  and  he  can  then  have  some  idea  of  the  ravages  of 
the  awful  Chicago  Fire.  Then  let  him  try  to  do  as  I  did,  travel 
through  the  awful  waste  on  horseback  and  try  to  find  out  where 
this  and  that  building  stood,  and  I  guarantee  he  would  find  the 
task  no  child's  play. 

You  would  no  doubt  laugh  it'  I  should  tell  you  that,  if  New 
York  was  ravaged  as  1  have  supposed  it  to  have  been,  you  could 
not  drive  down  Broadway  in  the  waste  and  point  out  where  once 


IN   CHICAGO   AKD  THE   WEST.  331 

stood  the  St.  Nicholas.  Yet  I  assure  you  my  guide  had  been  a 
resident  of  Chicago  for  twenty  years,  and,  when  we  were  about 
crossing  to  the  North  Side,  so  great  was  the  desolation,  so  level 
the  track  the  fire  had  made  of  wall  and  cellar,  that  he  could 
not  tell  me  where  once  stood  the  Sherman  House.  Can  any  bet- 
ter idea  than  this  be  given  of  what  a  desert  the  great  business  dis- 
trict of  Chicago  was  in  ?  But  to  continue  my  narrative.  During 
our  exploration  of  the  North  Side  for  an  hour  or  so  we  came  across 
— will  you  believe  it  ? — a  frame  house  amid  all  the  ruins  intact 
and  without  a  singe  !  There  it  stood,  with  the  crumbling  remains 
of  a  great  granite  building  all  around  it,  and  a  few  blocks  off,  sur- 
rounded by  the  blackened  iron  beams  of  a  fire-proof  brick  build- 
ing that  fell  a  prey  to  the  raging  flames,  was  a  neat  little  green- 
house, with  not  a  pane  of  glass  broken,  not  a  whitened  sash 
blackened  by  the  smoke,  "What  a  freak  of  the  conflagration  was 
this  !  But  when  we  rode  over  to  the  South  Side  again  what  was 
our  surprise  to  find  intact  a  frame  building  that  stood  just  in  front 
of  the  barn  where  the  great  fire  first  was  started,  and  which  it 
had  to  leap  over  in  order  to  devour  the  city  beyond.  Before 
we  had  reached  the  North  Side  I  was  very  much  amused  with 
many  of  the  notices  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  as  I  galloped  past 
among  the  ruins.  There  was  one  of  a  real  estate  man,  who  had 
been  burned  out,  and  who  with  wonderful  enterprise  had  already 
erected  a  small  wooden  shanty  as  an  office,  upon  the  ruins  of  his 
former  place  of  business.  And  this  was  his  sign-board  :  "  All  lost, 
except  my  wife,  my  baby,  and  my  energy."  Who  dare  assert  that 
that  man  will  ever  fail  in  the  struggle  of  business  life  ?  Another 
extraordinary  scene  I  witnessed  with  no  small  amount  of  interest. 
The  safes  of  a  safe-depository  company  had  the  day  before  been 
dug  out  and  opened,  and  their  contents  found  uninjured  ;  and,  in 
answ^er  to  an  advertisement  in  the  morning  papers,  there  were 
right  in  the  ruins  before  my  very  eyes,  crowds  of  merchants 
hauling  over  their  valuables  to  be  put  into  the  safes  amid  the 


X 


332  HISTOET   OF   THE   GKEAT   FIRES 


general  wreck.  Just  think  of  it — placing  your  treasure  in  a  safe, 
surrounded  by  a  thousand  fires,  and  with  the  very  stones  aboat 
cracking  from  the  yet  unintensified  heat.  Still,  the  guarantee  of 
a  guard  of  "  blue  coats  "  appeared  to  make  the  safe  investment 
all  the  safer  to  the  merchants.  What  a  confidence  in  military 
authority  was  there  !  But  here  let  me  pause,  for  just  at  this  point 
myself  and  my  guide  took  it  into  our  heads  to  go  back  to  the 
North  Side,  and  go  we  did!  ^efore  we  had  well  left  the  river  ten 
blocks  to  the  south  the  darkness  of  night  was  upon  us.  The 
wind  at  the  same  time  began  to  blow  at  a  fearful  rate,  and  in  a 
second  a  dense  volume  of  smoke  from  the  fires  to  the  rear  drove 
across  the  river  and  separated  us  ;  and  thus  it  was  that  I  lost  my 
way,  and  had  to  wander  out  to  the  prairies,  where  I  witnessed  the 
encampment  of  the  refugees. 

I  lost  my  way  while  taking  a  horseback  ride  through  the  ruins 
on  Tuesday  night.  I  was  on  the  JSforth  Side.  It  was  growing 
very  late,  and  I  knew  not  what  to  do.  To  turn  back  would  have 
exposed  me  to  dangers  that  I  was  unwilling  to  face,  even  witl^r^ 
Sheridan's  guards  within  a  few  hundred  feet  of  every  street,  or 
rather  roadway,  one  might  traverse ;  so  I  chose  the  less  of  two 
evils,  and  made  up  my  mind  to  keep  straight  ahead.  I  knew  that 
straight  ahead  meant  due  north,  and  that  by  keeping  on  I  would 
be  certain  to  come  into  "open  land"  sooner  or  later,  and  not 
tumble  headlong  into  cellar-ways  made  bristling  with  glass  and 
broken  iron  by  the  falling-in  of  buildings  that  once  sheltered 
them.  So  on  I  went.  It  was  a  long  route  still,  although  I  thought 
that  I. was  at  the  end  of  the  city,  or  what  I  suppose  most  people 
call  the  North  Side,  when  I  first  hesitated  about  my  course ;  for  I 
must  have  ridden  fully  twenty  blocks  afterwards,  as  I  could  tell 
by  the  resounding  of  the  horse's  feet  on  the  pavement  that  the 
so-called  prairie  was  still  far  out  of  reach.  But  this  was  not  all. 
I  could  almost  feel  the  darkness  that  surrounded  me,  rather  which 
confronted  me,  for  behind  me  were  thousands  of  coal  fires  that 


~i 


nr  CHICAGO   AXD  THE  WEST.  333 

lit  up  the  sky  for  miles  to  the  south  and  made  the  darkness  ahead 
all  the  more  dense  by  contrast — and,  under  the  circumstances,  my 
situation  was  not  very  pleasant.  How  long  I  continued  to  ride 
at  a  slow  pace — for  it  was  a  faneral  pace — from  the  moment  I 
found  the  blue  fires  getting  to  the  rear,  I  know  not ;  but  this  I 
do  know,  it  was  an  age  to  me.  The  low  rumble  of  the  wind 
through  the  ruins  to  the  south,  and  the  distant  hum  as  of  a  bustling 
city,  far,  far  off  to  the  westward,  broken  now  and  then  by  what  I 
imagined  to  be  a  piercing  cry  of  distress,  but  which  proved  to  be 
the  sudden  rushing  of  the  wind  through  the  yet  standing  open 
walls  of  the  city  that  was,  made  me,  it  is  needless  to  state,  very 
anxious  to  get  out  of  the  wilderness  of  the  dead  city  to  tlie  wilder- 
ness of  the  prairie  itself.  Suddenly  the  horse  stumbled  under  me, 
and  his  hoofs  made  no  longer  an  echo.  At  last  I  knew  the  un- 
worked  sod  of  the  prairie  had  been  struck.  Cautiously  I  urged 
the  beast  to  go  a  gentle  trot,  and  in  a  few  seconds  came  to  a  very 
abrupt  halt  by  running  plump  against  a  sort  of  fence,  which  some 
worthy  farmer,  as  I  supposed,  had  erected  to  mark  off  his  legiti- 
mate domain  from  outside  limits.  Almost  at  the  same  moment 
the  darkness  ahead  of  us  began  to  clear  away  as  the  wind  increased 
in  strength  (for  it  was  the  smoke  from  the  smouldering  fire  to  the 
rear  that  made  the  darkness  ahead),  and  tliere  right  ahead  of  me, 
within  a  stone's  throw,  flashed  over  the  plain  a  thousand  twinkling 
lights.  What  I  had  not  heard  before  I  now  heard  plainl}^ — the 
commingling  of  many  voices,  some  low  and  some  boisterous,  the 
clinking  of  ware,  the  hallooing  in  the  distance  of  men  to  other 
men  nearer  by,  and  here  and  there  the  thud  of  a  hammer  or  the 
creaking  of  a  cart-wheel.  Dismounting,  I  tied  the  horse  to  the 
fence  and  jumped  to  the  other  side,  and  began  slowly  to  pick  my 
way  over  the  field.  An  instant  afterwards  I  heard  a  rustling  in 
the  dead  grass  a  few  feet  to  the  right,  and  then  came  a  clang  as  of 
steel  against  steel,  followed  by  a  loud  gruff  voice  crying  out, 
"Who  goes  there?" 


334  HISTOKT   OF   THE   GKEAT  ITKES 

I  knew  by  this  time  that  I  was  among  the  lots  and  near  the 
park  where  thousands  of  the  refugees  had  fled  for  shelter,  and  a 
feeling  of  relief  came  over  mo.  A  pass  signed  by  the  chivalrous 
Forsyth,  and  endorsed  by  "Little  Phil,"  made  the  gruff  "Who 
goes  there?"  answer  himself  a  friend  of  mine,  and  bid  me  go  where 
1  listeth.  Now  that  I  had  got  out  of  the  wilderness  of  a  city, 
where  a  silence  of  the  desert  reigned  supreme,  to  the  wilderness 
of  the  open  plains,  where  everything  was  bustle  and  confusion,  I 
was  at  a  loss  to  know  how  to  act,  glad  as  I  was  to  escape  from  one 
to  the  other.  Owing  to  the  darkness  I  was  at  first  unable  to  see 
what  kind  of  company  I  had  fallen  in  with ;  but  as  I  made  a  slow 
and  cautious  approach  to  the  nearest  light  which  glimmered  dimly 
through  the  chinks  of  what  seemed  to  be  a  few  planks  carelessly 
nailed  togetlicr,  my  ears  were  greeted  with  the  cheering  sounds 
of  a  woman's  voice.  It  was  a  low  and  plaintive  voice,  broken  by 
Bobs  that  made  my  blood  grow  chill  in  that  out-of-the-way  place ; 
but  for  all  that  it  made  me  feel  safe.  From  that  moment  my  ap- 
prehensions of  being  attacked  in  the  dark  by  the  night-prowlers 
whose  numbers  the  scared  citizens  had  been  for  twenty-four  hours 
increasing  by  hundreds,  or  falling  into  a  den  of  encamped  fire- 
fiends,  vanished.  I  felt  that  the  voice  belonged  to  a  woman  who 
was  a  sufferer  from  the  great  sorrow  of  the  great  city,  and  the 
sobbings  that  came  clearer  and  clearer  to  my  ear  as  T  felt  my  way 
nearer  towards  the  light,  were,  I  felt,  my  strongest  guarantees  of 
safety.  I  had  got  within  a  few  feet  of  the  light  when  in  the  dim 
distance  I  espied  hundreds  of  forms  moving  about  quietly  and 
hundreds  of  otliers  sitting  upon  the  grass,  and  yet  hundreds  of 
others  rolled  up  like  mummies  in  blankets  close  to  a  fence,  or 
half  covered  Avith  such  things  as  tables  and  chairs,  and,  in  fact, 
every  kind  of  household  furniture  which  could  be  turned  into  a 
temporary  roof.  Jhere  were  liere  and  there  lights,  but  they  were 
not  many,  and  as  I  went  up  to  the  first  one  that  I  had  seen  and 
exclaimed  quite  loudly:  "Is  there  anybody  here?  "    I  felt  a  cold 


m   CHICAGO   AST)   THE   WEST.  335 

chill  creep  over  me,  so  still  did  everything  for  a  second  seem  about, 
although  through  the  mist j  smoke,  driven  into  the  plain  by  the  ever- 
changing  wind,  I  could  still  see  the  forms  of  many  moving,  moving, 
moving,  never  seeming  to  stand  still  for  a  single  second,  yet  no  one 
saying  a  word.  'Need  I  say  that  it  was  quite  a  relief  to  me  when  a 
quiet,  gentle  voice  greeted  me  with  "  What  is  wanted  ?  "  and  the 
light  of  a  candle  fell  upon  my  face.  She  was  a  little  girl,  not 
over  twelve  years  of  age,  that  held  the  candle,  pale  as  marble, 
with  large  black  eyes  and  a  wealth  of  black  hair,  all  tangled  and 
neglected,  that  hung  and  swung  in  drifts  over  her  face  as  the 
wild  ruthlessly  threw  it  about  her  shoulders.  She  had  a  blanket 
wound  about  her  and  was  barefooted,  and  the  little  feet  were 
covered  with  blood.  This  scene  I  took  in  at  a  glance,  and  for  a 
moment  I  hardly  knew  what  to  say  to  the  shivering  little  crea- 
ture who  stood  before  me,  her  teeth  chattering  with  the  cold  and 
her  pale  face  wearing  such  a  pitiful,  oh,  such  a  pitiful  look! 
Presently  came  from  out  of  the  "  shelter  " — for  shelter  it  was — 
composed  of  a  high  top  buggy  with  several  planks  resting  against 
it  and  the  ground,  having  to  stoop  low  as  he  came,  a  man  about 
tliirty  years  of  age,  with  a  lantern  in  his  hand.  He  was  the  very 
picture  of  despair.  His  eyes  were  swollen  ;  dark  lines  under  them 
gave  to  them  an  unnatural,  haggard  expression,  half  wild,  half 
pleading,  and  wrinkles  that  one  would  expect  to  find  traced  on 
the  face  of  a  very  old  man  alone  furrowed  the  otherwise  youthful 
face.  What  passed  between  us  I  need  not  now  repeat.  Sufficient 
it  is  that  my  horse  was  secured  to  the  buggy  with  a  halter  and 
I  was  permitted  to  occupy  a  corner  beneath  the  shelter,  after  the 
man,  trying  to  be  humorous  in  his  sorrow,  had  excused  himself  for 
"  not  having  any  blankets  in  the  house." 

When  I  lay  down  the  lantern  was  still  burning,  and  before  it 
was  extinguished  I  saw  that  on  the  other  side  of  the  "  house " 
were  huddled  together,  under  one  blanket  and  an  old  dress,  a 
woman  and  two  small  children.     I  thought  as  I  was  falling  into 


336  HISTOKY   OF   THE   GEEAT  FIKES 


y( 


a  gentle  sleep,  with  all  I  had  seen  during  the  day  passing  like 
a  panorama  before  mj  eyes,  that  I  heard  the  same  sobbing  that 
had  attracted  my  attention  a  few  minutes  before,  and  every  now 
and  then  a  manly  voice  soothingly  saying,  "  It  mil  not  last 
forever."  But  it  may  have  been  a  delusion.  It  was  bright 
daylight  when  I  awoke,  feeling  rather  stiff  and  cold,  but,  after 
all,  considerably  refreshed.  The  sun  had  not  yet  risen,  and  a 
keen,  cutting  wind  swept  over  the  lots,  and  what  I  discovered  on 
getting  up  to  be  a  large  park  adjoining.  My  kind  host  and  his 
little  family  had  risen  before  me,  and  had  taken  the  precaution 
on  going  out  to  throw  over  me  the  only  blanlcet  visible  in  the 
shelter.  It  took  me  quite  a  while  to  collect  my  thoughts  at  first, 
and  try  to  remember  where  I  was  and  how  I  had  got  just  where 
I  was;  but  if  I  had  not  known  anything  about  my  where- 
abouts before,  1  certainly  was  not  long  left  in  ignorance  once 
I  had  got  outside  the  "  shelter,"  where  I  had  slept  so  soundly 
all  night  The  sight  that  met  my  eyes  fairly  took  my  heart 
away.  If  I  should  live  a  thousand  years  I  do  not  think  I  could 
ever  efface  it  from  my  memory;  and  even  now  as  I  write,  the  im- 
pression it  made  upon  me  at  the  time  comes  back  so  strong  that 
I  seem  to  see  staring  at  me  from  every  quarter  of  my  room  the 
same  pale,  haggard,  woe-begone  faces,  the  same  huddling  crowds, 
the  same  weeping  women  and  crying  babes,  that  I  beheld  on 
emerging  into  the  full  light  of  the  early  morn.  Words  cannot 
describe  the  scene ;  and  no  one  who  did  not  behold  it,  without 
expecting  to  behold  it,  as  was  the  case  with  me,  can  imagine 
anything  that  could  approach  the  reality.  For  a  moment  I  stood 
rooted  to  the  ground,  as  it  were.  My  good  friend,  who  had  acted 
60  gracious  a  part  toward  me  the  night  before,  met  me  at  the 
very  threshold ;  but  as  I  grasped  him  by  the  hand  in  greeting,  I 
stood  speechless  before  him,  the  scene  that  met  my  gaze  beyond 
where  we  both  were,  striking  me  with  an  awe  that  was  unspeak- 
able.    And  how  could  it  have  been  otherwise  ?     As  far  as  the 


m   CniCAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  337 

eye  conlcl  readi  was  a  vast  concoarse  of  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren, all  huddled  together  over  the  Park  and  in  the  lots,  amid 
wagons,  horses,  and  carts  innmnerable.  Hundreds  were  still 
lying  sound  asleep ;  some  with  a  sort  of  wooden  shelter  over 
them  ;  some  under  tents ;  and  yet  others,  and  by  far  the  greater 
number,  with  no  shelter  at  all  but  the  canopy  of  dark  smoke  that 
came  wafting  along  overhead  in  thick  rolling  masses,  that  one 
could  almost  imagine  to  hear  moving  in  the  air.  I  fancied,  even, 
in  the  midst  of  all  the  confusion  that  I  witnessed  among  those 
who  were  already  up  and  going  about  like  ghosts  from  place 
to  place,  seeking  apparently  for  some  articles  they  had  mislaid  the 
night  before,  that  I  could  tell  one  family  from  another,  so  distinct 
in  the  hustling,  bustling  crowds  that  moved  here,  there,  and 
everywhere,  was  each  little  group  from  the  otlier.  There  must 
have  been  on  all  sides  fully  30,000  persons ;  and  yet  one  of  the 
most  striking  features  about  the  wonderful  scene  was  the  absence 
of  that  very  thing  which,  under  almost  all  circumstances,  is  sup- 
posed to  be  inseparable  from  a  large  and  mixed  gathering  of  men, 
women,  and  children — boisterous  noise.  There  Vv'as  confusion, 
there  was  pushing  and  there  was  crowding  in  places,  there  was 
talking  and  there  was  a  moving  of  wagons  and  carts  from  one 
place  to  another;  but  otherwise  over  the  whole  scene  reigned 
a  sad  quietness  that  reminded  me  of  the  quiet;  crowds  I  have  often 
Been  at  a  funeral  in  a  large  church.  There  was  not  a  joyous  face 
about  me.  It  was  in  vain  that  I  tried  to  imagine  I  heard  a  laugh 
from  some  group  which  looked  less  disconsolate  than  another ; 
but  in  every  case  the  laughter  I  thought  I  heard,  turned  out  to 
be  a  wail  of  anguish.  My  pen  almost  refuses  to  write  further  of 
this  terrible  evidence  of  what  the  disaster  had  done  in  one  of  its 
phases — of  how  it  seemed  to  have  stabbed  to  the  heart,  without 
actually  putting  out  of  life,  each  one  of  the  hundreds  that  were 
within  calling  distance  of  my  voice,  yet  every  one  of  whom 
seemed  as  full  of  physical  health  as  could  be.     I  wandered  about 


338  niSTOET  OF  the  gkeat  flees 

amoug  the  crowds  that  vrere  walking  in  little  groups  and  talk- 
ing in  low  tones  together,  feeling  as  thongh  I  were  the  only 
person  with  life  and  thought  in  me,  and  that  all  who  passed  me, 
heedless  how  I  knocked  against  them  or  got  in  their  way,  were 
so  many  antomatons,  with  power  of  sorrowful  speech  only.  It 
would  be  a  futile  task  for  me  to  attempt  to  describe  the  many  lit- 
tle scenes  that  were  so  intimately  interwoven  with  the  main  scene 
of  the  encampment,  and  which  made  it  the  mournful  gathering  it 
was.  To  the  right  and  left — no  matter  what  way  I  turned  or 
how  anxiously  I  tried  to  peer  beyond  the  groups  for  a  vacant 
space — my  searching  eyes  were  met  with  little  knots  of  men, 
women,  and  children,  some  sitting,  some  standing,  some  lying  on 
the  ground,  and  all,  even  to  the  little  prattling  ones,  wearing  a 
look  of  such  supreme  sadness  that  my  heart  bled  as  I  gazed  and 
continued  to  gaze,  fascinated  in  a  strange  way  by  the  sorrow  and 
anguish  depicted  upon  every  countenance.  Did  you  ever  look 
upon  the  face  of  a  man  who  escapes  from  a  shipwreck  and  gets  to 
the  shore,  knowing  that  his  wife  and  little  ones  had  gone  down, 
down  under  the  pitiless  waves,  never  to  rise?  Did  you  ever 
notice  how,  if  he  be  a  man  of  will,  he  says  not  a  word ;  how  his 
face,  pale  as  the  whitest  marble,  seems  to  you  paler  every  time 
his  eye  meets  the  pitiful  glare  of  his  neighbor;  how  the  lips 
tighten  and  the  hands  clench,  and  he  thinks  all  the  while  he  is 
concealing  his  great  sorrow  within  his  own  breast  ?  Such  was 
the  look  of  about  every  man  I  came  across  in  this  field  of  woe,  for 
they  had  every  one  of  them,  it  is  true,  escaped  a  danger  that  was 
past ;  but  how  many — oh,  how  many,  as  they  wandered  about 
with  that  agonizing  look  upon  their  faces  and  turned  their  eyes 
toward  the  black  clouds  that  hovered  over  where  their  homes 
were  once,  were  thinking  of  those  loved  and  dear  ones  who  had 
tried  to  escape  when  they  did,  and  who  are  now — God  knows 
where?  "What  if  a  child  was  missing,  a  wife  not  found,  a  sister 
not  heard  from  since  the  roof  of  the  little  home  fell  in,  was  it  not 


rVANZ      CM 

CHICAGO  WILL  RISE  AGAIN. 


NEW  CHICAGO 


RELIC  FOUND  IN  THT!  RTTrNR  OF  THE  nHIJRr!H  OF  THE  HOLY  NA:ME. 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST,  341 

almost  the  same  as  actual  death  to  them  in  their  great  desolation  ? 
Thej  knew  not  wliere  those  they  sought  for  were ;  and  the  mere 
thought  that  the  smouldering  ruins  which  lined  the  distant  road- 
ways for  miles  around  had  hid  the  missing  ones  forever  from  their 
sight,  was  of  itself  as  harrowing  as  the  dread  certainty  itself. 
When  I  now  recall  the  low,  suppressed  cries  of  anguish  that 
greeted  my  ears  from  one  shelter  after  another,  as  I  passed  my 
mournful  way  along  through  crowd  after  crowd  of  these  victims 
of  the  great  disaster ;  when  the  scenes  that  I  beheld  come  now 
vividly  back  to  my  mind  as  I  write;  of  the  mothers  that  I  met, 
with  their  babes  closely  pressed  to  their  bosoms,  and  refusing, 
with  a  half  cry,  half  shriek,  the  relief  of  food  that  kind  hands  prof- 
fered ;  of  the  little  children  I  found  lying  sleeping  sweetly  amid 
the  whole  confusion,  as  though  their  mothers  had  not  been  lost  to 
them,  and  other  mothers  who  had  lost  their  own  Avere  caring  fur 
them  in  their  stead  ;  of  the  men  who  sat  w^ith  their  heads  bowed 
on  their  hands,  and  swayed  to  and  fro,  and  looked  up  at  you  when 
you  spoke  to  them  as  tliough  they  heard  you  but  saw  you  not ; 
of  the  girls  of  a  tender  age  who  hid  behind  one  another  in  their 
shelter  as  you  passed,  lest  you  would  notice  that  they  had  reached 
the  prairies  with  scarce  enough  covering. to  hide  their  nakedness; 
of  the  hundreds  upon  hundreds,  that  were  about  me  in  the 
park  and  out  of  it,  all  so  sad,  all  so  silent  in  their  sadness,  yet 
so  many  crying,  strong  men,  too,  crying  in  a  stifling  way  for 
fear  wife  or  child  would  see  them  so  weak — when  I  recall  all 
these  things  now,  is  it  a  wonder  that  I  find  difficulty  to  portray 
that  terrible  scene  on  the  prairie,  which  probably,  after  all,  had 
less  of  real  agonj^,  real  suffering  about  it  in  itself  than  any  other 
sorrow  that  befell  the  unfortunate  people  of  Chicago  during  the 
fatal  days  of  last  week.  Yet  in  it  we  saw  reflected  all  the  suffer- 
ing, all  the  losses,  all  the  heart-breakings,  all  the  trials  endured 
elsewhere  and  still  to  be  endured ;  and  that  was  what  made  it 
seem  to  me,  and  what  would  have  made  it  seem  to  any  one  who 
20 


.X 


342  HISTORY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 


belieW  it,  the  saddest  scene  of  all  the  sad  scenes  witnessed  during 
the  wreck  of  desolation.  I  had  scarcely  the  heart,  as  I  went  about 
among  the  people,  to  say  a  word  to  any  one  I  met.  It  was  no 
place  for  words  of  pity,  and  expressions  of  sympathy  would  have 
been  horrid  mockery  ;  yet  occasionally  I  plucked  up  courage 
enough  to  speak  to  a  few  of  the  men  and  women,  careful  all  the 
while  to  speak  feelingly  of  the  great  misfortune  that  had  befallen 
the  people,  without  for  a  moment  making  my  sympathy  look  like 
pity  for  their  own  particular  desolations;  for,  strange  as  it  may 
seem,  the  more  I  wandered  among  these  unfortunate,  brave- 
hearted  refugees,  the  more  did  I  become  impressed  that  they  felt 
their  own  sorrow  so  deeply,  that  a  third  person  who  dared  to 
express  sorrow  for  them  in  particular  would  have  been  treated  to 
a  quick  rebuff.  I  sat  down  beside  one  young  man  and  his  wife  in 
the  park,  and  partook  with  them  of  the  food  which  the  young 
man  had  procured,  I  believe,  from  the  place  where  the  Relief 
Committee  had  sent  food  for  distribution.  I  could  not  but  pity 
the  poor  young  wife  as  she  sat  with  her  head  upon  her  hus- 
band's knees,  and  her  face  covered  with  her  hands,  while  she 
cried,  oh  so  bitterly  !  And  clinging  to  her  were  three  little  chil- 
dren— one  a  girl  of  about  seven  and  another  about  five,  and  a 
chubby  faced  boy  about  two  years  of  age.  They  werfe  all  three 
beautiful  children,  and  they  seemed  to  know  something  awful  had 
happened,  without  exactly  knowing  what,  to  make  "mamma"  cry 
so.  And  they  toyed  with  her  hair  with  their  tiny  hands,  and  the 
little  boy  would  everj^  now  and  then  put  his  little  arms  round  the 
mother's  neck,  place  his  lips  against  her  cheek,  and  murmur : 
"  Don't  ki,  mamma,  don't  Id." 

Do  you  wonder  that  the  man  gulped  down  his  food  chokingly 
when  he  beheld  this?  I  more  than  once  saw  him  turn  his  head 
from  me  and  wipe  his  eyes  with  his  sleeve.  I  got  into  conversa- 
tion with  him  after  awhile,  and  he  said  to  me,  as  I  rose  to  go : 
"  Well,  sir,  it  can't  be  helped.     I  had  a  home  and  was  worth 


m   CHICAGO   AND   TIIE   WEST.  343 

$10,000  a  day  or  two  ago,  and  now  here's  all  I've  got  between  me 
and  the  grave  ;"  and  he  put  his  hands  in  his  pockets  and  showed 
me  a  two-dollar  bill;  and  then  pointing  to  his  wife  and  cliildren, 
and  smiling  through  his  tears,  he  exclaimed,  as  he  laid  his  hand 
softly  on  his  wife's  covered  head:  "Thank  God,  I  have  not  lost 
these.     I  am  better  off  than  many." 

This  was  but  one  of  many  instances  of  the  same  kind  I  came 
across  in  the  camp ;  but  now  let  me  draw  a  veil  over  the  picture. 
It  is  too  sad  even  to  think  about.  Thank  God,  most  of  the 
"  campers"  are  now  housed,  and,  let  us  hope,  the  time  is  not  far 
distant  when  they  will  one  and  all  have  their  own  homes  again. 
But  what,  oh  what  of  those' whose  now  missing  ones  are  destined 
never  to  return  ? 

"  Sorrow  never  comes  single  spies,  but  in  battalions,"  is  Shak- 
speare's  observation  on  human  life,  which  many  men  find  true  to 
the  last  letter.  And  often  a  city  attacked,  as  ours  has  been,  be- 
comes the  field  where  those  battalions  deploy  and  assault  success- 
fully what  remains  of  human  joy  and  pride.  Among  several 
instances  of  the  accumulation  of  disasters,  we  read  the  follow- 
ing:— 

Dr.  Henrotin,  who  lived  on  the  Korth  Side  a  little  more  than  a 
fortnight  ago,  was  among  the  thousands  who  were  compelled  to 
pull  up  stakes  and  fly  before  the  fiery  breath  of  the  great  confla- 
gration. He  succeeded  in  accomplishing  no  less  than  six  diflerent 
moves,  leaving  some  goods  at  every  fancied  place  of  security, 
until  at  last  he  found  he  had  nothing  left  him  but  his  family 
and  a  horse  and  buggy.  He  had  congratulated  himself  on  saving 
the  horse  and  buggy,  for  the  reason  that  both  were  of  a  suj)erior 
quality.  His  horse  he  had  refused  to  part  with  for  a  large  sum  of 
money,  and  he  put  a  high  valuation  on  the  vehicle.  On  Saturday 
he  was  driving  along  Ashland  avenue,  and,  when  about  to  cross 
the  railroad  track,  found  a  locomotive  almost  upon  him.  The 
signalman's  hat  and  a  long  line  of  fence  had  intercepted  the  view, 


344  HISTOET   OF   THE    GEEAT   FIEES 

nor  did  the  signalman  think  proper  to  show  himself  until  the 
locomotive  was  close  np.  The  horse  was  frightened,  leaped  across 
the  track,  threw  the  Doctor  out  of  his  buggy,  smashed  the  vehi- 
cle to  sticks  and  shreds,  ran  like  a  streak  to  Western  avenue, 
plunged  his  head  against  a  curbstone,  and  broke  his  neck.  The 
Doctor  had,  on  the  previous  day,  invested  in  a  pair  of  cheap  shoes, 
which  saved  him  from  injury,  as  the  lines  caught  round  his  heel. 
He  would  doubtless  have  been  dragged  some  distance  had  not  the 
cheap  heel  come  off. 

A  New  York  paper  describes  a  Fire- wedding  : — 
Chicago  (October  18). — Among  all  the  pictures  of  "  Chicago 
as  it  is  "  which  have  been  photographed  with  the  pen,  I  wonder 
whether  any  one  has  seen  the  chronicle  of  a  "  Fire- Wedding  " — 
a  wedding  whose  whole  aspect  and  circumstances  were  so  altered 
by  the  fire  as  to  be  inextricably  connected  with  it  forever  after 
in  the  minds  of  the  lookers-on.  There  was  such  a  wedding  in 
our  poor  desolated  ISTorth  Side  the  other  day.  The  first  house 
outside  of  the  burned  district  on  the  north  contained  a  most 
motley  crowd  for  several  days  after  the  fire,  for  the  owner  had 
received  everybody,  high  and  low,  till  the  house  would  have 
furnished  excellent  material  for  a  new  "  Decameron  "  or  "  Can- 
terbury Tales,"  if  the  fire  had  only  unearthed  a  modern  Boccac- 
cio or  Chaucer.  As  it  was,  wonderful  stories  flew  about,  rather 
monotonous  as  to  tone,  but  evidently  diversified  as  to  incident : 
"  Have  you  seen  the  three-days'-old  baby  in  the  barn  :  they 
picked  it  up  with  the  mother  in  the  park."  "  That  German, 
covered  up  with  greatcoats,  on  the  corner,  was  found  almost  dead 
with  cold  and  exposure."  "  Three  men  have  just  come  in  who 
have  had  but  four  soda-crackers  between  them  since  Sunday,  and 
this  is  Wednesday  morning."  And  so  on,  till  one  of  our  couriers 
brought  in  a  story  before  which  the  others  paled  their  ineffectual 
fires.  A  friend  had  just  told  him  of  meeting  a  woman,  during 
the  fire  on  Monday,  who  was  struggling  along  under  a  heavy 


m   CHICAGO   AND   THE    WEST.  345 

bundle  wrapped  in  a  sheet.  Offering  to  help  her,  she  said : 
"  Do  you  know  what  is  in  here  ?  God  help  me  !  the  bodies  of 
my  two  children,  who  were  suffocated  in  the  fire ;  but  I  could 
not  leave  them  to  burn."  The  atmosphere  was  full  of  startling 
and  blood-curdling  ruinors,  and  every  hour  brought  a  new  excite- 
ment. Incendiarism  was  said  to  be  rampant ;  frightful  and 
summary  vengeance  was  reported  as  meted  out  to  even  supposed 
evil-doers.  The  house  had  twelve  revolvers,  loaded  and  capped, 
arranged  on  the  parlor  windows  every  night,  and  no  one  thought 
of  sleeping  in  a  house  not  guarded  by  a  patrol. 

So,  when  it  was  whispered  about  that  sweet  Minnie  T ,  a 

relative  of  our  host,  and  who  was  to  have  been  married  according 
to  the  strictest  sect  of  the  fashionables,  if  Superior  street  had  not 
been  burned,  would  really  carry  out  her  intention  and  take  the 
holy  vows  on  the  twelfth,  the  house  was  in  the  wildest  excite- 
ment. How  could  they  get  a  license?  how  find  a  clergyman? 
The  trousseau  was  burned  ;  the  intended  guests  were  burned  out ; 
the  caterers  and  florists  had  neither  flowers  nor  food.  How 
could  a  fashionable  young  lady  make  up  her  mind  to  be  married 
without  these  things  ?  But  she  did  !  And  what  was  more, 
being  a  girl  of  exceeding  sweetness  and  womanliness,  she  did 
not  seem  to  care  a  whit  about  her  lost  splendors.  Thursday 
came,  and  with  it  a  tremendous  sweeping  and  dusting  of  the 
house  of  refuge ;  for,  let  me  tell  you  that  a  running  fire  of  run- 
ning guests  does  not  leave  a  house  swept  and  garnished,  but 
quite  the  contrary.  A  license  had  been  obtained,  and  Minnie's 
own  burnt-out  clergyman  had  come  to  marry  her,  but  what 
should  be  done  for  decorations  ?  The  large  house-parlor  had 
never  been  furnished,  and  there  was  not  even  a  mantelpiece  in 
the  room.  But  it  seemed  as  if  the  fire  had  developed  as  much 
feminine  ingenuity  as  it  had  destroyed  feminine  property.  Theo- 
dore Winthrop  said  that  if  the  order  had  been  given  in  the 
Seventh  JSfew  York  Eegiment,  "  Poets  to  the  front,"  a  goodly 


34:6  HISTORY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

company  would  have  answered  to  the  call ;  and  so  now  a  call  for 
decorators  of  burned  property  brought  a  perfect  rush  of  talent  to 
the  rescue  In  the  unsightly  chimney-hole  was  placed  an  inverted 
soap-box,  covered  with  a  crimson  cloth.  On  this  sat  a  tall  slop- 
jar,  cribbed  from  a  bedroom,  filled  with  lovely  crimson  and  green 
autumn  leaves.  To  be  sure,  a  slop-jar  is  not  ^er  se  a  handsome 
ornament ;  but  then  some  refugee  had  left  a  magnificent  stag's 
head  and  antlers,  which,  set  up  in  front  of  the  objectionable 
crockery,  left  nothing  to  be  desired.  A  white  cravat,  lost  by 
some  city  exquisite,  who  probably  found  it  was  impossible  to 
save  both  that  and  his  neck,  tied  more  autumn  leaves  into  a  true- 
lover's  knot  of  colossal  size,  and  hung  high  in  the  pier.  Branches 
of  richest  color  filled  all  sorts  of  niches  and  corners,  and  the 
room  was  declared  magnificent.  Some  one,  however,  suggested 
that  there  was  no  sort  of  table  or  altar  for  the  minister's  use. 
But  fortune  favors  the  brave ;  a  pair  of  library  steps  was  pro- 
duced from  somewhere,  and  a  sheet  pinned  around  them. 
Another  treasure-trove  was  a  scarlet  cloth  in  illuminated  work, 
with  the  motto,  "  Cast  thy  care  upon  Him,  for  He  careth  for 
thee."  Our  little  white  altar,  with  this  pinned  to  the  front  face, 
and  surmounted  by  a  big  Bible  and  prayer-book,  made  a  very 
canonical  appearance  indeed. 

Then  the  room  was  ready  and  we  had  a  rehearsal.  But,  alas ! 
what  bride  and  groom  of  the  present  day  could  kneel  on  a  bare 
floor  and  get  up  again  gracefully  ?  In  vain  blocks  of  wood,  box- 
es, and  books  were  tried — one  was  too  high,  another  too  low.  At 
last  a  bright  thought  came — carriage  cushions  !  For  it  must  be 
said  that  in  burned  Chicago  now  there  are  forty  carriages  and 
pairs  of  horses  to  one  house,  as  these  first  were  mostly  saved  ;  so 
that  beggars  ride  where  beggars  never  rode  before.  Four  cush- 
ions were  brought  from  the  barn,  and  an  Afghan  converted  them 
into  a  lovely  hassock.  As  it  is  (or  was)  impossible  in  these  days 
to  have  a  wedding  without  showing  "  the  presents,"  a  vine-wreath- 


m   CHICAGO   AND    THE   WEST.  347 

ed  table  in  one  corner  held  a  most  elaborate  display.  A  beautiful 
jewel-case  contained  what  was  set  forth  as  the  bridegroom's  gift — 
a  set  of  exquisite  pearls,  which  you  had  to  look  at  very  nearly  to 
discover  that  they  were  moulded  from  the  fine  white  ravellings  of 
cotton  cloth.  Other  cases  contained  sets  of  pickle-forks,  preserve- 
spoons,  and  so  forth,  cut  out  in  pasteboard,  with  mouldings  and 
monograms  in  lead-pencil.  Yaluable  jewelry  was  plenty,  only 
unfortunately  the  lava  earrings  had  been  dug  out  once  too  often, 
and  the  cameos  looked  very  black  and  queer  round  the  edges.  A 
pewter  table-spoon,  a  german-silver  fork,  and  some  valuable  aids 
to  housekeeping  in  the  broom  and  dust-pan  line,  completed  the 
array,  wliieh  certainly  was  unique,  and  interested  the  spectators 
much  more  than  the  usual  show.  But  when  it  came  to  dressing 
the  bride,  serious  difficulties  occurred.  Her  wedding-dress  and 
veil  had  never  come  from  Field  &  Leiter's.  Never  mind,  she  had 
a  white  cambric  morning-dress,  which,  looped  over  a  nice  petti- 
coat, would  make  her  slender  figure  look  lovely,  and  her  married 
sister  had  saved  her  own  wedding  veil.  Some  simple  white  flow- 
ers from  a  neighbor's  yard  took  the  place  of  orange  blossoms,  and 
a  set  of  pearls  was  borrowed  from  a  friend  who  had  brought  them 
out  of  the  fire  in  her  hands.  As  for  stockings,  handkerchiefs,  etc., 
the  various  guests  provided  these  from  among  them.  So  the  pret- 
ty bride  looked,  after  all,  as  sweet  as  a  rose,  and  the  long-laid- 
away  tulle  veil  became  her  soft,  fair  locks  to  a  charm.  The 
groom  was  dressed  in  borrowed  clothes  from  head  to  foot,  as  was 
the  first  bridesmaid,  while  the  brother  w^ho  gave  away  the  bride 
complained  that  he,  being  five  feet  nine,  was  obliged  to  borrow 
the  dress  suit  of  a  man  who  stood  six  feet  six  in  his  stockings,  and 
that  consequently,  when  he  stepped  forward  to  perform  his  broth- 
erly duty,  he  was  obliged  to  take  a  reef  in  his  habiliments  to 
prevent  falling  over  on  his  nose.  At  last  all  was  ready.  I  wonder 
if  just  such  an  assemblage  ever  met  together  at  a  wedding  before. 
There  were  about  forty  guests,  all  but  one  of  whom  had  been 


> 


MS  HISTOET   OF   THE    GREAT   FIEES 


driven  from  their  houses  bj  the  actual  presence  of  fire — the  bride 
and  groom  had  hastened  their  wedding  so  as  to  go  away  together 
among  friends  who  could  shelter  and  help  them.  The  minister 
who  married  them  had  promised  his  congregation  that  lie  would 
stay  among  them,  and  work  with  his  hands  if  necessary,  being 
bereft  of  all  he  had  in  the  world.  And  this  was  all  that  was  left 
of  one  of  the  richest  congregations  in  the  richest  city  of  the  "West. 
But  never  have  I  seen  among  rich  or  poor  a  sweeter  and  more 
holy-seeming  wedding;  and  when,  after  the  solemn  words  were 
said,  the  congregation,  at  a  sign  from  the  minister,  dropped  on 
their  knees  and  offered  a  solemn  thanksgiving  to  the  Almighty  for 
their  preservation  through  the  horrors  of  the  last  few  dreadful  days, 
broken  voices  and  tender  heartfelt  tones  attested  the  reality  of  the 
service.  And  so  the  warm  biscuit  and  cold  water  that  stood  for 
wedding-cake  and  wine  were  partaken  of  with  a  plentiful  season- 
ing of  cheerful  words  and  even  jests,  and  all  felt  that  to  be  poor 
in  such  good  company  robbed  ruin  of  half  its  sting. 

Before  closing  this  chapter  of  incidents  and  individual  experi- 
ences, we  must  allow  the  Fire  Marshal,  Mr.  Williams,  to  give  his 
vindication  of  himself,  which  was  addressed  to  the  Editor  of  the 
Tribune : — 

Sir  :  You,  as  well  as  the  readers  of  your  paper  perhaps,  have 
wondered  somewhat  at  the  non-appearance  of  a  card  from  me,  as 
Fire  Marshal,  relative  to  the  late  conflagration.  I  deemed  it  best 
to  wait  until  the  excitement  and  bustle  had  quieted  a  little,  and 
the  community  had  time  to  settle  again.  I  have  noticed  and 
read  the  suggestions  and  articles  in  regard  to  the  '*'  man  Williams." 
The  authors  of  those  extracts  being  so  modest  as  not  to  sign  their 
names,  I  cannot  hope  to  see  them  individually,  but  take  this 
method  of  extending  to  them  my  heartfelt  thanks  for  the  "  praise 
and  honor  "  they  so  kindly  and  profusely  bestowed  upon  me  in 
the  high  and  noble  manner  in  which  they  have  done. 

They  should  have  considered  well  the  difficulties  that  the  Fire 


m   CHICAGO   AND    THE    WEST.  349 

Department  had  to  encounter  on  that  dreadful  nigiit  before  try- 
ing to  ''comment"  upon  it.  They  had  just  passed  tnrough  a 
severe  fire  twenty-four  hours  previous,  and  part  of  the  companies 
had  left  the  scene  of  the  old  fire  but  a  few  hours  when  they  were 
called  again,  tired  and  worn  out  from  hours  of  hard  labor,  to 
another  still  more  fearful  than  the  one  they  had  just  dealt  with. 

While  we  were  working  on  the  original  fire,  which  was  sur- 
rounded and  under  our  control,  the  fearful  gale  which  was  raging 
at  the  time,  carried  not  only  sparks  but  brands  and  pieces  of 
boards  on  fire,  the  distance  of  two  to  four  squares.  To  our  sur- 
prise we  were  informed  that  a  church  over  two  blocks  to  the 
north  was  on  fire.  We  were  then  obliged  to  form  a  new  base  of 
operations  to  protect  the  property  around  the  burning  church. 
Wliile  thus  engaged  in  staying  the  fiery  element,  Avhich  we  also 
conquered  and  had  under  our  control,  we  were  again  informed  that 
the  fire  had  taken  another  leap,  and  had  broken  out  in  the  match 
factory,  lumber  yard,  and  shingle  mills  of  W.  B.  Bateham. 

People  living  in  the  vicinity  had  carried  out  bedding,  furniture, 
etc.,  into  the  street  for  safet}^,  which  was  soon  all  ablaze.  The 
strong  wind  carried  the  burning  material  to  the  east  side  of 
Canal  street,  communicating  the  fire  to  the  wooden  structures 
on  that  side  of  the  street ;  these  buildings  being  elevated  to  the 
height  of  five  to  seven  feet  above  tbe  ground,  together  with  the 
sidewalk,  formed  a  complete  tunnel,  and  the  draught  carried  the 
flames  for  a  whole  square  without  meeting  even  the  resistance  of 
a  common  board  partition.  In  the  mean  time  the  intense  heat 
drove  us,  and  we  were  compelled  to  remove  some  of  our  appara- 
tus, which  occupied  quite  a  length  of  time ;  also  losing  consider- 
able hose.  During  this  time  the  fire  made  fearful  progress,  and 
wliile  trying  to  rescue  one  of  the  steamers  from  its  dangerous 
situation,  it  was  discovered  that  the  fire  had  crossed  to  the  South 
Division,  into  the  second  street  east  of  the  river.  I  immediately 
ordered  part  of  the  Department,  and  went  myself  to  the  new  field 


350  HISTORY   OF   THE   GEEAT   FIRES 

of  action.  On  my  arrival  tliere,  I  found  not  only  a  few  buildings 
on  fire,  but  the  largest  portion  of  two  squares.  So  rapid  did  the 
fire  spread,  that  the  wooden  buildings  on  Quincj  street,  the  Ar- 
mory building,  the  square  known  as  "  Conley's  Patch  "  (all  com- 
posed of  wooden  shells),  the  Gas  Works,  and  the  roofing  material 
yard  of  Barrett,  Arnold  &  PoM-ell,  were  one  sheet  of  flame  in  a 
short  space  of  time.  This  yard  being  composed  of  combustible 
material,  together  with  the  Gas  Works,  threw  out  a  terrific  heat, 
more  especially  after  the  gas  was  allowed  to  escape  to  prevent  an 
explosion  and  the  destruction  of  the  works.  Through  the  agency 
of  the  burning  of  this  yard,  large  fire-brands,  composed  of  tar 
and  pitch  felting  some  two  or  three  feet  in  length,  were  whirled 
through  the  air  for  a  number  of  blocks,  and  would  alight  on  some 
building,  and  hardly  a  minute  would  elapse  before  the  whole 
structure  would  be  involved  in  one  mass  of  fire,  thus  starting  in 
diflei-ent  parts  of  the  city  what  you  might  call  difl:erent  fires,  and 
all  burning  at  the  same  time. 

I  rallied  the  greater  part  of  my  force  to  the  South  Side,  but  it 
was  of  no  avail.  The  wind  blew  so  hard  at  this  period  as  to  cut 
a  solid  stream  of  water  into  spray  before  it  had  gone  the  dis- 
tance of  twent}'  feet  from  the  pipe.  The  fire  made  such  rapid 
headway  that  we  were  constantly  compelled  to  move  some  of 
our  steamers  to  save  them  from  destruction,  and  by  so  doing  lost 
large  quantities  of  our  hose,  so  much  so  that  we  were  soon  short 
of  a  supply. 

Wlien  at  woi-k  at  Monroe  street,  I  was  informed  that  the  flames 
were  in  our  rear  as  far  as  Madison  street.  I  immediately  repaired 
to  that  street,  and  found  that  a  large  building,  known  as  the  Ori- 
ental Block,  was  on  fire  in  the  rear,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the 
entire  block  was  enwrapped  in  a  sea  of  burning  matter.  The 
next  to  be  seized  in  the  embrace  of  the  fire-fiend  was  the  Court- 
House  and  Chamber  of  Commerce  buildings,  which  burned  very 
wickedly. 


m   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  351 

Shortly  after  this  I  received  intelligence  that  the  Water  Works 
were  on  fire.     I  then  had  uo  hope  whatever  of  staying  the  flames. 

Nearly  four  years  ago,  when  I  was  appointed  Fire  Marshal,  in 
my  estimate  of  wants  for  the  Fire  Department  I  recommended 
to  the  Board  of  Police  the  necessity  of  having  one  or  more  "  Float- 
ing Fire  Engines,"  for  the  protection  of  the  property  along  the 
river.  They  acquiesced  in  my  recommendation,  and  asked  for 
an  appropriation  to  purchase  the  same,  but  without  success. 
They  have  made  several  attempts  since  to  obtain  the  necessary 
appropriation.  This  floating  engine,  or  engines,  would  have 
done  much  in  stopping  our  late  great  fire,  as  there  could  be  two 
powerful  pumps  on  board  of  each,  throwing  two  or  three  streams 
of  water,  which  would  have  been  sufficient  to  keep  wet  the  build- 
ings on  the  sides  of  the  river  for  a  number  of  squares,  and  in  pro- 
tecting the  elevators. 

The  public  are  probably  aware  of  the  fact  that  the  foot  of  our 
streets  are  leased  from  time  to  time  for  dock  purposes,  which  has 
always  interfered  with  the  Fire  Department  in  obtaining  a  sup- 
ply of  water  from  the  river.  We  have  been  deprived  of  the  use  of 
these  docks,  and  also  of  the  floating  engines,  which  we  have  had 
occasion  to  regret  in  this  as  in  many  other  instances,  as  either 
would  have  rendered  great  aid  to  the  department. 

One  other  circumstance  that  has  greatly  crippled  our  Fire  De- 
partment, is  the  scanty  supply  of  hose  purchases  from  year  to" 
year ;  also  an  insufficient  number  of  fire  engines.  I  have  always 
failed  to  obtain  the  amount  of  hose  I  have  asked  for  from  time 
to  time,  as  in  the  case  of  the  present  year  I  requested  15,000  feet, 
which  was  small  enough  an  amount  for  the  number  of  fires  we 
are  having  in  Chicago  (amounting  to  nearly  700  during  the  last 
year)  Instead  of  allowing  me  the  full  amount,  1  was  cut  down 
one- third,  and  allowed  10,000  feet.  I  was  also  cut  short  of  one 
additional  steamer. 

After  all  this,  it  has  been  stated  by  one  of  your  correspondents 


353  HISTOET   OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

that,  had  there  been  some  engines  phxced  upon  flat-boats,  canal- 
boats,  or  scows,  and  propelled  in  the  river  by  the  aid  of  tugs, 
it  would  have  prevented  the  fire  from  crossing.  Allow  me  to 
ask,  where  were  those  scows  ?  "We  tried  to  obtain  one  to  enable 
us  to  extinguish  the  coal  fires;  none  were  to  be  found  this_side 
of  Bridgeport,  and  it  took  from  four  to  five  hours  to  obtain  it. 
What  time  did  the  Fire  Marshal  have  to  hunt  scows  and  flat- 
boats  at  that  stage  of  the  fire  ? 

Correspondents  in  difierent  papers  have  asked  why  the  Fire 
Department  did  not  do  thus  and  so  ?  Why  did  not  the  people 
try  to  protect  their  buildings  from  sparks  and  embers  as  did 
the  watchman  at  the  crib  in  the  Lake  ?  Instead  of  standing  in 
the  way,  and  finding  fault  with  the  Fire  Department,  the  drought 
of  the  season,  the  state  of  the  atmosphere,  and  the  high  gale, 
they  should  have  turned  their  attention  to  the  roofs  of  buildings. 
How  could  the  firemen  be  battling  the  fire  and  watching  buiJd- 
ings  squares  in  their  rear  ? 

To  a  careful  reader  of  the  Marshal's  letter  it  becomes  evident 
that  discontent  exists  in  the  public  mind  ;  and,  accordingly,  as 
after  a  great  battle,  the  vanquished  frequently  fall  into  disagree- 
ments, bickerings,  and  mutual  criticism,  so  also  now  every  one  is 
ready  to  justify  himself,  if  his  neighbor  sufiers  in  the  result,  and 
many  seek  to  cast  blame  upon  parties  who  did  the  best  tliey  could 
in  the  peculiar  and  trying  circumstances.  The  Fire  Department 
sufi"ered  a  great  defeat ;  but  their  enemies  were  peculiarly  power- 
ful, and  they  were  wearied  out  by  a  previous  day  and  night's 
struggle.  Instead  of  ill-natured  invective  or  attempts  to  shirk 
responsibility,  there  should  be  a  calm  determination  to  learn  from 
experience  how  to  avoid  the  recurrence  of  similar  disasters. 
Such  is  the  end  the  practical  Chicagoans  will  reach. 

And  now  must  close  this  long  chapter  of  personals,  which  have 
served  to  reveal  the  breadth  and  characteristics  of  that  suffering 
which  was  experienced  by  the  multitudes,  who  went  forth  home- 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  353 

less  and  impoverished  on  the  evening  of  the  8th  and  the  morning 
of  the  9th  of  October,  1871. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

"  This  kingly  Wallensteiu,  wliciie'er  he  falls, 

Will  drag  a  world  to  ruin  down  with  him ; 

And  as  a  ship  that  in  the  midst  of  ocean 

Catches  fire,  and  shivering  springs  into  the  air, 

And  in  a  moment  scatters  between  sea  and  sky 

The  crew  it  bore,  so  will  he  hiirry  to  destruction 

Ev'ry  one  whose  fate  was  joiried  with  his." 

— Schiller. 

It  is  now  in  place  to  mention,  more  definitely  and  comprehen- 
sively, the  losses,  by  this  calamity,  of  property  and  life. 

This  city  and  its  interests  are  intimately  bound  up  with  those 
of  the  whole  world.  The  losses  by  the  fire  were  not  local  but 
well-nigh  universal.  The  representatives  of  all  nations  were  here, 
and  of  all  States  and  communities  in  North  America — the  busi- 
ness world  were  here  by  their  money  or  agencies,  and  the  fall  of 
Chicago  sent  a  tremor  throughout  the  whole  fabric  of  society. 
This  may  account,  in  part,  for  the  uprising  of  all  Christendom  to 
assist  in  the  terrific  exigency,  and  roll  away  the  burden  tliat  was 
crushing  us  into  the  dust. 

It  is  scarcely  possible  to  visit  a  city  or  enterprising  village  in 
our  own  country,  or  certain  parts  of  Europe,  without  meeting  per- 
sons, many  or  few,  who  say  we  have  friends  who  suffered,  or  we 
ourselves  have  lost,  by  the  great  conflagration.  Our  population 
was  not  native  to  the  soil,  and  our  capital  was  largely  from  abroad. 
As  a  place  for  investment  of  funds  none  was  deemed  preferable  ; 
and  this  drew  heavily  upon  the  resources  of  men  who  had  money 
to  spare  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  Insurance  companies  had 
sought  this  field  in  great  numbers,  and  their  losses  have  been 


354 


HISTOKY    OF    THE   GREAT   FIRES 


v'ery  widely  felt.  The  home  companies,  having  their  assets  very 
considerably,  or  perhaps  entirely,  in  property  burned,  and  the 
stockholders  themselves  being  comparatively  helpless  from  their 
private  losses,  are  unable  to  pay  their  policy-holders,  and  have 
lost  their  own  capital  and  business. 

The  following  tables  furnish  an  exhibit  of  all  the  companies 
doing  business  in  Cliicago  There  is  a  large  number  which  have 
no  connection  witli  this  city,  and  do  not  require  to  be  named  here. 
The  latest  data  enable  us  to  furnish  a  very  full  and  accurate 
statement  of  the  capital,  gross  assets,  and  losses  of  such  as  have 
offices  and  representatives  in  this  city  : — 

NEW  YORK  COMPANIES, 

Gross  Assets^ 

Name.  Ca/pital.         Jan.  1,  1871.  Losses. 

^tna,  City $300,000  |442,709  $660,000* 

Adriatic,  City 300,000  246,120  8,500 

Albany  City  Albany 200,000  397,646  800,000* 

American,  City .  .^  300,000  741,405  35,000 

American  Exchange,  City 300,000  277,350  58,000 

Astor,  City 350,000  405,571  400,000* 

Atlantic,  City 300,000  556,179  600,000* 

Beekman,  City 200,000  261,851  350,000* 

Buffalo  City,  Buffalo 200,000  370,934  600,000* 

Buffalo  Fire  and  Marine,  Buffalo 304,222  473,577  625,000* 

Buffalo  German,  Buffalo 200,000  270,081  5,000 

Capital  City,  Albany 200,000  293,766  270,000* 

Citizens,  City 300,000  684,798  35,000 

Columbia,  City 300,000  451,332  3,000 

Commerce,  Albany 400,000  692,877  400,000 

Commerce  Fire,  City 200,000  249,373  25,000 

Commercial,  City 200,000  306,002  5,000 

Continental,  City 500,000  2,538,038  1,000,000 

Com  Exchange,  City 300,000  398,986  55,000 

Excelsior,  City 200,000  335,724  600,000* 

Exchange,  City 150,000  183,959  3,500 

Firemen's,  City 304,000  359,961  15,000 

Firemen's  Fund,  City 150,000  173,477  35,000 

*  Suspended. 


> 


m  CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  355 


Name.  Capital. 

Firemen's  Trust,  City $150,000 

Fulton,  City 200,000 

Germania,  City 500,000 

Glens  FaUs,  Glens  Falls 300,000 

Guardian,  City 200,000 

Hanover,  City 400,000 

Hoffman,  City 200,000 

Home,  City 2.500,000 

Howard,  City 500,000 

Humboldt,  City 200,000 

Importers  and  Traders',  City 200,000 

International,  City 500,000 

Irving,  City 200,000 

Jefferson,  City 200,010 

Kings  County,  City 150,000 

Lafayette,  L.  L,  City 150,000 

Lamar,  City 300,000 

Lenox,  City 150,000 

LoriUard,  City 1,000,000 

Manhattan,  City 500,000 

Market,  City 200,000 

Mechanics' ,  L.  I.,  City 150,000 

Mechanics  and  Traders',  City 200,000 

Mercantile,  City 200,000 

Merchants',  City 200,000 

National,  City 200,000 

New  Amsterdam,  City 300,000 

New  York  Fire,  City 200,000 

Niagara,  City 1,000,000 

North  American,  City 500,000 

Pacific,  City 200,000 

Phenix,  L.  L,  City 1,000,000 

Relief,  City 200, 000 

Republic,  City 300,000 

Resolute,  City 300,000 

Security,  City 1,000,000 

Sterling,  City 200,000 


Gross  Assets, 

Jan.  1,  1871. 

Losses. 

$226,269 

$5,000 

363,002 

900,000* 

1,077,849 

236,500 

571,123 

13,000 

279,688 

40,000 

700,335 

225,000 

235,243 

30,000 

4,578,008 

3,000,000 

783,851 

375,000 

351,186 

34,000 

302,589 

23,500 

1,329,476 

500,000 

321,745 

550,000* 

411,155 

43,500 

263,573 

31,000 

214,751 

7,500 

551,403 

450,000* 

340,801 

33,000 

1,715,909 

1,500,000* 

1,407,788 

1,250,000* 

704,684 

1,000,000* 

318,047 

33,500 

460,003 

41,500 

273,399 

100,000 

443,690 

10,000 

382,671 

37,500 

432,638 

300,000 

392,278 

15,000 

1,304,567 

235,000 

770,305 

730,000* 

443,557 

13,500 

1,890,010 

350,000 

310,908 

40,000 

683,478 

235,000 

253,453 

75,000 

1,880,333 

1,500,000* 

247,037 

7,500 

H- 


356  HISTORY   OF   THE   GEEAT   FIEES 


Gross  Assets^ 

JTamb,                                  Capital.  Jan.  1, 1871.  Losses. 

Tradesmen's,  City $150,000  $423,181  "  $25,000 

Washington,  City 400,000  774,411  900,000* 

Western  of  Buffalo,  Buffalo 800,000  582,547  750,000* 

Williamslxirg  City.  City 250,000  539,692  60,000 

Yonkers  and  New  York,  City 500,000  868,933  700,000* 

MISSOURI  COMPANIES. 

American  Central,  St.  Louis $231,370  $254,875  $375,000 

Anchor,  St.  Louis 105,225  121,974  27,000 

Boatmen's,  St.  Louis 106,530  51,786  20,000 

Citizens',  St.  Louis 175,000  271,373  25,000 

Commercial,  St.  Louis 40,660  43,896  20,000 

Excelsior,  St.  Louis : . .      73,087  19,815  15,000 

Globe  Mutual,  St.  Louis 125,000  150,793  05,000* 

Jefferson,  St.  Louis 101,272  121,842  10,000 

Marine,  St.  Louis 150,000  210,925  10,000 

Merchants',  St.  Joseph 60,636  79,682  10,000 

JSTational,  Hannibal 111,201  147,738  10,000 

North  Missouri,  Macon 184,050  154,166  21,500 

Pacific,  St.  Louis 25,000  36,835  10,000 

Phoenix,  St.  Louis 108,950  126,654  10,000 

St.  Joseph,  St.  Joseph 64,000  105,729  10,000 

St.  Louis,  St.  Louis 240,000  307,342  15,000 

State,  Hannibal 109,820  162,099  21,500 

MASSACHUSETTS     COMPANIES. 

Bay  State,  Worcester $104,800  $196,275  $5,000 

Boylston,  Boston 300,000  933,256  13,000 

City,  Boston 200,000  399,427  15,000 

Eliot,  Boston 800,000  672,212  12,500 

Firemen's,  Boston 300,000  1,038,330  85,000 

First  National,  Worcester 100,000  157,356  2,500 

Franklin,  Boston 300,000  541,908  50,000 

Hide  and  Leather,  Boston 800,000  419,211  720,000* 

Howard,  Boston 200,000  358,642  27,500 

Independent,  Boston 300,000  •  646,648  1,100,000* 

Lawrence,  Boston 250,000  262,502  10,000 

*  Suspended. 


A 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST,  359 

CasTi  Gross  Assets, 

Name.                                                Capital.  Jan.  1,  1871.  Losses. 

Manufacturers',  Boston $400,000  $1,480,464  $120,000 

Merchant's,  Boston.    ....    500,000  958,559  10,000 

National,  Boston 300,000  821,840  400,000 

Neptune,  Boston ,     300,000  852,195  60,000 

New  England  Mutual  M.,  Boston...    .     200,000  1,080,973  1,000,000=:- 

North  American.  Boston 200.000  601,747  10,000 

People's,  Worcester 400,000  887,756  300,000 

Shoe  and  Leather  Dealers',  Boston. . .     200,000  549,806  25,00C 

Springfield,  Springfield 500,000  930,101  450,000 

Suffolk,  Boston 150,000  283,288  23,000 

Tremont,  Boston 200,000  294,543  70,000 

Washington,  Boston 300,000  985,975  25,000 

RHODE    ISLAND   COMPANrEf. 

American,  Providence $200,000  $374,969  $600,000* 

Atlantic,  Providence 200,000  326,614  325,000* 

City,  Providence 50,000  72,150  7,500 

Hope,  Providence 150,000  211,673  325,000* 

Merchants',  Providence 200,000  372,199  15,000 

Narragansett,  Providence 500,000  792,947  25,000 

Providence  Washington,  Providence..     200,000  415,149  550,000* 

Roger  Williams,  Providence 200,000  278,966  225,000* 

OHIO   COMPANIES. 

Alemannia,  Cleveland. $250,000  $285,555  $175,000 

American,  Cincinnati 100,000  125,513  12,500 

Andes,  Cincinnati 1,000,000  1,203,425  850,000 

Burnett,  Cincinnati 60,000  75,369  2,500 

Butler,  Hamilton 14,000  22,322  

Capital  City,  Columbus 60,000  78,000  

Central,  Columbus 40,000  55,541  

Central,  Dayton 20,833  29,896  

Cincinnati,  Cincinnati 150,000  209,223  60,000 

Citizens',  Cincinnati 52,500  67,690  25,000 

Cleveland,  Cleveland 414,400  530,208  700,000* 

Commercial,  Cincinnati 100,000  158,987  13,000 

Commercial  Mutual,  Cleveland 210,210  349,624  400,000* 

21 


360  niSTOEY    OF   THE   GKEAT   FIKES 

Casli  Gross  Assets, 

Name.  Capital.  Jan.  1,  1871. 

Cooper,  Dayton $23,800  $32,527 

Eclipse,  Cincinnati 27,350  4a,G67 

Farmers',  Cincinnati 23,300  24,142 

Farmers',  Jelloway 100,000  131,626 

Farmers  &  Merchants',  Dayton 32,000  55,770 

Farmers,  Mer.  &  Mfctrs.',  Hamilton.  100,000  123,366 

firemen's,  Cincinnati 100,000  225,600 

Firemen's,  Dayton 100,000  126,893 

FranHin,  Cincinnati 100,000  132,465 

Franklin,  Columbus 70,000  88,071 

German,  Cleveland 200,000  281,260 

German,  Dayton 22,500  28,347 

Germania,  Cincinnati. 100,000  127,858 

Gsrmania,  Toledo 45,000  54,500 

Globe,  Cincinnati 100,000  178,143 

Hamilton,  Hamilton 17,500  41,620 

Hibemia,  Cleveland 200,000  225,000 

Home,  Columbus 500,000  637,947 

Home,  Toledo 69,000  76,335 

Jefferson,  Steubenville 43,392  60,032 

Merchants  &  Manufrs.',  Cincinnati. . .  150,000  266,780 

Miami  Valley,  Cincinnati 100,000  141,094 

Miami  Valley,  Dayton 26,100  51 ,133 

Mutual,  Toledo 90,000  90,249 

National,  Cincinnati 100,000  120,514 

Ohio,  ChiUicothe 40,000  49,092 

Ohio,  Dayton 35,282  54,818 

Ohio  Valley,  Cincinnati 50,760  79,921 

People's,  Cmcinnati 20,000  48,928 

Sun,  Cleveland 200,000  801,340 

Teutonia,  Cleveland 200,000  237,016 

Teutonia,  Dayton 25,000  46,572 

Toledo,  Toledo 75,000  105,837 

Union,  Cincinnati 100.000  130,845 

Washington,  Cincinnati 129,100  148,747 

Western,  Cincinnati 100,000  178  550 


Losses. 

$2,500 
10,000 


29,500 

65,000 

436,657* 

3,500 

7,000 

40,000 

360,000* 
300,000 


14,500 
15,000 


3,000 
3,000 


32,000  . 
5,000 
175,000 
1,000,000* 


27,500 
21,000 
81,000 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE  WEST.  361 

Cash  Gross  Assets, 

Name.                                          Capital.  Jan.  1,  1871.  Losses. 

CALIFORNIA   COMPANIES, 

Firemen's  Fund,  San  Francisco $500,000  $799,627  $300,000 

Occidental,  San  Francisco 300,000  474,095  300,000 

Pacific,  San  Francisco 1,000,000  1,777,267  1,500,000 

People's,  San  Francisco 300,000  *         500,000  400,000 

Union,  San  Francisco 750,000  1,115,574  450,000 

MICHIGAN   COMPANIES, 

Detroit  Fire  &  Marine,  Detroit $150,000  $273,063  $175,000 

ILLINOIS  COMPANIES. 

American,  Chicago $150,000  $548,875  $1,000 

Aurora,  Aurora 200,000  220,471                  * 

Chicago  Fire,  Chicago 101,800  181,566  3,000,000* 

Chicago  Firemen's,  Chicago 200,000  372,544  3,000,000* 

Commercial,  Chicago 180,000  266,535  3,000,000* 

Equitable,  Chicago 100,000  120,191  3,000,000* 

Farmers',  Freeport 100,000  191,303                  

Garden  City,  Chicago 150,000  181,489  2,000,000* 

German,  Freeport 101,000  119,824                  

German  Ins.  &  Sav's  Co.,  Quincy 132,900  158,951                  

Germania,  Chicago 200,000  257,821  1,500,000* 

Great  Western,  Chicago 222,831  274,125  227,000 

Home,  Chicago 200,000  245,338  2,000,000* 

Illinois  Mutual,  Alton 113,000  350,016  1,100,000* 

Knickerbocker,  Chicago 160,000  170,129  750,000* 

Merchants',  Chicago 500,000  878,253"  6,000,000* 

Mutual  Security,  Chicago 118,325  145,584  1,800,000* 

Republic,  Chicago 998,200  1,132,813  3,500,000* 

Rockford,  Rockford 100,000  235,443                 

State,  Chicago 425,000  460,000  3,000,000* 

MARYLAND    COMPANIES. 

Maryland,  Baltimore $200,000  $251,157  $12,000 

Merchants  &  Mechanics',  Baltimore..     250,000  324,208  290,000* 

National,  Baltimore 100,000  224,000  33,165 


362  msTOET  OF  the  gkeat  fires 

CasTi  Gross  Assets, 

Name.  Capital.        Jan.  1,  1871.  Losses. 

Peabody,  Baltimore $125,000  $190,388  $10,000 

People's,  Baltimore 100,000  113,094  17,000 

Potomac,  Baltimore 75,651  97,209  10,000 

Union,  Baltimore 100,000  164,986  25,000 

Washington,  Baltimore ". 100,000  121,804 

CONNECTICUT  COMPANIES. 

^tna,  Hartford $3,000,000 

City,  Hartford 250,000 

Charter  Oak,  Hartford 150,000 

Connecticut,  Hartford 200,000 

Fairfield  County,  Norwalk 200,000 

Hartford,  Hartford 1,000,000 

Merchants',  Hartford 200,000 

North  American,  Hartford 300,000 

Norwich,  Norwich 800,000 

Phoenix,  Hartford 600,000 

Putnam,  Hartford 500,000 

MAINE   COMPANIES. 

Eastern,  Bangor $150,000 

National,  Bangor 200,000 

Union,  Bangor 200,000 

PENNSYLVANIA  COMPANIES. 

Alleghany,  Pittsburg $50,000                

Allemania,  Pittsburg 50,000                

Alps,  Erie 250,000  $265,524  $185,000 

Artisan's,  Pittsburg 64,000                

Ben.  Franklin,  Allegheny 2,000                

Boatmen's,  Pittsburg 125,000                

Cash,  Pittsburg 100,000               

Citizens',  Pittsburg 100,000                

Enterprise,  Philadelphia 200,000  611,654  825,000* 

Enterprise,  Pittsburg 25,000                

Eureka,  Pittsburg 175,000 


$5,782,635 

$2,500,000 

554,287 

650,000* 

251,951 

400,000* 

405,069 

600,000* 

216,358 

25,000 

2,737,519 

1,200,000 

540,096 

1,000,000* 

456,503 

800,000* 

381,736 

350,000* 

1,717,947 

800,000 

785,783 

1,000,000* 

$237,648 

$7,500 

241,308 

17,500 

421,205 

5,000 

IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  36S 

Casli  Gross  Assets, 

Name.  Capital.  Jan.  1,  1871.  Losses. 

Federal,  Alleghany $20,000                

Franklin,  Philadelphia 400,000  $3,087,452  $500,000 

German,  Pittsburg 50,000                

Girard,  Philadelphia 200,000  403,062  13,000 

Ins.  Co.  of  N.America,  Philadelphia..  500,000  3,050,536  500,000 

Ins.  Co.  State  of  Pa.,  Philadelphia...  200,000  542,908  25,000 

Lancaster,  Lancaster 200,000  250,349  84,000 

Lycoming,  Muncy Mutual.  516,896  500,000 

Manuf  ac'rs  &  Merchants',  Pittsburg. . .  125,000                

Monongahela,  Pittsburg 140,000                

National,  Alleghany 50,000                , ,                

Pennsylvania,  Pittsburg. 115,800                

People's,  Pittsburg 76,000                

Pittsburg,  Pittsburg 100,000                

Western,  Pittsburg 98,000                

■WISCONSIN  COMPANIES. 

Brewers'  Protective,  Milwaukee $164,175  $183,681  $200,000 

Northwestern  National,  Milwaukee...     150,000  191,202  90,000 

MINNESOTA  COMPANIES. 
St.  Paul  Fire  and  Marine,  St.  Paul $120,000  $280,593  $100,000 

FOREIGN  COMPANIES. 

Commercial  Union $1,250,000 

Imperial 3,500,000 

Liverpool  &  London  and  Globe 1,958,760 

North  British  &  Mercantile 1,350,000 

Royal 1,444,475 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  United  States  companies  have  lost 
$82,821,122 ;  the  foreign,  $5,813,000 ;  and  grand  total  of  losses 
by  all  companies  is  $88,634,122.  Such  a  sum  is  almost  incom- 
prehensible, or  altogether  beyond  the  adequate  grasp  of  any 
human  mind.  In  this  connection  it  is  curious  to  observe  how 
the  stable  institutions  at  once  received  an  increase  of  business 
almost  incredible,  and  hope  to  place  themselves  upon  a  more 


$4,000,000 

$65,000 

5,438,665 

150,000 

20,130,420 

3,500,000 

4,104,598 

2,000,000 

9,274,776 

98,000 

364  HISTORY    OF   THE   GEEAT   FIEES 

Bolid  foundation,  which  shall  be  practically  immovable.  Here  is 
another  illustration  of  the  old  truth — "  To  him  that  hath  shall 
be  given,  and  he  shall  have  abundance  ;  but  from  him  that  hath 
not  shall  be  taken  even  that  which  he  seemeth  to  have."  This 
was  also  verified  in  the  case  of  the  elevators  that  survived. 
Their  grain  belonged  to  merchants  who  held  checks  for  it.  In 
many,  perhaps  most  instances,  these  checks  were  destroyed,  and 
the  grain  belongs  to  the  elevator  companies.  Thus  they  must 
become  immensely  rich.  In  some  instances,  where  the  checks 
v/ere  not  wholly  burned  up.  Professor  Wheeler,  of  the  University 
of  Chicago,  took  these  charred  and  obliterated  checks,  and,  by  a 
chemical  process,  restored  the  numbers  to  a  momentary  exist- 
ence, and  enabled  the  owner  to  recover  the  property.  Laying 
the  thin  black  slip  of  paper  on  a  plate,  he  passed  a  liquid  over  it, 
which  burned  all  but  the  writing  and  printing,  and  gave  the  eye 
a  flying  glimpse  sufficient  to  indicate  the  contents.  This  fact 
reminds  us  of  the  almost  utter  worthlessness  of  safes  not  pro- 
tected by  vaults.  It  was  sad  to  see  these  vaunted  '"'  safes " 
turn  out  so  generally  unsafe.  "  If  my  safe  is  all  right,"  said 
one  man,  "  I  am  worth  ten  thousand  dollars."  He  opened  it, 
and  instantly,  so  intense  was  the  heat,  all  the  contents  flamed  up 
under^  the  draft  of  fresh  air,  and  consumed  before  his  eyes,  and 
under  his  grasp.  '  Probably  there  w^as  no  difference  in  the  pow- 
erlessness  of  safes  to  resist  that  burning.  My  attorney's  safe, 
containing  my  papers,  fell  into  the  coal  bin,  and  lay  there  roast-, 
ing  like  a  chestnut,  till  everything  was  just  in  a  condition  to  be 
blown  away  by  a  breath.  Some  things  from  some  safes  in  favor- 
able positions  were  preserved.  The  little  fire  box  within,  in  a 
few  instances,  appeared  to  attract  heat,  and  left  the  contents  in 
a  worse  condition  than  those  that  were  outside  of  it.  Men 
will  hereafter  trust  to  nothing  less  substantial  than  brick  vaults, 
built  underground,  or  upon  foundations  that  rest  on  the  solid 


IN    CUICAGO   AND    THE    WEST.  SG5 

earth.  Iron  columns  twisted  and  fell,  and  ruined  the  vaults  they 
supported,  and  their  contents. 

A  curious  paragraph  is  worth  preserving,  to  show  how  the 
government  deals  with  tlie  charred  currency. 

"  I  wandered  into  the  Treasury  Department  a  day  or  two  ago 
to  ask  General  Spinner  to  let  me  see  what  was  being  done  with 
the  charred  money  from  Chicago.  I  was  shown  to  the  room 
occupied  by  the  ladies  employed  on  the  burned  money  ;  shall  I 
call  it  cinder-ca.tes'i.  This  room  is  very  large  and  pleasant,  and 
was  selected  because,  having  a  southern  exposure  with  nothing 
near  to  intercept  the  light,  it  has  special  advantages  for  this  kind 
of  work,  which  needs  the  strongest  light  possible.  The  charred 
packages  of  money  which  have  been  almost  reduced  to  cinders, 
and  which  crumble  at  the  slightest  touch,  are  brought  to  the 
ladies  skilled  in  dealing  with  such  cases.  The  contents  of  a  safe 
which  was  in  Adams  Express  Company's  building,  in  Chicago, 
were  being  counted  when  I  went  in.  There  were  National  Bank 
notes,  United  States  Treasury  bonds,  nickels,  railroad  bonds,  and 
postage-stamps  upon  the  tables.  All  these  must  be  sorted  and 
arranged,  counted,  and  the  value  estimated.  Such  work  as  this, 
as  may  easily  be  believed,  is  no  light  task.  The  notes  are  baked 
to  a  crisp,  and  are  perfectly  black,  and  the  idea  of  separating 
them,  and  deciphering  the  engraving  on  their  faces,  seems  at  first 
utterly  absurd.  Some  of  the  packages  are  in  tolerable  order,  in 
other  cases  three  or  four  hundred  notes  which  have  been  care- 
lessly thrown  into  a  box,  are  so  melted  together  that  it  seems 
impossible  to  separate  them  ;  in  others,  bonds  have  been  tied  up 
in  a  roll  for  convenience'  sake,  and  are  in  the  worst  condition 
possible  to  be  separated.  And  here  I  would  give  a  word  of 
warning.  Anybody  is  liable  to  be  burnt  out;  any  fire- proof 
safe  is  subject  to  being  brought  under  the  test  of  extreme  heat, 
and  its  contents  roasted,  so  that  all  persons  having  notes,  bonds, 
or  postage-stamps  put  away  for  safe  keeping,  should  take  tho 


o6G  HISTOET   OF   TnE   GKEAT   FIRES 

precaution  to  keep  them  spread  out  their  full  size,  one  placed 
neatlj  over  the  other,  and,  in  case  of  an  accident  or  calamity 
such  as  tliat  at  Chicago,  very  little  will  be  lost  in  the  process  of 
redemption.  All  notes,  whose  value  can  be  made  out,  are  re- 
deemed at  full  value.  There  is  no  discount  on  burnt  money. 
The  safes  or  the  boxes  containing  the  money  are  sent  at  once 
from  the  Treasurer's  ofEce  to  the  ladies,  whom  long  experience 
has  proved  qualified  for  the  delicate  and  difficult  task  of  handling 
it  and  deciphering  its  value.  They  take  it  carefully  from  its 
receptacles,  and  proceed  to  separate  the  notes  with  the  utmost 
skill.  Those  notes  which  are  so  far  gone  that  they  crumble  at 
the  slightest  touch,  have  their  cinders  carefully  pasted  together 
on  sheets  of  tissue-paper.  Great  care  is  taken  to  prevent  the  loss 
of  a  single  note.  The  ladies  are  supplied  with  various  aids  in 
their  work.  Each  has  a  magnifyiug-glass  and  several  small, 
thin,  sharp,  steel  instruments  with  flat  blades,  which  last  are  indis- 
pensable in  separating  the  notes.  With  National  Bank  notes  the 
name  of  the  State,  the  bank,  and  the  denomination  of  the  note 
must  be  deciphered,  that  the  money  may  be  returned  to  the 
banks  which  issued  it  for  redemption.  The  counter  certifies  to 
the  number  of  packages,  of  pieces,  denomination,  and  the  total 
amount.  In  the  case  of  the  Treasury  notes,  the  counter  furnishes 
a  schedule  for  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  another 
for  the  Treasurer,  and  a  third  for  the  liegister.  These  schedules 
are  carefull}'  looked  over  in  these  bureaus,  signed,  and  afterward 
the  notes  are  burned  in  the  presence  of  representatives  of  the 
three  officers  above  named.  This  work  is  not  only  complicated, 
but  imposes  great  responsibility  upon  those  having  it  to  do  ; 
nevertheless,  it  is  proper  to  state  that  the  ladies  receive  but  $900 
per  annum  for  their  labor. 

The  postage  stamps  found  in  the  express  safes  are  arranged, 
counted,  and  returned  to  the  General  Post  Office;  the  railroad 
bonds  are  returned  to  the  railroad  companies  who  issued  them 


EST   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  3G7 

The  National  Bank  notes,  after  being  returned  to  the  banks 
which  issued  them,  are  sent  to  the  agents  of  the  banks  in  Wash- 
ington, and  by  them  sent  to  the  office  of  the  Comptroller  of  the 
Currency,  in  the  Treasury  Department.  In  the  redemption 
division  of  this  office  they  are  counted  by  ladies,  one  a  representa- 
tive of  the  Secretary,  a  second  a  representative  of  the  Comp- 
troller, and  a  third  a  representative  of  the  Treasurer,  and  lastly 
by  the  agent  of  the  bank,  making  four  countings  in  all. 
Accuracy  is  thus  secured,  and  each  counter  is  a  check  upon  the 
rest.  Afterward  the  certificates  are  signed  by  gentlemen  repre- 
senting the  officers  above  named,  and  the  money  is  taken  in  strong 
boxes,  securely  locked,  to  be  burned.  There  is  a  considerable 
degree  of  ceremony  attending  upon  the  burning  of  the  notes, 
although  they  have  already  been  cancelled  and  reduced  to  the 
value  of  waste  paper.  The  representatives  of  the  offices  named 
and  the  agent  of  the  bank  whose  notes  are  to  be  burned  go  down 
into  the  cellar  of  the  Treasury  building  into  a  small  room  resem- 
bling a  prison  cell  more  than  anything  else.  The  furnace  resem- 
bles an  oven,  and  is  set  in  the  wall.  It  has  an  iron  door  which  is 
fastened  with  three  padlocks.  Each  lock  will  open  only  to  its 
own  key.  The  gentlemen  acting  as  representatives  of  the  three 
officers  before  mentioned  have  each  a  key,  and  each  in  turn 
unlocks  the  padlock  which  his  key  fits.  The  boxes  containing 
the  money  are  opened  by  the  Secretary's  representative ;  the 
messenger  in  attendance  sweeps  back  the  ashes  of  yesterday's 
burning,  ]>ile3  shavings  in  the  furnaces,  throws  in  a  package  of 
notes  as  a  first  ofit'ering,  closes  the  furnace  door,  and  the  fire 
begins  to  roar.  The  door  is  opened  again,  and  package  after 
package  of  notes  is  thrown  in  ;  mutilated  notes,  defaced  and  time- 
worn  notes,  and  the  charred  relics  of  the  Chicago  disaster  are 
tossed  in.  There  is  a  species  of  excitement  in  throwing  money 
into  the  fire.  There  is  a  dash  of  recklessness  in  it  which  is  fasci- 
nating to  sober-minded  persons  accustomed  to  economy.     I  know 


363  HISTOIiY   OF   THE    GKEAT   FIKES 

of  no  better  way  to  ease  one's  mind  after  being  forced  to  look 
twice  at  every  penny  before  spending  it,  than  to  be  allowed  to 
participate  in  the  incremation  of  that  money-god  which  has  been 
tormenting  you.  You  have  your  revenge  on  yourself  for  your 
enforced  niggardliness,  and  on  the  dire  necessity  which  has  caused 
your  straits.  It  is  almost  exhilarating  to  toss  $20,000  that  doesn't 
belong  to  you  into  the  flames.  Nothing  equals  it,  except  perhaps 
Artemus  Ward's  self-sacrifice  in  sending  his  wife's  relatives  into 
the  army. 

After  all  the  money  is  thrown  in,  the  door  of  the  furnace  is 
locked  with  the  same  ceremony  with  which  it  was  unlocked,  and 
the  money  is  left  to  burn  alone. 

Once  upon  a  time  this  draught  in  the  furnaces  used  to  burn 
Treasury  notes  and  fractional  currency,  and  was  so  strong  as  to 
carry  notes  up  the  chinniey,  whence  they  would  fly  a  short  dis- 
tance in  the  air  and  fall  in  the  court-yard.  It  was  discovered 
that  these  were  picked  up  and  used  again  as  money,  so  measures 
have  been  taken  to  prevent  any  such  occurrence  in  the  future. 

This  writer  has  not  told  us  how  the  gold  and  silver  coin  that  was 
melted  into  masses  was  separated  by  the  experts,  but  it  was  in- 
geniously counted,  and  as  far  as  possible  restored  without  remint- 
ing.    Yast  sums  of  money  perished  of  which  no  record  can  be  made. 

There  were  in  the  vault  of  the  Sub-Treasury,  at  the  time  of  the 
fire,  $1,500,000  in  greenbacks,  $300,000  in  National  Bank  notes, 
$225,000  in  gold,  and  $5,000  in  silver;  making  a  total  of  $2,030,-. 
000,  of  which  $230,000  was  in  specie. 

In  an  old  iron  safe  which  was  left  outside  the  vault  was  deposited 
$35,000  consisting  of  mutilated  bills  and  fractional  currency. 
When  the  building  caught  fire,  and  blazed  with  fervent  heat,  the 
immense  vault,  with  its  fabulous  treasures,  fell  to  the  basement, 
burying  the  insignificant  safe  and  its  mutilated  contents.  The 
contents  of  the  latter  were  saved,  while  $1,800,000  in  currency 
was  burned  to  ashes  and  hopelessly  lost. 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  369 

The  specie  was  scattered  over  the  basement  floor  and  fused 
witli  the  heat.  There  were  lumps  of  fused  eagles  valued  at  from 
$500  to  $1,000,  blackened  and  burned,  but  nevertheless  good  as 
refined  gold.  The  emplojes  raked  the  ruins  of  the  whole  building, 
and  recovered  altogether  about  five-sixths  of  the  whole  amount. 

It  was  a  fortunate  circumstance  that  only  a  week  before 
1500,000  in  gold,  and  $25,000  in  silver,  had  been  shipped  from 
the  city. 

ISTot  a  single  indictment  was  left  on  record  by  the  fire  against 
any  rogue  in  Chicago ;  no/  n  paper  to  show  that  there  is  a  suit 
pending  in  any  of  the  six  courts  of  the  county ;  not  a  judgment, 
not  a  petition  in  bankruptcy  in  the  federal  courts.  And  worse 
yet,  so  far  as  is  known,  all  the  records  of  deeds  and  mortgages 
are  destroyed.  The  loss  of  deeds  must  entail  immense  trouble 
upon  the  owners  of  lands,  and  require  special  legislative  enact- 
ments to  secure  proprietors  of  real  estate  in  their  titles.  The 
wisest  men  are  maturing  plans  to  provide  against  losses  and  liti- 
gations, and  make  investments  in  real  estate  as  safe  as  ever. 

INDIRECT   LOSSES. 

A  naked  estimate  of  the  value  of  property  actually  destroyed 
cannot  contain  any  adequate  conception  of  the  immense  damage 
sustained  by  the  city  in  its  industries  and  in  near  and  remote 
business  prospects.  If  we  say  that  1,100  squares,  or  more  than 
2,200  acres,  were  swept  by  the  remorseless  flames  in  the  space  of 
twenty-four  hours ;  that  from  20,000  to  26,000  buildings  were 
utterly  devoured  or  left  in  heaps  of  unsightly  ruins ;  that  the 
value  of  the  buildings  alone  was  fully  $Y5,000,000,  and  of  their 
contents  at  least  as  much  more,  we  are  oppressed  by  the  magni- 
tude of  our  statements  and  really  comprehend  nothing.  Eegard- 
ing  the  $150,000,000  of  property  consumed  as  productive  capital 
—and  most  of  it  was  that  or  its  equivalent — the  income  therefrom, 
reckoned  at  the  jnoderate  rate  of  six  per  cent,  was  no  less  thac 


370  HISTORY    OF   THE   GEEAT   FLEES 

$9,000,000  a  year ;  a  sum  sufficient  to  pay  perpetually  the  wages 
of  7,000  workmen  at  two  dollars  a  day  each,  and  3,000  salaried 
men  witli  salaries  of  $1,500  a  year  each ;  in  other  words,  a  sum 
sufficient  for  the  comfortable  support  of  no  less  than  40,000  souls. 

In  saying  that  the  direct  losses,  regarded  as  capital,  represented 
the  wages  fund  of  10,000  men,  and  that  the  arrest  of  business 
represents  for  the  time  being  a  wages  fund  even  greater,  it  is  not 
b}'  any  means  meant  that  more  than  20,000  men  are  thrown  out 
of  employment,  and  100,000  human  beings  deprived  of  the  means 
of  support.  Thanks  to  the  modern  system  of  insurance,  to  the 
modern  spirit  of  enterprise,  and  to  the  energy  and  large-hearted- 
ness  of  our  own  people,  but  very  few  willing  hands  will  long  re- 
main idle.  Common  laborers  and  such  mechanics  as  are  willing 
to  rough  it  for  a  season,  will  find  plenty  to  do  in  clearing  away 
the  rubbish  and  erecting  either  permanent  or  temporary  struc- 
tures. 

The  Chicago  Law  Institute  reports  that,  on  the  8th  day  of 
October,  1871,  it  had  acquired  about  7,000  volumes  of  law  books, 
valued  at  about  $30,000.  In  October,  1867,  it  owned,  by  actual 
count,  4,681  volumes,  which  number  has  since  rapidly  and  steadily 
increased,  and  embraced  a  nearly  perfect  scries  of  American 
reports  ;  all  the  reports  of  the  English  courts,  and  many  of  the 
most  valuable  Irish  and  Scotch  reports;  all  the  law  journals  of 
the  United  States  and  England ;  most,  if  not  all,  the  modern 
text-books  published  in  this  country  and  England,  and  also  the 
old  English  digests,  together  with  a  large  collection  of  rare  and 
valuable  works  on  the  civil  law.  While  the  institute  had  been 
aided  by  many  generous  gifts  from  personal  and  professional 
friends,  yet  most  of  the  library  had  been  procured  with  its  own 
funds,  derived  from  the  sale  of  its  stock  and  assessments  upon  its 
members.  The  library  was  the  property  of  the  shareholders,  and 
freely  used  by  them  and  all  subscribers  to  the  stock  who  were  not 
in  default  in  the  payment  of  their  dues,  and  v/as  free  to  all  judges 


ra    CHICAGO   AND    THE   WEST  371 

and  lawyers  living  outside  of  Cook  county,  either  in  this  or  any 
other  State.  It  had  always  been  kept  in  rooms  m  the  court-house 
furnished  by  the  county  of  Cook;  convenient  to  all  the  State 
courts,  and  freely  used  by  all  the  judges  holding  courts  in  this  city  ; 
and  was  in  charge  of  a  librarian  and  assistant,  one  of  whom  was 
always  in  attendance,  and  was  insured  for  $20,000,  divided  among 
■.different  companies,  as  follows  ; — Five  thousand  each  in  the  Lum- 
berman's, Merchants',  Firemen's,  and  Equitable  Insurance  Com- 
panies, all  established  in  the  city  of  Chicago,  and  organized  under 
charters  granted  by  the  State  of  Illinois. 

Besides  its  library,  the  Institute  had,  on  the  8tli  day  of  Octo- 
ber, 1871,  $1,318.58  in  the  hands  of  its  treasurer,  and  owed  only 
about  $350  for  all  purposes. 

On  the  night  of  the  8th  of  October,  1871,  a  memorable  fire 
destroyed  all  the  books,  records,  vouchers,  and  papers  of  the 
Institute,  with  every  record  of  deeds  and  wills,  and  all  the  files 
and  records  of  all  the  State  and  Federal  courts  established  and 
held  in  the  city  of  Chicago.  The  Law  Institute  thus  lost  every- 
thing it  possessed,  except  its  name  and  legal  organization,  the 
balance  of  $1,318.58  in  the  hands  of  its  treasurer,  and  what  may 
be  realized  upon  its  insurance,  which  will  not,  in  the  present 
judgment  of  this  committee,  exceed  $1,500.  In  addition  to  their 
loss  as  members  of  the  Institute,  the  lawyers  of  this  city,  with,  so 
far  as  now  known,  but  one  or  two  exceptions,  lost  at  the  same 
time  all  their  private  libraries  and  papers,  although  some  of  them 
saved  a  very  few  sets  of  reports — mostly  those  of  the  State  of 
Illinois  and  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  the  breweries  destroyed  by 
the  late  fire.     The  insurance  on  the  property  was  generally  light, 
and  much  of  it  uncertain  pay  : — 
Lill's  Brewing  Company $500,000 

J.   A.  Huck .„,. .eoe..  400,000 

Sand's  Brewing  Company 333,000 


372  HISTOET   OF   THE   GREAT   FIEES 

Bush  &  Brand $250,000 

Buffalo  Brewery 150,000 

Schmidt,  Katz  &  Co , 60,000 

Metz  &  Stage 80,000 

Doyle  Bros.  &  Co 45,000 

Mloeler  Bros » 20,000 

K.  G.  Schmidt  90,000 

George  liiller 35,000 

Schmidt  &  Bender 25,000 

Mitinet  &  Puopfel 12,000 

John  Behringer 15,000 

J.  Miller 8,000 

William  Bowman 5,000 

George  Wagner 5,000 

$2,025,000 

The  loss  of  Mr.  Bill  has  been  estimated  at  $240,000.  Mr. 
Bill's  residence  alone  was  filled  with  furniture  valued  at  over 
$10,000,  much  of  the  furniture  being  made  in  imitation  of  old 
English  furniture,  and  constructed  of  the  finest  materials. 

There  were  eighty-nine  newspaper  establishments  burned,  em- 
bracing dailies  and  monthlies. 

Thus  eloquently  has  Townsend,  "  Gath,"  described  the  resist- 
ance of  the  fire-proof  Tribune  building,  which  long  withstood, 
but  finally  succumbed  with  everything  around  it. 

Oh  !  thou,  iny  master,  champion  of  the  people, 
Tribune  august,  who  e'er  kept  righteous  court, 

Long  after  fire  had  toppled  church  and  steeple, 
Thou  stoodst  amidst  the  ruins  like  a  fort. 

High  and  serene  thy  cornices  extended, 

Though  scorched  by  smoke,  and  of  the  flame  the  prey, 

Above  the  vault  where,  grim,  and  calm,  and  splendid 
The  sleeping  lions  of  thy  presses  lay ; 

t 


IN   CniCAGO    AISTD   THE   WEST.  3Y3 

Till  looking  round  on  the  wondrous  pity. 

Thyself  alone  erect,  intact,  upreared, 
Disdaining  to  outlive  the  glorious  city, 

With  innate  heat  transfigured,  disappeared. 

The  following  estimate  of  losses  of  city  property  under  the  ju- 
risdiction of  the  Board  of  Public  Works,  is  given  by  Commissioner 
Kedmond  Prindiville,  who  has  devoted  considerable  attention  to 
the  subject.  This  estimate  does  not  inclnde  the  school-houses, 
engine-houses  and  apparatus,  police  stations,  sidevs'alks,  etc.  The 
item  of  sidewalks  only  refers  to  those  in  front  of  city  property, 
together  w'ith  all  street  and  alley  crossings,  which  are  constructed 
by  the  Board  of  Public  "Works.  The  item  of  the  City  Hall  embra- 
ces only  the  west  half  of  the  Court-IIouse,  the  remainder  being 
owned  by  the  County.     The  list  is  as  follows  : — 

City  Hall,  including  furniture $470,000 

Water  Works,  engines 15,000 

Water  Works,  buildings  and  tools 20,000 

Eush  street  bridge 15,000 

State  street  bridge 15,000 

Clark  street  bridge 13,800 

Wells  street  bridge 15,000 

Chicago  avenue  bridge 26,700 

Adams  street  bridge 37,860 

Yan  Buren  street  bridge 13,470 

Polk  street  bridge 29,450 

Washington  street  tunnel 2,000 

La  Salle  street  tunnel 1,800 

Lamp-posts 25,000 

Fire  hydrants 15,000 

Street  pavements 250,000 

Sidewalks  and  crossings _    70,000 

Eeservoirs 15,000 

Docks CO.    .       10,000 


874  HISTORY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIEES 

Sewers $10,000 

Water  service 15,000 

Total $1,085,080 

It  is  safe  to  estimate  that  the  aggregate  losses  of  the  several 
religious  denominations  by  the  Great  Fire,  by  the  destruction  of 
churches,  schools,  and  other  property,  approximate  $4,000,000. 
The  Roman  Catholics  alone  lose  $1,500,000,  and  the  Methodists 
$600,000.  The  Presbyterians  lose  probably  about  $250,000.  The 
other  denominations  do  not  lose  so  heavily,  but  the  Congregation- 
alists,  Baptists,  Unitarians.  Swedenborgians,  Universalists,  and 
Israelites  all  lost  valuable  church  buildings.  In  several  instances 
not  only  the  churches  vrere  destroyed,  but  all  their  members  lost 
their  homes. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Bolles  writes  from  Chicago,  under  date  of  Octo- 
ber 11,  as  follows: — "Our  church  (Episcopal),  on  the  North  Side, 
with  its  70,000  or  80,000  inhabitants,  is  completely  burned  out  of 
existence.  Not  only  has  every  church  edifice  been  destroyed,  but 
there  is  not  a  single  parishioner  whose  private  dwelling  has  not 
been  annihilated  in  the  great  conflagration,  except  that  of  Mr. 
Ogden.  Among  the  snfFerers  are  the  clergy,  and  especially  the 
Re%^  Mr.  Street,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Dorset,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  IBredbnrg 
the  Danish  missionary;  all  of  whom  are  reduced  to  the  lowest 
depths  of  poverty  and  destitution." 

The  Interior  thus  summarizes  the  Presbyterian  losses  by  the 
file: — "Our  three  oldest,  largest,  and  wealthiest  churches  are 
utterly  destroyed ;  a  number  of  our  mission  schools  are  burned  up ; 
the  homes  of  nearly  1,500  members  of  our  congregations  are  in 
ashes ;  almost  every  prominent  business  man  in  any  one  of  the 
ch  arches — whether  of  those  destroyed  or  of  those  saved— is  crippled 
if  not  ruined,  by  losses  sustained  by  the  fire ;  our  Seminary  is 
pbiCed  in  straitened  circumstances  because  of  the  failure  of  its  in- 
vested funds  to  yield  a  revenue  sufiicient  to  meet  its  expenses." 


HON.  ISAAC    N.    ARNOLD. 


IN   CHICAGrO   AJSTD   THE  WEST.  B77 

**  Out  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  families  on  my  list/'  said  Rev.  Mr. 
Parklmrst,  of  the  Grace  M.  E.  Chm'ch,  "  not  one  has  a  roof  left. 
Church,  parsonage,  homes,  all  were  gone,  literally  annihilated." 

Some  idea  of  the  proportion  of  losses  may  be  gained  from  the 
following  estimates : — 

Dry  Goods $6,045,000 

Groceries 2,452,500 

Clothing  houses 1,911,000 

Stationers,  blank  books,  etc 1,110,000 

Jewellers,  watches  and  clocks 1,335,000 

Hardware 1,280,000 

MiHincry 1,100,000 

Hotels 1,210,000 

Church  societies  and  corporations 4-,21:0,000 

City  property 1,005,000 

Railroads 2,000,000 

Boots  and  shoes 975,000 

Drugs,  paints,  and  oils 621,000 

Books 864,000 

Hides  and  leather 428,000 

Restaurants,  saloons,  etc 528,000 

Furniture 510,000 

Music  dealers Y75,000 

Hats,  caps,  and  furs 423,000 

Glassware,  ci'ockery,  etc 133,000 

Auctioneers 306,000 

Tailors  and  outfitters 178,000 

Commissions,  etc 128,000 

Nothing  gives  a  clearer  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  the  great  fire 
than  the  fact  that  no  one  man  or  body  of  men  can,  of  themselves, 
give  any  idea  of  the  damage  done.  Every  man  doing  business  in 
the  city  has  it  in  his  power  to  contribute  a  valuable  chapter  to 
the  history  which  will  some  time  be  written  of  the  conflagration. 

00, 


378  UlSTOKY    OF   THE    GKEAT   FLKE6 

An  untold  amount  of  literary  and  art  treasures  have  gone  dowiy 
into  ashes.  In  addition  to  the  hundreds  of  private  libraries  and 
collections  of  works  of  art,  all  our  public  libraries^  and  an  im- 
mense number  of  law  libraries,  are  among  the  lost. 

The  collection  of  the  Historical  Society,  which  was  among  the 
largest  in  the  country,  cannot  be  replaced.  It  was  the  work  of 
years  to  get  it  together,  but  a  few  hours  served  to  destroy  it.  The 
Young  Men's  Association  Library,  and  the  Farwell  Hall  Library, 
and  several  other  lesser  ones,  have  passed  away.  Many  gentlemen 
had  extensive  private  collections  of  rare  and  valuable  works.  A 
large  portion  of  the  members  of  the  bar  were  sufferers,  in  this 
respect,  to  the  aggregate  extent  of  tens  of  thousands  of  volumes 
of  costly  law  books.  And  then  many  of  the  more  wealthy  of  the 
citizens  were  liberal  patrons  of  the  fine  arts,  and  had  brought 
from  Europe  valuable  paintings  with  which  to  adorn  their  resi- 
dences. These  were  left  behind  in  their  flight  for  life  before  the- 
great  sea  of  flame,  which,  with  the  irresistible  tread  of  fate,  wa& 
sweeping  towards  them.  And  last,  there  are  the  Sunday-school 
Libraries  of  at  least  half  a  hundred  churches — all  gone.  And  libra- 
ries of  clergymen,  and  the  great  and  the  small  bookstores,  scores 
of  them.  There  is  scarcely  any  end  to  the  loss  of  the  literary  and 
art  treasures  of  the  city.  It  will  be  long  years  before  our  people: 
will  be  in  a  condition  to  restore  these  adjuncts  of  our  civilizatiouv 

Says  a  correspondent : — 

"  I  walked  down  the  avenue  with  Eobert  T.  Lincoln,  son  of  the 
late  President.  He  entered  his  law-office  about  daylight  on  Monday 
morning,  after  the  flames  had  attacked  the  building,  opened  the 
vault,  and  piled  upon  a  table-cloth  the  most  valuable  papers,  then 
slung  the  pack  over  his  shoulder,  and  escaped  amid  a  shower  of 
falling  firebrands.  He  walked  up  Michigan  avenue,  with  this 
load  on  his*  back,  and  stopped  at  the  mansion  of  John  Young 
Scammon,  where  they  breakfasted  with  a  feeling  of  perfect  se- 
curity.    Lincoln  went  home  with  his  papers,  and  before  noon  the 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  379 

hoTjt«e  of  Scammon  was  in  ruins,  trie  last  which  was  sacrificed  by 
the  Lake  side." 

Mr.  Benjamin  F.  Taylor,  the  poet  and  lecturer,  who  was  for- 
merly the  literary  editor  of  the  Journal,  and  one  of  tlie  pioneer 
citizens  of  Chicago,  was  in  Bufialo  when  he  learned  of  the  great 
'salaraity,  and  thus,  in  a  note  to  a  Buffalo  editor,  tells  in  a  few 
tvords  the  feelings  and  the  spirit  of  Chicago  : — 

"  What  time  but  this,"  he  says,  "  ever  showed  the  world  an  ex- 
tinguished city  and  an  extinguished  press?  It  seems  to  me  as 
terrible  as  the  day  of  doom.  I  cannot  realize  it.  To  me  it  is  as 
if  a  best-known,  best-loved  part  of  the  planet  had  been  stricken 
off  with  a  hammer  and  lost  in  space.  To  speak  of  small  things, 
but  things  very  near  home :  here  am  I,  a  roll  of  paper  I  can  carry 
in  my  pocket  is  all  I  have  to  show  for  twenty-one  years  of  daily 
writing,  such  as  it  was.  I^ot  a  paragraph  but  these  few  left  to 
prove  I  ever  penned  a  line.  I  feel  as  if  somebody  had  set  me 
adrift  in  a  boat  with  a  biscuit,  and  nobody  in  all  the  world  to 
make  a  signal  to.  But  for  those  who  have  lost  their  all — whose 
niagnificent,  tangible  monuments  of  wealth,  money,  and  skill, 
have  perished  like  a  wisp  of  smoke — those  who  are  homeless  on 
the  footstool,  there  is  no  rhetoric  to  meet  theii*  case.  They  stand 
literally  duastered  in  the  world.  And  how  much  grander  than 
eloquent  words  was  the  action  of  the  city  of  Buffalo  that  sent  aid 
and  hope  and  good  cheer  to  them  that  stand  desolate  on  the  shore 
of  Lake  Michigan.  God  bless  Buffalo  1  And  yet  I  cannot  think 
that  the  soul  of  the  West  is  scorched  at  all — that  there  is  so  much 
as  the  "  smell  of  fire  "  on  the  garments  of  the  enterprise  that 
found  Chicago  like  little  Moses  in  the  bulrushes,  and  reared  it 
into  a  mighty  leader,  and  set  the  star  of  the  West  upon  its  brow ; 
for  I  believe  the  spirit  of  the  little  Scot,  when  'whelmed  beneath 
the  falling  house  in  the  Canongate  of  Edinburgh,  is  not  extinct — 
the  lad  who  cried  out  from  his  living  tomb,  and  so  lent  nms- 
cle  and  heart  to  the  rescuers,  'Heave  away,  chaps;  I'm  not  dead 


380  mSTORY    OF   THE    GREAT    FIREf 

yet  ! '  I  can  hear  that  voice  this  iDorniug  from  away  there  on 
Michigan,  and  even,  here  rises  the  shout  of  a  rescuer  where  she 
sits  on  the  sliore  of  Lake  Erie." 

The  following  paragraph  is  deeply  interesting   and  painfully 
true : — 

Ko  calculation  can  begin  to  tell  the  talc  of  ruin.  Banks,  ho- 
tels, wholesale  houses,  all  gone — this  is  indeed  fearfully  signifi- 
cant ;  but  of  the  amount  and  multiplicity  of  losses  no  estimate 
can  be  bronglit  home  to  the  mind.  A  volume  needs  to  be  written 
to  portray  all  that  Burnt  Chicago  means.  I  sat  at  a  railway  sta- 
tion the  other  day  by  a  gentleman  who  told  mo  his  story.  He  had 
had  nothing  burned  np.  But  nearly  all  that  he  possessed  was  in 
the  keeping  of  the  banks.  Twenty  years  ago  he  went  into  business 
with  a  dentist  who  has  been  of  late  among  the  first  in  the  city. 
He  prospered  greatly,  but  worked  too  hard,  and  for  three  years  he 
has  been  wandering  into  all  lauds  and  all  climes  where  possibly 
he  might  find  relief  from  intense  pain.  He  looks  a  young  man 
still,  but  is  broken  down,  and  Will  the  Batiks  Pay  f  is  his  prob- 
lem of  existence.  His  case  is  a  typical  one  in  this  respect,  the 
illustration  which  he  is  of  prosperity  gained  here  by  too  great 
strain  upon  body  and  mind.  There  is  no  more  terrible  feature  of 
this  calamity  than  the  condition,  from  excessive  overwork,  of 
many  of  the  minds  on  which  it  falls  most  heavily.  Can  they  look 
into  the  gulf  of  madness  which  this  ruin  opens  at  their  very  feet, 
sobered  instead  of  crazed,  or  will  they  plunge  over  the  brink, 
either  into  instant  insanity  or  into  utter  madness  of  new  excess 
of  exertion  ?  The  rage  of  speculation  which  has  run  such  a  course 
here  vastly  complicates  all  the  perplexities  of  our  present  situa- 
tion. All  these  speculative  values — boulevards,  suburbs,  South 
Side,  etc.,  etc. — are  gone  for  the  present.  What  might  have  been 
available  resources  in  the  hands  of  active  business  men  have  been 
risked  and  lost.  One  move  of  fate  has  blocked  tlie  whole  game. 
Here  is  my  neighbor  who  was  considered  worth  a  million  and  a 


IN   CHICAGO   Al^r.    THE   WEST.  3S1 

half  over  his  debts,  yet  was  under  sc  many  mortgages  that 
he  must  be  penniless  now;  and  he  is  away  looking  for  the 
power  to  Sleep.  1  iiiight  ennuierate  many  typical  instances  of 
enterprise  cverwhelmed  by  the  descent  ol  this  storm  while  carry 
ing  too  much  sail.  The  men  that  had  great  liabilities  on  account 
of  real  estate  speculations,  and  those  who  had  been  taxed  in  brain 
and  nerve  already  to  the  breaking  point,  were  far  toe  many  in  oar 
city,  even  compared  with  the  average  downward  tendency  of 
civilization,  in  this  respect,  at  the  present  time.  Then  there  wore 
very  many,  including  many  widows  and  heirs,  who  had  obtained 
very  comfortable  means  by  the  rise  in  value  of  cheap  houses  and 
lots,  and  whose  property  had  behind  it  no  habit  oi  capacity  of 
self-help.  A  great  deal  of  the  property  of  this  class  was  in  small 
loans  on  property.  Now  all  is  gone.  Time  may  give  some  value 
to  the  titles  or  the  claims,  but  all  income  is  cut  off.  Even  the 
metes  and  bounds  are  blotted  out. 

A  description  like  this  below,  which  some  friend  of  the  fanwly 
ho.s  written,  enables  us  to  look  into  the  inner  circle  of  losses, 
and  apprehend  their  exceeding  greatness. 

Among  the  many  beautiful  homes  destroyed  by  the  great  fire 
which  laid  Chicago  in  ruins,  few,  if  any,  were  more  attractive 
and  home-iiice  tnan  that  of  Hon.  I.  >T.  Arnold,  The  house  was 
a  large,  plain,  double  house,  situated  nearly  in  the  centre  of  the 
block  bounded  by  Erie,  Huron,  Pine,  and  Eush  streets.  The 
grounds  were  filled  with  the  most  beautiful  shrubbery  and  trees, 
and  entirely  secluded  by  a  very  luxuriant  lilac  hedge.  Perhaps 
the  most  noticeable  feature  was  the  vines  of  wild  grapes,  Virginia 
creeper,  and  bitter-sweet,  which  hung  in  graceful  festoons  from 
every  tree,  and  covered  with  a  mass  of  foliage  piazzas  and  sum- 
mer-houses. There  was  a  simple  but  quaint  fountain  playing  in 
front— beneath  a  perfect  boweu  of  overhanging  vines— a  great 
rock,  upon  whose  front  had  been  rudely  carved  the  features  of  an 
Indian  chief,  which  had  been  pierced,  and  a  way  made  for  water, 


382  HISTORY    OF    THE    GBEAT    FIKJES 

and  through  the  head  of  the  old  chief  tlie  water  of  Lake  Michigan 
was  always  throwiug  its  spray.  On  one  side  of  the  entrance  was 
a  little  green-house,  always  gay  with  flowers.  Two  vineries  of 
choice  varieties  of  foreign  grapes,  a  large  green-liouse  and  barn, 
constituted  the  out-houses.  On  the  lawn  was  a  sun-dial,  with  the 
inscription, 

'•'■JJoras  non  numcro  nisi  serenas." 
("I  number  none  but  sunny  hours.") 

Alas,  its  tablet  was  broken  with  the  destruction  of  the  house  it 
seemed  to  guard — but  a  brighter  day  may  come,  and  "  sunny 
hours  "  be  again  numbered. 

But  pleasant  as  was  the  outside,  it  was  the  interior  where  its 
great  attractions  lay — and  chief  of  these  was  tlic  library. 

Here  were  the  collections  of  a  life — a  law  library,  and  a  miscel- 
laneous library  of  about  seven  or  eight  thousand  volumes.  Many 
of  the  books  were  specialties  and  the  objects  of  pride  and  affec- 
tion. The  speeches  of  Burke,  Sheridan,  Fox,  Pitt,  Erskine, 
Curran,  Brougham,  Webster,  Wirt,  Seward,  Sumner,  etc.,  all 
superbly  bound ;  a  pretty  full  collection  of  English  literature, 
poetry  and  history.  Among  the  notable  books  were  the  Abbots- 
ford  edition  of  Scott's  novels  in  full  russia  binding,  Pickering's 
Bacon  in  tree  calf,  six  copies  of  Shakespeare,  Knight's  illustrated 
edition,  a  full  set  of  the  British  poets,  all  of  Bohn's  Libraries, 
Milton,  Bolingbroke,  Hume,  etc.,  etc.  In  American  literature 
and  history  the  library  was  rich.  Beautiful  editions  of  the  works 
of  Irving,  Cooper,  Paulding,  Willis,  Bryant,  Longfellow,  Pres- 
cott.  Holmes,  the  writings  of  Washington,  Madison,  Jefferson, 
Hamilton,  Marshall,  Story,  Bancroft,  etc. 

The  pictures  were  not  numerous,  but  of  very  decided  merit. 
Landscapes  by  Kensett,  Brown,  and  Mignot,  family  portraits  by 
Healy,  the  original  study  of  Webster's  reply  to  Hayne,  now  in 
Faneuil  Hall,  Boston,  in  which  were  some  forty  portraits  of  dis- 
tinguished Americans,  many  of  them  from  life  a  portrait  of  Web- 


LN    GlIIGAGO    AJS'D   THE    WEST.  o63 

ster  bj  Chester  Harding,  etc.  Mr.  A.  bad  a  verj'  complete  col- 
lection of  tbe  proceedings  of  Congress,  and  tbe  debates,  from  the 
organization  of  tbe  Federal  government  down.  In  tbis  library 
was  perhaps  as  full  a  collection  of  tbe  books  and  pamphlets  in  re- 
lation to  slavery,  tbe  rebellion,  tbe  war,  and  President  Lincoln,, 
as  existed  in  any  private  hands. 

There  were  ten  large  volumes  of  manuscript  letters  written  by 
distinguished  military  and  civil  characters,  during  and  since  the 
war  of  the  rebellion,  including  many  from  Lincoln,  McClellan, 
Grant,  Farragut,  Sherman,  Ilalleck,  Seward,  Sumner,  Chase,  Col- 
fax, and  others,  of  great  personal  and  historic  interest. 

For  the  last  ten  years  Mr.  Arnold  has  been  collecting  the 
speeches,  writings,  and  letters  of  Lincoln,  for  publication,  and 
had  many  volumes  of  manuscripts  and  letters,  the  material  for  a 
strictly  biograpliical  work  upon  Mr.  Lincoln,  several  chapters  of 
which  were  ready  for  publication.  These,  with  many  rare  and 
curious  relics,  prints,  and  engravings,  have  all  perished. 

The  failure  of  Mr.  Arnold  to  save  anything  was  the  result  of  a 
most  determined  effort  to  save  his  house,  and  a  confident  belief 
that  he  could  succeed.  This  confidence  did  not  seem  to  be  un- 
reasonable. The  house  standing  in  the  centre  of  an  open  block, 
with  a  wide  street,  and  Newberry  block  with  only  one  bouse  in 
front,  the  Ogden  block  with  only  one  house  directly  in  the  path- 
way of  the  fiames,  it  is  not  surprising  that  he  believed  he  could 
save  his  home.  Besides  he  had  connections  by  hose  with  the 
hydrants  both  in  the  front  and  rear.  Mrs.  Arnold  had  a  better 
appreciation  of  the  danger,  and  calling  up  the  family  and  dress- 
ing little  Alice,  a  child  of  eight  years  old,  she  left  tbe  house,  and 
went  to  her  daughter's,  Mrs.  Scudder's,  leaving  Mr.  A.  and  the 
remainder  of  the  family,  consisting  of  a  daughter,  a  lad  of  thir- 
teen, a  school-girl  of  fifteen,  and  the  servants,  to  fight  the  battle 
with  the  flames.  There  was  a  sea  of  fire  to  the  south  and  south- 
west ;  the  wind  blew  a  gale,  carrying  smoke  and  sparks,  shingles, 


3S'i:  HISTORY   OF    THE   GEEAT   FIEES 

pieces  of  lumber  and  roof  directly  over  the  house.  Everything 
M'as  parched,  and  dry  as  tinder.  The  leaves  from  the  trees  and 
shrubbery  covered  the  ground.  The  first  thing  was  to  turn  on 
the  water  to  the  fountains  in  front  and  on  the  east  side  of  the 
house  to  wet  the  ground  and  grass,  and  attach  the  hose.  He  sta- 
tioned the  servants  on  each  side  of  the  house,  and  others  on  the 
piazzas,  and  for  an  hour  and  a  half,  perhaps  two  hours,  was  able 
by  tlie  utmost  vigilance  and  exertion  to  extinguish  the  flames  as 
often  as  they  caught.  During  all  this  time  the  fire  fell  in  tor- 
rents ;  there  was  literally  a  rain  of  fire.  It  caught  in  the  dry 
leaves;  it  caught  in  the  grass,  in  the  barn,  in  the  piazzas,  and  as 
often  as  it  caught  it  was  put  out,  before  it  got  any  headway. 
"When  the  barn  first  caught,  the  horses  and  cow  were  removed  to 
the  lawn.  The  fight  was  continued,  and  Avith  success,  until  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  Every  moment  flakes  of  fire  falling, 
touching  dry  Mood.  with  the  high  wind,  would  kindle  into  a 
blaze,  and  the  next  instant  would  be  extinguished.  The  contest 
after  three  o'clock  grew  warmer  and  more  fierce,  arid  those  who 
fought  the  devouring  element  were  becoming  exhausted.  The 
contest  had  been  going  on  from  half  past  one  until  after  thrce^ 
Avhen  young  Arthur  Arnold,  a  lad  of  thirteen,  called  to  his  father, 
"The  barn  and  hay  are  on  fire."  "The  leaves  ai-e  on  fii'c 
on  the  east  side,""  said  the  gardener.  "  The  front  piazza  is 
in  a  blaze,"  cried  another.  "  The  front  green-house  is  in  flames, 
and  the  roof  on  fire."  '■'■The  water  has  sto2^j>ed! ''''  was  the 
last  apalling  announcement.  "ISTow,  for  the  first  time,"  said 
Mr.  A.,  "  I  gave  up  hope  of  saving  my  Jtome^  and  considered 
whether  we  could  save  any  of  the  contents.  My  pictures,  papers, 
and  books,  can  I  save  any  of  them  ?  "  An  efibrt  was  made  to  cut 
down  some  portraits,  a  landscape  of  Kensett,  Otsego  Lake,  by 
Mignot — it  was  too  late !  Seizing  a  bundle  of  papers,  gathering 
the  children  and  servants  together,  and  leading  forth  the  animals, 
they  started.     But  where  to  go?    They  were  surrounded  by  fire 


m   CHICAGO    AiW   TllJiJ   -WEST.  oS5 

on  three  sides ;  to  the  south,  west,  and  north  raged  the  flames, 
making  a  wall  of  fire  and  smoke  from  the  ground  to  the  sky; 
their  only  escape  M'as  east  to  the  Lake  shore.  Leading  the  horses 
and  cow,  they  went  to  tlie  beach.  Here  were  thousands  of  fngi 
tives  hemmed  in  and  imprisoned  by  the  raging  element.  The 
sands,  from  the  Government  pier  north  to  Lill's  pier,  a  distance 
of  three-quarters  of  a  mile,  were  covered  with  men,  women,  and 
cliildrcn,  some  half-clad,  in  every  variety  of  dress,  with  the  mot- 
ley collection  of  things  which  they  sought  to  save.  Some  had 
silver,  some  valuable  papers,  some  pictures,  some  old  carpets, 
beds,,  etc.  One  little  child  had  her  doll  tenderly  pressed  in  her 
arms,  an  old  woman  a  grunting  pig,  a  fat  woman  had  two  large 
pillows,  as  portly  as  herself,  wliich  she  had  apparently  snatched 
from  her  bed  when  she  left.  Tliere  was  a  singular  mingling  of 
the  awful,  the  ludicrous,  and  the  pathetic. 

Reaching  the  water's  edge  Mr.  A.  says  he  paused  to  examine 
the  situation,  and  determine  where  was  the  least  danger.  South- 
west toward  the  river  were  millions  of  feet  of  lumber,  and  many 
shanties  and  wooden  structures  yet  imburned,  but  which  must  be 
consumed  before  there  could  be  any  abatement  of  the  fires.  The 
air  was  full  of  cinders  and  smoke,  the  gale  blew  the  heated  sand 
worse  than  any  sirocco.  "Where  was  a  place  of  refuge?  AV.  B. 
Ogdcn  had  lately  constructed  a  long  pier  north  of  and  parallel  to 
the  United  States  pier,  and  it  had  been  filled  with  stone,  but  had 
not  been  planked  over,  and  it  would  not  readily  burn.  It  was 
"  a  hard  road  to  travel,"  but  it  seemed  tlie  safest  place,  and  Mr. 
Arnold  and  his  three  children  worked  their  way  far  out  on  this 
pier,  but  it  became  so  uncomfortable  that  he  at  length  deter- 
mined to  cross  the  Ogden  slip  to  the  light-house,  situated  well  out 
on  the  United  States  pier.  With  much  difliculty  the  party 
crossed  the  Ogden  slip  in  a  small  row-boat,  and  entered  the  light- 
house, and  here  they  and  all  others  met  the  kindest  reception  and 
hospitality. 


^SQ  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT    FIRES 

The  party  remained  prisoners  in  the  light-house  and  on  the  pier 
in  which  it  stood,  for  several  hours.  The  shipping  above  in  the 
river  was  burning  ;  the  immense  grain  elevators  of  the  Illinois 
Central  and  the  Galena  railroads  were  a  mass  of  flames,  and  the 
pier  itself  some  distance  up  the  river  was  slowly  burning  towards 
the  light-house.  A  large  propeller  fastened  to  the  dock  a  short 
distance  up  the  river  caught  fire,  and  the  danger  was  that  or  soon 
as  the  ropes  by  which  it  was  fastened  burned  oif  it  would  float 
clown  stream  and  set  fire  to  the  dock  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
the  light-house.  Several  propellers  moved  down  near  the  mouth 
of  the  river  and  took  on  board  several  hundred  fugitives,  and 
steamed  out  into  the  Lake.  If  the  burning  propeller  came  down 
it  would  set  fire  to  the  pier,  the  light-house  and  vast  piles  of  lum- 
ber, which  had  as  yet  escaped  in  consequence  of  being  directly 
on  the  shore  and  detached  from  the  burning  mass.  A  fire  company 
was  organized  of  those  on  the  pier,  and  with  water  dipped  in  pails 
from  the  river  the  fire  kept  at  bay,  but  all  felt  relieved  when  the 
propeller  went  to  the  bottom.  The  party  were  still  prisoners  on 
an  angle  of  sand,  and  the  fire  running  along  the  north  shore  of  the 
river.  The  river  and  the  fire  prevented  an  escape  to  the  south, 
west  and  north.  The  fire  was  still  raging  with  unabated  fury. 
The  party  waited  for  hours,  hoping  the  fire  would  subside.  The 
day  wore  on,  noon  passed  and  one  and  two  o'clock,  and  still  it 
seemed  diflicult  if  not  dangerous  to  escape  to  the  north.  Mi-. 
Arnold,  leaving  his  children  in  the  light-house,  went  north 
towards  Lllrs,  and  thought  it  was  practicable  to  get  through,  but 
was  not  willing  to  expose  the  females  to  tiie  great  discomfort  and 
possible  danger  of  the  experiment.  On  this  occasion  Mr.  A.  saw 
his  gardener  with  the  horses  and  cow,  wliich  could  not  approach 
the  light-house  on  account  of  Ogden's  slip.  The  faithful  fellow 
had  ridden  the  horses  far  out  in  the  Lake,  and  he  sat  on  the  horse's 
back  several  rods  from  the  shore,  holding  the  pony  by  the  halter 
and  the  cow  by  the  horn.     He  saved  the  animals. 


EST   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  387 

THE    GAUNTLET    OF    FIKE, 

Between  three  and  four  in  the  afternoon  the  tugboat  Clifford 
came  down  the  river  and  tied  up  near  the  light-house.  Could  she 
return — taking  the  party  up  the  river — through  and  beyond  the 
fire  to  the  West  Side,  or  was  it  better  and  safer  to  spend  the 
night  at  the  light-house  ?  If  it  and  the  pier,  the  lumber  and  shan- 
ties around  should  burn  during  the  night,  as  seemed  not  unlikely, 
the  position  would  not  be  tenable,  and  might  be  extremely  peril- 
ous ;  besides  Mr.  A.  was  very  anxious  to  hiow  that  Mrs.  A.  and 
little  Alice  were  safe.  The  officer  of  the  tug  said  the  return  pas- 
sage was  practicable.  Rush,  Clark,  State,  and  Wells  street  bridg- 
es had  all  burned  and  their  fragments  had  fallen  into  the  river. 
Tlie  great  warehouses,  elevators,  storehouses,  docks  on  the  banks 
of  the  river,  were  still  burning,  but  the  fury  of  the  fire  had  ex- 
hausted itself.  The  party  resolved  to  go  through  this  narrow 
canal  or  river  to  the  south  bank,  outside  the  burned  district. 
This  was  the  most  dangerous  experience  of  the  day.  The  tug 
might  take  fire  itself,  the  woodwork  of  which  had  been  blistered 
with  heat  as  she  came  down  ;  the  engine  might  get  out  of  order 
and  the  boat  become  unmanageable  after  she  got  inside  the  line 
of  fire,  or  she  might  get  entangled  in  the  floating  timber  and  de- 
hris  of  the  fallen  bridges.  However,  the  party  determined  to  go. 
A  full  head  of  steam  was  gotten  up,  the  hose  was  attached  to  the 
engine  so  that  if  the  boat  or  clothes  caught  it  could  be  put  out. 
The  children  and  ladies  were  placed  in  the  pilot  house,  and  the 
windows  shut  and  the  boat  started.  The  men  crouched  clear  to 
the  deck  behind  the  butt  works,  and  with  a  full  head  of  steam  the 
tug  darted  past  the  abutments  of  Rush  street  bridge,  and  as  they 
passed  State  street  bridge  the  pilot  had  to  pick  his  v>^ay  carefully 
among  fallen  and  floating  timber.  The  extent  of  the  danger  now 
became  'obvious,  but  it  was  too  late  to  retreat.  As  the  boat  pass- 
ed State  street  the  pump  supplying  cold  water  ceased  to  work, 
and  the  exposed  wood  in  some  parts  was  blistering.     "  Snatching 


388  HISTOKY    OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

a  handkerchief,"  says  Mr.  Arnold,  "  I  dipped  it  in  water,  and 
covering  the  face  and  head  of  Arthnr,  whose  hat  tlie  wind  had 
blown-  away,  I  made  him  lie  flat  on  the  deck,  as  we  plunged  for- 
ward through  the  liery  furnace.  On  we  sped  past  Clark  and 
"Wells  streets.  "  Is  not  the  worst  over  ? "  he  asked  of  the  Captain, 
as  the  boat  dashed  on  and  on.  "We  are  through,  sir,"  answered 
the  Captain.  "  We  are  safe."  '•  Thank  God  ! "  came  from 
hearts  and  lips  as  the  boat  ^  emerged  from  the  smoke  into  the 
clear,  cool  air  outside  the  fire  lines. 

Going  ashore  near  West  Lake  street,  Mr.  A.  obtained  a  hack  at 
the  depot  of  the  Northwestern  Railroad,  and  drove  to  Mr.  Geo. 
Davis',  and  leaving  his  children  there  he  boi-rowed  a  horse  and 
rode  north  on  the  West  Side  of  the  ISTorth  Pranch  to  get  around 
and  above  the  fire,  which  was  still  raging,  to  try  and  find  Mrs. 
Arnold  and  Alice.  He  crossed  at  North  avenue  and  went  to 
Lincoln  Park,  but  could  get  no  intelligence  of  tliem  until  ho 
reached  General  Stockton's,  at  the  end  of  tlie  Lake  shore  drive, 
whose  house  was  filled  with  North  Side  fugitives.  Here,  on  the 
Lake  shore,  a  mile  north  of  the  park,  he  was  relieved  to  learn  of 
Mrs.  A.'s  safety,  and  he  was  advised  that  she  had  gone  with  some 
friends  and  neighbors  to  Lake  View  or  Evanston.  It  was  now 
dark,  and  Mr.  A.  returned  to  the  house  of  Mr.  Davis  for  the 
night. 

Early  Tuesday  morning  ho  started  to  renew  the  search.  Pass- 
ing through  Lincoln  Park  and  the  Lake  shore  drive,  he  went 
north,  inquiring  at  every  house  until  reaching  Mrs.  Snow's,  where 
he  learned  that  Mrs.  A.  had  gone  to  the  West  Side.  Returning, 
on  his  way  he  met  friends  who  gave  him  the  cheering  words  tliat 
Mrs.  A.  and  Alice,  with  many  neighbors  and  friends,  had  on  the 
evening  before  taken  the  cars  for  Winfield,  and  were  all  well  at 
the  house  of  Judge  Drummond,  and  there,  Tuesday  'evening, 
the  family  all  met,  and  returned  thanks  to  God  for  each  other's 
safety. 


m   CHICAGO   AlfD   THE    WEST.  380 

The  Trihun^s  account  of  Allan  Pinkcrton^s  loss  reveals  a 
ciu-ious  feature  of  our  modern  city  life  : — 

Thousands  of  thieves,  and  hundreds  of  thousands  of  respect- 
able people,  were  as  fully  acquainted  with  the  name  of  Allan 
Pinkerton  as  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  or  Jack  the  Giant-Killer,  and 
his  detective  agency  was  as  famous  an  institution  as  Boston  Com 
mon.  The  system  over  M'hich  he  presided  was  the  result  of  years 
of  patient  toil  and  persevering  energy,  and  the  reputation  enjoyed 
by  him  w^as  the  fruit  of  that  toil  and  energy  and  perseverance. 
With  a  huge  central  office  in  Chicago,  and  branches  in  New 
York  and  Philadelphia,  the  champion  thief -catcher  had  his  prey 
so  uncomfortably  situated  as  to  be  all  the  time  in  the  toils,  only 
they  didn't  know  it. 

The  system  was  not  destroyed,  but  a  portion  of  its  foundation 
has  given  way,  and  the  savings  of  twenty  years — not  in  dollars 
•and  cents,  but  in  records  which  dollars  and  cents  can  never 
replace — vanished  in  about  half  an  hour,  Mr.  Pinkerton  started 
his  famous  detective  agency  in  Chicago  in  1852,  and  two  yeai-s 
later,  when  it  began  to  assume  large  proportions,  the  records 
were  commenced.  The  most  minute  details  of  every  case  wei"o 
all  faithfully  recorded ;  the  statement  of  every  applicant  foi 
assistance  in  receiving  property;  the  detectives  to  whom  the 
*'  job  "  Avas  intrusted  ;  his  orders  ;  his  report  of  the  operations ; 
the  disposition  by  the  thief  of  the  property  stolen;  the  amount 
recovered,  and  indeed  every  detail  of  the  case.  Then,  when  the 
thief  was  brought  to  trial,  the  whole  of  the  testimony  in  the  case 
was  taken  down,  and  tlie  final  disposition  of  the  prisoners  duly 
}'ecorded,  so  that  from  the  time  a  complaint  was  made  at  Pinker- 
ton's  headquarters  that  money  or  property  l:^d  been  missing,  a 
complete  history  of  the  thief  and  his  pursuers  until  the  disapjjear- 
ancc  of  the  former  in  the  Penitentiary  or  his  acquittal,  was 
recorded.  The  amoimt  of  matter  thus  created  was  astonishing. 
For  the  mere  clerical  work  upon  it  more  than  $50,000  had  been 


§90  mSTOEY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

paid.  Of  such  curious  records  there  were  no  less  than  400  gigan- 
tic volumes  of  great  value.  These  were  nearly  all  stowed  away 
in  six  of  Harris'  largest  safes,  while  the  remainder  were  placed  in 
wooden  cases.  It  is  needless  to  state  that  every  one  of  them  was 
destroyed.     That  in  itself  would  have  been  a  public  calamity. 

Mr.  Pinkerton  also  possessed  complete  records  of  the  secret  ser- 
vice of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  They  were  of  immense  value, 
being  not  only  the  complete,  but  the  only  set  in  existence.  Mr. 
Pinkerton,  whose  facilities  for  obtaining  correct  information 
during  those  days  were,  of  course,  very  much  greater  than  those 
of  any  one  else,  valued  them  at  $50,000.  The  government 
had  already  offered  $30,000  for  them — 59  volumes  altogether — 
and  negotiations  were  still  going  on.  The  whole  set  perished. 
That  was  also  a  public  calamity. 

Pinkerton  had  in  his  employ  a  large  number  of  preventive 
policemen,  whose  occupation  was  "  to  watch  while  all  the  city's 
sleeping,  to  chase  the  rogues  that  prowl  by  night,"  as  the  two 
yendarmes  were  wont  to  sing.  These  men  had  orders  every 
night  to  make  out  a  report  when  they  came  in.  They  had  to  give 
an  account  of  their  proceedings  on  their  beat,  the  condition  of  the 
weather,  what  unusual  circumstances  they  witnessed,  who  they 
saw,  and  what  they  said  or  did  to  him  or  her.  These  reports  were 
all  copied  into  the  recc^rds.  There  were  forty  of  these  ponderous 
volumes,  which  were  obtained  at  a  cost  of  $40  each.  Their  value 
may  be  imagined.  They  were  frequently  consulted  in  court  pro- 
ceedings for  the  purpose  of  gaining  information  as  regards  the 
weather,  the  condition  of  the  streets,  the  presence  or  absence  of 
the  moon,  and  other  policemen.  There  were  in  all  forty-eight 
patrolmen,  who  gave  each  an  account  of  these  particulars,  and  it 
is  presumable  that  their  accounts  generally  coincided  so  far  as  at- 
mospheric conditions  were  concerned.  Of  course  the  records  were 
all  destroyed.  lu  the  first-made  rush,  when  the  men  seized  every- 
thing on  which  they  could  lay  hands,  they  carried  two  of  these 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  d\)i 

volumes  down-stairs  and  threw  tliem  on  a  wagon,  into  wliicli  nmc-h 

/Other   nuscelhxncons  matter    was  tlirown    also.     The  remainder 

shared  the  fiery  fate  common  to  e^-erything  in  the  burnt  district. 

In  a  small  room  adjoining  Mr.  Pinkerton's  private  office  vv'cre  a 
number  of  plain  wooden  cases  in  which  were  stored  the  files  of 
the  daily  papers  since  1854.  There  was  not  a  copy  of  a  daily  or 
weekly  paper  issued  since  1854  of  which  Mr.  Pinkerton  had  not  a 
duplicate.  Many  were  bound  together,  and  105  volumes  covered 
them  all.  There  were  printed  instructions  posted  all  round  the 
wall,  giving  directions  to  the  men,  in  case  of  fire,  to  move  these 
perishable  goods  first,  trusting  the  safes  to  protect  the  records.  It 
AS'as  supposed  that  the  Harris  safes,  which  cost  $370  each,  and  a 
Herring  safe  which  cost  $600,  would  be  worth  something  as  a  pro- 
tection against  fire,  but  the  result  proved  them  valueless.  Only 
one  safe  preserved  its  contents  uninjured,  and  that  one  by  a  for- 
tunate accident.  Owino-  to  some  misconstruction  in  the  buildino^ 
one  safe,  containing  some  of  the  account  books  and  receipts  from 
express  companies  of  money  restored,  fell  into  the  street,  and  es- 
caped being  melted.  The  contents  were  valuable  in  their  way,  but 
to  Mr.  Pinkerton  only.  The  other  records  were  completely  wiped 
out,  and  with  them  was  wiped  out  the  foundation  for  a  complete 
and  exhaustive  history  of  the  Northwest,  besides  matter  enough 
for  thrilling  stories  without  end;  groundwork  for  sensational 
stories  innumerable.  It  was  Mr.  Pinkerton's  intention  to  have 
some  of  them  published  in  due  time,  when  the  parties  were  dead 
or  foi'gotten.  Indeed,  many  of  them  were  already  written,  and 
were  waiting  but  a  favorable  opportunity  for  introduction  to  the 
world.  The  recent  heated  term  has  interfered  materially  with  his 
designs,  and  crumbled  plans  and  papers  into  one  common  ruin. 
When  the  fire  first  broke  out  a  rush  was  immediately  made  to  save 
the  most  valuable  property.  All  that  could  be  moved  in  Mr. 
Pinkerton's  room  was  transf  ei'red  to  a  wagon,  and  the  newspaper 
files  were  mnde  ready  for  removing.     But  before  the  lowering 


392  HISTOKY    OF   THE    GKEAT   FIRES 

tackle  could  be  put  into  satisfactory  operation  the  flames  were  dart- 
ing through  the  hatchway,  and  the  wagon  containing  the  trifling 
proportion  of  salvage  drove  quickly  ofi^  to  Mr.  Pinkerton's  home 
on  West  Monroe  street.  Besidesthese  losses  there  were  others.  The 
storeroom  where  the  disguises  and  other  paraphernalia  of  a  detec- 
tive were  stored ;  the  dormitor}-  and  the  extensive  household  ar- 
rangements necessary  for  the  accommodation  of  the  small  army  of 
men  in  constant  employ  in  the  building  also  were  burned.  The 
greedy  fire  here  did  all  the  damage  it  could.  In  half  an  hour  the 
best  regulated  oflice  in  the  country,  aud  the  most  accurate  and 
probably  minutely  detailed  records,  lay  in  the  basement — a  red- 
hot,  indescribable  heap  of  rubbish,  the  only  recognizable  article 
whereof,  a  fortnight  later,  was  a  heap  of  bricks,  surmounted  by 
the  remains  of  a  pen-holder. 

The  damage  to  the  teiegrapli  system  was  such  that  every  wire 
in  the  city  was  disarranged,  all  the  instruments  misplaced,  dam 
aged  aud  remo^•ed,  aftd,  to  crown  all,  a  half-dozen  wires  between 
Chicago  and  Xew  York  were  completeh^  broken  down.  To  re- 
establish connection,  the  whole  post  of  operators  moved  before 
the  fire  three  or  four  times,  and  the  bridgelcss  stream  has  been 
crossed  by  the  reconstructed  wire. 

Mr.  Mullett,  supervising  architect  of  government  buildings, 
after  inspecting  the  Post-Oflice  and  Custom-House  of  Chicago, 
says  he  is  satisfied,  from  the  appearance  of  the  building,  that  if  it 
had  been  provided  with  fire-proof  shutters  and  a  safe  roof,  its 
contents  would  have  been  preserved.  Tie  also  says  that  if  there 
had  been  a  whole  street  of  such  buildings  with  fire-proof  shutters, 
it  would  have  stopped  the  fire  and  saved  the  rest  of  the  city.  He 
says  the  city  should  be  divided  into  fire  districts,  so  that  tlie  fii'e- 
men  should  have  some  rallying  point,  and  that  there  should  be  a 
law  requiring  every  building  on  certain  streets  to  be  built  of  mate- 
rials to  resist  flames,  and  thus  prevent  the  annihilation  of  the  city 
at  a  single  conflagration.     The  government  will  not  entertain  auy 


>N(;  TUE  KUINS. 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  395 

proposition  for  the  removal  of  the  public  buildiugs  in  Chicago, 
but  will  probably  purchase  the  entire  block  if  it  can  be  obtained 
at  a  reasonable  price.  One  of  the  owners  agreed  to  sell  his  lot  at 
the  same  price  asked  for  it  before  the  fire,  while  the  owner  of  a 
small  shop,  learning  that  the  government  wanted  to  purchase,  has 
raised  his  price  two  or  three  times  higher  than  it  was  before  the 
fire.  The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  will  probably  ask  Congress  to 
condemn  the  property,  when  it  will  be  taken  and  the  regular  price 
paid  for  it.  Mr.  Mullett  will  at  once  begin  the  plans  for  a  new 
building,  which  will  be  submitted,  with  the  estimates,  to  Congress. 
It  is  thought  the  buildings  will  cost  from  $2,000,000  to  $3,000,- 
000,  and  the  land  $1,000,000. 

The  Chicago  Library  possessed  many  costly  works,  among 
which  were  the  records  of  the  English  Patent  Office,  in  3,000 
volumes.  The  destruction  of  the  files  of  the  Tribune  is  an 
immense  loss  to  Chicago,  and  an  ii-reparable  one  to  the  Tnhune. 
There  was  a  duplicate  copy  presented  to  the  Historical  Society. 
They  contained  a  complete  and  exhaustive  histoiy  of  Chicago 
from  its  first  settlement. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  principal  edifices  destroyed : 
Great  Central  Depot,  St.  James  Hotel, 

Palmer  House,  Matteson  House, 

Tribune  Building,  Sherman  House, 

Post-Office,  Hejpuhlican  Building, 

Bigelow  House,  Chamber  of  Commerce, 

Evening  Post  Building,  i\evada  Hotel, 

Tremont  House,  Gas  Works, 

Court-House,  Briggs  House, 

Lombard  Block,  Crosby's  Opera  House, 

Times  Building,  Stoats- Zeitung  Building, 

Terrace  Block,  McVicker's  Theatre, 

Armour  Block,  Wood's  Museum, 

Journal  Building,  Dearborn  Theatre, 

23 


896 


HISTOET    OF   THE    GKEAT   FIREB 


Adams  House, 
Massasoit  House, 
City  Hotel, 
Metropolitan  Hotel, 
Union  Building, 
Post-Office  JJlock, 
McCormick's  Block, 
Western  News  Co.'s  Block, 


Hooley's  Opera  House, 
Mail  Building, 
Shepard  Block, 
Honore  Block, 
Eeynolds'  Block, 
National  Bank  of  Commerce, 
Illinois  National  Bank, 
Cook  County  National  Bank, 


Manufacturers'  National  Bank,   ^tna  Building, 
S.  C.  Griggs  &  Co.'s  Book  House,  Armory, 


German  National  Bank, 
Mechanics'  National  Bank, 
Commercial  National  Bank, 
Metropolitan  Hall, 
Arcade  Building, 
Merchants'  National  Bank, 
Loan  &  Trust  Co.'s  Buildino^, 


Brunswick's  Billiard  Factory, 

Farwell  Hall, 

Union  National  Bank, 

Mer.  and  Farm.'s  Savings  Bank, 

Badger's  Bank, 

Illinois  Saving  Institution, 

City  National  Bank, 


W.  U.  Telegraph  Co.  Building,  Adams  Express  Co., 


Oriental  Block, 

St.  Mary's  Church  (Catholic), 

Palmer  House, 

First  National  Bank, 

Trinity  Church, 

Third  National  Bank, 

Jewish  Synagogue, 

Mayo  Block, 

Fifth  National  Bank, 

Burch  Block, 

Lake  Shore  Depot, 

Second  Presbyterian  Church, 

Merchants'  Ins.  Building, 

Academy  of  Design, 

Water  Works, 


W.  Fire  and  Marine  Building, 

First  M.  E.  Church, 

Sturges  Block, 

Second  National  Bank, 

Phoenix  Club, 

Morrison  Block, 

Fourth  National  Bant, 

Catholic  Cathedral, 

McCormick's  Factory, 

Galena  Elevator, 

Galena  Depot, 

German  Theatre, 

Unity,  N.  E.,  and  Westminster 

Churches, 
Sisters  of  Mercy  Convent. 


IN    CHICAGO    AWD    THE   WEST.  397 

Clarendon  Hotel,  Hiram  Wheeler's  Elevator, 

Diversey  Block,  Elm  st.,  Catholic  Hospital,  and 

Lill's  Brewery,  the  Dearborn,  Franklin,  Mose- 

First  Presbyterian  Church,  ly,    Lincoln,    Pierson    street, 

Hubbard  Block,  Elm  street,  and  other  Schools, 

Chittenden  Building,  Sand's  Brewery, 

Bryant's  Commercial  College,      Church  of  the  Holy  Name, 
Otis  Block,  Alexian  Hospital, 

St.  Paul's  Church,  Armour  &  "Dole's  Elevator, 

Academy  of  Music,  Hatch  House, 

Drake-Farwell  Block,  Hlinois  street  Church, 

Stone's  Block,  Jewish  Hospital, 

North  Baptist  Church,  North  Star  Mission, 

Historical  Society  Building. 
The  best  authorities  concur  in  estimating  the  total  loss  at  from 
$198,000,000  to  $215,000,000,  taking  the  total  insurance  to  repre- 
sent one-third  of  the  total  loss.     This  may  be  divided  as  follows, 
on  a  rude  approximate : 

Loss  on  buildings  and  property $106,590,000 

Loss  on  stock  and  plant 74,560,000 

Loss  on  furniture  and  personal  property . .       24,850,000 

Total $206,000,000  ■ 

Such  statements  can"  only  be  relative  and  proximate.  Actual 
losses  have  in  some  instances  been  made  up  by  anexpected  gains. 
Interruption  to  business  cannot  be  valued  and  may  extend  over 
years  of  the  future.  By  such  a  view  as  is  here  given  persons  may 
obtain  impressions  of  great  value  as  to  the  immense  destruction 
wrought.  If  fbst  reports  were  exaggerated  in  some  respects  they 
have  never  fully  comprehended  the  situation,  and  only  as  we 
travel  over  the  desolated  region  of  nearly  three  thousand  acres, 
can  we  fitly  conceive  what  awful  damage  was  consummated. 

Before  speaking  of  the  dead  who  lost  their  lives  by  the  lire,  we 


o9S  HISTOKY   OF   TKK    GREAT   FUSES 

give  room  to  au  appropriate  paragraph  from  the  iV!  Y.  Tribune^ » 
correspondence : — 

There  was  more  spared  of  the  remote  Northwest  of  this  North 
Side  of  Chicago  than  the  reports  had  any  of  them  admitted — an 
explanation  of  which  fact  I  shall  presently  mention.  In  1868, 
the  city  limits  were  at  Fullerton  avenue,  the  length  of  which,  from 
the  Lake  to  the  north  branch  of  the  river,  is  two  miles.  North 
avenue,  a  mile  back  in  the  city,  is  but  a  mile  and  a  half  in  length 
from  lake  to  river.  As  fai-  as  North  avenue  there  was  little  left, 
and  clear  up  to  Fullerton  avenue,  the  more  thickly  occupied  part 
was  all  swept  away,  but  the  limit  of  this  part  ran  diagonally  from 
near  the  west  end  of  North  avenue,  to  near  the  east  end  of  Ful- 
lerton avenue.  On  the  left  or  west  of  this  limit  is  a  large  district 
mostly  unoccupied,  and  yet  sprinkled  in  various  directions  with 
residences  of  city  people,  as  well  as  with  the  cottages  of  gar- 
deners. Unpaved  streets,  deep  with  sand  or  with  earth  which  is 
like  ashes,  are  opened,  and  to  a  considerable  extent  sidewalks  of 
plank  are  laid  ;  and  there  are  two  or  three  small  churches  within 
the  district.  Thus  in  fact  a  territory,  in  shape  an  isosceles  tri- 
angle, having  the  base  nearly  two  miles  long  on  Fullerton 
avenue  to  the  north,  and  the  sides  (1)  the  river  on  the  west,  run- 
idng  there  northwest  and  southeast,  and  (2)  the  limit  of  closer 
building  on  the  east,  running  northeast  and  southwest,  was  not 
swept  by  the  fire,  and  is  now  the  equivalent  of  a  small,  very 
sparsely  settled  village.  Oak  openings  covered  with  a  young  and 
low  growth  of  trees,  squares  bare  even  of  fences  and  thickly 
covered  with  thistles,  gardens  occupying  four  to  eight  acres,  make 
up  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  district.  The  city  limits  were 
not  long  ago  removed  half  a  mile  north  of  Fullerton  avenue,  add- 
ing a  district  of  more  than  a  square  mile,  the  whole  of  which  is 
as  much  "  country  "  as  if  no  city  had  ever  been  thought  of  in  the 
vicinity.  The  fire  actually  crossed  Fullerton  avenue  into  this- 
district,  and  ran  across  its  southeast  comer,  near  the  Lake  on  the- 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    TKE    WEST.  399 

€ast,  and  above  Lincoln  Park  on  the  north.  But  it  was  the  least 
possible  snip  of  ground  which  was  burned  over  here,  and  only  one 
small  building  which  was  reached.  The  residence  and  grounds 
of  Mr.  Huck,  one  of  the  great  JN^orth-side  brewers,  who  lost 
$500,000  lower  down  on  the  Lake  shore  by  the  destruction  of  his 
brewery,  occupies  the  Lake  shore  front  on  the  north  side  of  Ful- 
lerton  avenue,  his  barn  standing  nearest  the  southeast  corner  of 
the  premises,  and  just  beyond  it 'to  the  southeast  is  the  small  house 
which  the  fire  reached.  B}'  great  efforts,  and  aided  by  the  police, 
whom  Mr.  Huck  stimulated  by  the  promise  of  $1,000  reward,  the 
bam  was  saved,  and  the  fire  checked  at  that  point.  On  the  site 
of  this  one  small  house,  therefore,  just  over  Fullerton  avenue,  and 
right  at  the  edge  of  the  wide  sands  beyond  which  is  the  Lake,  one 
stands  at  the  finishing  point  of  the  conflagration.  And  here  1 
may  correct  the  common  accounts  even  of  pei-sons  resident  at  the 
extreme  north  end,  in  regard  to  the  distance  run  by  the  fire. 
From  Fullerton  avenue  south  to  Kinzie  street  is  two  and  one- 
half  miles  by  the  survey.  Kinjde  street  is  the  second  street  north 
of  the  main  channel  of  the  river.  From  Kinzie  street  south, 
across  the  river,  and  as  far  as  Harrison  street,  is  exactly  one  mile. 
Nearly  all  of  one  block  was  saved  north  of  Harrison  street,  the 
last  block  to  the  east,  directly  on  the  Lake.  Excepting  this  block, 
the  distance  due  north  from  une  limit  of  the  fire  to  the  other,  or 
from  Harrison  street  to  Fullerton  avenue,  is  precisely  three-and- 
one-half  miles.  This,  therefore,  is  the  length  of  the  broad  sweep 
of  conflagration.  The  average  breadth  on  the  south  side  is  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile,  until  one  reaches  Randolph  street,  going  north, 
which  is  the  third  street  south  of  the  river.  Here  the  great  Cen- 
tral Depot  grounds,  at  the  foot  of  Lake  and  "Water  streets,  push 
the  line  of  breadth  out  to  exactly  one  mile.  Thus  the  conflagra 
tion  crossed  the  main  trunk  of  Chicago  River  with  one  mile  of 
front.  Over  the  river  the  line  of  breadth  pushes  still  more  into 
the  Lake,  enough  to  give  the  fire  a  front  of  a  mile  and  one-sixth, 


400  HI8T0ET   OF  THE   GBEAT   FffiES 

and  this  front  is  fully  kept  for  the  first  half-mile  north,  and 
nearly  or  quite  kept  for  the  second  half-mile ;  it  did  not  losff 
much  of  it  for  the  thii-d  half-mile.  But  for  the  last  mile  not 
more  than  half  of  the  square  mile  was  run  over,  the  burnt  half 
being  a  triangle,  of  which  the  base  was  about  a  mile  in  length, 
and  the  upper  point  was  the  finishing  point  of  the  fire.  This 
whole  region  was  not  burned  by  a  dii'ect  northward  progress  of 
the  fire,  but  in  vast  swaths  from  the  river  on  the  west,  diagonally 
across  to  the  Lake.  First  one  vast  sweep  was  made  of  the  triangle 
the  base  of  which  is  the  main  channel  of  the  river,  and  the  upper 
point  of  which  is  the  Water  Works.  After  this  there  struck  in  a 
dozen  other  sweeping  scythes  of  flame,  the  fire  first  creeping  a 
block  or  two  along  the  bank  of  the  north  branch,  and  then  tearing 
madly  across  in  a  northeast  direction  to  the  Lake.  The  swinging 
terrors  did  not  sweep  evenly  forward,  but  sometimes  one  behind 
outran  one  which  had  the  start,  and  they  made  horrible  dashes 
into  each  other.  As  each  new  start  was  made  higher  up  on  the 
river  bank,  and  the  course  was  diagonally  across,  the  effect  was 
to  maintain  a  general  line  of  advance  directly  north,  until  the 
last  start  on  the  river  was  taken,  when  the  front  commenced 
steadily  narrowing  until  the  fire  ended  in  a  point  as  I  have  de- 
scribed. The  effect  of  thus  moving  corps  after  corps  of  fire- 
terroi-s,  their  racing  side  by  side,  and  their  fierce  mutual 
interferences,  was  one  of  compounded  horrors  and  of  amazing 
sublimity.  It  seemed  as  if  the  earth  shook  with  the  a^vful 
breathing  of  the  fire  monsters,  while  their  voices  roared  in  horrid 
unison  or  more  horrid  discord,  as  if  earth  and  sky  were  rushing 
to  ruin.  The  trampling  of  the  fire-chased  throngs,  vast  whirls  of 
smoke  and  sj)arks  constantly  sweeping  over  them,  fi-antic  men 
dragging  bundles  or  trunks,  women  hurrying  forward  little  cliil- 
dren,  teams  dasliing  recklessly  or  choked  by  their  own  mad  rush, 
women's  clothes  constantly  taking  fire,  and  combustible  bundles 
bursting  into  flame,  while  sighs  and  groans  and  shrieks  made  an 


IN    CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  401 

undertone  to  the  fire-tempest— such  was  the  scene  at  the  moment 
when  the  fullest  and  fiercest  course  of  the  manifold  conflagration 
was  reached,  after  successive  starts  of  the  fire  had  been  made 
along  the  river  bank,  and  when  the  full  number  of  the  reapers 
of  destruction  were  in  mad  career  across  the  doomed  plain, 

A  morgue,  or  dead-house,  was  early  established,  where  all 
corpses  were  gathered  for  recognition,  previous  to  interment. 

Here  were  enacted  scenes  of  pathetic  interest,  as  friends  came 
to  seek  their  lost  ones,  and  were  disappointed ;  or,  discovering  the 
objects  of  their  affection,  were  overwhelmed  with  grief.  Two 
girls,  looking  for  their  father,  recognized  him  as  he  lay  upon  his 
face,  by  the  hair  and  shape  of  his  head.  They  were  motherless 
before  the  fire,  and  this  robbed  them  of  their  chief  earthly  pro- 
tector. It  was  a  sad  funeral,  when  we  buried  him,  amid  all  the 
excitement  and  tumult  of  the  day  succeeding  the  conflagration. 
But,  away  in  the  green  recesses  of  the  cemetery,  there  was  sweet 
rest.  Let  us  hope  that  the  repose  of  Heaven  is  more  sure  and 
satisfying,  after  the  excitement  and  agony  of  life. 

In  the  presence  of  death  and  woe  will  men  forget  the  better 
part  ?  How  insignificant  seemed  man  as  we  stood  by  the  dead  in 
the  morgue !  Mere  pailf  uls  of  charred  Ijones  and  flesh  indicated 
the  existence  of  those  who  but  the  day  before  were  full  of  lusty 
life.  Oh !  helpless  man,  call  upon  God,  the  living  God.  Here 
lay  the  body  of  a  beautiful  young  girl,  of  perhaps  two-and-twenty. 

This  poor  victim  has  a  wealth  of  rich  brown  hair,  and  brown 
eyes ;  she  is  four  feet  in  height,  and  posesses  a  handsome  figure.. 
She  must  in  life  have  been  exceedingly  lovely.  Not  being  burnt 
at  all,  she  suffocated  in  the  smoke,  as  did  many  of  the  other 
victims  whose  remains  were  afterwards  consumed  by  the  flames. 

The  fire,  whose  intensity  melted  all  things,  was  able  to  so  de- 
stroy human  bodies  that  not  a  trace  of  them  should  remain.  This 
fact  serves  to  account  for  the  utter  loss  of  many  persons  known  to 
have  been  in  the  vicinity  where  the  fire  appeared  and  wrought 


402  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

most  suddenly  and  rapidly.  It  will,  therefore,  never  be  Imown 
who  peiished,  and  how  many,  until  God  finally  reveals  all  secret 
things.  Besides  the  actually  burned,  many  were  so  shocked  as  to 
sink  down  into  death,  A  lovely  aged  woman,  Mrs.  Wright,  had 
long  been  ill,  and  was  convalescing  finally,  when  her  son  came 
home,  and  said,  "  Mother,  everything  is  gone.  "  The  old  lady  an- 
swered with  a  smile,  "James,  then  you  won't  have  enough  to  bury 
me ; "  and  immediately  she  began  to  decline,  and  soon  dropped 
away  into  that  blessed  sleep,  "  from  which  none  ever  wakes  to 
weep."  A  little  girl,  dpng,  said  to  her  mother,  "I  knew  it  would 
rain,  because  I  asked  Jesus  to  send  it ;  "  and  amidst  the  falling 
drops,  so  grateful  to  a  whole  cityf ul,  the  trusting  child  went  to  her 
Saviour.  Many  infants  saw  the  light  only  to  close  their  eyes  upon 
it  forever.  And  while  hundreds  were  gathered  up  out  of  the  ruins 
others  have  not  been  discovered,  others  survived  the  wreck  for  a 
few  houi-s  or  days,  and  others  linger,  who  wiU  owe  their  decease 
to  the  terrors,  and  anxieties,  and  sorrows  of  this  signal  calamity. 

Fair  she  rose, 
Liftmg  liigli  her  stately  head. 

Victor-crowned, 
Stretching-  strong  and  helpful  hands 

Far  around ; 
Full  of  lusty,  throbbing  life, 

In  the  strife 
Dealing  quick  and  sturdy  blows. 

Sudden  swept 
Through  her  streets  a  sea  of  fire ; 

Roaring  came 
Seething  waves,  cinders,  brands. 

All  aflame  ; 
Blood-red  glowed  the  brazen  sky  ; 

Far  and  nigh 
Smoke  in  wreaths  and  eddies  crept. 

Oh!   the  cries 
Shrill,  heart-rendiug  !     Oh  !    the  hands 


IN    CHICAGO    AINU    THE   WEST  403 

Frantic  wrung ! 
Oh  !   the  swaying  biuldings  vast; ! 

Pen  or  tongue 
Ne'er  the  awful  tale  can  tell. 

How  they  fell 
Undemeatb  the  dizzy  skies. 

Low  she  lies, 
Bowed  in  dust  her  stately  head, 

Desolate  ; 
Yet,  by  all  her  glory  past, 

Let  us  wait, 
Stand  beside  her  firm  and  true; 

Built  anew, 
Watch  her,  help  her  upward  rise. 


404 


HISTORY    OF   THK    GREAT   FIRES 


v.— MINISTERED  TO  BY  CHEISTIAN  CHARITY. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

The  greatest  human  ills  liave  their  compensations.  Every 
picture,  however  dark,  has  its  bright  side.  Pain  and  sorrow  save 
from  evils  deeper  and  more  enduring.  Misery  and  sin  develop 
pitj,  compassion,  patience,  and  enterprises  of  recovery  and  salva- 
tion, which  bring  out  the  grandest  heroes  of  history,  and  call  forth 
the  most  beautiful  and  sublime  qualities  of  our  nature.  The  war 
of  Revolution  and  the  war  against  Secession,  alike,  had  their 
compensations,  so  vast  and  real  as  to  cover  all  the  woe  and  loss 
they  occasioned  and  entailed. 

A?  great  exigencies  develop  great  men,  and  peculiar  sorrows 
call  fofth  the  best  elements  of  human  nature,  thus  compensating 
for  labors  and  loss  in  some  measure,  glorifying  mankind,  and 
bringing  down  God's  richest  blessings,  so  on  the  bosom  of  this 
mighty  sea  of  trouble  rose  a  light  that  brightened  into  perfect 
day,  and  the  people  of  this  and  other  countries  put  forth  their 
energies  to  relieve  distress  and  provide  for  the  army  of  sufferers. 

Severe  and  terrible  though  our  sufferings  were,  and  immense  our 
losses,  and  the  world's  losses,  yet  the  spontaneous  and  magnificent 
uprising  of  our  countrymen  and  of  people  across  the  ocean,  to  aid 
the  poor,  to  help  the  fallen,  to  relieve  suffering,  and  prevent 
despair,  was  a  spectacle  unprecedented  in  history,  and  may  be 
productive  of  results  that  shall  be  an  abundant  recompense  for  so 
painful  a  catastrophe.  Persons  abroad  seemed  to  comprehend 
our  case  more  perfectly  even  than  we  who  were  almost  paralyzed 
by  the  shock.  The  telegraph  made  our  situation  known  at  once 
to  all  parts  of  the  world;  and  while  the  grounds  were  red  with  the 


m    CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST.  40& 

embers  of  the  conflagration,  men  and  women  began  co  take 
measures  for  the  relief  of  tlie  one  hundred  thousand  sufferers  in 
Chicago. 

Nor  did  they  prepare  a  moment  too  soon.  It  will  be  seen  that 
such  a  destruction,  so  sudden,  speedy,  and  complete,  must  have 
left  a  great  army  utterly  destitute  of  the  commonest  necessities 
of  existence.  Those  who  were  able  and  accustv>med  to  provide 
for  the  needy  were  many  of  them  as  poor  as  the  poorest  they  had 
ever  assisted.  This  was  our  extremity.  All  were  alike  in  a  con- 
dition of  partial  demoralization,  and  the  rush  of  needy  ones  from 
the  flames  was  new  turned  towards  the  immediate  supplying  of 
their  pressing  wants.  And  they  were  destitute  of  everything  but 
life  and  the  little  Ihey  carried  away  in  their  hands  and  saved  from 
plunder.  On  Monday  and  Monday  night  the  farmers  and  inhabi- 
tants of  the  towns  close  at  hand  began  to  gather  up  clothing,  to 
cook  provisions,  to  empty  their  cellars,  and  pour  their  bounty 
upon  us  by  means  of  the  railroads. 

"  An  old  man  from  Iowa  no  sooner  heard  of  the  conflagration 
than  he  took  instant  passage  for  the  city  to  succor  his  son's  family. 
It  was  his  first  visit  to  Chicago,  and  it  is  to  be  presumed  he  was 
ignorant  of  our  geograpliical  position.  Still  he  meant  well,  so 
well  indeed  that  on  being  informed  at  a  way-station  that  the 
people  were  suffering  from  a  scarcity  of  water,  he  alighted  from 
the  train,  purchased  a  cask,  filled  it  with  water,  and  brought  it  to 
the  city  in  triumph.  It  did  not  transpire,  but  is  likely  to  have 
3een  the  case,  tliat  a  philanthropic  oxprsssman  charged  him  $100 
to  convey  it  from  the  railroad  station." 

"  A  clergyman  in  Athol  (Mass.),  whose  home,  we  are  sorry  to 
say,  is  not  given,  was  so  enthusiastic  in  packing  clothing  for  the 
Chicago  sufferers  that  he  put  his  own  hat  by  mistake  into  the 
box,  and  it  has  gone  on  with  the  rest  of  the  donations.  This 
was  a  truly  charitable  gift,  for  it  is  evident  that  the  left  hand  of 
the  reverend  gentleman  didn't  know  what  his  right  hand  was 


40  f)  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

doing;  and  can  there  be  a  more  unconditional  kind  of  self-sur 
render  than  that  which  is  implied  in  the  formula, '  Take  my  hat '  ? '' 

The  papers  told  a  good  storj  of  Mr.  Ed.  Hudson,  Superintend- 
ent of  the  P.,  P.  &  J.  Railroad,  and  a  gentleman  well  known  to 
railroad  men.  Upon  hearing  of  the  burning  of  Chicago,  his  first 
act  was  to  telegraph  to  all  agents  to  transport  free  all  provisions 
for  Chicago,  and  to  receive  such  articles  to  the  exclusion  of 
freight.  He  then  purchased  a  number  of  good  hams  and  sent 
them  home  with  a  request  to  his  wife  to  cook  them  as  soon  as 
possible,  so  that  they  might  be  sent  to  Chicago.  He  then  ordered 
the  baker  to  put  up  fifty  loaves  of  bread.  He  was  kept  brsy  during 
the  day  until  five  o'clock.  Just  as  he  was  starting  for  home  the 
baker  informed  him  the  hundred  loaves  of  bread  were  ready. 

"  But  I  only  ordered  fifty,"  said  Ed. 

"  Mrs.  Hudson  also  ordered  fifty,"  said  the  baker. 

"  All  right,"  said  Ed.,  and  he  inwardly  blessed  his  wife  for  the 
generous  deed. 

Arriving  at  home  he  found  his  little  boy,  dressed  in  a  fine  cloth 
suit,  carrying  in  wood.  He  told  him  that  would  not  do;  he 
must  change  his  clothes. 

"  But  mother  sent  all  my  clothes  to  Chicago,"  replied  the  boy. 

Entering  the  house  he  found  his  wife,  clad  in  a  fine  silk  dress, 
superintending  the  cooking.  A  remark  in  regard  to  the  matter 
elicited  the  information  that  she  had  sent  her  other  dresses  to 
Chicago. 

The  matter  was  getting  serious.  He  sat  down  to  a  supper  with- 
out butter,  because  all  that  could  be  purchased  had  been  sent  to 
Chicago.  There  were  no  pickles — the  poor  souls  in  Chicago 
would  relish  them  so  much. 

A  little  "  put  out,"  but  not  a  bit  angry  or  disgusted,  Ed.  went 
to  the  wardrobe  to  get  his  overcoat,  but  it  was  not  there.  An  in- 
terrogatory revealed  the  fact  that  it  fitted  in  the  box  real  well, 
and  he  needed  a  new  overcoat  anyway,  although  he  had  paid  $50 


m    CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST.  407 

for  the  one  in  question  only  a  few  days  before.  An  examination 
revealed  the  fact  that  all  the  rest  of  his  clothes  fitted  the  box  real 
nicely,  for  not  a  "  dud  "  did  he  possess  except  those  he  had  on. 

While  he  admitted  the  generosity  of  his  wife,  he  thought  the 
matter  was  getting  entirely  too  personal,  and  turned  to  her  with 
the  characteristic  inquiry: 
"Do  you  think  we  can  stand  an  encore  on  that  Chicago  fire?" 
Rival  cities  forgot  all  the  hard  words  uttered  by  Chicago,  and 
rallied  to  our  aid  with  a  magnanimity  unparalleled,  and  never  to 
be  forgotten.  Milwaukee,  Cincinnati,  and  St.  Louis  were  princely 
in  their  liberality,  which  has  been  eloquently  celebrated  in  these 
ringing  lines : — 

I  saw  the  city's  terror, 

I  heard  the  city's  cry, 
As  a  flame  leaped  out  of  her  bosom 

Up,  up  to  the  brazen  sky ! 
And  wilder  rose  the  tumult, 

And  thicker  the  tidings  came — 
Chicago,  queen  of  the  cities, 
Was  a  rolling  sea  of  flame ! 

Yet  higher  rose  the  fury, 

And  louder  the  surges  raved 
(Thousands  were  saved  but  to  suffer, 

And  hundreds  never  were  saved), 
Till  out  of  tliC  awful  burning 

A  flash  of  lightning  went, 
As  across  to  brave  St.  Louis 

The  prayer  for  succor  was  sent. 

God  bless  thee,  0  true  St.  Louis  ! 

So  worthy  thy  royal  name — 
Back,  back  on  the  wing  of  the  lightning 

Thy  answer  of  rescue  came. 
But  alas !  it  covild  not  enter 

Through  the  horrible  flame  and  heat, 
For  the  fire  had  conquered  the  lightning 

And  sat  in  the  Thunderer's  seat ! 


408 


HISTOEY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

God  bless  thee  again,  St.  LouiB ! 

For  resting  never  then. 
Thou  calledst  to  all  the  cities 

By  lightning  and  steam  and  pen. 
"  Ho,  ho,  ye  hundred  sisters. 

Stand  forth  in  your  bravest  might ! 
Our  sister  in  flame  is  falling 

Her  children  are  dying  to-night  I  " 

And  through  the  mighty  republic 

Thy  summons  went  rolling  on, 
Till  it  rippled  the  seas  of  the  Tropics 

And  ruffled  the  Oregon. 
The  distant  Golden  City 

Called  through  her  golden  gates, 
And  quickly  rxng  the  answer 

From  the  City  of  the  Straits 

A:id  the  cities  that  sit  in  splendor 

Along  the  Atlantic  Sea, 
Eeplying,  called  to  the  dwellers 

Where  the  proud  magnolias  ba 
From  slumber  the  army  started 

At  the  far-resounding  call, 
"  Food  for  a  hundred  thousand,'* 

They  shouted,  "and  tents  for  all." 

I  heard  through  next  night's  darkness 

The  trains  go  thundering'  by, 
Till  they  stood  where  the  fated  city 

Shone  red  in  the  brazen  sky. 
The  rich  gave  their  abundance, 

The  poor  their  willing  hands  ; 
There  was  wine  from  all  the  vineyards, 

There  was  com  from  all  the  landa 

At  daybreak  over  tjjie  prairies 
Re-echoed  the  gladsome  cry — 

*'Ho,  look  unto  us,  ye  thousands. 
Ye  shall  not  hunger  nor  die  !  " 


m    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WE8T.  409 

rheir  weeping  was  all  the  answer 

That  the  famishing  throng  could  give 

To  the  million  voices  calling 
"  Look  unto  us,  and  live !  " 

Destruction  wasted  the  city, 

But  the  burning  curse  that  came 
Enkindled  in  all  the  people 

Sweet  Charity's  holy  flame. 
Then  still  to  our  God  be  glory  I 

I  bless  Him,  through  my  tears. 
That  I  live  in  the  grandest  nation 

That  hath  stood  in  all  the  years. 

New  York  crowned  her  record  of  oenevolence  by  gifts  that 
were  positively  enormous.  The  Old  "World,  thrilled  to  the  heart, 
by  the  flash  of  the  telegraph  that  showed  our  city  burning  and 
our  people  roofless,  responded  with  promptness  and  munificence. 
Indeed,  from  one  end  of  the  land  to  the  other  there  was  a  gen- 
erosity, such  as  declared  that  He  who  "  went  about  doing  good  " 
had  not  lived  in  vain.  Even  the  "  Heathen  Chinee  "  has  a  heart 
in  his  bosom  to  feel  for  others'  woes. 

The  Sau  Francisco  AUa  says  that  when  the  Committee  in 
that  city  to  solicit  contributions  from  the  Chinese  merchants  for 
the  relief  of  the  Chicago  sufierers  made  known  the  object  of 
their  visit,  the  response  was  a  credit  to  the  representatives  of  that 
race  who  have  been  treated  with  indignitj'  on  so  many  occasions, 
and  are  liable  at  any  time  to  be  assaulted  when  passing  through 
the  streets.  In  one  case  an  intelligent  merchant  said  to  the 
collectors  :  "  Me  leadee  in  Alta,  Melican  man  town  all  same  hap 
gone — burnee  up.  Melican  man  wantee  dollas  ;  some  time  poor 
Melican  man  strikee  Chinaman  with  blicks  ;  Chinaman  no  care. 
Alice  people  Chicago  losee  everything — wifee  and  childlen  burn 
out.  Chinaman  say  alJee  same  my  countree  peoplee — wantee 
help.  How  muchee  dollas  you  wantee  ?  Hundled  dollas  ?  Alee 
light :  you  not  find  enough  monee  comee  me  again,  give  another 


410  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT    FIRES 

bundled."      The   contributions    tbus   given   by   the   merchants 
reached  $1,290. 

From  the  South  responses  were  slow  and  feeble.  Yet  Balti- 
more, Louisville,  and  some  other  towns  gave  nobly,  and  their 
representatives  labored  personally  with  efficient  energy  and  wis- 
dom in  the  distribution  of  relief.  From  Falkland,  North  Caro- 
lina, Annie  Jones  wrote  this  letter — 

Dr.  E.  J.  GooDSPEED,  Chicago,  111. : 

Having  just  read  in  the  Religious  Herald  of  the  great 
suffering  of  the  Baptists  of  Chicago,  by  the  late  fire  there,  and 
wishing  to  give  a  little  aid,  you  will  please  accept  one  dollar  from 
a  poor  Baptist.  Give  it  to  some  poor  sufferer,  and  may  the  Lord 
open  the  hearts  of  many  others  to  aid  them,  is  the  sincere  prayer 
of  Annie  Jones. 

This  may  offset  some  of  those  bitter  words  written  upon  our 
fallen  city,  and  printed  in  Southern  papers,  to 

"  Show  how  ^:ts  sins  mvoked  the  Sovereign's  frown." 

This  seemed  to  have  been  a  time  for  sympathy,  and  the 
cementing  of  ties,  and  not  for  malediction  and  savage  triumph. 
So  dire  a  misfortune  gave  men  opportunities  to  wipe  out  a  dark 
past ;  for  charity  hides  a  multitude  of  sins. 

And  who,  hence  looking  backward  o'er  his  years^ 
Feels  not  his  eyelids  wet  with  grateful  tears, 

If  he  hath  been 
Permitted,  weak  and  sraful  as  he  was, 
To  cheer  and  aid  in  some  ennobling  caiise. 

His  fellow-man  ? 

If  he  hath  hidden  the  outcast,  or  let  in 
A  ray  of  sunshine  to  the  cell  of  sin — 

H  he  hath  lent 
Strength  to  the  weak,  and  in  an  hour  of  need, 
Over  the  suffering,  mindless  of  his  creed 

Or  home,  hath  jent — 


^"':te3«;«i 


i,^\\j^t^h^i 


T-HE    NATIONAL     HAND    OF   FELLOWSHIP. 


THE  EELIEP  COMiQTTEE  LN  SESSI02*. 


EST   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  413 

He  has  not  lived  in  vain.    And  while  he  gives 
The  praise  to  Him,  in  whom  he  moves  and  lives, 

With  thankful  heart 
He  gazes  backward,  and  with  hope  before, 
Knowing  that  from  his  works  he  nevermore 

Can  henceforth  part. 

Among  cities  east  of  us,  Cleveland  was  first  to  am%'e  with 
bread  and  raiment;  among  cities  south,  Springfield  perhaps  took 
the  lead  on  that  memorable  morning;  among  cities  north,  Mil- 
M^aukee  ;  and,  indeed,  from  every  point  of  compass,  and  grade  of 
life,  help  came,  and  the  one  aim  seemed  to  be,  to  do  the  utmost, 
in  the  speediest  possible  way,  for  the  miserable  sufferers.  Phila- 
delphia, city  of  brotherly  love,  showed  its  fraternal  spirit  in 
ample  gifts.  Pittsburg,  city  of  iron,  rained  gold  upon  us.  Bos- 
ton, seat  of  all  noble  charities  and  beautiful  accomplishments, 
lavished  her  thousands,  and  gave  her  heartiest  toil.  Montreal, 
the  American  city  of  Canada,  was  glorious  in  her  liberality. 
And  so,  all  around  the  galaxy,  every  star  seemed  to  excel  in 
brilliancy  to  light  our  darkness  ;  and  when  we  begin  to  enumer- 
ate each  bright  particular  star,  they  multiply,  till  we  are  dazzled 
and  confounded. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


The  following  oflicial  communication  sheds  clear  light  upon 
the  first  steps  of  the  citizens'  course,  and  the  initiatory  acts  of 
relief,  which  heralded  the  incoming  of  the  river-like  beneficence 
of  mankind.  It  was  addressed  by  the  president,  Hon.  Charles  C. 
P.  Holden,  one  of  our  best  citizens : 
To  the  Mayor  and  Aldermen  of  the  City  of  Chicago^  in  Common 

Council  assembled : 

Gentlemen:    On  the  8th  and  9th   of  October  last  past  the 
heart  of  our  city  was  destroyed  by  fire.     The  territory  covered 
24 


4]  4  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIKES 

b;^  this  terrible  conflagration,  and  the  municipal,  commercial,  and 
private  losses  sustained  by  this  fire  are  all  familiar;  many  of  yon, 
having  been  embraced  in  its  territory,  know  full  well  the  effect 
of  this  great  calamity  by  sad  experience. 

The  undersigned  desires  to  call  your  attention  to  tlie  manner  in 
which  preliminary  measures  were  taken  and  arrangements  made 
for  succor  and  relief. 

On  Monday  morning  I  tried  to  get  the  city  government  together, 
or  portions  of  it,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  some  action  to  meet 
the  great  emergency ;  in  this  we  failed.  The  North  Division 
was  at  the  time  being  burned  to  ruins ;  its  officers  were 
busily  engaged  in  trying  to  save  their  families  and  the  lives 
of  its  inliabitants.  The  Mayor  was  in  the  South  Division,  using 
every  available  means  to  stay  the  further  spread  of  the  fire ;  in- 
deed, at  this  particular  time,  all  ceemed  to  be  in  a  state  of  chaos, 
and  all  who  had  thus  far  escaped  the  terrible  calamity,  expected 
hourly  to  be  numbered  among  its  victims.  At  noon  of  that  ever- 
memorable  day,  the  undersigned  called  upon  Orrin  E.  Moore, 
and  after  a  few  moments'  conference  with  this  gentleman,  a  gene- 
ral plan  of  action  was  fixed  upon.  In  company  with  Mr.  Moore, 
we  at  once  drove  to  the  Police  Station,  corner  of  Union  and 
Madison  streets,  and  after  leaving  word  with  Capt.  Miller  to 
have  certain  parties  sent  for,  and  to  meet  us  at  the  Congrega- 
tional Church,  corner  of  Ann  and  Washington  streets,  at  the 
earliest  possible  moment,  we  repaired  to  that  church,  and  at  a 
quarter  to  one  o'clock,  in  the  name  of  the  City  of  Chicago,  we 
took  possession  of  the  same.  Capt.  S.  M.  Miller,  Deputy  Super- 
intendent Wells  Sherman,  of  the  Police  Department,  reported 
at  once  for  duty.  The  Mayor  was  sent  for,  and  before  three 
o'clock  the  Mayor,  Police  Commissioner  Brown,  Hon.  S.  S.  Hayes, 
Aid.  Wilce,  Aid.  Witbeck,  Aid.  Bateham,  H.  Z.  Culver,  Dr. 
Goodwin,  and  very  many  other  citizens  had  assembled. 

Mr.  Hayes  drew  up  a  proclamation  for  general  distribution, 


»  IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  415 

pledging  the  credit  of  the  City  of  Chicago  for  the  necessary  ex- 
penses for  the  relief  of  the  sufferers;  calling  upon  tlie  entire 
police  force,  the  Fire  Department,  and  the  Health  Department 
to  maintain  the  peace  and  good  order  of  the  city;  establishing 
the  head-quarters  of  the  city  government  at  the  Congregational 
Church,  corner  Ann  and  Washington  streets.  This  proclamation 
was  signed  by  the  Mayor,  Comptroller,  the  President  of  the  Com- 
mon Council,  and  President  of  the  Board  of  Police.  An  organiza- 
tion was  immediately  effected  for  the  great  work  in  hand,  and 
consisting  of  the  following  gentlemen :  Orrin  E.  Moore,  Aid. 
Buehler,  Aid.  Devine,  John  Ilerting,  Aid.  McAvoy,  and  N.  K, 
Fairbanks.  Orrin  E.  Moore  was  chosen  President,  C,  T.  Hotch- 
kiss  was  made  Secretary,  and  C.  C.  P.  Holden,  Treasurer. 

All  the  churches  and  school-houses  were  thrown  open  to  the 
distressed.  Delegations  were  sent  out  to  relieve  sucli  as  they 
could.  Scouts  were  sent  to  all  parts  of  the  city  to  watch  for  in- 
cendiarism, and  also  to  watch  and  report  the  progress  of  the  fire, 
wliere  it  was  then  raging,  and  before  midnight  of  Monday  many 
thousands  of  special  patrolmen  had  been  sworn  into  the  service, 
and  were  doing  patrol  duty.  Major  Phelps  had  been  detailed  to 
get  together  a  corps  to  aid  him  in  looking  after  the  sufferers  in 
the  South  Division.  As  daylight  came  on  Tuesday,  also  came 
E.  B.  Harlan,  the  Private  Secretaiy  of  Gov.  Palmer,  tendering 
money,  troops,  and  arms ;  in  fact,  John  M.  Palmer  saw  at  once 
our  situation,  and  took  immediate  steps  to  meet  the  trying  emer- 
gency. Committees  from  the  nation  commenced  arriving — at  the 
head  of  them  was  the  St.  Louis  delegation — headed  by  the  Hon. 
H.  T.  Blow.  Yast  quantities  of  supplies  commenced  arriving. 
Aid.  Gill,  Aid.  McCotter,  and  Supervisor  Pierce  took  charge  of 
the  work  to  receive  and  distribute  supplies  from  that  point; 
Gen.  Mann  and  Col.  Ptay  took  charge  of  receiving  supplies  from 
the  railroads  in  the  West  Division,  and  Gen.  Hardin  had  chai-ge 
of  all  supplies  arriving  on  the  railroads  in  the  South  Division. 


416  HISTORY   OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES  , 

Yarioiis  parties  were  placed  in  charge  of  the  various  churches, 
school-houses,  depots  for  supplies,  etc.,  etc.,  to  the  end  that  all 
the  suft'erers  by  the  fire  should  be  cared  for  at  the  earliest  possi- 
ble moment.  Aid.  Wilce  was  requested  to  cause  to  be  erected  at 
once  from  100  to  2,000  houses,  to  be  occupied  by  families  then 
homeless.  lie  was  to  take  possession  of  any  land  suitable  for 
this  purpose.  Most  energetically  did  he  perform  his  duty,  in 
company  with  Aid.  Bateham.  The  Water  Works  had  been 
destroyed,  and  not  only  was  there  great  suffering  b}"  those  who 
had  been  burned  out  for  tliis  most  important  commodity,  but  the 
suffering  was  being  felt  by  all  classes.  Water  carts  in  various 
numbers,  trucks,  drays,  express  wagons,  carriages,  buggies,  in 
fact  every  vehicle  which  would  not  volunteer  to  aid  in  the  noble 
work  was  pressed  into  the  service — water  from  the  parks  and 
artesian  wells  was  distributed  throughout  the  city. 

The  suiferers  were  brought  fronj  the  streets  and  other  places  to 
those  where  shelter  was  provided,  and  before  eight  p.m.  of  Tuesday 
it  was  reported  by  a  well-known  city  officer  that  every  liomeless  soul 
had  shelter,  food,  and  water,  and  when  we  recollected  that  100,000 
or  more  of  our  citizens  had  been  rendered  homeless  by  the  fire,  the 
result  of  this  day's  work  must  be  satisfactory  to  you.  At  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Committee  early  Wednesday  morning,  the  Treasurer 
made  a  statement  to  the  effect  tliat  all  moneys  should  be  paid  into 
the  City  Treasury,  where  the  safety  guard  of  our  municipal  gov- 
ernment would  be  thrown  around  it ;  and  further,  that  this  would 
meet  the  approval  of  the  country  at  large,  whose  moneys  were 
then  en  route  here  for  our  succor.  David  A.  Gage  was  therefore 
appointed  Treasurer. 

Mr.  Moore  and  liis  association  had  now  the  work  well  in  hand, 
considering  that  the  undertaking  was  less  than  forty-eight  ho^irs 
old.  An  arrangement  had  been  made  with  the  railroads,  and  a 
Bureau  established  for  the  issuing  of  passes  to  all  sufferers  by  the 
fire,  another  for  the  lost  and  found,  another  for  medical  purposes 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  41 7 

and  so  on,  till  there  were  some  eight  or  ten  heads  of  departments 
working  for  the  common  good  in  tliat  churcli,  corner  of  Ann  and 
"Washington  streets.  During  this  day  (Wednesday)  numerous 
quantities  of  supplies  were  arriving  by  every  train  and  on  every 
road — committees  from  every  principal  city  in  tlie  Union  and 
Canadas  kept  pouring  in,  bringing  words  of  cheer  as  they  came. 
Governors  of  States,  too,  came — particularly  do  we  remember  the 
deep  interest  for  the  sufferers  manifested  by  Gov.  Hayes,  of  Ohio. 
The  committee  from  the  nation  held  their  meetings  in  tha  church, 
and  gave  us  such  advice  and  information  as  was  calculated  to 
inspire  us  with  courage. 

Tlie  Cincinnati  committee  commenced  at  once  the  erection  of 
a  mammoth  soup-house,  indeed  it  seemed  that  these  committees 
from  abroad  comprehended  the  situation  even  better  than  our- 
selves. Everything  that  could  be  done  in  tliat  hour  of  great  dis- 
tress, by  them  was  done.  At  their  meeting  held  in  the  evening 
of  Wednesday,  they  had  more  than  one  hundred  present ;  the 
result  of  the  meeting  was  the  issuing  of  an  address  to  the  nation. 
The  effect  of  this  address  has  had  a  wide-spread  influence  in  mak- 
ing known  to  the  country  our  real  wants  and  needs.  Thursday, 
the  12th,  the  Chicago  llelief  and  Aid  Society  took  cliarge  of  the 
great  work  then  fairly  commenced.  On  Friday  evening  the  com- 
mittees from  abroad  held  theirfinal  meeting.  At  this  meeting  they 
issued  an  address  to  the  citizens  of  Chicago.  In  it  tiiey  said  :  "  We 
are  perfectly-satisfied  to  recommend  to  the  country  that  all  moneys 
intended  for  your  relief  be  sent  to  the  City  Treasurer,  because  we 
believe  they  will  not  only  be  safe,  but  will  be  expended  in  accord- 
ance with  the  wishes  of  the  contributors.  It  w^as  signed :  H.  T. 
Blow,  Cliairman  Western  Committee;  A.  J.  Goshoon,  Chairman 
Cincinnati  Committee  ;  W.  M.  Morris,  Chairman  Louisville  Com- 
mittee. 

The  undersigned  remained  at  the  head-quarters  first  established 
until  Thursday  evening,  Oct.  24,  doing  all  that  he  could  do  in  behalf 


418  HISTORY   OF   THE    GEEAT   FIKES 

of  the  citj  to  caiT}'  aid  and  relief  to  all  the  sufferers.  In  this  great 
work  there  had  been  voluntarily  engaged  during  the  first  week  an 
army  of  our  citizens,  both  male  and  female,  and  very  many  of  them 
are  still  in  the  traces  and  at  work.  During  this  time  great 
expenses  were  incurred  in  the  procuring  of  lumber,  nails,  etc.,  for 
the  building  of  temporary  houses  ;  the  providing  of  all  classes  of 
vehicles  for  the  moving  of  families  and  their  supplies  ;  during  the 
same  tinje  the  undersigned  received  numerous  advices  of  the  send- 
ing forward  for  the  relief  of  the  sufferers  vast  sums  of  money  ;  he 
also  received  in  person  the  sum  of  $42.50  in  cash,  to  wit :  Com- 
mittee from  Valparaiso,  Indiana,  the  sum  of  $40,  and  from  twc 
ladies  $2.50,  all  of  which  was  immediately  turned  over  to  D.  A. 
Gage,  treasurer.  Before  closing  this  report  I  desire  to  call  the 
attention  of  the  Council  to  the  great  good  performed  by  the  Board 
of  Health,  who  were  at  the  head-quarters  night  and  day  till  the 
24th,  doing  all  that  could  be  done  in  the  line  of  their  profession  to 
relieve  the  distressed.  To  all  the  niembers  of  your  honorable 
Board  I  bear  witness  to  the  aid  and  efficiency  rendered  by  you. 
Many  of  you  lost  your  homes  and  places  of  business  by  the  fire ; 
even  this  did  not  deter  or  keep  you  from  rendering  aid  and  assist- 
ance to  others,  as  well  became  those  occupying  the  positions  you 
do.  To  the  ladies,  who  rendered  great  assistance  on  this  most 
trying  occasion,  no  words  can  express  the  encomiums  they  have 
earned — their  names  are  legion. 

Gentlemen,  I  have  deemed  it  my  duty  to  make  this  statement 
to  you  of  matters  pertaining  to  the  great  fire  and  subsequent 
thereto,  and  would  ask  your  kind  consideration  of  the  same. 

In  connection  with  this  important  contribution  to  the  history 
of  relief,  we  publish  the  following  address  to  the  citizens  of  Chi- 
cago, written  October  13th,  which  was  referred  to  above : 

The  undersigned  respectfully  call  your  attention  to  the  follow- 
ing facts :  The  committees  from  the  principal  cities  of  the  West, 
with  food  and  supplies  of  all  kinds,  have  been  in  your  city  since 


EST   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  419 

last  Monday  night;  they  assembled  at  the  head-qnarters  of  the 
Mayor  and  City  Council,  corner  of  Ann  and  Washington  streets, 
and   have  since   co-operated   with   Alderman   Holden   and  other 
members  of  the  Council.     Mr.  Moore  and  his  associates  being  the 
only  organization  known  to  them  in  the  city  for  the  relief  of  the 
suflt'erers   by  the  great  fire,  the   St.    Louis   supplies,  with    large 
quantities  intrusted  to  the  delegation  from  Indiana  and  Illinois, 
were  distributed  by  General  Ilardie,  who  in  person,  under  orders 
of  General  Sheridan,  placed  them,  as  we  believe,  most  judiciously. 
We  attest  most  heartily  to  the  unselfish  and  arduous  services  ren- 
dered by  Alderman   Holden,  Mr.  Moore  and  his  associate  mem- 
bers, the  Mayor,  and  many  of  the  Common  Council,  Mr.  Preston, 
of  the  Board  of  Trade,  and  especially  General  Sheridan  and  his 
aids,  and    yet  deem   it    a  duty  to    say  to  you    that   it   is   now 
absolutely  essential  that  the  work  be  systematically  and  econom- 
ically extended,  that  ample  arrangements  should  at  once  be  made 
for  the  reception  and  careful  distribution  of  coming  supplies,  by 
an  organization  which  will  satisfy  yourselves  and  encourage  your 
friends  to  continued  action.     We  are  perfectly  satisfied  to  recom- 
mend to  the  country  that  all  moneys  intended  for  your  relief  be 
sent  to  the  City  Treasurer,  because  we  believe  that  they  will  not 
only  be  safe,  but  will  be   expended  in  accordance  with  the  wish 
of  the  contributors ;    but  from  the  facts  presented  we  trust  you 
will    see    the    actual   necessity  for   the    systematic    arrangement 
alluded  to  ;  and  now  that  your  best  men  can  calmly  survey  the 
condition  without  fear  of  the  future,  we  again  most  earnestly  beg 
that  you  will  take  immediate  steps  for  a  thorough  and  permanent 
organization,  that  will  be  entirely  equal  to  the  great  work  before 
them.  Henky  P.  Blow, 

Ch.  of  the  Western  Committees 

A.    T.    GOSHORN, 

Ch.  of  Cincinnati  Committee. 
Wm.  M.  Morris, 

Ch.  of  Louisville  Committee. 


420  HISTORY   OF   THE   GEEAT   FIRES 

And  herewith  is  presented  the  Mayor's  order,  which  gave  univer- 
sal satisfaction  : 

"  I  have  deemed  it  best  for  the  interests  of  this  city  to  tnrn  over 
to  the  Chicago  Eelief  and  Aid  Society  all  contributions  for  suf- 
fering people  in  thi?  city.  This  Society  is  an  incorporated,  old- 
established  organization,  and  has  possessed  for  many  years  the 
entire  confidence  of  our  community,  and  is  familiar  with  the 
"work  to  be  done.  The  regular  force  of  this  Society  is  inadequate 
to  this  immense  work,  but  they  will  rapidly  enlarge  and  extend 
the  same  by  adding  prominent  citizens  to  the  respective  commit- 
tees ;  and  I  call  upon  all  citizens  to  aid  this  organization  in  every 
possible  way.  I  also  confer  upon  them  the  power,  heretofore 
exercised  by  the  Citizens'  Committee,  to  impress  teams  and  labor, 
and  to  procui'e  quarters  so  far  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  trans- 
portation, distribution,  and  care  of  the  sick  and  disabled. 

"  General  Sheridan  desires  this  arrangement,  and  has  promised 
to  co-operate  with  this  association.  It  will  be  seen  from  the  plan 
of  work  detailed  below,  that  every  precaution  has  been  taken 
in  regard  to  the  distribution  of  the  contributions." 

Up  to  the  time  of  this  step  towards  a  more  thorough  and  ju- 
dicious management  of  supplies  for  relief,  there  had  been  various 
points  selected  in  the  unburnt  district,  especially  churches,  where 
the  houseless  found  shelter  and  food. 

The  rush  to  these  depositories  of  food,  and  places  of  rest  for  the 
outcast  multitude,  M-as  in  many  cases  overwhelming  and  fearful. 
In  my  own  church,  every  lower  room  was  occupied  by  the  sick  as 
a  hospital,  by  mothers  as  a  nursery,  by  the  conimittee  on 
distribution,  and  for  storage  of  goods  and  provisions.  Orders 
from  our  committee  were  honored  at  the  Rink,  where  tlie  supplies 
were  gathered  for  general  distribution,  and  immense  loads  would 
melt  away  like  snow  in  the  summer  sun.  There  M'as  no  lack  of 
helpers  to  succor  the  unfortunate.  We  could  not  find  work 
enough  for  those   who  were  anxious  to  assist  in  caring  for  their 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  421 

more  nnfortnnate  fellow-eitizeng.  Hundreds  were  comfortably 
lodged  on  the  benches,  which  were  cushioned.  There  was  a  re- 
cord of  missino;,  lost  and  found,  kept  in  the  church,  and  hundreds 
daily  searched  it ;  and  in  sevei'al  instances  tlie  long-separated  met 
together  in  the  sanctuary.  '  A  colored  girl  saved  a  charming 
white  baby,  an.d  the  exigencies  of  flight  drove  her  here,  and  the 
mother  found  her  beautiful  child  safely  cared  for  by  its  nurse. 
Death  came  also  to  some  who  were  hospitably  entertained,  and 
they  gave  up  their  lives  in  peace  within  the  walls  which  often 
echoed  to  the  message  of  eternal  life. 

When  shelter,  tents,  and  baiTacks  had  been  provided,  one  by 
one  the  lodgers  left  the  church,  every  one  being  presented  with  a 
cushion  and  a  blanket.  The  same  scenes  were  enacted  on  every 
hand  in  the  churches,  which  were  homes,  where  the  beautiful 
hand  of  charity  gave  cheer  and  aid,  with  kind  words  and  tender 
acts.  One  learned  to  love  the  Chicagoans  more,  when  we  saw 
their  self-sacrificing  devotion  to  the  welfare  of  their  neighbors, 
amidst  their  own  desolation,  losses,  and  forebodings  of  coming 
want,  or  fears  of  present  peril.  Yet  there  were  instances  of  des- 
picable thieving,  pilfering,  and  hypocritical  pretence,  which  out- 
rivalled  anything  we  ever  read  of  in  history.  Some  parties  made 
raids  upon  the  public  bounty,  and  supplied  themselves  with  a 
winter's  stock.  There  was  a  woman  in  one  of  the  churches  who 
got  upon  her  person  and  in  her  bundle  twenty-seven  dresses. 
Wherever  these  instances  were  found  they  Avere  speedily  punished, 
and  imposition  was  checked.  But  in  the  first  hurry  and  pressure 
of  want  there  was  too  little  opportunity  for  discrimination  ;  and 
people  said,  we  must  not  let  any  one  suffer,  even  though  impos- 
tors share  with  the  actually  destitute.  It  was  soon  seen  that  there 
must  be  careful,  faithful  discrimination,  or  the  supply  would  be 
gone  and  the  want  unrelieved.  At  this  juncture  the  entire  matter 
was  committed  to  the  organization  called  the  Chicage  Relief  and 
Aid  Society. 


422 


HISTOEY    OF    THE    GKEAT   FIRES 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
"While  tlie  boundless  charity  of  tlie  great-hearted  AmericaE 
public  made  it  possible  to  feed,  clothe,  and  comfort  one  hundred 
thousand  persons  in  an  incredibly  short  period,  so  that  the  very 
poor  fared  better  than  it  was  their  wont  to  do,  and  all  classes 
were  blest  in  some  measure,  the  necessity  of  an  efficient  associa- 
tion for  permanent  and  deeper  work  was  instantly  apparent,  and 
grew  more  urgent  every  hour.  This  was  the  crisis,  too,  for  the 
machinery  of  our  Aid  Society  to  be  applied  to  the  greatest  prob- 
lem of  the  century  ;  and  nobly  has  it  met  the  emergency.  Under 
the  superintendency  of  a  warm-hearted  and  large-minded  Chris- 
tian gentleman,  Mr.  O.  C.  Gibbs,  it  had  been  for  years  efficient 
in  providing  for  the  large  number  of  poor  people  always  crowd- 
ing around  i'ts  doors,  and  so  investigating  their  claims  that 
imposition  was  well-nigh  impossible.  It  was  found  all  ready  for 
indefinite  expansion,  and  assumed  the  control  of  all  contributions 
of  every  kind,  except  those  sent  to  individuals.  Its  visitors  were 
sent  through  districts  to  every  house,  and  all  applications  were 
investigated  thoroughly,  and  w^hen  worthy  sufferers  applied,  they 
were  at  once  provided  with  what  they  needed  for  the  time,  and 
arrangements  made  to  issue  them  rations  till  they  could  become 
self-supporting.  The  accompanying  directions  and  information 
were  furnished  by  printed  circulars  : — 

To  all  SuperiyitendenU^  Assistants  arid  Visitors  in  the  Service 
of  the  Chicago  Belief  and  Aid  Society  : 

In  the  distribution  of  supplies  give  uncooked  instead  of  cooked 
food  to  all  families  provided  with  stoves ;  flour  instead  of  bread, 
etc. 

The  Shelter  Committee  furnish  all  families  for  whom  they 
provide  houses  and  barracks,  with  stove,  bedstead,  and  mattrass, 
and  no  issue  of  those  articles  to  such  families  will  be  necessary 
on  your  part. 


IK   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  423 

Superintendents  of  Districts  and  Sub-Districts  will  so  keep  an 
account  of  their  disbursements  as  to  give  a  correct  report  to  me 
at  the  end  of  each  week,  the  number  of  families  aided  during  the 
week,  and  the  amount,  in  gross,  of  supplies  distributed. 

Superintendents  will  also  ascertain  and  report,  as  early  as  pos- 
sible, the  amount  of  furniture,  number  of  stoves,  amount  of 
common  crockery,  etc.,  which  will  be  needed  in  their  respective 
districts. 

Superintendents  will  also  organize  their  working  force  as  early 
as  possible,  retaining  upon  their  force  those  who  have  proved 
themselves  the  most  eihcient  and  capable  in  the  discharge  of  their 
duties,  reducing  the  number  of  paid  employes  to  the  smallest 
number  consistent  with  the  efficient  performance  of  the  work  of 
their  districts. 

A  special  organization  charged  with  the  relief  of  special  cases 
is  being  effected,  to  which  all  that  class  of  persons  whose  previous 
condition  and  circumstances  in  life  were  such  as  to  make  it 
unsuitable  that  they  should  be  relieved  through  the  ordinaiy 
channels  of  relief,  can  be  referred. 

No  person  in  the  employ  of  the  Society  will  be  allowed  to 
receive  for  his  own  use  any  supplies  of  any  kind  whatever, 
except  it  be  through  the  ordinary  channels  of  relief,  and  recorded 
on  the  books  of  the  office  in  which  he  is  employed. 

In  all  cases  of  applicants  moving  into  your  district  from 
another,  you  will,  before  giving  any  relief,  ascertain,  by  inquiry 
at  the  office  of  the  district  from  which  they  came,  if  they  had 
been  aided  in  that  district,  and  to  what  extent. 

In  the  issue  of  supplies  you  will  discriminate  according  to  the 
health  and  condition  of  the  family,  furnishing  to  the  aged,  infirm, 
and  delicate,  supplies  not  ordinarily  furnished  to  those  in  robust 
health. 

The  following  has  been  adopted  by  the  Society  as  the  standard 
daily  ration  for  a  family  of  five  persons  ;  you  will  vary  from  the 


424  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

amount  according  to  the  income  of  the  family  from  labor  or  other 
sources : 

Bacon  or  pork 2  pounds. 

or  beef, 3       " 

Beans 1  pint. 

Potatoes 2  quarts. 

Bread 3  pounds. 

or  flour 2       " 

Tea 1  ounce. 

or  coffee n    " 

Sugar 4       " 

Kice 4       " 

Soap 4       " 

Soft  coal f  ton  per  month. 

The  Department  of  Sick  and  Hospitals  have  adopted  the  sys- 
tem of  Districts  and  Sub-Districts  established  by  this  department, 
and  appointed  a  medical  officer  for  each  District.  Visitors  will 
report  all  cases  coming  to  their  knowledge  requiring  medical 
attendance,  and  the  person  in  charge  of  each  office  will  have 
such  reports  at  all  times  in  readiness  for  the  medical  officer  of  the 
District,  when  he  calls.  All  possible  aid  must  be  given  the  med- 
ical officer  of  the  District,  and  he  is  to  be  allowed  free  access  to 
the  office  and  books  of  the  Society  at  all  times. 

The  bread  now  being  furnished  is  contracted  for  by  the  pound. 
You  will  be  furnished  with  platform  scales,  and  required  to 
weigh  and  receipt  for  all  bread  delivered  to  you. 

Superintendents  and  Visitors  in  those  districts  in  which  the 
Shelter  Committee  have  furnished  houses  to  men  who  were 
burned  out,  will  inquire  carefully  into  the  condition  and  circum- 
stances of  all  persons  who  have  been  furnished  houses  by  the 
Shelter  Committee,  and  report  to  Mr.  Avery,  Chairman,  all 
cases  in  which  parties  have  obtained  lumber  or  building  material 
by  fraudulent  representations. 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  425 

The  Chicago  Helief  and  Aid  Society  will,  for  the  coming  winter, 
have  to  provide  for  all  of  the  pcjor  of  the  city,  as  there  will  be  no 
distribution  of  the  out-door  relief  by  the  County  Agent  as  here- 
tofore. While  your  first  care  should  be  for  those  who  have  lost 
all  by  the  fire,  those  that  are  not  direct  sufferers  by  it  must  be 
aided  according  to  their  necessities.  The  loudest  complaints 
will  come  from  those  least  deserving,  who  are  always  on  hand  for 
their  share  when  any  distribution  is  to  be  made  or  relief  given. 

You  will  have  to  refuse  the  application  of  many  worthy  people, 
who,  having  lost  heavily  by  the  fire,  will  think  themselves  entitled 
to  a  share  of  the  relief  fund,  although  still  possessed  of  the  means 
or  ability  to  meet  their  present  wants.  You  will  explain  to  such 
as  kindly  as  possible  that  the  relief  fund  is  not  intended  to  make 
good  losses  by  the  fire  ;  that  it  can  be  used  only  to  prevent  and  re- 
lieve actual  suffering. 

We  are  not  yet  in  a  condition  to  be  even  liberal  in  disburse- 
ments. Three  months  hence  we  will  be  in  better  condition  to 
decide  how  far  we  can  be  liberal  than  now. 

In  the  matter  of  fuel,  soft  coal  only  will  be  furnished  to  those 
whose  stoves  will  burn  it;  hard  coal  only  to  those  who  cannot 
burn  soft.  No  wood  will  be  furnished,  except  for  hospital  use, 
and  in  case  of  sickness  in  families  where  it  is  necessary. 

Those  having  wood  stoves  will  be  furnished  with  grates  to  en- 
able them  to  burn  soft  coal.  The  Chicago  &  Wilmington  Coal 
Company,  and  the  Chicago  Relief  Society's  yard  can  furnish  oidy 
soft  coal ;  until  further  orders  hard  coal  will  be  furnished  by 
Ames  &  Co.  and  B.  Holbrooke  &  Co. 

As  fast  as  your  stores  will  permit,  give  out  a  week's  supply  of 
food  to  those  families  whose  cases  have  been  thoroughly  investi- 
gated— this  can  soon  be  increased  to  two  weeks,  which  by  so  large- 
ly diminishing  the  number  of  daily  applicants  will  enable  you 
to  dispense  with  a  large  part  of  the  working  force  in  your  offices 


426  HISTOEY    OF    THE    GEEAT    FIEES 

and  stores,  and  relieve  tlie  applicants  of  the  hnmiliation  of  dailj 
attendance  upon  your  office  to  obtain  their  supplies. 

You  will  instruct  those  families  who  have  been  visited  and 
found  worth}^,  and  who  wdll  require  aid  during  the  winter,  to 
make  their  applications  to  you  hereafter  in  writing,  either 
through  the  mail,  or  by  the  hand  of  a  child,  or  some  other 
messenger.  It  is  a  terrible  trial  to  a  sensitive  woman  or  honor- 
able-minded man  to  be  compelled  to  make  a  personal  application 
at  a  relief  office,  and  we  must  so  arrange  our  work  to  relieve  such 
as  far  as  possible  of  this  necessity.  On  receiving  such  application 
the  necessary  orders  for  supplies  can  be  made,  and  the  supplies 
sent  directly  to  the  family.  To  till  these  orders  you  w^ill  require 
the  services  of  an  experienced  retail  grocery  clerk,  and  one  or 
more  express  or  grocery  wagons  for  delivery. 

I  am  informed  that  large  numbers  of  servant  girls  are  unem- 
ployed in  the  city,  who  refuse  to  go  to  employment  at  good 
wages  in  the  country  or  other  cities.  Be  sure  that  none  such 
are  fed  by  the  Chicago  Eelief  and  Aid  Society.  If  there  was 
ever  a  time  when  every  person  capable  of  earning  his  or  her 
own  support  should  be  made  to  do  it,  it  is  now\  Help  must 
even  be  withheld  from  families  Avho  harbor  persons  able  to  work, 
but  who  are  unemployed.  In  all  cases  where  help  is  discontinued 
or  refused  to  families,  your  books  must  show  the  reason  for 
such  discontinuance  or  refusal. 

Thei'e  are  several  thousand  men  and  boys  working  this  week 
whose  families  we  are  feeding,  who  will  be  paid  for  their  work  on 
Saturday  night,  sufficient  to  meet  all  the  wants  of  the  family  for 
food  or  fuel  next  week.  Be  sure  that  every  such  family  is  known 
in  your  district,  and  reported  at  the  office,  so  that  no  more  supplies 
be  given  to  it.  Our  supplies  are  going  at  ^fearfiil  rate.  If  any 
men,  boys,  or  women  are  not  working,  apply  St.  Paul's  rule: 
"  If  any  man  among  you  wnll  not  woi^h^  neither  let  him  eatP 

I  think  it  will  be  conceded  that  the  generous  confidence  be- 


IN    CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  427 

stowed  upon  iis  in  the  following  paragraph  from  a  ISTeAV  York 
editorial,  was  justified  by  the  manner  in  which  these  funds  were 
distributed,  and  the  supplies  continue  to  be  dispensed :  "  To  feed, 
shelter,  and  clothe  these  suffering  thousands,  without  waste  or 
misapplication,  will  require  all  that  executive  capacity  which 
the  Chicago  people  eminently  possess.  But  no  one  need  fear 
that  the  relief  so  generously  poured  out  will  not  be  judiciously 
distributed.  Difficult  as  must  be  the  organization  of  a  force  to 
superintend  and  move  the  machinery  to  be  called  into  operation, 
we  know  enough  of  keen,  practical  Chicago,  to  confide  to  the 
hands  of  its  business  men  all  the  gifts  which  they  are  to  receive 
in  trust  for  the  whole  suffering  people." 

There  were  cases  where  men,  dressed  in  a  little  brief  author- 
ity, or  impatient  under  the  accumulation  of  petty  annoyances 
from  the  vast  stream  of  applicants  at  the  depots  for  distribution, 
gave  just  cause  of  offen^  on  the  part  of  sufferers.  There  were 
insults  given  and  hardships  endured.  Wild  rumors  of  extensive 
peculations  ran  o'ver  the  city.  Fault-finding  was  as  prevalent 
then  and  there  as  might  have  been  expected  ;  but  the  gentlemen 
connected  with  the  Society  labored  zealously  and  with  extraordi- 
nary judgment  and  patience  to  satisfy  the  clamors  of  the  eager 
thousands  who  thronged  them.  In  their  instructions  to  employ- 
es the  Society  said : — 

In  all  your  intercourse  with  applicants  for  relief,  your  man- 
ners to  and  treatment  of  them  should  be  kind  and  considerate. 
You  will  have  to  render  aid  to  many  families  whose  condition  is 
one  of  chronic  pauperism,  resulting  from  their  vices  or  improvi- 
dence. This  class  you  can  never  satisfy  ;  like  the  daughters  of  the 
horse-leech,  their  constant  cry  is  "give,"  but  the  gi-eat  majority  of 
your  applicants  will  be  people  who  have  suddenly  been  reduced 
from  a  condition  of  self-support,  and  in  many  cases  of  affluence, 
to  one  of  partial  or  entire  dependence.  Their  case  is  a  sufficiently 
painful  one  without  anything  in  your  intercourse  with  them  to 


428  HISTORY   OF   THE   GEEAT   FIRES 

remind  them  that  they  are  now  dependent  iipon  charity.  You 
will  give  such  persons  the  preference  over  the  class  first  named, 
so  far  as  it  is  possible  for  you  to  do  so,  in  receiving  their  applica- 
tion and  supplying  their  wants,  and  let  your  intercourse  with 
them  be  such  that  they  will  ever  after  look  upon  you  as  a  friend 
in  their  time  of  need.  While  you  may  not  be  able  to  supply  all 
their  wants,  convince  them,  by  the  kindness  of  your  manners  and 
your  interest  in  their  behalf,  that  you  are  doing  all  that  is  in 
your  power  to  do  for  them. 

In  the  press  of  business  at  your  office,  you  will  not  be  able  to 
give  much  personal  attention  to  a  statement  of  their  wants  and 
necessities,  but  the  visitors  at  their  homes  can  do  so  ;  hence  it  is 
of  the  utmost  importance  that  your  visitors  be  persons  fitted  by 
character  and  experience  for  these  delicate  duties. 

The  Superintendents  will  be  required  to  dismiss  from  their 
further  employ  any  person  whose  manner  has  been  uncourteous 
or  unkind  to  applicants  for  relief. 

The  Bureau  of  Special  Assistance  is  now  in  active  operation, 
with  head-quarters  at  the  Church  of  the  Messiah,  Wabash  ave- 
nue, near  Hubbard  court.  Applications  to  this  Bureau  can  be 
made  either  in  person  or  by  letter,  addressed  to  its  head-quar- 
ters, or  through  any  pastor  of  the  churches  of  the  city,  as  may 
best  suit  the  inclination  or  convenience  of  the  applicant. 

Superintendents  of  districts  and  sub-districts  will  fill  from  their 
stores  all  orders  addressed  to  them  by  this  Bureau  without  ques- 
tion, the  necessary  investigation  having  in  all  cases  been  made 
by  the  Special  Bureau. 

This  allusion  to  the  Bureau  of  Special  Assistance  requires  a 
few  words  of  explanation,  since  it  grew  out  of  the  exigencies  of 
the  situation  and  supplemented  the  regular  society's  work.  There 
was  a  vast  number  of  cases  where  families  or  individuals  had 
suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,  whose  circumstances  in  life  had 
been  above  all  need,  and  whose  delicacy  of  feeling  would  not  per- 


I — f)  i  ~S 


THE  WEST  SIDE  KINK,  CHICAGO— GENEEAL  DEPO' 


F  SUPPLIES  FOR  THE  SUFFERERS  BY  THE  FIRE. 


IN    CHICAGO   AND    THE   WEST,  431 

mit  them  to  stand  in  line  with  hundreds  of  the  very  poor,  degra- 
ded, and  foreign  applicants  who  iinblushingly  pushed  themselves 
into  the  front  ranks.  Many  had  been  educated  to  abhor  depend- 
ence as  something  worse  than  death.  I  recollect  one  boy  of  sev- 
enteen, who  said  one  morning  after  sermon,  "  I  can't  stand  it  any 
longer,  pastor ;  we  six  are  eating  from  a  wash-stand,  and  sleeping 
on  the  floor ;  I  must  tell  you  about  it.  I  thought  to  work  and 
get  along,  but  we  can  barely  get  enough  to  eat.  AYe  were  burnt 
out  and  lost  everything  except  what  we  had  on,  and  I  have  my 
three  younger  brothers  to  look  after."  "  Of  course,"  1  replied, 
"  you  shall  be  attended  to  at  once,"  and  before  forty-eight  hours 
things  were  changed  in  that  house,  and  no  application  was  made 
to  the  Society.  This  boy  has  no  father  or  mother,  and  I  wrote  of 
the  case,  after  we  relieved  it,  to  a  friend,  who  writes  "  To  the 
boy  who  takes  care  of  his  helpless  brothers  "  : — 

"  East  Orange,  K  J.,  Nov.  27,  1871. 
"My  Young  Friend  : — I  do  not  know  your  name,  but  Rev.  Mr. 
Goodspeed,  in  a  letter  to  me,  spoke  of  you  as  one  of  those  worthy 
ones  who  had  suffered  by  the  fire.     lie  spoke  of  your  courage  and 
brotherly  care  over  some  younger  brothers. 

"  That  letter  I  read  to  some  of  my  friends,  and  one  of  them, 
some  days  after,  handed  me  these  same  bills,  "  for  the  boy  who 
took  care  of  his  younger  brothers."  Fidelity,  my  young  friend, 
will  always  be  rewarded. 

"  Yery  truly  yours, 

"  Wm.  D.  IIedden, 

"  Pastor  of  E.  0.  B.  6%." 

To  meet  the  multiplying  cases  of  this  kind  that  were  known 

and    suspected,   a  meeting   of    pastoi-s   and    representatives  of 

benevolent  organizations  took  place,  at  which  a  committee  was 

chosen,  by  consent  of  the  Relief  and  Aid  Society,  to  constitute  a 

'25 


432  HISTORY   OF    THE    GREAT   FERES 

Bureau  of  Special  Relief.  This  splendid  measure  of  assistance 
has  proved  of  incalculable  benefit  to  thousands,  who  otherwise 
must  have  suffered  alone,  and  unknown  to  any  but  God  who  seeth 
all.  At  first  there  was  a  delay  in  securing  men  who  could  give 
their  time  to  this  important  service.  When  the  Committee  had 
been  filled,  another  meeting  was  held,  at  M'hich  these  resolutions 
were  passed,  and  the  Kew  Bureau  was  fully  launched  : — 

Whereas^  The  great  exigency  of  public  relief  demands  immedi- 
ate, large,  and  constant  service  in  special  council  and  assistance, 
and 

Whereas^  We  learn  that  a  portion  of  the  Executive  Committee 
originally  appointed  by  this  Bureau  has  been  unable  to  meet  the 
demands  of  this  great  work,  on  account  of  their  inability  to  serve 
at  all,  and  of  others  to  give  any  considerable  service ;  therefore. 

Resolved^  That  the  Bureau  cordially  endorse  the  action  of  the 
Executive  Committee  in  filling  the  vacancies  in  that  body  by  add- 
ing to  its  members  gentlemen  widely  known  as  wise,  efficient,  and 
eminently  fitted  to  carry  on  the  work. 

Resolved^  That  the  Church  of  the  Messiah,  the  depot  of  special 
supplies,  be  also  the  place  of  special  meeting  of  the  Committee, 
and  that  said  Committee  be  hereby  instructed  to  make  arrange- 
ments among  themselves  so  as  to  have  at  least  three  of  their  mem- 
bers, two  gentlemen  and  one  lady,  in  attendance  at  the  office  dur- 
ing all  the  hours  in  which  the  depot  is  open  for  distribution. 

Resolved^  That  all  churches  and  beneficial  societies  should  re- 
gard themselves  as  special  bureaus  for  council  and  relief,  and  feel 
responsible,  not  only  for  looking  up  and  bringing  to  the  relief  sup- 
ply through  the  appointed  channels  those  who  have  been  overlooked 
and  are  deserving,  but  also  especially  to  guard  the  munificent  boun- 
ty of  the  nation  from  plundering  waste  and  ravaging  imposture. 
And  they  are  hereby  earnestly  exhorted  to  use  their  easy  ap- 
proach to  the  masses,  through  necessary  meetings  and  supervision, 
to  prevent  the  Executive  Committee  of  this  Bureau  and  the  Gen- 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  433 

eral  Board  of  Kelief  from  being  overwhelmed  by  a  comitless  mul- 
titude of  unworthy  or  doubtful  applications. 

This  gave  pastors  and  others  great  opportunities,  and  imposed 
grave  responsibilities.  Their  hands  were  soon  full,  and  the  reve- 
lations of  need  yet  unprovided  for,  after  three  %veeks  had  elapsed, 
were  truly  startling.  We  had  not  realized  the  appalling  magni- 
tude of  the  calamity,  though  in  its  very  midst. 

And  we  may  ask,  who  will  ever  apprehend  it,  in  all  its  gigantic 
proportions  ? 

The  "  Special  Relief "  committee,  charged  with  aiding  cases 
of  peculiar  delicacy,  from  the  former  respectability  of  the  sufferers, 
learned  of  a  gentleman  who,  before  that  terrible  night  of  the 
fire,  was  worth  between  $150,000  and  $200,000.  Tie  boarded 
with  his  family  at  one  of  our  splendid  marble  palaces  known  as 
hotels,  where  his  elegantly  furnished  apartments  and  luxurious 
table,  indicated  his  wealth  and  ministered  to  his  ease.  The  next 
that  was  heard  of  him  was  some  days  after  the  fire,  when  he  ap- 
plied to  the  committee,  saying  that  the  fire  had  literally  burned 
up  every  dollar  of  his  fortune,  and  he  had  no  money,  no  home, 
no  clothes,  no  furniture,  and  no  food  !  His  family  were  living 
in  a  stable,  sleeping  on  the  hay,  and  eating  the  cold  potatoes  and 
bread  which  the  children  begged  from  the  neighbors ! 

The  duties  of  applicants  were  thus  set  forth  in  a  notice  by  this 
Bureau,  \vhich  shows  the  public  what  care  was  exercised  with 
their  bounties. 

All  applications  to  this  Committee  for  Special  Relief,  must  be 
certified  by  the  pastor  of  a  church,  or  proper  officer  of  some  or- 
ganized benevolent  society,  or  by  a  member  of  the  Executive 
Committee  of  the  Relief  and  Aid  Society,  or  of  this  Committee, 
who  shall  state  in  such  certificate  that  the  condition  and  needs 
of  the  applicant  have  been  duly  investigated,  to  the  satisfaction 
of  the  persons  so  certifying,  and  stating  what  amount  and  kind 
of  relief  should  be  afforded  to  such  applicant. 


434:  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

In  every  application,  the  name,  residence,  and  relief  district  in 
which  such  applicant  lives  should  be  plainly  wi'itten. 

Such  application  should  state  whether  the  applicant  is  married 
or  single,  the  number  of  persons  in  the  applicant's  family,  the  age 
and  sex  of  each  member,  and  should  set  forth  in  detail  the  articles 
whicli  are  waiited,  and  the  number,  amount,  or  quantity  of  such 
articles.  In  applications  for  clothing,  the  kind  of  clothing,  and 
number  of  pieces  needed  of  each  kind,  should  be  distinctly 
stated,  the  pr<pper  sizes,  where  necessary  (as  of  boots,  shoes,  and 
other  articles),  given. 

Applications  for  groceries  should  state  specifically  the  articles 
wanted,  and  amounts  of  each  article,  and  wkere  crockery,  or 
furniture,  or  bedding  is  needed,  the  specific  articles  wanted,  and 
the  number  of  such  articles  should  be  stated. 

The  committee  desire  to  call  the  attention  of  the  applicant 
specially  to  the  following  points,  in  regard  to  which  information 
will  be  desired,  and  which  should  be  stated  : — 

The  present  and  former  occupation  of  the  applicant,  whether 
burned  out  and  what  loss  they  suffered,  amount  of  insurance  and 
in  ^vhat  company,  wliat  property  applicant  has,  and  what  aid  they 
have  received  from  any  source,  or  expect  to  receive. 

Careful  attention  to  these  requirements  will  save  the  applicant 
delay  and  trouble,  and  insure  prompt  action  in  the  case. 

The  railroads  gave  fi-ee  transportation  to  seven  or  eight  thou- 
sand persons,  who  left  the  city  for  refuge  under  friendly  roofs 
elsevvhere,  or  to  obtain  employment,  and  brought  in  the  stores 
that  were  contributed  without  charge,  thus  conferring  benefits  of 
immense  value  upon  our  people.  On  the  eleventh  of  October, 
two  days  after  the  fire,  the  Erie  Railroad  had  its  relief  cars  on 
the  way  nt  ten  in  the  morning.  The  train  consisted  of  seven  cai-s 
heavily  laden  with  provisions.  Mr.  George  Crouch  went  with 
it  as  supercargo,  and  delivered  the  freight  to  the  Mayor  of 
Chicago.     The  train  averaged  about  fifty  miles  an  hour  to  Port 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST,  435 

Jervis.  It  reached  SiisqHehanna  at  3.05  p.m.,  and  was  last 
reported  at  Elinira,  making  unprecedented  time  to  that  point. 
Dense  crowds  of  enthusiastic  people  were  assembled  at  the  depots 
in  the  principal  towns,  and  many  attempted  to  throw  bundles  on 
the  train  as  it  flew  past. 

On  the  evening  of  that  day,  Col.  James  Fisk,  Jr.,  writes : — 

We  received  to-day,  since  the  departure  of  the  lightning  relief 
train  at  10  o'clock  this  morning,  over  10,000  consignments  for  the 
sufferers  at  Chicago,  which  were  forwarded  by  the  express  train 
at  7  o'clock  this  evening.  It  would  be  almost  impossible  to 
enumerate  the  contents  of  the  packages  or  their  value ;  but  as  far 
as  we  can  judge,  taking  the  entire  shipment,  nothing  could  be 
more  appropriate  had  a  month  been  occupied  in  the  selection.  I 
find  that  in  a  single  consignment  there  were  shipped  100  coats, 
100  pairs  of  trousers,  100  vests,  while  another  consignment 
included  400  barrels  of  sugar  and  coffee,  and  still  another  con- 
sisted of  100  barrels  of  flour.  A  person  competent  to  judge,  who 
inspected  the  goods  forwarded  to  Chicago  by  this  single  train, 
estimated  their  cash  value  at  Over  $100,000. 

We  have,  from  appearance,  as  much,  if  not  more,  to  receive 
to-morrow,  which  we  shall  forward  by  our  express  trains  only  at 
9  A.M.,  12  M.,  5-|  P.M.,  and  7  p.m. 

It  were  idle  to  attempt  an  enumeration  of  the  kindly  offices  of 
the  railways,  which  made  Chicago,  which  have  ministered  to  it 
in  distress,  and  must  recreate  and  secure  the  future. 

AMOUNT   OF   MONEY   KECEIVED. 

From  the  appended  circular  it  will  be  seen  what  had  been 
received  in  contributions  from  every  source,  down  to  November 
7, 1S71. 

The  Executive  Committee  of  the  Chicago  Eelief  and  Aid  So- 
ciety are  aware  that  the  public  desire  to  know  the  amount  of  the 
subscriptions  to  the  Eelief  Fund.     It  is  impossible  at  present  to 


436  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

give  a  detailed  account  of  the  amounts,  for  the  reason  that  pur 
chases  made  in  some  cities,  invoices  of  which  have  not  yet 
reached  us,  are  to  be  deducted  from  the  gross  amounts  of  the 
subscriptions.  The  previous  report  of  our  Treasurer  stated  the 
amount  actually  received  at  that  date.  We  are  now  able  to  give 
the  amount  received  to  this  date,  November  Yth,  and  tlie  probable 
amount  of  the  entire  subscriptions,  with  approximate  accuracy. 
We  have  actually  received  two  million  fifty-one  thousand  twenty- 
three  dollars  and  fifty-five  cents  ($2,051,023.55).  Arrangements 
have  been  made  by  which  the  Society  draws  five  per  cent,  on  all 
balances  in  bank.  So  far  as  our  present  information  goes — and 
we  think  we  have  advices  of  all  sums  subscribed— the  entire  fund 
will  vary  but  little  from  three  million  five  hundred  thousand  dol- 
lars ($3,500,000).  This  includes  the  funds  in  the  hands  of  the 
!N^ew  York  Chamber  of  Commerce,  amounting  to  about  $600,000, 
and  the  balance  of  the  Boston  Fund,  about  $240,000,  both 
amounting  to  $840,000,  not  yet  placed  to  the  credit  of  this  So- 
ciety, but  which  may  undoubtedly  be  relied  upon  to  meet  the 
needs  of  the  future.  As  to  our  disbursements,  we  can  only  say 
that  we  are  at  present  aiding  60,000  people  at  our  regular  dis- 
tributing points.  Some  of  this  vast  number  we  relieve  in  part 
only,  but  the  greater  portion  to  the  extent  of  their  entire  support. 
This  is  in  addition  to  the  work  of  the  Special  Relief  Committer 
for  people  who  ought  not  to  be  sent  to  the  general  distributing 
points,  and  which  is  largely  increasing  upon  our  hands.  It  is 
also  in  addition  to  the  expenditures  of  the  Committee  on  Exist- 
ing Charitable  Institutions. 

The  great  matter  pressing  upon  the  Committee  is  shelter  for  the 
coming  winter.  We  may  feed  people  during  the  mild  weather, 
but  where  and  how  they  are  to  be  housed — permanently  housed 
— we  regard  as  the  serious  question.  To  this  end  we  have  been 
aiding  those  burned  out  to  replace  small  but  comfortable  houses 
upon  their  own,  or  upon  leased  lots,  where  they  can  live,  not 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE    ^VEST.  437 

only  this  winter,  but  next  summer,  and  be  ready  to  work  in  re- 
building the  city.  Of  these  houses — which  are  really  very  com- 
fortable, being  16  by  20  feet,  with  two  rooms,  one  12  by  10  feet, 
and  one  8  by  16  feet,  with  a  planed  and  matched  floor,  panel 
doors,  and  good  windows — we  have  already  furnished  over  4,000, 
making  permanent  homes,  allowing  five  for  a  family,  for  20,000 
people,  and  with  the  7,000  houses  which  we  expect  to  build,  shall 
have  homes  for  35,000  people.  These  houses  and  some  barracks, 
ill  both  of  which  there  is  a  moderate  outfit  of  furniture,  such  as 
stoves,  mattresses,  and  a  little  crockery,  w^ill  consume,  say  $1,250- 
000,  leaving  $2,250,000  with  which  to  meet  all  the  demands  for 
food,  fuel,  clothing,  and  general  expenses,  from  the  13th  of  Octo- 
ber last — when  we  took  the  work — until  the  completion  of  the 
same,  which  cannot  possibly  end  with  the  present  winter.  We 
may  say  that  particular  attention  has  been  paid  to  sanitary  regu- 
lations. The  entire  work  in  this  respect,  as  in  others,  is  district 
ed.     Medical  visitors,  dispensaries,  and  hospitals  are  provided. 

The  Committee  need  hardly  say,  that  if  the  demand  should 
continue  as  great  as  at  present,  the  fund  would  be  exhausted  by 
midwinter ;  but  we  hope  to  cut  this  down  very  largely  as  soon  as 
we  can  get  people  into  houses,  so  that  they  can  leave  their  fami- 
lies and  find  work.  Indeed  this  is  being  done  already.  Witliin 
a  few  days  we  shall  arrive  at  the  exact  daily  expense  of  food  and 
fuel  rations  ;  but  the  demand,  as  might  be  expected,  is  a  fluctu- 
ating one.  If  the  weather  is  good  and  men  can  work,  it  falls  off ; 
if  cold  and  stormy,  it  at  once  increases  at  a  fearful  rate. 

The  work  has  so  pressed  upon  us,  night  and  day,  that  we  can- 
not present  a  detailed  report  to  the  public,  but  furnish  this  state- 
ment for  the  purpose  of  affording  a  general  idea  of  what  we  have 
done  and  are  trying  to  do,  with  an  organization  necessarily  com- 
posed largely  of  unskilled  forces,  but  the  only  one  at  hand  for 
the  emergency.  Within  the  next  ten  days  we  shall  be  able  to 
give  a  detailed  report  of  the  work  as  well  as  all  sums  contributed. 


438  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

December  1st,  this  sum  bad  been  SAvelled  to  $2,508,000,  with 
the  current  still  flowing  steadily  into  the  treasury. 

Of  other  gifts,  the  value  is  known  to  One,  who  sees  the  wid- 
owjs  mite  as  Avell  as  the  millionaire's  mightier  help.  But  we 
cannot  estimate  the  worth  of  all  that  vast  store  which  was  made 
up  as  rivers  are — by  ten  thousand  rivulets,  brooks,  and  streams 
incessantly  emptying  in  their  precious  contents. 


CHAPTER  XXIX.       • 

In  addition  to  these  organizations,  there  were  movements 
among  the  citizens,  and  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association 
early  entered  the  field,  with  their  forces  generalled  by  Rev. 
Robert  Patterson,  D.D.,  who  labored  during  the  war  in  the 
Christian  Commission.  Their  head-quarters  were  at  the  Seventh 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  their  charities  were  immense.  Parties 
from  Boston  came  on  and  superintended  the  distribution  of  the 
supplies  from  that  city.  Their  work  was  largely  among  those 
who  were  not  well  served  at  the  general  relief  depots,  or  who 
were  looked  up  and  searched  out,  on  account  of  pride,  or  sick- 
ness, or  some  'inability,  moral  or  phj'sical,  to  make  application  in 
person. 

There  was  also  the  Woman's  Christian  Union,  a  society  par- 
ticularly concerned  with  the  employm.ent  of  women,  who  now 
supplemented  this  service  with  a  relief  duty,  always  aiming  at 
securing  means  by  wliich  the  poor  women  could  become  self- 
sustaining.     They  rendered  most  valuable  aid  to  the  suffering. 

Societies  sprang  into  being  on  all  sides,  and  made  their  appeals 
to  the  churches  and  benevolent  societies,  and  their  acquaintances 
throughout  the  land.  They  obtained  clothing,  made  up  gar- 
ments from  new  cloth,  nursed  the  sick,  and  gave  a  helpful  hand 


IN   CHICAGO   AND    THE    WEST.  439 

to  any  wliom  they  found  neglected  in  the  crowd  of  miserable 
beings  that  overflowed  into  every  street,  alley,  garret,  and  cellar 
of  the  unbnrnt  city. 

Private  citizens  donated  from  their  own  houses  all  that  they 
could  spare,  in  many  instances,  and  vied  with  the  outside  public 
in  liberality.  It  was  pitiful  to  see  the  burned-ont  parties,  the 
morning  of  Monday  and  of  Tuesday,  begrimed,  soiled,  sconjhed, 
bearing  a  little  truck,  a  trifling  remnant  of  their  possessions,  to 
the  homes  of  their  friends,  and  begging  for  temporary  shelter. 
But  it  was  grand  to  observe  the  nobleness  of  the  many,  and  their 
perfect  sympathy  with  the  distressed.  And  rising  to  the  height 
of  their  obligation,  our  people  are  preparing  for  a  campaign 
against  poverty  and  misery,  by  leaguing  in  societies  for  service 
to  the  poor,  that  shall  relax  no  effort  during  the  long  winter  now 
marching  down  upon  us.  Rich  and  prosperous  communities 
become  greedy,  selfish,  covetous,  and  money-worshippers.  It 
remains  for  us  to  prove  the  benefit  of  adversity  by  opening  our 
hearts  and  hands  to  give  and  not  to  save.  "  Alms  the  salt  of 
riches,"  is  an  old  proverb.  I  kn'ow  a  man  ruined  by  this  fire, 
who  was  very  rich,  and  refused  to  lend  a  poor  woman  fifty 
dollars,  in  an  extremity,  to  save  her  house  and  furniture  from 
the  sherifiT.  He  had  known  her  for  many  years,  and  she  had 
claims  upon  him ;  but  no,  he  loved  his  money,  and  turned  the 
poor  woman  off  with  stern  denial.  The  week  before  the  fire,  she 
came  to  the  gentleman  who  lent  her  the  money — a  poor  man, 
and  a  minister — and  paid  it  with  interest,  thanks,  and  tears. 
This  gave  the  clergyman  spending-money  after  the  fire.  And 
kow  must  the  miser  feel — yea,  and  many  others  like  him — who 
have  been  close-fisted,  hard-hearted,  niggardly,  and  avaricious  ? 
The  worldling  saves  his  money,  yea,  and  the  Christian  too,  for  his 
children.  But  how  often  does  its  possession  curse  them.  An 
eccentric  D.D.,  in  the  course  of  a  sermon  in  behalf  of  some 
charitable  object,  once  said,  "  There  are  twenty  men  in  this  con- 


440  HISTORY    OF    THE   GREAT   FIEES 

gregation  who  can  give  $20,000  each  to  this  charity,  and  then 
have  money  enough  left  to  ruin  their  children."  Now  there  is  an 
opportunity  for  the  young  men  and  women  to  show  the  quality 
of  their  characters.  We  shall  be  a  better  people  for  this  trial,  it 
we  give  with  full-handed  generosity,  and  learn  that 
"  To  give  is  to  live, 
To  deny  is  to  die." 

Among  the  impossibilities  is  any  just  account  of  the  aid  re- 
ceived by  the  sufferers ;  because  large  amounts  of  moneys  and 
supplies  have  been  sent  to  private  individuals,  for  personal  use  or 
disbursement;  and  thousands  have  gone  home  to  their  friends, 
who  have  proffered  shelter  and  food  for  the  winter.  In  time 
a  book  will  be  written,  acknowledging  these  grand  charities  in  a 
befitting  manner. 

From  a  New  York  paper  we  clip  the  story  of  the  reception  of 
certain  refugees  from  the  fire. 

A  few  evenings  ago  eight  newsboys  of  Chicago  arrived  in  this 
city  and  sought  shelter  at  the  Newsboys'  Lodging-House  in  Park 
Place.  On  Saturday  six  more  arrived  and  went  to  the  same 
home,  and  on  Sunday  four  more.  The  ages  of  these  youths  were 
from  sixteen  to  nineteen  years.  One  of  them,  a  lad  of  eighteen, 
had  his  face  very  much  scorched  by  the  tire,  and  some  of  the 
others  were  disfigured  to  some  extent  from  the  same  cause. 
Tliose  who  arrived  on  Friday  night  left  the  next  morning  to 
seek  fi'iends  in  this  city  or  in  Brooklyn,  the  six  who  came  on 
Saturday,  with  the  four  who  arrived  on  Sunday,  remained  in  the 
Lodging-House  until  Monday  afternoon,  when  they,  too,  left  in 
pursuit  of  friends.  Tlie  New  York  boys  gave  their  brothers  of 
the  West  a  very  cordial  reception,  and  as  far  as  their  little  means 
allowed,  lavished  upon  them  a  generous  welcome.  The  New 
York  boys,  all  so  much  younger  than  the  Chicagoans,  were 
profuse  in  their  expressions  of  sympathy,  albeit  uttered  in  the 
vernacular  of  the  profession,  and  poured  out  volleys  of  inquiries 


m   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  4^1 

as  to  the  state  of  trade  in  the  ill-fated  city.  The  usual  sports  of 
the  evening  were  stopped  immediately  on  the  arrival  of  the 
immigrants,  and  each  visitor,  after  a  hearty  meal,  formed  a 
centre  of  attraction  for  a  score  of  boys,  each  of  whom  had  some- 
thing to  learn  of  the  great  lire.  Sunday  was  a  great  opportunity 
for  the  exchanging  of  notes,  it  being  comparatively  a  dull  day,  and 
the  new  arrivals  of  the  evening  previous  were  escorted  to  favorite 
haunts  and  lionized  to  an  extraordinary  degree.  Those  of  the 
boys  who  had  belonged  to  the  boot-blacking  profession  very 
warmly  discussed  the  depression  of  prices  in  that  line,  and  though 
it  was  unanimously  agreed  upon  that  the  profession  should  be  on 
all  occasions  retained  by  a  "choker"  fee,  yet,  all  things  con- 
sidered, it  was  deemed  best  just  now  not  to  enter  upon  that 
dangerous  experiment,  a  "strike,"  The  Chicagoans  were  loud  in- 
their  admiration  of  Peter  B.  Sweeny,  who,  they  said,  deserved 
the  presentation  of  a  set  of  complimentary  resolutions  on  account 
of  his  great  services  to  the  shine-em-up  boys  in  beautifying  the 
City  Hall  Park.  Regrets  were  expressed  tliat  all  tlie  fountains 
were  not  in  working  order,  as  they  are  very  inviting  to  custom- 
ers. The  Chicagoans  urged  upon  their  New  Yoi"k  brothers  to 
establish  their  headquarters  around  the  fountain  in  front  of  the 
City  Hall  when  completed,  and  not  under  any  circumstances  to 
yield  their  right  on  this  point.  It  was  also  suggested  tliat  as 
many  portable  chairs  as  possible  be  provided,  with  a  view  to 
placing  business  on  a  footing  more  conformable  to  ordinary  mer- 
cantile pursuits.  It  was  said  that  the  experience  of  a  series 
of  years  has  demonstrated  that  "  chairs  are  good."  The  news- 
boys learned  with  great  satisfaction  that  the  people  of  Chicago 
were  a  newspaper  reading  community,  and  did  not  stick  at 
trifles.  All  that  was  necessary  to  do  in  case  of  small  change  was 
to  delay  a  few  minutes  in  procuring  it,  and  the  "  gent"  was  sure 
to  "  get."  Harmony  among  members  of  the  profession  was  also 
an  admirable  feature  in  Chicago,  everybody  "  working  his  own 


442  msTOEY  OF  the  geeat  fibes 

route"  on  the  square  and  with  no  nonsense.  The  Chicago  dele- 
gation was  enb'ghtened  as  to  how  trade  stood  in  New  York,  and 
a  comparative  estimate  given  as  to  the  daily  receipts  afforded  by 
every  evening  paper  in  the  city.  Discussing  these  topics  and 
similar  ones  the  boys  passed  the  day,  and  after  a  hearty  supper  at 
the  Lodging- House  in  the  evening,  again  resumed  the  entertain- 
ment. Cordial  invitations  were  extended  to  the  Chicagoans  to 
join  the  honorable  brotherhood  of  ISTew  York,  and  assurances 
extended  that  a  most  friendly  reception  awaited  thein  in  the 
arena  of  competition.  No  decisive  answer  was  given  to  the  New 
Yorkers'  offer;  but  evidently  the  Chicago  boys  were  deeply  im- 
pressed with  the  tone  and  boyish  bearing  of  their  new  acquaint- 
ances, and  promised  that  if  ever  they  should  again  return  to 
"  that  line  of  business  "  New  York  City  should  be  the  theatre  in 
M'hich  their  ambition  gliould  have  a  chance.  When  it  was  ap- 
proaching bedtime  it  was  felt  by  New"  York  that  it  was  neces- 
s&vj  to  do  something  grand  on  an  occasion  like  that  then  being 
celebrated,  and  why  should  not  the  newsboys  have  a  say  of 
sympathy  as  well  as  every  other  brancli  of  business  ?  This  idea 
became  so  impressed  upon  the  mind  of  one  of  the  boys — a  sort  of 
leader  of  a  set — that  he  summed  up  courage,  and,  rising,  said  : — 

Gentlemen, — You  know  about  the  Chicago  fire,  and  that 
these  gentlemen  (pointing  to  the  ten  Ciiicagoans)  are  sufferers. 
I  now  want  to  tell  'em  that  we're  sorry  for  'em.  Our  subscrip- 
tion list  is  making  up,  and  I  heard  Mr.  O'Connor  say  'twill 
amount  to  $8.25,  which  they  will  get,  though  it's  small  and  not 
as  much  as  we'd  like  to.  That's  all  1  have  to  say,  except  that  if 
these  gentlemen  stay  here  we'll  post  'em. 

Another  Boy. — Billy,  propose  a  resolution. 

Billy. — I  move  that  we're  awful  sorry  for  the  sufferings  of  the 
newsboys  and  black-a-boots  of  Chicago,  and  that  if  they  stay  we 
post  'em,  and  that  anything  we  can  do  we'll  do  to  help  'em,  and 
that  we're  sorry  it  ain't  more  than  $8 .  25. 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  443 

Great  applause  followed  from  all  the  other  boys. 

One  of  the  Chicago  youths  then  rose,  after  some  hesitation,  and 
said : — 

"  Thankee,  gents,  for  what  ye've  done,  an  if  it  weren't  that  we 
had  to  go  and  see  some  friends  we'd  like  to  stay.  Maybe,  though, 
we'll  come  back." 

At  this  moment  the  Superintendent  appeared  on  the  scene, 
and  this  was  the  signal  for  the  adjournment  of  the  meeting  sine 
die. 

The  boys  then  went  to  their  "little  beds"  and  to  sound  sleep, 
New  Yorkers  to  dream  of  Chicago,  and  the  Chicagoans  of  the 
great  fire  and  their  recent  hardships. 

A  little  Irish  boy,  Tim,  employed  in  a  bake-shop,  sent  five  dol- 
lars from  East  Orange,  N.  J, 

And  here  speaks  a  voice  from  Old  England  : 

"  CONYNGHAM-ROAD,  YlCTORIA    PaEK,  ] 

''  Manchester,  Oct.  16, 1871.      f 

"My  Dear  Mr.  Mayor:  As  you  have  convened  a  meeting,  to 
be  held  to-morrow,  of  the  inhabitants  of  Shefiield,  to  consider  what 
measure  should  be  taken  to  relieve  the  sufferers  at  Chicago,  in  tKe 
United  States  of  America,  under  the  calamity  which  has  so  sud- 
denly befallen  them,  I  beg  leave,  as  a  native  of  the  borough  over 
which  you  worthily  preside  as  Chief  Magistrate,  to  ofler  a  contri- 
bution of  two  hundred  guineas  to  the  fund  intended  to  be  raised, 
for  which  sum  I  inclose  a  check  payable  to  your  order.  I  am 
gratified  to  learn  that  the  people  of  America  will  accept  the  ex- 
pression of  sympathy  and  sorrow  in  this  country,  in  the  kindly 
sense  in  which  it  will  be  offered  to  them  ;  and  I  consider  it  to  be 
a  privilege  to  have  the  opportunity  of  uniting  in  this  undoubted 
sentiment  of  affection  and  regard  of  the  inhabitants  of  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland  towards  the  people  of  America. 

"  May  we  and  they  ever  be  one  people  under  our  respective 


444  HISTORY   OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

governments;  and  be  bound  together  as  lovers  of  freedom  to  the 
end  of  time.     I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  very  obedient  servant, 

"  George  Hadfield. 
"  To  the  Mayor  of  Sheffield." 

The  good  Queen  has  thought  of  us  and  given  for  our  relief. 
She  reads  every  word  of  the  tidings  from  our  city  with  intense 
interest.  Her  subjects  have  also  responded,  in  a  most  creditable 
manner,  to  the  silent  appeal  of  our  distress.  There  is  a  very  pro- 
found regard  for  our  countrj'  in  the  old  world,  and  the  ties  that 
bind  us  together  are  strengthened  by  these  expressions  of  active 
charity.  Scarcely  a  hamlet  in  the  British  Isles  can  be  found 
which  has  not  its  representative  here,  either  among  the  humble 
or  the  influential.  We  are  essentially  cosmopolitan,  and  the 
world  have  taken  us  up,  to  nurse  and  cherish  in  our  fall.  It  is 
true  as  ever,  that  one  touch  of  nature  makes  the  whole  world 
kin.  The  natural  feelings  of  all  Christendom  have  been  touched 
by  the  unvoiced  woe  of  Chicago.  The  magnitude  of  this  generous 
work,  and  the  spontaneity  of  the  timely  giving,  fitly  symbolize  the 
community  of  interest  and  feeling  which  now  bind  the  human 
family  together. 


♦  CHAPTER  XXX. 

Beshdes  the  magnificent  gifts  for  the  body  and  for  immediate 
comfort,  there  have  been  systematic  and  general  efforts  in  aid  of 
the  churches  and  educational  institutions,  which  must  result  in 
placing  them  once  more  in  a  position  of  usefulness  and  stability. 
It  is  impossible  to  chronicle  these  donations,  as  the  tide  is  still 
flowing  in  upon  us.  Orders  and  societies  are  rising  in  their  might, 
all  over  the  land,  to  rebuild  and  re-establish  the  institutions  lost 
in  Chicago.     Christians,  surely,  will  prove  their  profound  interest 


m   CHICAGO   AND    THE   WEST.  445 

in  their  cherished  cause,  by  responses  that  shall  make  the  future  of 
our  city  worthy  of  the  Lord  Jeliovah,  and  a  centre  of  evangelical 
power. 

Capitalists  came  forward  instanth',  with  offers  of  money  and 
credit  to  any  extent,  for  the  reconstruction  of  what  was  their 
pride  as  well  as  our  own.  Merchants  and  business  men  received 
the  heartiest  assurances  of  sympathy  from  those  to  whom  they 
were  indebted,  from  their  creditors  and  customers  ;  and  every 
leniency  was  afforded  and  extended,  compatible  with  safety  and 
creditable  to  the  heart. 

Governors  of  States  took  up  our  cause,  and  commended  us  to 
the  philanthropy  of  their  citizens. 


BY  THE  GOYEKNOR  OF  WISCONSIN. 

To  the  People  of  Wisconsin : 

Throughout  the  northern  part  of  this  State  fires  have  been 
raging  in  the  woods  for  many  days,  spreading  desolation  on  every 
side.  It  is  reported  that  hundreds  of  families  have  been  rendered 
homeless  by  this  devouring  element,  and  reduced  to  utter  destitu- 
tion, their  entire  crops  having  been  consumed.  Their  stock  has 
been  destroyed,  and  their  farms  are  but  a  blackened  desert.  Un- 
less they  receive  instant  aid  from  portions  not  visited  by  this 
dreadful  calamity,  they  must  perish. 

The  telegraph  also  brings  the  terrible  news  that  a  large  portion 
of  the  city  of  Chicago  is  destroyed  by  a  conflagration,  which  is 
still  raging.  Many  thousands  of  people  are  thus  reduced  to 
penury,  stripped  of  their  all,  and  are  now  destitute  of  shelter  and 
food.  Their  sufferings  will  be  intense,  and  many  may  perish  un- 
less provisions  are  at  once  sent  to  them  from  the  surrounding 
country.     They  must  be  assisted  now. 

In  the  aw'ful  presence  of  such  calamities  the  people  of  Wis- 


446  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

consin  will  not  be  backward  in  giving  assistance  to  their  afflicted 
fellow-men. 

I  therefore  recommend  that  immediate  organized  effort  be 
made  in  every  locality  to  forward  provisions  and  money  to  the 
sufferers  bj  this  visitation,  and  suggest  to  majors  of  cities, 
presidents  of  villages,  town  supervisors,  pastors  of  churches,  and 
to  the  various  benevolent  societies,  that  they  devote  themselves 
immediately  to  the  work  of  organizing  effort,  collecting  contribu- 
tions, and  sending  forward  supplies  for  distribution. 

And  I  entreat  all  to  give  of  their  abundance  to  help  those  in 
such  sore  distress. 

Given  under  my  hand,  at  the  Capitol,  at  Madison,  this  9th  day 
of  October,  a.d.  1871. 

Lucius  Fairchild. 


BY  THE  GOYERNOR  OF  MICHIGAN. 

State  of  Michigan,  Executive  Office, 
Lansing,  October  9. 

The  city  of  Chicago,  in  the  neighboring  State  of  Illinois,  has 

been  visited,  in  the  providence  of  Almighty  God,  with  a  calamity 

almost  unequalled  in  the  annals  of  history.     A  large  portion  of 

that  beautiful  and  most  prosperous  city  has  been  reduced  to  ashes 

and  is  now  in  ruins.     Many  millions  of  dollars   in  property,  the 

accumulation  of  years  of  industrj'  and  toil,  have  been  swept  away 

in  a  moment.     The  rich  have  been  reduced  to  penury,  the  poor 

have  lost  the  little  they  possessed,  and  many  thousands  of  people 

rendered  homeless  and  houseless,  and  are  now  without  the  absolute 

necessaries  of  life.     I  therefore  earnestly  call  upon  the  citizens 

of  every  portion   of  Michigan   to  take  immediate  measures  for 

alleviating  the  pressing  wants  of  that  fearfully  afflicted  city,  by 

collecting  and  forwarding  to  the  Mayor  or  proper  authorities  of 

Chicago  supplies  of  food,  as  well  as  liberal  collections  of  money. 


YOUNG  LADIES  MLNTTSTE: 


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\Q  TO  THE  HOMELESS. 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  449 

Let  this  sore  calamity  of  our  neighbors  remind  ns  of  the  un- 
certainty of  earthly  possessions,  and  that  when  one  member  suffers 
all  the  members  should  suffer  with  it.  I  cannot  doubt  that  the 
whole  people  of  the  State  will  most  gladly  and  most  promptly 
and  most  liberally  respond  to  this  urgent  demand  upon  their 
sympathy;  but  no  words  of  mine  can  plead  so  strongly  as  the 
calamity  itself. 

Henry  P.  Baldwin, 
Governor  of  Michigan. 


BY  THE  GOYEENOE  OF  IOWA. 

To  the  People  of  Iowa : 

An  appalling  calamity  has  befallen  our  sister  State.  Her 
metropolis — thegreat  city  of  Chicago — is  in  ruins.  Over  100,000 
people  are  without  shelter  or  food,  except  as  supplied  by  others. 
A  helping  hand  let  us  now  promptly  give.  Let  the  liberality  of 
our  people,  so  lavishly  displayed  during  the  long  period  of  national 
peril,  come  again  to  the  front,  to  lend  succor  in  this  hour  of 
distress.  I  would  urge  the  appointment  at  once  of  relief  com- 
mittees in  every  city,  town,  and  township,  and  I  respectfully  ask 
the  local  authorities  to  call  meetings  of  the  citizens  to  devise 
ways  and  means  to  render  efficient  aid.  I  would  also  ask  the 
pastors  of  the  various  churches  throughout  the  State  to  take  up 
collections  on  Sunday  morning  next,  or  at  such  other  time  as 
they  may  deem  proper,  for  the  relief  of  the  sufferers.  Let  us  not 
be  satisfied  with  aijy  spasmodic  effort.  There  will  be  need  of 
'  relief  of  a  substantial  character  to  aid  the  many  thousands  to 
prepare  for  the  rigors  of  the  coming  winter.  The  magnificent 
public  charities  of  that  city,  now  paralyzed,  can  do  little  to  this 
end.     Those  who  live  in  homes  of  comfort  and  plenty  must  furnish 


450  mSTORT   OF   THE   GREAT   FIEE8 

this  help,  or  misery  and  suffering  will  be  the  fate  of  many  thou- 
sands of  our  neighbors. 

Samuel  Merrill, 

Governor. 
Des  Moines,  Oct.  10,  1871. 


BY  THE  GOYEKNOR  OF  OHIO. 

Chicago,  Oct.  12. 
To  the  People  of  Ohio : 

It  is  believed  by  the  best  informed  citizens  here  that  many 
thousands  of  the  sufferers  must  be  provided  with  the  necessaries 
of  life  during  the  cold  winter.  Let  the  efforts  to  raise  contribu- 
tions be  energetically  pushed.  Money,  fuel,  flour,  pork,  clothing, 
and  other  articles  not  perishable  should  be  collected  as  rapidly  as 
possible — especially  money,  fuel,  and  flour.  Mr.  Joseph  Medill, 
of  The  Tribune,  estimates  the  number  of  those  who  will  need 
assistance  at  about  T0,000. 

R.  B.  Hates, 
Governor  of  Ohio. 


BT  THE  GOYERNOR  OF  ILLINOIS. 

•  State  of  Illinois,        ) 
Executive  Department.  ) 

John  M.  Palmer,  Governor  of  Illinois,  to  the  Peojple  of  the  State 

of  Illinois: 

A  fire  of  unexampled  magnitude  has  devastated  the  city  oi 
Chicago,  depriving  thousands  of  our  citizens  of  shelter  and  food 
and  clothing. 

Under  these  painful  circumstances,  I  call  upon  you  to  open 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  451 

your  hearts  for  the  relief  of  the  suffering.  Contribute. of  your 
abundance  everything  that  you  can — food,  clothing,  money;  or- 
ganize committees  and  systematize  your  efforts. 

Remember  those,  our  fellow-citizens  who  have  always  responded 
so  nobly  to  every  call. 

In   testimony  whereof,  I  have   hereunto  set  my  hand 

and   caused   the  great  seal   of  State  to  be   affixed. 

[seal.]     Done  at  the  city  of  Springfield,  this  10th  day  of 

October,  a.d.  1871. 

John  M.  Palmeb. 
By  the  Governor, 

Edward  Rummell,  Secretary  of  State. 


State  or  Illinois,        ) 
Executive  Department.  ) 

John  M.  Palmer^  Governor  of  Illinois,  To  all  to  whom  these 

presents  shall  come,  greeting: 

"Whereas,  in  my  judgment,  the  great  calamity  that  has 
overtaken  Chicago,  the  largest  city  of  the  State;  that  has  de- 
prived many  thousands  of  our  citizens  of  homes  and  rendered 
them  destitute;  that  has  destroyed  many  millions  in  value  of 
property,  and  thereby  disturbing  the  business  of  the  people  and 
deranging  the  finances  of  the  State,  and  interrupting  the  execu- 
tion of  the  laws,  is  and  constitutes  "  an  extraordinary  occasion  " 
within  the  true  intent  and  meaning  of  the  eighth  section  of  the 
fifth  article  of  the  Constitution. 

Now,  therefore,  I,  John  M.  Palmer,  Governor  of  the  State  of 
Illinois,  do  by  this,  my  proclamation,  convene  and  invite  the  two 
Houses  of  the  General  Assembly  in  session  in  the  city  of  Spring- 
field, on  Friday,  the  13th  day  of  the  month  of  October,  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  1871,  at  12  o'clock  noon  of  said  day,  to  t«ke 
into  consideration  the  following  subjects:— 


452  HISTOEY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIEES 

1.  TcF  appropriate  such  sum  or  sums  of  money,  or  adopt  such 
other  legislative  measures  as  may  be  thought  judicious,  necessary, 
or  proper,  for  the  relief  of  the  people  of  the  city  of  Chicago. 

2.  To  make  provision,  by  amending  the  revenue  laws  or  other- 
wise, for  the  proper  and  just  assessment  and  collection  of  taxes 
within  the  city  of  Cliicago. 

3.  To  enact  such  other  laws  and  to  adopt  such  other  measures 
as  may  be  necessary  for  the  relief  of  the  city  of  Chicago  and  the 
people  of  said  city,  and  for  the  execution  and  enforcement  of  the 
laws  of  the  State. 

4.  To  make  appropriations  for  the  expenses  of  the  General 
Assembly,  and  such  other  appropriations  as  may  be  necessary  to 
carry  on  the  State  Government. 

In  testimony  whereof  I  have  hereunto   set   my  hand 
and   caused  the  great  seal   of    State   to   be   affixed. 
[seal.]     Done   at  the   city  of  Springfield,  this  10th   day  of 
October,  a.d.  1871. 

John  M.  Palmek. 
By  the  Governor, 
Edward  Rummell,  Secretary  of  State. 


In  response  to  the  call  of  the  Executive,  the  Legislature  assem- 
bled, and  received  this  further  message  from  the  Governor,  Avhose 
contents  met  the  warmest  approval  of  all  our  citizens  : — 

State  of  Illinois,  Executive  Department,  ]^ 
Springfield,  October  IG,  1871.      ) 

Gentlemen  of  the  Senate  and  Plouse  of  Representatives :  On 
the  8th  day  of  the  present  month  a  fire  broke  out  in  the  city  of 
Chicago,  which,  in  a  few  hours,  destroyed  a  large  portion  of  that 
city.  I 

It  is  useless  to  attempt  to  describe  the  awful  and  saddening 


m   CHICAGO   AXD   THE   WEST.  453 

spectacle  of  the  destruction  of  the  most  wealthy  and  populous 
parts  of  our  great  city.  The  destroyer  came  suddenly,  and  under 
circumstances  well  calculated  to  impress  us  with  a  sense  of  our 
littleness. 

Chicago  is  situated  on  the  shore  of  a  great  lake ;  it  is  inter- 
sected by  rivers ;  it  was  provided  with  all  the  meaiis  for  protec- 
tion against  fire  that  are  the  product  of  the  united  efforts  of  the 
advanced  science  and  skill  of  modei'n  civilization;  yet  in  the 
presence  of  the  destructive  element  men  were  powerless,  and  it 
pursued  its  course  until  nothing  was  left  for  it  to  destroy. 

In  the  course  of  this  remarkable  conflagration,  which  has  al- 
ready taken  its  place  in  history  with  the  greatest  calamities  that 
have  afflicted  mankind,  the  flames,  with  unexampled  fury,  swept 
over  the  eastern  half  of  the  devoted  city,  destroying  many  lives, 
consumed  chiu'ches,  hospitals,  schools,  dwellings,  warehouses, 
stores,  bridges,  and  structm'es  of  every  kind.  Everything  per- 
ished at  their  touch,  and  whole  wards  of  the  city  were  left  without 
a  house  or  an  inhabitant.  No  reliable  estimate  of  the  number  of 
lives  lost  can  be  made,  but  the  amount  of  property  destroyed  is 
estimated  at  three  hundred  millions  of  dollars. 

In  view  of  the  circumstances,  I  felt  it  to  be  my  duty  to  convene 
a  session  of  the  General  Assembly,  and,  accordingly,  on  the  10th 
day  of  October,  1871,  issued  the  proclamation  which  I  have  the 
honor  to  lay  before  you. 

At  the  time  of  the  meeting  of  the  General  Assembly,  all  were 
still  so  far  under  the  control  of  the  feelings  excited  by  this  extra- 
ordinary calamity,  that  no  scheme  had  been  formed  for  the  em- 
ployment of  the  powers  and  resources  of  the  State  to  meet  the 
duties  that  are  imposed  upon  it  by  this  unexpected  condition  of 


But  before  proceeding  to  invite  your  attention  to  the  details  of 
the  business  of  the  session,  I  must  be  permitted,  in  the  name  of 
the  people  of  the  State,  to  exDress  their  o-rateful  thankfulness  for 


454  HISTOKY   OF   THE    GREAT   FIKES 

the  exhibition  of  outpouring  sympathy  and  benevolence  that  this 
great  and  sudden  calamity  has  excited  in  all  civilized  lands.  Not 
only  have  our  own  people  and  the  people  of  our  sister  States  dis- 
tinguished themselves  by  an  active  liberality  that  is  without  a 
parallel,  but  in  foreign  countries  the  hearts  of  men  and  women 
have  throbbed  with  pity  for  Chicago,  and  their  hands,  filled  with 
contributions,  have  opened  to  supply  the  wants  of  its  suffering 
people.  Where  all  have  aided,  and  all  have  done  so  much,  it  is 
impossible  to  give  even  the  names  of  our  benefactors.  Their  ex- 
ample, so  honorable  to  them  and  to  human  nature,  is  worth}''  per- 
petual remembrance,  and  I  trust  that  the  General  Assembly  will 
provide  for  the  preparation  and  publication  of  a  memorial  volume, 
in  which  their  names  shall  be  preserved.  The  people  of  the 
State  should  be  permitted  to  know  the  names  of  those  who,  when 
their  brethren  were  hungry,  fed  them,  and  when  they  were  naked, 
clothed  them. 

The  first  question  to  be  decided  by  the  General  Assembly,  after 
a  careful  review  of  the  situation,  is,  what  can  be  done  for  the  re- 
lief of  the  people,  and  for  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  the  State  1 
In  finding  an  answer  to  this  question,  there  are  some  difficulties 
and  causes  of  embarrassment  that  are  yet  to  be  stated ;  and  these 
are,  the  court-house,  jail,  and  public  offices,  and  records  of  Cook 
county  are  destroyed.  The  tax-books  are  consumed,  so  that  the 
collection  of  unpaid  taxes  cannot,  without  great  difficulty,  be  en- 
forced. The  courts  are  powerless.  The  utmost  confusion,  as  to 
the  titles  of  lands,  must  soon  prevail.  All  the  offices  and  most  of 
the  records  of  the  city  of  Chicago  are  lost.  Still  the  question, 
What  can  be  done  by  the  State?  presses  for  an  answer — and  all 
the  wisdom,  experience,  and  patience  of  the  General  Assembly  is 
invoked  to  furnish  a  full,  complete,  and  satisfactory  response. 

The  general  political  proposition,  that  that  government  is  to 
be  regarded  as  the  best  that  interferes  with  the  people  the  least, 
will  remain  forever  true ;  and  experience  has  conclusively  shown 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE    WEST.  455 

tLat  intelligent  men  and  women  are,  under  all  ordinary  circum- 
stances, more  capable  of  providing  for  their  own  wants,  managing 
their  own  affairs,  and  regulating  their  own  conduct,  than  any 
government  can  be,  however  organized  or  administered.  It 
seems  to  me,  then,  that  the  people  of  Chicago  and  Cook  county, 
who  have  suffered  losses,  require  nothing  from  the  State  but  to  be 
left  free  to  employ  their  unexampled  and  unbroken  energies  in 
the  great  work  of  rebuilding  their  homes. 

They  need  no  loans  or  gifts  from  the  United  States  or  the  State 
of  Illinois ;  and,  unless  I  greatly  mistake  them,  they  will  ask  no 
more  than  that  the  State  shall  assume  the  discharge  of  its  own 
proper  duties,  and  relieve  them  from  burdens — that,  from  their 
peculiar  situation,  were  always  heavy,  but  have  been  cheerfully 
borne — so  that  they  may  be  left  to  apply  all  their  resources  to  their 
own  great  task.  It  is  primarily  the  duty  of  the  State  to  provide 
for  the  poor,  the  blind,  the  insane,  and  all  other  helpless  classes, 
and  for  the  enforcement  of  its  laws  everywhere  within  its  limits. 
It  is  also  its  duty  to  provide  for  the  construction  of  its  highways, 
building  bridges,  and  the  support  of  schools.  The  State  of  Il- 
linois has  always  recognized  the  obligation  of  these  duties,  and 
for  the  more  convenient  performance  of  many  of  them,  counties, 
townships,  cities,  towns,  and  other  organizations  have  been  estab- 
lished by  law.  They  are  but  parts  of  machinery  employed  in  car- 
rying on  the  affairs  of  the  State,  and  the  authority  and  the  duties 
of  each  are  confined  to  certain  well-defined  territorial  as  well  as 
legal  boundaries,  that  may  be  modified  or  destroyed,  as  the  ex- 
igencies of  the  public  may  demand.  And  whenever,  from  any 
cause,  any  of  these  agencies  become  unequal  to  the  discharge  of 
the  duties  assigned  them,  or  the  public  duties  imposed  upon  thera 
become  too  burdensome  or  oppressive  to  the  people  embraced 
within  their  limits,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  State  to  provide  othel 
means  for  their  performance.  It  is  a  fact  that  requires  no  proof, 
that  the  county  of  Cook  and  the  city  of  Chicago,  two  of  the  most 


456  msTORY  OF  the  great  fiees 

Important  of  the  classes  of  public  agencies  to  which  they  respect- 
ivelj  belong,  are,  from  causes  that  are  well  understood,  unable  tc 
continue  the  full  discharge  of  all  the  duties  that  were  imposed 
upon  them.  From  an  inevitable  accident,  their  lesources  are 
diminished  and  their  local  burdens  vastly  increased,  so  that  they 
are  no  longer  available  to  the  State  as  governmental  agencies  for 
all  the  purposes  for  which  they  were  created,  and  it  follows  from 
that  fact  that  to  the  extent  that  the  requirements  of  such  duties 
are  in  excess  of  the  legal  resources  of  the  county  and  city — such 
duties  must  be  resumed  by  the  State,  and  the  General  Assembly 
must  devise  other  methods  for  their  performance. 

It  is  a  most  remarkable  illustration  of  the  difficulty  of  pro- 
viding for  every  possible  contingency  by  constitutional  regula- 
tions, that  certain  provisions  of  the  constitution  of  1870,  that 
were  intended  to  restrict  the  powers  of  municipal  corporations, 
and  were  resisted  upon  that  ground,  will  be  found  to  operate  to 
relieve  the  county  of  Cook  and  city  of  Chicago  of  what  would 
otherwise  be  intolerable  burdens.  Every  part  of  the  constitution 
abounds  with  proof  that  its  framers  regarded  the  municipal 
organizations  of  the  State  as  mere  administrative  agencies,  and 
that  they  intended  to  deprive  them  of  all  emergent  or  discre- 
tionary authority,  except  within  very  narrow  limits. 

By  the  twelfth  section  of  the  ninth  article  of  the  Constitution 
it  is  provided  that  "No  county,  city,  township,  school  district,  or 
other  municipal  corporation  shall  be  allowed  to  become  indebted, 
in  any  manner  or  for  any  jpurjpose^  to  an  amount,  including 
existing  indebtedness,  in  the  aggregate  exceeding  five  per  centum 
of  the  value  of  the  taxable  property  therein — to  be  ascertained  by 
the  last  assessment  for  State  and  county  taxes."  ....  And 
by  the  eighth  section  of  the  same  article,  county  authorities  are 
prohibited  from  assessing  taxes,  the  aggregate  of  which  shall 
exceed  seventy-five  cents  on  the  hundred  dollars  valuation. 
Then,  whatever  power  to  raise  money  for  necessary  public  pur- 


m    CHICAGO    AND   TUB   WEST.  457 

poses  the  State  has  denied  its  local  or  municipal  organizations  it 
has  reserved  to  itself,  to  be  exercised  by  the  General  Assembly. 
The  financial  resources  of  municipal  and  local  organizations  are 
necessarily  limited  to  their  powers  to  contract  debts  and  to  im- 
pose taxes.  When  these  powers  have  been  exerted  to  the  utmost 
legal  or  possible  limit,  and  are  inadequate  to  the  complete 
performance  of  their  duties  to  the  State,  thej^  must  be  relieved  ot 
such  duties  altogether;  for  the  accepted  construction  of  the  con- 
stitution forbids  the  General  Assembly  to  pay,  assume  to  pay, 
or  to  become  responsible  for  the  debts  or  liabilities  of,  or  in  any 
manner  give,  loan,  or  extend  its  credit  to  or  in  aid  of  any  public 
or  other  corporation  or  individual — (Sec.  20,  Article  10,  State 
Constitution).  This  provision  of  the  Constitution  was  adopted 
for  reasons  well  understood,  and  but  few  will  doubt  its  policy  or 
wisdom,  and  no  one  will,  I  apprehend,  be  willing  to  relax  its 
stringency,  or  narrow  its  interpretation  by  constructions  however 
ingenious  or  plausible. 

It  has  been  proposed  to  give  immediate  aid  to  the  city  of  Chi- 
cago, by  discharging  tlie  lien  of  the  city  npon  the  Illinois  and 
Michigan  canal,  authorized  to  be  created  by  the  act  approved 
February  16,  18G5  ;  and  it  is  claiuied  that  if  the  State  should 
now  refund  to  the  city  the  amount  of  money  secured  upon  the 
revenues  of  the  canal,  with  the  interest  thereon  (which  would  be, 
in  round  numbers,  about  three  millions  of  dollars),  the  city  would 
be  enabled  to  rebuild  its  bridges  and  public  structures,  remove 
the  obstructions  from  and  repair  its  streets,  pay  the  expenses  of 
its  government,  and  other  expenses  pertaining  to  its  own  organi- 
zation, and  discharge  its  general  duties  to  the  State. 

I  am  not  prepared  to  express  an  opinion  upon  the  question  : 
'whether  even  that  sum  of  money  would  be  sufficient  to  supply 
all  the  essential  wants  of  the  city  ;  but  my  impressions  incline 
me  to  admit  that  it  would  ;  and  I  am  prepared  to  say  that  while, 
under  ordinary  circumstances,  influenced  alone  by  my  views  of 


458  HISTOET   OF  THE   GREAT   FIRES 

the  proper  policy  to  be  pursued  by  the  State,  I  would  not  advise 
the  acceptance  of  the  option  secured  to  the  State  in  the  fifth 
section  of  the  act  of  1865,  to  refund  to  the  city  the  sura  of  twc 
millions  and  a  half  dollars,  with  interest  thereon.  Under  present 
circumstances,  if  the  money  can  be  raised  by  any  satisfactory 
means  for  the  purpose,  it  seems  to  me  that  it  should  be  done. 
The  county  of  Cook,  alone,  has  heretofore  contained  nearly  one- 
sixth  of  the  taxable  property  of  the  State,  and  a  proportion  of 
this,  which  falls  very  little  short  of  the  whole,  was  situated  in  the 
city  of  Chicago.  Now,  nearly  one-half  of  the  productive  pro- 
perty of  the  city  is  detroyed,  and  its  present  resources  are  crip- 
pled ;  but  the  day  is  not  distant  when  its  walls  will  be  rebuilt,  its 
wealth  and  population  not  only  restored  but  increased,  and  instead 
of  requiring  aid  from  the  treasury  of  the  State,  it  will  be  again  its 
chief  resource,  and  money  now  appropriated  to  meet  its  necessities, 
will  be  bread  cast  upon  the  waters,  to  be  gathered  again  after  not 
many  days.  But  while  policy  as  well  as  duty  concur  in  sup- 
port of  the  propriety  of  an  appropriation  from  the  State  treasury, 
either  to  discharge  the  dnties  heretofore  imposed  upon  the  city, 
and  which  unaided  it  can  no  longer  perform,  and  for  that  reason 
they  now  devolve  directly  upon  the  State — or  to  refund  to  the 
city  the  sum  of  money  used  by  it  in  deepening  the  canal,  and  for 
which  it  has  a  lien  upon  the  property  of  the  State — it  remains 
to  be  considered  how  the  money  is  to  be  raised  to  meet  such 
appropriation.  , 

Two  methods  have  been  suggested  for  the  accomplishment  of 
this  object.  I  am  informed  that  the  amount  of  the  taxable 
property,  as  reported  to  the  Auditor,  for  1871  is  about  five  hundred 
millions  of  dollars,  which  is  probably  less  than  one-tenth  of  the 
actual  cash  value  of  all  the  property  in  the  State,  From  that 
sum  will  probably  be  deducted  fifty  millions,  on  account  of  the 
destruction  of  property  in  the  county  of  Cook.  Calculating, 
then,  upon  the  basis  of  an  actual  assessment  of  four  hundred  and 


m  CHICAGO   ANT)   THE   WEST.  459 

fifty  millions,  the  rate  of  taxation  required  to  raise  three  millions 
of  dollars  is  sixty-six  and  two-thirds  cents  upon  the  hundred  dol- 
lars ;  and  when  to  this  is  added  the  probable  rate  of  fifty-five 
cents,  that  may  be  required  for  revenue  and  school  purposed,  the 
rate  of  taxation  for  the  year  1871  will  be  one  dollar  and  twenty- 
one  and  two-thirds  cents  upon  the  hundred  dollars.  And  I 
confess  to  a  preference  for  this  mode  of  raising  all  money  required 
for  public  purposes.  It  is  simple,  direct,  and,  of  all  modes  of 
raising  money,  it  is  the  cheapest.  It  proposes  that  each  genera- 
tion shall  discharge  its  own  duties,  and  it  conforms  to  the  golden 
rule  of  business  morality  :  "  Pay  as  you  go." 

But  the  demands  of  the  city  of  Chicago,  for  whatever  sum  may 
be  appropriated  for  its  use,  are  urgent  and  immediate,  and  months 
may  elapse  before  the  proceeds  of  taxation  can  be  realized,  and 
it  may  be  the  judgment  of  the  representatives  of  the  people,  that 
the  rate  of  taxation  that  it  will  be  necessary  to  impose  is,  under 
present  circumstances,  too  heavy  to  be  conveniently  borne  ;  and 
for  some  or  all  of  these  reasons,  some  other  method  of  raising  the 
requisite  sum  may  be  preferred. 

The  only  other  mode  of  raising  money  that  has  occurred  to 
me  is  that  of  borrowing  the  amount  required.  But  it  has  been 
asked,  with  some  degree  of  anxiety,  under  what  clause  of  the 
present  Constitution  is  the  exercise  of  the  power  to  contract  a 
greater  debt  by  the  State  than  $250,000  to  be  justified  ?  and  to 
find  a  satisfactory  answer  to  the  question,  is  thought  by  some  to 
be  a  task  not  altogether  free  from  difficulty.  The  provision  of 
the  Constitution  relied  on  by  those  who  question  the  power  of 
the  General  Assembly  to  borrow  money  (and  thereby  contract 
a  debt)  to  a  greater  amount  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
dollars,  is  found  in  the  proviso  to  the  eighteenth  section  of  the 
fourth  article.  The  language  of  this  proviso  is :  "  The  State 
may,  to  meet  casual  deficits  or  failure  in  revenue,  contract  debts 
never  to  exceed  in  the  aggregate  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 


460  HISTOET   or   TIIE    GKEAT  FIEES 

dollars;  and  moneys  thus  borrowed  shall  be  applied  to  the  pur- 
pose for  which  they  were  obtained,  or  to  pay  the  debt  thus 
created,  and  no  other  purpose  ;  and  no  other  debt,  except  for  the 
purpose  of  repelling  invasion,  suppressing  insurrection,  or  defend- 
ing the  State  in  war,  .  .  .  shall  be  contracted,  unless  the  law 
authorizing  the  same  shall  have  been  submitted  to  the  people  at 
a  general  election."  Those  who  deny  the  power  to  contract  a 
debt  to  raise  money  to  discharge  the  lien  on  the  canal  insist  that 
the  amount  of  money  expended  by  the  city  of  Chicago  to  deepen 
the  canal  does  not,  when  tested  by  the  proviso  of  the  thirty- 
seventh  section  of  the  third  article  of  the  Constitution  of  1848, 
constitute  a  debt  against  the  State,  and  that  now  to  borrow 
money  to  discharge  the  lien  of  the  city  would  be  to  create  a  debt 
in  violation  of  the  eighteenth  section  of  the  fourth  article  of  the 
Constitution  of  1870  ;  and  they  contend  that  the  words  employed 
in  the  section  last  referred  to,  that  prohibit  the  General  Assem- 
bly from  contracting  debts,  "  except  for  the  purpose  of  repelling 
invasions,  suppressing  insurrection,  or  defending  the  State  in 
war,"  are  to  be  construed  literally  and  strictly,  and  that  their 
effect  is  to  absolutely  prohibit  the  State  from  contracting  debts 
except  for  the  very  purposes  and  under  the  precise  circumstances 
specified. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  if  those  who  thus  reason  are  correct, 
the  only  mode  that  can  be  adopted  to  afford  either  direct  or  in- 
direct aid  to  the  city  of  Chicago,  is  that  of  direct  taxation ;  and 
it  is  an  argument  in  favor  of  the  last-mentioned  mode  of  raising 
money,  that  we  thereby  avoid  the  necessity  of  giving  any  other 
than  the  precise  and  literal  construction  to  the  words  of  the  pro- 
viso that  is  insisted  upon.  But,  as  has  often  been  suggested,  with 
reference  to  other  instruments,  "  the  true  construction  is  the  only 
one  that  is  admissible  ;  "  and  a  literal  construction  is  not  neces- 
sarily true,  for  the  object  of  construction  is  to  ascertain  the  sense 
and  purpose  for  which  the  words  in  question    were  introduced 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  461 

into  the  instrument,  and  that  sense,  when  discovered,  is  to  be  ac- 
cepted ;  and  in  that  sense  the  instrument,  if  a  Constitution,  is  to 
be  obeyed  and  enforced. 

I  do  not  believe  that  those  who  insist  upon  confining  the 
power  of  the  General  Assembly  to  contract  debts  to  the  precise 
occasions  of  invasion,  insurrection,  or  war,  do  justice  to  the  pur- 
poses of  the  framers  of  the  Constitution.  They  did  intend,  beyond 
all  doubt,  to  deny  to  the  General  Assembly  the  power  to  con- 
tract debts  beyond  the  sum  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
dollars  (which  they  have  authorized  it  to  do,  substantially,  at  its 
own  discretion),  except  under  circumstances  of  extreme  peril  to 
the  State.  In  defining  the  degree  of  peril  tliat  they  intended 
should  warrant  the  exercise  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the 
power  that  had  been  so  much  abused,  they  employed  the  strongest 
language ;  but  it  cannot  be  inferred  that  they  intended  that  the 
State  should  be  defended  from  invasion — that  it  might  employ 
its  resources  to  suppress  an  insurrection,  or  to  prosecute  a  war — 
but  should  be  powerless  to  resist  the  greatest  evils,  or  prevent  the 
most  tlireatening  dangers  that  might  arise  from  any  other  possi- 
ble cause.  It  seems  to  me  that  they  intend  to  define  the  degree 
of  urgency,  rather  than  to  express  the  particular  occasions  when 
the  povv'er  in  question  might  be  employed.  The  framers  of  the 
Constitution  were  statesmen  familiar  with  the  practice  as  well  as 
the  science  of  government,  and  well  understood,  from  the  ex- 
amples in  which  history  abounds,  that  occasions  might  arise  in 
the  future  of  the  State,  when  money  would  be  required  to  be 
raised  before  the  people  could  be  consulted  at  a  general  election, 
to  meet  other  exigencies  than  those  of  actual  invasion,  insurrec- 
tion, or  war.  They  knew  that  the  safety  of  a  State  is  often  im- 
perilled by  the  feebleness  of  its  Government — by  its  inability  to 
respond  to  the  requirements  of  extraordinary  duties,  and  that 
dangers  sometimes  impend  over  States,  and  evils  overtake  them 
(of  which  the  dangers  and  evils  produced  by  invasions,  insurrec- 


462  HISTOKT   OF   THE   GEEAT  FIRES 

tions,  and  wars  are  but  types  and  examples),  that  might  require 
that  all  its  resources  should  be  employed  at  once  to  prevent  or 
remove  them;  and  with  that  knowledge,  it  cannot  be  presumed 
that  they  intended  that  the  State,  abounding  in  wealth,  should 
submit  to  an  unhappy  fate,  or  invite  an  invasion,  excite  its  peo- 
ple to  insurrection,  or  engage  in  a  war,  to  find  a  pretext  for  em- 
ploying its  own  resources  to  avert  it. 

It  was  not  the  purpose  of  the  framers  of  the  Constitution  to 
deprive  the  State  of  the  power  to  discharge  its  vital  and  essential 
functions,  as  the  narrow  interpretation  of  the  Constitution  1  am 
disputing  undoubtedly  does ;  and  the  circumstances  of  the  case 
of  the  city  of  Chicago,  now  under  consideration,  serves  all  the 
purposes  of  the  most  complete  and  satisfactory  illustration.  In 
that  city,  within  a  few  hours,  many  millions  of  property  was  sud- 
denly destroyed  ;  nearly  or  quite  one  hundred  thousand  of  its  in- 
habitants deprived  of  food  and  shelter;  the  ordinary  agencies 
created  by  the  State  were,  by  the  same  overwhelming  calamity, 
deprived  of  their  power  and  resources,  and  were  helpless  to  feed 
or  shelter  them.  The  Legislature  of  the  State  was  convened  by 
the  Governor ;  they  find  the  moneys  in  the  treasury  inadequate 
to  meet  the  demands  upon  the  State,  but  its  credit  is  practically 
limitless,  and  the  means  to  feed  and  give  protection  to  the  hungry 
multitude  abound  on  every  hand. 

The  General  Assembly  cannot,  as  is  claimed,  draw  upon  the  re- 
sources of  the  State,  or  anticipate  its  revenue  beyond  an  amount 
limited — not  by  the  urgency  of  its  duties,  but  by  certain  techni- 
cal words  contained  in  the  Constitution.  If  this  is  the  proper 
conclusion,  and  the  people  were  not  otherwise  relieved,  one  of  the 
conditions  upon  which  the  power  to  contract  debts  is  said  to  de- 
pend, would  be  soon  supplied,  for  the  cravings  of  hunger  will 
madden  any  population  on  earth  to  the  point  of  insurrection. 

It  is  to  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  State  of  Illinois  is  so  far  in- 
dependent of  all  other  governments  that  it  must  at  all  times  be 


m   CHICAGO   AJSID   THE    WEST.  463 

equal  to  the  perfect  discharge  of  its  own  obligations.  It  cannot 
relj  upon  the  voluntary  charities  of  the  benevolent  to  feed  or  give 
shelter  to  its  destitute  population  without  at  the  same  time  ceas- 
ing to  exist. 

It  cannot  and  has  not  abdicated  the  most  essential  function  of 
its  existence,  of  raising  moneys  required  for  the  discharge  of  its 
most  important  duties,  by  regular  modes,  for  the  safety  of  all  the 
interests  of  the  people  forbid  it.  To  claim  that  the  people  of  the 
State  have  locked  up  their  property  so  it  cannot  be  reached  by 
constitutional  methods,  to  be  used  for  the  most  urgent  purposes 
of  government  and  discharge  the  highest  social  obligations,  is  not 
only  to  do  injustice  to  their  character  for  humanity,  but  to  their 
intelligence  and  discernment ;  for  the  power  to  raise  money  to 
meet  the  great  and  sudden  emergencies  in  the  affairs  of  States  is 
essential  to  their  existence. 

Entertaining  these  views  of  the  proper  construction  of  the  lan- 
guage of  the  proviso  of  the  18th  section  of  the  4th  Article  of 
the  Constitution,  I  feel  no  hesitation  in  recommending  that  if 
that  course  is  deemed  by  the  General  Assembly  most  judicious, 
the  amount  necessary  to  meet  the  urgent  demands  upon  the  re- 
sources of  the  State  be  borrowed,  and  at  the  same  time  provision 
be  made  for  its  early  and  prompt  repayment. 

It  is  proper  that  I  should  also  invite  the  attention  of  the  Gene- 
ral Assembly  to  the  necessity  of  providing  by  law  for  the  reassess- 
ment of  property  in  Cook  County  for  State  and  county  purposes, 
and  it  is  probably  true  that  some  legislation  will  be  necessary  to 
enable  the  authorities  of  the  city  of  Chicago,  and  of  the  school 
and  other  minor  districts  of  the  county,  to  enforce  the  collection 
of  taxes. 

I  am  not  prepared  to  express  an  opinion  as  to  what  legislation 
is  necessary,  but  feel  that  my  duty  is  discharged,  though  imper- 
fectly, by  commending  the  matter  to  your  attention. 

There  is  too  much  reason  to  apprehend  that  the  destruction  of 


4:64  mSTOEY  OF  the  great  fires 

the  public  baildings  and  records  that  pertain  to  the  county  of 
Cook  and  the  city  of  Chicngo  have  resulted  in  producing  mtich 
mischief.  How  far  such  anticipated  mischief,  losses,  and  incon- 
veniences can  be  remedied  by  legislation,  must  remain  a  matter 
of  uncertainty  and  doubt. 

Invoking  your  sympathies  for  that  portion  of  our  people  who 
have  suffered  such  unexampled  losses,  I  can  only  express  my  most 
earnest  desire  to  co-operate  with  you  in  any  proper  plan  that  may 
be  devised  for  their  relief.  John  M.  Palmer. 

The  members  of  both  Houses  adjourned  to  visit  Chicago,  and 
there  saw  what  M^as  needed,  and  returned  to  pass,  with  great 
unanimity,  the  following  Act : — 

"  A  Bill  for  an  '  Act  to  relieve  the  lien  of  the  City  of  Chicago 
upon  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  and  revenues,  by  refund- 
ing to  said  city  the  amount  expended  by  it  in  making  the  im- 
provement contemplated  by  an  Act  to  provide  for  the  comple- 
tion of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal,  upon  the  plan  adopted 
by  the  State  in  1836,  approved  February  16,  1865,  together 
with  the  interest  thereon,  as  authorized  by  section  five  of  said 
Act,  and  to  provide  for  issuing  bonds  therefor.' 
"  Whereas  the  city  of  Chicago  has  expended  a  large  amount 
of  money,  to  wit :  the  sum  of  two  and  a  half  millions  of  dollars, 
to  secure  the  completion  of  the  Summit  division  of  the  Illinois 
and  Michigan  Canal,  under  and  pursuant  to  the  provisions  of  said 
Act,  so  approved  February  16,  a.d.  1865,  and  Act  supplementary 
thereto ;  and  whereas  the  said  city  has  a  vested  lien  upon  the  said 
canal,  with  its  revenues,  subject  to  any  canal  debt  existing  at  the 
time  of  the  passage  of  said  Acts ;  and  whereas  said  then  existing 
debt  due  by  the  State  has  been  fully  paid  and  cancelled ;  and 
whereas  the  canal  trustees  have  delivered  to  the  State  of  Illinois 
possession  and  control  of  said  canal ;  and  whereas  it  is  provided 
by  section  five  of  said  Act,  as  follows :  '  The  State  of  Illinois  may. 


yk' 


OPENING  THE  VAULTS  OF  THE  MERCHANTS'  SAVINGS,  LOAN  AND 


RUST  COMPANY,  CORNER  LAKE  AND  DEARBORN  STREETS. 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  467 

at  any  time,  relieve  this  lien  upon  the  canal  and  revenues,  b}'  re- 
funding to  the  City  of  Chicago  the  amount  expended  in  making 
the  contemplated  improvement  and  the  interest  thereon.'  Now, 
therefore, 

"Sec.  1.  Be  it  enacted  hy  the  People  of  the  State  of  Illinois, 
represented  in  the  General  Assembly,  That  the  sum  of  two  mil- 
lion nine  hundred  and  iifty-five  thousand  three  hundred  and  forty 
dollars  ($2,955,310)  with  interest  thereon,  until  paid,  be  and  the 
same  is  hereby  appropriated,  for  the  purpose  of  relieving  the  lien 
as  aforesaid,  being  the  principal  expended  and  the  interest  there- 
on ;  which  said  sum  is  hereby  refunded  to  said  city,  and  when 
paid,  said  city  shall  execute  and  deliver  to  the  State  of  Illinois  a 
proper  release  of  said  lien  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Governor; 
and  the  auditor  of  State,  under  the  direction  of  the  Governor,  is 
hereby  directed  to  draw  his  warrants  for  said  sum  of  money  and^ 
interest,  payable  only  out  of  any  moneys  in  the  Treasury  belong- 
ing to  the  fund  hereafter  provided,  to  be  known  as  the  '  Canal 
Redemption  Fund.' 

"  That  for  the  purpose  of  providing  said  fund,  any  funds  that  are 
now  or  may  be  hereafter  in  the  State  treasury,  paid  in  on  the 
settlement  of  the  canal  commissioners  with  the  trustees  of  the 
Illinois  and  Michigan  canal,  as  well  as  from  the  revenue  of  the 
canal,  also  all  funds  that  are  now  or  may  hereafter  be  paid  into 
the  State  treasury,  known  as  the  "  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
fund,"  shall  be  transferred  by  the  State  treasurer,  upon  the 
auditor's  warrant  drawn  for  that  purpose,  to  said  redemption 
fund ;  that  a  tax  of  one  and  a  half  mills  on  each  dollar  of  the 
assessed  value  of  all  the  taxable  property  of  the  State  be  levied  as 
a  special  tax  for  the  years  1871  and  1872,  and  to  meet  any  deficit 
in  said  revenues  to  meet  said  appropriation,  the  governor,  audi- 
tor, and  treasurer  are  hereby  authorized  to  issue  bonds  of  the 
State  of  Illinois,  to  the  amount  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars ;  said  bonds  to  bear  interest  at  the  rate  of  six  per 
27 


468  HISTOHY    OF    THE    GREAT    FIRES 

cent,  per  annum,  payable  semi-annually,  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  and  shall  be  paid  at  pleasure  of  the  State,  at  any  time 
after  three  years  after  the  date  thereof,  and  shall  be  of  such  de- 
nominations as  the  governor  may  deem  advisable,  and  be  known 
as  the  '  Revenue  Deficit  Bonds,'  and  shall  be  delivered  to  the 
city  authorities  of  the  city  of  Chicago,  at  par,  as  a  part  payment 
on  above  appropriations :  Provided^  however^  that  not  less  than 
one-fifth,  nor  to  exceed  one-third  of  said  sum  so  appropriated, 
shall  be  received  by  said  city,  and  be  applied  in  reconstructing 
the  bridges,  and  the  public  buildings  and  structures  destroyed  by 
fire,  upon  the  original  sites  thereof,  as  already  provided  by  the 
Common  Council;  and  the  remainder  thereof  to  be  applied  to  the 
payment  of  the  interest  on  the  bouded  debt  of  such  city,  and  the 
maintenance  of  the  fire  and  police  department  thereof. 

"  Whereas,  by  reason  of  a  great  conflagration  in  the  city  of 
Chicago,  the  public  buildings,  bridges,  and  other  public  improve- 
ments have  been  totally  destroyed,  and  the  business  of  the  courts 
is  suspended,  whereby  an  emergency  exists  as  a  reason  why 
this  act  shall  take  effect  before  the  first  day  of  July  next ;  there- 
fore, 

"  Be  it  further  enacted^  That  this  act  shall  take  effect  and  be 
in  force  from  and  after  its  passage." 

This  bill  having  received  the  Governor's  approval  became  a  law, 
and  will  work  out  its  measure  of  relief. 

In  addition  to  material  aid,  there  fell  upon  our  ears  grand,  cheer- 
ing utterances  from  the  pulpits,  platforms,  and  presses  of  the 
w^orld,  which  stirred  again  the  pulses  of  charity,  and  gave  strength 
and  courage  to  a  staggering  people  enslirouded  in  the  smoke  and 
gloom  of  battle  and  defeat.  The  muse  of  poetry  thrilled  to  tlie 
tale  of  woe,  and  sent  her  sweet  voice  through  the  pall  of  grief, 
and  woke  the  pride  and  liope  of  our  people  by  her  glowing  and 
tender  strains.  Rebuking  those  who  would  attribute  our  disaster 
to  God's  anger  against  our  special  sinfulness,  the  poet  proceeds  : 


IN  CHICAGO   AND  THE   WEST.  4-69 

Briglit,  Christian  capital  of  lakes  and  prairie, 

Heaven  had  no  interest  in  thy  scourge  and  scath  ; 

Thou  wert  the  newest  shrine  of  our  religion, 
The  youngest  witness  of  our  hope  and  faith. 

Not  in  thy  embers  do  we  rake  for  folly. 

But  like  a  martyr's  ashes  gather  thee, 
With  chastened  pride  and  tender  melancholy, — 

The  miracle  thou  wast,  and  yet  wilt  be  ! 

Not  merely  in  the  homages  of  churches, 

Or  bells  of  praise  tolled  o'  er  the  inland  seas, — 
Thou  glorifiedst  our  God  and  human  nature. 

With  meeter  works  and  grander  melodies, 

Of  cheerful  toil  and  willing  enterprises, 

Of  hearty  faith  in  freedom  and  in  man  ; 
The  hoar  old  capitals  looked  on  in  wonder 

To  see  the  swift  strong  race  this  stripling  ran.  '^ 

How  like  the  sun  he  rose  above  the  marshes. 

And  built  the  world  beneath  his  airy  feet. 
And  changed  the  course  of  immemorial  rivers, 

And  tapped  the  lakes  for  water  cool  and  sweet. 

How  skilfully  the  golden  grain  transmuted 

To  birds  of  sail  and  meteors  of  spark. 
And,  like  another  Noah,  bade  creation 

March  in  the  teeming  mazes  of  his  ark. 

Yet  in  his  power,  most  frank  and  democratic. 

He  roxised  no  envious  witness  of  his  joy. 
And  in  the  stature  of  the  Prince  and  hero 

We  saw  the  laughing  dimples  of  a  boy. 

Still  wise  and  apt  among  the  oldest  merchants, 

His  young  example  steered  the  wary  mart. 
And  amplest  credit  poured  its  gold  around  him, 

And  trade  imperial  gave  scope  for  art. 

His  architectures  passed  all  heathen  splendor, 

The  immigrating  Goth  drew  wondering  near ; 
To  see  his  shafts  and  arches  tall  and  slender 

Branch  o'er  the  new  homes  of  this  pioneer. 


470  HISTORY   OF    THE   GKEAT   FIRES 

The  Greek  and  Eoman  there  might  see  rebuilded 
In  vastness  equal  and  in  style  as  pure, 

The  merchants'  markets  like  a  palace  gilded, 
With  marble  walls  and  deep  entablature. 

His  twoscore  bridges  swinging  on  their  pivots, 
The  long  and  laden  line  of  vessels  sped, 

WhUe  he,  impatient,  marched  beneath  the  sluices 
His  hosts,  like  Cyrus,  in  the  river's  bed. 

Then,  when  all  weak  predictions  proved  but  scandal, 
And  the  wild  marshes  grew  a  sovereign's  home, 

A  dozing  cow  o'erset  an  urchin's  candle, — 
Once  more  a  fool  fired  the  Ephesian  dome. 

The  artless  winds  that  blew  o'er  plains  of  cattle. 
And  cooled  the  corn  through  all  the  summer  days, 

Plunged  like  wild  steeds  in  pastime  or  in  battle, 
Straight  in  the  blinding  brightness  of  the  breeze. 

And  down  fell  bridge,  and  parapet,  and  lintel. 
The  blazing  barks  went  drifting  one  by  one. 

The  mighty  city  wrapped  its  head  in  splendor, 
And  sank  into  the  waters  like  a  sun  ! 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 


HoAV  did  our  people  accept  this  widespread  sympathy,  and  its 
godlike  manifestation  ?  It  was  a  surprise  as  great  as  the  confla- 
gration. We  scarcely  believed  it  possible  that  our  calamity  could 
take  such  hold  upon  the  universal  heart  of  the  race.  And  as  the 
stream  kept  swelling  till  millions  had  been  provided,  and  all  im- 
mediate wants  were  supplied,  and  something  was  left  for  the 
stern  winter's  trials,  our  wonder  grew.  "We  were  lumibled  by 
the  spectacle.  "We  knew  not  our  losses,  but  we  felt  buoyant  with 
the  consciousness  that  the  whole  world  felt  our  loss  to  be  its  own, 


Iisr   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  471 

and  was  rallying  to  snccor  and  save  from  crushing  ovei'throw 
The  primitive  fraternity  seemed  to  be  revived,  which  is  described 
in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  when  "  no  man  said  that  aught  that 
he  possessed  was  his  own,  but  they  had  all  things  common." 
Wrecked  by  a  surging  ocean  of  flame,  with  peril  overhung  every 
hour,  we  heard  a  clieering  voice  sounding  through  the  gloom,  and 
our  hearts  bounded  like  the  hearts  of  mariners  ready  to  perish, 
when  a  sail  is  discerned  upon  the  waters  bearing  down  towards 
them. 

"  There  are  men  among  us  who  have  lost  their  all,  w^ho  have 
seen  the  labors,  the  plans,  tlie  hopes  of  a  lifetime  annihilated  in  a 
moment,  who  have  stood  unmoved  amidst  universal  desolation, 
and  wlio  have  witnessed  all  wdth  tearless  composure,  and  yet 
Avhose  eyes  have  been  often  splashed  with  the  spray  of  tears  as 
they  read  of  the  unanimity,  the  cordiality,  the  lavish  generosity 
with  which  people  everywhere  have  contributed  to  our  relief. 
Oftener  from  among  these  ghastly  w^alls  and  smoking  desolation 
has  there  been  heard  a  fervent  "  God  bless  our  sympathizers ! ' ' 
than  a  "  God  pity  ouv  sufferings  !  " 

Men  who  had  not  shed  a  tear  till  then,  shook  with  uncontrol- 
lable emotion  and  wept  for  joy.  The  gratitude  was  equal  to  the 
charity,  if  such  an  equalization  were  possible. 

We  began  to  realize  how  intimately  the  interests  of  Chicago 
Avere  bound  up»with  those  of  the  whole  country  and  the  world. 
We  were  brothers  in  distress.  The  feelings  of  her  citizens  were 
well  expressed  in  the  Tribune^  which  said  : — 

"  Amid  the  general  gloom,  the  public  distress,  and  the  wide- 
spread wa-eck  of  private  property,  the  heart  of  the  most  impover- 
ished man  is  warmed  and  lightened  by  the  universal  sympathy 
and  aid  of  his  fellow-countrymen.  There  were  cities  that  looked 
upon  Chicago  as  a  rival.  Iler  unexampled  success  had  provoked 
hostility, — amounting  at  times  to  bitterness.  In  the  ranks  of 
municipalities  Chicago  stood  pre-eminent,  and  that  eminence  had 


4:72  HISTOET    OF   THE    GKEAT   FIEES 

drawn  upon  her  the  prejudices,  and  often  the  ill-natured  jea- 
lousies, of  her  supposed  rivals.  But  the  fire  ended  all  this. 
Hardly  had  the  news  reached  those  cities  before  our  sorrows  were 
made  theirs.  The  noble-hearted  people  did  not  wait  for  details  ; 
thej  suspended  all  other  business,  each  man  giving  of  his  money 
and  his  property  to  be  sent  to  Chicago.  Before  the  fire  had 
ceased  its  ravages,  trains  laden  with  supplies  of  food  and  clothing 
had  actually  readied  the  city.  St.  Louis  and  Cincinnati,  Mil- 
waukee, Detroit,  Pittsburgh,  and  Louisville  w^ere  active,  even 
while  the  fire  was  burning,  in  providing  for  the  relief  of  de^^as- 
tated  Chicago.  Every  semblance  of  rivalry  had  disappeared. 
IS'ot  an  ungenerous  or  selfish  thought  was  uttered — e\-ery where 
the  great  brotherhood  of  man  was  vindicated,  and  our  loss  was 
made  the  loss  of  the  nation. 

"  In  the  light  of  this  experience,  how  absurd  are  the  crimina- 
tions and  controversies  of  men.  The  hospitality  and  humanity 
of  those  in  our  city  who  have  retained  their  homes,  toward  their 
less  fortunate  neighbors,  though  marked  by  every  feature  of  un- 
selfish charity,  has  failed  even  to  equal  the  zealous  efforts  and 
generous  actions  of  the  people  of  the  country,  who  have  laid 
aside  all  other  business  to  feed  the  hungry,  clothe  the  naked,  and 
give  shelter  to  the  roofless  of  Chicago. 

"  The  national  sympathy  for  us  in  our  distress  has  shown  that 
in  the  presence  of  human  suffering  there  are  ;io  geographical 
lines,  no  sectional  boundaries,  no  distinction  of  politics  or  creeds. 
The  Samaritans  have  outlived  the  Le^ites,  and  there  has  been  no 
such  thing  as  passing  by  on  the  other  side.  The  wine  and  oil 
have  been  distributed  with  a  lavish  hand,  and  the  moneys  have 
been  deposited  to  pay  for  the  lodging  of  the  bruised  and  home- 
less. 

"Words  fail  to  express  the  grateful  feelings  of  our  people. 
Men  who  braved  the  perils  of  the  dreadful  Monday,  who  wit- 
nessed the  destruction  of  all  their  wordly  goods,  and  who  with 


IN   CTIICAGO   AND    THE   WEST.  473 

their  families  strnggled  for  life  upon  the  prairies  during  the  aw- 
ful destruction,  and  b]-avely  endured  it  all,  could  not  restrain  the 
swelling  heart  or  grateful  tears  when  they  read  what  the  noble 
people  of  the  country  had  done  for  Chicago ;  how  the  rich  and 
the  poor,  whites  and  blacks,  all — men,  women,  and  children — =had 
done  something  to  alleviate  the  distress  and  mitigate  the  suffer- 
ing of  fellow-beings  in  far-off  Chicago.  How  true  is  it  that  '  one 
touch  of  pity  makes  the  whole  world  kin.'  In  some  cities  the 
contributions  have  exceeded  an  average  of  a  dollar  for  each  mem- 
ber of  the  population,  and  in  the  abundance  that  has  been  given 
unto  us  the  aggregate  is  largely  made  up  from  the  prompt  offer- 
ings of  the  humble  and  the  poor  as  well  as  of  the  rich.  Future 
statisticians  may  compute  in  tabular  array  the  commercial  value  of 
the  donations  to  Chicago  ;  but  only  in  the  volume  of  the  record- 
ing angel  will  be  known  the  inestimable  blessings  of  that  merci- 
ful, generous,  humane  charity  which  this  calamity  has  kindled  in 
the  hearts  of  the  whole  American  people. 

"  In  due  time  there  will  be  a  formal  and  complete  acknowledg- 
ment of  donations,  public  find  private  ;  but  in  the  mean  time  let 
the  nation  rejoice  that  underneath  all  the  canflicts  in  which  men 
are  forever  engrossed  there  is  a  latent  spark  of  universal  brother- 
hood, which  needs  but  the  occasion  to  develop  into  the  most 
genial  warmth.  Pixjperty  may  be  lost,  wealth  may  be  obliter- 
ated ;  but  that  people  must  be  great  who  have  hearts  in  which 
charity  for  human  suffering  cannot  be  stifled  in  any  event." 

It  was  felt  to  be  a  most  appropriate  recognition  of  God,  and 
His  mercy,  and  of  the  goodness  of  our  fellow-men  to  us,  when 
the  following  proclamation  appeared : — 

"  In  view  of  the  recent  appalling  public  calamity,  the  under- 
signed, Mayor  of  Chicago,  hereby  earnestly  recommends  that  all 
the  inhabitants  of  this  city  do  observe  Sunday,  October  29,  as 
a  special  day  of  humiliation  and  prayer;  of  humiliation  for  those 
past  offences  against  Almighty  God,  to  which  these  severe  afflic- 


474  UISTOKT   OF    THE    GKEAT   FIKES 

tions  were,  doubtless,  intended  to  lead  our  minds ;  of  prayer  for 
the  relief  and  comfort  of  the  suffering  thousands  in  our  midst ; 
for  the  restoration  of  our  material  prosperity,  especially  for  our 
lasting  improvement  as  a  people  in  reverence  and  obedience  to 
God.  Xor  should  we  ever,  amidst  our  Josses  and  sorrows,  forget 
to  render  thanks  to  Him  for  the  arrest  of  the  devouring  fires  in 
time  to  save  so  many  homes,  and  for  the  unexampled  sympathy 
and  aid  which  has  flowed  in  upon  ns  from  every  quarter  of  our 
land,  and  even  from  beyond  the  seas. 

"  Given  under  my  hand  this  20th  day  of  October,  1871. 

"  E.  B.  Mason,  Mayor." 

The  day  was  generally  observed  and  the  churches  were  filled. 
The  writer  preached  on  a  theme  appropriate  to  the  former  part 
of  the  proclamation  in  the  morning,  and  in  the  evening  on 
Good  Deeds,  to  be  Held  in  Everlasting  Kemembrance.  Mat. 
26  :  13.  "  Yerily  I  say  unto  you,  wheresoever  this  Gospel  shall 
be  preached  in  the  whole  world,  there  shall  also  this  that  this 
woman  hath  done  be  told  for  a  memorial  of  her." 

This  prophecy  and  command  illustrate  the  divineness  of  our 
blessed  Lord,  because  lie  predicts  the  world-wide  spread  of  His 
Gospel,  and  stakes  his  reputation  upon  it ;  and  because  He  exhib- 
its so  delicate  and  perfect  an  appreciation  of  the  generous  care 
which  this  woman  offers  Him.  The  event  has  justified  His  grand 
prophecy,  for  the  aroma  of  that  noble  woman's  name  has  spread 
throughout  the  world.  The  recognition  of  her  offering  by  the 
Saviour,  and  His  award  of  praise,  have  given  us  an  example 
which  is  equivalent  to  a  rule,  that  we  should  treasure  in  grate- 
ful remembrance,  and  also  commemorate  the  good  deeds  of  our 
fellow-creatures. 

He  has  also  further  said,  "  And  whosoever  shall  give  to  drink 
unto  one  of  these  little  ones  a  cup  of  cold  water  only,  in  the 
name  of  a  disciple,  verily  I  say  unto  you  he  shall  in  no  wise 


•r. 


EST    CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST.  475 

lose  his  reward."  Au  act  of  kindness  to  God's  people,  however 
common  and  simple  the  deed  of  mercy,  bestowed  in  the  spirit  of 
Christian  love,  shall  be  rewarded  by  Him. 

Possibly  there  may  be  some  intimation  of  that  Great  Day 
when  Christ  shall  judge  men  according  to  their  doings,  and  con- 
fer eternal  honor  on  the  workers  of  mercy,  saying,  "  Inasmuch  as 
ye  did  it  nnto  one  of  the  least  of  these  My  brethren,  ye  did  it 
unto  Me." 

We  read,  also,  that  the  works  of  the  blessed  dead  do  follow 
them,  accompanying  them  into  the  very  presence  of  God  to  speak 
for  them  and  claim  the  reward.  The  Bible  itself,  God's  own 
Word,  is  a  history  and  memorial  of  some  of  the  best  actions  ever 
performed  among  .men.  It  is  therefore  godlike  to  remember 
and  to  celebrate  good  deeds,  especially  when  we  ourselves  are 
the  objects  of  beneiicence.  Ingratitude  is  the  foulest,  basest  of 
sins  ;  gratitude  the  fruit  of  a  noble  nature.  It  is  most  becoming 
in  us,  who  have  been  recipients  of  the  charity  of  the  world,  to 
manifest  our  appreciation,  to  dwell  npon  the  benevolence,  to 
magnify  the  bounty,  to  love  the  donors,  and  glorify  Him  who 
is  the  Great  Author  of  all  good  in  man  and  the  niiiverse. 

1.  Let  us  notice  the  sjpontaneous  overflow  of  sympathy  and 
beneficence.  Scarcely  had  the  tidings  gone  forth  to  the  sur- 
ronnding  country,  and  the  extent  of  tlie  evil  become  known, 
when  we  heard  that  car-loads  of  cooked  provisions  were  on  the 
way  to  onr  city ;  tliat  women  sat  np  all  night  preparing  food  for 
our  homeless  thousands ;  that  the  depots  were  full  of  supplies ; 
that  distant  cities  were  filling  their  trains  with  necessary  articles 
for  onr  comfort;  that  corporations  and  communities  v\'ere  rais- 
ing moneys  for  onr  relief ;  that  England  was  moving  to  our 
rescue,  and  Germany,  and  all  Christendom,  indeed,  had  been 
touclied,  and  the  lines  of  commnnication  were  given  up  to 
the  Chicago  relief -work.  ISTever  in  history  was  there  a  calamity 
so  great  and  sudden,  and  never  an  uprising  of  manldnd  so  gene- 


476  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

rous  and  spontaneous.  Unforced  as  the  light,  free  as  the  crys- 
tal flood  from  the  mountain-spring,  gracious  as  the  perfume  from 
the  flowers,  came  all  the  sympathy  and  all  the  help  we  could 
possibly  receive  and  use. 

2.  We  may  dwell  wpon  the  magnitude  of  the  world's  charity 
toward  our  suffering  people.  Wliatever  we  had  need  of  poured 
in  upon  us  without  measure,  and  the  quality  was  unexception- 
able. The  poor  never  lived  so  well  as  during  the  first  few  days 
after  the  fire  ;  at  least  we  may  reasonably  suppose  that  they 
seldom  had  bread  so  white,  biscuit  so  light,  ham  so  sweet,  pre- 
serves so  rich,  and  everything  eatable  in  such  abundance.  The 
munificence  of  the  people  at  large  provided  all  that  heart  could 
wish  of  food,  bedding,  clotliing,  and  household  furniture.  The 
railways  were  taxed  to  their  utmost  capacity,  the  churches  were 
filled  with  material,  and  all  the  depots  of  supplies  testified  to  the 
magnanimity  of  the  American  public.  Immense  contributions 
of  money  followed  upon  the  heels  of  these  gifts  for  immediate 
use.  God  opened  M'ide  men's  hearts  and  unclasped  their  purses 
in  our  behalf.  Across  the  water  our  necessities  appealed  to  the 
generosity  of  foreigners  and  strangers,  so  that  quantities  of  money 
will  flow  to  our  relief  from  lands  beyond  the  sea.  Churches 
gave,  after  the  general  f  mid  was  raised  in  popular  assemblies,  their 
collections,  and  gathered  their  boxes  and  bundles,  much  of  Avhich 
will  be  privately  disbursed  to  the  actually  needy  in  the  various 
Christian  congregations.  Farmers  and  merchants  came  in  to 
open  their  houses  to  the  homeless,  and  doors  everywhere  stood 
wide  to  welcome  those  suddenly  left  without  a  roof.  Instances 
might  be  named  and  incidents  given  of  the  most  interesting 
nature,  all  of  which  reveal  a  humanity  and  philanthropy  which 
shed  glory  upon  the  age,  and  show  the  power  of  Christianity 
upon  the  world.  "  For  this  is  the  Lord's  doings,  and  it  is  mar- 
vellous in  our  eyes."  He  has  made  all  this  OA-erflowing  beneficence 
possible,  and  to  Him  be  the  glory !     Our  thanks  must  be  given 


EST    CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  477 

to  tlie  railroad  corporations  for  their  nobleness  in  these  times  of 
distress.  They  have  done  everything  in  their  power  to  mitigate 
and  relieve  the  horrors  and  evils  of  our  situation.  We  must  not 
say,  henceforth,  that  corporations  have  no  sonls.  Our  own  citi- 
zens have  shown  a  magnanimity  worthy  of  all  praise,  in  opening 
the  churches  to  the  homeless,  distributing  Y\^itli  what  care  they 
could  exercise  in  the  press  of  need  the  public  bounty,  offering 
hospitality  and  sympathy  to  the  sufferers,  to  their  own  discom- 
fort, inconvenience,  and  loss  ;  cheering  and  helping  one  another 
by  brave  words,  kindly  offices,  and  lenient  treatment,  insomuch 
that  there  never  was  such  a  calamity  accompanied  by  less  actual 
suffering,  or  followed  by  sncli  ample  relief.  The  immensity  of 
the  loss  was  met  by  prompt  and  efficient  assistance,  unexpected 
and  nnparalleled  in  history. 

The  offers  of  pecuniary  aid  to  men  crippled  in  business  were 
on  the  largest  scale,  as  if  men  rose  to  the  height  of  the  emer- 
gency, under  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty.  The  Alabaster  box 
was  full  of  costly  ointment,  and  when  it  was  broken  upon  us,  the 
fragrance  tilled  the  world,  aud  will  perfume  the  age.  Its  sweet- 
ness onght  to  possess  mankind  with  a  sense  of  brotherhood,  and 
draw  them  into  closer  fellowship.  It  is  here  most  fit  to  mention 
the  boundless  charity  of  cities  heretofore  our  rivals ;  instan- 
taneous and  magnificent  was  their  response  to  our  deplorable 
need,  and  never  can  we  cherish  anything  but  gratitude  to  their 
warm-hearted,  generous  people.  All  feelings  of  bitter  rivalry 
must  die  and  perish  forever,  and  only  a  lofty  emulation  charac- 
terize our  mutual  endeavors.  Let  the  memory  of  their  good 
deeds  live  in  our  hearts,  and  be  transmitted  as  a  precious  inheri- 
tance to  our  children  and  the  generations  that  follow. 

The  considerate  action  of  our  Governor  and  Legislature 
deserves  from  us  a  particular  recognition,  and  must  knit  our 
people  more  closely  to  the  mass  of  our  fellow-citizens  in  other 
sections  of  the  commonwealth.     And  doubtless  the  magnitude 


478  niSTOKY  OF  the  great  fiees 

and  far-reaching  extent  of  the  public  charity  will  never  be 
known  until  the  Books  are  opened  at  the  great  Day  of 
Accounts.  Nor  can  our  gratitude  and  thanks  be  too  compre- 
hensive and  deep,  too  constant  and  fresh,  towards  our  Heavenly 
Father,  and  those  whom  His  grace  prompted  to  unexampled 
works  of  mercy. 

3.  Xow,  again,  to  heighten  our  conception  of  obligation,  we  must 
reflect  from  what  possible  evils  we  were  saved  by  the  spontaneous 
and  magnanimous  action  of  the  American  people  and  the  civilized 
world. 

The  scenes  of  Sunday  and  Monday,  during  the  conflagration, 
were  often  of  such  revolting  depravity  as  to  remind  us  that  a 
portion  of  our  population  were  fiends  incarnate,  or  beasts  in  hu- 
man form.  The  dregs  of  a  great  city  contain  elements  of  destruc- 
tion that  rise  to  the  surface  when  any  storm  or  convulsion  shakes 
it.  !N"othing  is  then  safe  from  their  raging  frenzy.  The  helpless 
community  become  their  prey ;  and  they  especially  attack  the 
better  classes,  because  from  them  they  expect  plunder,  and  their 
envy  of  the  more  fortunate  satiates  itself  in  their  ruin  and  distress. 

Besides,  when  disaster  is  abroad,  and  riots  occur,  a  demoniac 
passion  for  devastation  seizes  on  the  ignorant  and  excitable,  and 
they  assist  the  elements  in  their  fatal  sweep.  When  law  and  its 
restraints  are  thro"\vn  off  suddenly,  it  is  like  unchaining  and  im- 
loosing  a  menagerie  of  wild  animals  and  serpents.  This  is  not 
too  much  to  affirm ;  because  history  confirms  the  statement,  and 
shows  bad  men  the  worst  at  the  very  time  when  they  should  be 
most  gentle,  considerate,  and  kind.  People  without  roofs,  or  rai- 
ment, or  food,  would  not  long  brook  the  sight  of  comfortable 
homes  and  abundant  supplies,  without  forcibly  compelling  a 
division.  We  shudder  to  think  what  might  ha\e  been,  withoiit 
the  ample  bounty  of  which  we  were  recipients. 

And  again  also  the  suffering  that  would  have  occurred  but 
for  this   speedy   and    gigantic    provision  for   all   the   hoineless 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   TIIK   WEST.  479 

multitude !  "W"e  could  scarcely  have  cooked  and  dealt  out  the 
food  needful  to  prevent  starvation ;  nor  would  it  have  been  in  our 
power  to  furnish  money  and  clothing,  bedding  and  furniture ; 
abject  poverty  would  have  overtaken  and  swallowed  us  all  down 
into  a  gulf  of  hopeless  misery ;  famine  and  death  would  have  held 
sway  over  this  proud  metropolis.  If  Ave  have  thus  far  happily 
escaped,  and  feel  measurably  secure,  let  us  praise  God,  for  this 
unstinted  liberality,  and  all  the  blessings  it  has  insured  us, — es- 
pecially deliverance  from  dangers  of  unseen  horror  and  magnitude. 
4.  Again,  let  us  hold  in  grateful  remembrance  what  has  been 
done  for  our  relief,  that  we  may  act  worthily  before  our  benefac- 
tors. It  would  be  a  shame  for  us  to  be  avaricious  and  narrow, 
from  this  time  forth.  "  Freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give." 
The  world  expects  every  man  to  do  his  duty  in  this  emergency. 
Cowardice  or  meanness  now  and  henceforth  must  appear  doubly 
degrading  and  despicable  in  a  citizen  of  this  city. 

' '  I  will  live  so  they  shall  remember  me 
For  deeds  of  such  Divine  beneficence 
As  rivers  have,  that  teach  men  what  is  good 
By  blessing  them.  " 

Tiiere  are  some  persons,  who  sit  down  and  fold  their  hands  in 
idleness,  eating  the  bread  of  charity  till  such  time  as  it  shall 
cease  to  be  given  out.  They  are  an  excrescence  upon  society,  a 
burning  disgrace  to  humanity ;  such  men  discourage  benevo- 
lence, and  thus  curse  the  deserving.  Any  one  who  in  any 
manner  imitates  them,  must  share  their  deep  damnation.  This, 
also,  is  no  time  for  despondency,  but  rather  for  heroic  action,  in 
view  of  a  helping  world,  whose  aid  clieers  us  to  greater  exertions 
tlian  ever,  and  lays  us  under  solemn  obligations  to  prove  our  man- 
hood. And  it  is  one  of  the  best  things  in  life,  that  "  a  man's 
life  consisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of  the  things  which  he  pos- 
sesseth."     The  poor  r.re  happy,  they  are  often  great ;  their  deeds 


480  HISTOET   OF   THE   GEEAT   FIEES 

live  when  pelf  is  burned  or  wasted  upon  folly  and  sin ;  and  if  we 
were  to  take  a  survey  of  history,  it  would  be  found  that,  what 
men  have  nobly  done,  not  Avhat  they  have  gotten  for  them- 
selves, makes  them  remembered  as  a  blessing  to  the  world.  ISTever 
mind  whether  you  succeed  in  hoarding  again,  or  in  regaining 
your  former  position.  Do  not  fall  down  in  the  dust  and  cry,  or 
hesitate  to  do  your  duty,  because  all  is  swept  down  to  ashes,  and 
flung  to  the  winds  in  smoke. 

"  Nay,  never  falter  ;  no  great  deed  is  done 
By  followers  who  ask  for  certainty  ; 
No  good  is  certain,  but  the  steadfast  mind, 
The  undivided  will  to  seek  the  good. 

*         *         *         * 
The  greatest  gift  the  hero  leaves  his  race 
Is  to  have  been  a  hero.     Say  we  fail ! 

We  feed  the  high  tradition  of  the  world." 

Our  names  will  brighten  the  list  of  those  who  have  suffered 
patiently,  toiled  manfully,  and  sought,  through  misfortune  and 
trial,  a  higher  and  better  destiny. 

I  have  sometimes  dreamed  of  the  days  of  old,  when  our  fathers 
were  alike  poor  and  struggling,  and  had  little  time  for  frivolous 
amusements.  They  were  happier  and  truer  then  than  people  are 
now.  And  if  there  is  any  life  that  seems  to  me  loathsome  and 
detestable,  it  is  that  of  the  mass  of  the  population  of  great  towns. 
The  very  high  are  all  gayety,  fashion,  folly,  and  luxurious  vanity ; 
the  very  low  are  given  over  to  cheap  amusements,  vile  pleasures, 
and  empty  nothing.  The  large  middling  class  are  industrious, 
earnest,  useful  persons,  who  form  the  balance-wheel  of  the  ma- 
chinery, the  conservative  element  in  society.  Reduced  as  we  are 
to  a  level,  and  brought  back  to  first  principles,  we  must  humbly 
confess  our  indebtedness  to  our  generous  helpers,  and  order  our 
future  to  please  the  Great  Giver,  and  to  honor  those  who  have 
saved  us  from  total  wreck.     Piety,  prudence,  industry,  charity, 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST.  481 

and  fidelity  are  tlie  cardinal. virtues,  whose  exercise  will  form  the 
best  memorial  we  can  raise  to  the  remembrance  of  the  world's 
great  beneficence. 

5.  Finally  ;  the  offering  of  that  precious  ointment  was  love's 
gift  to  Jesus  Christ ;  and  the  Christianity  of  the  Bible  made 
men's  hearts  so  tender,  that  when  our  calamity  smote  upon  them, 
they  broke  and  gave  forth  the  generous  offering,  whose  odor 
smells  sweet  in  our  nostrils.  Christian  brethren,  be  it  ours  to 
promote  this  same  holy,  humane  religion,  of  which  we  have  been 
made  to  partake,  and  whose  fruits  in  a  thousand  ways  we  enjoy, 
and  shall  enjoy  forever.  We  seem  to  labor  sometimes  in  vain. 
But  by  patient  kindness,  bold  persistence,  and  earnest  fidelity,  we 
make  impressions  M-hich  affect  the  deepest  elements  of  society, 
and  mould  the  public  mind.  We  must  be  true  and  energetic ; 
and  the  ever  present  recollection  of  Jesus'  love  in  dying  for  us, 
and  of  his  latest  exliibition  of  the  influence  of  His  example  and 
spirit  upon  the  race,  will  especially  spur  us  to  new  exertions,  in- 
spire constancy  and  zeal,  and  enable  us  to  give  a  good  account  to 
Him,  and  to  Christendom,  of  the  stewardship  with  which  ^v^e  are 
entrusted.  As  Mary  was  reproached  for  her  beneficence,  as 
Christ  was  crucified  for  his  mission  of  love,  we  shall  not  find  the 
path  of  benevolence  one  of  flowers.  We  shall  meet  opposition 
and  many  a  rebuff ;  but  looking  unto  Jesus,  let  us  go  forward 
doing  with  our  might  whatever  our  hands  find  to  do,  and  His 
recognition  and  approbation  shall  be  our  exceeding  great  reward  ; 
for  no  well-doing  shall  fail  of  His  well-done.     Amen ! 

Most  happy  are  we  to  bear  testimony  that  the  sentiments  of 
this  discourse  accord  with  those  of  the  people  at  large.  And 
while  there  may  be  difference  of  views  respecting  the  adminis- 
tration of  affairs  and  the  disbursement  of  funds,  there  is  a  unan- 
imity of  gratitude.  This  variance  of  opinions,  and  occasional 
asperity  of  temper  concerning  the  disposition  of  moneys  and  sup- 
plies, arises  from  the  extreme  generosity  and  eagerness  of  some. 


482  HISTORY  OF  tup:  great  fires 

and  tlie  corresponding  conscientiousness  and  practical  wisdom  of 
those  actually  at  the  helm.  Men  of  power  and  men  of  benevo- 
lence are  guiding  the  relief  work,  and  the  people  will  yet  admire 
the  tact,  courage,  and  self-sacrifice  of  these  men.  With  the  sup- 
plemental offices  of  the  good  Samaritans  in  private  life,  and 
individual  local  societies,  there  will  be  no  great  amount  of  suf- 
fering, unless  the  winter  should  be  unusually  long  and  rigorous. 

It  is  gratifying  to  know  that  the  people  who  have  aided,  are 
satisfied  with  the  manner  in  which  their  bounty  has  been  be- 
stowed. We  enjoy  the  ring  of  the  following  paragraph  from  a 
city  paper,  where  the  gifts  have  mounted  up  into  the  millions  : — 

"''No  clear-sighted  observer  can  have  read  the  record  of  the 
weeks  first  following  the  great  Western  calamity  without  feeling 
that  the  effect  of  the  great  outburst  of  sympathy  for  the  outcasts 
of  Chicago  has  been  most  wholesome  and  elevating  upon  the 
national  temper.  We  had  all  begun  to  l(3ok  at  human  nature  too 
much  through  the  medium  of  Tammany  thefts,  Ku-Klux  Klaus, 
and  trials  for  adultery  and  murder.  They  had  almost  put  out  of 
our  sight  the  actual  framework  of  social  and  domestic  life,  its 
silent  modesties,  and  pure  affections,  and  the  myriad  unselfish 
ties  which  in  real  life  bind  men  together.  Only  such  a  disaster 
as  that  of  Chicago  could  call  this  hidden  ground  of  humanity  to 
light  ill  its  most  generous  work.  The  country  has  had  her  mo- 
ments of  justifiable  pride  before  now,  in  tlie  display  of  her 
strength,  or  wealth,  or  success  of  arms ;  but  she  was  never  so  great 
as  when  in  the  spirit  of  her  Master  she  went  into  the  higliways 
and  byways  and  compelled  the  homeless  and  destitute  to  come 
into  her  royal  feast — ^be  warmed  and  clothed  and  fed.  It  will 
need  many  years  of  squabbles  and  thefts  and  international  jeal- 
ousies to  blot  out  this  glimpse  of  the  substratum  of  manliness 
and  kindliness  in  ordinary  human  nature,  or  to  make  us  forget 
how  from  every  nation  came  the  quick  response  when  the  great 
city  sat  in  ashes,  and  cried  aloud,  like  Job,  '  My  bone  cleaveth  to 


HAUMNG    SAFES    FROM    THE    RUIf 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  485 

my  skin  and  my  flesh.     Have  pity  on  me,  O  ye  my  friends,  for 
the  hand  of  God  hath  touched  me.'  " 

We  close  this  division  of  onr  subject  witli  regret,  because  so 
much  is  left  unsaid  of  necessity,  and  here  we  leave  a  theme  of 
the  sweetest  and  most  absorbing  interest. 

If  to  give  is  more  blessed  than  to  receive,  then  indeed  has 
there  been  a  wave  of  joy  rolling  over  the  great  human  soul ; 
and  the  experience  of  this  century  shall  be  iUumined  by  a  light 
above  the  flames  of  Chicago's  burning.  As  they  paled  before 
the  sun,  so  has  our  gloom  fled  from  the  sunburst  of  a  world's  be- 
neficence. In  the  language  of  Tiny  Tim,  in  Dickens'  Christmas 
Carol,  "  God  bless  you  every  one  !  " 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  contributions  in  money  received 
by  the  Chicago  Relief  and  Aid  Society,  up  to  November  18,  from" 
forty  States  and  Territories : — Massachusetts,  $517,730.12  ;  Isew 
York,  $392,987.90  ;  Yermont,  $359,220.00 ;  Pennsylvania,  $221,- 
158.04 ;  Maryland,  $179,327.93  ;  New  Jersey,  $153,714.32  ;  Cal- 
ifornia, $148,790.70;  Connecticut,  $65,970.18;  Ehode  Island, 
$45,384.70  ;  New  Hampshire,  $36,834.35  ;  Maine,  $11,721.26  ; 
Washington,  D.  C,  $34,065.05  ;  Ohio,  $46,299.12 ;  Illinois,  $46,- 
275.27  ;  Yirginia,  $27,464.81 ;  Kansas,  $26,225.35  ;  Utah  Teri-i- 
tory,  $15,381.11;  Oregon,  $10,000.00;  Indiana,  $24,976.34; 
Missouri,  16,984.70;  Minnesota,  $24,108.40;  Tennessee,  $23,- 
655.10;  Nebraska,  $14,694.00;  Colorado,  $12,653.03;  Louisi- 
ana, $11,604.80 ;  Iowa,  $9,274.51;  Delaware,  $8,070.70;  Texas 
$7,725.82 ;  Kentucky,  $5,108.90 ;  Arkansas,  $2,536.55  ;  Georgia, 
$2,070.76  ;  Nevada,  $1,505.83  ;  New  Mexico,  $1,495.50  ;  Florida, 
$1,041.23  ;  South  Carolina,  $1,001.60  ;  Michigan,  $732.25  ;  Wash- 
ington Territory,  $500.00 ;  Wisconsin,  $356.00 ;  North  Cai'olina, 
$115.00;  Mississippi,  $48.50.— Grand  total,  $2,508,810.39. 
28 


^86  HISTORY   OF   THE   GKEAT   FIRES 


VII.— CONVALESCENCE. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

Chicago  's  been  burnt  down  in  timber  to-day, 
Chicago  'U  be  built  up  in  marble  to-morrow ; 

Chicago  has  capital  losses  to  pay, 

Or  Chicago  has  credit  her  losses  to  borrow. 

No  fabulous  Phoenix,  with  flames  circled  thick. 
Give  us  henceforth,  as  swift  resurrection's  imago : 

In  its  stead  paint  up,  heralds,  an  Illinois  Chick, 
With  the  legend  in  gold  letters  tacked  to  it — "  Ago^ 

For  this  Illinois  Chick,  from  her  circlet  of  flame, 
Looks  calmly  and  coolly,  victorious  o'er  ruin. 

And  this  word  has  a  right  to,  in  more  than  in  name, 
For  Ago  's  "  I  do,"  and  Chicago  is  doing. 


-Punch. 


The  reputation  of  this  city  for  boasting  was  such  that  people 
alwaj'S  allowed  a  margin  for  exaggeration  in  statements  made  by 
our  citizens.  It  was  usual  to  observe  an  air  of  incredulity  upon 
the  countenances  of  those  who  listened,  when  Chicagoans  told  of 
their  exploits  and  advances.  Yet  underneath  all  this  apparent 
doubt,  and  mingled  with  this  idea  of  vaunting,  there  was  a  grow- 
ing sense  of  the  amazing  energy  of  the  western  people.  Other 
cities  in  the  same  region  reproached  one  another  with  want  of 
enterprise  and  spirit,  and  pointed  hither  for  an  example  of  what 
was  needed  to  give  them  equal  or  greater  prosperity.  The  world, 
too,  liad  begun  to  realize  that  the  Young  Giant  was  a  power  in 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  487 

the  realm  of  commerce  and  of  all  activity.  A  lady  said  of  her 
own  great  city,  ''If  we  had  been  burnt  out  as  you  have,  our  peo- 
ple would  have  sat  down  with  folded  hands  and  made  no  effort 
to  recover.  Or  if  they  had  done  anything,  they  would  have 
waited  till  spring  before  they  commenced."  A  St.  Louis  party 
tried  to  induce  a  friend  on  his  way  to  Chicago,  the  day  after  the 
fire,  to  wait  a  little  for  them.  "No,"  said  he,  "those  fellows  will 
liave  it  all  built  up  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours,  and  I  want  to 
see  the  ruins."  And  on  he  went.  This  revealed  the  real  reputa- 
tion of  the  city  among  those  wlio  knew,  in  the  clash  of  contest  for 
trade,  the  stuff  of  which  our  mercliants  were  made. 

The  London  Sj)ectator,  looking  at  Chicago  after  the  fire,  specu- 
lates in  an  interesting  way  on  the  elastic  energy  displayed  by 
business  men: 

Kot  a  little  of  the  surpassing  energy  and  spirit  displayed  by 
individuals  after  the  fire  may  be  traced  to  the  absence  of  that  ap- 
preciation of  the  weiglit  of  circumstances  which,  like  his  liability 
to  the  laws,  presses  so  heavily  upon  the  Englishman.  Mr.  Joseph 
Medill,  for.  example,  is  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Chicago  Tri- 
hune.  It  was  thought  that  the  Tribune  office,  a  huge  block  of 
marble,  might  resist  the  fire  ;  the  neighboring  journalists  sent  in 
their  presses,  and  the  staff  seemed  to  have  waited  for  the  flames 
as  they  would  for  an  enemy's  attack.  Despite  the  strength  of  the 
building,  however,  the  flames  "licked  in,"  and  Mr.  Joseph  Medill 
walked  out,  to  purchase  there  and  then  a  store  at  some  distance, 
and  a  couple  of  machines,  with  which,  before  his  old  oflice  had 
grown  cold,  he  was  circulating  Tribunes  to  the  public.  It  is  im- 
possible not  to  admire  such  energy,  and  impossible  not  to  suspect 
tliat  one  source  of  it  was  indifference;  that  Mr.  Medill  did  not 
really  care,  as  an  Englishman  would  liave  done  ;  that  his  heart 
was  not  choking,  or  his  brain  bursting,  with  a  sense  of  defeat  and 
pain,  as  an  Englishman's  would  have  been.  There  is  something 
of  "  What  does  it  signify?"  in  it  all,  as  there  is  in  the  Mayor's 


48B  HISTORY    OF    THE    GEEAT    FIRES 

Tigorous  and  benevolent  leap  tlirough  the  laws.  A  mei-cliant, 
hurrying  back  to  Chicago  to  see  what  had  become  of  house  and 
home,  is  said  to  have  met  a  friend  and  asked  him  of  their  fate. 
"House  burned,  wife  safe  at  our  father's,  papers  all  right,"  was 
the  reply,  whereupon  the  merchant  remarked,  "Well,  when  a 
man  has  his  wife  and  his  papers,  what  more  does  he  want  ? " 
"Heroic  stoicism,"  says  the  listener,  and  there  is  heroism,  and 
Btoicism  too,  in  the  speech  ;  and  so  also  there  is  indifference,  easi- 
ness, fluidity  of  feeling  on  points  which  would  have  touched  an 
Englishman  very  deeply.  The  American  cared  about  his  wife 
and  about  his  papers,  but  about  his  house  and  its  associations,  and 
their  sudden  disappearance  out  of  his  life,  he  did  not  care  at  all. 
Even  the  burnt-out  multitude  seemed  after  the  first  shock  to  have 
turned  to  work  again  with  an  ease  which  is  in  itself  admirable, 
but  which  would,  we  suspect,  be  impossible  if  the  chances  of  life 
weighed  there  as  they  do  here.  Life,  as  well  as  the  law,  presses 
more  lightly  across  the  Atlantic,  and  men  struck  by  misfortune 
turn  to  work  again,  not  with  the  dogged  resolution  of  the  Eng- 
lishman, not  by  a  supreme  effort  of  the  will,  but  with  a  light 
elasticity  and  heartiness  which  resemble  frivolity,  even  while  they 
have  with  frivolity  nothing  in  common. 

It  would  be  a  benefit  to  mankind  to  ascertain,  if  only  such 
ascertaining  were  possible,  how  far  this  elasticity  is  due  to  Amer- 
ican institutions.  If  it  is  due  to  theui,  that  would  be  the  best 
argument  ever  advanced  in  their  favor,  one  object  at  least  of 
human  institutions  being  liuman  happiness,  and  there  is  some- 
thing to  be  said  for  American  theories  on  the  subject.  The 
American  social  system  is  a  result,  in  part,  at  all  events,  of  the 
American  political  system;  and  its  tendency  is  to  lighten  life  by 
increasing  sympathy,  and  diminishing  that  sense  of  isolation 
which  so  greatly  intensifies  the  impression  of  any  calamity,  and 
which  is,  we  suspect,  one  of  the  greatest  causes  of  the  depressed 
tone  visible  in  Enojlish  li.'e.     But  we  believe  that  a  much  stronger 


nsr  CHICAGO  and  the  west,  489' 

cause  is  one  with  which  institutions  have  very  little  to  do,  the  vis- 
ible presence  of  innumerable  chances  in  life,  the  sight,  as  it  were^ 
of  endless  potential  wealth  besides  that  which  has  been  destroyed. 
A  great  English  peer  is  not  very  heavy-hearted  if  one  of  his 
houses  is  burnt  down  and  no  life  is  lost,  and  that  is  very  much 
the  American  feeling  about  a  similar  calamity.  The  house  he 
lives  in  is  only  one  of  his  houses.  He  has  no  other  just  at  present, 
but  he  will  have,  and  in  that  certainty  he  loses  the  sense  of  the 
irreparable  character  of  any  loss  not  involving  a  human  life. 
Prosperity  is  sure  to  come  back  to  Chicago,  or  if  not,  then  to 
Milwaukee,  and  Milwaukee  will  do  just  as  well  as  Chicago ;  and 
the  American,  as  certain  of  that  as  he  is  of  to-morrow's  sun,  feels 
misfortime  not  as  a  wound,  but  as  a  grain  of  sand  in  his  eyes,  an- 
noying, no  doubt,  but  sure  to  be  out  in  a  minute.  It  is  not  the 
present  men  really  fear,  but  the  future ;  and  to  the  American, 
taught  from  childhood  to  appreciate  the  vast  and  certain  rever- 
sions which  belong  to  him,  the  future  is  always  pleasant,  and  life 
therefore  never  without  light.  Tlie  burning  of  his  house  or  of  his 
city  matters  no  more  to  him  than  the  wearing  out  of  his  furniture 
to  the  English  rich  man  ;  he  has  only  to  get  some  more.  If  his 
cheque-book  is  right,  all  is  right ;  and  to  Joseph  Medill  his  paper 
is  his  cheque-book,  and  the  grand  office  old  furniture  soon  to  be 
replaced.  Americans  have  not  developed  a  new  strength,  they 
only  exert  the  strength  they  have  through  a  lighter  medium. 
The  London  Times  closed  an  article  with  these  words : — 
"When  Mr,  Cobden  complained  that  English  school-boys  were 
taught  all  about  a  trumpery  Attic  sti-eam  called  tlie  Ilissus,  but 
nothing  of  Chicago,  it  should  have  been  remembered  in  fair- 
ness that  at  that  time  Chicago  had  hardly  existed  long  enough  to 
be  known  by  any  but  merchants.  It  will  now  not  soon  be  forgot- 
ten. We  may  be  confident,  however,  that  the  natural  resources 
of  the  place  and  the  native  energy  of  the  Americans,  will  more 
than  repeat  the  marvels  of  the  original  development  of  the  city. 


490  HiSTOKr  or  the  gkeat  fires 

The  novelty  and  rapid  growth  of  American  civilization  render 
the  people  far  more  indifferent  to  such  calamities  than  dwellers 
in  older  countries  who  are  conscious  that  their  possessions  are  the 
accumulation  of  centuries.  At  the  same  time  with  the  news  of 
the  lire  the  teleo^rapli  informed  us  that  its  mercantile  effects  were 
already  being  discounted  in  New  York,  and  we  have  no  doubt 
there  are  numbers  of  enterprising  speculators  who  see  their  way 
to  fortune  through  the  speedy  leconstrnction  of  the  city.  The 
most  cordial  sympathy  will  be  felt  in  this  country  with  individual 
sufferers,  and  we  can  only  wish  the  great  mercantile  community 
of  the  West  the  prompt  recovery  which  their  energy  deserves." 

The  Daily  TeJegraj^h^  in  a  characteristic  article,  says  : — 

It  is  idle  to  suppose  that  such  a  city  is  destined  to  become  a 
Tadmor  in  the  wilderness,  or  to  sink  into  the  chronic  decadence 
of  Sebastopol  after  the  bombardment.  "  Resurgam  "  might  be 
written  upon  every  brick  of  the  burned-up  houses  of  Chicago. 
It  will  rise  again,  and  with  a  vengeance.  Luckily  no  venerable 
cathedrals,  no  historic  palaces,  no  monuments  of  art,  no  hoary 
relics  of  antiquity,  have  perished  in  the  colossal  fire.  Chicago 
has  blazed  away  with  the  rapidity  of  lace  curtains,  or  of  orna- 
ments in  a  drawing-room  grate.  The  articles  were  handsome 
and  expensive,  but  they  can  be  replaced.  To  repair  the  injury 
done,  all  that  is  wanted  is  a  certain  amount  of  resources,  energy, 
and  pluck;  and  in  pluck,  energy,  and  resources  the  American 
people  will  never  be  bankrupt. 

The  London  Daily  News  has  a  two-column  editorial  on  the  fire, 
in  which  it  says  : 

"  Nowhere  in  the  world — not  in  Manchester,  not  in  London, 
not  in  New  York  were  busier  streets  to  be  found.  A  river, 
hardly  better  than  the  Irwell,  flowing  through  part  of  the  business 
quarter  of  the  city,  and  spanned  by  innumerable  drawbridges, 
did,  indeed,  make  hideous  some  of  the  city  scenes,  which  showed 
like  an  uproarious  Rotterdam  or  a  great  commercial  Konigsberg. 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WERT.  491 

But  the  streets  of  shops  and  banks  and  theatres  and  hotels  might 
stand  a  rivahy  with  those  of  any  city  in  the  world.  Enormous 
piles  of  warehouses,  with  handsome  and  costly  fronts;  huge 
'stores,'  compared  with  which  Schoolbred's  or  Tarn's  seem  dimin- 
utive, hotels  as  large  as  the  Langham  or  the  Louvre;  bookshops 
which  are  unsurpassed  in  London  or  Paris;  and  theatres  where 
Christine  Nilsson  found  a  fortune  awaiting  her  such  as  the  Old 
World  could  not  offer — such  were  the  principal  features  of  that 
wonderful  quarter  which  has  just  been  reduced  to  ashes.  TsTor  was 
Chicago  wholly  given  up  to  business.  Her  avenues  of  private 
residences  were — some,  we  trust,  still  are— as  beautiful  as  any 
city  can  show.  Micliigan  avenue  and  Wabash  avenue  were  the 
streets  where  her  merchant-princes  lived;  and  there  is  nothing  to 
be  seen  in  Paris,  London  or  jS^ew  York  to  surpass  either  avenue 
in  situation  or  in  beauty.  Michigan  avenue  is  a  sort  of  Piccadilly, 
with  a  lake  instead  of  a  park  under  its  drawing-room  windows. 
The  other  great  avenue  was  distinguished  from  almost  any  street 
of  the  kind  in  Europe  or  the  LTnited  States  by  the  variety  of  its 
architecture.  Mr.  Kuskin  himself  might  have  acknowledged  that 
in  this  civilized  and  modern  street,  at  least,  the  curse  of  monotony 
did  not  prevail,  and  the  yoke  of  the  Italian  style  was  not  accepted. 
Let  it  be  added  that  Chicago,  having  the  advantage  of  newness, 
and  the  warning  of  all  the  world  before  her,  had  but  few  narrow 
streets  and  lanes.  The  thorougfares  were,  as  a  rule,  nearly  all  of 
the  same  width.  The  inexperienced  traveller  often  found  himselt 
sadly  perplexed  as  he  wandered  through  a  city  of  broad  white 
streets,  each  looking  just  like  another,  and  any  one  seeming  as 
well  entitled  as  its  neighbor  to  claim  the  leadership  in  business  or 
fashion. 

"  Chicago  will  not  remain  in  her  ruins  as  an  ancient  city  might 
have  done.  Already  in  the  thick  of  all  the  wreck  and  misery  we 
maybe  sure  that  active  and  undaunted  minds  are  planning,  the 
reconstruction  of  many  a  gutted  and  blackened   building,  the 


4:92  .  rnsTOKY  of  the  great  fires 

restoration  of  many  shattered  fortunes.  It  is  only  a  tew  years 
since  the  city  of  Portland,  in  Maine,  was  destroyed  by  fire;  and 
the  traveller  to-day  sees  there  a  new,  hnsy,  and  solid  town,  where 
the  story  of  the  conflagration  has  already  become  a  tradition. 
The  people  of  Illinois  are  still  more  energetic  and  fertile  of  ex- 
pedient than  the  people  of  Maine,  and  they  will  not  long  leave 
the  city,  which  was  their  pride,  to  lie  in  her  smouldering  ruins. 
The  claims  Avhich  Chicago  used  at  one  time  to  urge  for  the  trans- 
ference of  the  national  Capital  to  the  shore  of  her  lake  are,  in- 
deed, put  out  of  court  for  the  present;  and  her  rival,  St.  Louis, 
will,  for  some  time  to  come,  have  the  advantage  of  her  in  the 
race  for  commerce,  wealtli,  and  population.  But  the  city  whose 
i-ate  of  growth  distanced  that  of  any  other  on  the  earth,  will  not 
he  long  in  recovering  the  eft'ects  even  of  the  present  calamity. 
So  much  at  least  of  consolation  maybe  found.  Before  the  widows 
and  orphans,  whom  this  catastrophe  bereaves,  shall  have  put  aside 
the  robes  of  mourning,  Chicago  will  be  rising  from  her  ruins, 
perhaps  more  magnificent  than  ever.  Her  restoration,  we  may 
feel  assured,  will  be  in  keeping  \vith  the  marvellous  rapidity  of 
her  rise,  and  the  awful  suddenness  of  her  fall." 

While  these  generous  words  were  heard  from  across  the 
water,  and  we  knew  what  men  really  thought  of  us,  like  one  who 
reads  his  own  obituaries,  there  was  no  lack  of  similar  expressions 
from  our  fellow-citizens.  The  language  of  the  New  York 
Tribune  was: — 

Chicago  may  be  taken  as  a  fair  type  of  American  material 
energy.  We  are  proud  to  claim  her  as  a  representative  city,  so 
fir  as  vigor,  boldness,  self-poise,  industry,  and  far-reaching  enter- 
prise are  the  charact(»ri sties  of  the  American  Republic.  The 
destruction  of  three  hundred  millions  of  substantial  property  is  a 
lamentable  disaster;  and  we  shudder  at  the  statement  that 
hundreds  of  human  lives  went  out  with  agony  in  the  midst  of 
the    fiery   furnace;    but    the   indomitable    energy   of   the   great 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  4:93 

community  still  survives.  As  Cliicago  was  a  representative  city 
in  the  nation,  so  it  shares  in  all  the  recuperative  qualities  of  the 
Kepublic.  The  city  which  has  been  laid  waste  was  not  alone 
that  of  the  three  hundred  thousand  people  who  inhabited  it;  it 
was  the  city  of  many  mighty  States  whose  messages  of  cheer 
and  trains  of  relief  are  this  moment  speeding  to  it  from  every 
quarter  of  the  Republic.  A  nation  that  has  survived  a  great 
rebellion,  and  has  grown  stronger  and  mightier  in  the  work  of 
replacing  the  wreck  of  a  four  years'  war,  has  an  interest  in  re- 
building Chicago,  and  in  making  it  stronger,  nobler,  and  more 
admirable  than  before. 

Though  this  is  a  great  calamity  to  the  City  of  Chicago  and  to 
the  whole  country,  we  shall  doubtless  be  surprised  to  see  how 
soon  both  city  and  country  M'ill  recover  from  it.  The  elasticity 
of  a  community  which  built  a  city  by  the  Lake  within  the  limits 
of  a  brief  lifetime,  raised  its  foundations  again  and  again  from  the 
morass,  drove  a  tunnel  under  Lake  Michigan,  and  turned  the 
course  of  a  river  against  its  natural  flow,  will  be  equal  to  even 
the  present  emergency.  There  will  be  no  panic,  but  the  auda- 
cious and  cheery  confidence  of  the  people — not  of  Chicago  alone^ 
but  of  the  United  States — will  sustain  the  enormous  burden;  and 
mutual  forbearance,  help,  and  co-operation  will  tide  over  the  dis- 
aster. Already  there  are  comfortable  indications  that  the  Insu- 
rance Companies  will  weather  the  sudden  storm  ;  and  that  the 
two  hundred  millions  of  dollars  which  are  represented  in  the  risks 
in  Chicago  may  be  forthcoming  when  the  recovering  city  shall 
demand  this  prudent  provision.  For  a  time,  of  course,  trade  will 
suffer,  and  the  multitudinous  interests  inwrought  with  the  pros- 
perity of  Chicago  will  languish.  Rival  cities  will  divide  among 
themselves  much  of  the  business  which  Chicago  has  heretofore 
absorbed. 

Then  the  St.  Louis  Democrat^  a  few  weeks  after  the  fire,  thus 
recognized  the  recuperative  force  of  the  smitten  Giant  of  the  West : 


494  HISTOET   OF   THE    GEEAT    FIEE3 

The  funeral  sermon  over  the  remains  of  Chicago  maj  be  post 
poned  for  the  present,  owing  to  unmistakable  signs  of  animation 
on  the  part  of  the  corpse.  If  dead,  she  yet  speaketh,  and  that,  too, 
in  the  loudest  and  most  understandable  Saxon.  Through  the  col- 
umns of  her  leading  newspapers  she  tells  the  great  Northwest — and 
is  careful  to  make  herself  heard  in  bailiwicks  which  nature  and  art 
seem  to  have  set  apart  for  St.  Louis — that  her  merchants  arc 
ready  with  larger  stocks  of  goods  than  ever  before,  and  that  they 
are  prepared  to  sell  cheaper  and  deal  more  justly  with  the  gene- 
ral public  than  any  other  city,  especially  St.  Louis.  All  this  is 
done  at  a  cost  to  the  merchants  and  a  gain  to  the  newspapers  of 
many  tliousand  dollars  per  diem.  The  merchants  of  Chicago 
have  a  lively  faith  in  the  efdcacy  of  printer's  ink.  They  recog- 
nize it  as  an  unquestionable  truth  that  the  long  columns  of  ad- 
vertisements, for  which  they  have  so  liberally  paid,  have  had  more 
to  do  in  giving  to  Chicago  her  proud  commercial  position  than 
any  other  instrumentality  whatever  ;  and,  so  believing,  they  make 
tlie  investment  with  a  cheerfulness  which  sometimes  quite  over- 
powers the  facilities  of  the  newspapers.  In  Chicago  the  adver- 
tising merchant  is  the  rule  ;  in  St.  Louis  he  is  the  exception.  Up 
in  that  big  city  on  the  Lake  the  merchant  has  read  and  believes 
what  Thomas  Jefferson  once  said  of  the  Richmond  Enquirei', 
when  it  was  published  by  his  friend  Tlitchie — that  a  man  who 
put  down  a  newspaper  without  reading  the  advertisements  often 
missed  the  best  part  of  it.  And  so  they  do  not  coincide  with 
their  wiser  brethren  of  St.  Louis,  who  seem  to  think  that  men's 
wives  are  more  interested  in  police  items  than  in  discovering 
where  they  can  find  the  cheapest  and  best  silks  and  shawls,  and 
other  indispensables  of  the  female  form  divine.  They  never  made 
a  greater  mistake  \n  their  lives.  Bless  their  unsophisticated 
souls,  let  them  follow  the  female  eye  as  it  traverses  to-day's  Dem- 
ocrat. First,  marriages  and  deaths — with  a  smile  for  the  first 
and  a  tear  for  the  last ;  then  the  latest  fashion  notes  ;  then  an 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    Wi:ST.  495 

elopement,  if  there  be  a  first-class  one  ;  and  then  a  careful  scru- 
tiny of  the  advertising  columns,  to  see  who  has  the  largest  and 
best  stock  for  to-morrow's  shopping.  Tlie  oountry  merchant  liv- 
ing near  Cincinnati^  Terre  Haute,  Indianapolis,  or  other  point 
within  trading  distance,  reads  the  market  reports  first,  and  then 
turns  to  the  advertising  columns  to  see  from  wdiom  he  can  get 
what  he  wants.  If  he  can  find  more  information  on  this  subject 
in  the  Chicago  papers  than  in  tlie  St.  Louis  papers,  he  will  be 
very  apt  to  patronize  Chicago  merchants  in  preference  to  those 
of  St.  Louis.  Chicago  understands  this  and  acts  upon  it.  Her 
business-men  keep  themselves  before  the  people  in  flaming  capi- 
tals on  the  first  page  of  her  newspapers. 

In  all  this,  we  discover  a  sidewise  blow  at  the  dilatoriness  of 
the  citizens  of  the  rival  metropolis,  the  Queen  of  the  Rivers.  A 
gentle  rebuke  was  administered,  here  and  there,  to  those  who 
looked  chiefly  on  the  retributive  aspects  of  the  calamity,  and 
recalled  the  peculiar  sinfulness  of  our  way.  As  e.  g.  the  following 
paragraph  : 

People  who  see  a  Providential  judgment  in  the  conflagration 
of  Chicago,  have  very  limited  knowledge  of  Divine  economy. 
God  helps  those  who  help  themselves,  and  if  two  elements  of 
nature — fire  and  wind — have  torn  down  a  mighty  city.  He  who 
masters  these  elements  and  moves  the  seas  and  keeps  the  prairies 
fertile,  has  resolved  that  the  city  shall  be  rebuilt.  The  propliets 
should  seek  another  occupation. 

In  the  next  chapter  we  shall  see  how  the  kind  opinions  enter- 
tained concerning  us  were  fulfilled  and  verified,  and  how  "  Chick 
— Ago  "  is  "  doing  "  according  to  Punch. 


4:96  HISTORY   OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 


CHAPTER  XXXIII. 


"  The  street  shall  be  built  again,  and  the  wall,  even  in  troublous  times." 

Daniet.. 

Those  who  have  kept  the  thread  of  this  story  have  hecome 
impressed  with  a  sense  of  the  perfect  desolation  of  the  scene,  and 
conceive  the  horrors  of  our  situation  when  the  enemy  finished  his 
victory. 

The  water  was  everywhere  about  us,  ^^et  we  were  destitute  of 
the  precious  element.  Hydrants  were  dry,  reservoirs  and  cisterns 
empty,  and  the  atmosphere  still  parched  and  the  wind  raging. 
People  resorted  to  the  Lake  and  parks  with  tubs,  buckets,  pails, 
pitchers,  and  cups,  a  motley  array,  for  enough  to  prevent  thirst 
and  filth.  This  continued  for  a  week  and  more,  until  the  water 
works  and  machinery  were  restored.  The  hungry  and  homeless 
were  all  about  us  by  tens  of  thousands.  Dread  v;inter,  a  stern  foe 
in  our  northern  climate,  stood  near  with  menacing  aspect.  Men 
were  in  an  agony,  lest  banks  and  all  associations  should  fail,  and 
they  become  totally  bankrupt.  Business,  too,  was  imperilled  and 
might  be  lost  forever.  It  was  a  season  of  Egyptian  gloom. 
Houses  stood  with  furniture  packed  and  doors  ajar,  ready  for 
another  alarm  of  fire.  All  was  confusion  and  uncertainty.  Some 
Baid,  we  must  leave  the  city,  as  there  can  be  no  more  to  do  here 
for  years.     Chicago  is  ruined  and  lost. 

But  this  was  not  by  any  means  a  general  feeling,  or  one  that 
received  encouragement.  "  The  strange  people  that  built  Chi- 
cago," as  some  one  terms  them,  were  not  daunted  by  adversity ; 
neither  did  they  believe  that  God  had  any  plans  of  destruction  to 
execute,  by  which  the  site  should  become  a  desert.  They  accept- 
ed the  situation  with  better  grace  than  could  have  been  expected. 
They  did  not  attribute  the  disaster  to  anybody's  malice.  Some, 
indeed,  said  the  guerillas  have  done  this,  and  some  charged  it  on 
the  Mormons  ;  but  sensible  people  all  scouted  any  thought  of  in- 


IN    CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST.  497 

cendiarism,  and  looked  on  it  as  a  great,  mysterious  dispensation 
of  Divine  Providence,  vi^hich  was  permitted,  and  occurred  in 
accordance  with  well-laiown  laws  of  nature.  There  they  left  it 
for  the  time  being,  and  turned  their  attention  to  the  sublima 
charity  of  the  hour — care  for  the  poor — and  then  to  the  work  of 
reconstruction.  As  in  Nehemiah's  day,  when  the  fallen  wall  of 
Jerusalem  was  rebuilt,  men  worked  with  a  weapon  in  one  hand 
and  a  tool  in  the  other ;  so  now  a  part  of  the  day  was  devoted  to 
benevolence,  and  a  part  to  recovery  from  commercial  ruin.  It 
was  a  sad  but  noble  spectacle ! 

The  fires  were  not  extinguished  when  some  men  had  rented 
new  places  for  the  transaction  of  business,  and  advertised  them- 
selves as  prepared  for  customers.  Others  began  to  clear  away 
the  debris  for  new  foundations.  "  Already,"  wrote  one,  "  from 
the  smouldering  embers,  the  city  is  gathering  strength  for  a  re- 
newed career  of  prosperous  activity." 

But  that  which  was  everywhere  apparent  in  spite  of  the  hor- 
rors of  the  scene  and  its  sad  hopelessness,  was  the  indomitable 
pluck  which  the. Chicago  men  showed,  all  which  no  losses  could 
damp  and  no  wretciiedness  subdue.  "Chicago  will  be  hard  up 
for  a  time,"  said  one ;  "  but  we  must  try  and  pull  through."  "  It 
will  take  a  long  time  to  build  all  this  up  again,"  said  another. 
"  1  thought  I  was  pretty  well  off  yesterday,"  said  a  young  man, 
cheerfully  smoking  a  cigar  ;  "  now  all  I  have  in  the  world  is  the 
suit  of  clothes  I  have  on."  "  I  think  I  might  have  saved  my  law 
libra'ry,"  said  a  rising  young  lawyer,  "but,  by  Jove!  it  did  not 
seem  the  thing  to  do,  when  everybody  else's  property  was  burn- 
ing up ;  so  I  picked  up  a  few  papers  in  my  ofKce,  took  some 
volumes  of  Kent  given  me  by  a  friend,  took  off  my  hat  to  my 
old  books,  and  left  them  to  burn." 

Tlie  spirit  of  the  people  is  shown  by  the  tone  of  the  press,  which 
gave  no  uncertain  sound,  but  spoke  confidently  of  the  resurrec- 
tion in  these  words  : — 


498  msTOET  OF  the  great  fires 

"Whoever  has  permitted  himself  to  think  that  the  great  calamity 
which  has  befallen  Chicago  would  paralyze  the  energies  of  lier 
people,  and  check  her  rapid  march  to  the  commercial  great 
ness  which  is  her  destin}^,  lias  taken  but  an  imperfect  measure  of 
the  character  of  this  city  and  of  the  men  who,  with  nature's  aid, 
have  created  it.  The  men  who  built  Cliicago  still  live.  The  city 
was  not  their  inheritance;  it  was  the  work  of  their  own  hands. 
What  they  have  achieved  they  know  they  can  achieve  again. 
They  have  not  to  wait  to  consider  how  to  begin ;  they  are  begin- 
ning. They  have  already  taken  off  their  coats  and  commenced 
the  work  of  rebuilding  Chicago. 

The  foundation  upon  which  they  have  to  begin  exists  in  the 
remaining  value  of  the  land.  It  is  impossible,  of  course,  to  ex- 
press anything  more  than  opinion  as  to  depreciation  in  this  value 
which  will  be  the  result  of  the  conflagration.  A  number  of  facts 
and  circumstances  combine  to  render  it  probable  that  no  ruinous 
depreciation  in  prices  will  be  witnessed.  One  of  these  is  the 
value  of  insurance.  If  the  value  of  good  insurance  should  prove 
equal  to  one-half  the  aggregate  loss,  then  the  actual  loss  to  the 
owners  would  be  reduced  from  $150,000,000  to  $75,000,000. 
But  probably  the  whole  amount  of  insurance  is  under  rather  than 
over  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  total  loss,  so  that  if  fifty  per  cent,  should 
be  realized  upon  the  total  amount  of  insurance,  the  loss  to  owners 
would  still  amount  to  over  $100,000,000.  The  indications  cer- 
tainly are  that,  upon  the  average,  considerably  more  than  fifty 
per  cent,  of  the  insurance  will  prove  good ;  it  is  even  hoped 
that  seventy -five  or  eighty  per  cent,  may  be  realized.  What- 
ever the  amount  may  be,  in  reducing  the  personal  loss  to 
owners  it  becomes  an  element  of  strength  in  the  value  of  the 
land. 

The  land  value  is  still  more  strengthened  by  the  existing  city 
improvements  ;  the  sewers,  the  water  and  gas  mains,  the  pave- 
ments, etc.     Twenty  years  ago  none  of  these  necessaries  of  a 


m   CHICAGO    AJTD    THE   WEST.  499' 

great  city  existed ;  all  had  to  be  built.  Now  they  are  all  fin- 
ished and  in  readiness  for  nse. 

But  more  than  by  all  else  the  land  value  is  strengthened  by 
the  fact  that  here,  in  the  "  burnt  district,"  was  the  business  heart 
of  Chicago,  and  here,  in  the  very  nature  of  things,  it  must  be 
again.  Here,  in  the  region  bounded  by  the  riv^er,  the  Lake,  and 
the  southern  limit  of  the  conflagration,  is  the  locality  where  con- 
venience and  accessibility  for  all  parts  of  Chicago,  and  for  all 
parts  of  the  country,  meet  in  a  common  focus. 

Here  the  connnercial  heart  of  the  city  has  been  fixed  by  nature ; 
and  here  it  must  and  will  remain  in  spite  of  fire  and  in  spite  of 
every  adverse  influence.  And  here  it  is  the  duty  and  interest  of 
every  citizen  to  concentrate  all  his  influence  and  exert  all  his 
moral  as  well  as  physical  force  to  lift  up  Chicago  from  its  ruins. 

This  is  the  feeling  and  the  common  sentiment  among  all 
classes  of  men  who  "  take  stock  "  in  Chicago,  and  among  none 
has  it  been  more  promptly  or  vigorously  manifested  than  the  rail- 
way companies.  All  the  railway  companies  having  their  termini 
in  the  South  division  are  making  preparations  to  rebuild  imme- 
diately upon  our  old  foundations.  The  companies  on  the  Lake 
shore  desire,  indeed,  to  proceed  at  once  to  enlarge  their  facilities 
to  three  or  four  times  their  former  capacity.  The,  Illinois  Cen- 
tral company  effected  a  contract  on  Friday  for  bricks  to  rebuild 
their  freight  houses.  They  have  already  advertised  for  400  brick 
layers  to  commence  work  immediately.  The  work  of  clearing  the 
ground  is  already  begun.  At  present  all  their  trains,  as  well  as 
those  of  the  Michigan  Central  and  ihe  Chicago  Burlington  and 
Quincy,  start  from  the  Twenty-second  street  station  ;  but  their 
plan  is  to  immediately  erect  a  temporary  roof  upon  the  walls 
of  the  Union  depot  at  the  foot  of  Lake  street,  and  return  with 
their  passenger  trains  to  the  old  premises.  So  soon  as  it  shall  be 
possible  to  get  new  freight  houses  under  roof,  their  freight  trains 
will  do  the  same. 


600  HISTOET    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

Again  the  voice  of  prophecy  was  fortified  by  such  living  I'acts 
as  the  following  paragraphs  describe : — 

Persons  travelling  upon  the  prairie  have  noticed  the  mounds 
thrown  up  by  the  ants,  and  have  wondered  at  the  incessant  activity 
of  the  multitude  of  laborers.  Hardly  less  activity  is  to  be  wit- 
nessed among  the  ruins  and  upon  the  streets  of  the  burnt  district 
in  the  South  Division.  Never  in  all  the  previous  history  of 
Cliicago  was  such  a  scene  of  thriving  activity  witnessed.  Even 
tliose  most  familiar  with  the  wonderful  resources  of  this  city  are 
forced  to  wonder  at  the  multitude  of  wagons  which  are  employed 
in  hauling  off  the  debris  to  make  room  for  the  workmen  putting 
up  the  new  structures.  Workmen  are  everywhere  at  laboi', 
delvinaj  amid  the  ruins  to  reach  the  old  foundations,  that  the 
masons  may  set  to  work.  Thousands  of  men  and  boys  are  clean- 
ing, wheeling,  and  piling  bricks,  while  hod-carriers  are  supplying 
them  to  the  masons.  Teams  loaded  with  lumber  and  lime  throng 
the  streets,  carpenters  and  masons  are  working  bravely ;  the 
gatherers  of  old  iron  are  busily  employed  collecting  their  material 
and  carting  it  away.  The  removal  of  safes  has  ended ;  every 
safe  has  been  opened;  those  which  were  really  safes  have  been 
carried  off,  the  others  abandoned  to  the  purchasers  of  old  iron. 
Broken  walls  have  been  levelled,  and  the  tottering  fragments  of 
once  stately  buildings  have  been  overthrown.  But  amid  the 
smoke,  the  dust,  the  rain  and  the  fog,  there  is  an  incessant  throng 
of  busy  men,  boys  and  teams,  working  as  energetically  as  if  the 
whole  burnt  district  was  to  be  restored  before  Christmas,  and 
they  were  charged  with  the  duty.  The  days  seem  all  too  short, 
and  work  goes  on  long  after  dark. 

An  idea  of  the  number  of  teams  and  men  employed  may  be 
had  from  the  fact  that  5,000  loads  of  debris  are  emptied  into  the 
Lake  basin  daily,  and  this  work  can  continue  all  through  the 
winter,  giving  continuous  labor  to  the  thousands  now  employed. 
So  great  is  the  demand,  that  hundreds  of  boys  from  fourteen  to 


THE  FIRST  BUILDING  EBECTED  IN  THE  BUENT  DISTRICT, 


m    CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  503 

eighteen  years  of  age  are  hard  at  work  wheeling,  cleaning,  and 
piling  bricks.  All  honor  to  the  brave  men  who  have  met  mis- 
fortune by  resolutely  beginning  the  work  of  reconstruction,  and 
all  honor  to  the  men  and  boys  who  have  gone  to  work,  preferring 
to  earn  the  bread  and  the  shelter  they  enjoy,  than  to  compete  for 
the  same  with  the  sick  and  helpless  at  the  churches.  The  man 
who  thinks  Chicago  has  been  destroyed,  has  only  to  cross  the  river 
into  the  burnt  district  to  be  undeceived.  Labor  and  skill,  di- 
rected by  en'ergy  and  enterprise,  are  working  like  bees  in  the 
hive,  and,  when  the  spring  comes,  the  desolate  places  will  be 
desolate  no  longer,  and  from  the  ashes  will  have  arisen  new 
monuments  of  industry  and  faith. 

Where  the  proud  miles  of  white  marble  once  extended,  there 
are  now  ghostly  and  tottering  walls,  and  a  chaos  of  infinite  ruin. 
One  hundred  thousand  of  our  people  have  been  rendered  home- 
less, and  men  who  were  yesterday  princes  are  to-day  beggars. 
But,  in  view  of  this  tremendous  transformation,  there  is  no  faint- 
ness,  no  cowardly  disposition  to  yield  the  battle.  We  have  here 
won  one  of  the  grandest  conflicts  known  to  history,  and  although 
our  defeat  is  without  parallel,  we  shall  marshal  the  remnants  of 
our  I'outed  but  not  demoralized  armies,  and  shall  march  once' 
more  to  victory.  Chicago  may  be  beaten,  but  it  cannot  be  con- 
quered. In  a  week,  or  a  month,  or  three  months,  may  be,  we 
shall  be  once  more  in  line,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  and  the  world 
shall  see  us  marching  on  as  cheerily  and  determinedly  as  though 
naught  save  victory  had  ever  perched  on  our  banners. 

Seven  days  after  the  fire  a  gentleman  wrote  to  the  New  York 
Evening  Post,  assuring  the  public  that  our  debts  were  to  be  paid, 
and  said : 

We  are  coming  on  well.     There  is  a  lull  after  the  storm ;  all 
eyes  are  now  on  the  future,  and  our  city  is  a  scene  of  activity  un- 
usual even  for  us.  Residences  are  converting  into  offices  and  stores, 
temporary  buildings  are  erecting,  and  all  is  hurry  and  bustle. 
29 


604  IIISTOKY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIKBS 

In  one  form  or  another,  in  municipal  bonds,  in  mortgages  or 
in  commercial  accounts,  we  owe  a  large  amount  in  the  Eastern 
States,  and  especially  in  your  city.  A  word  of  assurance  to  our 
creditors  : 

Chicago  abhors  repudiation.  Our  citizens  detest  that  word.  I 
attended  a  meeting  of  bankers  and  merchants  in  Standard  Hall 
three  days  after  the  fire,  when  an  insurance  seemed  worthless  and 
our  complications  ruinous.  The  situation  was  looking  desperate, 
and  the  matter  of  a  general  stay-law  for  the  relief  of  debtors 
came  up.  It  met  with  a  burst  of  opposition  that  was  electric. 
It  was  affirmed,  amid  rounds  of  applause,  that  the  business  men 
of  Chicago  would  tolerate  no  such  relief,  and,  whenever  it  be- 
came necessary  for  the  pajanent  of  their  debts,  their  remaining 
property  also  should  go.  Men  lately  of  large  fortunes  declared 
they  could  not  yet  see  in  what  condition  their  present  troubles 
would  leave  them,  but  they  were  resolved  every  penny  they  still 
had  should  be  turned  over  to  meet  their  liabilities.  Then  the  ap- 
plause would  be  renewed  ;  and  this  in  a  room  where  scarcely  a 
man  believed  himself  to  be  solvent.  Everywhere  in  the  city  you 
meet  with  but  one  sentiment  among  our  crippled  and  ruined  men 
— that  they  may  have  to  go  down,  but  if  they  do  it  shall  be  hon- 
orably and  with  their  colors  flying. 

To  the  large  holders  of  our  city  and  county  bonds  let  me  say — 
have  no  fears  about  Chicago  or  Cook  County.  Every  dollar  of 
the  principal  will  be  paid,  and  the  interest  as  fast  as  it  falls  due. 
Our  people  are  already  inquiring  about  this  indebtedness,  and 
affirming  that  whatever  else  is  delayed,  the  interest  on  borrowed 
money  must  be  paid  the  day  when  due.  We  are  heavy  losers,  we 
are  poor,  but  we  have  some  money  left  in  our  city  and  county, 
and  we  will  tax  ourselves  down  to  the  last  shirt  sooner  than  have 
our  public  obligations  dishonored.  Even  if  our  commercial  honor 
were  not  what  it  always  has  been,  any  other  course  would  be 
suicidal,  for  we  shall  want  more  money  and  must  protect  our  credit. 


ESf    CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  505 

This  was  an  expensive  city  to  build.  Materials  and  labor  were 
cheap  enough,  but  our  site  was  a  swamp.  The  business  portion 
of  the  town  was  many  feet  below  its  present  level.  The  build- 
ings there  are  gone,  but  every  dollar  expended  for  street  eleva- 
tion remains.  There  are  the  heavy  curb-walls,  the  graded  road- 
ways, and  the  long  miles  of  JSTicolson  pavement ;  there,  too,  are 
the  costly  sewers,  and  gas  and  water-mains.  We  still  have  our 
river-tunnels,  the  lake-tunnel,  and  the  water-works,  the  expendi- 
ture of  many  millions,  almost  unharmed.  Had  our  buildings  re- 
mained, and  what  is  now  left  been  taken,  the  loss  would  have 
seemed  ruinous. 

No  man  is  to  b^  reckoned  out  of  the  fight  until  his  spirit  is 
broken ;  and  to-day  we  are  more  full  of  energy,  hope,  and  confi- 
dence in  ourselves  than  in  our  most  prosperous  times.  Emerson 
speaks  of  a  high  order  of  courage  which  is  attracted  by  opposi- 
tion, and  which  is  never  quite  itself  until  the  hazard  is  extreme. 
I  am  not  boasting,  but  you  ought  to  know  we  have  some  of  that 
courage  here.  You  might  walk  about  our  streets  for  hours  and 
never  read  in  men's  faces  a  word  of  our  hard  story.  The  lines 
about  the  mouth  are  stern,  but  the  eyes  are  bright  and  hopeful. 
I  am  proud  of  our  city  in  its  meeting  with  desolation.  On  the 
fireht  avenues  in  that  early  Monday  morning  I  saw  gentlemen 
stop  in  the  hurrying  crowd  and  salute  their  lady  friends  with  a 
word  of  cheer  and  all  the  formalities  of  a  promenade,  while  they 
responded  with  eyes  as  bright  and  cheeks  as  unblanched  as  they 
had  ever  shown  there  in  the  sunny  afternoons.  Through  the  ter- 
rible hours  until  dawn,  and  amid  the  hurrying  thousands  in  the 
long  burning  day,  I  saw  but  one  woman  in  tears.  The  men 
saved  theirs  until  the  telegraph  told  us  how  the  news  was  receiv- 
ing elsewhere.  Your  sympathy  was  the  only  thing  to  unman  us. 
Since  our  visitation  I  have  mingled  with  all  classes,  in  public 
meetings  and  in  private  intercourse.  I  have  not  heard  one  word 
of  complaint. 


506  HISTORY    OF    THK    GREAT    FIRES 

We  are  face  to  face  with  our  ruin ;  we  owe  jou  eastern  men 
much  money,  and  I  am  writing  to  let  you  know  how  we  feel. 
The  day  after  the  fire  I  determined  to  open  a  new  office  at  once, 
so  as  to  do  what  little  T  could  by  example  to  restore  public  con- 
fidence. After  a  long  search,  I  was  unsuccessful,  because  every- 
thing suitable  had  been  already  taken  since  the  fire,  the  landlords 
said,  '^o  one  can  understand  Chicago  who  does  not  remember 
that  we  have  few  old  men — least  of  all  among  our  prominent 
business  men.  The  capital  and  influence  of  the  city  are  in  the 
hands  of  young  men,  or  men  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  these  can 
face  beggary  more  courageously  than  if  their  steps  were  feeble  and 
their  best  working-days  gone.  Do  not  say  we  are  still  resoluti^ 
because  we  do  not  realize  our  misfortunes;  we  feel  what  none 
can  feel  who  have  not  seen  our  ruins ;  but  we  think  that  with 
unbroken  courage,  untarnished  honor,  and  God's  help,  we  can  do 
again  what  you  saw  us  do  before. 

Kow,  for  our  commercial  liabilities  we  ask  no  releases,  no  stay- 
laws,  no  compromises.  We  are  honest,  we  are  energetic,  and  we 
have  an  enormous  trade  already  established.  Give  us  a  little 
time,  that  is  all  we  ask.  The  election  is  with  you.  If  you  do 
not  press  us,  we  can  pay  you,  we  hope,  every  dollar.  If  you  do 
press  us,  you  shall  have  what  is  left. 

And  the  editor  responded  cordially,  recognizing  the  situa- 
tion, and  acknowledging  the  splendid  fortitude  and  recuperative 
energy  displayed  in  all  our  departments  of  enterprise  and  ser- 
vice : — 

Those  Chicagoans  are  people  to  be  proud  of — they  are  essentially 
American.  The  indomitable  pluck  they  show  under  their  calamity, 
and  the  manly  cheerfulness  they  display  amid  the  wreck  of  worldly 
fortunes,  are  grand.  They  have  as  good  a  right  to  sit  down  and 
grieve  as  ever  Cains  Marius  had  to  mourn  over  the  ruins  of  Car- 
thage. But  there  does  not  seem  to  be  a  Caius  Marius  in  all  Chi- 
cago.    Nobody  thinks  of  sitting  down  ;  and  as  for  grieving,  they 


IN    CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  507 

haven't  time.  Thej  are  burned  out,  but  they  refuse  to  continue 
so.  Thej  are  impoverished,  but  they  won't  stay  poor.  On  all 
sides  they  are  up  and  doing.  The  activity  with  which  they  are 
covering  the  blackened,  smoking  plain  with  fresh  frame  buildings ; 
the  vigor  with  which  they  proceed  to  dig  bank  vaults  from  the 
hot  ashes,  and  resume  payments  out  of  them  before  they  are  cool; 
the  philosophic  composure  with  which  laboring  men  go  to  put 
more  money  into  the  savings  bank,  instead  of  beginning  a  "run  " 
on  it ;  the  prompt  decision  with  which  the  millioniare  of  yester- 
day, beggared  to-day,  resumes  business  by  writing  his  name  on  a 
shingle  and  hanging  it  outside  of  his  shanty ;  the  resolute  energy 
with  which  the  wholesalse  merchant,  finding  his  store  gone,  opens 
his  pai'lor  windows  and  announces  his  readiness  to  retail  goods 
there  at  the  usual  prices — all  these  are  illustrations  of  a  spirit 
which  no  misfortune  can  appall, 

Mr.  Bradish,  one  of  our  artists,  after  describing  in  eloquent 
language  the  burning  of  the  Academy  of  Design,  exclaims: 
Thus  perished  the  Academy. 

But,  thank  God  !  not  the  courage  or  the  hopes  of  the  Chicago 
artists.  For  the  moment  they  are  disheartened, — they  are  not 
dismayed.  The  great  calamity  has  destroyed  their  art  business. 
Many  have  families,  and  the  citizens  of  Chicago  are  not  able  now 
to  buy  pictures.  But  the  artists  do  not  ask  for  cliarity ;  they 
need  and  will  accept  orders.  There  can  be  no  more  suitable 
occasion  to  promote  the  cause  of  art  than  liberal  ofiers  to  Chicago 
artists.  This  winter  will  be  a  severe  one  for  those  who  must 
remain  there.  But  already  the  burnt  districts  are  alive  with  the 
pleasant  sights  and  sounds  of  busy  artisans.  A  great  city  still 
exists ;  another  one,  as  imposing  as  the  first,  will  soon  occupy 
the  desolate  places.  Within  the  past  month,  more  than  3,000 
buildings  have  been  erected. 

A  generous  people,  enterprise,  genius,  credit,  indomitable  spirit, 
the  free  flow  of  Eastern  capital,  the  outburst  of  universal  sym^ 


508  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT    FIRES 

pathy, — all  these  give  assurance  of  the  rebirth  of  Chicago.  And 
speedily  will  be  seen  a  new  edifice,  a  new  Temple  of  Art,  not 
less  beautiful,  that  shall  continue  to  be,  for  the  coming  years,  the 
home  of  art,  and  the  cherished  abode  of  the  stricken  artists  of 
Chicago. 

There  was  fear  of  a  rush  on  the  Savings  Banks,  and  the  police 
were  guarding  faithfully  the  avenues  of  approach,  and  all,  with 
Indicrous  gravity,  awaited  the  coming  of  the  deluge  of  excited 
depositors  to  clamor  for  their  money.  But,  as  the  day  wore  on, 
now  and  then  one  straggled  in  to  claim  the  proffered  twenty  per 
cent.,  but  the  number  who  came  to  deposit  was  altogether  unex- 
pected. There  was  no  run  on  any  bank,  and  every  one  of  these 
moneyed  institutions  commenced  doing  business  within  a  few 
days  of  the  fire,  and  all  stand  on  a  permanent  basis  for  the  future. 

Rents  advanced  to  very  high  figures  on  account  of  the  immense 
demand,  and  some  men  re-rented  at  an  advance  of  five  hundred 
per  cent.  A  shrewd  man  hired  a  place,  after  he  saw  his  building 
going  into  ashes  and  smoke,  for  twelve  hundred,  and  leased  it 
again  for  twelve  thousand  dollars.  A  correspondent  of  the  New 
York  press  said : 

As  early  as  Wednesday  morning,  when  the  fear  of  further 
danger  had  ceased,  the  work  of  reconstruction  began.  On  the 
smoking  ruins  of  their  great  edifices  these  unconquerable  people 
set  the  signs  of  revived  industry.  The  needs  of  so  vast  a  body, 
homeless  as  they  are,  make  a  great  market,  and  the  thriving 
trade  of  old  times  commences  at  every  uncovered  corner  where  a 
temporary  roof  can  be  raised.  Inspired  by  the  opportunity,  the 
thriving  Shylocks  came  out  Wednesday,  resolved  to  turn  the 
misfortunes  of  the  city  to  golden  account.  Bread  went  up  to 
fabulous  rates.  All  sorts  of  provisions,  though  by  no  means 
scarce,  were  put  up  to  extravagant  prices  ;  the  remaining  hotels 
doubled  their  former  rates,  and  general  dismay  fell  upon  the 
helpless  community ;  but  General  Sheridan  fell  upon  tlie  vam- 


IX    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  509 

pires  with  a  general  order,  and  routed  them  with  real  live  words. 
To  the  baker  he  proclaimed  cheap  bread.  To  the  hotel  men, 
living  rates,  or  he  would  run  the  machines  himself.  This  restored 
the  natural  state  of  things,  and  the  city  under  the  new  impulse 
fell  into  a  more  healthy  attitude.  Presently  the  newspapers,^ 
The  Journal  first.  The  Trilnme  and  Republican  following,  came 
to  life  again,  and  a  glimpse  of  what  the  country  was  doing  for 
Chicago  reached  the  suifering  people.  The  splendid  record  of 
beneficence  aroused  a  new  hope,  and  the  people  give  evidence  in 
unmistakable  ways  that  they  are  neither  crushed  nor  disheart- 
ened. 

After  struggling  through  the  mob  of  newsboys  who  were 
besieging  newspaper  offices,  I  met  the  Hon,  N.  B.  Judd,  who 
was  returning  home  after  an  unavailing  search  for  an  insurance 
company  in  which  he  is  interested.  He  spoke  lightly,  after  the 
Chicago  manner,  of  his  losses,  but  indulged  in  some  enthusiastic 
expressions  about  the  beauty  of  the  ruins  on  the  South  Side. 
The  front  fagade  of  the  Bigelow  House  gives  an  exquisite  hint  for 
a  triumphal  arch,  and  the  south  angle  of  the  Palmer  House  looks 
a  little  like  the  Campanila  of  the  Duomo  at  Florence.  I  checked 
his  flow  of  artistic  appreciation  long  enough  to  ask  him  about  the 
prospects  of  the  situation.  He  answered  with  hopeful  but 
seasonable  words  :  "  The  city  will  be  rebuilt ;  its  removal  from  the 
sphere  of  the  commercial  activity  of  the  age  is  not  possible,  in 
view  of  its  geographical  position  ;  it  is  yet  too  early  to  predict 
with  absolute  certainty  whether  the  future  fortunes  of  the  city 
are  to  remain  in  the  hands  of  those  who  have  so  long  controlled 
them,  or  whether  new  men  are  to  guide  the  new  destinies. 
There  will  be  ruin  of  individuals ;  whether  of  classes  or  not,  is  as 
yet  unknown  ;  but  the  commerce  of  the  world  demands  that 
there  shall  be  a  city  here,  and,  by  the  .hands  of  one  and  another, 
the  city  will  be  rebuilt. 

"  It  was  only  yesterday  that  I  spoke  of  the  desolation  of  that 


510  HISTORY    OF   THE    GEEAT   FIKES 

beautiful  line  of  palaces  called  Michigan  Terrace  ;  to-day  the 
garden  and  residence  is  covered  with  a  crowd  of  mechanics,  and 
the  air  is  filled  with  the  sound  of  hammers  and  chisels.  The 
indefatigable  owner  is  everywhere  present,  ordering  and  directing 
everything,  and  shedding  about  him  a  fresh  and  breezy  atmos- 
phere of  hope  and  energy.  His  losses,  of  course,  are  enormous ; 
but  he  owes  nobody,  and  everybody  owes  him,  so  that  there  will 
still  remain  a  large  balance  of  this  world's  goods  to  one  of  the 
men  who  best  know  how  to  use  them.  He  is  building  three 
houses  for  business  purposes  on  his  vacated  lots,  and  has  con- 
tracted to  have  them  ready  for  their  occupants  in  a  week." 

While  business  men  were  providing  for  the  resumption  of  trade, 
or  were  renewing  it,  in  twenty-four  hours,  some  had  to  furnish 
shelter  for  their  families.  All  things  had  to  be  done  at  the  same 
time.  Within  a  month  there  were  five  or  six  thousand  houses,  if 
such  the  extemporaneous  tenements  can  be  called,  in  course  of 
erection  or  occupied  by  families.  There  were  also  contracts  for 
several  thousand  permanent  buildings  for  business  purposes,  while 
hundreds  of  temporary  structures  rose  like  mushrooms  on  every 
side,  for  the  accommodation  of  those  who  were  determined  to  re- 
tain their  trade  by  supplying  their  customers  at  the  earliest  possi- 
ble moment.  And  the  people  outside  came  to  the  rescue  like 
true  brothers  in  adversity.  They  profiored  lielp  in  every  form, 
promised  to  stand  by  the  merchants  and  manufacturers,  and  gave 
their  orders  as  freely  as  though  nothing  had  occurred.  Our  mis- 
fortune was  felt  to  be  theirs,  and  they  made  it  as  light  as  possible 
upon  us  by  receiving  a  portion  of  it  themselves.  It  was  inter- 
esting to  see  how  the  marriage  statistics  showed  convalescence. 
The  young  people  were  not  to  be  daunted  by  so  small  an  obstacle 
as  the  Great  Fire,  and  hundreds  took  the  yoke  upon  them,  in  order 
to  prove  whether  two  were  not  better  than  one  to  pull  a  load. 

"  A  Chicago  girl  wrote  to  her  lover  in  Springfield,  Massachu- 
Bstts,  just  after  the  fire,  saying  :  '  Our  wedding  was  set  for  next 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  511 

week,  and  if  yon  will  stand  up  with  a  woman  dressed  in  a  cotton 
skirt  and  her  father's  overcoat,  come  on.'  The  brave  youth  tele- 
graphed in  reply,  'Get  ready;  I'll  be  with  you.'" 

Another  of  our  ladies,  when  offered  a  velvet  cloak  by  her 
mother, at  the  East,  replied  that  she  would  be  ashamed  to  wear 
one  this  winter,  when  economy  was  the  necessity  and  watchword 
of  the  hour.  Not  display,  but  work,  frugality,  charity,  are  the 
offices  of  our  noble  women,  till  Chicago  is  redeemed  and  our 
debts  are  paid.  In  accordance  with  this  purpose,  the  papers 
warned  off  concert  and  theatre  managers,  and  summoned  the 
lovers  of  pleasure  to  seek  cheaper  amusements. 

The  Christians  also  resolved  to  restore  the  lost  edifices,  by  an 
appeal  to  the  public  at  large,  and  exhibited  a  heroic  spirit  in  un- 
dertaking to  go  forward  with  their  Master's  cause  in  undimin- 
ished efficiency  and  enthusiastic  earnestness.  The  universal 
watchword  was  Resxirgain  /   and  the  world's  answer  is  Resurget. 

Already,  seeing  that  we  mean  to  rise  again — and  the  coun- 
try means  that  we  shall  rise  again — multitudes  are  flocking 
hither,  to  enter  upon  business  with  their  capital,  to  invest  money 
in  real  estate,  and  to  join  in  rebuilding  our  city.  Thus  the  wall 
rises,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  even  in  troublous  times ;  fear  has 
given  place  to  hope,  and  convalescence  is  written  on  every  fea- 
ture and  movement  of  the  Young  Giant. 

As  a  matter  of  history,  it  is  iiecessary  to  record  that  the  poor 
people  in  their  hasty  dwellings  were  made  as  comfortable  as  cir- 
cumstances would  permit.  An  unusually  cold  winter  would 
entail  much  suffering,  as  many  of  them  lack  the  fertility  of  inven- 
tion and  enterprise  of  the  genuine  American,  who  is  not  content 
to  live  in  squalor  and  discomfort,  when  tact  and  industry  can 
give  relief  and  better  his  condition. 

We  close  this  division  by  quoting  from  a  Liverpool  paper, 
whose  prognostications  and  comments  have  been  evidently  justi- 
fied to  the  fullest  extent : — 


512  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

If  anything  could  be  more  remarkable  tban  the  rapidity  with 
which  Chicago  sprang  into  existence,  it  was  its  sudden  destruc- 
tion. There  seems  every  probability  of  its  resurrection  being 
more  remarkable  than  either.  The  recuperative  power  already 
developed  is  unequalled  by  anything  in  ancient  or  modern  times. 
No  sooner  are  the  flames  of  the  burning  city  extinguished,  than 
workmen  are  busily  engaged  in  clearing  away  the  smouldering 
cinders,  and  making  preparations  for  the  erection  of  buildings  as 
magnificent  and  costly  as  those  which  have  been  swept  away. 
One  is  reminded  forcibly  of  a  colony  of  ants,  which,  when  dis- 
turbed by  the  ruthless  passer-by,  no  sooner  recover  from  the 
panic  of  the  moment  than  they  set  to  work  to  repair  the  dam- 
age which  has  been  done.  The  Chicago  disaster  was  assuredly 
enough  to  have  appalled  the  bravest,  and  disheartened  the  most 
sanguine.  Such  a  calamity,  breaking  with  such  abruptness  on  a 
community,  might  well  have  paralyzed  their  efforts,  and  led  to 
their  practical  annihilation.  But  there  is  about  these  mushroom 
cities  of  the  West  an  energy  of  which  we  in  the  Old  World  know 
nothing.  While  Englishmen  would  be  stopping  to  discuss  the 
rival  plans  for  rebuilding,  and  schemes  for  raising  the  money,  and 
wasting  time  in  long-winded  speeches,  America  would  have  the 
whole  thing  done.  This  extraordinary  energy  and  elasticity 
which  enables  its  people  to  rise  like  giants  refreshed  from  every 
disaster,  is  one  of  the  most  wonderful  characteristics  of  the  New 
World.  It  was  developed  to  a  remarkable  extent  after  the  War 
of  Independence ;  it  was  developed  to  a  yet  more  remarkable  ex- 
tent after  the  lamentable  civil  war  of  a  few  years  since.  Losses, 
both  in  men  and  money,  which  would  have  broken  the  credit  of 
many  countries,  were  to  the  Americans  only  stimulants  to  call 
forth  their  extraordinary  qualities.  Chicago  is  a  splendid  exam- 
ple of  this  splendid  energy. 


■m   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  613 


VII.— THE  FUTUEE. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

Men  said  at  vespers  :  ' '  All  is  well ! " 
La  one  wild  niglit  the  city  fell ; 
Fell  shrines  of  prayer  and  marts  of  gain 
Before  the  fiery  hurricane. 

On  threescore  spires  had  sunset  shone, 
Where  ghastly  sunrise  looked  on  none. 
Men  clasped  each  other's  hands,  and  said : 
"  The  City  of  the  West  is  dead  !  " 

Brave  hearts  who  fought,  in  slow  retreat, 
The  fiends  of  fire  from  street  to  street, 
Turned,  powerless,  to  the  blinding  glare 
The  dumb  defiance  of  despair. 

A  sudden  impulse  thrilled  each  wire 
That  signalled  round  that  sea  of  fire  ; 
Swift  words  of  cheer,  warm  heart-throbs 
In  tears  of  pity  died  the  flame  ! 

From  Bast,  from  West,  from  South  and  North, 
The  messages  of  hope  shot  forth, 
And,  underneath  the  severing  wave, 
The  world,  fuU-handed,  reached  to  save. 

Fair  seemed  the  old ;  but  fairer  stiU 
The  new  the  dreary  void  shall  fill 
With  dearer  homes  than  those  o'erthrown, 
For  love  shall  lay  each  comer-stone. 


514  HI8T0KY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIEE8 

Rise,  stricken  city ! — From  thee  tkcow 
The  ashen  sackcloth  of  thy  woe, 
And  build,  as  to  Amphion's  strain, 
To  songs  of  cheer  thy  walls  again  1 

How  shrivelled  in  thy  hot  distress 
The  primal  sin  of  selfishness  ! 
How  instant  rose,  to  take  thy  part, 
The  angel  in  the  human  heart ! 

Ah  !  not  in  vain  the  flames  that  tossed 
Above  thy  dreadful  holocaust ; 
The  Christ  again  has  preached  through  thee 
The  Gospel  of  Humanity  ! 

Then  lift  once  more  thy  towers  on  high. 
And  fret  with  spires  the  wfestem  sky, 
To  teU  that  God  is  yet  with  us, 
And  love  is  still  miraculous  ! 

John  G.  WHiTTrEB. 

There  were  predictions  of  ill  omen  concerning  the  probability 
of  resurrection  within  a  brief  period.  To  many  the  very 
removal  of  the  wreck  seemed  an  insuperable  obstacle.  The 
view  of  such  gigantic  ruin  overwhelmed  them  ;  and  it  is  true  that 
there  is  much  that  years  alone  can  reproduce.  The  beautiful 
trees,  that  had  slowly  rooted  and  grown  to  towering  majesty,  can- 
not be  soon  replaced.  For  years  the  newness  and  rawness  of  a 
primitive  city  must  again  be  suffered.  Yet  so  much  remains 
uninjured  as  to  give  us  ground  to  expect  that  the  resurrection 
may  be  far  speedier  than  the  first  upbuilding.  The  representa- 
tive energies  of  the  great  North-West  still  hover  amid  the  crum- 
bling ruins  of  what  but  yesterday  was  Chicago ;  and  as  busy 
hands  are  already  effacing  the  scars  which  now  disfigure  the 
site,  so  surely  will  they  make  for  this  noblest  exponent  of  the 
free,  elastic  growth  of  the  North-West  a  Future  more  brilliant 
than  her  past. 

There  is  not  the  remotest  probability  of  our  sinkijig  back  into 


IN    CUICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  515 

insignificance,  or  dwindling  intd  extinction.  The  voice  of  the 
people  is  the  voice  of  God,  and  they  have  said,  by  their  capital, 
their  charities,  their  grand  utterances,  that  here  must  stand  a 
great  city,  whose  future  no  mind  can  fitly  conceive.  After  visit- 
ing the  Golden  City  of  the  Pacific,  and  riding  through  the  region 
traversed  by  the  new  railroad  that  bound  East  and  West  into 
closer  fraternity,  the  Hon.  Benjamin  F.  Wade,  the  Statesman  of 
Ohio,  said  in  1866  :~ 

"  Again  I  say  to  you,  that  the  importance  of  this  location  tran- 
scends what  most  now  think  of  it.  It  will  never  have  but  two 
rivals.  San  Francisco,  on  the  Pacific,  may  contest  the  palm  of 
greatness  with  it,  and  New  York  has  got  to  run  fast  to  get  out 
of  its  way.  You  may  deem  that  an  extravagant  expression,  but 
recollect  that  New  York  had  to  struggle  for  one  hundred  and 
fifty  years  before  she  had  the  population  and  wealth  Chicago  has 
to-day.  No  people  of  this  country  have  more  of  intelligence,  more 
of  enterprise,  more  of  the  American  Yankee  go-aheadativeness 
than  the  people  of  Chicago.  I  say  again,  that  there  are  but  two 
cities  on  this  continent  that  can  compete  with  it  for  the  palm  of 
greatness.  Thirty-two  years  ago  it  had  a  few  rude  buildings,  and 
I  have  been  amazed  to-day,  as  I  passed  through  and  viewed  the 
wonderful  progress  that  has  been  made;  I  am  sure  I  have 
had  no  conception  of  the  importance  of  this  point,  and,  what  is 
still  more  important,  of  the  vastness  and  richness  of  the  great 
country  that  lies  West,  and  which  is  bound  to  contribute  in  the 
future  so  much  to  build  up  the  second,  if  not  the  first,  city  on  this 
continent." 

If  this  man  could  have  looked  upon  our  city  five  years  later, 
he  would  have  seen  more  to  admire,  and  to  fortify  him  in  his 
lofty  expectations.  And  now  we  are  to  forecast  the  future  in  the 
light,  not  of  blazing  destruction,  but  of  the  glorious  past  and  the 
actual  present. 


616  HISTOBY    OF    THE    GKEAT   FIRES 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

Chicago  must  be  great,  yea,  far  transcend  all  former  greatness, 
because  of  several  reasons ;  among  which  is  the  marvellous  faith 
which  inspires  those  who  have  had  the  largest  experience,  and 
occupy  posts  of  influence  and  power.  It  was,  of  course,  a  play- 
ful remark  which  an  old  gentleman  made  after  visiting  New 
York  City,  upon  being  asked  what  he  thought  of  the  metropohs. 
"  Why,"  said  he,  "  it  is  a  fine  place,  but  it  lacks  one  thing.  That 
is  the  only  fault  I  find  with  it.  It  is  too  far  from  Chicago." 
Here  w§,s  the  spirit  that  gave  us  our  prominence,  gone  to  seed. 
But  the  real  creators  of  this  amazing  prosperity  were  animated 
by  an  intense  conviction  that  here  was  the  central  focal  point  of 
America,  and  they  must  not  rest  until  manifest  destiny  was  con- 
summated. 

There  seemed  something  almost  irreverent  in  the  confidence 
which  men  cherished  and  expressed.  Says  an  eminent  clergy- 
man: I  recall  the  conversation  of  a  leading  citizen  of  Chi- 
cago with  me  at  my  last  visit  there,  and  his  words  stiU  ring  in 
my  ears :  "  There  is  no  possibility  of  checking  the  growth  of  this 
city ;  its  future  is  as  fixed  as  God's  throne." 

This  language  was  not  intended  to  be  considered  boastful,  nor 
did  it  deseiwe  to  be  termed  blowing  :  to  the  minister  it  seemed  ex- 
travagant, inasmuch  as  things  had  been  slower  in  New  England 
under  his  eye,  nor  did  he  see,  as  the  enthusiast  saw,  the  immense 
resom-ces  upon  which  the  city  would  build  its  f  utm-e. 

I  recollect  a  similar  remark  made  to  me  by  a  gentleman  con- 
nected with  the  railroad  interest,  as  I  was  returning  home  after 
six  months'  absence :  "  Nothing  can  stop  Chicago  now. " 

Such  was  the  belief  of  influential  men,  and  they  naturally  im- 
parted their  zeal  and  hopefulness  to  others;  so  that  the  entire 
population  were  combined  in  a  mighty  effort,  not  to  inflate  public 
expectation,  but  co  give  the  city  a  position  worthy  its  advantages. 


m    CHICAGO   AND   THE    WEST.  517 

"  All  things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth, "  is  the  solemn 
statement  of  Holy  Writ.  And  om-  Saviour  said,  "  According  to 
thj  faith  be  it  mito  thee. "  Of  faith  there  was  abundance  and 
of  works  no  lack.  For  in  no  city  were  men  of  ability  and 
earnestness  worked  harder,  and  nowhere  did  talent  and  industry 
reap  quicker  and  larger  rewards. 

But  is  there  the  same  firmness  of  faith  in  the  future,  since 
the  sudden  arrest  of  its  onward  career?  Do  the  wise  and  far- 
seeing  men  anticipate  a  growth  like  that  of  the  past  ?  Doubtless 
there  was  anxiety  in  the  minds  of  many  lest  the  crown  should  be 
plucked  from  the  brow  that  wore  it  so  proudly.  But  that  soon 
gave  place  to  the  same  marvellous  confidence  which  made  every 
man  a  hero,  and  banished  slavish,  enervating  fear.  The  lan- 
guage of  the  press  was  like  this  which  follows : — 

"  Away  with  despondency !  With  a  world  to  comfort  us,  why 
should  we  not  hope  ?  Fire  has  destroyed  one-half  of  our  substance ; 
but  twenty-five  years  ago  one-hundredth  of  that  substance  did 
not  exist,  and  every  cause  which  contributed  to  the  making  of 
our  wealth  then,  exists  in  an  improved  form  to-day !  We  then 
had  a  marsh,  with  malaria  and  fever;  we  now  have  high- 
graded  streets  and  pure,  bracing  air.  We  then  had  ox-carts  and 
canoes ;  we  now  have  railroads  and  a  mighty  merchant  fleet.  We 
then  had  a  foul  river,  whose  stench  was  in  our  nostrils,  and  a 
^hort  and  shallow  canal  that  half  defeated  its  aims ;  we  now 
send  a  tide  from  the  Lake  to  the  Gulf,  and  our  clear  rolling  river 
runs  to  the  sea,  while  a  lake  tunnel  fills  om-  reservoirs  with  sweet 
water.  We  then  struggled  with  Nature  to  gain  a  little  by  Art ; 
now  Art  and  Nature  have  become  one  in  the  physical  advantages 
which  no  conflagration  can  destroy,  and  Chicago,  with  her  great 
business  division  in  mournful  ruin,  is  greater,  in  the  resources  of 
regaining  what  she  has  lost,  than  any  city  ever  built  by  human 
hands  on  a  site  possessing  the  greatest  possible  advantages  of  nature 
Moreover,  there  is  in  the  histoiy  of  all  great  fires  a  lesson  whoso 


618  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

unbroken  force  bears  mightily  upon  our  bewildering  present.  It 
is  this  :  From  the  debris  of  all  great  conflagrations  has  sprung  a 
sequel  greater  in  eveiything  that  constitutes  human  good  than  was 
that  which  preceded  the  ruin.  The  great  fires  of  London,  with- 
out a  single  exception,  increased  the  city's  population  and  swelled 
her  commerce.  Every  burnt  portion  of  Constantinople,  the  city 
of  fires,  has  been  rebuilt  so  much  better,  that  fire  in  the  East  is 
looked  upon  as  an  agent  of  civilization ;  the  new  in  eVery  case  is 
greater  and  stronger  than  the  old. 

"  New  York,  by  her  great  fire,  has  gained  ten  times  more  than 
she  lost.  Portland,  which  lost  $9,000,000  worth  on  July  4, 1866, 
now  considers  that  conflagration  a  blessing,  for  the  number  of  her 
people,  their  commercial  prosperity,  and  her  home  and  foreign 
trade  have  been  enhanced  in  five  years  as  they  could  not  have 
been  save  by  the  occurrence  of  so  tremendous  a  catastrophe. 

"Already  the  ring  of  the  carpenter's  hammer  and  the  click  of  the 
mason's  trowel  tell  of  renovation.  The  ruins  are  being  brushed 
away,  and  marts  where  busy  trade  will  reign  before  a  month  has 
passed  are  springing  up  as  if  by  magic.  The  marvel  of  Chicago's 
growth  has  been  equalled  only  by  the  magnitude  of  her  downfall ; 
but  both  will  be  sm^passed  by  the  miracle  of  her  resurrection.  We 
have  lost,  it  is  said,  more  than  $200,000,000.  All  that  we  had  a 
week  ago  was  made  by  these  agencies: 

"  1.  Individual  energy,  pluck,  and  enterprise. 

"2.  The  Lakes. 

"3.  The  Eailroads. 

"  Is  any  one  of  these  three  agencies  destroyed  ?  Not  one  ! " 


JOHN   M.    VAN   OSDEL. 


m   CUICAGO    AKD   THE   WEST.  521 


CHAPTER  XXXVL 


The  men  of  nei-ve  and  brain,  of  energy  and  courage,  remain  to 
gnide  the  destinies  and  uphold  the  character  of  the  city.  In  this 
the  fire  was  merciful.  Had  a  plague  or  other  epidemic  cut  down 
our  men,  and  decimated  our  population  of  leaders,  this  would  have 
been  a  worse  calamity  than  loss  of  property. 

The  press  is  still  in  the  field,  imconquered,  and  binds  its  mag 
nificent  powers  to  the  i-e-creation  of  trade  and  confidence. 

The  architects,  builders,  merchants,  manufactm'crs,  mechanics 
and  artisans  are  working  together  manfully,  and  the  future  seems 
big  with  promises  of  superior  excellence  and  grandeur. 

Several  of  these  founders  have  ah  eady  been  named  and  out 
lined  on  former  pages  of  this  book  ;  those  who  are  to  follow  are 
but  specimens  of  hundi'eds  equally  deserving  as  models  in  those 
qualities  and  deeds  which  have  raised  our  city  to  its  princely 
eminence,  and  shall  lift  it  out  of  ruin  into  increased  glory  and 
greatness.  These  memoirs  we  have  compiled  from  "  Biographical 
Sketches,"  published  in  1868. 

Mr.  J.  Y.  Scammon,  whose  name  has  occurred  in  connection 
with  the  burning  of  his  mansion  in  Terrace  Kow,  was  a  Maine 
boy,  and  after  finishing  his  studies,  he  left  his  native  State  for  a 
tour  of  observation. 

"  In  the  course  of  this  journey  he  reached  Chicago,  in  Septem 
ber,  1835.  He  made  the  voyage  on  a  steamer  from  Buffalo  vid 
Green  Bay,  and  the  passengers  were  landed  at  Chicago  by  means 
of  small  boats,  the  steamer  being  unable  to  enter  harbor.  He  put 
up  at  the  old  Saugauash  Hotel,  which  was  reached  from  the  land- 
ing by  a  devious  path  through  prairie-grass  and  deep  mud.  The 
hotel  was  crowded,  the  weather  horrible,  and  large  numbera  of  the 
people  were  sick  with  bilious  fever.  Chicago  presented  no  very 
inviting  prospect  to  the  stranger.  At  that  time  the  late  Coloue'l 
Ki chard  I.  Hamilton  was  Clerk  of  the  Court  of  Cook  County,  and 
30 


622  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT    PIRES 

Mr.  Henry  Moore,  an  attorney,  was  his  deputy.  Wlieu  the  weathei 
had  improved  sufficiently  to  justify  his  travelling,  Mr.  Scammon 
made  ready  to  depart ;  but  on  the  very  eve  of  his  leaving,  Mr. 
Moore  called  upon  him,  stating  that  the  Circuit  Court  had  com- 
menced its  session  ;  that  he  could  no  longer  serve  as  deputy ;  that 
the  person  employed  in  his  place  had  heen  stricken  down  with 
fever,  and  therefore  he  desired  Mi-.  Scammon  to  assist  Colonel 
Hamilton  dm-ing  the  term.  The  request  was  complied  with.  In 
the  rooms  of  this  building  Mr.  Scammon  performed  the  duties  of 
Clerk  of  the  Court,  received  his  clients,  and  lodged  at  night.  In 
1836,  he  entered  into  partnership  with  B.  S.  Morris,  Esq.,  in  the  law 
business,  which  continued  for  eighteen  months.  A  year  later,  he 
formed  a  law  partnership  with  Norman  B.  Judd,  which  continued 
mitil  1847.  At  that  time  Mr.  Scammon  had  become  largely  in- 
terested in  the  Galena  Railroad  enterprise,  and  devoted  his  time 
piincipally  to  that  business. 

"  The  men  of  the  present  day  can  hardly  be  expected  to  com- 
prehend fully  the  courage  and  enterprise  necessary  at  that  time 
to  keep  alive  the  project  of  a  railroad  extending  westward  from 
Chicago.  The  construction  at  the  present  day  of  two  or  more 
railroads  across  the  continent,  with  branches  and  cross-roads,  is 
not  one-half  so  imposing  and  startling  an  enterprise  as  that  which 
in  those  days  was  projected  by  Messrs.  Ogden  and  Scammon. 
When  these  gentlemen  came  to  Chicago,  Illinois  was  in  the  fuU 
glow  of  excitement  upon  the  grand  question  of  internal  improve- 
ments. This  system,  which,  so  far  as  railroads  were  concerned, 
excluded  Chicago,  culminated  in  1837,  and  sunk  rapidly.  A 
most  disastrous  torpidity  of  enterprise  followed.  Capitalists 
a\oided  Illinois,  and  the  hope  of  any  railroads  was  abandoned 
by  even  the  most  sanguine.  Messrs.  Scammon  and  Ogden  stood 
almost  alone  amid  the  ruins,  unappalled  by  the  overwhelming 
disaster.  The  Michigan  Central  Railway  eventually  extended  its 
line  to  Lake  Michigan,  at  New  Buffalo,  and  there  it  had  stopped. 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  623 

Messrs.  Ogden  and  Scammon,  after  a  long  effoi-t,  succeeded  in 
reviving  an  abandoned  Indiana  charter,  giving  the  exclusive 
right  to  construct  a  railroad  from  Michigan  City  to  Chicago,  and 
to  this  law  is  Chicago  indebted  for  its  first  continuous  railroad 
communication  eastward. 

"  Previous  to  this,  these  gentlemen  had  travelled  repeatedly 
from  Chicago  to  Galena,  holding  meetings  in  every  village  and 
at  every  cross-road,  urging  the  people  to  a  united  effort  to  secure 
&  railroad  communication  from  the  Mississippi  to  Chicago,  and 
thence  east.  They  both  had  invested  largely  in  the  enterprise, 
and  they,  by  personal  pledges,  eventually  succeeded  in  obtaining 
subscriptions  to  stock  to  an  amount  sufiicient  to  authorize  the 
commencement  of  the  railroad,  being  the  pioneer  railroad  in  the 
vast  combination  of  roads  which  now  bring  the  treasures  of  the 
West  to  the  lap  of  Chicago. 

"  One  of  the  early  settlers  of  Chicago,  he  has  been  one  of  the 
early  founders  of  many  of  its  institutions.  He  was  the  first  of 
the  New  Church  or  Swedenborgian  body  of  Christians  in  Chicago. 
He  and  his  wife  and  one  other  person  were  the  founders  of  that 
body  of  Northern  Illinois,  and  he  has  lived  to  see  himself  sui-- 
rounded  by  a  numerous  circle  of  religious  associates,  and  wor- 
shipping in  one  of  the  finest  church  buildings  in  the  city.  He 
organized  the  Church  of  the  New  Jerusalem  in  Chicago.  He 
was  also  the  first  man  of  any  prominence  in  Chicago  who 
favored  the  practice  of  the  medical  school  of  Hahnemann.  He 
was,  as  we  have  seen,  a  pioneer  in  the  railroad  system  ;  he  estab- 
lished the  first  bank  under  the  general  banldng  law  of  the  State  ; 
he  was  one  of  the  original  founders  of  the  Chicago  Academy  of 
Sciences,  and  of  the  Chicago  Astronomical  Society,  and  is  the 
President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  each  of  those  societies. 
The  Dearborn  Tower,  the  western  tower  of  the  grand  edifice  of 
the  Chicago  Univei-sity,  in  which  is  placed  the  Alvan  Clark 
Telescope,   the   largest  refracting  telescope  in   the  world,  was 


524  HISTOBY   OF   THE    GREAT   FIKK8 

biult  at  liis  expense,  and  named  in  honor  of  his  deceased  wif  e^ 
whose  maiden  name  was  Dearborn.  He  was  elected  one  of  the 
Trustees  of  the  Chicago  University  on  his  return  from  Europe, 
and  one  of  its  professorships  was  endowed  bj  his  munificence. 
The  family  of  Mr.  Scammon  consists  of  one  son  and  two  daughters." 

This  man  still  Kves  to  consecrate  his  genius  and  experience 
with  undivided  earnestness  to  the  rearing  again  of  our  fallen 
metropoKs.  From  this  sketch  we  can  see  through  what  difficul- 
ties Chicago  rose  to  power,  and  easily  believe  that  the  present 
obstacles  are  far  less  imposing  than  those  which  he  materially 
helped  to  overcome.  He  may  have  less  to  give  than  before  the 
fire,  but  having  experienced  the  blessedness  of  large  liberaHty,  he 
will  not  be  backward  in  renewing  his  labors  in  behalf  of  the 
institutions  imperatively  demanded  by  a  vast  population. 

The  future  appearance  and  character  of  the  buildings  of  the 
new  city  must  depend  on  its  architects,  among  whom,  representa- 
tive names  are  William  W.  Boyington  and  John  M.  Yan  Osdel. 
When  we  have  looked  on  the  ruins  of  the  superb  edifices  designed 
and  erected  under  their  supervision,  we  have  felt  sympathy  for 
these  men,  whose  monuments  seem  to  have  crumbled  into  dust. 
In  the  old  world  we  see  the  names  of  architects  imperishably 
connected  with  the  massive  and  elegant  structures  which  ai-e  his- 
toric ;  when  these  fall,  the  work  of  the  builders  passes  away,  and 
appeals  no  longer  to  men's  admiration  and  reverence.  It  is  the 
fortune  of  our  architects  that  they  live  to  renew  these  memorials 
of  their  skill  and  power,  and  to  write  their  names  indelibly  upon 
the  future  of  Chicago;  and,  already,  their  heads  and  hands 
are  full  of  plans  and  contracts  for  buildings  which  shall  rival 
those  that  have  melted  and  perished.  The  men  who  have  means 
eagerly  place  them  again  in  brick,  iron,  stone,  and  niortar,  demon- 
strating their  unshaken  faith  in  tlie  inevitable  greatness  of  the 
new  city  and  in  the  ability  of  the  architects  whose  work  the  fire 
destroyed. 


m    CHICAGO    ANI>   THE   WEST.  525 

"  Prominent  among  tlie  architects  of  the  city  of  Chicago  stands 
the  subject  of  this  sketch — William  W.  Boyington — a  true  repre- 
sentati^e  of  his  class,  and  an  acknowledged  leader  in  that  great 
architcctm-al  reform  which,  dm-ing  the  fourteen  years  of  his  resi- 
dence here,  has  been  in  progress  in  Chicago,  appropriating  her 
waste  places  to  occupancy  by  the  busy  multitude,  and  changing 
her  shanty  dwellings  to  palaces,  wherein  operate  and  dwell  the 
real  kings  of  the  Great  West — her  business  men.  He  has  been  a 
power  in  shaping  the  destiny  of  Chicago  in  its  external  aspect 
From  him  has  gone  forth  the  fiat  which  has  set  at  work  and  kept 
busy  thousands  of  intelligent  workmen,  whose  eve^  movement 
was  in  harmony  with  the  one  great  idea  of  the  author,  and  ever 
tending  to  its  completion.  Dozens  of  draughtsmen  and  clerks 
have  detailed  his  conceptions  on  paper,  and  thousands  have  given 
them  more  enduring  form  in  wood,  brick,  cement,  or  marble.  A 
vast  munber  of  our  largest,  most  stately,  and  most  useful  edifices 
are  the  realizations  of  his  thoughts  on  architecture. 

"  In  the  spring  of  1853  Mr.  Boyington  came  out  to  Chicago,  to 
see  the  chances  offered  in  this  city,  which  was  then  just  beginning 
to  be  talked  about  in  the  East.  He  returned  home,  and  after 
some  months''  delay,  wound  up  his  business  in  Massachusetts,  and 
in  November  removed  hither.  His  first  work  here  was  to  make  out 
a  plan  for  Charles  Walker,  Esq.,  of  the  ground  on  which  the  great 
Central  Union  Depot  now  stands,  showing  the  character  of  the 
buildings  which  could  be  placed  upon  it,  the  Raili'oad  Company 
being  then  about  negotiating  for  the  site  for  the  depot-  grounds. 
He  has  been  ever  since  that  period  most  prominently  identified 
vsdth  the  history  of  our  civic  growth,  as  the  city  was  just  ready  for 
architectural  style,  finding  ample  scope  for  the  exercise  of  his 
talents,  and  generally  meeting  with  the  recognition  which  his 
ability  deserved,  especially  after  the  first  few  months,  by  which 
time  he  was  generally  conceded  to  be  a  man  of  extraordinary 
talent  in  his  profession.     His  success  during  the  subsequent  tliir- 


626  HISTOKY   OF   THE    GEEAT   FIRKS 

teen  years  is  scarcely  equalled  in  the  history  of  any  architect  Ie 
the  whole  of  the  United  States. 

"  Up  to  the  year  1853,  when  Mr.  Boyington  came  to  Chicago^ 
the  city  could  boast  of  but  very  few  buildings  worthy  of  note  in  an 
architectural  point  of  view.  Here  and  there  a  structure  was  vis- 
ible possessing  some  claims  to  notice,  but,  with  a  limited  range  of 
exceptions,  the  buildings  in  the  city  were  little  better  in  appear- 
ance or  comfort  than  the  old  log-house,  and  not  one-half  so  sub- 
stantial. How  wonderfully  the  scene  has  changed  !  The  revul- 
sions of  commercial  panics,  the  universal  suspension  of  banks,  the 
.almost  entire  stagnations  of  trade,  the  terrible  excitements  of  war, 
none  of  these  have  stayed  the  successive  piling  of  bricks,  the  ag- 
gregation of  slabs  of  marble,  and  the  rearing  of  massive  timbers,- 
to  form  our  city  into  one  great  system  of  architectural  beauty." 

Mr.  Bo}dngton  is  not  past  his  prime,  and  with  all  his  immense 
experience  he  can  outdo  his  former  achievements,  and  leave  him- 
self many  monuments  by  which  his  fame  will  be  transmitted  to 
posterity.  Fortunate  for  the  city  is  it  that  he  lives,  and  men 
like  him,  to  reconstruct  the  public  and  private  buildings,  which 
shall  be  our  honor,  our  profit,  and  our  joy. 

His  colaborer  and  competitor  is  also  in  the  vigor  of  an  ener- 
getic maturity,  and  has  plunged  anew  into  his  profession. 

"  In  the  autumn  of  1836  Mr.  Van  Osdel  formed  the  acquaint- 
ance of  Hon.  "William  B.  Ogden,  of  this  city,  which  resulted  in 
his  removal  to  Chicago.  Mr.  Ogden  at  first  engaged  his  services 
simply  as  a  master-builder ;  but  soon  found  that  he  was  every  way 
competent  for  the  responsibilities  of  an  architect,  and  engaged 
him  to  design  as  well  as  construct  a  residence  for  him  in  this  city. 
The  house  which  he  built  on  Ontario  street,  the  following  season, 
was  for  several  years  the  best  in  the  city,  and  is  still  occupied  by 
Mr.  Ogden."  We  have  read  the  sad  story  of  Mr.  Ogden's  attempt 
to  find  it  after  the  fire. 

"  Mr.  Yan  Osdel  also  turned  his  attention  to  ship-joinery,  and 


IN  CHICAGO  a:sd  the  west.  537 

to  him  belongs  the  honor  of  having  done  the  finishing  of  the  fii-st 
vessels  that  were  bnilt  in  Chicago,  being  the  two  steamboats 
'  James  Allen,'  and  '  George  W.  Dole.'  Om*  lake  commerce  was 
a  mere  trifle  at  that  time ;  but  it  had  begun  to  give  promise  of 
its  gigantic  futm-e.  In  1838  he  constructed  several  large  pumps 
on  the  Archimedean-screw  principle,  for  the  purpose  of  lifting 
water  out  of  the  excavations  then  in  process  for  the  Illinois  and 
Michigan  Depot.  Dming  the  following  winter  Mr.  Yaii  Osdel 
invented  a  horizontal  wind- wheel,  which  was  extensively  used  in 
working  these  canal-pumps.  The  first  important  work  in  which 
he  engaged  on  his  return  to  Chicago,  which  was  in  the  spring  of 
1841,  was  the  erection  of  grain-elevators.  Here,  too,  he  was  the 
pioneer. 

"  In  1843  he  entered  into  partnership  with  Elihu  Granger,  in 
the  iron  foundry  and  machine  business.  This  partnership  con- 
tinued until  February,  1845.  His  wife  dying  at  the  time,  and  his 
own  health  being  impaired  by  over-work,  he  was  advised  by  the 
leading  builders  to  devote  his  time  to  architecture,  they  pledging 
him  their  support.  He  therefore  opened  an  office  on  Clark  street, 
over  Mrs.  Bostwick's  millinery  store,  precisely  where  is  now  the 
main  entrance  to  the  Sherman  House.  His  receipts  during  the 
first  year  were  only  five  hundred  dollars,  although  he  did  all  the 
business  of  the  kind  which  there  was  to  be  done  in  the  city.  As 
the  city  grew,  and  his  skill  as  an  architect  became  more  widely 
known,  his  business  ino-eased,  until  his  net  profits  for  the  three 
years  ending  in  1859  were  thirty-two  thousand  dollars. 

"  To  enumerate  all  the  public  buildings,  private  residences,  and 
extensive  mercantile  blocks  which  were  designed  by  Mr.  Yan 
Osdel,  and  built  under  his  superintendence,  would  be  to  give  a 
long  list,  including  many  of  the  best  edifices,  not  only  of  Chicago, 
but  of  Illinois.  We  will  only  mention  as  specimens,  the  Cook 
County  Com-t-House,  the  Chicago  City  Hall,  the  Tremont  House, 
aU  the  five-story  iron-front  buildings  in  the  city,  being  over  eleven 


528  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   F1RE8 

hundred  lineal  feet  of  such  fi-ontage ;  the  residence  of  Peter 
Schuttler,  corner  of  Adams  and  Aberdeen  streets,  Chicago ;  the 
residences  of  ex-Governors  Matteson,  of  Springfield,  and  Wood,  of 
Quincy — ^the  three  finest  residences  in  the  State.  Mi*.  Van  Os- 
del  has  accmnulated  an  ample  fortune ;  he  has  not  suffered  him- 
self, however,  to  be  placed  upon  the  retired  list,  but  is  to-day  one 
of  the  most  active  men  in  the  city.  He  is  at  present  architect  for 
the  completion  of  the  State  Penitentiary.  His  report  on  the  pro- 
gress of  the  work,  with  estimates  of  work  done  and  to  be  done, 
received  the  unanimous  approval  of  the  last  General  Assembly  of 
Illinois,  which  pointed  him  out  as  the  architect  best  deserving  a 
place  among  the  Trustees  of  the  Illinois  Industrial  College,  located 
at  Champaign,  He  was  elected  by  the  Board  as  a  member  of  the 
Finance  and  Executive  Committees,  also  of  the  Committee  on 
Buildings  and  Grounds,  three  of  the  most  important  committees 
of  the  Board.  Mr.  Yan  Osdel  was  mainly  instrumental  in  having 
a  Polytechnic  School  established  in  Chicago  as  a  branch  of  the 
Industrial  University,  of  which  he  is  Treasurer."  Since  the 
above  notes  were  made,  he  has  built  the  most  magnificent  stores 
in  Chicago,  and  is  Potter  Palmer's  architect  for  the  new  hotel, 
which  is  designed  to  eclipse  anything  in  the  world.  These  men 
are  prominent  supporters  of  the  church,  and  eminent  for  their 
liberality. 

From  them  we  turn  to  the  merchant  princes,  and  select  Mr. 
John  V.  Farwell  and  Mi*.  C.  T.  Bowen  as  men  of  whom  the  city 
is  justly  proud.  The  name  of  "  Farwell  HaU  "  was  a  fitting  recog- 
nition of  his  generosity  towards  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Asso- 
ciation, which  had  its  headquarters  in  that  building.  And  Mr. 
Bowen  had  begun  a  foundation  for  a  Youth's  Library  in  that  Hall, 
which  would  have  been  as  useful  to  the  generations  to  come  as  it 
was  honorable  to  his  head  and  heart. 

"In  the  spring  of  1845  Mr.  F.  left  off  his  books  and  came  to  Chi- 
cago with  exactly  three  dollars  ;uid  twenty-five  cents  in  his  pocket, 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WKST.  529 

working  his  passage  on  a  load  of  wheat.  The  nmd  was  a  canal  of 
mud.  Driver  and  passenger  fi-equently  had  to  put  their  shoulders 
to  the  wheel,  or  their  hands  to  the  lever.  They  made  their  ninety- 
five  miles  in  four  days,  without  losing  their  temper  or  calling  upon 
Hercules,  who,  if  he  were  a  witness  of  the  spectacle,  must  have 
wondered  afterwards,  as  he  saw  in  the  afiluent  merchant  the  youth 
who  pried  the  load  of  hay  out  of  the  prairie-mud.  Reaching 
Chicago,  he  drifted  into  the  City  Clerk's  office,  and  got  employment 
at  twelve  dollars  per  month. 

"  His  aptness  for  business  was  soon  apparent.  He  had  skill  in 
trading,  in  managing  and  in  planning,  and  energy  adequate  to  the 
carrying  out  of  his  plans.  Besides  this,  he  was  one  of  the  few 
who  realized  the  possibilities  of  the  Northwest,  and  fully  foresaw 
the  destiny  of  Chicago.  While  others  conjectured,  he  was  con- 
vinced ;  while  others  stood  by  wondering  whether  to  invest,  he 
went  forward  and  proved  his  faith  by  his  works,  and  a  great,  high 
faith  he  had  in  this  city  and  this  section  when  he  became  a  part- 
ner in  the  firm  he  had  served  as  salesman.  His  hand  was  felt 
upon  the  helm  immediately,  and  his  word  had  weight  in  the  coun- 
cils of  the  concern.  That  was  in  1851,  when  the  house  did  a  busi- 
ness of  about  $100,000  per  annum.  Its  business  now  foots  up 
$10,000,000.  The  entire  dry-goods  commerce  of  the  city  had  a 
new  impetus  under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  Farwell.  For  lead  he 
did,  with  such  boldness  as  to  confound  the  wisdom  of  the  wise  in 
trade,  and  to  make  the  most  enterprising  amoijg  them  shake  their 
heads  in  an  admonitory  fashion. 

"In  1856,  through  Mr.  Fai-well's  irresistible  persistency,  the 
wholesale  mart  on  Wabash  avenue  was  built,  now  occupied  by  the 
firm  of  John  Y.  Farwell  &  Co.,  which,  after  several  changes,  came 
to  be  the  name  of  the  firm  in  1865.  The  enterprise  was  stoutly 
opposed  by  the  oldest  member  of  what  was  then  the  firm,  and  was 
set  down  by  the  longest  heads  in  the  city  as  a  project  that  must 
bring:  its  owners  to  ruin.     But  time  has  demonstrated  the  wisdom 


630  HISTORY    OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

of  the  undertaking.  It  was  to  the  wholesale  diy-goods  cause  of  the 
Northwest  what  the  memorable  raid  of  Sherman  was  to  the  cause 
of  the  National  Government.  If  it  was  daring  to  look  forward 
to,  it  was  grand  to  look  back  upon. 

"  The  men  who  built  a  commerce  are  to  be  honored  with  those 
who  found  a  commonwealth.  Commerce  is  the  corner-stone  of  the 
commonwealth.  First  ships,  then  schools;  fii'st  trade  in  com, 
then  in  books.    What  are  dwelling-houses  without  warehouses? 

"  But  for  commerce  there  had  been  no  Chicago.  Once  a  commer- 
cial capital,  and  Chicago  became  a  seat  of  learning  and  of  literature^ 
a  market  for  loiowledge  as  well  as  for  breadstuffs  and  dry-goods. 
This  is  the  metropolis  which  the  man  of  this  sketch  helped  mightily 
to  build  by  his  enterprise,  and  then  to  adorn  with  his  philan- 
thropy. And  such  men  have  a  fame  which  Chicago  will  never  let 
die.  Their  renown  is  indissolubly  linked  with  hers.  And  as  we 
ramble  through  this  buzzing  and  busy  dry-goods  hive  on  the  Av- 
enue, with  its  hundred  of  men  and  its  piles  of  fabrics  from  every  part 
of  the  commercial  world,  we  cannot  but  feel  a  thrill  of  pride  in  the 
man  who  founded  and  biiilt  it  all.  But  we  have  a  livelier  and  a 
nobler  satisfaction  when  we  contemplate  this  man  as  "  the  servant 
who  was  found  faithful '  to  his  stewardship,  as  well  as  the  merchant 
who  was  found  equal  to  every  exigency.  Prosperity  did  not 
quench  the  ardor  of  his  convictions,  deaden  his  sensibilities,  nor 
blunt  his  moral  sense.  When  poverty  departed  it  did  not  carry 
conscience  away  with  it ;  when  riches  came  they  did  not  bring 
penuriousness  along,  but  openhandedness  instead.  The  merchant 
had  an  end  beyond  his  merchandise,  the  tradesman  was  not  con- 
tent with  trade.  Affluence  was  made  no  excuse  for  self-indul- 
gence. The  miserable  cupidity  which  brings  a  man  to  his  knees  be- 
fore the  golden  calf  was  held  in  scornful  detestation.  The  grovel- 
ling avarice  which  makes  a  business  man  a  slave  to  his  business  was 
equally  despised.  The  love  of  Chi-ist  constrained  the  love  of 
money.     The  love  of  God  induced  the  love  of  man,  and  the  love 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  531 

of  man  was  shown  by  deeds  and  devices  for  his  amelioration  and 
elevation.  Mr.  Farwell  increased  in  philanthropy  as  he  increased 
in  means  for  exercising  it.  The  world  which  lieth  in  wicked- 
ness, and  the  church  which  is  as  a  net  to  save  it,  are  the  objects 
of  his  alert  solicitude  and  unremitting  liberality."  His  brother, 
C.  B.  Farwell,  is  the  member  of  Congress  fi^om  Cook  county,  and 
is  a  man  of  brains  and  energy.  They  have  gone  forward  with 
accustomed  sagacity  and  pluck  in  the  restoration  of  the  com- 
merce of  Chicago. 

Mr.  Bowen  was  born  in  New  York  State,  and  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  was  a  clerk  in  Little  Falls.  "  From  there  our  future 
merchant  came  to  Chicago,  and  entered  the  service  of  Mr.  Wood, 
who  was  the  first  to  introduce  into  the  village  the  system  of  trad- 
ing on  strictly  cash  principles.  I^ever  was  a  clerk  better  suited 
for  his  position,  and  the  duties  which  devolved  upon  him  were 
admirably  adapted  to  fit  him  for  the  part  he  was  afterwards  to 
sustain  in  the  commercial  development  of  this  city  and  the  North- 
west. Before  he  had  been  in  Mr.  "Wood's  employ  three  months, 
he  was  placed  at  the  head  of  the  establishment.  The  proprietor 
was  absent  the  greater  part  of  the  time,  and  the  whole  responsi- 
bility rested  upon  the  shoulders  of  young  Bowen.  He  gave  his 
personal  attention  to  every  department  of  the  business.  He  was 
at  once  cashier,  bookkeeper,  and  head  salesman ;  the  first  man  at 
the  store  in  the  morning,  and  the  last  to  leave  at  night.  But  his 
labors  were  not  confined  to  the  counter  and  the  desk.  Not  con- 
tent with  seeing  that  customers  were  well  served  and  books  accu- 
rately kept,  he  added  largely  to  the  custom  of  the  establishment 
by  pursuing  a  system  of  advertising  and  '  drumming '  peculiarly 
adapted  to  these  pioneer  days.  At  that  time  it  was  the  custom  of 
the  farmers  fi'om  the  country  to  come  to  Chicago  with  their  pro- 
duce, and  camp  out  for  the  night  in  what  was  then  the  southern 
suburbs  of  the  town,  in  the  vicinity  of  Eighteenth  street,  and  it 
was  Mr.  Bowen's  practice,  mornings,  before  it  was  time  for  trade, 


632  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

to  go  the  rounds  of  the  camp  aud  distribute  advertising  circular? 
among  the  campers,  setting  forth  the  superior  inducements  of 
'  The  People's  Cheap  Store.'  Xot  content  with  merely  scattering 
these,  he  would,  bj  a  few  words  fitly  spoken,  win  upon  their  per- 
sonal favor.  In  that  way  he  became  widely  and  always  favorably 
known  to  a  large  circle  of  customers,  whose  trade  added  materi- 
ally to  the  profits  of  his  employers.  The  personal  popularity  of 
young  Bowen  was  very  great.  The  farmers  liked  to  trade  with 
hira  better  than  with  a  kid-glove  counter-jumper,  who  fancies  the 
condition  of  mercantile  success  is  good  clothes  and  fastidious  draw- 
ing-room manners.  And  we  may  add  that  the  same  good  sense 
which  characterized  Mr.  Bowen  then,  has  ever  since.  Kot  only 
so,  but  he  has  been  careful  to  surrround  himself  with  associates 
and  assistants  similar  in  character.  At  this  day  there  is  no  one 
connected  with  his  establishment,  fi'om  the  senior  member  of  the 
firm  to  the  porters,  who  does  not  by  his  works  show  his  faith  in 
the  dignity  of  labor,  of  whatever  kind. 

"Mr.  Bo  wen's  theorj-  in  regard  to  advertising  was  then,  and  al- 
ways has  been,  that  no  promises  in  regard  to  quality  of  goods  or 
their  price  should  be  made  that  he  could  not  fulfil.  Enterprise 
may  reap  an  ephemeral  reward,  even  when  dishonest ;  but  great, 
lasting  success  is  conditioned  on  probity. 

"  Mr.  Wood  was  not  slow  to  testify  his  appreciation  of  the  ser- 
vices. The  salary  for  the  first  year  had  been  fixed  at  two  hundred 
dollars,  but  at  the  end  of  the  year  Mr.  Bowen  found  six  hundred 
dollars  credited  to  his  account,  without  anything  having  been  said 
by  either  party  upon  the  subject.  At  the  same  time  his  salary 
was,  without  solicitation,  raised  to  one  thousand  dollars.  This  was 
nobly  generous  of  Mr.  Wood.  Yet  he  could  richly  afford  to  do  it, 
for  the  young  man's  services,  even  then,  were  remarkably  cheap, 
considering  the  amount  and  kind  of  sei-vice  rendered. 

"  In  1853,  Mr.  Wood  retired  from  business.  He  was  succeeded 
by  Mills,  Bowen  &  Dillingbeck.     The  members  of  the  firm  were 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  533 

D.  H.  Mills,  George  S.  Bowen,  Chamicy  T.  Bowen,  and  Stephen 
Dillingbeek.  The  business  continued  to  be  conducted  on  the 
same  plan  as  before,  only  on  a  much  larger  scale,  and  even  more 
profitable.  This  firm  was  in  1856  succeeded  by  the  famous 
house  of  Bowen  Brothers,  of  which  George  S,  and  Chauncy  T. 
were  the  co-partners.  -  In  July,  1857,  their  oldept  brother,  Jamea 
H.  Bowen,  came  on  from  Albany,  New  York,  and  joined  them. 

The  business  of  this  house  during  the  last  ten  years  has  been 
immense.  There  is  not  a  merchant  in  the  West  who  has  not 
heard  of  Bowen  Brothers,  and  the  majority  of  those  who  have 
been  in  trade  any  length  of  time  have,  doubtless,  had  more  or  less 
dealings  vsdth  them.  The  enviable  reputation  of  Chicago  as  a 
centre  for  [wholesale  supplies  is  largely  due  to  the  enterprise  and 
scrupulous  honesty  of  this  house.  Its  sales  for  the  last  three  years 
amounted  to  more  than  fifteen  million  dollars.  Neither  St.  Louis 
nor  Cincinnati,  cities  which  once  looked  down  in  disdain  upon 
Chicago,  has  a  house  that  can  make  any  such  showing  into  several 
millions.  About  a  year  ago  the  firm  of  Bowen  Bros,  retired  f ^om 
business,  and  erected  one  of  the  finest  mercantile  blocks  in  the 
city."  Men  who  began  at  the  bottom  and  climbed  to  the  top,  know 
well  how  to  repeat  their  eiforts  when  reverses  come.  Along  with 
these  pioneers  and  founders  have  come  up  a  host  of  young  men 
of  sterling  stuff,  whose  opportunity  has  now  arrived,  and  who  will 
have  before  them  a  grand  career,  worthy  of  being  written  out  for 
the  admiration  and  encom-agement  of  succeeding  generations 


CHAPTER  XXXVn. 


"  The  West  cannot  exist  without  Chicago ;  her  natural  situation  and  advan- 
tages give  her  control  of  the  Western  States,  and  in  future  times,  seated  in 
all  the  majesty  of  empire,  on  Lake  Michigan,  she  shall  look  back,  as  to  a  fear- 
ful dream,  upon  the  recent  conflagration,  and  in  all  probability  remember  it  as  a 
blessing  rather  than  a  curse." — Anon. 


534  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT    FIRES 

Faith,  existing  in  the  hearts  and  throbbing  in  the  pulses  of 
great  or  common  men,  could  not  produce  grass  on  the  top  of  a 
bare  rock,  or  create  a  city  without  people  and  without  the  co- 
operation of  nature.  We  have  no  king  to  dictate  where  towns 
shall  be  established,  and  compel  them  to  be  inhabited.  In  this 
free  country,  men  gather  into  the  best  locations,  as  naturally  as 
water  runs  down  hill.  And  probably  there  is  no  spot  more 
adapted  to  the  wants  of  the  commerce  of  the  Northwest,  in  all  its 
vast  domains,  than  that  on  which  Chicago  stands. 

The  energetic  and  wise  master-builders  have  planned  well  and 
executed  firmly,  and  they  need  profound  wisdom  and  limitless 
energy  to  fulfil  all  the  hopes  of  mankind ;  but  it  would  seem  as 
though  Providence  had  provided  a  place  for  the  confluence  of 
nations,  and  given  every  possible  suggestion  to  guide  and  encour- 
age our  citizens.  The  fire  has  altered  no  natural  laws,  changed 
none  of  the  causes  of  growth  that  inhere  in  the  geographical  posi- 
tion, left  materially  uninjured  much  that  has  been  done  to  pro- 
mote the  transaction  of  business  and  the  comfort  and  ease  of  liv- 
ing ;  while  it  has  advertised  us  to  the  world,  and  opened  to  us 
tlieir  sympathies,  as  nothing  else  could  have  done.  True,  there 
is  much  latent  selfishness-  in  the  world,  and  men  will  go  where 
they  can  buy  for  the  least  money  what  they  want — in  short, 
where  they  think  they  can  do  the  best  for  themselves.  If  we 
keep  tlie  largest  stocks,  and  sell  for  the  smallest  profits,  and  con- 
vince the  world  about  us  that  this  is  true,  our  city  will  continue 
to  command  the  attention  of  buyers  and  sellers,  and  grow  into 
increased  greatness.  These  results  are  possible,  because  of  our 
magnificent  harbor  for  the  Lake  shipping.  Already  we  have 
thirty  four  miles  of  dockage,  with  opportunities  for  indefinite  ex- 
pansion, by  means  of  slips,  and  are  at  the  head  of  the  grandest 
inland  navigation  on  the  globe. 

"  During  eight  months  of  the  year  there  is  an  average  daily  ar- 
rival and  departure  of  some  fifty  sailing  vessels  and  steamers. 


m    CHICAGO   AND   THE    WEsl.  535 

These  bring  coal,  iron,  wood,  lumber,  and  heavy  goods.  Of  these 
Lake  craft,  three  hundred  and  ninety-eight  are  owned  in  Chicago. 
These  are  of  an  average  capacity  of  214^  tons  ;  the  exact  aggre- 
gate is  85,313  tons,  Vessels  bringing  coal  and  iron  from  Buffalo 
and  Cleveland  are  much  larger.  The  entire  fleet  entering  and 
clearing  from  the  port  of  Chicago  average  239f  tons ;  and  the 
total  number  during  the  eight  months  of  1870,  from  April  to 
November,  both  inclusive,  was  12,546 ;  while  the  arrivals  and 
departures,  during  the  same  eight  months  at  the  ports-  of  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  New  Orleans,  San  Francisco, 
Mobile,  and  Savannah,  were  12,259  —  287  less  than  at  the  single 
port  of  Chicago.  It  is  true,  the  sailing  vessels  and  steamers  en- 
tering New  York  are  much  larger  —  averaging  599f  tons;  but 
even  their  aggregate  tonnage  is  far  less  than  the  port  of  Chicago ! 
The  fleets  of  deeply-laden  vessels  that  daily  arrive  and  depart 
from  oiw  youthful  city  would  greatly  surprise  even  a  resident  of 
New  York  or  Liverpool." 

The  deepening  of  the  canal  to  the  Illinois  River,  which  is  thus 
connected  with  Lake  Michigan,  must  greatly  increase  the  already 
enormous  trade  which  floats  on  its  bosom.  This  all  remains  in- 
tact ;  and  five  of  the  grain-elevators  stand  erect  and  ready  for 
business.  So  that  the  great  expectations  of  Chicago  cannot  fail, 
unless  nature  fails,  and  the  world  burns  up.  Our  system  of  parks 
will  be  needed  in  due  season ;  and  the  continuous  drive  through 
parks  and  boulevards  of  twenty  miles,  all  round  the  city,  will  yet 
be  thronged  with  the  prosperous  and  happy  people  of  our  recon- 
structed metropolis. 

The  railroads  of  the  Northwest  are  :;11  vitally  concerned  in  the 
new  Chicago's  prosperity,  and  each  udded  mile  is  directly  or  in- 
directly tributary  to  the  markets  of  this  city.  Besides  the  great 
rival  lines  to  the  Pacific  now  in  operation,  the  Northern  Pacific 
commands  an  immense  territory,  a  vast  empire  of  fertile  lands 
rich  in  mineral  resources ;    and  this  must  become  a  source  of 


536  HISTORY   OF    THB   QKEAT   FIJBB8 

wealth,  also,  to  us,  bringing  not  only  that  splendid  region  to  our 
doors,  but  aiding  us  to  control  the  Oriental  trade  which  has  en- 
riched so  many  cities  of  the  world. 

Our  manufactures  have  begun  to  acquire  root  and  strength,. 
and  are  destined  to  develop  indefinitely,  because  the  labor,  coal, 
and  materials  are  all  here  waiting  the  call  of  capital  to  convert 
tkem  into  immense  profit.  The  following  table  shows  what 
nationalities  are  here,  and  suggest  the  various  industries  they 
pursue,  and  the  ties  which  bind  us  to  the  Old  World.  The  num 
bers  represent  families  : — 

United  States 28,839 

L-eland 19,145 

Canada 3,167 

Norway 2,910 

Austria 1,426 

Denmark 655 

Poland 370 

Italy 275 

Germany 28,870 

England 4,947 

Sweden 2,940 

Scotland 1,750 

France , 722 

Holland 527 

Switzerland 337 

Wales 247 

Besides  these,  there  are  families  from  twenty-seven  other  coun- 
tries. Whatever  business  any  man  may  wish  to  follow  or  carry 
on,  which  appertains  to  civilized  communities,  he  can  find  the 
artisans  here  who  know  how  to  aid  him.  These  people  are  mainly 
inhabitants  of  Chicago  still,  and  their  presence  will  attract  and 
employ  the  capital  of  the  world. 

The  actual  indebtedness  of  Chicago  is  under  fifteen  millions, 


JOHN  T.  FAKWELL. 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  539 

and  the  largest  part  of  the  improvements  remain  for  which  this 
money  was  expended.  According  to  the  best  estimates,  our  total 
loss  will  amount  to  two  hundred  and  ten  millions.  A  portion 
of  this  will  be  recovered  as  a  basis  of  operations,  so  that  we  are 
better  off  to-day  than  we  were  fifteen,  or  possibly  ten,  years  ago. 
The  instantaneous  leap  forward,  after  the  first  touch  of  the 
hand  of  a  world's  charity,  and  the  successive  strides  of  the  Young 
Giant,  towards  former  supremacy,  assure  us  that  the  future  shall 
be  as  the  past,  and  increasingly  glorious. 

AGE    AND    POPULATION    OF    WESTERN  CITIES. 

Settled.  Population,  1870. 

Detroit 1700  79,580 

St.  Louis 1764  310,864 

Pittsburgh 1784  86,235 

Louisville 1785  100,764 

Cincinnati 1789  216,239 

Chicago 1830  70 

Chicago,  present  population 1871  334,270 

Facilities  for  the  cattle  trade  have  been  furnished  by  the  Union 
Stock  Yards,  which  the  fire  did  not  harm,  and  are  of  such  im- 
portance as  to  justify  the  insertion  of  the  following  description  : 

Probably  no  enterprise  in  the  history  of  Chicago  has  combined 
so  many  corporations  and  capitalists  together  into  one  great  com- 
pany as  the  Great  Union  Stock  Yards.  Railroad  companies  that 
have  heretofore  been  rivals  for  the  live  stock  trade  of  the  West, 
and  often  at  war  with  each  other  upon  this  subject,  are  now  a  unit, 
working  together  as  architects  of  this  great  undertaking.  Their 
tracks  have  been  extended  to  a  common  centre,  and  nine  of  the 
former  competing  roads  now  connect  directly  with  the  Great 
Union  Stock  Yards.  The  broad  prairie  that  stretches  southward 
from  the  city  is  now  traversed  and  retraversed  by  their  different 
branches,  all  tending  toward  the  great  bovine  city  of  the  world. 
31 


540  HISTORY    OF    THE    GKEAT    FIKES 

Packers  and  commission  dealers,  whose  extensive  establish mei its 
have  heretofore  demanded  their  entire  attention,  are  now  found 
at  this  nucleus,  prospecting  upon  the  results  of  the  enterprise, 
laying  plans  for  the  future,  and  prognosticating  the  prosperity 
that  is  to  follow  the  opening  of  this  great  cattle  mart.  Their  esti- 
mates for  the  future  might  be  considered  chimerical  by  the  Eip 
Yan  Winkles  c>f  other  and  less  go-ahead  cities ;  but  Western  men 
know  the  extent  of  the  broad  prairies  of  Illinois  and  neighboring 
States,  which  stretch  away  like  the  pampas  of  South  America, 
yielding  pasturage  for  innumerable  herds  of  cattle,  found  nowhere 
else  in  the  country. 

Among  the  first  business  transactions  of  the  hamlet,  now  grown 
into  this  great  city,  was  buying  and  selling  cattle  and  swine,  large 
herds  of  which  were  easily  driven  to  market  here,  slaughtered,  and 
shipped  to  other  points.  The  packing  business  was  only  another 
branch  of  the  trade,  and  beef  packed  in  Chicago  was  to  be  found 
in  the  marts  of  Liverpool  long  before  the  growing  Western  town 
from  whence  it  came  had  a  "  local  habitation  and  a  name  "  among 
the  cities  of  the  continent. 

At  the  World's  Fair,  held  in  London  several  years  ago,  the  at- 
tention of  Queen  A^ictoria  and  Prince  Albert  was  called  to  several 
tierces  of  beef  from  the  packing  establishment  of  the  Houghs,  in 
Chicago ;  and  they  were  awarded  a  premium.  Thus  the  pro- 
duce of  the  new  city  began  to  grow  in  the  estimation  of  foreign 
dealers,  and  an  impetus  was  given  to  the  trade.  Steadily  advan- 
cing, the  exports  from  our  harbor  began  to  look  like  those  of  much 
older  cities ;  and  St.  Louis  and  Cincinnati  lost  their  laurels — the 
latter  ceasing  to  be  the  recognized  "porkopolis"  of  the  laud. 
Reaching  out  like  a  young  giant,  the  new  commercial  port  seized 
upon  the  produce  of  the  prairies  of  Illinois  and  the  West,  and  put 
an  embargo  upon  the  growth  of  older  towns  less  centrally  located. 
Dealers  in  live  stock  soon  left  their  old  landmarks  in  Cincinnati, 
St.  Louis,  Louisville,  and  established  themselves  in  the  Garden 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  541 

City ;  the  places  that  had  known  them  knowing  them  no  more, 
unless  it  was  to  hear  of  their  prosperity  and  increasing  wealth. 
Eailroads  sprang  into  existence,  and  cut  the  prairies  in  every  di- 
rection, while  the  lakes  were  whitened  by  the  unfurled  sails  of 
thousands  of  vessels ;  and  the  great  rush  of  business  which  now 
blesses  Chicago  as  a  metropolis  was  established  permanently, 
upon  a  basis  having  for  its  foundations  millions  of  acres  of  pro- 
ductive lands,  great  natural  resources,  and  untold  commercial 
advantages. 

On  the  first  of  June,  of  the  present  year,  ground  was  broken 
for  the  new  yards.  The  first  thing  to  be  done  was  to  drain  the 
land — a  work  of  no  small  importance.  An  immense  box  sewer 
was  constructed  along  Halstead  street,  to  serve  as  a  main  dis- 
charge for  the  drains  and  sewers.  This  structure  is  half  a  mile 
in  length,  running  north  and  south,  and  four  feet  in  the  clear. 
Constructed  on  the  most  improved  plans,  these  drains  and  sewers, 
underlying  the  yards  in  every  direction,  perform  their  work  in 
the  most  admirable  manner.  The  soil  is  now  in  good  condition, 
and  no  inconvenience  will  be  experienced  from  wet  land  or  stand- 
ing water.  In  this  particular,  the  great  bovine  city  will  be  far 
ahead  of  the  populous  and  crowded  human  city  which  it  adjoins, 
and  of  which  it  is  destined  to  become  an  important  part. 

The  total  length  of  the  drains  and  sewers  is  about  thirty  miles. 
They  have  caused  a  wonderful  transformation  in  the  level,  wet 
land  on  the  prairie,  which  it  has  heretofore  been  considered  im- 
possible to  drain.  The  argument  deduced  from  this  is,  that  all 
the  low  land  surrounding  Chicago  is  valuable  for  building  pur- 
poses, and  that  it  can  be  thoroughly  drained,  so  as  to  afford  v. 
solid  foundation  for  structures  of  any  size. 

The  tract  of  land  selected  as  the  site  of  the  yards  was  now 
thoroughly  drained,  and  what  a  short  time  before  was  a  marshy 
prairie,  covered  with  rank  grass,  appeared  dry  and  firm,  admit- 
ting of  the  passage  of  loaded  wagons,  and  the  laying  of  railroad 


54:2  HISTORY    OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

tracks  over  it.  Lines  of  rails  were  soon  constructed,  leading  from 
different  railroads,  which  were  to  transport  the  immense  amount 
of  lumber  required  for  the  construction  of  the  yards  to  the  spot. 
Large  sills  of  timber  were  placed  upon  the  ground,  across  which 
were  laid  three-inch  joists.  Upon  this  foundation  the  planking 
was  commenced.  That  portion  of  the  yards  to  be  used  for  cattle 
pens  was  planked  with  three-inch  pine  planks,  placed  firmly  upon 
the  joists  and  nailed  thereto.  Two-inch  plank  was  similarly 
placed  upon  those  portions  where  the  hogs  are  to  be  kept.  The 
planking  being  raised  from  the  ground,  affords  the  water  and 
refuse  from  the  yards  an  opportunity  of  draining  off  to  the  ground, 
where  it  immediately  finds  its  way  into  the  drains  and  sewers 
which  underlie  the  whole,  thence  into  the  main  sewer  on  Halsted 
street,  and  into  the  river.  The  entire  planking,  like  the  draining, 
was  done  in  the  most  substantial  manner,  no  expense  or  pains 
being  spared  to  make  it  firm  and  solid,  so  that  no  accidents 
might  result  in  the  future  from  its  sinking  or  breaking  through, 
beneath  the  tread  of  the  herds  destined  to  pass  over  it.  A  por- 
tion of  the  planking  was  done  by  contract,  and  the  remainder  by 
the  company.  As  many  as  1,000  men  were  employed  upon  it  at 
one  time. 

The  entire  345  acres  comprised  in  the  yards  are  laid  out  into 
streets  and  alleys,  in  the  same  manner  as  a  large  city.  Through 
the  centre,  from  north  to  south,  runs  a  broad  avenue,  which  has 
been  named  E  street.  This  great  central  thoroughfare  is  one 
mile  in  length,  and  seventy-five  feet  broad.  It  is  divided  into 
three  sections,  like  a  bridge,  to  facilitate  the  driving  of  cattle 
through  it.  Droves  passing  to  the  south  will  take  one  section; 
those  passing  to  the  north,  another,  meeting  on  the  way  without 
the  slightest  inconvenience  or  stoppage.  The  drover's  whip  will 
not  be  called  into  requisition  in  passing  through  this  avenue,  as 
all  will  be  "  fair  sailing."  This  street  runs  through  the  entire 
grounds,  and  is  paved  with  Mcolson  pavement;  the  blocks  used 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  543 

being  the  refuse  ends  of  plank,  etc.,  which  economy  greatl}-  re- 
duced the  expense.  There  is  not  a  finer  or  smoother  drive  in 
Chicago  than  this  well-paved  and  finely  rounded  street.  Kun- 
ning  parallel  to  Avenue  E  are  other  streets,  leading  to  the  rail- 
roads that  surround  the  yards  on  all  sides  but  the  south. 

These  streets  are  crossed  at  right  angles  by  others,  running- 
east  and  west.  The  principal  one  of  these  passes  by  the  Hotel, 
and  has  been  named  "  Broadway  "  by  the  workmen.  It  is,  indeed, 
a  broad  avenue,  and  will  probably  retain  the  name,  as  it  leads 
from  the  Hough  House  to  the  Bank  and  Exchange  building, 
where  the  life  and  excitement  of  the  yards  will  centre.  It  is 
sixty-six  feet  wide,  planked  with  heavy  timber,  and  traversed  on 
the  south  by  a  raised  sidewalk. 

There  are  five  hundred  of  these  enclosures,  all  lying  on  the  dif- 
ferent streets,  like  the  buildings  of  a  city,  and  all  probably  num- 
bered. In  size  these  enclosures  vary  from  20  X  35  to  85  x  112, 
while  others  are  precisely  the  size  of  a  car,  calculated  to  hold  just 
one  car-load  of  stock.  The  cattle-pens  are  open,  but  those  designed 
for  hogs  are  covered  with  sheds,  and  so  arranged  as  to  prevent  the 
hogs  "  piling,"  which  they  are  inclined  to  do  in  cold  weather. 

The  yards  are  provided  with  six  hay-barns  and  six  corn-cribs, 
situated  on  different  parts  of  the  enclosure,  convenient  to  different 
sections  of  pens. 

Perhaps  the  greatest  feature  of  these  yards  is  that  of  the  differ- 
ent railway  accommodations.  Nine  of  the  principal  railroads  of 
the  West  find  a  common  centre  here.  There  have  been  con- 
structed fifteen  miles  of  track,  as  branches,  which  connect  these 
roads  with  the  yards,  besides  many  switch-tracks  and  side-runs. 
Upon  the  north  are  tracks  of  four  railroads — the  Great  Eastern, 
the  Michigan  Central,  the  Michigan  Southern,  and  the  Pittsburg 
and  Fort  "Wayne.  These  roads  all  run  in  from  the  east,  and  their 
tracks  are  so  arranged  by  the  side  of  "  shoots  "  that  whole  trains 
can   be  unloaded   at  once.     On  the  north,  and  parallel  to  the 


544  HISTORY    OF   THE   GREAT   FIKES 

"shoots  "  belonging  to  these  roads,  are  others  running  nearly  par- 
allel. They  are  for  the  accommodation  of  two  roads,  the  Chicago, 
Burlington,  and  Quincy  and  the  Illinois  Central,  which  also  ap- 
proach the  grounds  from  the  east.  The  east  and  west  sides  of  the 
yards  describe  an  inward  curve,  along  which  are  platforms  and 
"  shoots."  The  Chicago  and  Rock  Island  Railroad  owns  those 
upon  the  east,  and  the  Chicago  and  Northwestern  and  the  Chicago, 
Alton  and  St.  Louis  those  upon  the  west,  where  their  tracks  are 
constructed.  By  the  act  of  incorporation  all  the  roads  have  the 
privilege  of  running  over  each  other's  tracks,  but  so  ample  are  the 
arrangements  that  this  will  seldom,  if  ever,  be  necessary.  The 
yards  are  provided  with  water-tanks  for  the  engines,  wood-yards, 
turn-tables,  and  everything  that  is  required  at  a  great  depot, 
which  iu  fact  these  grounds  are — the  greatest  in  the  world. 

The  facilities  for  loading  and  unloading  cargoes  of  cattle  at 
these  yards  are  unsurpassed.  Each  road  has  1,000  feet  of  plat- 
form, which  is  provided  with  "  shoots  "  leading  directly  into  the 
yards  and  pens  of  the  division  appropriated  to  the  us&  of  such 
road.  When  a  train  of  cars  loaded  with  live-stock  arrives,  it 
draws  up  in  front  of  the  "  shoots."  Gates  are  so  arranged  that 
they  open  across  the  platform  extending  to  the  cars,  and  thus 
form  an  enclosure  through  which  the  stock  passes  directly  into 
the  yards.  These  gates  enable  a  whole  train  to  unload  as  quick 
as  one  car.  Several  of  the  "  shoots  "  are  made  double,  so  that  the 
upper  and  lower  floors  of  a  carload  of  hogs  can  be  passed  out  at 
the  same  time.  This  arrangement  is  so  perfect  that  there  is  little 
chance  for  an  accident  to  happen  to  the  stock  as  they  pass  down 
the  avenue  formed  by  the  gates,  and  are  thence  driven  into  the 
pens.  As  many  as  500  cars  can  be  loaded  or  unloaded  in  this 
manner  at  the  same  time,  the  whole  operation  occupying  only  a 
few  moments.  This  fine  arrangement  is  considered  one  of  the 
greatest  features  of  the  yards.  Water  is  furnished  in  ample  abun- 
dance by  Artesian  wells  on  the  place. 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  645 

Since  their  opening,  these  yards  have  verified  the  opinions  ex- 
pressed above,  and  constitute  a  system  as  nearly  perfect  as  human 
skill  can  construct.  The  Hough  House  has  become  the  Transit 
House.  A  neat  chapel,  erected  by  the  Second  Baptist  Church, 
and  patronized  and  sustained  in  part  by  that  body,  opens  its 
doors  and  affords  religious  privileges  to  the  residents  and  visitors 
there,  who  take  a  deep  interest  in  the  exercises  of  the  Sunday- 
school  and  the  preaching  of  the  gospel.  Who  shall  deny  that 
Chicago  must  go  forward  more  swiftly  in  the  future  than  the 
past,  when  these  vast  facilities  for  business  which  we  have  named, 
and  these  surroundings  of  country  and  population  are  fully  con- 
sidered ? 

The  testimony  of  our  rival  city,  St.  Louis,  is  a  generous  recog 
nition  of  our  geographical  supremacy.  Said  the  Missouri  Be- 
publican : — '•  Chicago,  though  stricken  in  purse  and  person  as  no 
other  city  recorded  in  history  ever  has  been,  is  not  crushed  out 
and  destroyed,  and  her  complete  restoration  to  the  place  and 
power  from  which  she  is  temporarily  removed  is  only  a  question 
of  time.  It  would  be  sad,  indeed,  if  a  conflagration,  though  swal- 
lowing up  the  last  house  and  the  last  dollar  of  a  great  commer- 
cial metropolis,  could  fix  the  seal  of  perpetual  annihilation  upon 
it,  and  declare  that  the  wealth  and  prosperity  which  ouce  were 
should  exist  no  more  forever.  Such  might  be  the  case,  pei'haps, 
were  there  none  other  save  human  forces  at  work  ;  but  into  the 
composition  of  such  a  city  as  that  which  the  demon  of  fire  has 
conquered,  enter  the  forces  and  the  necessities  of  nature.  Chi- 
cago did  not  become  what  she  was,  simply  because  shrewd  capi- 
talists and  energetic  business  men  so  ordained  it.  That  mighty 
Agent,  who  fashions  suns  and  stars,  and  swings  them  aloft  in  the 
boundless  ocean  of  space,  marks  out  by  immutable  decree  the 
channels  along  which  population  and  trade  must  flow.  When 
the  first  settlers  landed  at  Jamestown  and  Plymouth,  and  began 
to  hew  a  path  for  civilization  through  the  primeval  forest,  it  was 


546  HISTORY    OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

as  certain  as  the  law  of  gravitation,  that  if  this  continent  were 
destined  to  be  a  new  empire,  fit  to  receive  the  surplus  millions  of 
the  eastern  hemisphere,  and  contribute  to  the  progress  and  en- 
lightenment of  mankind  everywhere,  there  must  and  would  be  a 
few  prominent  centres,  so  to  speak,  around  which  the  vast  ma- 
chine could  revolve.  Those  centres  were  determined  by  the 
geography  and  topography  of  the  country ;  and  when  the  ad- 
vancing tide  of  immigration  touched  them  they  began  to  de- 
velop as  naturally  and  irresistibly  as  the  flower  does  beneath  the 
genial  influences  of  sunshine  and  showers.  For  practical  pur- 
poses neither  Jamestown  nor  Plymouth  were  of  any  special  con- 
sequence ;  therefore  the  one  has  ceased  to  exist  altogether,  and 
the  other  remains  an  insignificant  town.  But  the  inner  shore  of 
of  Boston  harbor,  the  Island  of  Manhattan,  the  site  of  Philadel- 
phia, Baltimore,  Cincinnati,  N^ew  Orleans,  St.  Louis,  and  San 
Francisco,  furnished  the  required  facilities,  and  we  see  the  result 
to-day.  Nature  declares  where  great  cities  shall  be  built,  and 
man  simply  obeys  the  orders  of  nature. 

"  The  spot  where  Chicago  river  empties  into  Lake  Michigan 
belongs  to  the  same  category  as  those  we  have  mentioned.  It 
was  designed  and  intended  for  the  location  of  a  grand  mart  to 
supply  the  wants  of  the  extreme  north-west— that  portion  of  the 
central  plateau  lying  on  the  line  and  to  the  north  of  the  Union 
Pacific  Railway,  and  the  Western  part  of  the  British  possessions. 
The  trade  from  these  sections  seeks  an  outlet  there,  and  finds  it 
better  and  more  available  than  anywhere  else.  This  fact  was 
settled  before  the  first  brick  was  laid  in  Chicago;  was  settled 
when  Chicagc  rose  to  the  rank  of  the  fifth  city  in  the  republic, 
and  is  settled  just  as  firmly  now,  when,  to  all  human  appearances, 
her  destruction  is  wellnigh  accomplished. 

"Natural  advantages,  then,  must  compel  the  reconstruction  of 
Chicago,  even  though  every  foot  of  its  soil  passes  out  of  the  hands 
of  the  present  proprietors.     And  if  we  examine  what  the  fire  has 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST,  547 

spared,  it  will  be  found  that  the  nucleus  of  a  new  and  rapid 
growth  is  not  wanting. 

"  If  we  add  to  these  resources  the  railway  lines  converging  to 
that  point,  which  represent  an  aggregate  capital  of  $300,000,000  ; 
and  remember  that  every  railway  is  directly  interested  in  the 
process  of  reconstruction,  and  will  aid  it  in  all  possible  ways,  it 
may  not  be  difficult  for  even  the  most  incredulous  to  see  why  and 
how  Chicago  must  grow  again.  That  she  is  absolutely  ruined  or 
permanently  disabled  is  sheer  impossibility,  which  no  sensible 
person  will  for  a  moment  credit." 


CHAPTER    XXXVin. 


If  it  were  possible  to  obtain  a  commission  of  true,  honest,  pub- 
lic-spirited citizens,  to  whom  all  general  affairs  were  entrusted, 
with  power  to  make  laws  for  the  city,  and  determine  the  charac- 
ter of  its  future,  they  would  doubtless  greatly  change  many 
things,  and  introduce  reforms  and  establish  customs  of  incalcula- 
ble benefit  to  all  coming  generations.  In  the  nature  of  things 
this  is  impossible,  and  all  Utopias  exist  but  in  the  brain  of  en- 
thusiasts, never  probably  to  issue  into  living  realities,  while  men 
are  prone  to  error  and  sin.  Education  should  be  the  right  and 
duty  of  every  child  of  the  city ;  in  other  words,  all  persons 
should  enjoy,  either  freely  or  compulsorily,  the  advantages  of, 
learning.  The  principal  temptation  of  city  life  should  be  put 
away  by  the  prohibition  of  all  sales  of  intoxicating  liquors,  and 
by  such  careful  legislation  as  to  prevent  any  drunkard  from  ex- 
isting among  us,  or  any  dram-seller  plying  his  trade  among  our 
citizens  openly  or  by  stealth.  Gambling  should  be  made  a  crime 
and  absolutely  crushed  out,  and  forever  prevented.  Harlotry 
should  be  trampled  under  foot,  and  kept  down  by  every  resource 


648  HISTORY   OF    THE    GREAT   FLBES 

of  law.  Honesty  should  be  encouraged,  and  justice  magnified  by 
the  officers  and  judges,  whose  example  should  be  above  reproach. 
The  Sabbath  should  be  regarded  as  a  sacred  institution  of  univer- 
sal obligation,  and  defended  from  the  encroachments  of  power  or 
the  perversion  of  selfishness  and  ignorance.  Religion  should  be 
the  voluntary  choice  of  all  men  ;  and  its  ordinances  and  ma- 
chinery, simply  protected  from  the  rude  hand  of  violence,  should 
be  given  free  scope  in  the  improvement  and  satisfaction  of  the 
people.  Literature,  science,  and  art  should  enjoy  every  encour- 
agement, and  be  made  to  minister,  not,  as  in  Paris,  to  the  worse 
portions  of  our  nature,  but  to  the  ennobling,  gratification,  refine- 
ment, and  culture  of  the  whole  community. 

In  the  material  improvements  there  should  be  care  exercised  to 
guard  against  the  recurrence  of  fires.  In  the  French  capital,  the 
man  in  whose  house  the  fire  begins  that  consumes  property,  re- 
covers no  insurance.  The  buildings  also  are  constructed  slowly, 
and  with  such  regard  to  the  destroyer's  ravages  that,  in  the  last 
ten  years  before  the  Commune,  the  damage  by  fire  did  not 
amount,  according  to  the  testimony  of  an  American  merchant 
there,  to  two  hundred  thousand  dollars.  It  should,  therefore,  be 
an  ofifence  to  build,  in  the  heart  of  the  city,  of  anything  combus- 
tible. Let  a  city  grow  to  stand  half  or  twice  a  thousand  years. 
This  would  be  economy,  and  our  liberty  should  not  be  construed 
into  license  to  prepare,  under  our  neighbor's  eaves,  a  tinder-box 
to  burn  him  down  or  do  him  damage.  Water  arrangements 
.should  be  made  as  perfect  and  safe  as  ingenuity  could  devise  and 
money  procure.  Immense  engines  and  accessible  reservoirs  should 
be  provided,  by  which  whole  blocks  could  be  flooded  and  placed 
beyond  peril,  as  gigantic  barriers  against  the  progress  of  con- 
flagrations, however  furious.  The  Fire  Department  should  be 
organized  and  drilled  to  an  efficiency  like  that  attained  among 
soldiers  of  the  regular  army. 

How  magnificent  might  be  the  future  of  our  city  under  a  sys- 


m   CHICAGO   AND    THE   WEST.  54:9 

tem  like  this !  Our  influence  would  extend  on  every  railway  and 
higliway,  borne  by  the  billow  and  the  breeze  to  remote  districts, 
and  wherever  it  was  felt,  the  tone  of  public  sentiment  would  be 
exalted,  and  men  would  turn  to  us  as  the  mariner  to  his  compass 
or  chart,  for  laws,  sentiments,  principles,  and  fashions,  and  the 
whole  conduct  of  life.  Our  example  would  be  such  that  the 
Kepublic,  energized  and  purified,  would  pulsate  with  new  life, 
and  her  glorious  career  would  prolong  itself  to  the  end  of  time. 
We  close  with  this  pleasant  picture  drawn  by  another's  hand  : 
"  Then  shall  our  fair  city  rise  out  of  her  ashes,  and  sit  beside 
this  lake  for  ten  thousand  years  to  come,  beautiful  for  situation, 
the  joy  of  the  whole  earth.  The  fair  Garden  City,  the  centre 
and  glory  of  the  garden  of  the  world,  one  of  the  fairest  jewels  in 
the  diadem  of  America,  the  strong  right  hand  of  our  noble  na- 
tion, where  our  children  will  live  in  great  peace  and  prosperity 
when  we  are  dead  and  gone,  where  starvation  and  squalor  shall 
be  known  no  more,  where  the  poorest  home  will  be  filled  with, 
plenty,  and  the  poorest  child  have  an  equal  chance  with  the  rich- 
est to  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  as  it  touches  our  whole 
life  here  and  hereafter.  Where  all  homes  will  stand  close  to  all 
temples,  and  all  temples  near  all  homes — a  city  like  that  John 
saw  in  his  great  vision,  that  standeth  four  square,  and  the  height, 
and  the  length,  and  the  breadth  of  it  are  equal." 


65Q  HISTORY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 


THE  FIRES  m  WISCONSIN. 


CHAPTER  XXXIX 


While  we  were  struggling  in  our  agony,  neighboring  States 
and  communities  were  also  visited  by  the  raging  monster,  and 
suffered  a  scourge  as  keenly  felt  and  more  destructive  of  life. 
The  drought,  whose  pernicious  influence  had  desiccated  the  air  in 
our  own  vicinity,  and  parched  everything  to  a  state  of  prepara- 
tion for  fire,  was  very  general  in  the  western  country.  Water, 
for  ordinary  purposes  of  family  use  and  for  cattle,  had  become  a 
luxury  in  many  places,  and  even  an  expensive  one.  The  streams 
and  springs  were  dry  in  large  sections,  and  the  people  unprotected 
from  such  a  foe  as  charged  down  upon  them.  Occasional  confla- 
grations were  occurring  in  the  woods  of  Wisconsin  and, Michigan, 
caused  by  the  hunter's  carelessness,  or  as  a  natural  consequence 
of  his  sport.  In  this  way,  the  wadding  lodging  in  the  dry  grass, 
prairie  fires  have  originated  which  desolated  the  fairest  regions 
of  our  country,  year  by  year.  But  upon  the  blackened  soil  there 
appeared  again  in  the  vernal  season  a  fresh  growth  that  made  all 
look  fair  when  summer  came.  So  we  may  hope  our  desolated 
regions  will  bloom  again  when  the  forces  of  nature  and  the  ener- 
gies of  man  combine  in  harmony  to  develop  the  seeds  and  roots 
of  beauty  and  wealth  that  now  lie  dormant.  The  smoke  from 
these  stray  burnings  increased  until  the  bosom  of  the  Lake  was 
veiled,  and  the  country  inundated  by  its  volume.  These  things 
were  of  common  occurrence,  and  did  not  seem  to  be  precursors. 


IN    CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  551 

as  thej  were,  of  that  devastation  which  has  befallen  northern 
"Wisconsin  and  western  Michigan.  In  actual  loss  of  life  we  suf- 
fered less  than  the  people  of  those  districts  ;  while  the  protracted 
nature  of  their  visitation  and  their  remoteness  from  lines  of  travel 
made  the  individual  suffering  more  keenly  felt.  Here  we  had 
every  comfort  that  a  sympathizing  world  could  provide  speedily 
brought  to  our  doors ;  but  there  aid  came  more  slowly,  as  the 
tidings  of  their  calamity  lingered  longer  on  the  way  to  the  ears 
of  the  world. 

WIND,    FIKE,    AND    SMOKE. 

It  is  difficult  to  apprehend  vividly  enough  the  rush  of  the  wind 
over  our  prairies,  and  especially  at  such  a  time  when  the  fire 
drew  the  air  towards  itself  with  accelerated  velocity — each  devel- 
oping the  force  of  the  other.  Accounts  inform  us  with  uniformity 
concerning  the  density  of  the  smoke-cloud,  and  the  intensity  of 
the  fire  torrent. 

A  friend,  who  was  in  a  sailboat  on  Little  Sturgeon  Bay,  de- 
scribes the  fire  blowing  off  the  shore  as  terrific,  so  much  so  that 
trees  on  an  island  about  half  a  mile  from  shore  were  set  on  fire, 
and  the  island  burned  over.  He  says  that  after  the  fire  he  could 
have  picked  up  a  yawl  boatful  of  birds  in  the  bay,  that  had  got 
burned  in  their  flight,  and  dropped  into  the  water.  A  passenger 
on  one  of  the  Lake  boats  running  across  to  Green  Bay  gives  some 
facts  of  interest  which  serve  to  confirm  the  dreadful  nature  of  the 
time  we  are  describing. 

The  boat  was  greatly  detained  on  her  upward  trip  on  account 
of  high  wind  and  smoke,  and  the  latter  was  so  dense  that  the  boat 
had  to  be  steered  entirely  with  the  compass.  The  fire  on  the 
east  side  of  the  Bay  extended  in  an  almost  unbroken  line  from 
the  eastern  shore  of  Lake  Winnebago  to  the  northern  extremity 
of  the  Eastern  Peninsula,  fully  150  miles,  burning  up  in  its  course 
fences,  barns,  houses,  and  an  endless  quantity  of  cedar  telegraph 


652  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

poles  and  tan  bark,  the  latter  of  which  was  piled  in  immense 
heaps  on  the  docks.  So  deep  and  dismal  was  the  darkness  caused 
by  the  immense  volume  of  smoke,  that  the  sun  was  totally  ob- 
scured for  a  distance  of  200  miles.  This  midnight  darkness 
continued  for  a  week.  The  boat,  of  course,  was  delayed,  but  she 
left  Escanaba  for  Green  Bay  on  the  fatal  Sunday  night  at  twelve 
o'clock,  but  only  made  her  way  twelve  miles  out  when  forced  to 
return  on  account  of  the  stormy  sea  beneath  and  the  sea  of  fire 
overhead.  The  air  was  red  with  burning  fragments,  carried  all 
the  way  from  Peshtigo  and  other  places  along  the  shore,  a  dis- 
tance of  nearly  fifty  miles.  The  boat  laid  in  Escanaba  harbor 
until  six  o'clock  a.m.  Monday,  when  she  was  again  started,  the 
storm  having  but  slightly  subsided  ;  but  the  course  was  pursued, 
and  Menomonee  was  reached  with  great  difficulty.  As  they 
approached  Menomonee  they  passed  vessels  loaded  with  furniture, 
etc,  all  being  ready  to  leave  if  the  place  took  fire.  It  was  here 
the  passengers  learned  of  the  destruction  of  Peshtigo. 
A  correspondent  writes,  twelve  days  after  the  event : — 
This  letter,  to  give  it  a  local  habitation  and  a  name,  is  dated 
where  Peshtigo  was.  In  the  glory  of  this  Indian  summer  after- 
noon I  look  out  on  the  ghastliest  clearing  that  ever  lay  before 
mortal  eyes.  The  sandy  streets  glisten  with  a  frightful  smooth- 
ness, and  calcined  fragments  are  all  that  remain  of  imposing  edi- 
fices and  hundreds  of  peaceful  homes.  This  ominous  clearing  is 
in  the  centre  of  a  blackened,  withered  forest  of  oak,  pine,  and 
tamarack,  with  a  swift  river — the  Peshtigo — gliding  silently 
through  the  centre,  from  northeast  to  southwest.  Situated  seven 
miles  from  the  Green  Bay,  on  the  Peshtigo  River,  the  town  com- 
manded all  the  lumber  trade  of  the  northern  Peninsula,  and  grew 
rapidly  into  importance  as  a  frontier  mart  of  Chicago.  Built  by 
an  enterprising  but  lately  singularly  unfortunate  Chicago  sufierer, 
William  B.  Ogden,  the  town  has  had  but  one  purpose,  to  make 
money  for  its  founder  and  keep  up  the  lumber  interests.     But  one 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  553 

industry  breeds  many,  and  in  time  a  railroad  running  seven  miles 
to  the  bay,  connected  the  little  city  with  the  great  chain  of  lakes. 
Great  foundries  and  machine-shops  rose  on  the  banks  of  the  river, 
and  a  busy  mill  stood  in  ceaseless  operation  in  the  centre  of  the 
town.  The  banks  of  the  Peshtigo  teem  with  a  rich  and  various 
growth  of  timber,  and  a  trade  of  years  stood  always  in  prospective 
to  her  busy  people.  The  great  Northern  Pacific  Railroad  was  to 
be  tapped  by  a  road  even  now  building  to  the  place  where  Pesh- 
tigo was,  and  every  hamlet  and  town  in  j^orthern  Wisconsin 
envied  and  admired  the  wonderful  little  city. 

The  keen  eye  of  trade  and  speculation  was  not  deceived  ;  popu- 
lation flocked  in  amain,  and  fully  2,000  people  had  established 
permanent  homes.  The  site  was  well  chosen  for  beauty  as  well 
as  business ;  the  river  at  this  point  runs  through  a  slight  bluff", 
which  breaks  into  a  low  flat  before  the  stream  escapes  from  the 
borders  of  the  town.  The  excellent  water-power  as  well  as  the 
lumber  interest  had  determined  the  spot,  and  a  mill  was  one  of 
the  first  establishments  in  operation  when  the  walls  of  the  village 
began  to  rise.  Below  the  mill  the  ground  on  either  bank  sloped 
gently  into  low,  pebbly  flats,  which  joined  the  water's  edge  a  few 
rods  from  the  centre  of  the  town.  The  business  and  residence 
streets  were  wide  and  well  laid  out,  the  houses  prettily  built  and 
carefully  painted,  and  little  ornamental  gardens  were  frequent. 

The  river  cut  the  town  pretty  fairly  in  twain,  the  works 
and  shops  of  the  Peshtigo  Company  covering  most  of  the  north- 
eastern shore,  while  trade  and  business  for  the  main  part  held 
themselves  on  the  southwestern  bank.  The  site  was,  and  is  to 
this  day,  unmistakably  a  clearing.  A  solid  wall  of  pine,  oak,  and 
tamarack  hedge  in  the  desolate  waste,  even  now.  As  it  stood, 
the  pretty  bustlin .  village  combined  the  orderly  enterprise  of 
New  England  and  the  irrepressible  vigor  of  the  typical  Western 
"  city."  Eoads  cut  through  the  forest  communicated  with  a  long 
line  of  prospering  lumbering  hamlets  and  thriving  farms,  to  the 


554  HISTORY   OF   THE    GEEAT   FIRES 

west  and  south.  The  surrounding  woods  were  interspersed  with 
innumerable  open  glades  of  crisp  brown  herbage  and  dried 
furze,  which  had  for  weeks  glowed  with  the  autumn  fires  that 
infest  these  regions.  Little  heed  was  paid  them,  for  the  first  rain 
would  inevitably  quench  the  flames.  But  the  rain  never  came, 
and  finall}^  valiant  battle  was  waged  far  and  near  against  the 
slowl_y  increasing  fires.  'In  this,  as  in  other  towns,  the  danger 
was  thought  well  warded  off  by  the  general  precautions.  The  fire 
had  raged  up  to  the  very  outskirts  of  the  town  weeks  before  that 
fatal  Sunday,  and  the  fires  were  set  outward  to  fight  the  enemy. 
Everything  infiammable  had  apparently  been  taken  out  of  harm's 
way  on  that  memorable  Sunday.  One  careful  citizen  traversed 
the  western  outskirt,  and  -assured  his  people  that  no  danger  could 
come  from  that  quarter. 

The  sharp  air  of  early  October  had  sent  the  people  in  from  the 
evening  church  services  more  promptly  than  usual,  although 
numbers  delayed  to  speculate  on  a  great  noise  and  ado  which  set 
in  ominously  from  the  west.  The  housewives  looked  tremblingly 
at  the  fires  and  lights  within,  and  the  men  took  a  last  look  at 
the  possibilities  without ;  for  many  it  was  truly  a  last  glimpse. 
The  noise  grew  in  volume,  and  came  nearer  and  nearer  with 
terrific  crackling  and  detonations.  The  forest  rocked  and  tossed 
tumultuously  ;  a  dire  alarm  fell  upon  the  imprisoned  village,  for 
the  swirling  blasts  came  now  from  every  side.  In  one  awful 
instant,  before  expectation  could  give  shape  to  the  horror,  a  great 
flame  shot  up  in  the  western  heavens,  and  in  countless  fiery 
tongues  struck  downward  into  the  village,  piercing  every  object 
that  stood  in  the  town  like  a  red-hot  bolt.  A  deafening  roar, 
mingled  with  blasts  of  electric  flame,  filled  the  air,  and  paralyzed 
every  soul  in  the  place.  There  was  no  beginning  to  the  work  of 
ruin ;  the  flaming  whirlwind  swirled  in  an  instant  through  the 
Itown.  There  is  no  diversity  in  general  experience ;  all  heard  the 
first  inexplicable  roar ;  some  aver  that  the  earth  shook,  while  a 


I5SHTIGO. 


m   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  557 

credulous  few  avow  that  the  heavens  opened,  and  the  fire  rained 
down  from  above. 

Moved  by  a  common  instinct,  for  all  knew  that  the  woods  that 
encircled  the  town  were  impenetrable,  every  habitation  was  de- 
serted to  the  flames,  and  the  grasping  multitude  flocked  to  the  river. 
On  the  west  the  mad  horde  saw  the  bridge  in  flames  in  a  score  of 
places,  and  turning  sharply  to  the  left,  with  one  accord,  plunged 
into  the  water.  Three  hundred  people  wedged  themselves  in  be- 
tween the  rolling  booms,  swayed  to  and  fi-o  by  the  current,  where 
they  roasted  in  the  hot  breath  of  flames  that  hovered  above  them, 
and  singed  the  hair  on  each  head  momentarily  exposed  above  the 
water.  Here  despairing  men  and  women  held  their  children  till 
the  cold  water  came  as  an  ally  to  the  flames,  and  deprived  them 
of  strength. 

Meantime  the  eastern  bank  was  densely  crowded  by  the  dying 
and  the  dead.  Rushing  to  the  river  from  this  direction  the  swirl- 
ing blasts  met  the  victims  full  in  the  face  and  mowed  a  swath 
tlirough  the  fleeing  throng.  Inhalation  was  anniliilation.  Scores 
fell  before  the  first  blast.  A  few.  were  able  to  crawl  to  the  pebbly 
flats,  but  so  dreadfully  disfigured  that  death  must  have  been  pref- 
erable. All  could  not  reach  the  river ;  even  the  groups  that  fell 
prone  on  the  grateful  damp  fiats  suffered  excruciating  agony.  The 
fierce  blaze,  playing  in  tremendous  counter  currents  above  them 
on  the  higher  ground,  was  sufiiciently  strong  to  set  the  clothing 
afiame,  and  the  fiying  sand,  heated  as  by  a  furnace,  blistered  the 
flesh  wherever  it  fell.  All  that  could  break  through  the  stifling 
simoon  had  come  to  the. river.  In  the  red  glare  they  could  see  the 
sloping  bank  covered  with  the  bodies  of  those  that  fell  by  the  way. 
Few  living  on  the  back  streets  succeeded  in  reaching  the  river,  the 
hot  breath  of  the  flre  cutting  them  down  as  they  ran.  But  here  a 
new  danger  befell.  The  cows,  terrifled  by  smoke  aud  flame, 
rushed  in  a  great  lowing  drove  to  the  river  brink.  Women  and 
children  were  trampled   by  the   fi-ightened  brutes   and  many, 


558  HISTORY    OF  THE    GREAT   FIRES 

losing  their  hold  on  the  friendly  logs,  were  swept  under  the 
waters. 

This  was  the  sitnation  above  the  bridge ;  below,  a  no  less  har- 
rowing thing  happened.  The  bnrning  timbers  of  the  mill,  bnilt 
at  the  edge  of  the  bridge,  blew  and  floated  down  npon  the  multi- 
tude assembled  near  the  flats,  and  inflicted  the  most  lamentable 
sufferings.  The  men  fought  this  new  death  bitterly ;  those  who 
were  fortunate  enough  to  have  coats  flung  them  over  the  heads  of 
wives  and  children,  and  dij)ped  water  with  their  hats  on  the  im- 
provised shelter.  Scores  had  every  shred  of  hair  burned  off  in  the 
battle,  and  many  lost  their  lives  in  protecting  others.  The  firemen 
hiad  made  an  effort  to  save  some  of  the  buildings,  and  the  hose 
was  run  fi-om  the  river  to  some  important  edifice.  The  heat  instantly 
stopped  the  attempt,  but  not  before  the  hose,  swollen  with  water, 
had  been  burned  through  in  a  hundred  places.  Although  the 
onslaught  of  fire  and  wind  had  been  instantaneous,  and  the  de- 
struction almost  simultaneous,  the  fierce,  stifling  currents  of  heat 
careered  through  the  air  for  hours.  These  currents  were  more 
fatal  than  the  flames  of  the  bmning  village.  Ignorant  of  the  ex- 
tent of  the  fire,  and  the  frightful  combination  of  wind  and  flames, 
many  of  the  company's  workmen,  some  with  wives  and  children, 
shut  themselves  up  in  the  great  brick  building  and  perished  in  the 
raging  heats  of  the  next  half  hour.  Others  on  the  remote  streets 
broke  for  the  clearing  beyond  the  woods,  but  few  ever  passed  the 
burning  barrier.  "Within  the  boundaries  of  the  to^ai  and  accessi- 
ble to  the  multitude  the  river  accommodation  was  rather  limited, 
and  when  the  animals  had  crowded  in  the  situation  was  full  of  de- 
spair. The  flats  were  covered  with  prone  figures  with  packs  ablaze 
and  faces  pressed  rigidly  into  the  cooling  moist  earth.  The  flames 
played  about  and  above  all  with  an  incessant,  deafening  roar. 

The  tornado  was  but  momentary,  but  was  succeeded  by  mael- 
stroms of  fire,  smoke,  cinders,  and  red-hot  sand.  Wherever  a 
building  seemed  to  resist  the  fire,  the  roof  would  be  sent  whirling 


EST    CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST,  559 

in  the  air,  brealdng  into  clouds  of  flame  as  it  fell.  The  shower 
of  sparks,  cinders,  and  hot  sand  fell  in  continuous  and  prodigious 
force,  and  did  quite  as  much  in  killing  the  people  as  the  first  ter- 
rific sirocco  that  succeeded  the  fire.  The  wretched  throng,  neck 
deep  in  the  water,  and  the  still  more  helpless  beings  stretched  on 
the  heated  sands,  were  pierced  and  blistered  by  those  burning  par- 
ticles. They  seemed  like  lancets  of  red-hot  steel,  penetrating  the 
thickest  covering.  The  e^ddence  now  remains  to  attest  the  incred- 
ible force  of  the  slenderest  pencils  of  darting  flame.  Hard  iron- 
wood  plow-handles  still  remain,  perforated  as  though  by  minnie 
balls,  and  for  the  main  part  unburnt.  When  the  hapless  dwellers 
in  the  remote  streets  saw  themselves  cut  off  from  the  river,  groups 
broke  in  all  directions  in  a  wild  panic  of  fright  and  terror.  A 
few  took  refuge  in  a  cleared  field  bordering  on  the  town.  Here 
flat  upon  the  ground,  with  faces  pressed  in  the  sand,  the  helpless 
sufferers  lay  and  roasted.  But  few  sundved  the  dreadful  agony. 
The  next  day  revealed  a  picture  exceeding  in  horror  any  battle- 
field,— mothers  with  children  hugged  closely  lay  in  rigid  groups, 
the  clothes  burned  off  and  the  poor  flesh  seared  to  a  crisp.  One 
mother,  solicitous  only  for  her  babe,  embalms  her  unutterable 
love  in  the  terrible  picture  left  on  these  woeful  sands.  "With  her 
bare  fingers  she  had  scraped  out  a  pass  as  the  soldiers  did  before 
Petersbm-g,  and  pressing  the  little  one  into  this,  she .  put  her  own 
body  above  it  as  a  shield,  and  when  the  daylight  came,  both  were 
dead, — ^the  little  baby,  face  unscarred,  but  the  mother  burnt 
almost  to  cinders. 

The  hardy  lumbermen  are  not  wont  to  exaggerate,  and  the  per- 
fect accord  of  every  story  and  incident  confirms  every  episode  of 
this  tragedy.  Faithful  to  the  helpless,  a  stout  woodman  carried 
out  on  his  shoulders  one  deadly  sick  of  fever.  He  burrowed  for 
the  helpless  body  a  sepulchre,  and  then  began  the  struggle  for 
his  own  life.  He  had  lingered  too  long,  and  his  scarred  body 
was  found  near  the  refuge  of  the  man  his  heroism  had  preseiwed. 


560  HISTOET   OF   THE    GEEAT   EIEES 

The  tornado  played  through  the  desolated  streets,  and  swept 
the  river  and  the  low  land  adjoining.  The  timber  of  the  mill 
floating  down  among  the  people,  made  additional  labor  and 
danger,  and  daylight  broke  terribly  on  the  satm-ated  survivors 
before  they  dared  drag  their  cramped  limbs  from  the  icy  waters. 
The  mingled  crowd  of  men,  women,  and  children,  cows,  and 
swine  had  held  this  watery  refuge  since  10  o'clock  of  the  night 
before.  Of  the  hundreds  of  human  beings  that  entered  the 
waters  not  all  escaped ;  the  frightened  cows  trampled  many  under 
the  waters ;  the  blistering  heat  blinded  many  who  groped  hope- 
lessly about  in  the  current,  and  finally  sank.  To  this  day  none 
can  tell  how  great  was  the  slaughter  in  the  waters.  After  the 
burning  heat  of  the  night,  a  numbing  chill  followed,  and  the 
water-soaked  group  crawled  over  dead  bodies  and  hot  sands  to  the 
only  blazing  building  in  all  the  waste  about  them.  Groups  of 
dead  bodies  were  found  within  a  stone's  throw  of  the  water ;  fam- 
ilies rushing  down  for  a  breathing  place  had  been  blown  upon 
by  the  rushing  blast  and  struck  lifeless.  The  ghastly  throng  hud- 
dled shrieking  and  bewailing  about  the  flaring  embers,  and  the 
terrible  roll  of  the  missing  was  soon  called  from  end  to  end  of  the 
ashen  waste.  No  vestige  of  human  habitation  remained,  and  the 
steaming,  freezing,  wretched  group,  crazed  by  their  unutterable 
terror  and  despair,  plead  with  each  other  to  restore  the  lost  ones. 
The  hot  blasts  of  the  night  had  blinded  them,  and  they  could  but 
vaguely  recognize  one  another  in  the  murky  light  of  the  new  day. 

Long  after  the  flames  had  died  out,  when  there  was  no  more  to 
feed  on,  the  hot  sands  rendered  moying  about  an  exquisite  torture, 
and  long  into  the  dismal  mid-day  the  survivors  were  confined  to 
the  narrow  circuit  near  the  river.  As  the  day  wore  on,  help  came 
in  slowly  from  the  northward.  Several  railroad  gangs  had  es- 
caped amiihilation,  and  one  gang,  led  by  an  ex-prize-fighter  named 
Mulligan,  came  with  promptness  and  efficiency  to  the  rescue, 
through  miles  of  burning  prairie  and  blockaded  roads.     On  Sun- 


EST   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  561 

day  night  sometliing  over  two  thousand  people  were  assembled 
within  the  confines  of  this  industrious,  prosperous  city  ;  the  dread- 
ful morning  light  came  upon  a  haggard,  maniacal  multitude  of 
less  than  seven  hundi'ed.  When  the  work  of  rescue  began  it  was 
found  that  a  great  number  had  escaped  by  the  bed  of  the  river 
and  the  northern  road  to  the  port,  and  as  the  day  advanced,  half- 
naked  stragglers,  milvcmpt  and  blackened,  began  to  stream  into, 
the  sparse  settlement.  As  the  molten  sands  cooled  off,  the  woful 
work  of  recognition  began.  Peering  into  blackened  faces,  mothers, 
fathers,  brothers  tremblingly  sought  out  missing  ones. 

Some,  in  the  immeasm^able  anguish  of  the  moment,  had  dashed 
themselves  against  the  sands  and  let  out  the  life  with  their  own 
hands  that  the  licking  flames  coveted.  Men  too  distant  fi'om  the 
river  to  hope  for  rescue  or  safety,  had  cut  the  throats  of  their 
choking  children,  and  were  found  in  groups  sometimes  unscarred 
by  the  flames. 

In  the  streets,  full  twenty  corpses  were  found  with  no  apparent 
injury  or  abrasion.  Fatuous  tradesmen,  in  the  sudden  rush  of 
flame,  had  tlirown  their  valuables  into  wells  for  security.  Every 
well  in  the  city  was  turned  into  a  flaming  pit,  and  the  very  waters 
half  evaporated  by  the  heat.  Survivors  attest  that  women  and 
children,  cut  off  from  the  rivers,  were  put  into  wells  and  covered 
with  bedding.  I  have  looked  into  every  well  in  the  ash-covered 
clearing,  and  there  is  no  possibility  that  a  living  thing  could  have 
endured  the  flames  that  boiled  and  seethed  in  them. 

Eor  hours  the  unreasoning  search  was  continued  by  the  famish- 
ed-dying remnants,  but  to  little  avail ;  the  dead,  when  recognizable, 
lay  where  they  had  fallen  in  the  streets ;  where  the  houses  stood, 
the  ground  was  whipped  clean  as  a  carpet,  and  all  hope  of  identi- 
fying human  ashes  was  idle.  The  next  night  the  long-prayed-for 
rain  came,  gratefully  to  the  living,  and  ki  idly  to  the  fleeting  ashes 
of  the  dead.  The  great  dread  that  hovered  over  the  bay  cities  and 
towns  was  allayed,  and  the  threatened  danger  nearly  gone.     Be 


562  HISTORY   OF   TIIE   GREAT   FIEES 

fore  dark,  help  came  to  the  perishing  sufferers  from  the  neighbor- 
ing villages.  The  wounded  were  taken  by  boat  to  Green  Bay, 
whence  some  were  forwarded  to  Milwaukee. 

From  9  o'clock  Sunday  night  until  dusk  of  Monday  may  be 
taken  as  the  time  of  the  main  action  of  this  terrible  di-ama.  By 
Tuesday  the  sweeping  miles  of  fii'e  had  been  quenched  by  Monday 
night's  rain.  A  slight  drizzle  still  fiu'ther  aided  the  work  of 
rescue.  The  ravages  of  the  one  night's  tornado  left  umnistakable 
traces  on  every  hand.  Through  the  solid  growth  of  timber  a  clean 
swath  of  blackened  stumps  and  roots  marked  the  com-se  of  the 
fiery  tempests.  The  roads  were  cumbered  with  roasted  cattle,  and 
frequently  with  the  carcases  of  bears  and  deer,  while  the  ditches 
and  cleared  fields  were  strewn  with  smaller  game  and  wild  birds. 
Nearing  the  vicinity  sadder  relics  were  found,  for  those  who  pene- 
trated eastward  through  the  wall  of  flame  met  equally  fierce 
flames  in  the  clearest  places.  Eemote  dwellers  on  the  highi'oads, 
warned  of  the  great  danger,  with  their  families  safely  packed  on 
their  great  farm-wagons,  made  northward  through  the  highways 
for  security;  but  the  flames  engulfed  them  in  the  heart  of  the 
woods,  and  the  fragments  of  stout  vehicles,  bm-ned  to  the  irons, 
now  strew  the  road  hither  from  Marinette,  the  last  town  on  the 
Northern  Wisconsin  border.  The  hiofhroad  enters  Peshtio;o  from 
the  north,  through  a  break  in  the  encircling  belt  of  woods,  where 
the  pretty  Episcopal  Church  stood — the  last  to  burn  in  the  fatal 
place.  Even  before  this  was  reached,  a  putrid  hecatomb  of  dead 
cattle  cumbered  the  wooded  street.  Among  the  pines,  scores  lay, 
not  burnt,  but  smothered  to  death.  Through  this  undei  brush 
thirty  bodies  of  men  and  childi-en  were  picked  up,  more  or  less  in- 
jured by  fire.  In  a  great  many  instances  the  human  remains  were 
distinguished  from  animals  by  the  teeth  alone.  One  horror-stricken 
relative  recognized  the  xlics  of  his  nephew  by  a  pen-knife  im- 
bedded in  an  oblong  mound  of  ashes.  What  does  it  avail  to  nar- 
rate circumstantially  the  inexpressible  horrors  of  these  succeeding 


m   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  563 

days.  What  good  to  tell  of  the  dead  faces  staring  upward  through 
the  calm  waters ;  or  the  piteous  circumstances  of  a  hundred  heart- 
wrenching  tragedies  during  and  following  that  treacherous  Sunday 
blast  ?  jSTo  moral  underlies  the  terrible  story ;  all  that  frightened 
human  nature  w^as  capable  of  came  into  play  that  direful  night ; 
the  slaughter  resulted  from  no  sin  of  omission  or  commission  on 
the  part  of  man.  'No  unseemly  panic  aided  natural  causes  in 
achieving,  comparatively,  the  completest  devastation  in  human 
annals.  On  the  contrary,  superhuman  daring  and  energy  were 
put  iuto  active  operation  to  mitigate  preternatural  horrors.  The 
immensity  of  visible  destruction  at  Chicago  surpasses  the  complete- 
ness of  this  devastation,  but  Chicago,  with  all  its  woes,  has  not 
two-thirds  of  its  citizens  to  deplore  as  dead. 

With  one  of  the  men  who  passed  through  that  night  of  destruc- 
tion, I  wandered  over  the  pretty  rising  plain  where  Peshtigo 
spread  its  thriving  stores  and  handsome  houses.  Save  where  the 
houses  were  built  with  cellars,  which  was  very  rare,  there  is  no 
trace  of  a  former  habitation.  Here  and  there  are  metallic  rem- 
nants of  sewing-machines  and  cracked  stoves.  The  hardware  and 
drug  stores  leave  almost  the  only  reminders  of  things  that  were, — 
a  blackened  mortar  stands  idly  in  a  wild  confusion  of  melted  glass 
and  lead,  with  the  pestle  ready  for  a  new  decoction. 

Two  or  three  men  with  troubled  faces  were  moving  about  put- 
ting up  a  shed  for  the  Belief  Committee.  They  answered  civilly  and 
sadly  that  they  had  been  in  the  fire,  but  saved  themselves  and 
nearest  kin.  They  should  have  starved  to  death  if  the  outside 
world  had  not  stepped  in,  and  now  hoped  to  be  shortly  on  their 
feet  again.  They  despaired  of  the  bright  cheery  little  town  ever 
being  again  as  it  was,  but  complacently  "  reckoned,"  if  the  scared 
ones  didn't  drive  newcomers  away  by  their  silly  stories,  a  new 
people  would  make  a  new  Peshtigo.  If  you  ever  walked  over 
the  ground  where  a  camp  had  been  bm-ned,  and  there  are  few 
tha.  served  during  the  war  that  have  not,  3  ou  found  there  as  mucli 


564  HISTORY   OF   THE   GEEAT   FIEES 

semblance  of  a  substantial  city  as  now  marks  the  spot  where 
Peshtigo's  2,000  people  carried  on  the  business  of  life  a  few  days 
ago.  On  the  bank  of  the  river  fish  killed  by  the  lusting  flame  are 
still  to  be  seen,  which  the  day  after  the  fire  were  soft  and  white 
and  unwounded.  Crossing  the  fi-ail  remnants  of  the  bridge  on 
timbers  charred  and  fragile,  my  neighbor  said,  "  It  was  as  like  the 
Judgment  Day  as  I  can  imagine.  Friend  Hansen,  with  his  wife 
and  four  children,  believed  firmly  that  it  was,  and  while  the  fire 
i-ained  down  he  began  to  walk  composedly  up  and  down  his  parlor 
with  his  family  about  him,  and  I  have  never  seen  him  since." 

The  material  loss  is  estimated  at  $3,000,000,  the  greater  part 
of  which  falls  on  William  B.  Ogden,  who  suffered  simultaneously 
greater  losses  in  Chicago.  But  undaunted  by  his  accumulating 
misfortunes,  that  energetic  man  instantly  sent  an  agent  on  to  re- 
build the  mills  and  shops,  and  gather  a  new  people  in  the  place 
if  possible.  There  are  400  dead  authentically  accounted  for  there, 
besides  half  as  many  missing  who  cannot  be  accounted  for,  and 
probably  never  will  be.  Many  of  the  mill  hands  and  company's 
employes  were  utter  strangers  in  the  place,  and  the  majority  of 
them,  something  like  100,  trusting  to  the  stout  walls  of  the  com- 
pany's building,  perished  en  masse. 

It  is  a  significant  fact,  as  showing  the  character  of  one  of  Chi- 
cago's noblest  and  most  valued  citizens,  that,  in  the  midst  of  his 
immense  misfortunes,  and  his  extended  and  complicated  business 
responsibilities,  lion.  William  B.  Ogden  could  lay  aside  all  these 
for  the  sake  of  writing  the  following  letter,  in  the  hope  of  assist- 
ing in  the  recovery  of  the  lost  child  of  one  of  his  Peshtigo 
people : — 

To  the  Editor  of  The  Chicago  Tribune  : 

Deah  Sik: — Frank  Jacobs,  a  Hungarian  of  Kossuth's  pftrty, 
und  now  about  eighteen  years  in  Peshtigo,  escaped,  with  hie  Avife, 
the  death  that  ovei*to(.>k  so  many  on  the  night  of  the  dreadful  fire 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  565 

here ;  but  his  wife's  sister,  Miss  Charlotte  Seymour,  who  left  his 
house  in  advance  of  him,  taking  his  only  child,  was  drowned  in 
the  Peshtigo  Eiver,  and  the  child,  a  little  boy  about  two  and  a 
half  years  old,  has  been  missing  since. 

The  boy's  name  was  Frank,  and  they  called  him  "  Frankie." 

It  was  reported  that  some  one  who  saw  Miss  Seymour  go  down 
between  the  logs  she  was  clinging  to,  failed  to  save  her,  but  did 
seize  and  save  the  child ;  and  that  it  with  a  great  many  others 
was  taken  to  Menomonee  on  the  morning  after  the  fire,  and  there 
took  the  steamer  for  Green  Bay. 

Mrs.  John  De  Marsh,  of  Peshtigo,  tells  Mr.  Jacobs  that  she  saw 
the  child  on  the  steamer,  on  its  way  to  Green  Bay,  in  the  care  of 
some  kind  gentleman  passenger  on  his  way  to  Chicago,  who  asked 
when  she  told  him  that  she  knew  the  child,  and  whose  it  was,  if 
its  parents  Avere  still  living.  She  did  not  then  know  whether  they 
were  or  not,  and  very  likely  left  him  with  the  impression,  at  that 
time  of  great  distress  and -confusion,  that  they  were  probably  not 
living,  as  she  had  not  seen  them  since  the  fire. 

The  gentleman  caring  for  the  child  said  to  her  that  he  should 
take  it  to  Green  Bay,  and  to  Chicago,  if  he  did  not  find  its  pa- 
rents, and  should  take  care  of  it  until  he  did  find  them.  Mrs. 
De  Marsh  does  not  know  who  this  gentleman  was,  but  if  she  is 
not  mistaken  it  would  seem  that  the  cliild  was  saved  and  is  still 
alive. 

The  object  of  this  letter  is  to  ask,  if  admissible,  that  The  Tri- 
hune  publish  these  facts,  in  the  hope  that  the  child  may  be  found 
thereby,  and  his  very  distressed  parents  relieved  fi'om  their  pain- 
ful state  of  uncertainty  and  suspense  about  their  boy  and  only  child. 

The  child  was  perhaps  two  and  a  half  years  old ;  has  light- 
brown  hair  and  blue  eyes.  The  only  word  he  spoke  plainly,  his 
parents  say,  Avas  "  Ike,"  the  name  he  gave  to  a  favorite  j.mcle ; 
and  if  asked  "  Wliere  Ike  is  ? "  he  will  show,  his  parents  think,  an 
interest,  and  that  he  understands  the  meaning. 


566  HISTOEY   OF  THE   GKEAT   FIRES 

Franlvie  wore  on  tlie  niglit  of  the  fire  a  black  and  wliite  checked 
flannel  sliirt,  a  red  flannel  dress,  and  red,  brown,  and  white 
checked  apron,  with  a  band  of  purple  and  white  check. 

In  the  hope  that  this  child  may  have  escaped  death  on  that 
fearful  night,  and  that  this  statement  of  the  circumstances  of  the 
case,  as  related  to  me,  may  lead  to  his  discovery  and  retm-n  to  his 
unhappy  parents,  I  remain,  dear  sir,  vsdth  great  respect,  very 
truly  yom-s, 

W.  B.  Ogden. 

A  citizen  of  Green  Bay  who  passed  through  the  fire  at 
Peshtigo,  who  saved  himself  and  a  woman  and  children  he  hap- 
pened to  meet,  by  getting  on  a  low  spot  of  ground  or  in  a  ditch, 
and  covering  over  with  wet  blankets,  tells  this  story : — They  had 
got  well  covered  up  in  this  burrow,  when  a  half -frantic  woman 
rushed  along  with  a  great  bundle  in  her  arms.  She  had  been 
well  dressed,  but  her  clothes  were  half  burned  off.  She  stopped 
and  deposited  her  bundle,  which  consisted  of  a  child  and  a  lot 
of  clothing,  and  then  shrieked,  "  Great  God,  where  is  my 
baby!" 

At  this  the  narrator  sprang  up,  and  saw,  a  few  rods  off,  a  baby 
in  its  night-clothes,  lying  on  the  road  and  kicking  up  its  heels 
in  great  glee,  while  a  billow  of  flame  rolled  over  it,  striking 
the  ground  beyond  and  leaving  the  baby  in  the  centre  of  a 
great  arch  of  fire. 

The  baby  had  slid  out  of  the  bmidle,  unperceived  by  the  mother 
in  her  haste.  He  immediately  sprang  for  the  child,  and  with 
difiiculty  rescued  it.  It  is  no  wonder  that  the  mother  fainted 
when  she  secured  the  child. 

Wal.  Heath  was  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Peshtigo  House. 
When  the  fire  occurred,  his  family,  with  the  girls  employed 
in  the  house,  escaped  fi'om  the  hotel  by  a  team,  and  were  saved 
on  the  low  land  below  Ellis's  house.     Heath  got  into  the  rivei 


IN   CHICAGO   AUB   THE   WEST.  567 

on  the  west  side  of  the  bridge  and  clung  to  the  centre  pier  of 
the  bridge.  The  wind  blew  the  fii-e  from  the  hotel  to  where 
he  was.  The  hotel  was  near  the  south  end  of  the  bridge  and 
on  the  west  side  of  the  street.  At  the  north  end  of  the  bridge 
and  east  end  of  the  street  was  the  Peshtigo  Company's  water 
mill,  and  the  flames  from  that  also  blew  directly  to  his  po- 
sition. Thus  it  seems  that  the  wind  on  the  two  sides  of  the 
river  blew  in  exactly  opposite  directions.  Heatli  was  saved 
from  the  fact  that  being  on  the  west  side  of  the  pier,  the 
flames  fr-om  the  water  mill  divided  at  the  pier  and  passed  him 
on  both  sides.  The  bridge  being  on  fii*e,  he  dared  not  swim 
through  with  the  cm-rent,  but  when  the  fire  on  the  bridge  had  got 
uncomfortably  close,  he  took  off  his  coat,  pulled  off  his  boots,  and 
swam  up  stream  to  a  place  of  safety.  He  had  a  very  narrow 
escape  from  death,  and  has  not  yet  recovered  from  breathing  the 
hot  air  and  smoke. 

He  tells  us  that  the  most  vivid  imagination  cannot  picture  the 
scene  of  the  calamity  as  bad  as  it  actually  was.  In  his  opinion  as 
many  as  1,000  people  lost  their  lives  on  the  Peshtigo ;  that  752 
bodies  have  been  buried,  and  that  many  were  entirely  burned  up. 
The  names  of  half  the  dead  will  never  be  known.  They  are 
buried  all  over  Peshtigo,  and  the  boards  that  mark  their  graves 
are  marked  "  2  unknown,"  "  3  unknown,"  etc. 

Much  has  been  said  of  the  intense  heat  of  the  fires  which  de- 
stroyed Peshtigo,  Menekaunee,  Williamsonville,  etc.,  but  all  that 
has  been  said  cannot  give  the  stranger  even  a  faint  conception  of 
the  reality.  The  heat  has  been  compared  to  that  engendered  by 
a  flame  concentrated  on  an  object  by  a  blow-pipe,  but  even  that 
would  not  account  for  some  of  the  phenomena.  For  instance,  we 
have  in  our  possession  a  copper  cent,  taken  from  the  pocket  of  a 
dead  man  in  the  Peshtigo  Sugar  Bush,  which  will  illustrate  our 
point.  This  cent  has  been  partially  fused,  but  still  retains  its 
round  form,  and  the  inscription  upon  it  is  legible.     Others  in  the 


568'  msTOET  OF  the  great  fikes 

same  pocket  were  partially  melted  off,  and  yet  the  clothing  and 
the  hody  of  the  man  was  not  even  singed.  "We  do  not  know  how 
to  account  for  this,  unless,  as  is  asserted  by  some,  the  tornado  and 
fire  were  accompanied  by  electrical  phenomena. 

The  house,  barn,  and  fences  of  Mr.  Hill,  of  the  upper  Sugar 
Bush,  were  burned,  and  Mr.  Hill  and  his  family  all  lost.  By  the 
side  of  the  family  was  a  narrow  alley,  just  wide  enough  to  di-ive 
through.  In  this  alley  stood  a  wagon,  and  while  the  barn  and 
fence  were  entirely  destroyed,  the  wagon  box  was  not  even  singed. 

Alf .  Phillip's  house,  in  the  upper  Sugar  Bush,  was  destroyed, 
but  the  family  escaped.  They  state  that  two  opposite  currents  of 
air  apparently  struck  the  house,  which  was  16  by  24  feet,  and 
carried  it  bodily  into  the  air,  they  think  about  100  feet.  In  the 
air  it  burst  into  flames,  and  in  a  few  minutes  was  entirely  des- 
troyed.    The  house  was  not  on  fire  when  it  left  the  ground. 

We  do  not  believe  that  any  other  explanation  of  the  great  calam- 
ity can  be  made  than  that  it  was  caused  by  fire,  wind,  and 
electricity. 

Another  correspondent  says : — ■ 

The  story  of  the  AYisconsin  fires  has  never  yet  been  told,  and 
fi'om  the  suddenness  of  the  calamity  and  the  intensity  of  the  clouds 
of  fire,  its  fullest  extent  can  never  be  known.  From  Mr.  J.  Har- 
r's,  chief  messenger  of  the  House  of  Eep)resentatives,  who  was  an 
eye-witness  of  the  fury  of  the  flames  on  the  fatal  Sunday  night  of 
the  8th  of  October,  and  who  has  just  returned  from  Green  Bay, 
Wis.,  we  are  enabled  to  give  to  the  public  a  statement  of  the  num- 
ber of  the  families  who  were  totally  swept  away  in  that  terrible 
holocaust  of  fire. 

In  the  toTvms  of  Brussels,  Union,  ISTasewaupee,  and  Gardner,  in 
Door  county,  on  the  east  shore  of  Green  Bay,  six  families,  num- 
bering forty  persons,  were  burnt  to  death ;  also,  thirteen  other 
families,  of  from  two  to  four  in  each  family.  In  these  four  towns 
in  Door  comity,  the  total  is  117  persons  burned  to  death,  besides  a 


IN    CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  569 

large  number  severely  and  slightly  burned,  and  there  are  167 
families  rendered  homeless,  with  loss  of  all  they  possessed. 

In  the  town  of  Peshtigo,  in  Oconto  county,  on  the  west  shore  of 
Green  Bay,  twenty-five  families,  numbering  157  persons,  were 
burnt  to  death ;  also  forty-six  other  families,  of  fi-om  two  to  four 
in  each  f  ainily.  At  Peshtigo,  including  the  upper,  middle  and 
lower  Sugar  Bush  farming  settlements,  the  number  of  bodies  iden- 
tified and  buried  was,  at  the  last  account,  530,  while  the  number 
of  bodies  reduced  to  ashes  by  the  intense  heat  can  never  be  known, 
and  the  destitute  persons  number  over  1,200  souls. 

The  foregoing  statements  apply  only  to  Door  and  Oconto  coun- 
ties, and  do  not  include  the  destruction  of  Hf  e  and  j)roperty  in 
Kewaunee  and  Brown  counties,  from  which  only  partial  lists  of 
the  losses  have  as  yet  been  gathered  up ;  but  the  loss  of  life  there 
is  said  to  exceed  one  hundred,  and  there  must  be  many  hundi-eds 
of  destitute  persons  to  provide  for. 

Many  persons  express  surprise  that  so  many  human  beings  per- 
ished in  the  flames,  and  ask,  "  Wliy  could  they  iK)t  escape  ?  "  Mr. 
Harris,  who  resides  in  that  part  of  Wisconsin  swept  by  the  fire, 
explains  this  by  showing  on  the  map  that  the  Sugar  Bush  settle- 
ments, where  the  greatest  loss  of  life  occmTcd,  were  located  in  the 
dense  forests,  entirely  surrounded  by  timber  of  large  growth,  and 
are  situate  from  three  to  five  miles  away  from  the  Peshtigo  river, 
which  was  the  only  chance  for  escape.  The  fiery  tornado  came 
upon  these  people  with  such  fury,  and  so  suddenly,  that  there  was 
no  escape,  and  this  fact  accounts  for  so  many  f amihes  being  swept 
away.  The  same  holds  good  for  the  frightful  loss  of  life  at  Wil- 
liamson's Mill,  in  the  town  of  Gardner,  in  Door  county,  near  Stur- 
geon bay,  where  the  sawmill  and  other  buildings,  with  about  sev- 
enty men,  women  and  children,  were  located  in  the  woods,  sur- 
rounded by  the  dense  hemlock  forest,  thi'ough  which  there  was  but 
one  road,  and  that  choked  up  with  debris  from  the  shingle-mill  of 
the  most  combustible  kind,  leaving  no  chance  for  escape  when  the 


670  HISTORY   OF   THE    GEEAT  EIEES 

tornado  struck  them,  as  is  sliown  by  the  horrible  fact  that,  of  the 
seventy  persons  hemmed  in  there  by  walls  of  fire,  sixty-one,  in- 
cluding the  Williamson  family,  were  burned  to  death.  The  vil- 
lage of  Peshtigo  being  built  on  both  sides  of  the  Peshtigo  river, 
the  latter  afforded  means  of  escape  to  several  hundred  of  the  in- 
habitants, of  whom,  but  for  that  opportunity,  numbers  more  would 
have  perished.  So,  too,  at  the  village  of  Menekaune,  the  whole 
place,  including  the  splendid  new  saw-mill  of  Jesse  Spalding  & 
Co.,  just  built  at  a  cost  of  $80,000,  was  swept  clean  in  less  than 
an  hour  ;  but  being  located  on  the  shore  of  Green  Bay,  the  in- 
habitants all  escaped  by  taking  to  steam-tugs,  sailboats  and  other 
craft,  and  no  lives  were  lost.  Our  informant,  Mr.  Harris,  was  at 
Menekaune  on  the  night  of  the  fire.  He  visited  Peshtigo  after 
the  fire,-  and  subsequently  the  other  burned  towns  on  both  sides 
of  Green  Bay,  and  says  that  no  pen  can  describe  what  he  saw  on 
that  fatal  night,  nor  can  tongue  tell  of  the  sufferings  of  the  hun- 
dreds who  perished  in  the  flames,  or  of  the  thousands  who  escaped. 
In  going  tlu-ougli  the  burnt  towns  back  in  the  woods,  and  witness- 
ing the  wide-spread  desolation,  the  wonder  is  that  so  many  escaped 
alive,  and  many  of  those  who  did  escape  were  saved  by  throwing 
dirt  on  each  other  to  keep  from  burning. 

Another  reason  for  the  great  destruction  of  life  and  property  in 
Wisconsin,  is  found  in  the  fact  that  no  rain  had  fallen  for  three 
months  before  the  8th  of  October ;  the  clearings,  and  the  woods, 
and  even  the  swamps,  were  as  dry  as  tinder,  and  the  people  had 
been  fighting  the  fires  in  the  woods  for  several  weeks  before ;  all 
that  part  of  Wisconsin  was  full  of  fire  and  smoke,  and  when  the 
tornado  came  upon  them  it  swept  all  before  it,  travelling  faster 
than  the  people,  who  were  struck  down  while  running  for  a  place 
of  safety.  The  intensity  of  the  fire  may  be  gathered  from  the 
statement  made  by  Mr.  Harris,  that  when  he  was  at  Peshtigo, 
after  the  fire,  his  attention  was  called  to  a  mass  of  ashes  at  the 
spot  where  was  the  kitchen  of  the  large  boarding-house.      It 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  571 

appears  that  before  the  flames  reached  that  honse  nnmbers  of 
people  fled  there  for  safety.  It  is  said  that  the  kitchen  was 
full  of  people,  and  that  an  immense  sheet  of  flame  struck  the 
house  so  suddenly  that  none  are  known  to  have  escaped.  All  that 
remains  is  a  pile  of  human  ashes,  from  wliich  can  be  picked  out 
pieces  of  human  bones,  the  largest  not  two  inches  long,  and  these 
split  and  broken.  The  village  of  Peshtigo,  with  its  saw-mills, 
factories,  hotels,  churches,  school-houses,  stores,  and  fine  residences, 
were  all  in  flames  in  half  an  hour,  and  the  whole  is  swept  clean  as 
a  prairie. 

As  soon  as  daylight  came  on  the  Monday  morning  after  the  fire 
everything  was  done  that  could  be  done  for  the  sufferers  by  the 
few  surgeons  living  there,  but  to  add  to  the  anguish  of  the  hour 
the  telegraph  poles  were  buiTit  down,  and  they  were  sixty  miles 
from  Green  Bay  City,  the  nearest  telegraph  station  in  operation. 
The  Lake  Superior  steamers  not  running  a  boat  on  Monday,  it  was 
Tuesday  forenoon  before  despatches  could  be  sent  away  for  help. 
Mr.  Harris  sent  despatches  by  that  boat  to  Governor  Fairchild  and 
to  the  Mayors  of  the  cities  of  Green  Bay,  Oshkosh,  Fond  du  Lac, 
and  Milwaukee,  calling  for  medical  aid  and  supplies  for  the  sur- 
vivors, but  the  despatches  did  not  reach  those  gentlemen  until 
Tuesday  night,  and  it  was  Wednesday  noon  before  the  surgeons 
and  nm-ses  and  supplies  arrived,  and  it  was  near  the  end  of  the 
week  before  the  outside  world  knew  the  extent  of  the  calamity 
and  the  sufferings  of  the  people  of  Wisconsin. 

The  great  calamity  at  Chicago  was  known  wherever  the  wires 
penetrated  by  the  Monday  night,  while  the  fires  were  yet  bm-ning  ; 
and  towns,  and  cities,  and  States  vied  with  each  other  in  forward- 
ing instant  relief  of  all  kinds  to  the  siifferers,  while  to  Wisconsin's 
fearful  and  greater  sacrifice  of  human  life  was  superadded  the 
loss  of  the  telegraph :  the  loss  of  which  prevented  a  large  amount 
of  relief  being  forwarded  to  Wisconsin,  so  much  needed  by  her 
suffering  people.     Large  amounts  of  money  were  instantly  raised 


572  HISTOET   OF   THE   GKEAT   FIKES 

for  the  relief  of  Cliicago  bj  benevolent  and  wealthy  individuals, 
by  coi-porations,  and  by  cities  and  legislatures,  a  portion  of  which 
would  doubtless  have  been  given  to  Wisconsin  had  her  calamity 
in  all  its  f earfulness  been  known  earlier  throughout  the  country. 
Chicago  will  need  all  that  is  being  poured  into  her  lap;  but 
while  this  generosity  is  flowing  in  upon  her,  do  not  let  the  suffer- 
ings of  Wisconsin  be  forgotten. 

Governor  Fairchild  has  visited  the  burnt  towns  on  Green  Bay, 
and  gathered  up  the  facts  of  the  condition  of  the  sufferers,  and 
says  that  all  are  now  suppHed  with  food  and  clothing,  but  that 
fi'om  3,000  to  4,000  people  will  have  to  be  housed  and  fed  for  the 
next  six  to  nine  months,  until  they  can  get  back  on  their  farms 
and  raise  the  next  year's  crop.  While  the  supply  of  food  and 
clothing  forwarded  to  Wisconsin  has  been  generous  and  ample, 
the  amount  of  cash  funds  in  the  hands  of  the  Relief  Committees 
will  be  wholly  inadequate  to  meet  the  demands  made  upon  them. 
Further  contributions  of  money  will  be  needed  to  feed  these 
people,  to  rebuild  their  houses  and  furnish  them  with  farming 
tools,  furniture,  seed,  and  feed  for  the  cattle  saved  fi-om  the 
flames ;  and  looking  to  what  has  already  been  done  for  these 
suffering  people  by  the  outbui-st  of  American  generosity,  we  have 
full  faith  that  it  will  be  as  generously  continued  until  the  afflicted 
are  able  to  help  themselves. 

What  a  period  of  terror  and  destruction  for  the  ISTorth-west, 
unparalleled  in  our  history,  and  quite  unexampled  in  the  annals 
of  time,  if  we  consider  the  brevity  of  its  duration  and  the  im- 
mense losses  of  property  and  life ! 

While  om-  blinded  eyes  witnessed  the  destruction  of  om-  homes 
and  business  in  the  Garden  City,  the  same  heart-breaking  scenes 
were  transpiring  in  other  places  on  either  side  of  Lake  Michigan, 
in  Indiana,  and  Ontario.  There  was  a  carnival  of  death.  A 
Chicago  man,  who  lost  heavily,  had  a  small  farm  in  Michigan,  and 
there  were  his  wife  and  son.     The  forest  igniting,  fire  drove 


A   WISCONSIN    HOUSE  ENVELOPED   IN  :FLAMES. 


IN   CHICAGO   AITD   THE   WEST.  575 

through  his  beautiful  timber  land,  roared  around  his  dwelling, 
almost  compelling  the  desertion  of  all  to  the  flames.  It  was 
saved  only  by  heroic  exertions,  and  the  farm  was  a  waste.  It 
seemed  as  if  sorrows  were  never  to  cease,  and  yet  he  held  up  his 
head  like  a  Christian  hero,  trusting  in  God  the  good  provider. 
More  fortunate  he  than  thousands  whose  all  was  stripped  from 
them  as  the  autumn  winds  disrobe  the  trees.  Like  these,  thanks 
to  God,  the  miserable  victims  will  put  forth  life  and  vigor,  and 
yet  stretch  out  their  thi'iying  beauty  to  Heaven,  and  bask  in  the 
summer  of  His  mercy  who  heals  and  restore*  whom  He  has 
smitten.  The  accounts  of  whole  regions  smoking  like  a  volcano 
are  not  exaggerated,  as  no  pen  can  fitly  describe  the  occurrences 
of  that  memorable  week  from  October  7th  to  the  14th. 


33 


576  HISTORY  OF  THE  GKEAT  FIKES 


SUMMAEY  OF  WISCONSIN  LOSSES. 


CHAPTER  XL. 

"After  mating  a  deduction  for  exaggeration,  I  supposed 
that  500  would  cover  the  number  of  the  dead  on  the  west  side 
of  the  Bay.  I  now  learn  from  reliable  sources  that  the  actual 
number  of  interments  up  to  Monday  night  counted  up  to  504. 
Add  another  hundred  for  remains  of  ashes  and  charred  bones  at 
Peshtego,  and  I  think  we  have  not  far  from  the  true  number 
on  the  west  side.  Add  one  hundred  and  fifty  for  the  east  side 
— making  750  in  all — and  the  death  roll  is  nearly  complete. 

"  It  is  impossible  to  figure  the  aggregate  losses  of  pine  timber 
and  farm  property  with  any  degree  of  closeness.  It  is  to  the 
interest  of  mill-men  to  underrate  the  amount  of  fallen  pine  that 
must  be  secured  this  winter  to  save  it.  A  medium  estimate 
of  damage  to  pine  lands  in  the  Green  Bay  region  is  $400,000. 
The  damage  on  the  Wolf  is  figured  at  $300,000.  The  loss  of  the 
fifteen  saw-mills  burned  is  put  at  $225,000.  The  loss  of  cord- 
wood,  ties,  hemlock  bark,  etc.,  is  set  at  $200,000.  The  loss 
of  fences,  buildings,  wagons,  cattle,  crops,  among  the  six  hun- 
dred farmers  cannot  be  less  than  $600,000 — making  a  total  aggre- 
gate of  more  than  $3,000,000,  aside  from  those  at  Peshtego. 

"  The  country  through  from  Brown  county  north  to  Big  Stur- 
geon Bay,  for  four  hundred  square  miles,  is  utterly  devastated. 
At  least  four  hundred  farms  in  this  tornado  section  alone  are  left 


m   CHICAGO   AND    THE   WEST.  577 

desolate — stripped  of  every  improvement.  Fences,  barns,  dwell- 
ings, implements,  furniture,  wagons,  harness,  and  crops,  all  went 
up  in  a  whirlwind  of  fire.  It  will  take  thirty  years  in  that  cold, 
hard  soil,  for  their  timber  to  grow  again.  In  the  aggregate,  their 
losses  must  foot  up  to  one  thoiisand  dollars  a  family.  Farmers 
here  have  saved  half  of  their  teams,  that  were  let  loose  in  the 
woods,  and  a  third  of  their  stock.  But  they  have  no  hay,  straw, 
grain,  or  feed  of  any  sort — not  even  the  poor  chance  of  browse  in 
the  woods.  Nearly  all,  with  large  families,  have  lost  their  last 
cow  and  pig.  In  a  ride  of  six  miles,  on  nearly  a  straight  line,  I 
saw  but  three  hens  and  a  fanning-mill — the  only  farm  implement 
left  in  the  town.  In  the  Belgian  settlement,  on  Red  Eiver, 
sixty-two  families  were  burned  out  in  a  row !  Not  a  house,  not  a 
shed,  not  a  coop — not  one  fence  rail  left  upon  another.  The 
families  had  fled,  almost  naked  and  breathless,  to  the  few  cabins 
on  the  outskirts  that  were  saved. 

"There  are  three  hundred,  or  more,  wounded  suiferers  remain- 
ing in  hotels,  boarding-houses,  and  hospitals  about  the  Bay. 
Fifty  of  the  Peshtego  sufierers  were  at  the  Dunlap  House, 
Marinette.  Half  of  them  were  able  to  be  about.  Burned  ears, 
faces,  hands,  and  feet  were  common  to  nearly  all.  Many  in 
rooms  could  hardly  stir  in  bed.  There  were  women  with  great 
burns  on  the  sides  and  limbs,  with  faces  like  kettles,  and  hands 
like  claws,  burned  to  the  bones. 

"Men  could  fight  better,  and  dare  more  than  women.  Most 
of  them  perished  by  sufibcation.  Little  children  are  sadly  maimed 
in  their  feet  and  faces.  I  saw  one  with  a  heel  gone,  and  another 
with  an  eye.  Nearly  all  will  recover  without  loss  of  sight  or 
limb.  I  could  fill  a  book  with  stories  of  the  hospital.  Most  of 
them  sufier  more  from  hurts  of  mind  than  body.  I  have  a  sad 
memory  of  a  poor  widow  who  lost  her  crippled  boy  who  went  on 
crutches,  and  a  sprightly  little  girl  who  fell  between  the  burning 
logs.     They  were  all  of  her  family.     '  The  screams  of  both,'  she 


578  HISTOEY   OF   THE   GEEAT   FIRES 

said,  '  seemed  forever  sounding  in  her  ears.'  There  is  a  future, 
and,  no  doubt,  compensations  for  all  these  suffering  ones. 

"  Most  of  these  cabins  that  are  left  are  crowded  with  two  and 
three  families  each.  I  saw  one  with  four  men,  five  women,  and 
sixteen  children — two  of  them  suckers.  They  had  just  received 
an  'outfit  of  clothing — warm  stockings,  knit  hoods,  thin  shawls, 
thin  gaiters,  and  light-colored  dresses  for  the  women  and  girls ; 
odd-fashioned  hats,  bursted  boots,  thin  jackets,  and  summer  coats 
and  pants  for  the  me-n  and  boys.  There  were  some  occasions  of 
laughter,  but  none  of  ridicule ;  all  were  glad  and  surprised  at 
getting  what  they  did.  I  saw  no  immediate  want  of  provisions. 
Flour,  pork,  and  hard  bread  are  distributed  to  all,  packages  of  tea 
and  coffee  to  most.  There  are  nearly  potatoes  enough  in  the 
country,  if  distributed.  Their  stock  that  is  left  has  been  driven 
off"  to  meadows  and  fields  not  burned  over.  One  large-hearted  old 
farmer  was  keeping  eighty  odd  cattle  belonging  to  his  unfortunate 
neighbors.  "Without  stopping  to  consider  the  ways  of  Providence, 
or  the  uses  of  philosophy,  these  simple-minded  people  seem  to 
have  understood  the  art  of  helping  one  another." 

Captain  W.  K.  Bourne,  who  has  recently  returned  from  a  visit 
to  the  Wolf  Eiver  pineries,  tells  us  that,  in  his  opinion,  the  pine 
damaged  by  the  recent  fires  on  the  Wolf  Eiver  and  its  tributaries 
(the  Shioc,  Embarrass,  and  Ked  Rivers)  will  amount  to  50,000,000 
feet.  If  this  pine  is  all  cut  the  coming  winter  and  got  into  the 
streams,  the  damage  to  it  will  be  about  $1.00  per  thousand  feet ; 
but  if  not  cut  the  loss  will  be  almost  total,  as  it  would  be  bored 
by  .worms  another  season  and  destroyed  for  every  purpose  but 
fencing.  There  is  very  little  pine  injured  above  Keshen a.  Thus 
the  lightest  estimate  of  damage  to  the  Wolf  River  pine  is 
$50,000. 

The  pineries  along  the  bay  shore  have  suffered  to  a  still  greater 
extent,  but  the  damage  is  easier  repaired,  provided  the  lumbermen 
can  raise  the  means  to  put  into  the  river  two  or  three  years'  stock 


m   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  579 

% 

of  logs,  for  a  much  greater  amount  of  logs  can  be  put  into  the 
Menomonee,  Oconto,  and  Peshtego  Rivers,  whicli  are  not  navigable, 
than  into  the  Wolf,  where  they  would  interfere  with  navigation. 
One  lumbering  firm  down  the  bay  estimate  tlieir  loss  at  $50,000. 

Lucile  Mechand  tells  the  story  of  the  family's  adventures  in 
thrilling  words : — 

On  the  morning  of  the  11th  of  October,  just  as  we  were  sitting 
down  to  take  breakfast,  Mr.  Richardson,  a  neighbor  of  ours,  came 
running  into  the  house  and  told  Mr.  Mechand  that  he  must  come 
out  immediately  and  see  what  could  be  done.  During  the  night 
the  wind  had  risen,  but  not  so  greatly  as  to  amount  to"  anything 
like  a  gale,  but  rather  did  it  resemble  the  ordinary  fall  wind.  Mr. 
Mechand  did  not  seem  at  all  uneasy,  and  leisurely  swallowed  his 
breakfast  before  following  Mr.  Richardson,  who  had  disappeared 
as  soon  as  he  had  stuck  his  head  into  the  room  and  called  my 
husband.  Mr.  Mechand  Avent  into  the  woods  and  stayed  till  about 
noon,  when  he  came  running  back  and  said  that  he  climbed  up  to 
the  top  of  Brown's  Hill,  where  the  wind  was  blowing  a  gale,  .and 
from  there  had  seen  the  fire,  which  was  coming  toward  us  at  a 
tremendous  pace.  Indeed,  I  had  feared  as  much,  and  had  been 
exceediijgly  uneasy  all  the  morning,  for  the  smoke  which  for  days 
had  been  in  the  valley  where  we  lived  had  become  more  and 
more  dense,  and  occasionally  hot  puffs  of  wind  had  blown 
down  over  the  hills,  driving  the  smoke  in  a  dense  cloud  before  it. 
I  asked  my  husband  if  he  thought  there  was  any  danger  to  be 
feared  ;  he  shook  his  head  and  answered,  "  No ;  "  yet  I  knew  by 
his  face  that  he  was  far  from  being  devoid  of  fear.  He  ate  his 
dinner  hastily,  and  then  ran  out  again,  and  was  m.et  at  the  door 
by  a  neighbor,  who  said  that  the  fire  was  advancing  with  fright- 
ful speed.  Indeed,  the  air  had  now  become  sultry  as  it  never  had 
been  before,  except  on  some  hot  days  in  summer  immediately  be- 
fore the  coming  of  a  thunder-storm.  The  air  was  stifling,  and 
the  smoke  got  into  one's  lungs  and  nostrils  in  such  a  way  as  to 


580  HISTOET   OF   THE   GEEAT  FERES 

render  it  exceedingly  unpleasant.  Mother  sat  in  a  corner  holding 
little  Louis  in  her  lap,  and  I  noticed  that  she  seemed  restless,  and 
that  her  eyes  shone  with  a  light  such  as  I  have  sometimes  seen  in 
the  eyes  of  a  wild  beast,  and  had  only  seen  in  hers  in  the  old 
days  when  she  was  about  to  have  an  outburst  of  fury. 

I  was  frightened  and  fidgety,  and  didn't  do  anything  in  the 
right  way.  I  went  and  took  the  boy  away  from  mother,  who 
relinquished  him  readily ;  and  tlien,  as  I  had  afterwards  terrible 
reason  to  remember,  although  I  hardly  noticed  it  at  the  time,  she 
went  to  the  cupboard  and  secreted  something  in  the  bosom  of  her 
dress.  Mr.  Mechand  stood  at  the  door  speaking  hurriedly  with 
the  man  whom  he  had  met,  when  a  burning  branch  of  pine  fell  at 
his  feet.  Instantly  the  air  darkened,  a  violent  puff  of  wind 
rushed  upon  us,  and  smoke  poured  in  volumes  about  the  house. 
Then,  following  the  gust,  a  bright  sheet,  or  rather  wall,  of  fire 
seemed  to  be  pushed  down  almost  upon  us,  and  instantly  every- 
thing was  in  flames.  Mr.  Mechand  cried  out  to  me  to  bring 
Louis  with  me,  and  seized  mother  by  the  hand,  and  we  all  four 
ran  in  terror  out  into  the  woods  ahead  of  us.  I  ran  on  blinded 
and  choked  by  the  smoke,  and  carrying  Louis  in  my  arms.  He 
was  pale  with  terror,-  and  did  not  utter  a  single  cry,  but  clung 
to  my  neck  as  I  hurried  on,  stumbling  and  tripping  almost  at 
every  step.  So  suddenly  had  been  the  rush  of  the  fire  that  we 
had  no  chance  of  saving  anything  but  our  lives,  even  if  we  had 
cared  to  do  so.  I  kept  calling  to  my  husband  to  keep  in  sight, 
but,  poor  fellow,  there  was  no  need  of  doing  so,  for  I  could  see 
that  mother  was  a  great  worry  to  him,  and  that  he  had  almost  to 
drag  her  along.  She  kept  looking  from  side  to  side,  and  trying  to 
break  away  from  him  ;  even  then  1  thought  how  terrible  it  would 
be  if  she  should  become  furious  again.  "What  on  earth  could  we 
do  with  her. 

We  must  have  gone  on  this  way  for  at  least  three  miles,  and  I 
w-as  almost  exhausted,  for  Louis  was  a  boy  six  years  old  and  large 


IN   CHICAGO   AOT)   THE   WEST.  581 

for  his  age,  and  I  had  been  carrying  him  all  the  way.  The  trees 
were  compact,  and  in  some  places  the  undergrowth  was  close  and 
stiff  as  wire.  Mother  kept  getting  worse,  and  Mr.  Mechand,  who 
was  a  short  distance  ahead  of  Louis  and  me,  had  the  greatest  dif- 
ficulty to  make  her  obey  him.  Presently  he  stopped,  and  evi- 
dently was  waiting  for  me  to  come  up.  Sol  put  Louis  down  and 
told  him  to  keep  alongside  of  me,  at  the  same  time  taking  him 
firmly  by  the  hand.  The  fire  had  come  much  slower  than  we, 
and  I  believe  we  must  have  been  at  least  two  miles  ahead  of 
it,  although  there  was  no  telling,  for  I  could  see  nothing  behind 
or  far  before  me  but  smoke  curling  like  a  mist  in  and  out  of 
the  trees.  Behind  us,  indeed,  it  was  heavier  and  looked  a  sullen, 
dirty  white. 

We  could  not  have  been  six  feet  from  my  husband  when  mj'- 
mother  broke  away  from  him,  and  with  a  loud  cry  darted  off  into 
the  woods,  and  then  I  knew  that  what  I  had  dreaded  had  indeed 
come  to  pass,  and  that  excitement  and  danger  had  bi  :)ught  back 
an  old  sickness  upon  her.  She  was  a  maniac.  Mr.  Mechand 
darted  after  her,  and  in  the  terror  of  the  moment  I  forgot  all  else, 
and  I  followed  him,  leaving  poor  little  Louis  behind.  I  must 
have  been  crazy  to  do  so,  but  on  I  rushed,  and  soon  saw  that 
mother  was  cunning  enough  to  attempt  to  escape  by  doubling  on 
her  tracks,  for  I  saw  her  dress  dart  past  the  bushes  at  my  side  as 
she  ran  diagonally  away  frjm  me.  I  sprang  after  her,  and  after 
running  for  about  five  minutes  found  to  my  horror  that  I  had  not 
only  lost  her,  but  Louis  and  his  father.  Madly  I  tried  to  retrace 
my  steps,  but  there  was  nothing  to  guide  me — no  path,  no  blazes 
on  the  trees.  The  wind  shook  the  trees  and  almost  bent  them 
double ;  the  sultry  air  filled  with  smoke,  and  all  the  horrors  of 
ray  terrible  condition  made  me  frantic.  I  rushed  about  help- 
lessly, crying  and  screaming,  "  Louis  !  "  "  Louis  !  "  "  Father  !  " 
But  that  last  word  made  me  calm  for  an  instant,  and  I  felt  that  I 
was  not  alone — not  utterly  lost  in  the  burning  woods,  for  the 


582  HISTOET   OF   THE   GREAT   FIEES 

spirit  of  my  dead  father  was  near,  and  there  were  guardian 
angels.  I  knelt  on  the  ground,  took  my  crucifix  from  my  neck, 
and  prayed.  In  kneeling  down  I  found  to  my  great  joy  that  my 
dress  was  wet.  I  had  knelt  near  a  spring.  I  bathed  my  face 
and  hands,  and  soaked  my  hair  and  the  upper  part  of  my  dress. 
But  then  my  boy — my  little  Louis !  I  sprang  to  my  feet,  and 
calling  on  the  Yirgin  to  direct  me,  dashed  on  in  the  direction  of 
the  fire.  I  had  not  gone  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  when  I 
found  my  darling  standing,  with  head  erect,  and  flashing  eyes 
filled  with  angry  tears,  trying  to  beat  away  some  wolves,  which, 
hungry  though  they  were,  seemed  bent  only  on  flight.  I  cried, 
"  Louis,  Louis,  c'est  moi,  ta  mere ! "  and  clasped  him  to  my 
heart.  It  was  my  boy,  and  he  was  saved.  He  had  not  seen  his 
father,  though  once  he  had  heard  a  man's  voice  calling,  but  the 
voice  seemed  to  have  come  from  an  immense  distance.  "  Oh, 
Louis,"  said  I,  "  we  are  lost  unless  we  find  him.  We  must  run 
for  our  lives."  The  boy  began  to  cry,  and  then  I  was  ashamed 
of  what  I  had  said,  and  tried  to  cheer  him  up.  The  fire  must 
have  been  very  near  us  then,  for  I  could  not  only  feel  its  heated 
breath,  but  above  my  head,  among  the  tree-tops,  sparks  and  fire- 
brands were  whirling  in  the  air.  I  took  Louis  in  my  arms,  de- 
termined that  never  again  should  he  be  separated  from  me,  and 
pressed  onward  with  some  vague  idea  that  I  should  soon  reach 
Wolf  River. 

Night  was  coming  on,  and  since  noon  we  had  had  nothing  to 
eat.  I  did  not  feel  hungry,  but  was  tormented  with  thoughts  of 
what  might  happen  if  we  should  not  soon  reach  a  place  of  safety; 
for  I  feared  that  Louis  would  give  out,  and  that  was  one  of  the 
reasons  which  made  me  carry  him.  My  arms  ached,  and  my 
limbs  were  scratched,  bruised,  and  bleeding.  Still  I  made  good 
headway,  and  soon  came  to  a  natural  clearing,  on  the  thither  side 
of  which  we  s^t  down  to  rest.  By  this  time  night  had  come  out, 
and  what  a  night !    No  i"noon,  no  stars ;  but  the  cloudy  heavens 


m   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  583 

lighted  lip  afar  with  the  horrible  fires  of  the  burning  woods.  The 
clearing  in  which  we  sat  was  the  dried-np  bed  of  a  stream  which, 
for  some  unaccountable  reason,  had  no  thickly- wooded  shores,  and 
we  were  at  least  two  hundred  feet  from  the  edge  of  the  forest  in 
flames.  All  this  time  Louis,  manly  little  fellow  that  he  was,  had 
not  even  asked  for  food ;  nor  had  he  cried  since  I  myself  foolishly 
frightened  him. 

We  sat  there  a  long  time  while  I  was  trying  to  think  where 
we  were,  but  I  could  come  to  no  conclusion.  I  had  heard  my 
husband  speak  of  a  stream  which  had  run  dry,  but  that  was  in  a 
northeasterly  direction  from  our  house  ;  and  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  I  was  lost,  yet  I  had  a  general  notion  I  was  approaching 
Wolf  Eiver.  The  stars  could  give  me  no  information,  for  I  could 
not  see  them.  What  to  do  I  scarcely  knew ;  but  when  the  heat 
of  the  fire  became  such  that  I  could  not  doubt  that  it  was  near  I 
determined  to  press  on  away  from  it,  and  taking  Louis's  hand  I 
set  out.  On  ordinary  nights  it  should  now  have  been  dark ;  but 
there  was  a  nameless  glare,  yet  not  a  glare,  a  horrible  reflet  which 
came  down  from  the  sky  and  mingled  with  the  smoke.  Hardly 
had  I  risen  from  the  ground  when  in  the  direction  of  the  woods 
on  the  other  side  of  the  clearing,  I  heard  a  clashing  noise,  a  min- 
gled gnashing  and  hoarse  barking,  which  I  instantly  recognized 
as  that  of  wolves,  and  I  scarcely  had  time  to  snatch  up  Louis  and 
run  behind  a  magnificent  pine  tree,  whose  trunk  was  at  least  six 
feet  in  diameter,  before  I  heard  them  scrambling  up  the  side  of 
the  hill  and  felt  them  rush  by  me.  I  looked  out  and  could  see 
their  eyes  coming  toward  me  like  the  wind.  They  did  not  stop 
for  an  instant ;  and  when  they  passed  there  came  in  their  track 
a  herd  of  deer,  uttering  cries  that  seemed  almost  human  in  their 
intense  agony.  They  ran  blindly,  for  something  more  terrible 
than  wolves  was  behind  them;  they  struck  the  tree  and  were 
hurled  back  by  the  shock,  some  of  them  falKng  back  upon  those 
below.    The  stampede  seemed  to  last  for  full  ten  minutes ;  and 


584  HISTORY   OF   THE   GREAT  FIKES 

when  it  was  over,  and  I,  trembling  with  fear,  dared  once  more  to 
emerge  from  my  refuge  and  look  across  the  clearing,  I  saw  the 
woods  at  its  edge  already  burning — saw  it  lurid  through  the 
smoke,  and  felt  its  terrible  heat  upon  my  face.  I  turned  and  fled, 
in  the  wake  of  the  deer  and  the  wolves.  My  shoes  were  stripped 
from  my  feet,  and  my  ankles  were  torn  and  bloody.  Fallen  trees 
lay  in  my  way,  but  I  clambered  over  and  crawled  under  them  in 
my  desperate  fight.  I  was  agonized  with  terror  and  despair,  and 
finally  sank  to  the  ground  with  my  boy  in  my  arms. 

I  must  have  fainted,  for  I  knew  nothing  of  what  passed  till  I 
was  rudely  shaken  by  the  shoulder,  and  heard  a  wild,  gibbering 
laugh,  I  opened  my  eyes,  and  above  rae  stood  my  mother  with 
a  drawn  knife  in  her  hand.  The  woods  seemed  all  ablaze,  although 
the  air  was  not  so  intolerably  hot  as  it  had  been.  The  forest 
beyond  the  clearing  must  have  been  burning  at  its  edge,  and  the 
strong  wind  carrying  the  smoke  upward  and  above  our  heads. 
My  mother  looked  down  upon  me  with  eyes  blazing  with  that 
hated  light  of  insanity. 

"Ho,  ho!"  said  she,  "fine  time  of  night  for  a  mother  and 
child  to  be  running  through  the  woods  !  Fine  night  this  !  Night — 
it  is  day !  Look  at  the  red  light — 'tis  the  light  of  dawn !  Le 
jour!  le  jour  du  jugement  est  arrive!  And  the  rocks  are  burn- 
ing !  Call  upon  them  to  fall  upon  you !  The  clouds  of  thunder 
and  the  day  of  doom !  The  Lord  is  coming,  and  the  wheels  of 
his  chariot  burn  with  his  mighty  driving.  Let  us  go  up  to  meet 
him  in  mid-air.  Let  us  ride  on  the  smoke  and  thunder,  and 
sweep  the  stars  from  the  heavens.  Come,  you  shall  go  with  me !  " 
And  she  seized  Louis,  who  had  thrown  himself  upon  me,  and  was 
clinging  in  terror  to  my  breast. 

I  sprang  to  ray  feet  and  cried,  "  Mother,  mother,-  what  would 
you  do — would  you  kill  me  and  Louis  ? " 

"  Kill  you  !  yes !  why  wait  ?  The  Lord  calls  and  the  devil 
drives.     He  has  let  loose  his  imps  against  the  world.     The  trees 


m   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  585 

fall  crashing  in  the  forest ;  for  all  hell's  demons  pull  them  down 
with  hooks  of  fire.  I  have  seen  them  as  I  followed  you.  I  have 
seen  you  all  the  way.  I  rode  over  on  a  wolf;  'twas  a  lonp-garou, 
an  old  friend  of  mine,  brought  me  over  safely,  and  kept  me  from 
the  deer.  I  will  kill  you  ;  would  you  burn  to  death?  You.  shall 
go  up — up  higher  than  the  moon,  and  beyond  the  fire.  Come, 
let  us  go!  "  and  again  she  seized  Louis  while  the  knife  gleamed 
in  the  air. 

I  sprang  at  her,  and  with  all  the  strength  of  ten  mothers  in  my 
arms,  I  struggled  with  her.  Torn,  worn,  and  bleeding,  as  I  was, 
the  thought  of  my  child  and  my  husband  gave  me  the  strength 
of  a  giant.  I  overpowered  the  mad  woman,  and  forgetting  that 
she  was  my  mother — that  she  was  anything  but  the  would-be 
murderess  of  my  boy — I  seized  her  by  the  throat  when  she  was 
down  rolling  on  the  ground,  and  I  would  have  strangled  her. 
Her  insanity  had  almost  made  me  mad.  I  felt  then  what  a  mur- 
derous maniac  feels. 

But  then  I  thought  my  mother  was  lying  almost  dead  and 
powerless,  and  the  fire  would  soon  advance  and  perhaps  over- 
whelm us  all.  My  hand  was  stayed,  and  when  my  mother  rose 
to  her  feet,  all  of  her  wildness  was  gone,  and  in  its  place  had  re- 
turned that  calmness — almost  imbecility — which  had  character- 
ized her  for  the  lastfew  years.  She  Avas  ready  and  willing  to  do 
everything  that  I  told  her,  but  I  kept  that  knife  fast  in  my  hand. 

The  wind  had  fallen,  and  a  slight  rain  was  dropping  among  the 
leaves  overhead,  as  we  went  on  for  an  hour  or  two  longer,  and 
then,  overpowered  with  exhaustion,  and  no  longer  greatly  dread- 
ing the  fire,  we  lay  down  in  a  hollow  and  fell  asleep.  When  we 
awoke,  it  was  morning.  I  was  sick  and  completely  exhausted, 
and  hardly  knew  that  there  were  men  around  us.  Yet  there 
were,  and  good,  kind  men,  too,  who  gave  us  food  and  drove  us 
to  a  place  of  shelter,  whence,  as  soon  as  we  were  able,  we  went 
to  Green  Bay,  where  I  soon  recovered  from  the  sickness  and 


686  HISTOKT   OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

terror  of  that  dreadful  night.  My  mother  continues  in  that  same 
state  of  imbecility  which  the  doctor  says  will  soon  become  com- 
plete dementia.  Louis  was  not  long  in  recovering,  but  as  yet  I 
have  heard  nothing  from  my  husband. 

LiJCiLE  Mechand. 

The  Boston  Relief  Committee  speak  as  follows  of  the  work  of 
charity  and  of  ruin  : — 

In  this  State,  as  in  Michigan,  the  work  of  relief  is  done  by  two 
distinct  committees,  appointed  by  Governor  Fairchild,  one  at 
Milwaukee  and  the  other  at  Green  Bay. 

We  visited  the  committee  at  Green  Bay,  who  were  in  full  com- 
munication with  the  committee  at  Milwaukee.  The  Green  Bay 
committee  consists  of  six  gentlemen,  with  W.  R.  Bourne  as  pres- 
ident. 

In  general,  it  may  be  said  that  the  region  burned  embraces  the 
lower  half  of  the  peninsula  between  Green  Bay  and  Lake 
Michigan  on  the  one  side  and  the  region  on  the  west  side  of 
Green  Bay,  which  extends  northward  from  the  Oconto  Eiver 
across  the  Menomonee  River  into  the  upper  peninsula  of  Michi- 
gan. The  Lake  Michigan  coast  of  the  peninsula,  as  far  south  as 
Manitowoc  County,  and  the  upper  peninsula  of  Michigan,  are 
under  the  charge  of  the  relief  committee  at  Milwaukee. 

Abundant  supplies  have  poured  into  the  Milwaukee  committee, 
so  that  nothirlg  further  is  needed  by  them,  as  we  were  informed 
by  the  Green  Bay  committee,  who  have  received  a  portion  of 
their  surplus. 

The  remainder  of  the  burnt  territory,  which  it  situated  on  both 
sides  of  Green  Bay,  is  under  the  care  of  the  relief  committee  at 
the  city  of  Green  Bay.  The  peninsula  was  inhabited  principally 
by  Belgians  engaged  in  farming,  which  was  their  only  resource, 
although  near  the  coast  were  some  small  towns  engaged  in  the 
lumbei^  business. 


EST   CHICAGO   AND   THE  WEST.  587 

The  fires  had  been  burning  here  as  in  Michigan  for  weeks, 
when  on  that  fatal  Sunday  night  the  gale,  increasing  to  tornadoes, 
swept  in  currents  for  one  or  two  hundred  miles  across  farms  and 
villages  with  fearful  destruction  of  life  and  property.  The  whole 
population  of  the  peninsula  was  twelve  thousand,  out  of  which  at 
least  four  hundred  perished.  In  the  little  village  of  Williamsonville 
seventy-four  out  of  seventy-eight  persons  were  destroyed.  The 
committee  has  on  its  books  the  names  of  about  four  thousand 
persons  who  are  utterly  destitute,  who  must  receive  aid  until  the 
next  harvest. 

The  committee  informed  us  that  a  sufficient  supply  of  general 
clothing  has  been  received,  but  more  is  greatly  needed  of  some 
articles  to  be  hereafter  specified.  Money  is,  however,  the  great 
want,  as  much  that  is  both  of  immediate  and  future  need  can  only 
or  much  more  profitably  be  obtained  there. 

We  visited  Peshtigo,  on  the  west  shore  or  Green  Bay,  where 
the  greatest  loss  of  life  occurred.  The  town  of  Peshtigo,  which 
has  been  largely  built  through  the  intelligence  and  capital  of  the 
Hon.  William  B.  Ogden,  was  declared  by  all  to  have  been  the 
best  built,  most  prosperous  and  happy  town  in  "all  that  region.  It 
had  a  population  of  at  least  1,700  in  the  town  itself,  and  about 
1,000  more  in  the  "  sugar-bush,"  or  farming  region  outside. 

The  origin  and  progress  of  the  fire  is  similar  to  that  described  in 
other  places,  but  the  devastation  was  far  more  complete.  In  less 
than  ten  minutes  after  the  first  alarm,  which  was  at  nine  o'clock, 
Sunday  evening,  October  8,  the  town  was  enveloped  in  fiames. 
The  people  came  rushing  in  from  the  neighboring  farms  wild 
with  fright,  followed  by  cattle  and  horses  in  a  confused  rout.  The 
aroused  inhabitants  ran  from  their  houses  and  their  beds,  and 
attempted  to  fly  before  the  tornado  of  smoke  and  fire,  which  not 
only  kindled  into  a  flame  the  houses,  but  filled  the  air  with  flying 
bricks  and  timber.  The  inhabitants  believed  the  last  day  had 
come.     The  tornado  swept  in  currents  and  eddies  of  fire,  in  which 


588  HISTOKT   OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

many  were  caught  and  smothered  on  the  spot,  while  others  with 
great  difficulty  worked  their  way,  some  to  the  river  and  others  to 
an  open  field  on  one  side  of  the  town.  The  destruction  was  com- 
plete. Not  a  building  remained  except  one  half-finished  frame 
house,  which  had  been  seized,  charred,  and  left.  Hundreds  re- 
mained through  that  fearful  night  along  the  banks  of  the  river  or 
immersed  in  its  waters  awaiting  the  daylight.  The  scene  the  next 
morning  exceeds  the  power  of  description.  Families  which  had 
been  separated  in  the  fiery  darkness  sought  their  scattered  mem- 
bers ;  but  hardly  a  family  was  left  unbroken.  The  ground  was 
strewed  with  the  charred  bodies  of  men,  women  and  children,  and 
animals. 

Outside  of  the  town  the  devastation  was  nearly  as  complete — 
buildings,  fences  and  trees  were  thrown  to  the  ground  and 
burned  ;  but  three  houses  remained  in  the  township.  The  exact 
number  of  lives  lost  can  never  be  known.  It  is  variously  esti- 
mated at  from  600  to  1,000. 

The  inhabitants  all  asserted  that  there  were  currents  of  air  on 
fire.  The  atmosphere  seemed  saturated  with  inflammable  gases 
from  the  pitch-pine  forests  which  had  been  burning  for  weeks. 
The  heat  was  far  greater  than  that  of  any  ordinary  conflagration, 
melting  iron  and  bell-metal  at  a  distance  of  many  rods  from  any 
burning  buildings.  The  heaviest  loss  of  property  falls  upon  the 
Peshtigo  Lumber  Company,  who  had  here  some  of  the  best  mills 
in  the  world ;  but  ,the  entire  property  of  the  inhabitants  is  swept 
away,  adding  absolute  destitution  to  their  other  afliictions.  They 
fled  for  refuge  principally  to  Marinette  and  Peshtigo  Bay,  where 
their  immediate  necessities  were  supplied.  Most  of  these  people 
are  determined  to  rebuild  their  homes  in  Peshtigo. 

The  men  will  find  employment  in  the  woods  during  the  winter ;. 
but  youT  assistance  is  needed  to  render  their  families  tolerably 
comfortable  in  the  shelters  which,  for  the  present,  they  must  call 
their  homes.     In  regard  to  the  distribution  of  the  supplies  which 


IN   CHICAGO   AND    THE    WEST.         ,  589 

we  found  most  needed,  we  made  arrangements  with  responsible 
persons  on  the  spot,  who  are  intimately  acquainted  with  all  the 
people  ;  so  that  you  may  be  assured  that  they  will  be  bestowed 
with  care  and  discrimination. 

The  destitution  has  been  so  generously  provided  for  that,  on  the 
1st  of  l^ovember,  the  authorities  were  able  to  publish  the  accom- 
panying reports : — 

Mr.  George  Godfrey,  sent  out  as  a  special  agent  of  our  Relief 
Committee,  returned  from  the  north  on  Saturday,  and  made  the 
following  report  of  his  trip  and  the  progress  of  the  work  of  sup- 
plying the  destitute  with  the  necessaries  of  life : — 

Milwaukee,  October  30,  1871. 
CJiairman  Milwaukee  Relief  Committee  : 

Dear  Sie: — In  accordance  with  your  request  I  went  north  on  the 
propeller  St.  Joseph,  on  Wednesday,  with  some  articles  for  the 
relief  of  the  sufferers  by  the  late  fire.  Finding  Mr.  Wing,  County 
Clerk  of  Kewaunee  County,  at  the  boat,  in  charge  of  the  goods 
for  Kewaunee,  it  was  arranged  that  I  should  go  on  to  Ahnepee, 
which  I  did,  arriving  there  on  Thursday  evening,  when  I  trans- 
ferred my  charge  to  the  Eelief  Committee  of  Ahnepee,  Mr.  E. 
Schwartz,  Chairman. 

On  Friday  morning,  in  company  with  Mr.  Schwartz,  I  set  out 
to  visit  the  burned  district,  and  we  spent  the  day  in  exploring  the 
region.  The  weather  was  severely  cold  and  flakes  of  snow  filled 
the  air.  The  timber  land,  much  of  it  very  valuable,  had  been 
ravaged  by  previous  fires,  and  looked  very  desolate ;  but  the  path- 
way of  the  great  fire,  which  swept  up  from  the  south  on  that 
memorable  Sunday  night,  presents  a  heart-sickening  appearance. 
From  two  to  four  or  five  miles  wide  in  places,  and  extending  north 
and  south  indefinitely,  so  far  as  I  could  see,  forests,  fences,  barns 
and  houses  were  swept  away.  Farming  tools  and  household  fur- 
niture, carried  out  into  the  fields,  fared  no  better  than  those  left  in 


590  HISTOET   OF   THE   GEEAT   FIEES 

the  house.  Pumps  in  the  wells  were  burned  off  to  the  ground. 
In  many  instances  the  wells  are  artesian,  from  which  it  is  impos- 
sible to  get  water  without  pumps.  Large  quantities  of  live  stock 
were  burned  to  death.  Of  the  loss  of  life  the  public  is  generally 
informed.  In  one  spot  in  the  town  of  Brussels  some  thirty-six 
persons  were  found  and  buried.  Other  more  isolated  instances 
were  discoTered ;  in  one  place  three  or  four  children  were  found 
on  their  hands  and  knees,  with  their  heads  against  a  large  stump, 
dead  in  this  position.  In  most  instances  the  victims  had  appar- 
ently died  without  a  struggle,  probably  killed  outright  by  the 
first  hot  breath  which  they  inhaled.  In  all  probably  one  hundred 
persons  have  perished  in  the  towns  of  Lincoln,  Brussels,  and  For- 
estville.  I  have  the  names  of  some  thirty -four  families  in  the 
town  of  Lincoln,  aggregating  some  one  hundred  and  seventy  per- 
sons— men,  women,  and  children — who  survive,  but  in  a  homeless 
and  destitute  condition.  In  the  town  of  Forestville,  and  contigu- 
ous to  Ahnepee,  and  looking  to  that  place  for  relief,  are  some 
twelve  families,  aggregating  about  sixty  persons.  There  is  also  a 
portion  of  the  town  of  Brussels  which  is  easily  reached  from 
Ahnepee,  but  I  did  not  succeed  in  getting  a  list  of  the  sufferers  in 
that  locality. 

On  the  county  line  between  Door  and  Kewaunee  Counties, 
and  between  the  towns  of  Lincoln  and  Brussels,  goods  were  arriv- 
ing and  were  being  stored  in  the  barn  of  Eugene  ISTaze,  in  the 
town  of  Lincoln.  These  goods  were  from  Green  Bay,  and  were 
consigned  to  Charles  Mape.  Some  nine  or  ten  wagon  loads 
arrived  there  on  Friday,  consisting  chiefly  of  flour  and  provisions, 
with  some  clothing.  These,  in  addition  to  what  was  already  in 
store  at  that  place,  would  go  a  good  way  to  relieving  the  immedi- 
ate pressing  necessities  of  the  people. 

In  the  way  of  food  they  are  tolerably  well  supplied  for  the  pres- 
ent. Of  old  cast-off  clothing  there  is  a  good  store,  but  the  cry  is 
for  blankets,  quilts,  and  bedding.     Hay  and  feed  for  the  surviv- 


BEFTTGBES  PROM  WHTTK  ROCK.  HUBOir  CO 


[CH.,  SBBKING  SAFETY  IN  THB  WATEK 


m    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  593 

f 

ing'cattle  are  absolutely  necessary.  In  order  tliat  the  people  may 
help  tliemselves  they  must  preserve  their  cattle.  There  is  no 
i^rass  nor  "  browse  "  in  the  woods.  Boards  to  cover  the  log  cab- 
ins which  they  are  now  putting  up,  are  indispensable;  stoves  to 
wai'm  them  and  cook  their  food,  are  lacking  ;  these,  with  all  their 
utensils,  must  be  supplied.  Many  of  the  inhabitants,  astounded 
and  bewildered  by  the  calamity,  were  about  to  flee  from  the  coun- 
try ;  but,  upon  learning  that  relief  was  coming,  they  have  plucked 
up  courage  and  are  going  to  work  to  repair,  as  far  as  they  can, 
the  great  damage,  and  get  upon  their  feet  again.  The  rational 
and  best  disposed  of  the  community  are  doing  all  they  can  to 
encourage  them  in  this  resolution,  and,  with  the  aid  from  outside 
and  their  own  endeavors,  I  have  no  doubt  but  in  a  few  years 
smiling  plenty  and  peace  will  again  d^vell  in  that  now  stricken 
land. 

Headquaeters  Milwaukee  Relief  Committee,  | 
Milwaukee,  November  1,  1871.  j 

To  a  Benevolent  Puhlic : 

Through  the  spontaneous  liberality  of  a  sympathizing  people, 
especially  of  our  women,  from  Maine  to  San  Francisco,  we  have 
now  on  hand  and  in  transit  an  ample  supply  of  clothing  of  every 
description  for  men,  women,  and  children,  to  meet  the  wants  of  the 
sufferers  by  the  fires  in  Northern  "Wisconsin  and  the  peninsula  of 
Michigan,  Money  is  still  greatly  needed  for  purchasing  pro- 
visions, building  material,  tools,  and  farming  implements,  horses, 
oxen,  cows,  hay,  feed,  etc.  The  money  inay  be  sent  to  Alexander 
Mitchell,  Treasurer. 

H.  LuDiNGTON,  Mayor. 
M.  P.  Jewett,  Chairman. 

J.    R.    DUTCHEE, 

C.  J.  Keeshaw, 

Executive  Committee. 
34 


594  HISTOKY   OF   THE   GKEAT   FIKES 


THE  FIEES  m  MICHIGAN. 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

On  the  opposite  side  of  the  lake  the  forest  j&res  have  apparently 
been  quite  as  bad.  Wo  are  told  that  almost  every  county  in 
Michigan  has  suffered  from  them.  The  lumbering  town  of 
Manistee  has  been  nearly  consumed,  two  hundred  and  six  build- 
ings having  been  burned  on  Sunday  night,  with  a  total  loss  of 
over  a  million  dollars.  Holland,  about  twenty  miles  south  of 
Grand  Haven,  has  been  literally  reduced  to  ashes,  and  the  flames 
seem  to  have  eaten  across  the  whole  breadth  of  the  State  to  the 
foot  of  Lake  Huron.  The  disaster,  according  to  our  present  ad- 
vices, was  most  complete  on  the  peninsula  between  Lake  Huron 
and  Saginaw  Bay.  All  that  part  of  the  State  lying  east  of  the 
bay  and  north  of  a  point  forty  miles  above  Port  Huron  has  been 
practically  swept  bare.  This  district,  covering  a-  region  about 
forty  miles  square,  was  the  seat  of  an  extensive  lumber  trade,  and 
all  along  the  shores  of  the  lake  and  bay  were  prosperous  settle- 
ments, large  and  small,  at  which  lumber  was  sawed,  planed,  stored, 
and  shipped,  and  depots  maintained  for  the  supply  of  the  wood- 
men and  other  persons  employed  in  the  business.  The  flames, 
approaching  from  the  west  and  south,  must  have  hemmed  in  these 
villages  and  cut  off  all  escape  except  by  water.  How  many  of 
the  luckless  inhabitants  were  able  to  avail  themselves  of  this 
avenue  of  safety  wc  do  not  yet  know.     Two  or  three  steamei's 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  595 

from  Detroit  lia ve  been  cruising  off  shore  to  pick  up  the  fugitives, 
and  about  sixty  have  thus  been  rescued,  some  severely  burnt,  and 
all  destitute.  At  one  place  five  children  are  known  to  have  per- 
ished, and  there  is  reason  to  fear  that  the  worst  has  not  been  told. 
Simultaneously  the  forests  and  prairies  of  Western  and  North 
western  Indiana  have  been  on  fi_re,  and  though  there  has  been 
no  loss  of  life,  so  far  as  reports  are  yet  at  hand,  the  destruction  of 
the  harvest  has  been  enormous. 

There  is  something  more  awful  in  the  thought  of  a  buriiing 
forest  or  a  prairie  in  flames  than  even  in  a  catastrophe  such  as  that 
which  has  fallen  upon  Chicago.  The  most  stupendous  efforts  of 
man  seem  hopeless  of  arresting  a  conflagration  which  rages  un- 
ceasingly through  two  or  three  entire  months,  and  sweeps  in  its 
fierce  wrath  over  thousands  of  square  miles  of  territory.  K"othing 
checks  such  a  visitation  but  the  exhaustion  of  the  combustible 
material,  or  the  blessed  rain,  which  at  last  stayed  the  flames  in  the 
woods  of  Michigan,  just  as  it  quenched  the  glowing  cinders  of 
Chicago.  The  destruction  of  the  great  commercial  city  of  Illinois 
was  a  disaster  of  almost  incalculable  pecuniary  magnitude,  but  it 
will  be  repaired  in  a  few  years.  The  burning  of  the  grand  prime- 
val forests  means  far  less  to  the  banker  and  the  tradesman  ;  but  it 
is  a  misfortune  which  can  never  be  repaired. 

October  11th,  a  correspondent  telegraphed  : — 

The  news  fi-om  St.  Clair  and  Huron  counties  of  this  date  is  of 
the  most  distressing  character.  All  that  portion  of  the  State  east 
of  Saginaw  Bay  and  north  of  a  point  forty  miles  above  Port  Hu- 
ron has  been  completely  swept  by  fire.  A  number  of  persons 
perished,  and  it  is  feared  we  have  not  heard  the  worst.  The 
flourishing  villages  of  Forestville,  AVhite  Eock,  Elm  Creek,  Sand 
Eeach,  and  Huron  City  are  entirely  destroyed.  Eock  Falls  and 
Port  Hope  are  partially  destroyed.  Nothing  has  yet  been  heard 
from  Port  Austin  or  Port  Crescent;  but  it  is  hardly  possible 
they  escaped.     At  all  these  towns  there  were  large  stores,  many 


59G  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

of  wliicli ,  were  filled  with  wiiiter  stocks ;  extensive  saw-mills, 
bhiiigle-mills,  and  docks  covered  ^v'ith  lumber,  all  of  wliicli  have 
been  swept  away.  It  is  stated  there  is  but  one  dock  left  on 
the  shore  about  Forestville.  A  steamer' which  left  Port  Huron 
last  night  for  the  relief  of  the  sufferers  returned  this  evening  with 
about  forty  men,  women,  and  children,  five  of  whom  are  severely 
burned.  The  revenue  cutter  Fessenden,  which  started  for  Port 
Austria,  picked  up  a  sail-boat  on  the  lake,  containing  Isaac 
Green,  principal  owner  of  Forestville,  together  with  his  family, 
and  eighteen  or  twenty  others,  who  had  escaped  the  flames  at 
Forestville.  The  telegraph  operator  at  Forest\dlle  escaped  through 
the  fire  back  into  the  country.  All  the  telegraph  ofiices  along 
the  shore  have  been  destroyed,  but  communication  will  be  re- 
stored as  soon  as  the  damage  done  to  the  hues  can  be  repaired. 
Five  children  are  known  to  have  j)erished  near  Pock  Falls,  P,  B. 
llubbai'd,  at  Huron  City,  shot  all  his  fine  horses  and  cattle  to 
prevent  their  perishing  by  fire.  He  loses  very  heavily,  having 
had  a  large  store,  mills,  docks,  etc.  The  extensive  property  of 
Stafford  &  Hayward,  at  Port  Hope,  is  about  the  only  establish- 
ment that  escaped.  $5,000  were  subscribed  to-night  for  the 
relief  of  the  sufferers  of  this  State,  The  light  rain  of  yesterday 
seems  to  have  greatly  abated  the  fires  throughout  the  State,  and 
it  is  believed  the  worst  is  passed.  There  fs  scarcely  a  county  in 
the  State  but  has  suffered  more  or  less  from  fire,  and  the  Loss 
will  amount  to  nearly  a  million  of  dollars.  The  damage  to  the 
pine  land  is  incalculable. 

The  town  of  Bridgeport  was  saved  from  destruction  by  a 
shower  of  rain  yesterday  morning.  Charles  Chandler's  barns,  on 
his  farm  near  Lansing,  were  burned  yesterday,  together  with  sev- 
eral fine  horses. 

The  cutter  Fessenden  reached  Port  Huron  this  morning  with 
seventeen  refugees  from  the  lake  shore,  two  of  whom  are  fatally 
burned.     Port  Austin  escaped  the  flames. 


IN   CIIICAOO    AND   Till!;    WP:ST.  597 

A  Mr.  Brady,  of  Detroit,  who  wfis  in  the  village  of  YvTiite  Eock, 
Huron  County,  when  it  was  ])urncd,  says,  that  after  vainly  striv- 
ing to  keep  the  fire  out  of  the  town,  the  inhabitants,  hastily 
gathering  the  few  valuables  that  came  nearest  to  hand,  fled  to  the 
most  open  places  away  from  the  houses,  and,  driven  from  these, 
rushed  into  the  water  itself,  and  even  here  were  not  safe  from  the 
scorching  effects  of  the  heated  air  without  occasional  plunges 
beneath  the  surface,  or  frequent  washings  in  the  surf.  Mr.  Brady 
was  in  the  water  eight  hours,  lying  part  of  the  time  on  a  log, 
over  which  the  light  surf  dashed.  About  him  were  men  up  to 
to  their  waste  in  water  and  holding  children  in  their  arms,  women 
but  poorly  protected  by  their  clothing  from  the  chill  of  the  water, 
which  was  their  only  security  against  the  burning  heat  of  the  air. 
The  inhabitants,  of  course,  saved  almost  nothing.  ]S"ot  only  were 
their  houses,  fenc.es,  barns,  and  stocks  destroyed,  but  their  furni- 
ture and  clothing,  and  even  tlie  deeds  by  which  they  held  their 
lands,  and  their  insurance  papers.  From  their  painful  position  in 
the  water  they  were  released. by  the  subsidence  of  the  fires  ;  but 
there  was  neither  food  nor  shelter  within  miles,  and  for  many  of 
them  naught  but  beggary  apparently  remained  when  shelter 
should  be  found.  The  fire  at  White  Rock  occurred  Sunday 
night,  and  it  was  not  until  Monday  afternoon  that  the  sufferers 
were  taken  off  the  shore  by  the  steamer  Huron,  which  took  them 
on  board,  and,  coming  down  the  shore,  released  from  similar 
straits  others  who  had  lived  in  Forestville  and  Gato,  which  towns 
were  also  burned  on  Sunday  night.  The  steamer,  after  taking  on 
board  as  many  as  she  could  carry,  left  many  for  a  second  trip. 
The  sufferers  were  cared  for  by  the  citizens  of  Port  Huron,  and 
the  steamer  went  back  for  another  load.  Besides  the  towns 
named  it  is  supposed  that  Center  Harbor  and  many  other  smaller 
villages  were  destroyed,  and  it  is  feared  that  the  loss  of  life  lias 
been  considerable.  The  pecuniary  loss  at  White  Rock  is  more 
than  $250,000  ;  that  at  Forestville  is  still  greater. 


598  HISTORY   OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

A  letter  from  Saginaw  City  reports  that  a  large  fire  occurred 
there  on  the  night  of  the  8th  inst.,  which  destroyed  the  large  steam 
saw-mill,  salt-blocks,  and  a  number  of  houses  adjoining,  together 
with  a  large  quantity  of  lumber.  The  loss  will  npt  fall  short  of 
$400,000.  At  latest  reports  the  woods  were  all  on  fire  in  the  vi- 
cinity of  Saginaw,  and  the  entire  city  was  in  danger.  Business 
had  been  suspended,  and  the  entire  population  were  doing  every- 
thing in  their  power  to  save  their  property. 

Between  Saginaw  and  Birch  Run  the  loss  had  been  heavy; 
many  cars  had  been  burned  and  trains  delayed. 

A  letter  fi-om  Port  Huron,  dated  the  10th,  says : — 

The  fires  are  still  raging  on  all  sides  of  the  city,  and  a  fierce  south 
wind  has  been  blowing  for  three  days.  Yesterday  afternoon  teams 
were  employed  in  carrying  water  to  the  south  part  of  the  city, 
where  the  most  danger  was  apprehended,  and  at  a  late  hour  last 
evening  the  flames  were  very  much  checked.  Between  here  and 
Lexington  fires  are  raging  fearfully,  and  many  of  the  telegraph 
poles  between  this  city  and  that  place  are  destroyed.  Along  the 
Grand  Trunk  Eailroad,  and  the  Port  Huron  and  Lake  Michigan 
Railroad  large  piles  of  wood  are  on  fire,  and  the  fences  for  iniles 
are  consumed.  Travelling  is  very  much  interfered  with,  and  at 
some  places  it  is  impossible  to  pass  the  i-oads. 

Pires  were  also  reported  to  be  raging  in  every  direction  around 
Lansing,  and,  on  Sunday,  the  students  of  the  Agricultural  College 
were  called  upon  to  help  fight  the  flames.  They  were  divided  into 
squads,  which  relieved  each  other,  and  on  Monday  night  the  dan- 
ger was  suj)posed  to  have  passed. 

A  Detroit  report  says: — 

A  score  or  more  of  men,  women,  and  children  arrived  in  this  city 
yesterday  by  boat  and  rail  from  the  up-country  counties,  and  the 
statements  made  by  them  in  regard  to  the  woods'  fii*es  are  appall- 
ing.    All  of  them  have  suffered  the  loss  of  eyery  dollar  of  proper- 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE  ■V\^ST.  599 

ty,  and  some  of  them  show  scars  and  blisters  to  prove  how  closely 
they  were  pursued  by  the  liames. 

John  Kent  and  wife  were  li^ang  about  ten  miles  above  Forest- 
ville  and  about  five  from  the  lake.  lie  states,  as  do  all  the  others, 
that  fires  have  been  running  in  the  woods  for  months,  but  have 
travelled  more  rapidly  and  have  created  greater  destruction  within 
the  last  ten  days  than  in  all  the  time  before.  For  weeks  the  smoke 
in  Sanilac  and  Huron  counties  has  been  so  dense  that  women  and 
children  have  been  made  sick,  and  every  human  being  has  been 
half  blind.  Fowls  were  smotherd  as  long  as  three  weeks  ago,  and 
the  effect  on  cattle  and  horses  was  to  render  them  unfit  for  work. 
Although  Kent  had  reason  to  apprehend  danger  to  himself,  wife, 
and  two  children,  he  did  as  nearly  every  one  else  did,  stood  by  his 
little  property  in  the  hope  to  preserve  it.  lie  had  a  considerable 
clearing  around  his  house,  and  imagined  that  the  fiames  would  not 
reach  him.  He  had  plenty  of  water  near  his  house,  and  filled 
barrels,  tubs,  crocks,  and  everything  which  would  hold  water,  and 
placed  them  where  they  would  be  of  service  in  extinguishuig 
sparks  and  cinders. 

Friday  last  he  could  hear  the  roaring  of  the  flames  and  the 
falling  of  the  trees  fi'om  his  house.  At  night  the  heavens  were 
rendered  so  light  that  he  needed  no  lamp  in  the  house.  His  dog 
left  him  early  Friday  morning,  and  the  house  cat  disappeared  two 
days  before,  the  animals  seeming  to  have  a  better  knowledge  of 
the  danger  than  the  man.  Towards  noon  the  flames  appeared  on 
the  outskirts  of  Kent's  farm.  His  children,  two  little  girls,  the 
youngest  not  a  year  old,  were  left  in  the  house,  and  husband  and 
wife  repaired  to  the  fire  to  try  to  beat  it  back.  With  anything 
which  would  strike  or  smother  they  fought  the  advancing  flames, 
and  for  a  distance  of  twenty  rods  kept  them  in  check.  But  while 
busy  here,  the  flames  crept  over  the  dry  gound  from  other,  direc- 
tions unheeded  and  neglected.  Fighting  with  all  then-  strength, 
father  and  mother  gave  no  heed  to  anything  but  the  fire  before 


600  HISTORY   OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

them,  until  tliey  were  at  last  startled  by  a  scream  from  the  house. 
Instinctively  they  felt  that  the  flames  had  seized  it,  and  they 
started  to  the  rescue  of  the  children.  But  the  smoke  had  settled 
down  so  thick  that  they  ran  in  all  directions  without  finding  the 
house,  and  knew  not  its  locality  until  the  fall  and  crash  of 
the  roof  told  them  that  the  little  ones  had  met  an  awful  fate. 

"  1  tell  you,  mister,"  said  Kent  to  our  reporter  yesterday,  "  it 
made  us  crazy.  The  fire  was  all  around  us  except  to  the  west, 
house  gone,  barn  bm'iiing ;  hay  and  everything  destroyed.  There 
was  only  one  thing  to  do — I  got  hold  of  Mary  and  plunged 
through  the  fii'e  and  smoke  until  we  got  out  into  the  Lake  road, 
and  then  we  had  hard  work  to  keep  ahead  of  the  fire  before 
reaching  the  water.  It  was  awful,  sir,  to  hear  that  screaming  fi-om 
those  burning  children,  and  it  was  dreadful  to  go  away  and  leave 
them  r6asting  there." 

Many  of  the  others  had  almost  as  bad  experiences.  While 
some  of  the  farmers  left  the  woods  ten  or  twelve  days  ago,  seeing 
that  nothing  could  prevent  the  progress  of  tlie  flames,  others  like 
Kent  hoped  for  a  rain,  and  ti-usted  that  the  fire  would  not  advance 
over  the  cleared  lands.  There  was  a  family  named  Cross,  a  man 
living  about  a  mile  back  of  Kent's,  and  as  he  did  not  see  them 
come  out,  and  knew  them  to  be  at  home  at  the  time  his  house 
burned,  he  is  certain  that  every  one,  five  in  all,  were  roasted  in  the 
flames. 

A  Detroiter  named  J.  P.  Parker  returned  to  the  city  yesterday 
after  an  absence  of  ten  days  in  the  counties  on  fire.  Tie  states 
that  no  one  can  form  an  idea  of  the  desolate  scene  unless  he  was 
a  spectator.  For  several  days  Parker  was  right  on  the  borders  of 
the  fire,  being  driven  back  six  or  seven  miles  some  days,  and 
meeting  with  scores  of  people  who  were  driven  out  of  their  burn- 
ing liQuses.  Pie  states  that  one  day,  while  he  was  making  a  great 
effort  to  get  through  the  woods  to  see  about  the  fate  of  a  saw-mill, 
he  encountered  an  Indian  and  his  squaw,  tJie  latter  having  a  pa- 


m    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  601 

poose  strapped  to  her  back.  Parker  tried  to  halt  tliem  for  a  mo- 
ment to  make  inquiries,  but  they  passed  him  on  the  keen  run,  the 
Indian  yelling  out,  "  No  more  wigwam !  " 

The  only  avenue  of  escape  was. the  Lake.  Many  of  the  settlers 
along  the  shore  packed  their  goods  on  rafts  and  anchored  them 
out  in  the  Lake,  some  being  thus  afloat  for  many  houi's  before  be- 
ing taken  off  by  steamers.  Othei'S  who  were  fleeing  for  their 
lives,  and  had  no  time  to  build  rafts  or  hunt  for  boats,  had  no 
other  resource  but  to  plunge  into  the  water  and  wait  for  the  fire 
to  burn  itself  out. 

All  the  telegrams  and  letters  received  from  the  Lake  shore  region 
confirm  the  statements  of  these  people.  There  is  reason  to  apj^re- 
hend  that  very  little  property,  lying  anywhere  near  the  great  fire 
belt,  will  escape,  and  that  the  fire  will  constantly  increase  and  travel 
in  new  directions.  There  is  already  a  piteous  appeal  for'help,  and 
the  cry  will  continue  for  weeks  to  come.  Every  effort  of  our  citi- 
zens and  of  the  people  throughout  the  State  must  now  be  dij-ected 
towards  raising  money,  food,  and  clothing  for  our  unfortunate 
sufferers.  Detroit  has  already  raised  a  considerable  sum,  and 
more  is  being  raised  every  hour,  while  large  collections  of  cloth- 
ing are  being  made  in  various  quarters  of  the  city.  If  any  citizen 
has  a  shilling  in  money,  a  pair  of  boots,  cast-off  clothing,  a  blanket, 
or  anything  else  that  will  cover  and  comfort  the  poor  victim,  it  is 
hoped  that  he  will  call  at  the  City  Clerk's  office  and  leave  it. 

The  steamer  Marine  City  arrived  in  Detroit  about  seven  last 
evening,  and  fi-om  Captain  Robertson  we  obtain  some  further  par- 
ticulars about  the  fires  on  the  shore.  In  the  counties  of  Alpena, 
Alcona,  and  Iosco  the  people  had,  up  to  the  time  the  Marine  City 
passed,  succeeded  in  keeping  the  fire  out  of  the  villages,  though 
in  some  cases  the  struggle  was  for  a  long  time  a  doubtful  one. 

In  Alcona  on  Monday  the  furniture  and  other  movables  were 
taken  out  of  some  houses,  in  the  fear  that  the  efforts  to  keep  out 
the  fire  would  not  be  successful,  but  the  houses  were  finally  saved 


602  HISTORY   OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

In  Ilarrisonville  tlie  fire  approaclied  uncomfortably  near  to  the 
dwellings,  but  the  people  had  thus  far  succeeded  in  keeping  it  off. 

Between  Au  Sable  and  Tawas  there  was  a  great  deal  of  fire  in 
the  woods,  but  the  villages  had  not  yet  suffered. 

At  x\lpena  there  was  a  report  that  there  was  fire  above  Devil 
River,  and  that  it  was  working  its  way  toward  the  village. 

In  all  of  the  villages  mentioned  the  inhabitants  felt  reasonably 
secure  in  case  there  should  be  no  high  wind ;  but  in  the  event  of  a 
gale,  without  rain,  they  considered  the  danger  very  great  that  they 
would  suffer  the  same  fate  as  other  callages  further  do^vn.  They 
had  a  slight  rain  on  Tuesday,  but  not  enough  to  afford  mucli 
security  against  the  spread  of  fire.  All  along  this  coast  thei'e  was 
such  a  dense  smoke  that  it  was  impossible  to  see  more  than  a  few 
feet,  and  the  eyes  suffered  severely  from  its  effects.  At  Alpena 
it  was  necessary  to  light  the  lamps  in  the  cabin,  as  the  smoke 
caused  a  darkness  as  great  as  that  of  early  evening. 

At  Forrester,  where  the  Marine  City  stopped,  one  of  the  suffer- 
ers from  the  interior  came  on  board  in  order  to  go  as  far  as 
Lexington  and  procure  provisions  for  his  friends  in  the  country. 
He  had  walked  down  to  Forrester  from  a  place  six  miles  back  of 
Richmondville,  where  there  were  twenty-five  families  in  one 
house,  with  only  two  days'  provisions  on  hand,  and  he  was  the 
only  man  in  the  whole  number  who  felt  able  to  get  as  far  as  For- 
rester. The  rest  of  the  men  were  suffering  fi'om  fire  blindness, 
burns,  or  exhaustion.  The  house  in  and  about  which  they  had 
gathered  was  the  only  one  saved  in  that  vicinity,  and  the  two  days' 
rations  which  they  then  had  were  all  that  they  had  been  able  to 
save  from  the  fire.  An  effort  will  be  made  to  bring  them  away  as 
soon  as  possible,  but  the  means  of  transporting  them  down  to  the 
shore  are  very  scanty.  According  to  the  latest  neM^s  that  the 
Marine  City  could  obtain,  there  have  been  nine  ^dllages  burned  on 
tlie  coast,  ^dz. : — New  Kiver,  Huron  City,  Port  Hope,  Sand  Beach, 
Center  Harbor,  Bock  Falls,  White  Bock,  Ehn  Creek,  and  Forrest- 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  603 

ville,  while  nothing  is  known  of  many  of  the  villages  back  from 
the  coast.  The  only  dock  left  between  Eichmondville  and  Point 
Aux  Barques  is  that  at  White  Eock. 

In  Huron  City  there  is  one  public  house  standing,  that  of  R. 
Winterbottom,  while  the  remainder  of  the  village  is  burned. 

Port  Hope  is  all  burned,  except  the  fine  residence  of  Mr.  Staf- 
ford, his  store,  and  the  Masonic  Lodge.  Mr.  Gumiingj  living- 
back  of  Cato,  is  burned  out,  and  it  is  feared  that  the  same  fate 
has  befallen  the  Luddington  settlement  back  of  Sand  Beach. 

On  Monday  Port  Austin  was  all  right  and  supposed  to  be 
secure.  We  get  by  the  way  of  Saginaw  a  rumor  that  it  has  since 
been  burned,  but  the  rumor  comes  in  such  shape  as  to  lead  to  the 
belief  that  it  is  incorrect. 

The  tug  Frank  Moffat  arrived  at  Port  Huron  Wednesday  night, 
with  forty  passengers  from  Sand  Beach,  five  of  whom  were  badly 
injured.  She  rej)orts  that  Yerona  was  entirely,  and'lSTew  River 
partly  destroyed.  It  was  reported  that  many  lives  were  lost, 
and  also  that  there  was  a  large  destruction  of  cattle,  hogs,  and 
horses.  R.  B.  Hubbard  &  Co.,  of  Huron  City,  owners  of  large 
numbers  of  choice  imported  stock,  shot  the  animals  down  to  pre- 
vent them  from  burning.  The  steamer  Huron,  which  left  .Port 
Huron  Tuesday  mght,  returned  to  that  place  last  evening  with 
another  load  of  rescued  villao-ers,  the  second  that  she  had  brousrht 
down.  She  starts  up  the  shore  again  this  morning  to  continue 
the  work  of  mercy  which  she  has  carried  forward  so  efiiciently, 
and  will  be  devoted  by  her  owners  to  this  duty  as  long  as  there  is 
any  apparent  need  of  her  services. 

From  the  Saginaw  Yalley  it  is  reported  that  everything  between 
Pine  Run  and  Bridgeport  has  been  destroyed.  On  all  sides  of 
Saginaw — indeed,  throughout  the  whole  valley — the  ^^'oods  were 
burning  fiercely,  and  the  flames  were  continually  sweeping  rap- 
idly onward,  carrying  destruction  to  property  of  all  kinds.  In 
East  Saginaw  five  buildings  were  burned  at  midnight,  Sunday. 


604  HTSTOEY    OF    THE    GEEAT   FIRES 

The  occupants  of  the  building  where  the  fire  originated  were  witli 
great  difiicnlty  rescued.  Some  of  them  had  their  feet  and  hands 
ahnost  roasted.  While  the  fire  was  raging  a  fire  l)roke  out  in 
Saginaw  City,  which  destroyed  the  entire  property  known  as  the 
"  Island  "  and  situated  between  the  river  and  the  bayou,  on  the 
side  of  the  river.  The  fire  originated  in  the  shingle-mill  of  Burn- 
ham  &'  Still,  just  above  the  upper  bridge.  This  mill,  drill-house 
and  boarding-house  were  entirely  destroyed ;  also  a  house  owned 
by  a  Mr.  Burnham ;  the  saw-mill,  drill-house,  kettle  and  steam 
salt  blocks  of  Chapin  &  Barber ;  a  lot  of  lumber  and  two  thou- 
sand cords  of  wood,  owned  by  Chapin  &  Barber ;  the  shingle- 
inill  of  Lathrop  &  Inscoe,  and  several  dwellings.  Total  loss, 
$75,000.  The  woods  between  St.  Charles  and  Chesaning  are  all 
afire.  Nearly  a  thousand  cords  of  wood  were  destroyed  at  St. 
Charles.  Above  Midland  the  telegraph  poles  are  all  burned 
down,  and  much  valuable  tiiiiber  is  destroyed.  At  County  Line 
f(jur  buildings  have  been  destroyed  and  more  are  in  danger. 
Four  or  five  hundred  cords  of  wood  and  twelve  miles  of  fencing 
are  burned  near  Birch  Bun. 

In  all  the  valley  cities  the  most  intense  excitement  prevailed 
since  the  terrible  fires  have  given  us  a  foretaste  of  what  the  future 
must  inevitably  be  if  rain  is  not  soon  graciously  vouchsafed  to  us. 
So  soon  as  the  proclamation  of  the  Mayor  was  made  public  tlie 
mills  were  all  shut  down,  and  the  men  sent  to  such  points  as  they 
were  supposed  to  be  most  needed  in.  It  was  but  a  short  time 
after  the  call  of  the  Mayor  was  promulgated  ere  hundreds  of  men 
with  spades,  hoes,  axes  and  rakes  were  on  their  way  to  the  various 
points  of  danger.  Necessarily  disorganized  as  were  the  men  in 
the  first  excitement  of  gathering,  it  was  not  long  ere  they  were 
systematically  at  work  in  the  thus  far  successful  endeavor  to  stay 
the  progress  of  the  fire.  Clerks  in  the  stores  and  laborers  in  the 
workshops  and  mills  united  side  by  side  in  preventing  the  advance 
of  the  flames.     Yesterday  was  indeed  a  day  of  terror -in  our  val- 


IN    CHICAC40    AND    THE    WEST.  605 

ley.  In  every  direction  wagons  drawing  barrels  of  water,  men 
with  pails  and  axes  and  other  implements  with  which  to  fight  the 
rapacious  monste]-,  could  be  seen  eagerly  pressing  to  and  fro  in 
their  mission.  Occasionally  a  countryman  could  be  seen  implor- 
ing men  to  go  with  him  miles  into  the  country  to  save  his  proper- 
ty, but  almost  everybody  had  too  much  to  do  near  his  own  dwell- 
ing-place. In  the  doorways  and  yards  anxious  women  eagerly 
inquired  for  the  latest  news,  and  more  than  once  our  reporter 
was  asked  with  apparent  earnestness  if,  in  his  opinion,  "  this  was 
the  great  and  final  day."  Anxiety  was  depicted  on  every  counte- 
nance, and  we  fear  it  will  but  deepen  if  the  much-desired  rain 
does  not  speedily  fall. 

From  the  Saginaw  Enterjyrise  we  take  another  account  of  a  city 
saved  by  courageous  and  well-sustained  endeavor  : — 

The  report  that  Midland  was  in  flames  was  not  correct.  The 
city  sujffered  no  damage  ;  but  had  it  not  been  for  the  extraordinary 
exertions  of  the  people,  we  would,  have  had  a  different  story  to 
tell.  The  whole  place  on  Monday  night  was  entirely  surrounded 
with  a  vast  sheet  of  flame,  and  the  crackling  of  the  fire  and  the 
crash  of  falling  trees  made  the  scene  a  fearful  one.  Yaliantly 
did  the  people  fight  the  flames,  but  so  steadily  and  surely  would 
they  spread  that  all  the  exertions  of  the  people  appeared  quite 
futile.  The  fierce  wind  added  to  the  fury  of  the  flames  and  car- 
ried sparks  and  burning  fragments  through  the  an-.  At  one  time 
tlie  whole  heavens  appeared  one  mass  of  fire,  and  the  destruction 
of  the  place  appeared  inevitable,  but  the  unceasing  labors  of  the 
people  kept  the  fire  within  bounds,  and  the  city  of  Midlaud 
escaped. 

The  Enterprise  also  has  the  following  additioual  disasters  : — 

Late  last  night  we  received  the  news  that  four  shingle-mills 
were  destroyed  between  three  and  four  miles  from  Midland. 
They  belonged  to  Messrs.  George  Rockwell,  Collier  &  Garber, 
Dowlers,  and  Reardon  &  Andrews.     Besides  these  mills,  all  the 


606  HISTOKY    OF   Tim    GREAT   FIRES 

shanties,  boarding-liouses,  and  barns  attached,  and  a  large  quantity 
of  shingles  were  also  consumed.  Tlie  flames  made  a  clean  sweep, 
and  men  and  cattle  were  driven  in  all  directions  to  seek  a  place 
of  safety.  The  total  loss  is  estimated  at  $50,000.  So  fierce  wei'e 
the  flames  and  so  rapid  did  they  spread,  that  before  the  men 
woi'king  at  the  mills  were  aware  of  it,  they  were  completely  sur- 
rounded by  the  burning  woods,  without  the  remotest  hope  of 
escape.  They  rushed  in  all  directions,  but  they  could  not  find  a 
way  out  of  their  dangerous  location.  The  burning  circle  around 
them  was  gradually  but  surely  growing  smaller,  and  there  was  no 
time  to  be  wasted.  Some  lowered  themselves  down  into  wells  and 
others  dug  holes  in  the  ground,  in  which  they  sought  protection. 
In  these  uncomfortable  positions  they  remained  all  night,  not  dar- 
ing to  move  for  fear  of  the  falling  trees.  Yesterday  a  gang  of 
men  with  wagons  was  sent  out  from  Midland  to  their  relief,  and 
all  escaped  without  sei-ious  injury, 

Kawkawlin  is  entirely  surrounded  by  fire.  John  Gordon  came 
to  Bay  City  for  help.  His  eyebrows  were  singed,  his  hands  were 
blistered,  and  a  piece  of  his  buggy  was  burned.  A  hotel  half-way 
between  Bay  City  and  Rifle  River  w^as  in  imminent  danger  from 
the  rapidly  approaching  fire.  It  became  so  smoky  that  the  family 
were  in  danger  of  being  suffocated.  The  proprietor,  Barney 
Shoots,  went  to  the  railroad  and  hired  a  man  for  $20  to  bring 
himself,  his  wife  and  Mr,  Jay's  little  daughter,  who  was  visiting 
them,  to  Bay  City,  He  left  a  man  to  take  charge  of  the  horses 
and  cattle.  The  man  arrived  yesterday  morning  and  reported  the 
horses  and  cattle  safe,  and  the  house  still  standing. 

The  railroad  bridge  across  the  Pinconning  River  has  been 
burned.  Yesterday  morning  a  train  carried  out  the  material  and 
men  to  build  a  new  one. 

On  the  eastern  coast  of  Lake  Michigan  half  of  the  flourishin/j; 
town  of  Manistee,  with  4,000  inhabitants,  has  also  been  burned. 
The  loss  is  computed  at  |1,300,000. 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  607 

In  Minnesota  the  loss  of  life  has  been  least,  though  the  area  of 
destruction  has  been  probably  as  great  as  in  Wisconsin. 

The  conflagrations  have  extended  to  within  sight  of  St.  Paul, 
and  have  swept  irresistibly  over  the  greater  portion  of  Wright, 
Meecker,  McLeod  and  Carver  counties ;  and  from  thence  out  as 
far  as  Breckim-idge  there  is  an  almost  continuous  belt  of  bm-ned 
country.  The  towns,  however,  have  generally  managed  to  escape, 
and  it  is  believed  that  the  worst  of  the  danger  is  over.  The  lives 
lost  will  not,  probably,  foot  up  to  fifty,  all  told.  Still,  the  devas- 
tation among  the  woods  has  been  fearful,  and  thousands  of  square 
miles  have  been  reduced  to  a  charred  waste. 

SAVED   BY   HEROISM. 

A  large  portion  of  Gratiot  County,  Mich.,  was  overrun  by  the 
late  fires,  destroying  dwellings,  fences,  timber,  saw-mills,  and  other 
property.  The  only  mill  saved  in  that  section  was  that  belonging 
to  D.  L.  Case  and  James  M.  Turner,  of  this  city. 

An  old  Englishman  in  their  employ,  named  Jacob  Laird,  saw 
that  the  mill  was  in  the  range  of  the  fire,  and  that  it  was  speedily- 
coming  upon  him,  and  he  made  preparations  to  meet  and  fight  it 
like  an  old  soldier,  for  he  had  seiwed  the  Union  cause  gallantl}' 
during  the  late  rebellion.  Taking  all  the  movable  property  fi'om 
the  mill,  blacksmith  shop,  and  boarding-house,  he  buried  it  where 
it  would  be  safe  fi-om  the  devouring  element.  Then  he  dug  a 
series  of  wells,  inclosing  the  mill  and  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
feet  of  lumber,  placing  by  the  side  of  each  well  a  barrel  filled 
with  water,  a  pail  in  each  well  and  another  in  the  barrel.  These 
Avells  were  dug  thick  as  needed  for  the  speedy  protection  of  the 
property.  One  well  he  dug  deeper  than,  the  others,  that  in  case 
his  efforts  to  save  the  property  should  be  in  vain  and  his  own  life 
in  danger,  he  could  jump  in  as  a  last  resort. 

The  fire  came  down  upon  him  like  a  tornado.  With  his  force 
of  hands  he  met  it,  and  where  it  crossed  the  line  here  and  there, 


608  HISTORY    OF    THE    GKEAT   FIKES 

setting  fire  to  piles  of  lumber,  tlie  water  ready  at  haud  quenched 
the  flames.  At  last  he  came  off  victorious,  for  he  saved  the  mill, 
lumber,  and  all  the  property,  with  the  loss  of  his  own  hair,  eye- 
bi'ows,  whiskers,  and  even  the  woollen  shirt  from  off  his  back. 
When  rallied  by  his  employers  as  to  whether  he  "  didn't  find  it 
hot  work,"  his  reply  was,  "  It  was  not  much  of  a  soldier  who 
couldn't  face  the  fire,  after  facing  as  many  cannon  as  he  had." 

As  a  reward.  Laird's  wages  have  been  nearly  doubled,  and  he 
was  furnished  with  a  fine  suit  of  clothes,  and  told  that  he  could 
remain  there  as  long  as  he  chose. 

During  Monday  the  city  of  Grand  Haven  was  full  of  terrible 
rumors  as  to  the  fire  in  Holland  City,  but  nothing  definite  or  relia- 
ble could  be  learned  until  the  arrival  at  two  o'clock  of  a  train 
from  the  north  side  of  Black  Lake,  containing  several  passengers, 
among  whom  were  Miss  Jennie  and  Miss  Clarie  Pennoyer,  two 
young  ladies  who  have  been  engaged  in  teaching  in  the  doomed 
city.     The  statement  of  these  young  ladies  is  nearly  as  follows  : — 

The  fire  broke  in  upon  the  city  from  the  woods  about  three  p.m., 
Sunday,  but  no  buildings  of  any  consequence  burned  until  dark 
in  the  evening.  No  one  thought  the  city  was  in  any  special  danger 
until  ten  or  eleven  o'clock,  but  at  that  time  a  strong  wind  setting 
in  from  the  woods,  the  fire  swept  over  the  city  with  wonderful 
rapidity.  The  main  part  of  the  city  was  soon  in  flames.  The 
house  where  the  Misses  Pemioyer  were  staying  caught  fire  about 
three  o'clock  Monday  morning.  The  ladies  had  packed  their 
trunks,  and,  hastily  dressing  themselves  in  wrappers,  just  managed 
to  escape.  The  Lake  View  House  went  next,  and  then  the  fine 
City  Mills  of  Wakeman,  Gerlings  &  Co.  The  ladies,  after  leaving 
the  house,  ran  to  a  small  mound  near  by,  and  soon  found  them- 
selves surrounded  by  fire.  Mr.  George  Howard,  whose  efforts 
were  indefatigable,  managed  to  assist  them  out  of  their  precarious 
position. 

The  portion  of  £he  city  where  Professor  Charles  Scott  resided 


EEBUILDING  C 


!AGO 


m    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  611 

was  completely  destroyed,  and  the  Professor  not  being  found,  it 
was  generally  feared  that  he  had  fallen  a  victim  to  the  flames. 
Mr.  Joslin,  of  the  firm  of  Breynan  &  Joslin,  another  of  tlie  best 
citizens,  was  engaged  in  rescuing  persons  from  the  flames.  He 
insisted  on  going  once  more  to  the  rescue ;  friends  advised  him 
not  to  venture,  but  he  would  not  be  dissuaded,  thinking  there  ^vere 
still  lives  to  be  saved.  He  did  not  return,  and  is  believed  to  have 
been  suffocated  and  burned  to  death.  The  livery  stables  were 
emptied  of  the  horses  which  were  taken  to  the  public  square,  as 
the  oidy  place  of  safety.  Thousands  of  people  were  collected 
there.  Women  and  children  were  then  running  about  the  streets, 
wailing  and  crying,  unable  to  find  their  husbands  and  fathers, 
brothers  and  sisters.  Many  females  barely  escaped  with  their 
night-clothes.  A  child  ten  years  of  age  was  picked  up  on  the 
street  burned  to  death.  It  is  impossible  to  tell  how  many  lives 
are  lost.  Some  nine  or  ten  citizens  are  missing,  but  some  may 
yet  be  found. 

When  the  Misses  Pennoyer  left,  men  were  trying  to  keep  the 
fire  from  the  College  buildings,  but  the  succeeding  train  reported 
that  these  buildings,  although  of  brick,  were  burnirig ;  also  the 
Union  School  building  and  all  the  churches,  except  the  "  Seced- 
ers  "  or  the  "  True  Reformed  Church."  One  woman  in  leaving 
her  house  tied  her  baby  in  a  bundle,  but  in  her  hurry  she  took  the 
wrong  bundle,  and  to  her  dismay  discovered  her  mistake  when  too 
late.  Of  seven  children  she  could  find  only  two.  Fortunately, 
however,  the  bundle  containing  the  live  baby  was  picked  up  in 
the  street,  and  it  was  believed  that  the  other  children  were  also 
found. 

Mr.  M.  D.  Howard,  when  he  saw  the  fire  rapidly  approaching 
his  residence,  \asited  every  room  in  the  liouse  for  the  last  time. 
The  house  was  elegantly  furnished,  and  the  fine  piano,  together 
with  every  article  of  furniture,  was  destroyed.  Nothing  was 
saved  but  a  little  personal  clothing.  The  family  took  refuge  on  a 
35 


612  HISTORY   OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

tug  and  were  taken  toward  the  month  of  Black  Lake  to  a  place 
of  safety.  George  Howard  was  very  diligent  in  picking  up 
children  and  women  who  were  running  frantically  about  in  places 
of  danger  and  removing  them  to  a  place  of  safety.  In  this  way 
he  saved  numerous  lives.  He  sometimes  had  to  capture  them  by 
main  force  to  save  them  from  destruction. 

The  City  Hotel  at  first  was  considered  by  Mr.  Myers  out  of 
danger,  but  his  most  valuable  articles  he  fortunately  buried  in  the 
srround,  and  these  were  all  that  was  saved  of  the  best  hotel  in  the 
city.  The  house  was  in  flames  when  the  family  and  boarders  es- 
caped.    The  other  hotels  all  shared  the  same  fate, 

Mr.  George  Howard,  at  the  very  commencement  of  the  fire, 
took  fourteen  spades  and  handed  them  each  to  Hollanders,  who 
were  standing  around,  and  requested  them  to  use  them  in  throwing 
sand  on  the  fire,  so  as  to  prevent  it  from  spreading  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  city.  They  actually  refused  to  work,  giving  as  a  reason 
that  it  was  Sunday,  and  it  would  be  wrong  to  do  any  work  on  that 
day.  Had  they  gone  to  work  like  men,  this  terrible  conflagration 
and  suffering  might  possibly  have  been  prevented. 

The  woods  along  the  line  of  the  Michigan  Lake  Shore  Rail- 
road, between  Holland  and  Pigeon  River,  were  in  flames.  The 
miles  of  marsh  were  one  sheet  of  flame,  and  it  was  with  great 
difliculty  the  train  came  through.  The  heat  inside  the  cars  was 
intense. 

A  message  from  Mr.  A.  D.  Howard  was  received  by  the  train, 
stating  that  the  people  were  in  danger  of  starving,  as  all  the  stores 
were  destroyed,  and  asking  that  a  supply  be  immediately  shipped. 
Mr.  D.  Cutler  immediately  called  on  the  stores  and  ordered  a 
supply  of  crackers,  and  all  the  cooked  provisions  that  could  be 
collected  sent  to  the  depot.  The  train  did  not  get  off  till  Tuesday 
morning,  when  rain  came  anr^  subdued  the  flames  along  the  line 
of  the  road. 

^Ye  felt  profound  sympathy  for  children  in  these  seasons  of  terror 


m   CHICAGO   AND    THE   WEST.  613 

and  destruction,  for  they  could  not  reason,  but  saw  the  peril  in  the 
skies  by  day  and  night,  and  passed  through  the  bitter  struggles 
for  life  which  so  often  terminated  fatally,  and  always  brought 
suffering  and  distress. 

A  Port  Huron  correspondent  of  the  Detroit  Post  says : — 
You  have  already  been  told  the  story  of  the  little  boat-load  of 
childi-en  carried  from  Eock  Falls  to  Canada,  and  saved  in  spite  of 
storm  and  hunger  and  exposure.  I  saw  Mrs.  Mann,  the  mother  of 
these  children,  who  arrived  here  yesterday  morning  on  board  tlie 
Huron.  She  had  given  up  all  of  them  for  lost.  But,  mother-like, 
though  four  were  saved,  she  mourned  deeply  for  the  lost  one, 
who,  half -clad  and  shivering  in  the  cold  water  in  the  bottom  of 
the  boat,  sailed  away  upon  an  unknown  and  measureless  sea 
almost  in  sight  of  land  and  deliverance.  There  were  five  children 
in  this  boat  belonging  to  Mrs.  Maim,  and  four  to  the  owner  of  the 
boat  who  took  them  away,  making  nine  infant  voyagers,  who  for 
three  days,  without  food  and  drenched  to  the  skin,  floated  across 
LakeHuroninaboat  which  was  kept  from  going  to  the  bottom  by 
means  of  an  old  boot  and  a  shoe,  which  were  the  only  vessels  for 
baling  that  these  unfortunate  travellers  had  on  board.  The 
mother's  heart  seemed  deeply  touched  and  troubled  because  no 
last  offices  and  loving  ministries  could,  in  the  nature  of  the  case, 
be  paid  to  the  little  one  whose  voyage  of  life  was  at  once  so  brief 
and  eventful.  When  these  four  children  were  put  on  a  tug  at 
Kincardine,  Ontario,  to  be  returned  to  their  parents^  it  struck  a 
rock  just  as  it  was  getting  under  way  and  went  down.  The 
children  were  rescued  and  sent  homeward  by  the  cars.  They 
have  at  last  reached  Port  Huron,  after  adventures  by  field  and' 
flood  almost  equal  to  Othello's,  and  it  is  hoped  that  they  will  arrive 
home  without  f  lu-ther  accident. 

The  babs  of  Mrs.  Shubert,  of  Paris,  one  of  the  Polish  settlers, 
>vas  carried  from  its  burning  home  by  its  grandmother,  while  its 
mother  stayed  behind  to  fight  the  fire.     The  grandmother  was 


614  HISTOKY    OF    THE    GKEAT   FIKES 

compelled  to  lie  down  in  a  roadside  ditcli  with  twenty  others, 
whei-e  they  passed  the  night,  it  being  the  only  refuge  from  the 
flames.  The  infant  was  only  three  months  old,  and  required 
nourishment.  Luckily  the  iire  had  driven  a  cow  to  seek  company 
and  shelter  Math  these  human  beings.  A  big  tin  pan  was  found 
in  a  wagon,  and  the  animal  was  milked.  The  babj^'s  aunt  took 
the  mushy  compound  which  the  flying  sand,  cinders,  and  ashes 
made  of  the  milk  into  her  mouth,  and  fed  the  child  in  that 
original  manner. 

During  the  recent  terrible  fires  in  Western  Michigan,  there  were 
three  brothers,  owners  of  valuable  mills  and  buildings,  which  they 
and  their  neighbors  (some  of  whom  were  Christian  men)  Avere  de- 
fending from  the  flre  until  all  were  exhausted  and  in  despair.  One 
of  the  owners,  a  fi-ank,  rough,  wicked  man  of  huge  frame  and 
generous  impulses,  said  many  hard  words  about  God's  permitting 
the  destruction  of  so  much  property  for  no  good  to  any  one,  etc., 
etc.  Finally,  he  gave  up  and  said  to  his  neighbors :  "  Go  home, 
go  home  ;  nothing  more  can  be  done  for  us ;  God  can  do  as  he 
pleases."  Just  then  a  few  drops  of  rain  fell ;  looking  up,  they 
saw  the  cloud,  and  all  redoubled  their  efforts.  A  slight  rain  fell, 
and  the  flre  was  checked,  and  the  mills  saved.  The  rough  man 
dropped  upon  his  knees,  great  tears  rolled  down  his  face,  his 
hands  were  clasped,  head  bowed,  and  he  agonizing  to  express  his 
thanks.  Suddenly  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  vigorously  swinging  his 
hat,  and  with  the  most  intense  earnestness  shouted,  "  Hurrah  for 

God!       IIUKKAH  FOR  GoD  !  " 

ONE    COUNTY   IN    MICHIGAN. 

Beginning  below  Port  Austin,  Huron  County,  Grindstone  City, 
a  place  of  three  hundred  inhabitants,  is  half  destroyed ;  then  fol- 
low Nqw  Eiver,  three  buildings  burned ;  Huron  City,  flve  hun- 
dred inhabitants,  totally  destroyed ;  Port  Hope,  six  hundred  inhab- 
itants, half  gone ;  Forest  Bay,  two  jiundred -inhabitants,  every  house 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  615 

gone ;  Sandbeacli,  four  hundred  inhabitants,  all  destroyed  ;   Cen- 
tre Harbor,  one  hundred  and  fifty  inhabitants,  everything  gone 
Eock  Falls,  three  hiuidred  inhabitants,  half  of  the  town  burnt 
Elm  Creek,  one  hundred  and  fifty  inliabitants,  totally  destroyed 
White   E,ock,    six  hundred  inhabitants,  every  house  consumed 
\^erona  Mills,  three  hundred  inhabitants,  every  house  in  the  place 
gone,  except  the  minister's.     Thus  were  the  little  villages  of  this 
region  scourged.     The  destruction  in  the  country  was  proportion- 
ately great ;  the  farming  townships  of  Sheridan,  Bingham,  Paris, 
Verona,  Sherman  and  Sandbeacli  were  traversed  by  the  flames, 
which  lapped  up  everything  in  the  shape  of  houses,  barns,  fences, 
stock,  farming  implements,  etc. 

A  more  particular  account  thus  locates  and  estimates  the  mis- 
fortunes of  this  single  county  : 

The  total  number  of  persons  and  families  burned  out,  and  of 
losses  in  Huron  County  are  as  follows,  in  the  townships  named  :— 

"Yerona — Twenty-seven  families,  one  hundred  and  fourteen 
persons,  loss  $42,150. 

"Bingham   Township — Thirty-five    families,    comprising    one 
hundred  and  sixty-eight  persons,  burnt  out. 

"  Sigel  Township — Twenty-one  families,  one  hundred  and  five 
persons,  loss  $6,300. 

"Grant    Township — Four,  families,   twenty-one   persons,  loss 
$1,700. 

"Colfax  Township— Four  families,   twenty-two   persons,   loss 
$2,000. 

"Sheridan   Township— Four  famihes,   nineteen   persons,  loss 
$1,100. 

"  Sherman  Township— Twenty-five  families,  one  hundred  and 
sixteen  persons,  loss  $16,150. 

"  Huron  Township— Twenty-three  families,  ninety-seven  per- 
sons, loss  $8,550. 

"  Dwight — One  family,  seven  persons,  loss  $2,000. 


616  HISTORY   OF   THE   GREAT   FIEES 

"  Mead — One  family,  six  persons,  loss  $400. 

"  Hume — Three  families,  nineteen  persons,  loss  $1,800. 

«Mr.  W.  K.  Stafford  lost  $53,000  by  the  fire. 

"  In  Port  Hope,  Rubicon  and  Gore  townships,  there  are  three 
hundred  and  thirty-eight  persons  burned  out,  with  a  loss  of 
$176,825. 

"  The  total  number  in  the  families  that  are  losers  in  this  county 
alone  is  not  less  than  3,000. 

"  There  have  been  eleven  school-houses  burned  in  this  county, 
as  follows :  all  in  Paris  township,  four  in  number ;  one  at  Yer- 
non  Mills,  Gibson  school-house  in  Sherman,  one  at  AVhite  Rock,  one 
at  Centre  Harbor,  one  at  Sandbeach,  one  at  Forest  Bay,  and  the 
Hellem's  school-house  in  Dwight. 

"  The  loss  by  the  burning  of  bridges  across  streams  and  cross- 
ways,  through  swamps,  coupled  with  the  almost  total  destruction 
of  fences,  will  amount  to  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  dol- 
lars. There  is  hardly  a  farm  in  the  county  but  has  had  a  portion 
of  its  fences  burned,  and  this  is  true  even  in  those  sections  where 
but  few  or  no  buildings  have  been  destroyed. 

"  The  loss  to  this  county  by  the  burning  of  pine  and  other  valu- 
able timber  is  very  great.  It  is  too  soon  to  make  anything  like  an 
accurate  calculation  of  the  total  loss  from  this  source,  but  from 
converse  during  the  week  with  the  Supervisors  and  others  from 
different  parts  of  the  county,  we  know  we  are  safe  in  saying  that 
it  will  exceed  $1,000,000." 

A  gentleman,  writing  of  Tuscola  County,  gives  a  forlorn  pic- 
ture : — 

The  fire  through  this  county  has  destroyed  nearly  all  the  pine, 
and  thousands  of  acres  of  hemlock  timber.  There  are  a  large 
number  of  individual  cases  of  suffering  by  the  fire,  some  losing  all 
they  possessed  in  the  world  but  their  land,  others  losing  nearly  all 
their  fences,  others  barns,  with  their  contents  of  hay,  wheat,  oats, 
etc.     The  destruction  of  hard  timber  is  also  enormous,  that  more 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST,  617 

especially  on  low  grounds.  Here  the  fire  has  burned  so  fiercely 
that  the  roots  of  the  trees  have  been  burned  off,  and  hardly 
a  tree  is  left  standing. 

There  is  a  sti-ip  of  country  east  of  Cass  City,  euibracing  a  por- 
tion of  Tuscola  County  and  nearly  all  of  Huron  and  Sanilac  coun- 
ties, Avhich  is  probably  the  worst  burnt  district  in  this  State. 
Hardly  a  building  is  left,  and  the  pine  and  hemlock  lands  are  all 
destroyed.  Whole  townsliips  of  timber  are  burned  up  hj  the 
roots  and  have  fallen  in  every  conceivable  shape,  rendering  it 
next  to  impossible  to  lumber  it  witliout  more  expense  than  the 
actual  worth  of  the  timber.  I  saw  and  conversed  with  a  gentle- 
man from  this  district,  who  was  there  during  the  whole  fire,  and 
who  had  several  very  narrow  escapes  from  being  burned  alive, 
being  twice  carried  by  others  who  were  with  him  from  the  fire  in  an 
insensible  condition ;  and  finally,  after  there  was  no  further  hope  of 
saving  his  home,  it  was  then  too  late  to  make  his  escape  with  his 
family,  and  they  took  refuge  in  an  out-of-door  cellar,  which  is  a 
hole  dug  into  the  ground  and  "then  covered  over  with  slabs,  and 
dirt  thrown  upon  this. 

They  were  compelled  to  remain  there  for  twenty- fom-  hours 
without  food,  and  almost  suffocated  by  the  dense  smoke.  This  is 
but  one  instance  of  many  equally  as  narrow  escapes.  Every  par- 
ticle of  anything  like  hay,  corn-stalks,  or  straw  was  burned,  and 
many  of  those  who  had  oxen  and  cows  are  now  selling  them  for 
ten  dollars  a  head,  because  they  have  nothing  to  feed  them,  and 
there  is  not  a  green  thing  in  the  woods  or  fields  for  miles.  The 
people  of  Watrousville  have  been  active  in  raising  supplies  and 
forwarding  them  to  the  sufferers.  Yesterday  Kev.  Mr.  Goodman, 
of  East  Saginaw,  was  on  his  way  into  that  county  as  a  committee 
of  one  to  prepare  the  way  for  large  supplies  to  be  sent  from  that 
place.  Business  of  all  kinds  has  been  entirely  disarranged  by  the 
fires,  and  there  is  a  general  complaint  of  didl  times.  But  the  prob- 
ability is  that  the  rain,  which  commenced  falling  this  afternoon 


618  HTSTOET    OF    THE    GREAT   FIKES 

at  about  one  o'clock,  and  at  the  present  writing,  ten  p.m.,  con- 
tinues, will  entirely  extinguish  the  still  smouldering  fires,  and  give 
a  permanent  relief  from  the  anxiety  and  feeling  of  insecurity 
which  has  pervaded  the  whole  people  of  tliis  section  for  the  past 
three  weeks,  and  in  a  short  time  business  will  be  resumed  with 
more  \igor  than  ever. 

The  breadth  of  wheat  sown  in  this  county  is  very  small,  prob- 
ably not  one-fourth  of  the  usual  amount.  But  a  small  portion  of 
the  last  wheat  crop  has  been  disposed  of,  farmers  generally  hold- 
ing it  for  a  higher  price.  Hay,  and  all  kinds  of  coarse  fodder 
and  coarse  grains  are  very  higli,  and  it  will  require  a  good  deal 
of  economy  to  get  their  stock  through  the  winter. 

In  Chicago  a  man  took  refuge  in  a  water-pipe  and  was  roasted ; 
and  now  we  have  the  story  of  a  man  in  Michigan,  who  found  his 
death  in  a  hollow  log. 

SKELETON    FOUND    IN   A   LOG. 

Some  three  months  since  an  Englishman,  named  Ilalviy,  after  a 
short  stay  at  Quebec,  came  along  to  Detroit  to  visit  his  brother-in- 
Ikw  here,  Mr.  John  Gloveson,  a  produce  buyer,  living  on  Twelfth 
street.  Ilalvry  left  England  with  the  intention  of  purchasing  a 
farm  either  in  Canada  or  the  States,  and  when  he  came  to  Detroit 
he  left  his  family  at  Quebec.  As  Gloveson  was  considerably  ac- 
quainted in  the  Lake  Shore  counties,  he  induced  his  relative  to 
think  of  going  into  some  of  them  and  l)uying  him  a  farm,  and 
agreed  to  go  np  with  him  on  a  prospective  trip.  They  were  both 
ready  to  start — in  fact,  had  left  the  house— when  Gloveson  was 
handed  a  telegram,  which  called  him  to  go  to  Jackson,  or  run  a 
risk  of  losing  several  hundred  dollars.  lie,  therefore,  reluctantly 
abandoned  the  trip,  and  gave  Halviy  such  instructions  as  induced 
the  man  to  make  the  voyage  alone. 

This  was  just  a  week  previous  to  the  news  of  the  fires  in  the 
woods  which  created  such  loss  of  life  and  damage  to  property  in 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE    WEST.  619 

Sanilac,  Huron  and  other  counties.  Ilalvry  wrote  from  Forrest- 
ville,  two  days  after  reaching  there,  that  he  liked  the  locality  very 
much,  and  had  had  three  or  four  offers  of  partnership  in  business, 
which  he  was  considering.  lie  also  stated  further  tiiat  he  v/as 
going  back  into  the  country  to  look  at  some  farming  lands,  and 
should  not  probably  come  down  the  Lake  for  several  days. 

"VVlien  the  fire  came,  interrupting  communication,  Gloveson  was 
in  Illinois,  and  he  did  not  return  home  until  several  days  after  the 
news  of  the  destruction  of  Forrestville  and  other  towns.  Waiting 
from  day  to  day  for  news  or  for  the  reappearance  of  his  relative, 
and  hearing  nothing,  he  at  length  decided  to  go  up  thei^e,  having 
found  by  telegraphing  to  Quebec  that  Halviy  had  not  joined  his 
family.  lie  accordingly  proceeded  on  the  trip,  and,  after  a  hunt 
of  thirteen  days,  returned  three  or  four  days  ago,  bearing  only 
evil  tidings.  Gloveson  found  plenty  of  people  at  Forrestville  who 
remembered  the  Englishman,  but  for  three  days  could  not  find  any 
one  to  tell  him  where  the  man  went  when  leaving  the  town.  He 
at  length  found  a  farmer,  whose  property  had  been  swept  away, 
who  had  shown  Halvry  around  his  farm,  situated  about  four  miles 
from  the  town.  This  was  only  two  days  before  the  advent  of  the 
flames,  and  the  smoke  was  so  thick  as  to  cause  many  complaints 
from  the  new  arrival,  and  he  declined  purchasing  in  a  locality  sub- 
ject to  such  a  nuisance.  Another  man  remembered  meeting  and 
talking  with  the  Englishman  in  the  woods  where  men  were  getting 
out  some  timber,  and  the  last  heard  of  Ilalvry  was  that  lie  was 
looking  at  some  wild  land  on  the  afternoon  before  the  fire,  seven 
or  eight  miles  back  of  Forrestville.  Day  after  day,  until  he  had 
travelled  hundreds  of  miles,  Gloveson  rode  and  walked  over  the 
blackened  and  desolate  country,  finding  no  further  news  of  his 
relative.  One  day,  when  travelling  across  a  bit  of  forest  where  the 
fires  still  smouldered  and  flickered  in  the  ground,  and  where  the 
flames  had  done  great  damage,  he  sat  down  to  rest.  In  a  moment 
he  became  aware  of  a  horrible  stench,  and  looking  about  him,  he 


620  HISTOKT    OF   THE    GKEAT   FIRES 

made  a  terrible  discovery.  Fifteen  or  twenty  feet  aM^ay  was  a 
large  log,  or  the  remains  of  one,  for  the  fire  had  burned  up  all  but 
the  end  which  had  become  heavy  with  water  from  resting  in  the 
neck  of  a  small  marsh,  dry  then,  but  fed  by  a  creek  at  other  times. 
Sticking  out  fi'om  the  hollow  of  this  log  were  the  feet  and  legs  of 
a  skeleton,  nothing  but  the  bare  bones  left,  and  beyond  the  skele- 
ton feet  was  the  roasted  body  of  a  man,  the  flesh  cooked  and 
shrivelled  down,  but  emitting  a  smell  which  Gloveson  could  stand 
only  for  a  moment  at  a  time  without  retreating.  At  length  he 
seized  hold  of  the  bones  and  drew  the  body  out,  when  the  sight 
and  the  stench  were  still  more  horrible.  At  the  shoulders  the  fire 
seemed  to  have  stopped,  leaving  the  flesh  half  cooked,  and  it  was 
now  ready  to  fall  from  the  bones.  The  hair  was  gone  fi-om  th-e 
head,  the  countenance  so  disfigured  that  there  was  no  identifying 
it,  and  the  bones  of  one  hand  were  as  clean  and  white  as  chalk. 
Every  particle  of  clothing  was  gone,  and  down  in  the  ashes  below 
Gloveson  found  a  number  of  boot  nails. 

Although  not  certain  that  the  roasted  body  was  that  of  his  rela- 
tive, Gloveson  secured  no  other  evidences  of  the  man's  death,  and 
yet  fails'  to  find  that  he  is  living.  It  seems  that  the  victim,  who- 
ever he  was,  had  been  caught  in  that  vicinity  by  the  fire,  and  hav- 
ing no  other  resort,  crawled  into  the  log,  hoping  that  the  flames 
would  sweep  over  it.  The  dry  end  caught  fire,  and  he  was  roasted 
alive,  enduring  the  most  horrible  death  imaginable.  There  was  an 
excavation  close  at  hand,  made  by  the  uprooting  of  a  tree,  and  into 
this  place  the  skeleton  was  dragged  and  the  bank  caved  in  on  it  as 
a  covering.  Returning  to  Forrestville,  Gloveson  made  such  in- 
quiries as  led  him  to  believe  that  the  skeleton  was  not  that  of  any 
resident  of  that  locality,  and  he  then  ended  his  search. 


EST   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  621 


CHAPTER  XLII. 


Hon.  "Wm.  A.  Howard,  writing  to  Hon.  Alexander  H.  Rice,  of 
Boston,  concerning  the  needs  of  Michigan,  says  : — 

If  you  will  now  look  at  Port  Huron,  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Huron, 
and  follow  the  shore  northerly  clear  around  and  up  Saginaw  Bay, 
and  extending  back  from  the  shore  into  the  country  for  miles,  you 
will  find  a  country  where  the  horror  and  suffering  is  almost  past 
belief.  The  loss  of  life  is  very  great.  Fifty  dead  bodies  were 
found  in  the  rear  of  our  town  alone.  "Women  and  children  saved 
their  lives  by  rushing  into  the  Lake,  with  their  hair  burned  off. 
These  people  are  being  cared  for  by  Detroit  and  all  the  eastern 
portion  of  this  State,  nobly  aided  by  Toledo,  Cleveland,  and,  indeed, 
all  over  Ohio,  New  York,  and  last,  but  not  least,  glorious  old  New 
England.  Excuse  the  contradiction,  but  she  seems  to  me  not  only 
the  best  but  the  oldest  country  in  the  world,  perhaps  because  I 
first  saw  the  light  there. 

If  you  would  now  find  the  field  of  the  western  branch  of  our 
State  Committee,  you  will  please  place  yourself  at  Grand  Haven, 
at  the  mouth  of  Grand  Eiver  and  the  western  terminus  of  the  De- 
troit and  Milwaukee  Railroad.  If  you  go  north  along  the  coast 
about  ninety  miles,  you  will  find  the  place  where  Manistee  was. 
If  you  go  south  from  Grand  Haven  about  twenty  miles,  and 
turn  inland  and  cross  a  little  lane,  you  will  find  the  ruins  of  Holland. 
Of  the  villagers  you  will  find  three  hundred  families,  in  all  per- 
haps two  thousand  persons,  who  were  utterly  destitute  of  food  and 
shelter,  and  of  clothing,  except  what  they  had  on  their  persons 
when  they  fled  for  their  lives.  Instead  of  finding  succor  from  the 
surrounding  country,  the  country  itself  is  devastated.  One  hun- 
dred and  thirty  farms  were  stripped  of  buildings,  fences,  crops, 
and  their  inhabitants  were  driven  before  the  fire  to  the  village. 

But  I  need  not  describe  the  scenes  at  Holland  or  Manistee. 
They  simply  needed  everything  there.     But  the  liberality  of  the 


HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT    FIKES 


American  people,  and  especially  of  all  the  railroads  in  carrying 
free,  and  giving  preference  to  cars  loaded  with  supplies,  has  en- 
abled the  committee  to  accomplish  more  than  could  have  been  ex- 
pected. I  inclose  a  printed  slip  that  has  some  suggestions  deemed 
valuable  for  Holland.  The  peoj)le  of  Manistee  will  more  readily 
find  emplo}Tnent  in  getting  out  lumber.  When  once  provided 
with  shelter,  beddings  and  the  men  set  to  work,  we  shall  be  reliev- 
ed to  a  great  extent.  The  fire  extended  across  the  whole  State.  I 
have  tried  to  point  you  to  the  shores.  It  was  less  severe  in  the  interior, 
although  there  are  many  cases  that  do  and  must  secure  attention. 

At  Manistee  and  Holland  we  have  depots,  and  earnest,  faithful 
men  and  women  working  to  distribute  to  the  necessities  of  the 
people.  Our  great  depot  is  at  Grand  Haven,  from  which  point 
we  readily  replenish  smaller  ones.  We  seek  local  contributions  in 
kind,  food,  second-hand  clothing,  cooking  stoves,  etc.  I  hope 
$1,000  of  your  bounty  has  reached  Peshtigo  or  vicinity.  Some  of 
it  is  at  Holland,  in  the  shape  of  ticking  for  straw  beds,  or  cheap 
prints  and  wadding  being  made  into  warm  comfortables ;  hammei*s, 
nails,  putty,  glass,  flour,  pork,  etc. — a  few  dollars  in  a  shanty  here 
and  barracks  there.  When  a  people  finds  the  wolf  at  the  door, 
and  is  fighting  him  for  life,  it  can  spread  a  little  money  very  thin. 
Our  operations  must  continue  a  long  time.  We  feel  as  though  we 
had  entered  on  a  winter's  campaign.  We  are  very  thankful  for 
your  people's  liberality.  We  invoke  your  sympathy  and  aid  in 
the  future.  I  beg  leave  to  say  that  if  some  of  your  wealthy  men 
would  loan  to  those  Holland  farmers  some  money  to  aid  them  in 
building,  they  would  combine  business  with  charity.  Probably 
prompt  payment  of  interest  could  hardly  be  expected  the  first 
year,  but  the  whole  principal  and  interest  could  be  made  very  safe. 
They  are  the  most  industrious  people  I  ever  saw.  They  settled 
twenty-five  years  ago  on  that  flat  land,  densely  covered  with  large 
timber,  and,  with  nothing  but  their  hands,  they  converted  nine 
townships  into  a  garden. 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  623 

This  was  wi'itten  Oct.  30th,  and  on  Nov.  15th  the  committee  of 
Boston  relief  reported  upon  Michigan  as  follows : 

On  the  16th  of  October,  Governor  Baldwin  appointed  two  State 
relief  committees,  one  for  the  eastern  shore,  and  another  for  the 
western  shore. 

(1)  The  committee  for  the  eastern  shore  is  located  in  Detroit 
and  consists  of  four  gentlemen,  of  whom  Charles  M.  Garrison  is 
chairman.  This  committee  has  charge  in  general  of  the  peninsula 
between  Saginaw  Ba,j  and  Lake  Huron,  the  burnt  region  of  which 
comprises  twenty-three  townships  severely,  and  eighteen  partially 
burned,  and  embraces  an  area  of  more  than  1,400  square  miles. 
In  the  parts  severely  burned  the  committee  say  that  nine-tenths  of 
the  houses  were  consumed.  Extreme  drought  had  prevailed 
throughout  the  AVest  for  many  weeks,  and  there  had  not  been  a 
rainy  day  since  the  beginning  of  June.  During  this  time  fires 
were  raging  in  the  woods  in  many  localities.  The  same  gale  which 
blew  upon  Chicago  on  Sunday  night,  October  8,  swept  over  the 
burning  woods  of  Michigan  and  Yfisconsin,  and  in  places  increas- 
ing to  tornadoes,  fanned  the  scattered  fires  on  the  east  side  of 
Michigan  into  a  general  conflagration. 

Its  fearful  power  may  be  illustrated  by  the  case  of  Wliite  Bock, 
on  the  coast.  Here  the  population,  that  had  fought  the  fire  for 
weeks,  were  aroused  at  one  o'clock  at  night  by  the  roar  of  the 
tornado,  and  fled  before  it.  They  waded  out  into  the  Lake  up  to 
their  necks  and  remained  there  until  seven  in  the  morning,  when, 
exhausted,  they  returned  to  the  beach  and  slept  till  noon.  Boats 
which  went  to  relieve  the  sufferers  were  unable  to  go  within  miles 
of  the  shore  for  nearly  two  days,  on  account  of  the  dense  smoke 
and  fiery  cinders.  And  yet  we  were  told  that  not  more  than 
twenty  lives  were  lost  in  this  eastern  di^^sion,  although  from  three 
thousand  to  four  thousand  j)eople  were  rendered  utterly  destitute. 

The  Detroit  committee  has  thoroughly  canvassed  this  whole 
district.     Lists  of  all  the  needy  inliabitants  are  in  the  hands  of 


624:  HISTORY   OF    THE   GREAT   FIRES 

the  Supervisors  of  each  township,  through  which  individual  wants 
are  ascertained.  This  committee  has  established  seven  stations 
along  the  shore,  at  the  most  convenient  points  for  distribution. 
The  region  is  almost  inaccessible  for  supplies  during  the  winter; 
and  the  committee  is  endeavoring  to  accmnulate,  before  the  closing 
of  water  communication,  sufficient  stores  to  last  until  spring.  The 
clothing  which  we  saw  was  much  of  it  poor  and  unassorted,  but 
the  committee  believed  that  there  was  a  sufficient  supply  both  for 
present  and  prospective  use.  There  was  not,  however,  money 
enough  to  meet  the  requisitions  of  the  agents  on  the  ground,  and 
further  contributions  are  especially  desired  for  the  purchase  of 
such  articles  as  can  best  be  obtained  there. 

(2)  The  committee  for  the  western  shore,  whose  headquarters  are 
at  Grand  Rapids,  consists  of  five  gentlemen,  with  Hon.  Thomas 
D.  Gilbert  as  chairman.  The  territory  under  its  charge  lies  in 
two  distinct  sections,  and  embraces  the  region  around  Holland 
and  the  region  around  Manistee. 

Manistee,  which  is  situated  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
north  of  Grand  Haven,  is  a  lumber  settlement.  About  one-half  of 
the  mills  and  one-half  of  the  houses  of  this  town  were  burned.  Of 
these  burned  houses  one-half  were  owned  by  the  wealthier  mill- 
owners,  and  the  remainder  by  the  inhabitants  of  Manistee.  These 
latter  were  stripped  of  everything.  Is  evertheless,  as  regular  fall 
supplies  were  on  their  way,  and  the  mill-owners  were  giving  em- 
ployment to  the  laboring  population,  we  did  not  deem  it  necessary 
to  visit  this  place. 

Holland,  a  fine  town  of  about  3,000  inhabitants,  was  settled 
twenty-five  years  ago  by  a  poor  Dutch  colony  under  the  lead  of  their 
religious  teacher,  E.ev.  A.  C.  Van  Eaalte.  In  a  quarter  of  a  century, 
by  their  thrift  and  industry,  they  had  changed  the  wilderness  into 
nine  prosperous  townships.  The  fire  had  been  raging  for  several 
days  in  the  immediate  vicinity  previous  to  Sunday,  October  8.  That 
night  it  struck  the  town  and  rao-ed  from  a  little  after  midnight  until 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  625 

six  o'clock  the  next  afternoon,  laying  waste  about  two-thirds  of  the 
whole  town,  including  the  business  portion  of  the  city.  There 
were  destroyed  five  churches,  three  hotels,  sixty-eight  stores,  and 
more  than  three  hundred  dwelling-houses ;  all  of  which  were  a 
total  loss  in  consequence  of  a  religious  prejudice  of  the  people 
against  insurance.  Although  the  inhabitants  had  to  ilee  suddenly 
in  the  night,  but  a  single  life  was  lost. 

Besides,  more  than  one  hundred  and  forty  farms  were  swept  of 
everything,  buildings,  fences,  and  trees.  These  suiferers,  both  in 
town  and  country,  were  left  almost  entirely  destitute,  and  what  is 
worse,  without  work  for  the  immediate  future.  Tlie  committee  at 
Grand  Rapids  informed  us  that  sufficient  clothing  had  been  re- 
ceived, except  some  special  articles,  but  that  contributions  of 
money  will  be  very  acceptable. 

The  Grand  Eapids  committee  agreed  with  the  principal  citizens 
of  Holland  that  the  most  efficient  aid  that  could  be  rendered  to 
that  section  is  a  loan  to  the  burnt-out  tradesmen  and  farmers,  of 
from  fifty  thousand  to  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  in  sums  of 
fi'om  five  hundred  to  one  thousand  dollars  each,  on  good  security, 
with  interest. 

We  have  made  arrangements  with  reliable  persons  for  extend- 
ing relief  to  special  cases  which  would  not  otherwise  be  reached. 

It  should  be  added  that  isolated  fires  throughout  the  northern 
portion  of  Michigan  have  caused  no  inconsiderable  loss  and  suffer- 
ing, which  must  needs  depend  for  rehef  chiefly  on  local  charity." 

Through  the  ISjerality  so  universal  and  divine,  the  pressing 
necessities  of  this  immense  army  of  snfferei-s  have  been  supplied, 
and  now  that  winter  is  upon  them  with  its  snow  and  icy  blasts, 
they  must  be  remembered  still  in  their  poverty  and  loneliness.  If 
it  be  asked  what  their  neighbors  aud  fellow-citizens  are  doing,  we 
could  answer  by  telling  this  story: — 

A  well-known  Detroit  lawyer,  while  conversing  with  a  gentle- 
man, incidentally  learned  that  the  latter  had  been  driven  out  of 


626  msTOEY  OF  the  great  riEES 

Chicago  by  the  great  fii-e,  with  nothing  in  the  way  of  clothing 
except  a  single  suit.  The  lawyer,  without  waiting  to  hear  any- 
thing more,  hastily  pulled  off  a  new  beaver-cloth  overcoat  and 
gave  it  to  the  Chicago  man,  with  the  remark  that  he  had  another, 
and  could  buy  more  if  need  be.  It  was  a  spontaneous  act  of 
charity,  and  one  which  the  recipient  seemed  to  fully  appreciate. 

The  Western  people  are  generally  free-hearted  and  sympathetic, 
and  will  share  the  last  loaf  with  the  mifortunate.  Everything 
that  can  be  done  they  will  do  for  the  victims  of  these  awful 
calamities. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 

Our  sketch  of  Western  fires  we  bring  to  a  close,  with  notices 
of  the  remoter  districts  where  the  population  was  sparse.  A 
party  from  Dakota  says  : — 

For  some  da)'S  previous  to  leaving  Cheyenne  River,  in  Dakota, 
at  a  point  seventy-five  miles  west  of  the  crossing  of  the  Northern 
Pacific  Raih'oad  at  Ked  River,  a  dense  smoky  atmosphere  pre- 
vailed, which  each  day  grew  more  dense,  warning  us  that 
immense  "  prairie  fires  "  were  approaching  our  quarters  rapidly, 
and  our  part}'  deemed  it  prudent  to  move  eastward  as  fast  as 
possible.  We  made  immediate  preparations,  but  found  that  we 
were  in  the  saddle  none  too  soon.  The  intense  heat  and  weight 
of  smoke  afi'ected  us  very  much,  and  soon  after  starting  we  were 
forced  to  ride  as  rapidly  as  it  was  possible  for  our  beasts  to  carry 
us.  All  through  that  long  day  we  toiled  along,  our  eyes  nearly 
blinded  ;  with  parched  throat  and  cracked  lips  and  intense  thirst 
we  rode  on  and  on,  till  at  nightfall  we  came  in  sight  of  Red 
River,  having  ridden  seventy-five  miles  without  rest  or  halt  but 
once.     Glad  were  the  hearts  of  our  party,  and  much  rejoicing 


/ 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  G29 

was  there  at  our  escape  from  great  danger,  if  not  from  loss  of 
life.  At  points  along  the  route  the  wall  of  flame  would  be  quite 
near  us.  Its  roar  could  be  heard  many  miles,  and  its  rapid 
motion  was  surprising.  The  line  of  fire  seemed  to  be  a  solid 
wall  of  flame  of  about  twenty  to  thirty  feet  in  height,  and  moved 
as  rapidly  as  a  fleet  horse  could  run.  Occasionally  a  portion  of 
the  line  would  break  away  in  bodies  of  forty  or  more  feet  square, 
and  be  carried  with  almost  electric  rapidity  a  distance  of  fifty  or 
a  hundred  rods  ahead,  and  then  strike  the  high,  dry  grass,  which 
would  immediately  ignite  and  add  its  destroying  force  to  the 
already  gigantic  conflagration. 

*  After  resting  at  Eed  Eiver,  our  party,  reduced  to  three  persons, 
moved  on  eastward  and  southward,  passing  over  a  district  but 
lately  burned.  "We  could  not  distinguish  any  object  flfty  yards 
away,  great,  heavy  clouds  of  smoke  hanging  like  a  pall  through 
all  the  distance  of  250  miles  we  travelled  before  reaching  the 
Mississippi  River,  and  even  there  the  smoke  was  very  oppressive 
We  deviated  somewhat  from  a  usual  route  travelled,  and  found 
at  different  points  the  charred  remains  of  three  human  beings, 
nothing  left  but  the  bodies,  and  those  burned  to  a  crisp.  The 
sight  was  horrible  in  all  particulars,  and  not  a  thing  could  be 
found  that  would  in  any  way  identify  the  burned  corpses. 

We  heard  of  one  case  that  showed  great  presence  of  mind  and 
much  calmness.  A  man  who  had  been  with  Sherman  in  his 
"  march  to  the  sea,"  was  caught  in  the  midst  of  a  tire  which  was 
approaching  him  from  all  sides.  Having  no  matches  to  create 
what  is  called  "  setting  a  back  fire,"  and  death  staring  him  in  the 
face,  his  wit  suggested  a  "  gopher  hole."  Setting  at  work  with 
the  will  that  a  man  would  use  who  was  working  for  life,  he 
attacked  the  sod  with  a  large  hunting-knife.  Cutting  a  large  piece 
away,  he  rolled  it  back,  and  at  once  commenced  throwing  the 
soft,  dry  earth  upward  and  outward,  and  soon  had  a  hole  dug  of 
suflicient  size  to  admit  his  body.  Carefully  drawing  the  sod 
36 


630  HISTOBY   OF   THE   GREAT  FIRES 

toward  him,  he  succeeded  in  drawing  it  over  Kis  body,  and  then 
tilled  up  the  "  chinks "  with  dirt  from  within.  He  lay  there 
until  the  fire  passed  over  him  and  was  speeding  furiously  on  its 
way  miles  distant,  then  slowly  he  crawled  out  of  his  living  grave, 
heated  fearfully,  but  injured  in  no  way  whatever.  His  soldier 
experience  had  saved  his  life. 

J^o  one  who  has  not  witnessed  this  besom  of  destruction  on  the 
"  plains,"  can  form  any  adequate  idea  of  its  magnitude,  its  ve- 
locity, its  fiendish-like  cruelty,  its  thundering  roar,  and  its  vast 
destruction. 

The  prairie  fires  in  the  section  of  country  above  and  below 
Yankton,  Dakota,  on  Wednesday,  were  terrible. 

In  the  afternoon  of  that  day  the  flames  swept  into  the  village  of 
Bon  Homme  with  resistless  fury,  and  the  terror-stricken  and 
helpless  populace  saw  a  mill  and  three  or  four  dwellings  disap- 
pear in  the  fiery  blast.  Among  the  latter  was  a  house  occupied 
by  a  widow  woman  as  a  boarding-house,  and  while  she  was  ex- 
pressing to  our  informant  her  fear  that  the  fire  would  reach  the 
town,  a  wave  of  fiame  came  whirling  on  like  a  frightened  steed, 
and  before  an  effort  could  be  made  to  save  anything  in  or  about 
the  premises,  the  house  was  wrapped  in  flames  and  everything 
was  lost. 

The  down  coach  found  the  country  pretty  well  burned  over  to 
within  a  mile  or  two  of  Yankton,  and  the  fire  is  still  burning  in 
various  directions.  The  ruins  of  four  smouldering  houses  were 
seen,  grain  and  hay  stacks  were  blazing  on  all  sides,  and  burning 
fences  swept  across  the  country  in  all  directions.  At  one  point 
a  little  girl,  some  ten  years  of  age,  appeared  at  the  roadside  and 
piteously  petitioned  the  people  in  the  coach  for  help,  saying  that 
her  father  and  mother  were  away  from  home,  and  that  she  had 
two  sisters  and  a  little  brother,  all  younger  than  herself,  in  the 
house,  and  the  premises  were  in  immediate  danger  of  destruction.  > 
Leaving  one  of  the  passengers  to  watch  the  horses,  the  rest  ran  to 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  631 

the  house,  and  by  starting  a  contrary  fire  succeeded  in  saving  the 
place. 

Another  terrible  fire  raged  the  same  day  this  side  of  Yankton, 
and  within  a  few  miles  of  that  city.  The  flames  swept  toward 
Yankton,  and  in  their  course  devoured  several  houses,  besides  nu- 
merous barns,  sheds,  and  stacks  of  grain.  The  coach  due  in 
Yankton  on  Wednesday  evening  had  an  exciting  time  of  it.  It 
was  discovered  that  the  fire  was  coming,  and  a  race  was  instituted. 
The  driver  plied  his  whip,  and  away  the  horses  went  on  a  gallop. 
ITearer  and  nearer  came  the  fire.  The  red  glare  filled  the  sky  ; 
tlie  forked  tongue  shot  out ;  the  terrible  hissings  of  the  demon 
were  in  the  ears  of  the  afli'ighted  passengers.  The  driver  gather- 
ed his  lines,  drew  the  leaders  from  the  road,  the  horses  gathered, 
jumped,  a  rail  fence  was  beneath  the  wheels  of  the  coach,  the 
coach  was  on  a  piece  of  ploughed  ground,  and  the  fire  went  by 
with  a  roar  like  a  cataract. 

The  particulars  of  a  miraculous  escape  from  death  from  a  prai- 
rie fire  were  related  to  us  by  two  gentlemen  who  arrived  here  last 
evening  from  Grant  County,  Wisconsin,  Messrs.  J.  L.  Finley  and 
W.  Kinney.  They  came  the  entire  distance  with  a  mule  team 
and  wagon  across  the  country.  Their  trip  was  without  any  inci- 
dent of  note  until  they  reached  a  point  upon  the  prairie  about  six 
miles  east  of  Le  Mars,  where  they  were  surrounded  by  a  prairie 
fire  on  Wednesday,  the  4th  inst.  They  were  encamped  upon  a 
small  bottom,  preparing  their  noon  meal,  when  the  fire  made  its 
appearance.  As  soon  as  the  fire  was  discovered  approaching  to- 
ward them  Ml-.  Kinney  ran  from  it  and  attempted  to  start  a  fire 
and  follow  after  it,  while  Mr.  Finley  set  himself  to  work  hitching 
the  team  to  the  wagon,  but  owing  to  the  high  wind  Kinney  was 
unsuccessful  in  his  effort.  The  fire  was  now  fast  approaching 
them,  and  they  abandoned  the  attempt  of  setting  another  fire,  and 
ran  for  their  lives.  Mr.  Kinney  struck  out  on  foot,  and  his  com- 
panion put  the  whip  upon  the  mules  and  attempted  to  make  hia 


6S2  HISTOEY    OF    THE    GREAT    FIRES 

escape  with  them,  but  finding  tliis  impossible  he  reined  his  team 
around  toward  the  fire,  and,  after  repeated  attempts,  succeeded  in 
running  them  through  it,  with  no  damage  to  himself  and  but  a 
little  to  the  mules.  Mr.  Kinney,  who  had  become  separated  from 
his  companion,  ra.  into  the  bed  of  a  dry  stream,  on  the  banks  of 
which  the  fire  was  raging.  He  was  nearly  sufibcated  with  the 
smoke,  and  wild  with  terror,  and  in  his  attempt  to  get  out  of  the 
stream  he  fell  into  the  fire,  burning  his  hands  seriously  ;  after 
which  he  lay  close  to  the  bed  of  the  stream  until  the  fire  passed 
over,  when  he  came  out  and  found  his  companion,  who  was  some 
distance  from  him,  uninjured. 

They  had  two  dogs  with  them,  one  of  wliich  was  burned  to 
death,  and  the  other  one  took  refnge  in  a  deep  sink  hole  or  well, 
near  where  they  had  taken  tlieir  dinner,  and  he  was  saved. 

In  view  of  all  the  miseries  and  calamities,  crimes  and  casual- 
ties of  the  past  twelve  months,  The  Chicago  Tribune  christens  this 
The  Black  Year, 

The  year  1871  will  hardly  be  considered  in  history  a  year  of 
grace.  In  point  of  fatality  to  human  Jife,  and  destruction  to  ma- 
terial values  by  extraordinary  natural  causes,  no  year  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  world  can  equal  it.  Overwhelmed  as  we  are  by  our 
own  disaster,  we  have  given  little  attention  to  what  has  been 
transpiring  abroad,  and  have  almost  come  to  consider  ourselves 
the  only  sufierers.  The  retrospect,  however,  is  a  terrible  one. 
War,  famine,  pestilence,  fire,  wind,  water,  and  ice,  have  been 
let  loose,  and  done  their  worst,  and  with  such  appalling  results, 
and  with  such  remarkable  phenomena  accompanying  them,  that 
it  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  men  have  sometimes  thought  the  end 
of  the  world  had  come.  We  have  seen  our  own  fair  city  laid  in 
ashes,  throughout  almost  its  entire  business  limits,  and  seventy 
thousand  people  left  homeless.  On  that  same  night  the  conflagra- 
tion swept  through  Northern  Wisconsin  and  Michigan,  sweeping 
village  after  village  with  horrible  loss  of  life,  and  ruining  thou- 


IN   CHICAGO   AKD   THE   WEST.  633 

sands  of  acres  of  timber,  the  cutting  and  milling  of  wliicli  formed 
the  main  industry  of  that  region,  Illinois,  Minnesota,  Indiana, 
New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Kansas,  Missouri,  and  California,  tlie 
Alleghanies,  the  Sierras,  and  the  Eocky  Mountains  have  been 
lavaged  by  fire,  destroying  immense  amounts  of  property  and 
entailing  wide-spread  suffering.  Chicago  is  not  the  only  city 
which  has  suffered.  Peshtigo,  Manistee,  Cacheville,  and  Val- 
lejo,  Cal.,  Urbana,  Darmstadt,  and  Geneva,  under  the  Alps,  have 
all  been  visited  by  terrible  fires  ;  and  the  torch  of  the  incendiary 
has  been  applied  successively  to  Louisville,  St.  Louis,  Toronto, 
Montreal,  and  Syracuse. 

The  pestilence  has  walked  at  noonday.  The  cholera  has 
steadily  travelled  from  Asia  westward  through  Europe,  and  our 
despatches  of  yesterday  announced  its  arrival  at  New  York  Quar- 
antine, One  of  the  most  appalling  plagues  of  modern  times, 
arising  from  yellow  fever,  has  swept  over  portions  of  South 
America,  and  in  Buenos  Ayi-es  alone  28,000  bodies  were  buried 
in  one  cemetery.  Persia  has  been  almost  depopulated  by  the 
plague,  which  has  been  rendered  all  the  more  terrible  by  the 
added  horrors  of  famine ;  and  now,  in  our  own  country,  small- 
pox has  appeared  as  an  epidemic  in  nearly  every  large  city. 

Storms,  in  their  various  manifestations,  have  never  been  so  de- 
structive before.  In  one  night,  a  river  in  India  suddenly  rises, 
swollen  by  a  storm,  and  sweeps  away  an  entire  city,  destroying 
3,000  houses,  and  utterly  prostrating  the  crops.  The  little 
French  seaport  town  of  Pornic  has  been  almost  utterly  destroyed 
by  a  tidal  wave.  The  icebergs  of  the  Arctic  have  cauglit  and 
imprisoned  within  their  impassable  walls  thirty-three  whalers,  in- 
flicting a  loss  of  a  million  and  a  half  of  dollars  upon  the  city  of 
New  Bedford,  and  seriously  crippling  an  important  branch  of  in- 
dustry. St.  Thomas  has  been  devastated  by  a  hurricane  which 
left  G,000  people  homeless,  and  strewed  its  coasts  with  wrecks. 
A  typhoon  of  terrible  power  has  swept  along  the  Chinese  coast, 


634:  HISTOET    OF   THE    GREAT   FIEES 

destroying  everything  in  its  course, — towns,  shipping,  and  life. 
A  hurricane  at  Halifax  has  inflicted  a  severe  blow  upon  English 
shipping.  The  storms  on  the  English  coast  have  never  been  so 
severe  before,  nor  so  fruitful  in  maritime  disasters.  A  tidal  wave 
at  Galveston  swept  off  all  the  shipping  in  port.  A  tornado  has 
swept  through  Canada,  doing  serious  damage  in  Toronto,  Mon- 
treal, and  Quebec.  The  Island  of  Formosa  has  been  nearly  de- 
stroyed by  an  earthquake. 

Add  to  these  the  unusual  crop  of  murders  and  suicides  in  this 
country,  the  alarming  increase  of  railroad  and  steamboat  disasters, 
the  monstrou's  villanies  which  have  been  brought  to  light  in  pub- 
lic offices  and  private  corporations,  the  Franco-German  war  with 
its  attendant  horrors,  and  the  statement  of  the  astronomers  that 
there  has  been  an  explosion  in  the  sun,  and  that  two  or  three 
comets  are  just  now  in  danger  of  losing  their  tails  by  their  prox- 
imity to  that  orb, — and  we  may  be  justified  in  assuming  that  the 
year  1871  wiU  be  known  in  future  calendars  as  the  Black  Year. 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST,  635 


HISTOKT  OF  THE  GEEAT  FIRES  IN  THE  PAST. 


CHAPTER   XLIV. 


FiEE  is  a  good  servant,  but  a  bad  master,  says  the  old  proverb, 
and  this  has  been  the  experience  of  men  in  all  ages.  Yirgil,  the 
Latin  poet,  in  his  poem  the  -^neid,  introduces  his  hero  JEneas 
as  the  narrator  of  the  Siege  of  Troy  by  the  Greeks,  and  its  final 
fall,  and  destruction  by  the  torch  of  the  incendiary.  The  reader 
will  observe  the  abundance  of  supernatural  machinery  which 
accompanies  the  description,  for  in  those  days,  as  Paul  observed 
in  Athens,  men  were  very  religious,  and  had  as  many  gods  as 
occasion  required,  to  account  for  the  events  which  transpired,  and 
the  conduct  of  men. 

The  Greeks  had  long  besieged  Troy  in  vain.  They  contrived 
at  last  a  huge  wooden  horse  and  placed  it  near  the  gates,  filled 
with  armed  men,  their  bravest  and  best.  To  induce  the  Trojans 
to  admit  the  monster,  they  persuaded  one  Sinon  to  throw  himself  in 
the  way  of  capture,  and  enter  Troy  and  explain  the  object  of  this 
horse  in  such  a  way  as  to  secure  its  admission.  The  treacherous 
scheme  succeeds,  and  here  we  let  the  hero  tell  his  own  tale  of 
woe.  We  premise  that  Priam  is  king  of  Troy,  Calchas  is  a 
soothsayer  of  the  Greeks,  and  Laocoon  is  a  Trojan  warrior,  who 
has  hurled  his  spear  against  the  horse  in  disdain.  Laocoon  and 
his  two  sons  were  sacrificing  at  the  altars,  when  lo !  two  ser- 
pents, with  orbs  immense,  bear  along  the  sea,  and  with  equal 
motion  shoot  forward  to  the  shore.     They,  with  resolute  motion, 


636  HISTOKY    OF   THE    GKEAT   FIEES 

advance  towards  Laocoon  ;  and  first  botli  serpents,  with  close 
embraces,  twine  around  the  little  bodies  of  his  two  sons,  and  with 
their  fangs  mangle  their  wretched  limbs.  ]N"ext  they  seize  him- 
self, as  he  is  coming  up  with  weapons  to  their  relief,  and  bind 
liim'fast  in  their  mighty  folds ;  and  now  grasping  him  twice  about 
the  middle,  twice  winding  their  scaly  backs  around  his  neck, 
they  overtop  him  by  the  head  and  lofty  neck.  He  strains  at 
once  with  his  hands  to  tear  asunder  their  knotted  spires  :  at  the 
same. time  he  raises  hideous  shrieks  to  heaven.  Meanwhile,  the 
two  serpents  glide  off  to  the  high  temple.  All  urge  with 
general  voice  to  convey  the  statue  into  the  city.  The  fatal 
machine  passes  over  our  walls,  pregnant  with  arms.  Four  times 
it  stopped  in  the  very  threshold  of  the  gate,  and  four  times  the 
arms  resounded  in  its  womb ;  yet  we,  heedless,  and  blind  with 
frantic  zeal,  urge  on,  and  plant  the  baneful  monster  in  the  sacred 
citadel.  The  Trojans,  dispersed  about  the  walls,  were  hushed : 
deep  sleep  fast  binds  them  weary  in  his  embraces.  And  now  the 
Grecian  host,  in  their  equipped  vessels,  set  out  from  Tenedos, 
making  towards  the  well-known  shore,  by  the  friendly  silence  of 
the  quiet  moonshine,  as  soon  as  the  royal  galley  had  exhibited 
the  signal  fire ;  and  Sinon,  preserved  by  the  will  of  the  adverse 
gods,  in  a  stolen  hour  unlocks  the  wooden  prison  to  the  Greeks 
shut  up  in  its  womb  :  the  horse,  from  his  expanded  caverns,  pours 
them  forth  to  the  open  air,  and  with  joy  issue  from  the  hollow 
wood  Thessandrus "  and  Sthenelus  the  chiefs,  and  dire  Ulysses, 
sliding  down  by  a  suspended  rope,  with  Athamas  and  Thoas, 
Neoptolemus,  the  grandson  of  Peleus,  and  Machaon  who  led  the 
way,  with  Menelaus,  and  Epeus  the  very  contriver  of  the  trick. 
They  assault  the  city  buried  in  sleep  and  wine.  The  sentinels 
are  beaten  down  ;  and  with  opened  gates  they  receive  all  their 
friends,  and  join  the  conscious  bands. 

Meanwhile,  the  city  is  filled  with  mingled  scenes  of  woe  ;  and 
though  my  father  Anchises'  house  stood  retired,  and  inclosed 


IN   CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  637 

with  trees,  louder  and  louder  the  sounds  rise  on  the  ear,  and  the 
horrid  din  of  arms  assails.  I  start  from  sleep,  and,  by  hasty  steps, 
gain  the  highest  battlement  of  the  palace,  and  stand  with  erect 
ears.  Then,  indeed,  the  truth  is  confirmed,  and  the  treachery  of 
the  Greeks  disclosed.  Now  Deiphobus'  spacious  house  tumbles 
down,  overpowered  by  the  conflagration ;  now,  next  to  him, 
TJcalegon  blazes  ;  the  Straits  of  Siggeum  shine  far  and  wide  with 
the  flames.  The  shout  of  men  and  clangor  of  trumpets  arise. 
My  arms  I  snatch  in  mad  haste.  I  hurry  away  into  .flames  and 
arms.  Who  can  describe  in  words  the  havoc,  who  the  deaths  of 
that  night  ?  or  who  can  furnish  tears  equal  to  the  disasters?  Our 
ancient  city,  having  borne  sway  for  many  years,  falls  to  the 
ground ;  great  numbers  of  sluggish  carcasses  are  strewn  up  and 
down,  both  in  the  streets,  in  the  houses,  and  the  sacred  thresholds 
of  the  gods.  Nor  do 'the  Trojans  alone  pay  the  penalty  with 
their  blood :  the  vanquished,  too,  at  times,  resume  courage  in 
their  hearts,  and  the  victorious  Grecians  fall ;  everywhere  is 
cruel  sorrow,  everywhere  terror  and  death  in  thousand  shapes.  I 
stood  aghast ;  the  image  of  my  dear  father  arose  to  my  mind, 
when  I  saw  the  king,  of  equal  age,  breathing  out  his  soul  by  a 
cruel  wound ;  Creiisa,*  forsaken,  came  into  mind,  my  rifled 
house,  and  the  fate  of  the  little  Itilus.  I  look  about,  and  survey 
what  troops  were  to  stand  by  me.  All  had  left  me  through  de- 
spair, and  flung  their  fainting  bodies  to  the  ground,  or  gave  them 
to  the  flames.     And  thus  now  I  remained  all  alone. 

Then,  indeed,  all  Ilium  seemed  to  me  at  once  to  sink  in  the 
flames,  and  Troy,  built  by  Neptune,  to  be  overturned  from  its 
lowest  foundation.  Dowm  I  come,  and  under  the  conduct  of  the 
god,  clear  my  way  amidst  flames  and  foes  :  the  darts  give  place, 
and  the  flames  retire.     And  now,  when  arrived  at  the  gates  of 


*  Creiisa,  daughter  of  Priam,  and  the  wife  of  ^neas,  who  was  lost  in  the 
streets  of  Troy,  when  ^neaa  made  his  escape  with  his  father  Anchises  and  his 
son  Ascaniu3. 


638  HISTORY   OF   THE   GREAT   FERES 

my  paternal  seat  and  ancient  house,  my  father,  whom  I  was  de- 
sirous first  to  remove  to  the  high  mountains,  and  whom  I  first 
sought,  obstinately  refuses  to  prolong  his  life  after  the  ruin  of 
Troy,  and  to  suffer  exile. 

Such  purpose  declaring,  he  persisted,  and  remained  unalter- 
able. On  the  other  hand,  I,  my  wife  Creiisa,  Ascanius,  and  the 
whole  family,  bursting  forth  into  tears,  besought  my  father  not 
to  involve  all  with  himself,  nor  hasten  our  impending  fate. 
'  "  Now,  son,  I  resign  myself  indeed,  nor  refuse  to  accompany  you 
in  your  expedition,"  he  said ;  and  now  throughout  the  city  the 
flames  are  more  distinctly  heard,  and  tlie  conflagration  rolls  the 
torrents  of  fire  nearer.  "  Come  then,  dearest  father,  place  yourself 
on  my  neck ;  with  these  shoulders  will  I  support  you,  nor  shall 
that  burden  oppress  me.  However  things  fall  out,  we  both  shall 
share  either  one  common  danger  or  one  preservation :  let  the  boy 
liilus  be  my  companion,  and  my  wife  may  trace  my  steps  at  some 
distance."  This  said,  I  spread  a  garment  and  a  tawny  lion's  hide 
over  my  broad  shoulders  and  submissive  neck,  and  stoop  to  the 
burden :  little  liilus  is  linked  in  my  right  hand,  and  trips  after 
his  father  with  unequal  steps;  my  spouse  comes  up  behind.  We 
haste  away  through  the  gloomy  paths ;  and  I,  whom  lately  uo 
showers  of  darts  could  move,  nor  Greeks  inclosing  me  in  a  hos- 
tile band,  am  now  terrified  with  every  breath  of  wind;  every 
sound  alarms  me  anxious,  and  equally  in  dread  for  my  companion 
and  my  burden.  By  this  time  I  approached  the  gates,  and 
thought  1  had  overpassed  all  the  way,  when  suddenly  a  thick 
sound  of  feet  seems  to  invade  my  ears  just  at  hand;  and  my 
father,  stretching  his  eyes  through  the  gloom,  calls  aloud,  "Fly, 
fly,  my  son,  they  are  upon  you ;  I  see  the  burnished  shields  and 
glittering  brass."  Here,  in  my  consternation,  some  unfriendly 
deity  or  other  confounded  and  bereaved  me  of  my  reason ;  for 
while  in  my  journey  I  trace  the  by-paths,  and  forsake  the  known 
beaten   tracks,  alas !  I  know  not  whether  my   wife  Creiisa  was 


m    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  639 

snatched  from  wretched  me  by  cruel  fate,  or  lost  her  way,  or 
through  fatigue  stopped  short ;  nor  did  these  eyes  ever  see  her 
more.  Nor  did  1  observe  that  she  was  lost,  or  reflect  with  myself, 
till  we  were  come  to  the  rising  ground,  and  the  sacred  seat  of 
ancient  Ceres  :  here,  at  length,  when  all  were  convened,  she  alone 
was  wanting,  and  gave  disappointment  to  all  our  retinue,  espe- 
cially to  her  son  and  husband.  To  my  friends  I  commend  As- 
canius,  my  father  Anchises,  with  the  gods  of  Troy,  and  lodge 
them  secretly  in  a  winding  valley.  I  myself  repair  back  to  the 
city,  and  brace  on  my  shining  armor.  I  am  resolved  to  renew 
every  adventure,  revisit  all  the  quarters  of  Troy,  and  expose  my 
life  once  more  to  all  dangers.  First  of  all,  I  return  to  the  walls 
and  the  dark  entry  of  the  gate  by  which  I  had  set  out,  and  back- 
ward unravel  my  steps  with  care  amidst  the  darkness,  and  run 
them  over  with  my  eye.  Horror  on  all  sides,  and  at  the  same 
time  the  very  silence  affrights  my  soul.  Thence  homeward  I 
bent  my  way,  lest  by  chance,  by  any  chance,  she  had  moved 
thither ;  the  Greeks  had  now  rushed  in,  aad  were  masters  of  the 
whole  house.  In  a  moment  the  devouring  conflagration  is  rolled 
up  in  sheets  by  the  wind  to  the  lofty  roof;  the  flames  mount 
above ;  the  fiery  whirlwind  rages  to  the  skies.  Now  adventur- 
ing even  to  dart  my  voice  through  the  shades,  I  filled  the  streets 
with  outcry,  and  in  anguish,  with  vain  repetition,  again  and 


ana  asram. 


called  on  Creiisa.  "While  I  was  in  this  search,  and  with  incessant 
fury  ranging  through  all  quarters  of  the  town,  the  mournful  ghost 
and  shade  of  my  Crelisa's  self  appeared  before  my  eyes,  her  figure 
larger  than  I  had  known  it.  I  stood  aghast !  my  hair  rose  on 
end,  and  my  voice  clung  to  my  jaws.  Then  thus  she  bespeaks 
me,  and  relieves  my  cares  with  these  words :  "  My  darling  spouse, 
what  pleasure  have  you  thus  to  indulge  a  grief  which  is  but  mad- 
ness? These  events  do  not  occur  without  the  will  of  the  gods. 
It  is  not  allowed  you  to  carry  Creiisa  hence  to  accompany  you, 
nor  is  it  permitted  by  the  great  ruler  of  heaven  supreme.     In 


640  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

long  banishment  you  must  roam,  and  plough  the  vast  expanse  of 
the  ocean :  to  the  land  of  Hesperia  you  shall  come,  where  the 
Lydian  Tiber,  with  his  gentle  current,  glides  through  a  rich  land 
of  heroes.  There,  prosperous  state,  a  crown,  and  royal  spouse, 
await  you  :  dry  up  your  tears  for  your  beloved  Creiisa.  And 
now  farewell,  and  preserve  your  affection  to  our  common  son." 

With  these  words  she  left  me  in  tears,  ready  to  say  many 
things,  and  vanished  into  thin  air.  There  thrice  I  attempted  to 
throw  my  arms  around  her  neck ;  thrice  the  phantom,  grasped  in 
vain,  escaped  my  hold,  swift  as  the  winged  winds,  and  resemb- 
ling most  a  fleeting  dream.  Thus  having  spent  the  night,  I  at 
length  revisit  my  associates.  And  here,  to  my  surprise,  I  found 
a  great  confluence  of  new  companions :  matrons,  and  men,  and 
youths,  drawn  together  to  share  our  exile,  a  piteous  throng ! 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

Senator  Thurman,  of  Ohto,  in  a  speech  made  in  behalf  of  the 
contributions  for  Cliicago,  thus  alluded  to  the  burning  of  Ancient 
Kome : — 

The  memorable  fire  at  Eome,  in  the  reign  of  N"ero,  destroyed 
nearly  five-sevenths  of  the  city,  and  included  wdthin  the  ruins  were 
her  most  stately  temples  and  public  buildings,  and  her  rarest  and 
most  valuable  collections  of  literature,  science,  and  the  arts.  But 
it  is  not  probable  that  the  pecuniary  loss  was  as  great  as  that  at 
Chicago.  And  the  individual  suffering,  dreadful  as  it  was,  was 
mitigated  by  the  warmth  of  a  summer  sun,  for  the  fire  occurred  in 
Jul}^  Yet  it  was  horrible ;  and,  in  order  to  recall  the  scene  to 
your  memories,  and  because  in  many  points  it  resembles  that  at 
Chicago,  I  cannot  refi-ain  from  reading  the  vivid  description  of  it 
by  Tacitus : — 


IN    CHICAfiO    AKD   THE   WEST.  641 

"  A  dreadful  calamity,"  says  lie, "  followed  in  a  short  time  after, 
by  some  ascribed  to  chance,  and  by  others  to  the  execrable  wicked- 
ness of  Nero,  The  authority  of  historians  is  on  both  sides,  and 
which  predominates  it  is  not  easy  to  determine.  It  is,  however,  cer- 
tain, that  of  all  the  disasters  that  ever  befell  the  city  of  Rome 
from  the  rage  of  lire,  this  was  the  worst,  the  most  violent  and 
destructive.  The  flames  broke  out  in  that  part  of  the  circus 
which  adjoins  on  one  side  to  Mount  Palatine,  and  on  the  other  to 
Mount  Cselius.  It  caught  a  number  of  shops  stored  with  com- 
bustible goods,  and,  gathering  force  from  the  wind,  spread  with 
rapidity  from  one  end  of  the  circus  to  the  other.  Neither  th(\ 
thick  walls  of  houses,  nor  the  inclosure  of  temples,  nor  any  other 
building,  could  check  the  rapid  progress  of  the  flames.  A  dread- 
ful conflagration  followed.  The  level  parts  of  the  city  were 
destroyed.  The  fire  communicated  to  the  higher  buildings,  and 
again,  laying  hold  of  interior  places,  spread  with  a  degree  of  velo- 
city that  nothing  could  resist.  The  form  of  the  streets,  long  and 
narrow,  with  frequent  windings  and  no  regular  opening,  according 
to  the  plan  of  ancient  Rome,  contributed  to  increase  the  mischief. 
The  shrieks  and  lamentations  of  women,  the  infirmities  of  age, 
and  the  weakness  of  the  young  and  tender,  added  misery  to  the 
dreadful  scene.  Some  endeavored  to  provide  for  themselves, 
others  to  save  their  fi-iends,  in  one  part  dragging  along  the  lame 
and  impotent, *in  another  waiting  to  receive  the  tardy  or  expecting 
relief  themselves;  they  lingered,  they  obstructed  one  another; 
they  looked  behind,  and  the  fire  broke  out  in  front ;  they  escaped 
from  the  flames,  and  in  their  place  of  refuge  f oimd  no  safety  ;  the 
fire  raged  in  every  quarter  ;  all  were  involved  in  one  general  con- 
flagration. The  unliappy  wretches  fled  to  places  remote,  and 
thought  themselves  secure,  but  soon  perceived  the  flames  raging 
round  them.  AVliich  way  to  turn,  what  to  avoid,  or  what  to  seek, 
no  one  could  tell.  .  They  crowded  the  streets ;  they  fell  prostrate 
on  the  groimd ;  they  lay  stretched  in  the  fields,  in  consternation 


642  niSTOEY  OF  the  great  fires 

and  dismay,  resigned  to  their  fate.  IsTumbers  lost  their  whole  sub- 
stance, even  the  tools  and  implements  by  which  they  gained  their 
livelihood,  and,  in  that  distress,  did  not  wish  to  survive.  Others, 
wild  with  affliction  for  their  friends  and  relations  whom  they 
could  not  save,  embraced  a  voluntary  death,  and  perished  in  the 
flames. 

"  During  the  whole  of  this  dismal  scene  no  man  dared  to  at- 
tempt anything  that  might  check  the  violence  of  the  di-eadful 
calamity.  A  crew  of  incendiaries  stood  near  at  hand  denouncing 
vengeance  on  all  who  offered  to  interfere.  Some  were  so  aban- 
doned as  to  heap  fuel  on  the  flames.  They  threw  in  fire-brands 
and  flaming  torches,  proclaiming  aloud  that  they  had  authority  for 
what  they  did.  Whether,  in  fact,  they  had  received  such  horrible 
orders,  or,  under  that  device,  meant  to  plunder  with  greater  licen- 
tiousness, cannot  now  be  known." 

I  make  no  apology  for  reading  to  you  this  lengthy  extract, 
written  nearly  1,800  years  ago,  to  describe  what  befell  Rome  in 
the  sixty-fourth  year  of  the  Christian  era.  It  presents  to  your 
imaginations  a  more  lively  picture  of  what  happened  to  an  Ameri- 
can city,  within  the  present  month,  than  anything  I  could  say. 
When  it  was  written  the  American  continent  was  unknown. 
More  than  seventeen  centuries  after  it  was  written,  the  city  of 
Chicago  sprang  into  existence ;  and  yet,  so  similar  are  mankind 
in  all  ages,  and  so  invariable  at  all  times  are  the  laws  of  ISTature, 
that  the  words  of  the  Homan  historian  describe,  with  almost  equal 
fidelity,  the  destruction  of  the  ancient  mistress  of  the  world  and 
of  the  commercial  mistress  of  an  American  State. 


m    CHICAGO   AND   THE   WEST.  643 

CHAPTER  XLVI. 

THE   BUKNING   OF   MOSCOW. 

We  reproduce  from  the  pages  of  Sir  Archibald  Alison,  whose 
history  is  desei-vedly  ranked  as  standard  authority,  the  following 
description  of  the  burning  of  the  ancient  capital  of  Muscovy,  an 
event  which,  more  than  all  others  combined,  broke  the  power  of 
the  first  Napoleon : — 

At  eleven  o'clock  on  the  14th  September,  1812,  the  advanced 
guard  of  the  French  anny,  from  an  eminence  on  the  road,  descried 
the  long-wished-for  minarets  of  Moscow.  The  domes  of  above 
two  hundred  churches,  and  the  massy  summits  of  a  hundi'ed  pala- 
ces, glittered  in  the  rays  of  the  sun — the  form  of  the  cupolas  gave 
an  Oriental  aspect  to  the  scene ;  but,  high  above  all,  the  cross  in- 
dicated the  ascendancy  of  the  Em-opean  faith.  The  scene  which 
presented  itself  to  the  eye  resembled  rather  a  province  adorned 
vnth  palaces,  domes,  woods,  and  buildings,  than  a  single  city ;  a 
l)Oundless  accumulation  of  houses,  churches,  public  edifices,  rivers, 
and  parks,  stretched  out  over  swelling  eminences  and  gentle  vales 
as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  The  mixtm-e  of  architectural  decora- 
tion and  pillared  sceneiy,  with  the  bright-green  foliage,  was  pecu- 
liarly fascinating  tq  European  eyes.  Everything  announced  its 
Oriental  character,  but  yet  without  losing  the  features  of  the 
West.     Asia  and  Europe  met  in  that  extraordinary  city. 

Struck  by  the  magnificence  of  the  spectacle,  the  leading  squad- 
rons halted,  and  exclaimed  :  "  Moscow !  Moscow !  "  and  the  cry, 
repeated  fi'om  rank  to  rank,  at  length  reached  the  emperor's 
guard.  The  soldiers,  breaking  their  array,  rushed  tumultuously 
forward,  and  Napoleon,  hastening  in  the  midst  of  them,  gazed 
impatiently  on  the  splendid  scene.  His  first  words  were :  "  Behold 
at  last  that  famous  city !  "  the  next,  "  It  was  full  time !  "  Intoxicat- 
ed with  joy,  the  armj  descended  fi'om  the  heights.     The  fatigues 


644:  mSTOEY   OF   THE   GREAT   FERES 

and  dangers  of  the  campaign  were  forgotten  in  the  triumph  of  the 
moment,  and  eternal  glory  was  anticipated  in  the  conquest  which 
they  were  about  to  complete.  Murat  at  the  head  of  the  cavalry 
speedily  advanced  to  the  gates,  and  concluded  a  truce  with  Mila- 
radowitch  for  the  evacuation  of  the  capital.  But  the  entry  of  the 
French  troops  speedily  dispelled  the  illusions  in  which  the  army 
had  indulged.  Moscow  was  found  to  be  deserted.  Its  long  streets 
and  splendid  palaces  resounded  only  with  the  clang  of  the  hoofs 
of  the  invaders'  horses.  Not  a  sound  was  to  be  heard  in  its  vast 
circunrference  ;  the  dwellings  of  three  hundred  thousand  persons 
seemed  as  silent  as  the  wilderness.  Napoleon  waited  in  vain  until 
evening  for  a  deputation  fi'om  the  magistrates  or  chief  nobility. 
Not  a  hmnan  being  came  forward  to  deprecate  his  hostility,  and 
the  mournful  truth-  could  at  length  be  no  longer  concealed,  that 
Moscow,  as  if  struck  by  enchantment,  was  bereft  of  its  inhabitants. 
Wearied  of  fraitless  delay,  the  emperor,  on  the  morning  of  the 
15th,  advanced  into  the  city,  and  entered  the  ancient  palace  of  the 
czars,  amidst  no  other  concourse  than  that  of  his  own  soldiers. 

The  Eussians,  however,  in  abandoning  their  capital,  had  resolved 
upon  a  sacrifice  greater  than  the  patriotism  of  the  world  had  yet 
exhibited.  The  Governor,  Count  Eostopchin,  set  the  example  of 
devotion  by  preparing  the  means  of  destruction  for  his  country 
palace,  which  was  splendidly  furnished,  atfd  adorned  with  the 
finest  works  of  art,  which  he  set  fire  to  by  appljdng  the  torch  with 
his  own  hands  to  his  nuptial  chamber ;  and  to  the  gates  of  the 
palace  he  had  affixed  the  following  inscription :  "  During  eight 
years  I  have  embellished  this  country-house  and  lived  happily  in 
it  in  the  bosom  of  my  famil}^  The  inhabitants  of  this  estate,  to 
the  number  of  seventeen  hundred,  quit  it  at  yom*  approach,  in 
order  that  it  may  not  be  sullied  by.yom-  presence.  Frenchmen! 
at  Moscow  I  have  abandoned  to  yon  my  two  houses,  with  their 
f  m-niture,  worth  half  a  million  roubles ;  here  you  will  find  nothing 
but  ashes." 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  645 

The  nobles  were  prepared,  in  a  public  assembly,  to  have  imitated 
the  example  of  the  Numantians,  and  destroy  the  city  they  could 
no  longer  defend,  and  Kutosoff  had  promised  to  give  Rostopchin 
thi-ee  days'  notice  before  he  evacuated  the  cit}^,  in  order  that  it 
might  be  held.  But  owing  to  the  advance  of  the  French  being- 
more  rapid  than  had  been  anticij)atcd,  the  notice  was  not  given  or 
the  meeting  held,  and  the  governor  was  left  to  act  on  his  own  re- 
sponsibility. Everything,  however,  had  been  prepared  for  that 
noble  sacrifice.  The  authorities,  when  they  retired,  carried  with 
them  the  fire-engines,  and  everything  capable  of  arresting  a  con- 
flagration, and  combustibles  were  disposed  in  the  principal  edifices 
to  favor  the  progress  of  the  flames.  The  persons  intrusted  with 
the  duty  of  firing  the  city  only  awaited  the  retreat  of  their  coun- 
trymen to  coimnence  the  work  of  destruction.  Rostopchin  was 
the  author  of  this  sublime  effort  of  patriotic  devotion,  but  it  in- 
volved a  responsibihty  greater  than  either  govcrmnent  or  any 
individual  could  support,  and  he  was  afterward  disgraced  for  the 
heroic  deed. 

The  sight  of  the  grotesque  towers  and  venerable  walls  of  the 
Kremlin  first  re^dved  the  emperor's  imagination,  and  rekindled 
those  dreams  of  Oriental  conquest  which,  from  his  earliest  years, 
had  floated  through  his  mind.  His  followers,  dispci-sed  over  the 
vast  extent  of  the  city,  gazed  with  astonishment  on  the  sumptu- 
ous palaces  of  the  nobles,  and  the  gilded  domes  of  the  churches. 
Evening  came  on,  and  with  increasing  wonder  the  French  troops 
traversed  the  central  parts  of  the  metropolis,  recently  so  crowded 
with  passengers,  but  not  a  living  creature  was  to  be  seen  to  ex- 
plain the  universal  desolation.  It  seemed  like  a  city  of  the  dead. 
Night  approached ;  an  unclouded  moon  illuminated  those  beau- 
tiful palaces,  those  vast  hotels,  those  deserted  streets — all  was  still ; 
the  silence  of  the  tomb.  The  ofiicers  broke  open  the  doors  of 
some  of  the  principal  mansions  in  search  of  sleeping  quarters. 
The  found  everything  in  perfect  order ;  the  bed-rooms  were  fully 
87 


646  EISTOEY    OF   THE    GEEAT   FLEES 

fimiislied  as  if  guests  were  expected ;  the  di-awing-rooms  bore  tlie 
marks  of  ha\-ing  been  recently  inhabited ;  even  the  work  of  the 
ladies  was  on  the  tables,  the  keys  in  the  wardrobes ;  but  not  an 
inmate  was  to  be  seen.  By  degrees  a  few  of  the  lower  class  of 
slaves  emerged,  pale  and  trembling,  fi-om  the  cellars,  showed  the 
way  to  the  sleeping  apartments,  and  laid  open  everything  which 
these  sumptnons  mansions  contained ;  bnt  the  only  account  they 
could  give  was  that  the  whole  of  the  inliabitants  had  fled,  and  that 
they  alone  were  left  in  the  deserted  city.  But  the  terrible  catas- 
trophe soon  conunenced.  On  the  night  of  the  14th  a  fire  broke  out 
in  the  Bourse,  behind  the  Bazaar,  which  soon  consumed  that  noble 
edifice,  and  spread  to  a  considerable  part  of  the  crowded  streets 
in  the  vicinity.  This,  however,  was  but  the  prelude  to  more 
extended  calamities.  At  midnight  on  the  loth,  a  bright  light  was 
seen  too  illuminate  the  northern  and  western  parts  of  the  city ; 
and  the  sentinels  on  watch  at  the  Kremlin  soon  discovered  the 
splendid  edifices  in  that  quarter  to  be  in  flames.  The  wind 
changed  repeatedly  during  the  night,  but  to  whatever  quarter 
it  veered  the  conflagration  extended  itself ;  fresh  fires  were  every 
instant  seen  breaking  out  in  all  directions,  and  Moscow  soon 
exhibited  the  sj)ectacle  of  a  sea  of  flame  agitated  by  the  wind. 
The  soldiers,  drowned  in  sleep  or  overcome  by  intoxication,  were 
incapable  of  arresting  its  progress ;  and  the  burning  fragments, 
floating  through  the  hot  aii*,  began  to  fall  on  the  roofs  and  courts 
of  the  Kremlin.  The  fury  of  an  autumnal  tempest  added  to  the 
horrors  of  the  scene ;  it  seemed  as  if  the  wrath  of  heaven  had  com- 
bined with  the  vengeance  of  man  to  consume  the  invaders  of  the 
city  they  had  conquered. 

But  it  was  chiefly  during  the  nights  of  the  18th  and  19th  that 
the  conflagration  attained  its  greatest  violence.  At  that  time  the 
whole  city  was  wrapped  in  flames,  and  volumes  of  fire  of  various 
colors  ascended  to  the  heavens  in  many  places,  diffusing  a  prodi- 
giov.s  light  on  all  sides,  and  attended  by  an  intolerable  heat.    These 


m   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  647 

balloons  of  flame  were  accompanied  in  their  ascent  by  a  frightful 
hissing  noise  and  loud  explosions,  the  effect  of  the  vast  stores  of 
oil,  resin,  tar,  spirits,  and  other  combustible  materials  with  which 
the  greater  part  of  the  shops  were  filled.  Large  pieces  of  painted 
canvas,  unrolled  from  the  outside  of  the  buildings  by  the  violence 
of  the  heat,  floated  on  fire  in  the  atmosphei'e,  and  sent  dowii  on 
all  sides  a  flaming  shower,  which  spread  the  conflagration  in 
quarters  even  the  most  removed  fi'om  where  it  originated.  The 
wind,  naturally  high,  was  raised  by  the  sudden  rarefaction  of  the 
air  produced  by  the  heat,  to  a  perfect  hurricane.  The  howling  of 
the  tempest  drowned  even  the  roar  of  the  conflagration ;  the 
whole  heavens  were  filled  with  the  whirl  of  the  volumes  of  smoke 
and  flame  which  rose  on  all  sides,  and  made  midnight  as  bright 
as  day ;  while  even  the  bravest  hearts,  subdued  by  the  sublimity 
of  the  scene,  and  the  feeling  of  human  impotence  in  the  midst  of 
such  elemental  strife,  sanlv  and  trembled  in  silence. 

The  return  of  day  did  not  diminish  the  terrors  of  the  confla- 
gration. An  immense  crowd  of  hitherto  unseen  people,  who  had 
taken  refuge  in  the  cellars  and  vaults  of  their  buildings,  issued 
forth  as  the  flames  reached  their  dwellings ;  the  streets  were 
speedily  filled  with  multitudes  flying  in  every  direction  with 
their  most  precious  articles ;  while  the  French  army,  whose  dis- 
cipline this  fatal-  event  had  entirely  dissolved,  assembled  in 
drunken  crowds,  and  loaded  themselves  with  the  spoils  of  the  city. 
Never  in  modern  times  had  such  a  scene  been  witnessed.  The 
men  were  loaded  with  packages,  charged  with  their  most  precious 
effects,  which  often  took  fire  as  they  were  carried  along,  and 
which  they  were  obliged  to  throw  down  to  save  themselves.  The 
women  had  often  two  or  three  children  on  their  backs,  and  as 
many  led  by  the  hand,  which,  with  trembling  steps  and  piteous 
cries,  sought  their  devious  way  tlu-ough  the  lab}Tinth  of  flame. 
Many  old  men,  unable  to  walk,  were  drawn  on  hurdles  or  wheel- 
barrows V/  their  children  and  grandchildren,  while  thei*-  burnt 


648  HISTOKY    or   the    great    PERES 

beards  and  smoking  garments  showed  witli  what  difficulty  they 
had  been  rescued  fi-om  the  flames.  Often  the  French  soldiers, 
tormented  by  hunger  and  thu-st,  and  loosened  from  all  discipline 
by  the  horrors  which  surrounded  them,  not  contented  with  the 
booty  in  the  streets,  rushed  headlong  into  the  burning  edifices,  to 
ransack  their  cellars  for  the  stores  of  wine  and  spirits  which  they 
contained,  and  beneath  the  ruins  great  numbers  perished  miser- 
ably, the  victims  of  intemperance  and  the  surrounding  fire. 
Meanwhile  the  flames,  faimed  by  the  tempestuous  gale,  advanced 
with  frightful  rapidity,  devouring  alike  in  their  com-se  the  palaces 
of  the  great,  the  temples  of  religion,  and  the  cottages  of  the  poor. 
For  thirty-six  houi-s  the  conflagration  continued  at  its  height,  and 
during  that  time  above  nine-tenths  of  the  city  was  destroyed. 
The  remainder,  abandoned  to  pillage  and  deserted  by  its  inhabi- 
tants, offered  no  resources  to  the  army.  Moscow  had  been  con- 
quered ;  but  the  victors  had  gained  only  a  heap  of  rums.  It  is 
estimated  that  30,800  houses  were  consumed,  and  the  total  value 
of  property  destroyed  amounted  to  £30,000,000. 


CHAPTER  XLVIL 
THE   GREAT  FIRE   IN   LONDON.     . 

"We  must  go  back  more  than  a  couple  of  centm-ies  to  find 
a  parallel  to  the  terrible  fh-e  w^hich  has  wrapped  the  city  of 
Chicago  in  a  sea  of  resistless  flame.  On  the  2d  of  September, 
16GG,  the  city  of  London  was  almost  entirely  destroyed  by 
what  has  since  been  known  as  the  Great  Fii-e.  This  awful 
confiagration  gained  headway  with  the  same  terrible  rapidit}' 
as  that  of  Sunday  night,  and  in  five  dreadful  days  of  ruin  and  ter- 
ror and  panic  laid  two-thu-ds  of  the  English  metropolis  in  ashes. 
Like  the  fire  at  Chicago,  it  broke  out  upon  a  Sunday,  though  at  a 
different  hour — ^two  o'clock  in  the  mornincj.     It  orioioated  ia  a 


m   CHICAGO    AND    THE   AVEST.  C49 

bakehouse,  kept  by  a  man  with  the  quaint  name  of  Fariyncr,  at 
Pudding  lane,  near  the  Tower.  At  that  period  the  bnildings  in 
the  English  capital  were  chiefly  constructed  of  wood,  with  pitched 
roofs,  and  in  this  j>articular  locality,  which  was  immediately  adja- 
cent to  the  water  side,  the  stores  were  mainly  filled  with  materials 
emploj'cd  in  the  equipment  of  shipping,  mostly  of  course  of  a 
highly  combustible  nature.  To  add  to  the  conspiring  causes  of 
the  immense  mischief  in  which  the  fire  ultimately  resulted,  the 
pipes  from  the  ISTew  River — the  source  of  the  water  supply  of  tlie 
city — were  found  to  be  empty,  and  the  engine  which  raised  water 
fi'om  the  Thames  was  among  the  first  property  destroyed.  The 
vacillation  and  indecision  of  the  lord  mayor  aggravated  the  con- 
fusion. For  several  hours  he  refused  to  listen  to  the  counsel 
given  him  to  call  in  the  aid  of  the  military,  and  wlien  the  prob- 
able proportions  of  the  fire  were  plainly  apparent,  and  when  it 
was  clear  that  the  destruction  of  a  block  of  houses  was  absolutely 
necessary  to  the  preservation  of  the  city,  he  declined  to  accept 
the  responsibility  of  destroying  them  until  he  could  obtain  the 
consent  of  their  owners.  All  through  Sunday  the  wind  increased 
in  violence,  and  the  fire  sped  with  incredible  rapidity  from  house 
to  house,  from  street  to  street,  on  its  work  of  havoc.  "We  cannot 
now  do  better  than  transcribe  the  account  of  the  further  mischief 
caused  by  the  fire,  given  by  Mr.  John  Evelyn,  in  his  "  diary."  It 
reads  as  follows  : — 

"  Se2:?t.  3.  The  fire  continuing,  after  dinner  I  took  coach  with 
my  wife  and  son,  and  went  to  the  Bankside,  in  Southwark,  where 
we  beheld  that  dreadful  spectacle— the  whole  city  in  dreadful 
flames  near  ye  water  side:  nil  the  houses  from  the  bridge,  all 
Tliames  street,  and  upwards  towards  Cheapsidc  down  to  the 
Three  Cranes,  were  now  consumed. 

"  The  fire  having  continued  all  this  night  (if  I  may  call  that 
night  which  was  as  light  as  day  for  ten  miles  round  about  after 
a  dreadful  manner)  when  conspiring  with  a  fierce  eastern  wind 


650  HISTORY   OF   THE    GREAT   FIRES 

in  a  very  drie  season ;  I  went  on  foot  to  the  same  place,  and 
saw  the  whole  south  part  of  the  city  burning,  from  Cheapside 
to  the  Thames,  and  all  along  Cornehill  (for  it  kindled  back  against 
the  wind  as  well  as  forwards),  Tower  street,  Fenchurch  street, 
Gracious  street,  and  so  along  to  Bainard's  castle,  and  was  now 
taking  hold  of  St.  Paul's  church,  to  which  the  scaffolds  contri- 
buted exceedingly.  The  conflagration  was  so  universal  and  the 
people  so  astonished,  that,  from  the  beginning — 1  know  not  from 
what,  despondency  or  fate — they  hardly  strived  to  quench  it,  so 
that  there  was  nothing  hearde  or  seene  but  crying  out  and  la- 
mentations, running  about  like  distracted  creatures,  without  at  all 
attempting  to  save  even  their  goods,  such  a  strange  consterna- 
tion there  was  upon  them — so,  as  it  burned  both  in  length  and 
breadth,  the  churches,  public  halls.  Exchange,  hospitals,  monu- 
ments and  ornaments,  leaphig  after  a  prodigious  manner  from 
house  to  house  and  streete  to  streete,  at  greate  distance  one  from 
ye  other  ;  for  ye  heate,  with  a  long  set  of  fair  and  warme  wea- 
ther had  even  ignited  the  air,  and  prepared  the  materials  to 
conceive  the  fire  which  devoured  after  an  incredible  manner 
houses,  furniture  and  everything.  Here  we  saw  the  Thames 
covered  with  goods  floating,  all  the  barges  and  boats  laden  with 
what  some  had  time  and  com*age  to  save,  as  on  ye  other,  ye 
carts,  &c.,  carrying  out  to  the  fields,  which  for  many  miles  were 
strewed  with  moveables  of  all  sorts,  and  tents  erecting  to  shelter 
both  people  and  what  goods  they  could  get  away.  Oh,  the  mis- 
erable and  calamitous  spectacle  such  as  haply  the  world  had  not 
scene  the  like  since  the  fo'iiiidation  of  it,  nor  to  be  outdone  till 
the  universal  conflagration.  All  the  sky  was  of  a  fiery  aspect, 
like  the  top  of  a  burning  oven,  the  light  scene  above  forty  miles 
round  about  for  many  nights.  God  grant  my  eyes  may  never 
behold  the  like,  now  seeing  above  ten  thousand  houses  all  in  one 
flame;  the  noise  and  crackling  and  thunder  of  the  impetuous 
flames ;  ye  shrieking  of  women  and  children,  the  hurry  of  people, 


m   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WKST.  651 

tlie  fall  of  towei-s,  lioHses  aud  churches  was  like  an  hideous 
storme,  and  the  fire  all  about  so  hot  and  inflamed  that  at  last 
one  was  not  able  to  approach  it,  so  that  they  were  forced  to  stand 
stille  and  let  the  flames  burn  on,  which  they  did  for  neere  two 
miles  in  length  and  one  in  breadth.  The  clouds  of  smoke  were 
dismall,  and  reached  upon  computation  near  fifty  miles  in  length. 
Thus  I  left  it  in  the  afternoone  burning — a  resemblance  to  Sodom 
or  the  last  day.     London  was,  but  is  no  more  ! 

"  Sept.  4.  The  burning  still  rages,  and  it  was  now  gotten  so 
far  as  the  Inner  temple,  olde  Fleete  streete,  the  Olde  Ba.ley, 
Ludgate  Hill,  Warwick  lane,  Newgate,  Panic's  Chain,  Watling 
streete,  now  flaming  and  most  of  it  reduced  to  ashes  ;  the  stones 
of  Paule's  flew  like  grenades,  ye  melting  lead  running  downie  the 
streetes  in  a  streame,  and  the  very  pavements  glowing  with  fieiy 
rednesse,  so  as  no  horse  or  man  was  able  to  tread  on  them,  and 
the  demolition  had  stopped  all  the  passages,  so  that  no  help  could 
be  applied.  The  eastern  wind  still  more  impetuously  drove  the 
flames  forward.  !N"othing  but  ye  almighty  powers  of  God  was 
able  to  stay  them,  for  vaine  was  ye  helpe  of  man. 

"■/Sept.  5.  It  crossed  towards  Whitehalle ;  oh,  the  confusion 
there  was  then  at  that  court!  It  pleased  his  mnjesty  to  com- 
mand me  among  the  rdst  to  looke  after  the  quenching  of  Fetter 
lane,  and  to  preserve  if  possible  that  part  of  Holborne,  while  the 
rest  of  ye  gentlemen  tooke  their  several  posts  and  began  to  con- 
sider that  nothing  was  so  likely  to  put  a  stop  but  the  blowing  up 
of  so  many  houses  as  might  make  a  wider  gap  tiian  any  that  had 
yet  been  made  by  the  ordinary  method  of  pulling  them  down  by 
engines." 

Then  .after  a  description  of  the  abating  of  the  wina,  and 
the  gradual  dying  out  of  the  fire,  the  quaint  old  diarist  con 
tinues : — 

"The   poore   inhabitants  were   dispersed   about    St.   George' 


652  HISTORY   OF   THE   GEEAT   FESES 

Fields  and  Mcorfields,  as  far  as  Highgate,  and  several  myles  in 
circle ;  some  under  tents,  some  under  miserable  hutts  and  hovels, 
man 3'^  without  a  rag  or  any  necessary  utensils,  bed  or  board,  who 
from  delicatenesse,  riches  and  easy  accommodation  in  stately  and 
well  furnished  houses,  were  reduced  now  to  extreamest  misery 
and  poverty." 

And  again  : — 

"I  then  went  towards  Islington  and  Highgate,  where  one 
might  have  seene  200,000  people  of  ranks  and  degrees  dispersed 
and  lying  along  by  tlieir  heapes  of  what  they  could  save  from  the 
fire,  deploring  their  losse,  and  though  ready  to  perish  from  hun- 
ger and  destitution,  yet  not  ashing  one  penny  for  relief,  which  to 
me  appeared  a  stranger  sight  than  I  had  yet  beheld." 

How  vivid  an  idea  of  the  suffering  and  misery  entailed  by  this 
terrible  visitation  we  find  in  this  simple  but  expressive  narrative ! 
]Ncarly  two-thirds  of  the  entire  city  was  destroyed.  Thirteen 
thousand  houses,  eightj'-nine  churches,  and  many  public  build- 
ings were  reduced  to  charred  wood  and  ashes.  Three  hundred 
and  seventy-three  acres  within,  and  sixty-three  acres  without  the 
walls  were  utterly  devastated.  Well  might  Mr.  Evelyn  compare 
the  fire  to  that  which  overwhelmed  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  or  that 
other  and  yet  more  awful  one  which  will  engulf  the  entire  world 
at  the  Day  of  Doom. 

John  Howe  preached  a  sermon  on  the  rebuilding  of  London, 
taking  for  his  text  these  words,  "  The  street  shall  be  built  again, 
and  the  wall  even  in  troublous  times."  In  a  note  to  that  dis- 
course the  editor  thus  describes  the  fire  and  the  restoration  of  the 
city  :  "  The  dreadfulfire  so  often  alluded  to  began  on  Septem- 
ber 2d,  1G66,  near  the  place  where  the  monument  now  stands, 
by  which  one  of  the  noblest  and  most  magnificent  cities  in  tho 
world  was  turned  into  ashes  in  a  few  da3'S.  A  raging  east  wind, 
we  are  told,  fomented  it  to  an  incredible  degree,  which  in  a  mo- 


m  CHICAGO   AND  THE   WEST.  653 

ment  raised  the  fire  from  the  bottom  to  the  tops  of  the  lionscs, 
and  scattered  prodigious  flakes  in  all  places,  which  were  mounted 
so  vastly  high  into  the  air  as  if  heaven  and  earth  were  threatened 
with  the  same  conflagration.  The  fury  soon  became  insupport- 
able against  all  the  arts  of  men  and  power  of  engines;  and  be- 
sides the  dreadful  scenes  of  flames,  ruins,  and  desolations,  there 
appeared  the  most  killing  sight  under  the  sun — the  distracted 
looks  of  so  many  citizens,  the  wailings  of  miserable  women,  and 
the  cries  of  poor  children  and  decrepit  old  people,  with  all  the 
marks  of  confusion  and  despair." 

The  inscription  on  the  pillar  erected  by  that  famous  architect, 
Sir  Christopher  "Wren,  in  memory  of  this  calamity,  tells  us: 
"  The  fire,  with  incredible  fury  and  noise,  destroyed  eighty-nine 
churches,  among  which  w-as  the  Cathedral  of  St.  Paul;  many 
public  hospitals,  schools,  libraries,  a  vast  number  of  stately  edi- 
fices, thirteen  thousand  two  hundred  dwelling-houses,  four  hundred 
streets,  etc.  The  destruction  was  sudden  ;  for  in  a  short  time  the 
same  city  which  was  seen  in  a  flourishing  condition,  was  reduced 
to  nothing ;  and  in  a  few  days,  when  the  latal  fire  had,  in  appear- 
ance, overcome  all  means  of  resistance  and  human  counsels,  by 
the  will  of  Heaven  it  stopped  and  was  extinguished.  All  per- 
sons were  indefatigable  in  the  work  of  rebuilding,  and  making 
provision  for  the  resurrection  of  this  city ;  and  Sir  Jonas  Moor, 
after  having  raised  Fleet  street  according  to  the  model  appointed, 
from  that  beginning  the  city  advanced  so  hastily  towards  a  gen- 
eral perfection  that,  within  the  compass  of  a  few  years,  it  far 
transcended  its  former  splendor." 


654  msTOKY  OF  the  gkeat  fires 


CHAPTER  XLVin. 
NEW   TOKk's   GEEAT  FIEE. 


That  great  event  in  the  history  of  JS'ew  York,  the  "  Great 
Fire,"  occurred  on  the  night  of  the  16th  of  December,  1835,  It 
was  declared  bj  the  croakers  of  the  time  a  damper  upon  the 
city's  prosperity  and  a  clog  to  the  wheels  of  its  progress  towards 
its  present  position.  But  though  the  people  lost  a  great  part  of 
their  capital,  they  did  not  lose  their  strength,  energy,  and  enter- 
prise, and  the  proper  application  of  those  qualities  caused  their 
city  to  rise  Phoenix-like  from  its  ashp°^  more  beautiful,  stronger, 
and  fuller  of  life  than  before. 

At  between  eight  and  nine  o'clock  of  the  evening  above  stated, 
the  fire  was  discovered  in  the  store  No.  25  Merchant  street,  a 
narrow  street  that  led  from  Pearl  into  Exchange  street,  near 
where  the  Post-office  then  was.  The  flames  spread  rapidly,  and 
at  ten  o'clock  forty  of  the  most  valuable  dry-goods  stores  in  the 
city  were  burned  down  or  on  fire.  The  narrowness  of  Merchant 
street,  and  the  gale  which  was  blowing,  aided  the  spread  of  the 
destructive  element.  It  passed  from  building  to  building,  leaped 
across  the  street,  between  the  blocks,  urged  by  the  gale  and  in 
nowise  deterr<^';  by  the  feeble  forces  opposing  it.  The  night 
was  bitterly  cold,  and,  though  the  firemen  were  most  energetic, 
the  freezing  of  the  hose  and  the  water  in  their  defective  engines, 
combined  with  their  sufferings  from  the  weather,  made  their 
efforts  of  little  avail.  Tlie  flames  spread  north  and  south,  east 
and  west,  until  almost  every  building  on  the  area  bounded  by 
Wall,  South,  and  Broad  streets,  and  Coenties'  slip,  was  burning, 
gutted,  or  levelled  to  the  ground.  There  was  not  a  building  de- 
eti'oyed  on  Broad  street,  nor  on  the  block  on  Wall  street  from 
William  to  Broad  street,  the  fire  taking  an  almost  circular  course 
just  at  the  rear  of  the  buildings  on  the  streets  named.  The 
scene  in  the  night  was  one  of  indescribable  grandeur,  the  glare 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE   WEST.  655 

from  the  three  hundred  buildings  that  were  at  one  time  burning 
brightly  lighting  up  the  whole  city.  In  all  five  hundred  and 
thirty  buildings  were  destroyed ;  they  were  of  the  largest  and 
most  costly  description,  and  were  filled  with  the  most  valuable 
goods.  The  total  loss,  estimated  at  about  $20,000,000,  was  after- 
wards found  to  be  about  $15,000,000.  Of  the  buildings  destroyed 
the  most  important  were  the  Merchants'  Exchange,  the  Post- 
office,  the  offices  of  the  celebrated  bankers  the  Josephs,  the 
Aliens,  and  the  Livingstons,  the  Phoenix  Bank,  and  the  building 
owned  and  occupied  by  Arthur  Tappan,  then  much  despised  for 
his  anti-slavery  sympathies.  The  business  portion  of  the  city 
was  alone  that  burned  over,  so  that  few  poor  were  rendered 
otherwise  than  ■^ithout  employment. 


The  greatest  fire  since  that  of  December,  1835,  that  has  devas 
tated  property  in  New  York,  began  on  the  mormng  of  the  20th 
of  July,  1845.  The  fire  originated  in  the  sperm  oil  store  in  New 
street,  near  the  corner  of  Exchange  place,  about  three  o'clock  on 
the  morning  named,  and  spread  over  a  great  part  of  the  territorj 
which  had  been  the  scene  of  the  conflagration  of  1835.  The 
Panics  were  commnnicated  to  a  chair  factory  aajomiug  and  nearer 
to  the  corner  of  Exchange  place,  whence  they  passed  along  Ex 
change  place  to  Broad  street.  There  they  enwrapped  a  building 
in  which  was  a  quantity  of  saltpetre,  or  gunpowder,  on  storage. 
When  the  building  had  been  burning  for  about  fifteen  minutes  a 
most  aw^ful  explosion  took  place,  which  sliook  the  city  like  an 
earthq  lake.  The  building  was  blo-ttTi  up,  and  with  it  some  other 
bnildings.  Immediately  after  the  explosion  fire  was  discovci'cd 
m  four  different  places,  and  shortly  the  rear  of  the  entire  block 
was  blazing.  Soon  the  fire  leaped  to  the  south  side  of  Broak 
etreet,  passing  at  the  same  time  to  Broadway.  All  this  time  the 
firemen,  although  making  the  mo^t  strenuous  efforts,  had  effected 


656  HISTOKY    OF   THE    GREAT   FLKE8 

but  little  toward  suppressing  the  flames.  On  Broadway  they 
spread  downward  toward  the  Bowling  Green ;  and  on  Broad 
street  north  toward  Wall  street  and  south  to  Beaver  street,  along 
which  they  passed  to  New  street,  both  sides  of  which  had  been 
devastated.  The  fire  was  checked  ere  it  had  reached  the  magnifi- 
cent Merchants'  Exchange  on  its  way  to  "Wall  street.  Both  sides 
of  Exchange  place,  from  Broadway  to  Broad  street  and  half  way 
down  to  William,  were  burned.  Every  building  on  Broadway 
from  Exchange  place  down  was  levelled,  and  then  the  flames 
turned  into  Marketfield  street,  where  they  were  checked.  Al- 
together about  three  hundred  buildings  were  destroyed,  among 
which  were  the  costly  shrines  of  commerce  and  finance,  and  the 
abodes  of  the  poverty-stricken.  A  liberal  estimate  of  the  total  loss 
is  made  at  $6,000,000,  but  this  is  belittled  when  the  lamentable 
loss  of  life  of  which  the  explosion  was  the  occasion  is  thought  of. 
The  number  of  persons  whose  lives  were  destroyed  never  was  ac- 
curately ascertained;  but  it  was  generally  believed  at  the  tune 
that  about  six  persons  perished. 

A   REMINISCENCE   OF   THE  GREAT   FIRE   OF   1835. 

On  the  night  of  the  IGth  of  December,  1835, 1  was  sitting  with 
a  literar}'^  friend,  about  nine  o'clock,  in  one  of  the  private  boxe^of 
Hamblin's  inagnificent  Bowery  Theatre.  Suddenly  the  big  bell 
of  the  City  Hall  boomed  loud  and  long  over  the  metropolis,  and 
"  Fire !  fire  !  "  echoed  aroimd  and  within  the  theatre.  We  were 
off  in  an  instant,  rushing  out  of  the  slamming  doors,  and  onward 
toward  the  scene  of  the  conflagration,  which  was  "glaring  on 
Night's  startled  eye  "  away  down  town. 

Wlien  we  reached  Wall  street,  near  Water,  the  Tontine  Coffee 
House  had  caught,  and  dark  smoke  in  huge  masses,  tinged  with 
flickering  flashes  of  bright  flame,  was  bursting  fi'om  all  the  upper 
windows.  The  night,  as  all  who  were  out  in  it  will  well  remem- 
ber, was  intensely  cold.    There  was  but  little  wind,  but  as  the  fii*e 


m   CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST.  657 

advanced  there  was  plainly  perceptible  tlie  "  food  of  fire  "  in  the 
air,  as  I  firmly  believe  there  always  is  in  all  great  conflagrations ; 
something  mysterious  as  yet,  and  unexplainable.  It  was  so  in  our 
great  fire,  for  I  saw  its  e\ddences  myself,  and  I  see  that  reports  of 
the  same  evidences  are  mentioned  as  features  of  the  still  more 
terrible  and  vastly  greater  conflagration  in  Chicago,  which  has 
"roused  the  world."  Science,  there  is  little  doubt,  will  find  out, 
by  and  by,  what  this  mysterious  power  is,  and  tell  us  how  it  is 
worked  and  how  it  may  be  guarded  against,  if  not  conquered. 
Whether  it  is  atmospheric  or  electric,  or  whatever  else  it  may  be, 
is  yet  to  be  determined.  A  word  or  two  more ,  concerning  this  a 
little  further  on. 

Oar  great  fire  travelled  south  and  west  faster  than  a  man  could 
walk.  Water  froze  in  all  the  gutters ;  thick  ice  coated  the  hy- 
drants ;  crunched  in  the  hose-pipes  that  encumbered  the  streets, 
and  lay  in  "  floes "  where  there  was  a  shadow  from  the  heat  and 
the  flame.  But  in  a  little  while  no  water  was  wanted.  Engines 
were  soon  useless,  and  no  energetic  "  Sykesy "  was  required  to 
"  take  the  butt."  Clouds  of  smoke,  like  dark  mountains  suddenly 
rising  into  the  air,  were  succeeded  by  long  bamiers  of  flame,  rush- 
ing to  the  zenith,  and  roaring  for  their  prey.  Street  after  street 
caught  the  terrible  torrent,  imtil  over  acre  after  acre  there  was 
rolling  and  booming  an  ocean  of  flame !  "  All  of  this  I  saw,  and 
part  of  it  I  was."  The  printing-oflice  of  the  JTuickerlmcker,  at 
first  in  South  William  street,  was  moved  three  times  far  beyond 
the  prevailing  fii-e,  but  was  gradually  followed  by  the  raging 
enemy,  and  finally  devoured. 

As  we  were  standing  upon  the  roof  of  the  Exchange,  looking 
down  upon  the  scene  when  in  mid-progress,  buildings  far  beyond 
the  line  of  fire,  and  in  no  contact  with  it,  burst  in  flames  from  the 
interior.  The  same  thing,  I  observe,  happened  in  Chicago,  and 
was  attributed  to  incendiaries;  but  there  were  no  incendiaries 
suspected  in  our  great  fii*e.     Wliat  latent  power  enkmdlcd  the  in- 


658  HISTOKY    OF    THE   GEEAT   FLEES 

side  of  these  advanced  buildings,  while  externally  they  were  im 
touched  ?  A  scientific  writer  at  the  time  contended,  1  think  in 
the  old  Daily  Advertiser^  that  at  a  certain  period  there  is  what  he 
called  an  "  inflammable  vacuum  "  in  the  air,  which  is  self -igniting 
and  irresistible.  Perhaps,  a  hundred  years  or  so  from  now,  some 
safeo-T-ard  against  this  mysterious  element,  now  lying  latent  and 
sleeping  in  nature,  may  be  discovered.  It  is  not  so  very  long 
since  the  old  tea-kettle  first  lifted  its  lid  to  the  science  of  steam, 
and  talking  round  the  world  mider  water  is  a  much  youngei 
wonder. 


CHAPTER  XT.ry. 
PITTSBUIiGH,  1845. 


PiTTSEUKG,  Pa.,  was  visited  by  a  most  destructive  conflagration 
the  10th  of  April,  1845.  By  it  a  very  lage  portion  of  the  city 
was  laid  waste,  and  a  greater  number  of  houses  destroyed  than  by 
all  the  fires  that  had  occurred  previously  to  it.  Twenty  squares, 
containing  about  1,100  buildings  were  bm-ned  over.  Of  these 
builduigs  the  greater  part  were  business  houses  containing  goods 
of  immense  value — ^grocery,  diy-goods,  and  commission  houses — 
and  the  spring  stocks  of  the  latter  had  just  been  laid  in.  The 
fire  commenced  in  a  frame  building  at  the  corner  of  Second  and 
Ferry  streets,  and  the  prevailing  strong  wind  urged  it  with  fear- 
ful rapidity  through  the  city.  So  short  was  the  time  between  the 
discovery  of  the  flames  and  their  spread  through  the  city,  that 
many  persons  were  unable  to  save  any  of  their  household  goods, 
while  others,  having  got  theirs  to  the  walk,  were  compelled  to  flee 
and  leave  them  to  be  seized  and  destroyed  by  the  element. 

The  merchants  were  equally  unsuccessful  in  saving  anything 
from  their  warehouses.     The  loss  was  estimated  at  $10,000,000. 


IN   CHICAGO    AND   THE   WEST.  659 

PHILADELPHIA,  1850. 

A  conflagration,  by  which  an  immense  amount  of  property  was 
destroyed,  took  place  in  Philadelphia,  on  the  9th  of  July,  1850. 
It  began  about  four  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  in  a  store 
at  78  North  Delaware  avenue.  The  fire  was  beyond  control 
when  discovered,  and  soon  spread,  despite  the  most  strenuous 
efforts  to  prevent  it,  to  the  store-houses  adjoining.  When  the  fire 
had  reached  the  cellar  of  the  building  in  which  it  had  originated, 
two  explosions  occurred,  which  rent  the  walls  of  the  building  and 
threw  flakes  of  combustible  matter  in  all  directions,  setting  fire 
to  many  other  buildings.  Delaware  avenue  and  Water  street  were 
covered  with  persons  who  exhibited  little  fear  at  these  evidences 
of  dangerous  substances  being  stored  in  the  building.  Suddenly 
a  third  and  most  terrific  explosion  occurred,  by  which  a  nuinl^er 
of  men,  women,  and  children  were  killed,  and  several  buildings 
demolished.  This  disaster  caused  a  panic  among  the  firemen  and 
spectators,  and  in  the  efforts  of  all  to  escape  from  danger  many 
were  trampled  upon  and  injm-ed.  Some  were  thrown  into  the 
Delaware,  and  others  jumped  in  to  get  away  fi-om  the  falhng 
bricks  and  beams  sent  up  fi-om  the  burning  building  by  the  explo- 
sion. The  number  of  persons  who  lost  their  lives  by  the  explo- 
sion was  about  thirty — nine  persons  who  jumped  into  the  river  in 
a  fright  were  drowned — and  about  one  hundi-ed  persons  injured. 
The  area  over  which  the  tire  spread  contained  about  four  hun- 
dred buildings.  Its  locality  was  one  of  the  most  densely  populated 
in  the  city,  and  a  large  number  of  the  residents,  having  been  poor 
people,  the  suffering  caused  was  immense.  'The  loss  was  about 
$1,000,000,  and  the  fire  would  be  a  comparatively  small  one  had 
there  been  no  loss  of  life. 

pniLADELPHIA,  1865. 

Tlie  most  terrible  conflagration  of  which  Pliiladelphia  was 
the  theatre,  after   that   of   Jnly,    1850,    occurred  there  on  the 


660  HISTORY    OF   THE   GREAT   FIRES 

morning  of  February  8,  1865,  Like  its  predecessor,  it  brought 
death  to  many,  and  in  the  most  horrible  and  painful  mamier. 
The  fire  originated  among  several  thousand  barrels  of  coal-oil 
that  was  stored  upon  an  open  lot  on  Washington  street  near 
Ninth.  The  flames  spread  through  the  oil  as  if  it  had  been  gun- 
powder, and  in  a  very  short  time,  2,000  barrels  were  ablaze,  and 
sending  a  huge  volume  of  flame  and  smoke  upward.  The  resi- 
dents of  the  ^dcinity,  awakened  by  the  noise  of  the  bells  and 
firemen,  and  affrighted  by  the  glare  and  nearness  of  the.  fire, 
rushed  in  their  night  garments  into  the  streets  that  were  covered 
with  snow  and  slush.  The  most  prompt  to  leave  their  homes  got 
off  with  their  lives,  but  those  near  the  spot  where  the  fire  com- 
menced, and  not  prompt  to  escape,  were  met  by  a  terrible  scene. 
The  blazing  oil  poured  into  Nintli  street  and  down  to  Federal, 
making  the  entire  street  a  lake  of  fire  that  ignited  the  houses  on 
both  sides  of  the  street  for  two  blocks.  The  flames  also  passed 
up  and  down  the  cross  streets,  and  destroyed  a  number  of  houses. 
The  fiery  torch  was  whirled  back  and  forth  along  the  street  at 
the  pleasm-e  of  the  wind,  and  as  it  passed  destroyed  everything 
in  or  near  its  course.  People  leaving  their  blazing  homes,  hoping 
to  reach  a  place  of  safety,  were  roasted  to  death  by  it.  Alto- 
gether, about  twenty  persons  were  roasted  in  the  streets  or  houses. 
Firemen  making  vain  endeavors  to  save  the  poor  creatures  from 
their  horrible  fate  were  fearfully  burned.  The  loss  of  property 
amounted  to  about  $500,000,  and  fifty  buildings  were  destro3'-ed. 
From  Washington  street  to  Federal,  on  Is'inth,  every  building  was 
bm-ned. 

BAJSr   FKANCISCO. 

The  city  of  San  Francisco  was  retarded  in  its  progress  toward 
its  present  proud  position  by  many  causes,  but  by  nothing  more 
than  fire.  The  most  destructive  of  the  many  conflagrations 
which  have  occurred  in  that  city  began  on  the  3d  of  ^u^y,  1851, 


IN   CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  661 

at  eleven  o'clock  p.m.,  and  was  not  overmastered  until  the  5tli. 
The  loss  that  was  caused  by  it  amounted  to  $3,500,000,  and  it 
destroyed  2,500  buildings.  The  fire  began  in  a  paint-shop  on 
the  west  side  of  Portsmouth  Square,  adjoining  the  American 
House.  Although  but  a  slight  blaze  when  discovered,  the  build- 
ing was  within  five  minutes  enwrapped  with  tiames ;  and  before 
the  fire-engines  could  be  got  to  work,  the  American  House  and 
the  building  on  the  other  side  of  the  paint-shop  were  also  burn- 
ing. The  buildings  being  all  of  wood  and  extremely  combusti- 
ble, the  fire  spread  up  Clay  street,  back  to  Sacramento,  and  down 
Clay  street  towards  Kearney,  with  fearful  rapidity.  Soon  the 
fire  department  was  compelled  to  give  up  every  attempt  to  ex- 
tinguish it,  and  to  confine  their  work  to  making  its  advance  less 
rapid. 

Pursuing  this  plan,  they  checked  the  flames  on  the  north  side 
at  Dupont  street.  But  in  every  other  direction  it  took  its  own 
coui-se,  and  was  only  arrested  at  the  water's  edge  and  the  ruins 
of  the  houses  that  had  been  blown  np.  The  shipping  in  the 
harbor  was  only  protected  by  the  breaking  np  of  the  wharves. 
Thousands  of  persons  were  made  homeless,  and  for  a  long  time 
after  lived  in  tents.  The  custom-house,  seven  hotels,  the  post- 
oflice,  the  ofiices  of  the  steamship  company,  and  the  banking- 
house  of  Page,  Bacon  &  Co.  were  destroyed.  During  the  con- 
tinuance of  the  fire  a  number  of  persons  were  burned,  and  others 
died  from  their  exertions  toward  subduing  it. 

Another  large  fire  devastated  a  great  portion  of  San  Francisco 
in  June,  1851.  It  occurred  on  the  22d  of  that  month,  and  500 
buildings  were  destroyed  by  it.  The  loss  was  estimated  at 
$3,000,000. 

PORTLAND   (me.),    1866. 

The  terrible  fire  which  laid  in  ruins  more  than  half  of  the  city 
of  Portland,  Me.,  commenced  at  five  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of 

38 


662  HISTOKY    OF    THE    GREAT   FIRES 

the  4tli  of  July,  1866.  Begiuning  in  a  cooper's  shop,  at  the  foot 
of  High  street,  caused  by  a  lire-cracker  being  thrown  among 
some  wood  shavings,  it  swept  through  the  city  with  friglitful  ra- 
pidity. With  difficulty. did  the  inhabitants  of  the  houses  in  its 
path  escape  with  their  lives.  Little  effort  was  made  to  save 
household  goods  when  this  saving  involved  a  possibility  of  death. 
Everything  in  the  track  of  the  flames  was  destroyed  ;  and  so  com- 
pletely, that  when  they  had  been  overcome  even  the  streets  could 
hardly  be  traced.  For  a  space  of  one  mile  and  a  half  long  by 
a  quarter  of  a  mile  wide,  there  seemed  a  straggling  forest  of 
chimneys,  with  parts  of  their  walls  attached.  From  the  place  of 
beginning  the  fire  was  swept  by  a  violent  gale  in  a  devious  way, 
sparing  nothing  in  its  passage  until  it  was  checked  by  the  ruins 
of  the  houses  which  had  been  blown  up.  The  utmost  endeavors  of 
the  firemen  of  the  city,  aided  by  those  from  other  cities  and  towns, 
M^ere  of  little  avail  until  the  plan  of  blowing  up  had  been  carried 
out,  and  then  only  to  prevent  the  fire  from  spreading,  and  cause 
it  for  want  of  fuel  to  burn  out.  One-half  of  the  city,  and  tlie 
one  which  included  its  business  portion,  was  destroyed.  Every 
bank  and  all  the  newspaper  offices  were  burned ;  and  it  is  some- 
what singular  to  note  that  all  the  lawyers'  offices  in  tlie  city  were 
swept  away.  The  splendid  city  and  county  building  on  Congress 
street  was  considered  fire-proof  and  safe,  and  was  filled  with  fur- 
niture from  the  neighboring  houses,  and  then  the  flames  catching 
it  laid  it  in  ruins.  All  the  jewelry  establishments,  the  wholesale 
dry-goods  houses,  several  churches,  the  telegraph  offices,  and  the 
majority  of  other  business  places  were  destroyed.  The  custom- 
house, though  badly  burned,  was  not  destroyed.  Most  singularly 
a  building  on  Middle  street,  occupied  by  a  hardware  firm,  was 
left  unscathed  by  the  sea  of  flame  which  surged  and  devastated 
all  around  it. 

Two  thousand  persons  were  rendered  houseless,  and  w^ere  shel- 
tered in  churches  and  tents  erected  for  them. 


IN    CHICAGO    AND    THE    WEST.  663 

In   all,  the  loss  was  estimated  at  $10,000,000,  which  was  but 
iU  SB) all  part  covered  by  insurance. 


CHARLESTON. 


1838. 


Charleston,  S.  C,  M'as,  on  the  27th  of  April,  1838,  visited  by 
one  of  the  most  destructive  tires  that  have  ever  occurred  in  any 
city  in  this  country.  A  territory  equal  to  almost  one-half  of  the 
entire  city  was  made  desolate.  The  fire  broke  out  at  a  quarter 
past  eight  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  day  mentioned,  in  a 
paint  shop  on  King  street,  corner  of  Beresford,  and  raged  until 
about  twelve  a.m.  of  the  following  day.  It  was  then  arrested  by 
the  blowing  up  of  buildings  in  its  path.  There  were  1,158 
buildings  destroyed,  and  the  loss  occasioned  was  about  $3,000,000. 
The  worst  feature  of  the  catastrophe  was  the  loss  of  life  which 
occurred  while  the  houses  were  being  blown  up.  Through  the 
careless  manner  in  which  the  gunpowder  was  used,  four  of  the 
most  prominent  citizens  of  the  city  were  killed  and  a  number 
injured. 

CHICAGO,  1857,  1859,  1866,  1868. 

On  the  morning  of  the  10th  of  October,  1857,  a  fire  occurred 
in  Chicago,  which,  though  notable  from  the  amount  of  property 
destroyed  by  it,  was  made  awful  by  the  loss  of  human  life  whicli 
it  caused.  The  fire  broke  out  in  a  large  double  store  in  South 
Water  street,  and  spread  east  and  west  to  the  buildings  adjoin- 
ing, and  across  an  alley  in  the  rear  to  a  block  of  new  buildings. 
All  these  were  completely  destroyed.  When  the  fla4nes  were 
threatening  one  of  the  buildings,  a  number  of  persons  ascended 
to  its  roof  to  there  fight  against  them.  Wholly  occupied  with 
their  work,  they  did  not  notice  that  the  wall  of  the  burning 
building  tottered,  and,  when  warned  of  their  danger,  they  could 
not  escape  ere  it  fell,  crushing  through  the  house  on  which  they 
were,  and  carrying  them  into  its  cellar.     Of  the  number  four- 


664  EISTOKY    OF    THE    GREAT    FIRES 

teeii  were  killed  and  more  injured.  The  loss  in  property  caused 
by  the  fire  amounted  to  over  half  a  million  of  dollars. 

A  fire,  the  most  disastrous  after  that  of  October,  1857,  took 
place  on  September  15,  1859.  It  broke  out  in  a  stable,  and, 
spreading  in  different  directions,  consumed  ihe  block  bounded 
bj  Clinton,  ]North  Canal,  West  Lake,  and  Fulton  streets,  on 
which  the  stable  was  situated.  From  this  block  the  fire  was 
communicated  to  Blatchford's  lead  works  and  to  the  hydraulic 
mills,  whence  it  passed  to  another  block  of  buildings,  all  of 
which  w^ere  destroyed.  The  total  loss  was  about  five  hundred 
thousand  dollars. 

Property  to  the  amount  of  $500,000  w^as  destroyed  by  fire  on 
the  10th  of  August,  1866.  The  fire  originated  in  a  wholesale 
tobacco  establishment  on  South  Water  street,  and  passed  to  the 
adjoining  buildings,  occupied  by  wholesale  grocery  and  drug 
firms.  The  first  two  buildings  and  contents  were  utterly,  while 
the  other  was  but  partially,  destroyed. 

A  tire,  which  destroyed  several  large  business  houses  on  Lake 
and  South  Water  streets,  took  place  November  18,  1866.  It 
ciriginated  in  the  tobacco  warehouse  of  Banker  &  Co.,  and  the 
loss  caused  by  it  was  about  $500,000. 

The  fire  which  occurred  on  the  28th  of  January,  1868,  was 
the  most  destructive  by  which  Chicago  had  ever  been  visited. 
It  broke  out  in  a  large  boot  and  shoe  factory  on  Lake  street,  and 
destroyed  the  entire  block  on  which  that  building  was  situated. 
The  sparks  from  those  buildings  set  fire  to  others  distant  from 
them  on  {he  same  street,  and  caused  their  destruction.  In  all  the 
loss  was  about  $3,000,000. 


IN    CHICAGO    AND   THE    WEST.  665 


CHAPTER  L. 


TABLE   OF   FORMER    GREAT   FIRES. 

Norfolk,  "Va.,  destroyed  by  tire  and  the  cannon-balls  of  the 
British.  Property  to  the  amount  of  $1,500,000  destroyed.  Jan- 
uary 1,  1776. 

City  of  New  York,  soon  after  passing  into  possession  of  the 
British;  500  buildings  consumed.     September  20-21,  1776. 

Theatre  at  Kichmond,  Ya.  The  governor  of  the  State  and  a 
large  number  of  the  leading  inhabitants  perished.  December 
26,  1811. 

City  of  New  York ;  530  buildings  destroyed  ;  loss,  $20,000,000. 
December  16,  1835. 

Washington  City;  General  Post  Office  and  Patent  Office,  with 
over  ten  thousand  valuable  models,  drawings,  etc.,  destroyed. 
December  15,  1836. 

Philadelphia ;  fifty-two  buildings  destroyed ;  loss,  $500,000. 
October  5,  1839. 

Quebec,  Canada ;  1,500  buildings  and  many  lives  destroyed. 
May  28, 1845. 

Quebec,  Canada  ;  1,300  buildings  destroyed.     June  28,  1845. 

City  of  New  York  ;  300  buildings  destroyed  ;  loss,  $6,000,000. 
June  20,  1845. 

St.  John's,  N.  P.,  nearly  destroyed ;  6,000  people  made  home- 
less.    June  12,  1846. 

Quebec,  Canada  ;  Theatre  Royal ;  47  persons  burned  to  death. 
June  14,  1846. 

Nantucket;  3(0  buildings  and  other  property  destroyed ;  value, 
$800,000.     July  13,  1846. 

At  Albany;  600  buildings,  steamboats,  piers,  etc.,  destroyed; 
loss,  $3,000,000.     August  17,  1848. 

Brooklyn  ;  300  buildings  destroyed.     September  9,  1848. 


666  HISTORY    OF    THE    GREA.T   FITtES 

At  St.  Louis,  15  Ijloeks  of  houses  and  23  steamboats  ;  loss  esti- 
mated at  $3,000,000.     May  17,  1849. 

Fredericton,  N.  B.  ;  about  300  buildings  destroyed.  Novem- 
ber 11,  1850. 

Nevada,  Cal. ;  200  buildings  destroyed;  loss,  $1,300,000. 
March  12,  1851. 

At  Stockton,  Cal.;  loss,  $1,500,000.     May  14,  1851. 

Concord,  N.  H. ;  greater  part  of  the  business  portion  of  the 
town  destroyed.     August  24,  1850. 

Congressional  Library  at  Washington,  35,000  volumes,  with 
works  of  art,  destroyed.     December  24,  1851. 

At  Montreal,  Canada,  1,000  houses  destroyed;  loss,  $5,000,000. 
July  8,  1852. 

Harper  Brothers'  establishment,  in  JSTew  York ;  loss  over 
$1,000,000.     December  10,  1853. 

Metropolitan  Hall  and  Lafarge  House,  in  this  city.  January 
8,  1854. 

At  Jersey  City,  30  factories  and  houses  destroyed.  July  30, 
1854. 

More  than  100  houses  and  factories  in  Tro_y,  N.  Y. ;  on  the 
same  day  a  large  part  of  Milwaukee,  "Wis.,  destroyed.  August 
25,  1854. 

At  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  about  100  buildings  destroyed;  loss,  $1,- 
000,000.     November  8,  1856. 

New  York  Crystal  Palace  destroyed^.     October  5, 1858. 

City  of  Charleston,  S.  C,  almost  destroyed.  February  17, 
1856. 

At  Quebec,  Canada,  2,500  houses  destroyed;  loss,  $2,500,000. 

CONCLTJSIOlSr. 

The  tales  of  horror  with  which  this  book  is  tilled  are  relieved 
by  the  deeds  of  heroism  and  mercy  which  have  been  faithfully 
rehearsed.     Human  experience  repeats  itself  from    age  to  age 


EST   CHICAGO   AND    THE    WEST.  667 

The  thing  that  is,  is  that  which  hath  been  and  shall  be,  so  that 
there  is  nothing  new  under  the  sun.  Lessons  of  hnman  in- 
sufficiency, and  weakness  and  vanity,  mingle  with  lessons  of  man's 
greatness  and  nobleness.  The  heart  turns  to  God  in  the  midst  of 
all  this  confusion  and  unrest,  and  finds  unchangeable  perfection, 
excellence,  beauty,  and  joy.  Though  vanity  of  vanities  is  written 
on  all  that  is  earthly,  there  is  in  God  pure  satisfaction,  absolute 
rest  for  every  soul  that  seeks  Him  with  a  sincere  purpose. 


COBBIN'S 


ILLUSTRATED  NEW  TESTAMENT. 

Cr.:TTAINING 

Tie  kmmi  Translation  of  tlie  New  TestaieEt  of  m  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
CMsi;  Willi  Notes, 

By    INGRAM    COBBIN,     M.A., 

Author  of  "  Cobbiii's  Domestic  Bible,"  "  Cobbin's  Commentary,"  "  Child's  Commentator,"  d>c.,  dec. 


To  which  has  been  added,  for  the  purpose  of  making  the  book  of  the  utmost  practical  vahie  to  Bible 
students, 

A  BIOGRAPHY  OP  THE  WRITEP.S,  AS  WELL  AS  OP  THE  PEOMIKENT  MEN  AISTD  WOMEN 

OP  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT ;   AN  ANALYSIS  OP  THE  GOSPELS,  SHOWING  THEIR 

MUTUAL  RELATIONS;  A  HISTORY  OP  THE  ENGLISH  TRANSLATION 

OF  THE  BIBLE ;  A  COMPLETE  HARMONY  OF  THE  GOSPELS, 

AND  LIFE  OP  JESUS  THE  CHRIST. 

ILLUSTBATIVE   TABLES   EELATING   CHIEFLY   TO   THE   NEW   TESTAMENT,    VIZ.  : 

The  Miracles  of  Christ.    Parables  of  Jesus.    The  Disconrses  of  Jesus,  &o.,  &c. 

All  of  which  will  be  found  of  great  vahie  in  "  searching  the  Scriptures.'' 
ILLUSTRATED    WITH    OVER   100    ENGRAVINGS. 

INCLUDING   TWELVE  PICTOBIAL  PAKABLES. 

The  numerous  editions  of  superbly  illustrated  Bibles  brought  out  within  the  past  few  years,  evince 
the  desire  of  the  religious  public  to  acquire  instruction  in  its  most  attractive  form.  Of  ILiLVS- 
TRATJED  TESTAMENTS,  however,  the jjjrcsewt  Work  is  the  only  one  noiv  before 
the  Americmn  FtibUc.  Eminently  adapted  to  the  wants  of  youth,  both  on  account  of  its  em- 
bellishments and  the  simplicity  of  its  explanatory  notes,  and  yet  not  unmindful  of  the  wants  of  the 
general  reader  of  maturer  years,  Cobbin's  Illustrated  Testament  has  been  received  with  uni- 
versal favor.  The  name  of  Cobbin  as  a  Comm<ntator,  both  for  the  old  and  yoxmg,  has  become  a 
household  word  in  both  hemispheres.  The  Illustrated  Testament  is  designed  for  Youth,  for  the 
Family  Fireside,  and  for  the  Sabbath  School.  For  advanced  you^h  and  for  Bible  Classes,  the  work 
will  .serve  admirably  as  a  text-book  and  as  a  commentary.  The  Notes  are  not  of  an  abstruse 
character,  but  desimed  rather  to  attract  the  attention  of  youth  and  enlist  their  interest  in  biblical 
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appeals  to  the  mind  being  made  through  the  organ  of  vision,  we  have  presented,  regardless  of  cost, 
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work  has  received  the  unqualified  praise  of  the  most  distinguished  clergymen  of  all  denominations, 
both  in  Europe  and  America. 

Sunday-School  as  well  as  Bible-Class  Teachers  will  find  this  to  be  the  book  for  which  they  have  so 
long  looked  in  vain.  The  Publishers  present  it  to  the  great  army  of  Sunday-School  Scholars  as  a 
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The  Notes  are  very  fuU,  and  written  so  that  they  may  be  understood  by  all;  and,  what  is  still 
better,  they  are  NOT  SECTARIAN. 

IT  IS  A  BOOK  FOB.  THE  BEOPBE,  and  the  Publishers  believe  it  will  receive  a 
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"Most  Remarkable  Book  of  the  A^e." 


THE  HAND  OF  GOD  IN  HISTORY; 

OR, 

Dime  ProYiileiice  Historically  Illustrated, 

IN  THE  EXTENSION  AND  ESTABLISHMENT  OF  CHRISTIANITY. 

By  Rev.-  HOLLIS  READ, 

Author  of    "India  and  its  People,"   "Palace  of   the  Great  King,"  "Commerce  and  Christianity," 

"The  Commg  Crisis,"  "Memoirs  and  Sermons  of  Rev.  Dr.  Armstrong." 


"That  all  the  people  of  the  earth  might  know  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  that  it  is  mighty." 

History,  when  rightly  written,  is  but  a  record  of  Providence ;  and  he  who  would  read  history 
rightly,  must  read  it  with  his  eye  constantly  fixed  on  the  hand  of  God.  Every  change,  every  revo- 
lution in  human  affairs,  is,  in  the  mind  of  God,  a  movement  to  the  consummation  of  the  great  work 
of  redemption.  There  is,  no  doubt,  at  the  present  time  a  growing  tendency  so  to  write,  and  60  to 
understand  history.  "The  history  of  the  world  is  gj-adually  losing  itself  in  the  history  of  the 
church."  "The  full  history  of  the  world  is  a  history  of  redemption."  "In  no  period  of  the  his- 
tory of  redemption,  not  even  when  preparing  the  fulness  of  time  for  the  Messiah's  advent,  has  the 
providence  of  God  been  more  marked  than  of  late  years,  in  its  bearing  on  the  extension  of  the  Re- 
deemer's kingdom."  "  The  providence  of  God  in  respect  to  this  work,"  says  another,  "would  form 
one  of  the  most  interesting  chapters  in  the  history  of  His  government." 

"To  the  casual  observer  of  Providence,  to  the  ordinary  reader  of  this  world's  history,  the  whole 
appears  like  a  chaos  of  incidents,  no  thread,  no  system,  no  line  of  connection  running  through  it. 
One  course  of  events  is  seen  here,  and  another  there.  Kingdoms  rise  on  the  stage  one  after  another, 
and  become  great  and  powerful,  and  then  pass  away  and  are  forgotten.  And  the  history  of  the 
chm-ch  seems  scarcely  less  a  chaos  than  the  world.  Changes  are  continually  going  on  within  it  and 
around  it,  and  these  apparently  without  much  order." 

Yet  all  is  not  a  chaos.  The  Christian  student,  with  his  eye  dttvoutly  fixed  on  the  Hand  of  God, 
looks  out  upon  the  world,  and  back  on  the  field  of  its  history,  and  takes  altogether  a  different  view. 
What  before  seemed  so  chaotic  and  disorderly,  now  puts  on  the  appearance  of  system  and  form.  All 
is  animated  by  one  soul,  and  that  soul  is  Providence. 

Perhaps,  as  never  before,  the  minds  of  the  most  sagacious  writers  of  our  age  are  watching  with 
profound  and  pious  interest  the  progress  of  human  events.  The  author  oE  "The  Hand  of  God  in 
History,"  imbued  with  the  Spirit  of  Divine  Philosophy,  takes  his  post  of  observation  at  the  cross  of 
Christ  as  the  centre  of  providential  agencies,  and  thence  surveys  the  broad  and  interesting  field  of 
history  ;  and  foUomng  the  paths  of  its  triumphs  in  its  circuit  among  the  nations,  marks  the  Hand  of 
God  in  the  extension  and  establishment  of  Christianity.  His  aim  has  been  to  malce  the  work  hintor- 
ical,  yet  so  aboumling  in  narrative,  anecdote,  biography,  and  in  tho  delineations  of  men  and  thiiiga 
in  real  life  as  to  commend  it  to  the  general  reader  ;  and  at  the  same  time  to  reveal  at  every  step  tho 
Hand  of  God  oveiTuling  the  events  of  history,  to  subserve  His  one  great  end. 

Entering  the  laboratory  of  the  great  Architect,  a  variety  of  facts  are  made  to  illustrate  the 
theme.  In  the  vastncss  of  the  material  univfrse,  God  appears  in  all  the  majesty  of  His  omnipo- 
tence ;  and  in  His  providential  government  over  this  vast  machine,  we,  pcrhap.s,  get  a  clearer  and 
more  comprehensive  idea  of  the  infinitude  of  the  Divine  mind  and  power  than  in  any  other  way. 
The  reader,  recalled  from  a  countless  number  of  worlds,  is  invited  to  contemplate  the  profiise  manner 
in  which  God  has  stocked  o?(>'  planet  with  hfe  in  every  conceivable  variety,  and  with  what  profusion 
He  has  suppUed  the  wants  of  all  His  creatures. 

The  publishers  believe  this  work  to  be  timely,  and  offer  it  to  the  world  as  the  production  of  one  of 
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and  should  be  read  especially  by  the  young  of  our  land,  so  that  the  foundations  for  reading  history 
aright  may  be  laid  in  early  life. 


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HANDWEITI]^G    OF    GOD 

— IN — 

EGYPT,  SINAI,  AND  THE  HOLY  LAND. 


T?ie  Record  of  a  Joitrney  from  the  Great  TaUey  of  the  West  to 

t?ie  Sacred  "Places  of  the  JEast. 

By     REV.     D.     ^.     RAN-D^JL.11,. 

With  Maps,  Diagkams,  akb  Ntjmeeous  Illustrations,  Constructed  expressly  for  this  work  by 

the  accomplished  Artist  Mr.  C.  L.  Rawson,  who  has  spent  Seven  Years  in 

the  Holy  Land,  Egypt,  and  the  Sinaitic  Peninsula. 


"The  Universe  is  the  Handwriting  of  God,  and  all  Objects  are  Words  in  it." 

We  are  most  happy  to  announce  that  this  wonderful  Book,  agreeably  to  the  Publisher's  expectations, 
is  meeting  \^'ith  an  enthusiastic  reception  at  the  hands  of  the  people,  it  having  already  reached  its 
Sixtieth  edition. 

This  work,  prepared  with  much  care  and  labor,  and  at  great  expense,  comprises  the  results  of  the 
author's  personal  observations  and  patient  investigations  in  the  various  localities  described.  While 
possessing  in  a  peculiar  manner  the  dignity  and  importance  of  Truth,  it  is  written  in  such  a  fascinating 
and  popular  style,  as  cannot  fail  to  captivate  all  classes  of  readers.  It  embraces  incidents  of  TraveL 
Biogi-aphical  and  Historical  Sketches— portrays  the  past  and  present  condition  of  these  Sacred  Landsj 
as  well  as  the  Manners  and  Customs  of  their  inhabitants  :  and  tracing,  tlirough  the  Kecords  of  past 
ages,  the  wonderful  dealings  of  Divine  Providence  in  those  countries  that  have  been  the  scene  of  the 
most  stupendous  events  that  have  transpired  in  the  History  of  the  Human  Race.  It  unfolds,  in  the 
clearest  light,  the  Testimony  of  the  Lands  of  the  Bible  to  the  Truth  of  that  Sacred  Volume  on  which 
our  Holy  Religion  is  founded. 

This  Book  is  designed  to  connect  vnVn.  the  Scenes  and  Places  visited,  the  most  striking  and  instruc- 
tive Historic  Events  \\-ith  which  they  are  identified,  to  draw  such  illustrations  of  Sacred  Scriptures  aa 
serve  to  bring  out  more  clearly  the  meaning  of  the  Inspired  Writers,  and  to  enforce  those  important  moral 
lessons  whicli  their  past  history  and  present  condition  are  fitted  and  designed  to  suggest.  There  is 
mucli  yet  to  be  learned  from  the  new  disclosm:es  that  are  being  continually  made  in  these  ancient  and 
sacred' localities.  The  discoveries  of  Robinson.  Layard,  Bawhnson,  and  others,  have  inaugurated  a 
new  era  in  the  study  of  Sacred  History.  It  has  been  their  privilege  to  decipher  for  us,  in  some  measure, 
that  record  which  has  been  preserved  in  the  sculptiured  tablets  of  nations  now  extinct,  and  amid  the 
crumbling  piles  and  moss-gro«ni  mounds  of  ruined  cities.  Over  these  memorials  of  the  past,  the  de- 
solations of  war  have  rolled ;  the  foot  of  the  ruthless  barbarian  has  trampled  upon  them ;  the  elements 
of  nature  have  combined  for  their  destruction ;  and  yet,  during  the  long  lapse  of  ages,  the  eye  of  an 
Omniscient  God  has  watched  over  them,  and  His  almighty  arm  has  preserved  them,  tiU  in  His  own 
appointed  time  He  draws  aside  the  veil,  and  now  the  VaUey  of  the  Nile  uncovers  his  hieroglyphics  to 
confirm  and  illustrate  the  sacred  page,  and  Nineveh,  out  of  the  -wreck  and  rubbish  of  three  thousand 
years,  yields  up  its  ruins  to  corroborate  and  glorify  the  Hebrew  Oracles — Testimony  of  that  other  Re- 
cord— the  word  of  the  Eternal  Jehovah. 

None  can  be  too  familiar  with  those  things,  for  they  speak  to  us  with  solemn  and  impressive  voice. 
Where  maps  and  diagrams  were  necessary  to  illustrate  the  text,  they  have  been  prepared ;  and  the 
illustrations  have  been  selected  because  they  are  illustrations. 

The  Artist,  Mr.  C.  L.  Rawson,  acknowledged  by  aU  to  be  more  thoroughly  acquainted  with  Bible 
Lands  than  any  other  living  man,  has  given  the  results  of  his  labors  in  the  Maps,  Diagrams,  Fac-sitn- 
lies  of  inscriptions  and  illustrations  with  which  this  work  abounds.  The  Maps  and  Diagrams  are 
constructed  for  the  most  part  from  actual  surveys,  and  the  Facsimiles  and  Illustrations  from  Photg.- 
gi-aphs  taken  on  the  spot.  These  things  have  added  materially  to  the  expense  of  the  book,  but  it  is 
believed  wiU  be  of  great  value  to  the  reader. 


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Invaluable   Tabular    and    Paragraph    Matter.      Compiled   and    Edited 

BY  BEV,    WILLI A3I  BLACKWOOD,   D.B.,   LL.D., 

■WITH   n^E-v^insT'S 

New  and  Improved  Dictionary  of  the  Bible, 

Containing,  in   Alphabetical   Order,  with   the    Scripture  References,    Biographies    of  the  Persona, 
Geographical  and  Historical  Accounts  of  the  Countries,  Cities,  and  Towns,  Description  of  the 
Ceremonies,   Customs,  Antiqiiities,   Costumes.  Beasts,   Birds,   Insects,  Plants.  Minerals, 
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BY  REV.  ALFRED  NEVIN,  D.D., 

Author  of  "A  Poptilar  Commentary  on  Litle.'"  "■  Ttie  Ohurches  of  the  Valley,''''  "X  GtHcU:  to  the 

Oracles,''^  etc.,   etc. 

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THE  YEAR  OF  BATTLES 

A  HISTORY  OF  THE  GREAT  WAR 

Bet^A^een  France   and  Germany; 

2fs  Origin,  Causes,  Sisiory ,  Siographies  of  Us  Leaders ,  Condif ion  atid  "Prepara- 
tion of  the  Two  Countries,  Saitles  and  Sesutis. 

By  L.  p.  BROCKETT,  M.D., 

Author  of  History  of  the  Civil  War  in  America;  Camp,  Battle-Pield,   and  Hospital; 
Woman's  Work  in  the  Civil  War,  etc.,  etc. 

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EMBRAcnsra  also  a  complete  history  op 

Paris  fflSer  tie  Coiimne;  or,  tte  M  IMm  of  1871. 

A  SECOHD  EEISN  OP  TEMtOE,  MTODEE,  AND  MADNESS. 


This  Work  has  been  prepared  -with  great  care  by  an  experienced  and  skilful  writer  on  War  topics, 
and  its  statements,  drawn  from  official  or  other  perfectly  authentic  soinrces,  wiU  be  found  perfectly 
accurate  and  trustworthy.  The  descriptions  of  Battles  are  not  mere  sensational  narratives,  but  while 
intensely  interesting,  are  the  work  of  a  man  who  has  gone  step  by  step  over  the  movements  of  the 
varioiTS  Anny  Corps  and  Divisions  in  each  battle,  and  comprehend  the  significance  of  each.  It  is  no 
idle  boHst  to  say  that  the  History  is  more  accurate  than  could  have  been  prepared  in  any  other  country, 
and  that  it  has"  nothing  to  fear  from  any  American  competition. 

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OF  operations  may  be  taken  in  at  a  glance,  we  hav&put  into  the  book  an  accurate  and  finely  executed 
Map  of  Western  Eiteope. 

THE  XEEDLB-GITN,  which  has  formed  an  important  feature  of  the  War,  is  shown  by  a  Diagram 
of  twenty  parts. 


THE  GREAT  BATTLES  OF  THE  WAR 

are  illustrated  by  Engra\-ings  designed  by  the  artist  who  witnessed  the  terrible  scenes  of  blood  and 
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C033BIN'S 

Child's  Commentator 

ON   THE 

BIBLE. 

FOR    THE    HOME    CIRCLE. 

By    INGRAM    COBBIN. 


Although  this  work  is  designed  more  especially  for  children  and  youth,  it  will 
be  found  to  be  of  great  value  to  people  of  maturer  years.  It  is,  without  doubt, 
the  best  Commentary  on  the  Bible  published  for  the  great  mass  of  Bible  readers. 
Its  style  is  in  the  plain  yet  lucid  language  of  Mr.  Cobbin,  for  which  he  is  noted 
the  world  over.  It  will  be  found  entertaining  to  the  younger  members  of  the 
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POETS  AND  POETKY 

OF   THE 

BIBLE. 

By   GEO.   GILFILLAN. 
With  an  Introduction  to  tlie  American  Edition,  by  L.  P.  BEOOKETT,  M.D. 

BEAUTIFULLY    ILLUSTRATED. 


This  work  is  designed  to  bring  out  the  unequalled  poetical  beauties  of  the 
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