Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, July 15, 1874, Page 1

VOLUME 27, TO RENT, B e e el TO RENT, STORES. Oall and examine our exten- pive list of Stores on the South ond West Sides. Rents rea- sonahle. W, I SAMPSON & 00, Real Estate and Renting Agency, 144 LA SALLE-ST., OTIS BLOCK. TO RENT, By A J. Gelloway & Son, 8. W, cor. State & Madison, 16-room House corner South Park- av. and Twenty-fifth-st. e-room Houso, 885 Warren-av. 10-room house, 888 Fulton-st. Two cottages 8t Hydo Park. FOR RENT, ot (loor and heasment, and third and ol and Mon: Puuuunl southenst corner NA}_&T‘"N TO RENT. gtores, Lofts, & Houses. 3. WOODBRIDGE, It ¥ Otlosopan st 308 Doarbornaat, LUMBER OR COAT, DOCK 0 REN'T ORTOR BALE. 150 fect front 2O R iat, ruaning back to tho Empire ip, " with tmirond = gonnections, noar Tweolfth-at. brdgo. Apply to M, PETRIN, 163 Washington st.. Basomiont, ___ REMOVALS, P, M. ALMINE & OO, REMOVED T A ST N ICELT To 180 Dearborn-st, DBASEMENT IN HONORE BLOCK. Artists! Matorials supplisd as usust, No intorruption g8 Freaoolog and Houso Patoting, D. WEBSTER & GO, WHOLESALE MILLINERY, 476 West Washington-st. Our oftice until further notioe, COWPERTHWAIT & CO, F. S. BELDEN, Agent, OFTICE, TEMPORARILY, No. 61 Washington-st,, up stairs, w BASE BALL. BASE BALL PHILADELPHIAS, of Philadelphie, WHITE STI][}KIN-GS, of Chicago. WEDNESDAY, July 15, at 3:40 p. m, Tiokets for sals at Kelley Bros., 8 Madison-st., and alea at 117 Trouty-second-st. It rain should intorfero the game will be played the day ‘n\lnwlns 2nd o poetors witl bo on the stroct A, HOSE. HOSE FIRE PROTECTION TIncluding tie Colsbrated CARBOLIZED FOR FIRE, DEPARTHENTS, At 22 South Canal-st. Gutta Percha and Rabber Manufactaring Co. of New York. CHAS. G. SARLUTON, Axent. PORTLAND CEMENT. Hnol ish Portland Coment! I am importing from London di- rect thomost favorito brands, and solicit orders from the trade. PHILIP WADSWORTH, Agent Montreal and Chicago Steam- ors, 204 Markot-st., Chicago. BUSINESS CARDS, F. C. VIERLING, Real Estate Agent, 126 Dearborn-st,, Tents houees, calleots ronts, and docs & gencral Real Fa. tute bustnes. | Tazos paid for non-residents and Informa- tion furuishod. PARKER, SPRAGUE & CO. COMMISSION MERCHANTS, No. 10 Chambor of Commoroe, Chicago, Tll. ‘Wo sro preparod to ke OASH advancos on all kiuds of Graln, Flumir, Provisiuns, and Conntry Froduce: Con. gnments solicited. AR 0P DISCOUNT BUST, 1614, BERVANTS' LIVERY MADE MEASURE, ELY & CO0., Importing Tailors, Wabash-nv. cor. Monroo. FINANOIAL, ol o RIANCEALE ooy ; Livingston & Company's Bank, 10 Plae-atyy ?;'lnvbl;(:rk.l i Orggatzad for e utuess of oot s Henka, Tanks oapondonta, Fivo per 4 intureat » County, and Town Bonds, uritivs, wantod for salo on oowm. s nogotlated. Olicago. WHOMAS M, THOUNTON, WM, T, THORNTUN, (Son of Judge Tuoraton,) W. F. TEHORNTON & SON, ankers and rokers, Shelbyvitle, T Fatablistied 1639, ollotjous sl o Kuulby s, anbing Covtol Soe H ! J Pk e R Ay T EIRE INSURANCE. EIES NIAGARA FIRE INSURANGE C0. OF NEW TORK, After paying Losses of last night (14th July) will have left $1.250,000.00 OVER $700,000.00 Investod in U, 8§, Bonds, JAS. B. FLOYD, ACIRINTD,, 168 LA SALLE-ST. Sufferers by this last great fire will please present claims at 116 and 118 LaRalle-st, Rooms 22 and 23, BEVERIDGE & HARRIS, Managers Western Department. R, §. CRITCHEL, B INSURANCE! 160 LaSalleit., Clicag. PHENIX Insurance Company, OF BROOKLYN, N, Y. Assets - - - - = $2,000,000 NEW HAMPSHIRE Insurance Company, OF MANCHESTER, N. H. Assets = = - $350,000 JISSISSIPPI VALLEY Insurance Company, OF MEMPHIS, TENN, Assets = $385,000 None of my Companies lose seriously by the five. TOR SALE. ARRIVED! MORE OF THE OELEBRATED SPEARS! American Froit Pressrving POWDER AND SOLUTION. Prosorvos all kinds of Froits 1n large vessols without ‘bolag mudo air tight | Tudursed by phyelciau as lieatth. ful, 18 u clionp, sliuple and roliablo mothod of prosorv- ing Frults, Vegotables, &o, VAN SOHAACK, STEVENSON & REID, Goneral Weatarn Agunts, 22 and 4t Lakest., goruer Deathorn. WANYED. Wanted! 40 COOPERS, FATRBANE, PECK & CO. of Bighteeutl nud Bluckw T MISOELLANEOUS, 4o ¢ loanad un Watohus, Dininonds, Jowolry, Plauos, 2 ro) advauous Lo those sulforing from tio fira, BLANEK BOOKS, SLATIONERY, sud PRINTING furntaliod promptly und ‘i falr prioos by Te VL. V7. TON' 1S, 104 & 100 MADISON-BY THE FIRE. The Scenes of Oct. 9, 1871, Repeated on o Small Scale. It Breaks Out About 4:15 O’clock p. m. in a Bad Place. A Polish Jew’s Shanty or an Oil-Factory the Staxt- ing-Point, The Fire Department Begin in the Cld Way, to Fight in the Rear. They Follow It Up Al- most to Its Final Destination. Fourth Avenue Near the Corner of Twelfth the Starting-Point. Goes West to Clark and North to Polk Then Takes a Diagonal Shoot to the Northeast. 1t Laps Both Sides of State as Far as Van Buren. Third - and Fourth Avenues Wiped Qut Between Northern and Southern Limits Meanwhile Eastward the Course of Destruction Takes Its Way. Wabash and Michigan Avenues Yield to the Imevitable, A Mags of Shanties Are Kind- ling.Wood for Burning a Few Palaces. The First Baptist, Three Colored, and Two Jewish Churches Burncd. The Continental, Wood’s and 8t. James Eotel Destroyed. The Post-Office Again Hurried Into Removing from Ruins, The Great Adelphi (Aiken’s Theatre) Will Compete No Longer. The Area of the Conflagration Prohably Exceeds Sixty Acres. Dut tho Loss Hardly Corresponds to {lo Territory Covered. The Total Loss Will Not Reach Five Millions. Impossible to Estimate as Yot the Amount of Insurance. Not Probable that Any of the Compn- nies Will Be Forced to Suspend Thelr Payments. Rumoroid Loss of Several Lives, It came this timonot *like athlef in the night," but during thoso hours when all aro sup- posod to boon tho alert; when ft is oxpeoted that a fire will be discovered fu a momont, an alarm lustantancously flashod to an ongine- house, and the firemen on sho spot, It camo ab atimo—just aftor the fire at the szore of AL D. Wolls & Co.—when it was expocted that the fivamen, atung by thair failuro thero, and by the chorges sinco mado agalust them, would have worked with doubled speed and fury. Aud yet, in spite of alt those things, tho fire has come and conquered, and ropoated the sad losson of 1871, that in wooden bulldings thero Is uo safoty for us, It hos provon again the In- ability of our firomon to copo with the forces of nature,—to lnilt thio destructivo fury of & flame onco under falr hoadway, or to contond againat tho unbridled tempest of that falal southwest wind, It is needless to go into comparisons, or to rolnte the story of other conflugrations, that lavo formed a bright blaok pagoe in the Listory of this clity, The one ‘of yostordwy owm tand LR o The firo begen fn the contso of tho block boundod by Twoltth, Taylar, and Clark streets, and Tourth avenus. It burnod south % near Twelfth street, and went-to Clark stroot, On Clark it burned north ane andoug=3¥ Woéta nonr the cornor of Pollc sireot. It northern and wostorn limits, from this point wae’ Horthenye (0 Fourth-avonuo; thonco allthe east tido of Fourth ave- nuo north to Harrison. sitqet; tlionco on Iayrison street, both m}e. to, Btale' streets;'tliénce north on State etreot, both:“sides, to.Qongress ; thobce north'ox’ tho east sido of ftate to throe doors north of Van Buren nire The enst and sonth bonndaries “wer sonthenst tbrough Wabash averiue’ fo Micliighn avenue ;. thonce south on Michigan avenue to bo- low Congress etreat, taking i tho old Michigaa‘Avenuo Ilolol ; touco west to the wido alley run- ning north and south botween Wabasly and Mickiigan avenucy; burning all on thoe wost sldo of that alloy south to Eldridgo court ; the southwostorn, limit: of tho flro was ina duo gouthwest line to the place whero the firo originted. * Nearly all within theea limits was destroyed. S i T T——— " northward until it reached No. 407, where it was checked. TIX SOUTHERY LIMIT, on the wost side of Third avenuo, {a tho large wooden distillory of G. 0. Russell & Co., No. 278. This rookery was saved through the ex- ertionn of tho workingmen of the place, who turned out, twonty atrong, and pus all their atoam-pumps into oporation, thus proventing the spresd of tho conflagration southward on that atraot, FRON TIIE POINT the firo aproad with foarful rapidity in a north- enstorly direction, and at abont 5:30 o'clook it hiad burned through to tho corner of Taylor and Statostrests. Tho strango phonomenon, name- 1y, the jumping of the flames and communicat~ ing to buildings whole aquaren distant, was again witnessod on this occasion. ‘Whila tho firo had not yot orossed to tho north sido of T'aylor, NMr. Pryor's millinory, on the northeant corner of Polk strect and Third ave- nno, commenced to burn, snd, in spito of the ex- wae soon burning from top to bottom. Bhortly, aftorwards, at about 6 o'clook, TIE QCRMAN METHODIST ORURON, 5 oorner of ‘Third avenuo and Polk streot, eaugh! loud stroke, slthough thore was nobody in tl 5 church at tho timo. ‘5 AT ADOUT 6 O'OLOSK 1t had burnod through to Stato streot. Nothiug conld ba dono to stop tho fury of tho flames to tho north, theraforg tho attontion of the firemen | wan mainly directed to tho south, and tuoy chock- od the spraad of the fire in that direotion at Tim Apploton'd restanrant, No, 518. Tho Houthorn limits of tho fire on Fourth nvenue are No. 264 ou tho wost sido, aud No. 253 on tho onst sldo, sbout ton housos north of Tielfth stroet. At sbout half-paat 6 o'clock TUE FINTG OROSSED BTATE, communicating to tho building No. 509, opposite ‘aylor, end thonce burned north on botl sidon of Stato. On tho corner of Wabash avonuo and Pock court, at 7 o'clock, whon the iire was going at 2 rapid rate towards Wabash uvooue, tho ro- porter met Ald,; Campbell and Polico Buper- intendent Rohm. 31, Campboll wanted to blow up somo of the buildings, but RIS DEOLINED TO AID a1 ho had not the power to do so. Mr. Camp- boll said he had spoken to the Mayor about the aamo thing, but the Mayor poremplorily declined to do any such thing. Tho roportor passed on to Webasl avenue and thore met Mayor Colvin, who soomed to have lost all energy und poer, Ho enid ho conld do nothing. DENNEN WAS THE MAN who bad the diroction of things, e kmew noth- ing about fires. “At this juncturo Dr. C, V. Dyer camo up and said, **Thauk God, we have gou a paid Fire Department.” Tho Muyor said nothing, and Mr, Dyor passed on, murmuring, *What a contemptibly mannged affair.” At 20 minutes to 7 o'clock TUE PIRST NAPTIST CHURCH, sn immenso stono siructure, on Wabash avenue, botween Peck aud Eldildgo courts, canght firo, from whence tho flamos spread rapidly south, and, at 17 minutos past 7, Wood's Ilotel, cornor of Stato atreet and Hubbard court, was burning. TUE SOUTHUERN LIMITS of ‘the fire aro, at Uho presont writing, as tollows : Clark streot, oast side, No, 527; Fourth avenue, No. 266 on tho west side, aud No, 283 on the oant ide; Third avenue, No.264 on tho west, sud No. 233 on the east; Stato streot, No, 518 on the west, aud No. 511 on the east sida of the stroet ; Wnbash avonue, No. 475 on thio west, and No. 452 on the oast. G TILE OCCUPANTS. The srea botwoen Olark and State and - Harri- son and Twol(th is in grest part ocoupied by colord people, A large number of thess were not at home whon the fire broke out, they hav- ing pone to a Sunday-school picnic in tho morn- ing to Colehour, on the Michigan Southern Uailroad. It is almont impossible to doscribo the sceues that occurred whon theso pogplo ar- rived at sbout 7 o'clock in tho eveving, and found thomsolves williout n homo and their savinge-of many yosrs swept mway, The men looked sadly ut tho devastatod spots which thoy called thoir bomes twlon' thoy left, and silout toars ran down their cbooks : the women wore more demonstrative, and loudly lamented and Dowailed thoir loseos, refusing to bo comforted by sympathotio frionds, who offored them tem- AT % i 4 at'ihb pofut on Statonorthi of Van Birten, on its own merite. It began in ani ol factory, whilo the ono of 1871 started jn o shanty. With a more aristocratic bogiouing, it hos boen loss” deatructive, NI g It has como to complete-in part the worl; left undone in 1871, and to acdop out of exlateucor auother brond belt of wooden - huildings which menaced the now structures whicli have sprung up in the business quartor of4leSouth Division.” Tt has shalon hands with o firo of "1871, ani roaching the ground its predecessor conquol ed, hostoppod, uat satiate, sud yot satisfled. Woll itmny bo for the palaces {hat.dino Madison streot that yot another etrlp of Lrick and stone s to bo piled up betwoon thom ngul‘ the monacing framo slructures that lic, boyond, .and’ yot wo cannot help roflecting that.this sccurity of the: future has boen bought by too great & sacriflca in tho prosont, 1iked S : Happily for us all, the fire of 1874 was born on this vide of tho South Dranch, far cast of the spot whero fts predecossor camo to being, ad i¢ startod thoro whoro i did "of - old, it would in, sl probability Liave agnin swept noroes tho nar- row Branch and out & brosdor and moro dostruct-" ivo swathe than it did yesterduy.' Happily for us all, whilo Nature ropeats horself from year to yoor, man daos not. Wo'hayo hiad for days the’ Qry weallior ; tho conatant windy,—now from tho north; now cool and wfo from thelaia; and, loat of nll, ladon With ** curgos darls," tho' southweit wind, i Lo Nuture said tous, Boware of tho repotition of 1871;" but man, so cautionod just atter & fire, i brutally hoodless whan Ity momory han fadod away, Eventho iusurance men, of all others ‘most senaitive to the approach of such.s calami- ty, scomed to have o forobodings that . thore wns no spoolsl vigilanse, no paiticular cavo, againut possible dlsastor. ° : And the blow camo, Thanks to the nogligence of mau, 1& startd, nob amopg tho cutagos that crowd tho flat praivies. nf::{:n‘ Test Divivion, but in tho contro of tho Saiih 8lde, in that compact- Iy built, and densely ketjifa: distrier whoro fire’ comos Iadon with all ifs tbirory, sinca It strikes thoto who, though thoy 19sg s litle, lodo overy- thing. b pi lovo, o4 beforo, tho fire sprang ot & bound boyond thoe coutrol of the firemen, . It mookod® thelr puny eftorts, and voveratepped tho limits they sought to put to ita’ conrso. - Thoy Tought it falthfully und without muny blundors, Doubt- less thora wore not enotigh onginos. ‘This flre comoa to potut the trath of recont doclarations, that, perhups, It would ho thottor cconomy to ‘bavo less soweragn aud moro firo-sngines; that the adoption of measuroy' for tho salvation of proporty zenlly saves moro lives than thos fn- tonded for the prosprvation of Health, Tho hundreds of women and childven who spent lavt ulght in Yaount lots, cowerlog on the Lowpy of porury sholter, R ANOTHER ACCQUNT. Tho flre originated in o little low hoildiog that stood noxt to and adjolning the oil factory that stood between Fourte avenne and. Clark streot, ou Taylorstreat. Thoa building was inbabited by o family of Polish Jows, who, tho noiglibors soy, but doubtlesa fncorrectly, had set fire to tho Louse twice laet summor. About threo weeks ogo thoy bad the furnituro in tho build- ing insured, and it is snid that it hns beon afire twice nince. Thoro was algo a firo in the rag shop adjoining tho oil factory on the 3d of July. aud the veigh- bors sny tho flamee Linve beon smouldering over sinee iu this pilo of rags. A woman living in the immediato roar of the flames #aya that the Jews Lad moved out when the building was discov- ered to o afire, and they had no hesitation in charging them with the decd. The flames made rapid progress from the oil factory, which, on account of its charactor, caught soon onough to be by many thought to Le simultancous with the other. It was sur- rounded with o denso pumber of shanties, ex- touding in eaoh dircction, north, south, and onnt, The ofl, burating into fire, flaw fn overy di- rootton, and it was not many 1ninutes beforo the neighiborhood wasa blaze of five, So: rapidiy did it progross that . ENGINE No, 21, . which had reached the vicinity and got a streem upon the flames, wae obliged to bo abandoned to its fate, one of tho firemen, & negro by thoname of Williams, being burned to death, Just tothe south of the building which first took firo there wau a strble, with fiftesn hoad of horeos aud cows gtebled within it, Thoy wore all burned withina very fow minutes, A woman was aso takon out of the brick building No. 533 Clark: atreet vory nonrly suffocated with flamefund smoko. It is thought sho will not rocover, Lholfire ex- tonded in & northonst dircotion and: divectly north, burning on Clurk street from Mh: 528 to No. 409, with tho exception of £l 8 frame build- ings Nos, 405 to G601, whioh woro 15ft standing umid the goueral wreck. Tho fire! dldnct ox- tond, at eny point, wost of the'enst side of Clark strost, but blew mnorthenst, fundér tho wamo kind of wind of the greut fire. £{was only nfow moments after it had startod( boforo it ronched Ktato streot, the buildings:pll sbout Dbelng nothing but mero tivder-boxes ‘hink wout "rubbish which yot remnin to: toll the tale of tho “firo of. 1871, would have beon happier, Lmve , slopt sonndor, and ‘lived igtgor, Lnd thoro been moto sugines inid lods soyorage last yoar, * - Thoro haye bepn no'groat fires eince the ooe on Halsted atroet :last year, aud yet how quickly the poople took the alarm, onco! tho danger was upon’ thom, ~T'hoy ‘looked at tho rolling smoke s clonds, 'and the flashiug flamds, and then at tho ominous pointing of thio stoady vanes on the buildings abovo thom, aud road thio dangor in o moment. The tido turnod southward earlier than 1ts wont. Thorish which ustally beginy ab G began a litho alter 4, andawey tho people went, morchants and omployes, rushing on till thoy were chaoled Ly the reflux tido of tho suf- forera by the conflagration. Their progrees wae stoppod on Btate, and thoso hastening homo woro oompelled to flank the fire'on Michigan ryonuo, or on Clurk or Wolls streats. “‘Ihow’bogan again tho doloful sconcs of othior dnys. ‘Tho cupidity of draymon and express- maen, asleop 60 long, sprang ouce more to arms. From all:quartors of the city thoy hurried to the spot Lo offer tholr sorvices to those who wore ready to give auything tomave theirall. It woa tho golden opportunity thoy had waited for so lopg; -ond, unhappily, it lhod come. But* tho flames passed beyond the confines of poverty and shame, aud swopt .enstward to the {utoros, enstward to tho dwolling-houses on Wa- ,bagh ~ andJichigan avenucs, eastward tll it Tapped its buning tongues in tho cool waters of the lake. 5 How the fire began, and how it progrossed, the roportors of Tu TrimuNe will, now proceod to _relnto, tolling & story which, fin many of its scono and inoldents, will vividly rooull that of 1878 g e ORIGIN AND EARLY PREOGRESS. Tho fire commenoed in that portion of the clty kuown as Olioyanno, Lotweon Taylor and 'welfth and Clark street, nud Fourth avenue, ‘Phiu part of tho oity consiuts of the worst rook- orlos imayinablo, most of which are ocouniod ns houses of fll-fame, The alarm was struck from ertions of an engine and numberloss citizens, ¢ .8 was tho northern limit of the flamos on this firofu tho steepls, snd at the moment it com: [ moncod to burn tho boll in the tower gavo oy & In this street tho fire extended southward as NUMBER 326. ing-house ; but the ocoupants had made good | tholr escape to somo locality on tho Wost Side, » safo distanco at leant from the fire, h Tho noxt framo building south, No. 430, ommed | by 8. Jacobs, aud occupied by him asa barbor- sliop and rosidenco, was aleo saved. A bullding in the rear of this, however, occupied by Jacobs os o match faatory, was. burned, togothor with tho matoh macnlvery, Thero wasno insurance on this proporty destroyed. * Tho noxt number south, 501, ccoupled and owned by J. Bennet a8 a cigar manufactory, wng savad, though it wns enveloped in flames on the sonth aide and in tho roar, *, From this point south on Olark atreot to No, 538 went up 1n smoke. Lowis Iollman ownod this ¢ number, and ocoupied it a8 n, flour store, e puta down his loas at $8,000; insurod for 81,800, 'of, syhich 81,000 18 in tho JEtns-and 8800 in the , s North™ Missouri, Engino No. 18, which wasat ; 4 Trvonty-second streot fio at the timo of tho ! inking out, finally stopped the farther prog- . 88 of tho flamos south on Olark stroct. No. ! &ioroughfare, and from thus point the line wan . wpingonally across to Fourth avonue, noar the sorner of Polk. — FOURTH AVENUE. ar a8 No. 283. In front of No, 277 the old Win- nebsgojengine, No. 21, manned by & colored com~ pany, wont down, an abandoned machine, which i 5 MIGUT HAVE DEEN BAVED with a little good managomont and a small amount of courage. Tho Winnebnga was bronght ¢ hore fiom Pittbueg ot tho timo of the grent firs in 1871, and in an old engine. Noarly opposite § is French's lurd-oll manufactory, No. 207, = large four-story brlck building, fillod with the } mont inflammablo materinls and a perfect tinder~ box. Hero tho firo ocourred, but iu what manner TUE WHITER COULD NOT LEARN, . Suffice it to say that it occurred in this build’ iug, nccording to the testimony of many por- sons. Bweoping np Fourth avenuo, the flames onvoloped Bmith's Block, n large brick building ; Jacobs', Holstein's, aud other stores and rowa of framo buildings on both sides of tho strents. The housoa wozo oceupied by NEOROES AND PROSTITUTES matnly, and they wore all busily ongagoed in re- moving their coffects from their houses— tumbling thom into the stroet, and placing them in unknown and in many casos bad hands. SARSIAL DENNER was prosont ab all poluts in this viclnity, and neted with cooluess and discretion, Passing zround into Twolfthatroot again, and thence to Clerk,the writer found that the fire bad exbaust. od ftsolf to the southward in No. 527, & three- story brick buildiug ocoupiod by . Aba, keeper of a lagor-beor saloon, FROM THIS BUILDING, at B¢ o'cloclk, tho flames bad paszed down to Taylor stroot, and wero spceding along among the framo buildings with lightning-like rapidity. Thero is a largo vacant property opposite the ' block on Clark strect, botweon Twelfth and Tay- lor, and in this a bundved or moreholpless fallon * women had packed their heatily romoved offovts. Tho flames did not reack the buildings on the west sido of Clark, but sped on in & disge onal dirootion, borne by the strong southwess wind, Thero waa a largo gable-roofod building, USED A8 A HAY-PRESS, just south of Taylor sireot, and vhis burnt with great fury, and gave increascd impetus to tho flsmes. Tho wind scemed to veer a littlo more to tho northward at this time,—nbont 6:30 o'olock,—and tho fire enwrapped tho buildings on Fourth avenuo to Pollk streot in a very short apnce of time, with a probability that all the siructures;including both framo and briek,wonld bo destroyed,. Tho scone at thin junctura was pust description—it beggared tho undorstand- ing. The strect from Polk to Harrison waa filled with peoplo of both gexcs and a chaoti» mass of hiousehold offeots and wagons. TUE EXPLOSIONS DEGAN ot the soutleast corner of Polk streot and Tourth avenus, under the dwection of Capt. Lippincott, 1t was sstonlubing, even in ino midst of the terrible excltomont, to witnoss tho coolness with which Georgo Briggs, of tho Firo Patrol, carriod sround a kog of powder. Ho firat placed a quantity of possder in Quinu Chap- «l, or Olivet Baptist Churel, the old brick build- ing ab the southwest corner of Polk street and ‘Third avenue, and, strotchiog a fueo to the mid- dle of Polk streot,’ the match wns applied, but . tho. oxplosion failod. Then o mine was laid in tho frame building No. 28 Pollc strout, ond an explosion followad #oon after. No. 20 was also blown up, but to no purpose; the flames lappod across the atreot, and burned with incrensed intensity until tho noxt block worth was enveloped. Prominent among 2 TIIE OFFICIALS NOTICED AT THIB TOINT by the reporter was Gen, Phil Sheridan, who deemed oxplosions at that point—so near tho fire—ns usoless, and he did not thereforo give any directions rogarding them, NMark Bheridon, ! Police Commissionor, was on the sceus, in' company with Polico-Commissioner Reno, and! Lotk gentlemen wore endeavoring to do oil they? could, under the circumetancs ; but tho fact of" tho mattor was that the wildest confusion pre-i vailed, and the explosions caused so much run-; ning to and fro that thoy could not nor would! not be Hatoned to. Action secmed to bo the only " thing, and the polico and firomen lout a holping ' hinnd in pulling down the wooden buildings with & hoolt and rope, Tho ool and chain BECANE ALMOST RED HOT, and, despito warning, soversl partios wers badly, burned ju trying toget itlooge from the buildinga whore it rommined fastened. Two stroamsc: water, puny aflairs, wereapplied to the burniu coruers, but thoy wero of no avall, and tho fire- men bolding the pipes wore soon compalled to beat o Lasty rotroat, and turn their wireams in other dirvections. Tho fire continued its diagonal aweep, and de- stroyed in its courso all tho buildings on the east sido of Fourth avenue, to within abous 100 foet ot Harylson stroot. —— THIRD 'AVENUE, A gcone of the wildest confusion ensuod on Third avenue, whoro the fire spread rapidly un- til it spent its fury among a row of dilapidated one-story frame cottages, below grade, and next north of the lavge framo distillery of G. G Rus- soll Nos, 274 to 478 inclusive. - Tho ewmployes of the distillery got on the roof with tho hoso con- neotod with the ongine pump, and worked like beavors. ‘Thoy succesded insaving the building, whilo Capt. Kinuey, of the Dapartment, confined thio fire to tho woodon shells. Adjoining the dis- tillery is tho mew and elegant Third avenue sohool buflding, which escaped unharmed, and \ the cornor of Awolfthand Clark streots, at balf- paat 8 o’alotk, und & fow. minutes aftorwards, when the first engine srrived, tho wholo aros from No. 503 to 633 ' Clark stroet, through to Phird avonue, wos in flames, Tho wind blew a galo from the wouthwest, aud, in epito Lot tho: horonlean efforts of the firomen, tho fir crossed Third nvonuo,communi- anting to Quoen's Chupsl (volored), on the enst gide” of that strcot, - Tho wproad of tho fames aouthward on Olurk was chieckod at No, 537, al- though the buildings from 527 to 837 sro badly dumuged. ‘The grovory, coruer of Tuylor and Ctark strost, aud tho adjolning four houses, Noa, 497, 409, 0501, and 503 wero exved, and aro now | standing: solitary and slovo in the midst of vagt wildernoss of blaokened ruins,” The bulld- {ng on tho norelienst cornor of Clark and Tuylor - onught fxo at about & o'olosk aud'elowly burned down beforo tho hot flames liko piles of straw. At this .timo the goneral alarm hal infectod avory one, and the residents on Michigan and Wabash avenuos wero rapidly removing their housoheld goods from thoir dwellings, e OLARK STREET. A clump of buildings was sayod on the southenot cornor of Clark andL'aylor streots by thomost gal- lzut efforts of the tiremon, How it was pussible for thom to csospe no onoe can toll but those who fought tho flameu, Tho corner, No. 405 Clark stroet, wne ocoupled by a saloou bolow and boarding-house sbove, ‘I'he proprictors of tho anloon woro L, & 15, Qaviun, and, in thoir joy ab Dbelug saved, wore dispousiug the drinks freo to ail who wishod, ko noxt number wouth, 407, was ownod by Tow Wolsh, and ocoupied by & ualoon aud board- whers hundreds of families had gathored tholz effects for safety, Looking northward on tha avenue, tho flamos prosented o dense mass, and lapped i fury for a distance of G00 or 600 fooke WEEIING FOB HER OHILDREN. The writer mob on Third avenue Paulina Miucer, & Gorman woman, and her little son, who livad a No. 219, They were crging loudly, sud refused to bo comforted, Finally it was learned that tho mothor had left her two young- out oilldron in the houde, and, the fire having swopt over tho bpot, she came on the soone to ' find bor home deitroyed, sud ner childron—God Lnow where,—sho did not, and, bolieving they woro burned, she gst up & wail whioh mado the strongont heart quall, Bhe rofused to bs com- forted by the writer, who fuformod hor that it. was probablo the boys—litilo fellowa of 6 and 7 yoars,—had esoapod. Anothor mother way alio found in the sams